#he could stand on stage and read a book to us for two hours and i wouldnt care i love him so

[tired-and-swaggy]

people complaining on Twitter about how hozier played mostly old songs last night instead of all the new ones… crazy to me. like you saw hozier. in front of you. he sang for you. crazy to be upset about anything after that

[eddiesxangel]

Let Me Be Your Goodnight | Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

CW: angst, rough sex, possessive Eddie, female fingering, p in v (protected and unprotected) , creampie, biting, light choking, pet names, Eddie and Reader are fuck buddies, but Reader isn't necessarily a groupie? Mutual pining but Eddie is a fuckboi, heavily inspired by Temporary Fix by 1D lol. Not a happy ending?

WC: 4K

For my 1D babes this is for you 😏

His eyes were transfixed on you. There you were, front and centre, first row, directly in Eddie’s line of sight. Perfect. You were perfect. He wanted you the second he laid his eyes on you. Your cherry red lips are perfectly in sync with the lyrics falling off his lips. He knew he needed to have you.

He tried to find you after the show, but you were gone before security could reach you. You had slipped through his fingers.

Eddie couldn’t believe his luck when he saw you hours later during the after-party. There you were, across the bar, standing with somebody, but it was clear he didn’t know what you liked, but Eddie knew; he read you like a book. Your body language was not inviting, and the eye roll you gave when the guy leaned in and whispered something in your ear. He knew you didn’t want to talk to this guy any longer.

Remembering how your eyes trailed his sweaty muscles as he performed for the crowd. How you were making his leather pants tighter than when they put them earlier that night.

You watched as Eddie sauntered over to you, pushing the countless bodies, including the guy who was trying to take you home, to get to you.

“Hey gorgeous, what’s a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?” He leans on the bar, so close you’re almost touching.

“I’m sorry? who are you?” You twirl the straw in your cocktail.

“Feeling bratty tonight, aren’t we?”

You turn your back on him, flipping your hair over your shoulder, Eddie gets a whiff of your sultry perfume as you do. His eyes scanned your back, stopping at the hem of the tight, shiny black mini-skirt.

You feel Eddie walk up closer behind you, his breath cascading down your collarbone, his body heat radiating off of him like a furnace. You couldn’t help but react as his deep, raspy voice whispered in your ear.

“You know what I think, baby? I think you’re getting real tired of running that mouth of yours… maybe I can show you another way to use it.”

“Excuse you?” You snap.

“You know I saw you looking at me first.” He smirked.

“Who do-”

“And when I was on that stage, all I could think about was you waking up in nothing but my shirt, in my bed.” His hand trailed up the side of your leg and around to the hem of your skirt.

A small gasp leaves your lips as you let Eddie’s hand travel further towards your inner thighs that were clenched.

“You don’t have to tell me anything; I don’t have to read your mind… You’re soaked for me, and you have been since you saw me on stage; why else would you be front and centre, hmmm?”

The cocky prick knew your weakness, and your weakness was him.

“Eddie,” your body relaxes into him, and he removes his hand so it’s in a less compromising position.

“Oh, so the Princess does know who I am?”

“Shut up.” You were not very convincing; you were transfixed by him.

“If you're not hooked on anything right now, I can be your vice.” his plush lips grazed that spot on your neck he knew all too well.

Now, this was not the first time you let Eddie touch you. Any time he was in town, you ended up being pulled together like two magnets. You couldn’t help yourselves; you were addicted. But every time you say it’s the last, that it won’t happen again. That’s why you turned your back to him; if you saw those eyes, you knew you would, in fact, be waking up in his t-shirt.

A moan leaves your ruby-red lips as you feel his hand interlace with your own. Before you know it, you’re willingly being pulled by Eddie, and your lips are attached to his neck as he pulls you out of the club, trying to call a taxi.

A million lights flash as you exit the club, and paps and car headlights flash as he surprisingly doesn't cover your face like he usually would. You’ve seen him paps with dozens of other women; he’s always covering their faces, not wanting to show them off… but not you. Not tonight.

Lipstick is tattooed on Eddie’s throat, claiming him as your own. You couldn’t help it; there was something about Eddie that made you act like an animal. It wasn't the fame or the glitz or the glam or even the money, for that matter. It was Eddie, how he commanded the stage, how he carried himself, how he knew exactly what made you tic.

Eddie could hardly get into the car before he felt your body climb on top of him. Your skirt hiked up, and you straddled him in the back seat. Your hips ground into Eddie’s already hardening cock, and Eddie's hands shot up to your ass to keep you from moving.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Need you.”

“Did my baby miss me?”

You didn’t reply, how could you? Truthfully, Eddie was everything you wanted, but he wasn’t cut out for settling down. You knew there was another version of you in each city, and you couldn’t take the heartbreak.

Your lips latched on his neck once again, only this time you sucked the skin until it was black and blue. That could be his problem for his next girl tomorrow, but for right now, he will be yours tonight.

The ride to the hotel in NYC took as long as expected at two in the morning. The paps tried to follow you, but the taxi driver surprisingly lost their tail. Eddie let out a sigh of relief as he pulled you into the hallways off the elevator. Finally, he was back in the hotel room. He wanted you so bad, even if it was temporary; he was desperate for you. You were his favourite; you could actually be someone to him if he would let you, but Eddie was stubborn. Love didn’t exist for Eddie; he knew that.

“Tell me what you want, gorgeous.”

“I need you.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” he ruts his hips into you, pressing you further into the hotel room wall. His lips found your neck, and his hips ground onto you.

You needed Eddie’s hands; his talented fingers were pinning your hands down, but you wanted him to touch you; you needed him to touch you. You squirm under Eddie’s grasp, and he has you right where he wants you. Needy.

“Eddie, touch me already.” You were done with these games; you both were here for one reason. There is no need to beat around the bush or be timid or embarrassed about getting what you want. You wanted him to make you cum, and you were going to get it.

“There’s my girl, knows what she wants”

“Not your girl,” you moan as his fingers trail up your inner thigh.

“No?” Eddie cocks his head because in his mind, you were his favourite.

“Please, I know you, Eds.” You locked eyes. “Tell me to my face I’m the only girl you want... like you were balls deep in someone else yesterday.”

You were right; he couldn’t give you the answer he wanted, but he didn’t want it to be true.

“That’s what I thou-”

“You can own me,” Eddie quickly cut you off, “and we'll call this what you like.” His hands slipped under your panties and across your wet slit finding your swollen clit.

“Eddie!” You moan as your head falls back.

“Good girl, scream my name.” his thick, tattooed, ringed fingers slip past your folds and sink into your walls.

He watched your pretty red lips part as he worked his fingers up inside you, finding that spot deep inside you with ease. He knew your body, studied it, and now he was going to own it, even if it was just tonight.

You trembled below Eddie as his fingers pleasured you like no others could. This is why you keep coming back to Eddie. He knew how to work you, how to please you; he owned you; there was no denying.

“I’m coming!” You gripped his shoulders to brace yourself. It had been a while since Eddie, and you last got together, and he always could get you there quickly.

You needed to wipe that smug look off his face, so you kissed him so you didn’t have to look at him any longer. You push yourself off the wall and walk you and Eddie over to the bed.

Eddie fell back as you climbed on top of him. You needed to feel him under you, you wanted control, you wanted to be the one to give him the most mind-blowing sex of his life that any time he’s inside another girl, you’re the one he’s thinking of. No more temporary.

Grinding your hips down in Eddie's hard cock he lets out a whimper. The squeak of his leather pants against your core, heavy sighs and moans were the only sounds filling the room.

“You want me, Eddie?” You never used pet names with Eddie; it made things too real, and you couldn’t play into the fantasy that he was yours.

“Always, baby.” his chest rose and fell as he lay, and your fingers trailed down his stomach to the waistband of his pants.

“I don’t believe you.” You play with the happy trail leading toward what you want most.

“I’d say otherwise” Eddie cupped his hard cock, gesturing to how much he did in fact need you. You were the one, always.

You take his waistband between your fingers and yank his pants down. Unsurprisingly, he isn’t wearing underwear. His cock sprang free of the tight confines of his pants, and he breathed a sigh of relief. It looked painfully hard, and he looked desperate, needy, and beautiful.

“Tell me what you want, Eddie.”

“Already told you babygirl”

“Tell me again.”

“I want your sweet mouth on my cock; I want you to call me when you’re lonely when you can’t sleep,” he smirked, “You control me, baby, even if it’s just tonight.”

“Shut up” You gripped his hard cock in your hand and rolled your tongue over the tip before taking him as far as you could go. You didn’t let up, you didn’t slow down, you went for it, all in.

You knew he was full of shit, and you wanted to prove to him that he truly was missing out on the best thing that could happen to him.

“Shit, shit, shit, just like that, fuck, that mouth of yours is too good” he gripped your soft hair in his hands.

You worked him to his breaking point, his cock twitched, and you pulled off immediately,

“What the” Eddie stopped mid-sentence as he watched you slowly strip in front of him. His chocolate doe eyes widen as he watches your clothing come off piece by piece. Your exposed skin was calling him; he needed to feel your soft thighs warming his ears, your perfect tits cupped in his hands.

Your last article of clothing fell to the floor, and Eddie's eyes burned into you. He watched as you bent down to pick up his pants. He watched as you found his wallet, pulled it out, and opened it up to find the sealed golden foil he kept inside for times such as these.

You toss his wallet to the side and slowly crawl back to him.

Teasingly, you slowly unwrap the condom, watching Eddie drool as you do. You smirk, knowing you’re making him wait and squirm beneath you.

“Hurry up, baby girl.” He wants to grab the condom from your hand and do it himself so he can throw you around how he likes, but he also wants you to do it; he likes not having to be in control the whole time.

Unlike the others, you knew how Eddie wanted you and how he needed you.

“Patients Ed’s,” you cooed in his ear as your swollen lips trailed down his neck before you sat up to roll the condom on finally. His cock was leaking precum, so you dipped your head down one last time so you could lick it up. Once it was cleaned and clear, you swiftly rolled it down onto his throbbing member and positioned yourself over it so you could sink down.

Riding Eddie was always your favourite pastime; the way he filled you and brushed up against your walls, nothing could compare to that feeling he gave you.

You both let out a moan as you fully enveloped him. Eddie reaches up to grasp your hips to help you move with him. Sure, he loved you on top, in control, but he's only a man; he can't help but fulfill the need to thrust up into you.

Your thighs were burning, but you didn't care. The way Eddie was making you feel was all-consuming. His long hard cock hit that perfect spot every time you bounced down onto him. Skin slapping skin, your breasts bouncing in his face, your pretty mouth left agape in pleasure.

"That's it, bunny. Do you like being my little bunny, bouncing in my cock? This is the only cock that can make you feel this good isn't it?"

You didn't reply; you were too focused on the burning in your thighs and the pleasure building in your core.

Your hand slinked down between you and Eddie so you could rub your clit, giving you enough so your second orgasm of the night could build and build until Edie swatted your hand away.

"Answer me, Bunny," Eddie gritted through his teeth.

"Not your bunny, not yours." You didn't slow down; you only picked up speed.

"Wrong answer," Eddie was annoyed you never played into his little games like the others do.

You felt Eddie steady your waist, stopping you from bouncing, and flip you backwards so you were flat on your back, head almost falling off the foot of the bed.

You let out a startled yelp as Eddie yanks you by your ankles so you are closer to him.

He waists not another second to thrust back into your wet cunt.

"Fuck Eddie!" you cried as he roughly fucks into you. He had your legs pinned by your ears; you didn't even know you were that flexible.

"What was that gorgeous? You're not mine? I think you are, even if it's just tonight." he sneered.

A chain of curses left your mouth as Eddie pounded into you over and over and over again. His large hand travelled up to your chest, surprisingly not resting on your swollen breast but where your heart was.

You were slipping; you were feeling the weakness of your judgment unfold as your impending orgasm grew.

"You're so tight, baby girl; you're so tight for me; I can feel how close you are. You're gripping my cock so good." Eddie spoke as he stroked your hair out of your face. His actions were such a contradiction to how he was abusing your cunt.

"More, Eddie!" you pant.

"No, you know my cock is good enough to make you cum. You've been naughty. This is all you're getting unless you tell me you're mine." His hand slid up from where it was resting on your chest up to your throat, squeezing it hard enough that you still could breathe, but his fingers dug into you so hard there might be a mark left tomorrow.

Fuck him.

"No!" you spit.

"Then this is all you get. He leaned back, releasing your throat from his hands and replaced it with each of your ankles. He steadied himself before jackhammering into your cunt.

You let out a cry, and Eddie's hips slapped hard into you, his heavy balls hitting your ass with each thrust. The tip of his tick-long cock grazing your spot.

Eddie was right; his cock was all that you needed because you were coming in seconds, and he wasn't too far behind. Your body felt like it was dripping fire as your orgasm took over your mind and body.

Eddie fucking loved the way your cunt squeezed down on him every time he made you cum with his cock alone. He knew it was a rarity; he was so proud of himself each time.

He fell on top of you after that marathon of sex you both participated in. He pulled out, discarded the condom, and then went to crawl back into bed with you, but you were already up and halfway dressed.

"Where do you think you are going?" he blocks the door with his lean, naked frame.

"Home to sleep, it's three thirty. I'm tired."

"You think I'm letting you go out by yourself in the middle of the night? Looking like that?" He raises his brow.

Suddenly, the euphoria of the sex you just had completely drains out of you.

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?"

"It means I'm not letting you, the most beautiful woman I've ever met, go out onto the streets where who knows what is out there so you can get snatched up. No way, you're spending the night; I'll sleep on the floor for all I care. It's not safe right now."

What the fuck was happening? Eddie always threw you out once you were done? And did he call you beautiful? Maybe you did, in fact, fuck his brains out?

"Uh, are you feeling okay?" You hold the back of your hand up to feel if he has a fever because what?

"I'm fine but won't be if you leave." He took your wrist off his head and looked you in the eyes.

"Fine, but you promised me a t-shirt." You decided to cave based on your better judgment. "And you don't have to sleep on the floor. I think we are way past that." You turned to walk back to the bed, slowly stripping for Eddie once more.

Eddie made his way over to the closet and pulled out his favourite shirt to give to you.

"Thanks." You caught it when he tossed it to you. You slip over your head before you turn to the bathroom to get unready the best you can.

Thankfully, the hotel came with a fresh toothbrush, and Eddie had cleanser and moisturizer you could borrow. You didn't bother brushing your hair. You just fixed it with your fingers and then exited the bathroom.

Eddie had just come in from the balcony after having a cigarette when you walked back out.

He drank you in; his shirt hugged you in all the right places. Your face was bare and fresh, but the hickeys he had left on your neck were raw; to him, you had never been more beautiful.

You watched him take you in, then hesitated before getting into the bed.

"Uh, what side do you want me to take?" suddenly nervous about sleeping in the same bed as him.

"I usually sleep on the right,"

"Good, I'm more of a left girl myself." God, that was lame.

"Meant to be," Eddie smirked before turning down the bed.

You tried not to read too much into that comment as you crawled in, lying down and facing away from him. You were stiff and didn't understand what had changed between now and all the other one-night stands.

"If you wanted to be the little spoon, all you had to do was ask baby." His strong arm wrapped around your middle and pulled your back flush to his chest.

Was Eddie Munson cuddling you? What kind of twilight zone have you entered?

"Um, Eddie?"

"Yeah, gorgeous?" He spoke as he nuzzled his face into your hair. You could feel his cock hardening against your ass, and there goes your train of thought. All semblance of a sentence was gone from your lips because Eddie's dick was pressed up against your backside.

You can't help it when your pussy floods itself all over again. You can't help it when your ass starts to grind into him.

"Greedy girl, you wanna go again?"

"You started it," You point out.

"Can't get enough of ol'Eddie, can ya, babygril?"

You let out a whine of frustration. You were supposed to be on your way home, but instead, here you are, begging for Eddie's cock once again because you're weak when it comes to him.

"I'll take that as a yes."

You don't let Eddie speak anymore before you take his cock and align it when your dripping entrance.

"Wait, are you sure?" Eddie asked; you never fucked without a condom before.

You didn't give him a verbal response; you only dragged his tip through your wet folds, confirming that this was what you wanted.

You opened your legs a bit wider to let Eddie glide in easily. Another wave of wetness pulsed out of your pussy as the velvety skin of Eddi's cock brushed up inside of you.

You feel Eddie's teeth sink into your shoulder as his hips slowly thrust into you. Your ass pressing into his bush with each thrust.

"Oh, Eddie!" You cried at the pain of his teeth marking you but also the euphoria that his bare cock was giving you. Eddie pulled you in closer, his hand wrapped around your middle, tweaking your hardened nipple under the sift you were wearing.

"Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, " Eddie spoke with each thrust.

"Yours, yours, yours yours," You agreed, fianllly you gave in.

He then gave in and finally played with your clit as he trusted in you again and again. It was slow and sloppy; he fell out a few times, but it was sex like you hadn't had with Eddie before.

Before, it was always rough and hard, a temporary fix to get off and go. But this was different. This was like he was fucking you as if he cared for you as a person. Not just another one in his little black book

Your mouth hung open as silent screams tried to come out of your lungs. You were speechless.

Eddie didn't say much either, which wasn't normal for him, but it didn't feel right at the moment. He wanted to endure the way your body wrapped around him. The way your cunt tightened when the pad of his finger grazed your swollen clit.

Before you knew it, you were coming undone all over Eddie once again. Your cum flooded over Eddie in a warm wet embrace, and that had him trying to pull out, but he wasn't fast enough. His cum was spurting up into you as his cock spasmed inside of you.

"Holly shit," He panted. Never had Eddie had such intimate sex before, and he didn't want to go back.

"Wow," you said when you started coming back to reality. You could feel Eddie's seed leaking out of you, and you needed to go get cleaned up, but you didn't think you could move.

Eddie peppered soft kisses along your neck and over your cheek before falling back exhausted.

"Good night, gorgeous." He wrapped his arms around you and fell asleep instantly.

The next afternoon, Eddie woke up to find he was alone. A pang of disappointment filled his chest before he spotted the note on your pillow.

"We need to talk."

That was all it said, followed by your phone number.

Eddie's stomach dropped while reading it, and he wasn't sure why, so he chose to ignore it and move on with his day...

You hadn't heard from Eddie for about a month, and it was killing you. Had he not seen the note?

You refused to be the one to reach out; you would not be that girl. So it surprised you when Eddie called five weeks later when he was back in New York.

"Hey gorgeous"

"Eddie, we need to talk."

"Don't think we will be doing much talking with your lips wrapped around my dick" You could practically see the smirk on his face. In any other instance, that probably would have made you roll your eyes and give in, but this was too important to skim over.

"Eddie, I'm pregnant."

Eddie doesn't respond, and you hear the disconnected tone on the other end of the line.

Tagging those who seemed interested:

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[tavolgisvist]

That evening in the dressing-room of the cinema at York two girls came in and asked to interview them. They said they wanted the interview so they could make a tape of it for a third girl who was ill in hospital. John sat in a corner away from the group. ‘It’s probably just an excuse to get into our dressing-room,’ he says. ‘Anyway women should be obscene and not heard.’ ‘Switch it on now,’ says Paul conducting the interview for the bewildered girls. ‘What’s your name?’ he asks Ringo. ‘John’, says Ringo. He then asks the girls their names. ‘How did you like Germany when you were there?’ asks the girl whose name is Eileen. ‘We liked it fine,’ says Paul. ‘It was hard work,’ says Ringo. ‘Yeah’, says George. All during the interview they sign autograph books that had been sent to their dressing-room, and when they aren’t actually answering a question they read letters from fans. The girls walk over to John. ‘How do you write the songs ?’ says the girl whose name is Daphne. John doesn’t answer. Paul shouts across the room in a voice you use to an errant child, ‘Tell us about the songs, John, tell us about the songs.’ ‘Sometimes we write them together’, says John. ‘Sometimes not. Some of them take four hours; some twenty minutes. Others have been known to take as long as three weeks.’ ‘What’s your favourite song that you’ve written?’ ‘I think “Glad All Over”,’ says Paul, opening his eyes even wider. ‘No, I’m kidding. I think at the moment it’s our new record “I want to hold your hand”. Is that all right ?’ ‘Yes, that’s fine,’ says Eileen. ‘Thank you very much indeed.’ ‘Oh dear,’ says Daphne. ‘It doesn’t seem to have been recording. Sorry about that.’ <…> Inside, the compere is asking: ‘Do you want to see John?’ (Screams.) ‘George?’ (Screams.) ‘Paul?’ (Screams.) ‘Ringo?’ (Pandemonium.) They appear, and all during their act a man in a dinner jacket stands in front of the stage looking bewildered. The girls wave, hold up pictures, and scream. <…> Paul runs off stage shouting, ‘Oh my God, my ulcer. Nell, do you have a ciggy?’ Aspinall alternately hands him a cigarette and leads him toward the stage door where their car is waiting to take them to the hotel. <…>

The Beatles are in their hotel bedrooms finishing their dinners. George feels tired and goes to sleep. John, wearing a T-shirt and an old pair of trousers, wanders down the hallway past the guard, into the room shared by Paul and Ringo. The table filled with the empty dinner dishes is at the foot of Ringo’s bed. Ringo, dressed in pyjamas, is sitting up in bed. Paul, also in pyjamas, is talking about a film, The Trial, which he has just seen in London. He is describing a scene in which there is a misunderstanding about a word, when the telephone rings. ‘Hello, helloho,’ says Paul in a falsetto and then, realizing it is a friend, says Hello seriously. <…> ‘What I liked best in The Trial’, he says, ‘was when they walked quietly through the concentration camp. It was so dead quiet, just like another world and Elsa Martinelli in the background just necking like mad.’ <…> ‘Uh, I need another drink, baby,’ says John. Paul goes to the phone. ‘Hello? Yeah, send us six single Scotches - No, make it doubles, yeah, doubles.’ <…> They started discussing the feelings of adults towards pop music. ‘We’re definitely fighting a prejudice,’ says John. ‘That’s why I’m interested in John getting his book out,’ says Paul. ‘I mean, I haven’t got a cut or anything. It’s just that one of us would be doing something to make people notice. I mean, it’s the same as if one of us wrote a musical. People would get rid of their prejudice and stop thinking that pop people can only sing or go into a dance routine.’ <…> ‘You remember after that big spate of publicity we got in the national papers,’ says John, ‘which was uncalled for by our office. We were news at the time, and it only just happened we clicked in fourteen editors’ minds at the same time. One day Paul was ill and I believe one of the papers wanted a picture of him. Nell told them they couldn’t have it, and the photographer said: “You mean, after all the publicity we gave them – we made them.” I’d like to meet this fella who said it.’ Paul explained that they never talk to the teenage magazines. ‘They just make it up. I think they prefer it that way…’

(Love Me Do. The Beatles Progress by Michael Braun, 1963/1995)

Part (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII)

(+ about Paul's flue)

[greeneyed-thestral]

I MET MICHAEL SHEEN. 16/03/24, National Theatre

So, if you've read my post about booking tickets to see Michael, you know all about my what-ifs. But the day was finally here.

I arrived at the National Theatre, followed all the Nye signs and here's the Olivier Theatre. I made my sister buy me the show's programme, hoping I would be able to get it signed.

I find my seat, I'm not in the centre but the stage still feels very close and you can see everything (amphitheatres are always the best).

Lights out. The audience is in religious silence. Can't believe I'm actually here, this is happening.

[skip this part in smaller font, if you want to avoid spoilers] In the words of Staged, he really loses himself in his roles. First of all, it's great to hear him speak in a Welsh accent.

But then we also see him turning back into a child, and you can totally believe he's young and innocent again. His stutter feels so real, his struggle and sadness too. The entire ensamble is great during the classroom scene, where they all help Nye against their bullying teacher (using those big canes to make him look scary really works). Hearing young Nye confessing that at times he thinks he 'shouldn't exist' because of who he is was a gut punch; Michael's delivery of that whole part is incredible, in that moment he really becomes a little boy that allows himself to feel vulnerable and says something dark to a friend. The way he jumps while saying "I can visualise and enunciate!" made me wanna jump too, he was ready to give up and then he found the solution through books, it's the joy and relief you feel when you realise that there is another way and your life is not over.

Now, I've watched musicals all my life and let me tell you that man is meant to be in one. He opened his mouth and all I could see was someone that had been waiting a long time for the occasion to show his talent, truly showstopping. He was so free and happy and confident, singing and dancing spectacularly. I couldn't stop smiling and giggling, we all clapped.

It's clear he means every word he says, and when he points and shouts his political arguments at the audience, those who feel called out must be shaking; I thought 'This is how people in Ancient Greece must have felt everytime they went to the theatre'. His Nye is inspiring, passionate, someone you'd want to follow, he stands up for what he believes in and lets nothing get in his way.

We get to watch him flirt, on all fours, waggling his 'tail'; everytime we think we've seen all he's capable of, he does something like this and surprises us.

But most of all, we see him being scared, first of having to do something, and then of not being able to do enough for all of us. At one point everyone has requests for Nye and I was expecting him to shout "Heal yourselves!" like Jesus in JCS, it totally conveyed what it must have been like to be in his role at the time, overwhelmed with daunting responsibilities.

In general, I appreciated the fact that it wasn't a linear biography, they chose life moments that have universal situations everyone can relate too, like they do in bio-musicals. I loved the staging. The colour palette is so recognisable; the curtains and the beds are used in many different ways so everything is explored at its full potential.

He is on stage basically all the time for more than two hours (sometimes twice a day, can you imagine?). Also barefoot and in his pajamas from start to finish, he looks like a teddy bear you just want to hug and protect.

He bows, looks at Nye's achievements, then leaves the stage.

Standing ovation, applause. I go back to the theatre lobby, I was supposed to wait for my sister, but she's late. Meanwhile, a fan asks me how to get to the Stage Door. I start too fear that I'm going to miss my chance if I keep waiting inside, so I decide to go on my own. After no more than 5 minutes, he's outside with us. Forget Nye, I am living my fever dream. He has just finished his second show of the day and yet he's smiling and listening to each and every one, signing and taking pictures. I know many have said this, but he really is an angel.

My sister arrives, and as soon as I'm sure she has the camera ready, I make my way to him. The two girls next to me who were speaking to him needed a pen and I lent them my sharpie, so I got my chance to look generous in front of him.

And suddently it was my turn. This is as much as my scrambled mind allows me to remember: I tell him I'm Francesca and I'm from Italy, he asks me how long I am going to stay, I confess that I had arrived that morning and just to see him, that I would be leaving already the following morning. I can't even focus while he's signing my programme, I just want to find the right words. I manage to say how I enjoyed seeing his passion, all these different sides of him and how watching him sing and dance has been the highlight of my evening. We take a picture together, I feel his hand on my shoulder and I realise my arm is around the waist of this person I love. I had to thank him again, telling him that he only deserves good things and that we are so lucky to have him. He wishes me a safe trip home, and I melt. I leave and I can't stop trembling. On my way back to the hotel I hold on tight to my signed programme and the sharpie that was in his hands just moments earlier. Only later I will realise that he's also written 'Ciao!', 'love' and 'X', without me asking for it or anything! Seeing him act live was a big gift already, but what followed outside was beyond my dreams. I can't look at the photos without blushing, the way he looks at me in the video and then also strokes my arm for a moment, I mean pinch me now.

The more I think about it, the more I can't believe it happened.

I want to thank everyone that under my first post pushed me and encouraged me to see the pros of doing this, I share this beautiful moment of my life with all of you. <3

[arianatwycross]

The Process of Wanting

Using @jilymicrofics @jilymicro-oops July prompt: wishful

Chapter 9

Marlene had indeed been baking. The sweet aroma of browned butter and sugar layered the girls' shared living room. Lily, grinning at Marlene’s off-keyed singing coming from the nearby kitchen, laughs when her friend finds two listeners standing idly in the kitchen doorway.  “Lil! You could have warned me that you were bringing someone,” Marlene chides, wiping her hands free from flour on her bright pink tracksuit pants. James gives Marlene a sorrowful smile, hoping he hadn’t just embarrassed Lily’s best friend too much.  “Sorry! It was spontaneous.” Lily smiles, leaning over Marlene’s shoulder to check out the cookies on the stovetop.  “Hmm, been a bit more spontaneous lately haven't we,” James hears Marlene mutter, making him raise an eyebrow as Lily looks back at him with rosy cheeks. 

Continue reading below or on A03

Before Marlene can challenge them to who-can-embarrass-who the most competition, Lily grabs two cookies off the oven tray, eyes sparkling with amusement, she mouths the word ‘hot’ to James before leaping away from Marlene’s grabby hands and handing one to him. The two of them laugh as they run out of the kitchen, James already taking a bite of the gooey cookie.

“Oh my god,” he groans as he chews, making Lily laugh more. 

Before he can allow such a sound to render him useless, Lily grabs his hand and drags him into a nearby bedroom. Her bedroom, he realises. 

He munches on his cookie as he takes in his surroundings. Dusty blue duvet over a large double bed, fluffy white cushions taking centre stage, multiple trinket dishes scattered on a large chest of drawers, gold jewellery left scattered amongst the china. Piles of books, classics, fantasy, romance, perfume and fake flowers decorate the rest of the space - it’s so very Lily, that he’s surprised at how much it doesn't surprise him. This collection of Lily's things is exactly how he's portrayed her, how he’s come to know her, and in only a short amount of time. 

It should make him nervous, being in her room, alone but instead, he’s so impressed by how much makes Lily Evans, Lily Evans that he feels excited to be there. 

He finishes his cookie, finishes his perusal of her room and focuses his attention on the girl who makes the small porcelain duck resting next to a pretty version of ‘Emma’ make so much sense. 

He steps forward and watches as her green eyes widen and track his movements. Taking her hand in his he pulls her into him, the air thick with anticipation, his heart thumping steadily beneath his chest, he finally - after hours of being by her side, kisses her. 

It might be wishful, to think that just by witnessing her room, taking stock of all her knick-knacks, means that this is as comfortable with someone he will ever get. Yet as he kisses her deeper, cherishs the taste of sugar and chocolate on her lips, and allows his hands to wander into her thick soft curls, her forthcoming moan, settles his knowing deeper. He knows, in that moment, that Lily will be the person to break down his barriers and allow him to rest and enjoy himself. 

[cricketnationrise]

Ficlet prompt

Fandom: RWRB

Time: 10:53 pm

Location: Karaoke Bar (did it have a name in the movie? I’ll have to search in the book)

Song: Josh Turner’s “I Want to be Your Man (have you seen the Taylor/Nick duet?? 🔥)

Rating: Author’s discussion

AO3 UserID: Penandra (reader not a writer on AO3 — some (old) stories on FFN

Thank you for what you’ve written so far. Excellent!

was i searching the wrong song title at first? yes. did i eventually realize and find the tiktok of them singing a verse of this almost immediately? also yes. thanks for the prompt, hope you enjoy the ficlet!

read the rest of the ficlets here

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙

10:53pm, karaoke bar

Henry’s already pleasantly tipsy before they even get to Alex’s mystery destination. The car stops and Nora and Pez tumble out, pulling June and Bea after them. Henry waits, sprawled across Alex’s chest.

“Let’s go, baby, we’re here.”

“Comfy, though.”

“You’ll like it, I promise. And it’s an anniversary of sorts for us.”

Intrigued despite himself, Henry straightens up, a bolt of heat going down his spine when he spies the neon Karaoke Queen sign out the tinted window. A veritable storm of hazy memories flick through his brain: luridly bright kimonos, an inadvisable amount of vodka shots, an even more inadvisable moment in a bathroom.

“You want to celebrate this anniversary?” Henry asks, incredulous. “Is there a traditional gift for the first anniversary of bathroom sex? A new loo roll holder, perhaps?”

“I was more thinking about what happened later that night,” Alex says softly, a hint of embarrassment playing around the corner of his mouth. “It was the first time I—that we…”

“Oh.” 

The reminder that following his rendition of Don’t Stop Me Now—Henry is sure it had Freddie himself spinning in his grave—the two of them had stumbled into a hotel room and been as close as two people possible could, is a humbling one. Alex had been nervous, but determined to make things as pleasurable as possible for him. Determined to meet Henry’s suggestion head-on, despite his lack of experience with men. 

It had been a tipping point for Henry—what he supposed was the beginning of the end for the two of them. They’d shared a bed before, but it was that morning in LA, Alex watching Henry get ready for the day despite his own exhaustion and hangover, that a pang of sharp longing hit him. He wanted Alex in his space, always; wanted him at every event, in every room, at every hour of the day.

And he and Alex were still “casual.”

“I just—that night was special. So I made sure with Bea and Pez that you were free this weekend so we could come back here, now that we’re out, and not have to hide any ounce of love this time.”

“Alex…”

“Forget it, it’s stu—”

“It is not stupid. Let’s go.”

Henry’s the one to lead Alex inside, fingers laced together. The rest of their group cheers when they make it to the table. Henry busies himself downing the first two shots Pez ordered to avoid hearing the specifics of the teasing aimed at their later arrival. Honestly, Nora should know that two-thirds of her bawdy suggestions aren’t even physically possible.

“As punishment for your tardiness—”

“It wasn’t even five minutes,” Alex protests.

Pez continues as though uninterrupted. “You two lovebirds are up first. And if you don’t suitably impress us, you’ll be forced to do solos until the staff begs for mercy.”

“That seems more like a punishment for us,” June whines, but Henry recognizes the teasing glint in her eyes.

Alex shoves at her. “Fuck you, I’m great at karaoke.”

“Then it should be easy to get us on our feet,” Bea says. “Choose wisely.”

“Y’all are the worst,” Alex says. He downs two shots in quick succession then stands and gallantly holds out a hand for Henry. “Shall we?”

The next few minutes pass by at lightning speed. One moment Alex is cackling over song options and the next he’s towing Henry up onto the stage while the twangy guitar intro plays. At least Alex picked a song Henry’s heard of, even if he’s never tried to sing along before. When the lyrics pop up on screen, Alex starts, lowering his voice in a futile attempt to match Josh Turner’s. It’s all Henry can do not to laugh, but he knows his grin is visible from space.

Baby, lock the door and turn the lights down low

The delighted screaming starts almost immediately, drowning out Alex’s voice as the crowd joins in. Your Man isn’t really an up-and-at-’em kind of song, but the whole bar is singing along with his boyfriend and Henry can’t look away. Alex meets his eyes with more than a little heat as he sings: 

I’ve been thinking ‘bout this all day long 

Never felt a feeling that was quite this strong

And Henry snaps out of his trance for the opportunity to utterly wreck Alex’s concentration. He deepens his own voice and half-speaks, half-sings: 

I can’t believe how much it turns me on

Alex’s face is a picture of shock; the juxtaposition of Henry, Prince of England and usually buttoned-up, singing about being turned on, is apparently enough to make Alex gape. Henry continues, more sincerely for the next line.

Just to be your man

Alex blows him a kiss and then tugs him in closer with an arm around his waist so that they’re sharing the same mic. Henry would protest, but the shots and Alex’s proximity have him relaxed enough to throw himself into the rest of the performance. He looks out and sees Pez serenading both June and Nora, sees Bea tapping her foot and holding up the lighter app on her phone. A group of bar patrons over on the dance floor are doing some sort of line dance, what Henry thinks might be a slow Cotton Eye Joe. Even the bartenders are singing along. 

The words spill out of Henry like campfire sparks shooting into the sky. He feels welcome here, in Alex’s arms, surrounded by family and friends and strangers all united by this one song. Such is the magic of Alex—he lights up any room he’s in and then uses that light to illuminate the corners, to include as many people as possible. But—

Alex sings the next lines directly to Henry:

Ain’t nobody ever love nobody

The way that I love you

Henry can’t help but pull him in for a sloppy kiss right there on stage. Just because he can. Because he loves Alex.

Because he loves.

[shiralol101hehe]

Beatles Monthly — 6/01/64

TRANSCRIPT OF:

I VISITED THE BEATLES ON THE SET - Elizabeth SACKS

“I was lucky enough to be invited by Mr. Shenson, the film producer, to come and watch some scenes for the Beatlefilm being completed in a London theatre. Of course I was thrilled and excited beyond all comprehension. The interior of the theatre had been changed slightly, to give it the appearance of a television studio. On both sides of the stage, large glass booths had been erected, there were several monitor sets at the front of the stage, and the floor was a mass of tangled wires from the cameras, guitars and other electrical equipment. The only people that were on the stage were connected with the film, but, even even so it appeared to be crowded with technicians, electricians, continuity girls, clapper boys, make-up men, stand-ins, hairdressers and the like, not to mention the producer and director! One would never have guessed that the Beatles were in the building from the air of relaxation and friendliness which pervaded the theatre. I, however, felt at a point of near-hysteria, and I struggled to control my nerves with a very "put-on" smile!

"All of suddy", I noticed Paul, standing in the aisle, giggling quietly to him-self. I hastily put my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream and I fairly goggled at the sight of darling PAUL! so near that I could have reached out and touched him. He saw me, suddenly and waved cheerily, calling out "H'lo, Juv!". As I started to sink through the ground, birs. Shenson called him over to meet me. Well, what can I say? Just that he is about twice as goodlooking as the photos make out, and extremely easy to get on with. To my surprise, I found my nerves starting to calm down in his company and I was soon perfectly relaxed. I was able to talk to Paul for several minutes, and then I went along to the canteen to meet George and have a cup of tea.

George was in the thick of an interview with a reporter from a musical paper, and I could not interrupt it, but when it was over I was introduced to him. Mrs. Shenson told him that he is my fave Beatle, and he pretended to go all shy, and hid his face in his jacket! George is a lot quieter than Paul, and he also looks better "in the flesh" than on paper. He is, in addition, fab, gear, great, and...oooooooooooooooooo!!! (CENSORED)!

After tea with George, I went back to the stalls to watch a scene being shot.John had to lie still on the ground at the side of the stage while Lionel Blair and his dancers went through a short routine. This took, in fact, HALF AN HOUR to film, during which time John did not BUDGE! He lay as if in a coma on the stage. After this, he got up, pensively rubbed his head, walked across the stage, and casually began combing his hair, apparently none the worse for his long "kip"! As John walked up the aisle (l) to the canteen, Mrs. Shenson stopped him to show him that he had been quoted in yet another American magazine, which he read with some interest. Then he was introduced to me, and he said that he liked me for reading his book, which he autographed with a funny little cartoon: a head on two legs to be exact (any suggestions!).

John is a very entertaining person, and a completely lovable character. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet Ringo, for he was playing cards with some engineers in the canteen. I think he must have been losing, as Mr. Shenson walked up to him and said; "Snap, Ringo!", to which he replied: "You must be joking".

The Beatles then prepared to shoot a number for the film. Stand-ins were used before the Beatles were called, to make sure that lighting, focus, "and that were just so. Then a man walked up and down, calling "Ringo. Ringo please", through a megaphone, but how was he to know that Ringo was still playing cards! The true wit and idiocy of the Beatles was well portrayed in their goonery on stage between takes. For instance, John would bawl: “HeeeeellIlIppppp!!!" to the accompaniment of Mr. Starr on drums while George quietly strummed a Spanish-type guitar solo to himself and Paul fiddled with a camera. No-one, however, paid much attention to the Beatles fooling around (I expect they're all used to it) but I watched the Beatles like a hawk!

When, at last the Beatles decided to get down to shooting the number, I was more than ready to hear it. I heard it about five times I) and though I am not allowed to give any details like its title or anything, I can tell you that it's really great, and, if it's anything to go by, the film will be a SMASH!!! My day at "Beatlestudio" was a day that I shall remember forever, due to the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Shenson, who are really kind, helpful people, and also to the surprising sweetness and patience with which I was treated by the Beatles. This I particularly appreciate, because they are always very pushed for time, and it was really fab of them to make time like that to talk to me.

Bless you, Beatles. You're the gear.”

[lemoncrushh]

Too Far From Texas | Chapter Six

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 5716

Since I didn’t have to be back home until 2:30 when Jasmine got home from school, Lorelei and I slept in and ordered room service for breakfast before heading out on the road. We’d received a group text from our agent Kris, informing us that we’d nearly doubled the sales from the Houston book signing, and she was eager to book us for a longer tour, possibly starting with Dallas, but she’d let us know the details before the end of the day on Friday. I reminded her that if at all possible, I’d rather not start until Wednesday since Tuesday was Halloween and I wanted to be with my kids. She said she understood and would do all she could.

When I arrived home, I quickly unpacked and dropped a load of laundry in the washer to get it out of the way. Then I made a cup of coffee and sat on the sofa with my phone. I hadn’t talked to Harry since the texts the night before, and I was anticipating at least one new one or perhaps a voicemail, but I was a little disappointed when I found nothing.

Deciding it was still early, I sent him a short message saying I hoped he was having a good day. Then I texted Tod to ask how Jasmine’s doctor’s appointment had gone. I was relieved when he said it went fine, just an increase in pill dosage, and that she’d been smiling that morning when she left on the school bus.

The girls were both happy to see me when they got home that afternoon, and we all sat in front of the TV and ate ice cream and watched SpongeBob before they both retreated to their rooms while I prepared dinner.

I wasn’t sure why, but I found myself checking my phone every ten minutes, hoping to see Harry’s name pop up. I laughed at myself and shook my head. I was being ridiculous. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours and already I was expecting some sort of reassurance. So, I’d had the nightmare, big deal. He didn’t know anything about it for one thing, and he definitely didn’t know how it had thrown me for a loop. Plus, he was busy. In fact, I didn’t even know exactly where he was - if he was still in Chicago or had left already for another city.

After dinner I was trying to distract myself by watching a sitcom when I heard my phone ping on the table. Lorelei.

Hey look at your boy.

Underneath was a link to an online article titled Boy Band Star Goes Solo. I rolled my eyes at the term but tapped on the link anyway, muting the TV and sitting back to read it. The subtitle was more encouraging: Former One Direction Singer Harry Styles Creates the Album the World Has All Been Waiting For.

Duh! Of course! The album was coming out the next day. I was an idiot; I’d completely forgotten about the release date. I’d already spent nearly two weeks enjoying the album in private. Now the rest of the word was going to hear it.

That was why I hadn’t heard from him. Of course he would have been busy all day.

Rolling my eyes once again, but this time at myself for being such a dimwit, I read the positive article. By the end, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It was a rave review. I was so incredibly proud.

I was about to reply to Lorelei when I noticed at the bottom of the page was a link to something else about Harry. Clicking on it, I saw a collage of photos, all from various stages of his career. The young photos made me giggle, the more recent ones made me swoon. Goodness, he was a looker.

The bottom of that page, however, took me to something I immediately wished I hadn’t seen.

Harry Styles in Chicago with New Girlfriend? read the caption. Girlfriend?

I inspected the handful of photos. To anyone it would look as though he was out shopping. He was standing by a counter, he was outside on the sidewalk, he was laughing. Nothing out of the ordinary. But it was the final word that made my stomach flip. In all of the photos, he was standing next to a female. I couldn’t see much more than her profile, but she was definitely pretty. And in the final photo, they were embracing.

I wanted to throw up. Not just because I was jealous, but because I felt like I was far too old to be. Jealousy was for young, insecure girls, not grown women.

Deciding I’d seen enough, I tossed my phone on the sofa and walked down the hall to get the girls ready for bed. Emery automatically pressed play on the CD player, Harry’s voice booming through the speakers. My jaw set, I walked over to it and pressed stop.

“Mommy!” whined Emery.

“No music tonight, Em,” I shook my head. “I don’t feel that great. Just go get your shower, okay?”

“Okay,” she frowned, heading for the bathroom.

As Emery showered, I helped Jasmine change into her pajamas, gave her a drink of water with her medicine, and tucked her into bed. When I turned out the light, Emery had returned to her room, her hair still wet as she danced naked to no music. She giggled when she saw me, quickly pulling her pajamas from her drawer. I towel dried her hair the best I could before she brushed it and climbed into her bed.

“Tomorrow’s Friday,” she sang as she held her arms out for me to hug her.

“I know,” I kissed her.

“Are we going to look for a costume again?”

“Yes,” I nodded.

Emery cheered, pumping her fists.

“Did you see Harry?” she asked.

I looked at her, confused. “When?”

“When you were away.”

“No, baby,” I replied. “I was in San Antonio. Harry’s in...Chicago. Or he was.”

“Oh.”

I smiled as I recalled. “I did talk to him on FaceTime though.”

“You did? I wanna FaceTime him! Can I?”

I chuckled. “We’ll see. Get to sleep, monkey.”

Giving her another kiss, I turned out the light and shut the door, returning to the living room. With slight hesitation, I picked up my phone again. Lorelei had sent another text.

Did you read it?

I hastily texted her back.

Yes. It was great.

I thought so too. I feel proud of him, even though I don’t really know him.

I sent her a simple smiling emoji.

Tell him congratulations from me.

Ok.

You ok?

Lorelei knew me too well. She knew that my short replies could only mean I was not in the best of moods.

Yeah, just tired. I think I’m turning in early.

Ok. See you in the morning.

With a sigh, I switched off the TV that was now showing an old episode of Everybody Loves Raymond and turned out the lights as I headed toward my bedroom. I changed into my night clothes, washed my face and brushed my teeth vigilantly before pulling back the comforter.

When I climbed into bed, the cool of the sheets hitting my toes, I breathed in and out slowly. My stomach was in knots. And the thing about it was, I was more upset with myself than anything. I knew better than to think the worst of Harry, but even so, we had yet to put a label on our relationship.

I laughed at myself again. Relationship. Harry and I flirted on the phone. That was it.

Still, curiosity getting the better of me, I reached for my phone and brought up the page again with the photos. He was most definitely in Chicago in them. In fact, he was at Macy’s at the FAO Schwarz toy store. That seemed like an odd place for him to be.

I took a closer look at each photo, as though looking harder would make me feel any less anxious. He seemed as though he was having a good time. But other than the final photo where he and the girl were hugging, they didn’t make any physical contact at all.

I huffed, turning the ringer off and dropping the phone back on the night stand. It could have been anyone. A friend. They could have even just run into each other while he was out and about. It didn’t mean anything.

Rolling over onto my side, I switched off the lamp and buried my hands underneath my pillow. I made myself promise not to jump to conclusions, that I needed to give him the benefit of the doubt. There was no reason to assume anything until I could hear him out.

I just wished he’d call.

The next morning, I made my coffee before I got Jasmine up for school. My fingers itched to reach for my phone, but I made myself wait until later. After Jaz left, I took a shower and woke Emery. As I was getting dressed, I finally decided to check for any messages. My stomach flipped again when I saw I had a voicemail from Harry.

“Hi baby. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you before now. I’m in LA. It’s 10PM here, which makes it midnight where you are. I reckoned you’d be asleep, but I just wanted to leave you a message. You should be receiving a box from the post sometime tomorrow...or today I should say. It’s for Emery, but it’s a surprise so don’t tell her it’s from me until she opens it, okay? I um...I miss you...and um…”

I heard a slight pause then as he sounded like he was trying to gather his thoughts.

“I...I’ll try to text you or something tomorrow, but it’s gonna be a fucking...wicked busy day…” he chuckled. “So if I don’t, please know I’m still thinking about you. Always. Goodnight, love.”

I was a moron. Here I was worried that he had some other girlfriend while he was getting ready for the biggest day of his career. And to top it off, he was sending my daughter a package. Yeah, somebody shoot me and put me out of my misery because first class moron right here.

“It has to be a friend of his,” Lorelei insisted as she scrolled through the photos of Harry that I’d told her about. “Or maybe someone in the industry. His manager or producer or something.”

“I would think if it was someone like that, the press would have known her name,” I remarked. “But you’re right. It’s probably a friend. Maybe someone he happened to run into while he was in Chicago.”

“Exactly, hon,” Lorelei nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And by what you told me he said in his voicemail, I don’t think you have a thing to worry about.”

“You’re right, you’re right,” I threw my hands up and sunk into my chair. “I knew that, I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else.”

Lorelei smiled as she perched on my desk like usual. “So have you read any more reviews?”

“I haven’t had a chance yet,” I replied, “but I noticed he’s already number one on iTunes and he’s trending on Twitter.”

“Of course he is. I think he has the record for the most followers or likes or something.”

I quirked a brow. “How do you know that?”

Lorelei rose from my desk, a smug look on her face. “I know things.”

I laughed as she strode out of my office, flipping her blonde locks.

I took the opportunity then to download the album from iTunes. Although I’d already been listening to the CD in my car, I felt like contributing and showing my support was the least I could do. As Harry’s voice sang through my computer speakers, I began pulling up any review or mention of him I could find, reading all of it. Every single article gave him praise.

“Don’t be expecting the sugary bubblegum pop of 'What Makes You Beautiful'. The One Direction singer has grown up, maturing into a solid musician in his own right.”

“If any pop singer was thought to do well this year, it was Harry Styles. And he’s proven it with his solo album. Giving nods to some of his musical influences, it’s a taste of the old and current, dipped in something completely new and his own.”

“The world didn’t know what hit it when Harry Styles graced the silver screen in his first major motion picture. Now he’s done it again with his first solo album, proving that this is his world and the rest of us are just living in it.”

By the time the last track started, I was giddy. I was in heaven, my eyes glistening with tears. I was so happy that everyone was enjoying the album as much as I was. I was so incredibly proud. I wanted to hug him.

After Lorelei and I returned from lunch, we were on a conference call with Kris, setting up our plans for what she referred to as the official book tour for The Loving Kind.

“So here’s the idea,” stated Kris. “I know I said we’d probably do Dallas, and we will. But I’ve rearranged some things that I think would suit better. Instead of starting with Dallas, we’re actually gonna do it last.”

“Last?” I inquired. I loved how Kris always talked about Lorelei and me in terms of “we”. As though she’d be going too.

“Yes. We’re gonna start in New York.”

“Yay!” cheered Lorelei as my jaw dropped. I hadn’t realized we’d be venturing out that far.

“Why New York?”

“Because it’s The place to launch a bestseller. And besides, your story’s set there. I’ve already booked you for the Barnes and Noble at Union Square for the third, and…”

“The third?” I sounded. “That’s next Friday.”

“Yes ma’am,” said Kris. “You’ll be flying out on Wednesday afternoon. You arrive in New York at 10:55PM.”

I looked at Lorelei and we both shrugged. Alright then.

Kris continued to give us our travel plans, the itinerary and hotel reservations. Then she went on to tell us the list of cities we’d be visiting after New York: Chicago, Nashville and Dallas. When we hung up the call, my head was spinning. This was really happening. Lorelei and I were actually going on a book tour.

“Look!” exclaimed Lorelei a couple hours later as I made my way to my desk after a bathroom break. She was holding up her phone, but I couldn’t quite make what she was showing me until I got closer. It was a tweet from The Late Late Show with James Corden.

“Tonight: @Harry_Styles and @kevinhart4real.” Underneath was a selfie of the two of them with James.

“Oh my God!” I shrieked, a little too loudly.

Lorelei giggled as she danced beside me. “Your boyfriend’s gonna be on the Late Late Show.”

“Stop it,” I chuckled, lightly slapping her arm.

“Look at him, he looks so cute!” she said, holding up her phone again.

I took a closer look at the picture, but mostly taken back by how green his eyes looked. I must have been staring for a few seconds when I heard Lor whisper.

“You miss him, don’t you?”

I glared at her. “I…”

I stood there with my mouth open, but no words came out. Lorelei blinked slowly as she nodded. Then she turned around to head back to her office.

“I...I just talked to him the other day!” I finally called out.

“Uh huh.”

“He just texted me last night!” I argued, catching up with her.

“I know,” Lorelei nodded again, gathering a few papers from her desk.

“How can I miss him already?”

“It’s okay, Stace, you’re allowed to miss him.”

“Lor!”

She turned to look at me, her right eyebrow raised.

“Are you gonna shut the door, or are you just gonna stand there yelling at me?”

Finally realizing I was standing inside her office, I turned around and closed the door behind me. I heard Lorelei chuckle low as her heels clicked across the hard floor. I twirled around swiftly, my hands on my hips.

“What are you laughing at?” I scoffed, the writer in me knowing better than to end a sentence with a preposition.

“You,” she replied. “No, I’m not laughing at you. I just think it’s adorable.”

“It’s not adorable,” I narrowed my eyes. “None of this is adorable.”

“Then what is it?” she asked, stopping at the end of her desk to drop a couple papers in the shredder.

“It’s…” I paused, trying to find the best term. “Unfortunate.”

“How so?” Lor sat in her chair, crossing her arms.

“Because...he’s in LA...and I’m here. And he’s super busy and super famous and...and I don’t know if I’m ever going to see him again. Oh God!” I groaned as I leaned against the door.

“Stace,” said Lorelei softly, “It’s okay to miss him. I told you, I don’t think it’s silly. He likes you, I know he does. He wouldn’t be texting you and FaceTiming you and sending you flowers and buying you coffee if he didn’t. If I’m being honest, I think he’s as smitten as you are, maybe even more.”

I ran a hand through my hair and stood up straight. “Yeah?”

“Mmm hmm,” she nodded. “And if it’s in the cards, when the time is right, you’ll see each other again.”

I smiled, releasing a huge breath. “Thanks, Lor.”

“Anytime,” she beamed. “Now let me finish this before the hour’s up.”

I retreated back to my own office then, starting Harry’s album over again, admittedly missing him like crazy.

“Can I open it now?” Emery asked, bouncing in her chair.

“Yes,” I rolled my eyes with a smirk.

The package had arrived while we were eating dinner, but I’d told Emery to wait until we were finished, and afterwards we would go shopping for her Halloween costume. She giggled with glee as she grabbed the box and tried to rip it open.

“Hang on, Em,” I instructed, walking over to her with the scissors. I slit open the tape, allowing her to open the box the rest of the way.

“Oh! My! God!” she screamed when she saw what was inside. “I don’t believe it! It’s a Lapis Lazuli costume!”

My eyes about popped out of their sockets. “Are you kidding me?”

“Look!” Emery exclaimed, pulling a blue dress from the box and holding it up. “Oh my gosh, there’s wings!”

Dropping the dress, she reached in again and held out a set of clear wings that to me almost looked like dripping water. I’d never seen anything like it.

“Wow!” I breathed, picking the dress off the floor and examining it. “I can’t believe he did this.”

“And a wig!” screeched Emery. I chuckled when she pulled out a bright blue wig from the box. “Can I try it on, Mommy?”

“Of course,” I nodded.

In two seconds, Emery had her clothes off, ready to try on the dress. I helped her with the zipper in the back and attached her wings. I smiled as she twirled around. It fit perfectly. Then I went to the bathroom, returning with a hair tie and pins so I could pin her hair back for the wig. The blue hair made her eyes pop.

“You make a beautiful blue crayon,” I teased.

“It’s Lapis Lazuli!” she enunciated every syllable.

“Oh, okay then,” I smirked. “You look fantastic. Do you like it?”

“Yes!” she bounced on her toes.

“We need to thank Harry.”

“Yeah! Let’s FaceTime him!”

I laughed and shook my head. “He’s very busy today, monkey. He probably can’t talk right now. But how about we make a video and send it to him?”

“Okay!”

I grabbed my phone, preparing it for the video. I instructed Emery where to stand and to be sure to tell him thank you.

“Hi, Harry!” she beamed, shifting her body from side to side. “Thank you for the Lapis Lazuli costume you sent me! I love it sooooo much. And I love you!”

As she said her final words, she jumped up and down, then ran closer to the phone to pucker her lips and blow Harry a kiss. I tried my best not to giggle until I stopped the video. Setting up a text for Harry, I typed a quick message saying that it was from Emery, then added the video and sent it. Then I gently helped her take the costume off and put it back in the box where it would wait until Halloween.

I stayed up to watch The Late Late Show. I was exhausted, and I knew I very easily could have set the DVR, but I wanted to watch it when it aired.

My heart fluttered in my chest when James announced Harry’s name, and the door to “the blue room” opened. He looked amazing. I could barely take in what he was saying to James as the audience cheered. Or maybe it was the cheering coming from my own head. Either way, I was ecstatic to see him, and so was everyone else.

The interview was both comical and insightful. James, having known Harry for quite some time, was very candid with him, but also knew what questions to ask about his album and solo career. It was apparent that he was just as proud of him as I was. Kevin Hart, who sat next to Harry, made me laugh so hard I was crying. Overall, it was a fantastic show.

Then came the performance. Although I knew there wasn’t another musical guest, and James had made it a point to mention that Harry would be performing his new single for the first time on television, in my mind I suppose I was still trying to grasp the reality of it. It wasn’t until they came back from commercial break and James introduced him once again, that I finally knew it was happening for real.

I was on the edge of my seat, my hands rubbing their sweat off on the knees of my pajama pants. I sucked in my lips as he began to sing, my own nerves for him taking over. But he didn’t seem nervous in the least. In fact, by the time the chorus kicked in, I knew he was in his element, and he actually made me feel at ease. Soon I was singing along with him, a huge grin on my face as I bounced gently on the couch.

When the song was over, James returned, giving Harry a hug and a goodbye to his studio and television audiences. As the credits rolled, I watched the people cheer and clap as Reggie and his band played the outro. But the best part of all was the charismatic smile on Harry’s face as he conversed with James. He exuded pure joy and pride. And I felt myself slipping further into whatever it was I had already started to feel for him.

I couldn’t sleep. Although I’d been tired before the show, my brain was buzzing afterwards. I laid in the darkness until I decided the point was moot and I turned on my phone. I scrolled through a few more articles about Harry, including one about that night’s performance, again all positive. The world adored Harry.

I wondered what he was doing. My fingers itched to text him, but I knew it would just go unnoticed, at least for now. As I read one more short snippet, my phone pinged and my face lit up. Harry.

Tell Emery she is very welcome. And she makes a beautiful Lapis Lazuli.

Thanks :) Will do.

Two seconds after I sent my reply, my phone rang and my heart beat out of my chest.

“Hi!” I answered.

“You’re awake,” he said. I could hear noises in the background.

“Couldn’t sleep,” I replied. “Exciting day.”

“Oh yeah? What happened? I mean besides the costume of course.”

I laughed. “You, silly.”

“Me?”

“I’m so proud of you.”

Harry made that little contented sound he’d made during our first major phone conversation. “Thank you, baby.”

“So how does the world’s biggest star end his biggest day?” I asked him.

“I um...I’m at a party. A small party. At Jeff’s.

“Oh.” I knew who Jeff was only by reading. He was Harry’s manager as well as a close friend. “That sounds fun.”

“Yeah. I walked outside to watch Emery’s video. I’m glad she likes it.”

“She’s ecstatic. I can’t thank you enough, Harry. You didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s no problem, love. I was happy to do it. Although I have to thank my friend Jen for helping me.”

“Jen?”

“She’s Cindy’s cousin. Cindy Crawford?”

I stuttered, trying to get my words out. Who? What?

Harry chuckled. “Cindy’s a good friend of mine. Her cousin Jen was in Chicago while I was there. I ran into her at the toy store when I was hoping maybe I could find the costume.”

“Oh,” I sounded, the pieces connecting in my mind. “Jen.”

“She was there with her little girl,” Harry continued. “I couldn’t find the costume and she suggested I contact a specialty store that she’d bought from before. They didn’t have any in stock, so I had to have it ordered and sent to you.”

I sighed a shaky breath. Once again, first class moron.

“Harry,” I managed to say.

“Yes, love?”

“You’re something special.”

“Hmm. So are you.”

I swallowed hard. There was so much more I wanted to say. Like how he deserved everything that came to him, and then some. Sure, he was talented and worked hard. But he was also a kind soul. Someone who was willing to go out of his way for someone he cared about, or even someone he hardly knew. I’d never met anyone like him in my life. And if I thought about it too much, it might’ve overwhelmed me. Instead, I cleared my throat.

“I’ll let you get back to your party.”

“Okay, baby,” he said softly. “Sleep well.”

I hung up, laying my phone on the night stand. I curled up on my side with a contented smile on my face. I hadn’t told Harry about New York and the book tour. Today wasn’t about that, or me at all. It was his day. And all was right with the world.

The next two days flew by. I did my grocery shopping on Saturday with the girls, although I didn’t buy that much since I would be leaving in a few days. I was still on a high from the previous day, and the fact that I didn’t hear from Harry at all didn’t even bother me. It just meant he was busy, as he should be, and it made my heart swell.

My mother came over for Sunday dinner, a tradition we’d begun after the divorce for the weekends in which I had the kids. I made a roast with potatoes and carrots, she provided a squash casserole and a pecan pie.

As we ate, she made her usual discussion about her until it shifted to me. I informed her that I would be heading to New York in a couple of days for the book signing and that Jasmine and Emery would be staying with Tod. Although she didn’t care for that, she knew it was for the best.

“You know you can work it out with him if you wanna take them for the weekend or something,” I said.

She made a face. “We’ll see.”

We then got on the subject of Halloween, and I cringed when Emery jumped up and told my mom she wanted to show her her costume. As she ran to her room, my mother looked at me.

“So, you found something?”

“Kind of…” I started, interrupted by Emery’s return.

“Look!” she exclaimed, dropping the box next to my mother’s feet. She pulled out the dress and wings. “I’m gonna be Lapis Lazuli!”

“Do huh?” my mom asked, making Emery giggle.

“It’s a character from Steven Universe!”

“That’s pretty,” my mother smiled. “I bet that looks great on you.”

I held in my breath as Emery, bless her heart, nodded and dropped the costume back in the box and ran back to her bedroom with it.

“What time’s your flight Wednesday?” my mom inquired, changing the subject.

Any other time, that would have drove me up the wall. But this time I was grateful. If Emery had spilled the beans about Harry, we would have gone into a round of twenty questions. I just wasn’t ready to divulge any information on Harry Styles, how I knew him, and why he had sent my nine-year-old a Halloween costume.

Later that evening, however, while the two of us were playing cards at my kitchen table, Harry texted me.

Just wanted to say I miss you x

I miss you too, I texted him back with a grin.

What are you doing?

Playing gin rummy with my mother

Oh, hi mum!

I giggled, resting my chin in my hand as I tried to concentrate on my cards in the other.

“Stacey,” my mom scoffed, “that’s rude.”

“What?” I furrowed my brows.

“Texting someone while I’m here.”

I rolled my eyes. Whatever.

Are you winning?

Yes

Good. Can I call you tonight?

You can call me anytime, Harry.

Even with your mum there?

She’s leaving soon. Probably about an hour.

“Stacey, do you want that card?”

“No,” I shook my head and drew a new card from the pile.

She’d love me anyway.

I laughed again.

I have no doubt. Even though she’s giving me the evil eye right now.

Oops. Off to my last interview of the day. Call you later.

Can’t wait.

My mom ended up staying until it was time to put the girls to bed, but fortunately Harry didn’t call before then. She requested that I call her when I arrived in New York, but I reminded her that my flight got in late, an hour later than Texas, and she would be asleep. She settled on my agreeing to text her when I landed, and she would call me the next morning.

I’d already changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and was rummaging through my closet when my ringtone sounded.

“Hey you,” I said, quickly putting him on speaker so I could have my hands free.

“God, it’s good to hear your voice,” he groaned.

I smiled. “You just heard it two days ago.”

“Are you in bed?” he asked, sidestepping my remark, but also adding to the fire.

“No,” I chuckled. “I’m going through my closet, trying to decide what to pack.”

“Pack for what?”

“Well, Mr. Styles, on Wednesday yours truly and her best friend will be embarking on an adventure. We’re officially doing this book tour thing.”

“Ah, baby, I’m so happy for you. Where are you going?” he inquired.

“We’re starting off in New York City. Then we’re doing Chicago, Nashville and Dallas.”

“Stacey…”

“I’m so nervous and excited at the same time,” I expressed.

“You’ll be in New York on Wednesday?” Harry asked.

“Yeah. Well, late that night. Is New York cold the first of November? It probably is, huh? I should pack a coat.”

“Stacey. Baby…”

“Yes?”

“I’ll be in New York this week,” he announced.

My throat suddenly felt dry and the blood rushed to my head. “What?”

“Yeah,” Harry chuckled. “I’m recording Ellen’s show in the morning. It’s gonna be airing on Tuesday, but by then I’ll be in New York. I’ll be there until Saturday.”

“Harry!” I exclaimed.

“It’s fate, baby,” he said.

“Oh my God,” I clutched a fist to my chest.

“I mean...I’m assuming you wanna see me,” he teased.

“Are you kidding?” I squealed, making Harry laugh.

“What time’s your flight?” he asked.

“Late,” I replied. “It doesn’t get in til almost eleven.”

“Oh. Well, we’ll work it out. No worries. I’m not about to miss seeing you.”

“I can’t believe this,” I sighed, dropping my shoes on the closet floor and crawling onto the bed. The packing was suddenly unimportant.

“It’s meant to be, Stacey,” said Harry, his voice low.

“Yeah.”

Lying down on the pillow, I listened to Harry tell me some of his schedule for the week. It was all so thrilling, and I continued to be full of pride for him, though I couldn’t help but wonder how I could fit into all of it. But he reassured me by expressing his excitement of seeing me again, as though I was top priority.

We talked into the night until he finally insisted I get some sleep. My thoughts were too much of a whirlwind to fall asleep though. I was going to see Harry again. In person. In the flesh! Holy shit, was I nervous. I was more nervous than I was that night he came to my apartment. I was more nervous than I was before either of my previous book signings. I tossed and turned for over an hour until I finally got up to make some decaf herbal tea.

As I sat at my kitchen table, my head rested in my hands, it finally occurred to me why I was so nervous. It was because of something Harry had said on the phone.

“I plan on seeing you again,” he’d said. “And I plan on taking you out. And I’m gonna kiss you again.”

My body shook as I let out a breath. He’d also made a comment about his hotel bed being lonely, and he’d wished he was holding me. I knew what that implied. I wasn’t naive. But I suppose at the time I hadn’t expected to see him again, not really. Sure, I’d hoped, but I guess I just didn’t think it was actually going to happen. Now it was going to. I was going to be with him and…

Yeah. I was nervous as hell.

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[ownedbythescribe]

Alhaitham & Kaveh | Sweet Gratitude

ıllı Synopsis: A polyamous relationship was not common in Sumeru, yet Alhaitham and Kaveh chose what their hearts desired—You, the most important person who patiently loved them through thick and thin. Their gratitudes were expressed in ways only you could understand.

ıllı Genre: Fluff

ıllı Notes: Polyamorous relationship

ıllı A/N: It’s December 31st and a few hours until 2023! I couldn’t help myself and wrote a short story with them!

New Year was often not celebrated by scholars in Sumeru. Most students were either busy with their final paper or were preparing for their thesis presentation. The higher-ups were also in the same predicament especially now that new Sages were appointed and rules were revised to become more humane and righteous.

For the Scribe, Light of Kshahrewar, and Eccentric Spantamad, it was the time for you three to take a break from papers and persistent scholars. Lord Kusanali granted you three a fruitful vacation after finishing the papers for the year and for establishing new programs to be implemented next year. She was amazed especially with the paper you turned in about a substitute for elemental sight. It might still be at its experimental stage, but if something convenient could be created from your research, it will be easier to unlock more potential for elementalism.

The first few days of your vacation were filled with exploring the Avidya Forest to gather ingredients from monsters, mostly those that could conjure elemental attacks. Alhaitham would accompany you, but he was mostly there to simply stroll while you fight monsters. You did not mind, since he needed to go out every now and then. Kaveh, on the other hand, would sometimes pull you two to windowshop in Port Ormos. Alhaitham and Kaveh still bickered but not too much to the point that you wanted to leave.

“Yeah? And how about that time you left your keys in the cooking pot? You would think that a man in your darshan would be so careful as not to misplace things. How funny.” Alhaitham scoffed. Kaveh, growing red in the face, excused that he was tired that time from all the drafting he had done. You tapped the two on their shoulders and popped slices of Zaytun Peaches in their mouths.

“You two make mistakes, and it’s only human. Let’s buy wine and baklava later. I also have to buy ingredients for candied ajilenakh nuts for Lord Kusanali.” You uttered, pulling the two by their arms. Your eyes missed the contented look on the two scholars’ faces. It was not every day you see somebody that could stand their attitude. The two were grateful to have you in their lives.

Still, these two drove you crazy from time to time. New Year, which you three decided to celebrate together, was not out of the question.

“AAAAHHH! Why is the Padisarah Pudding burning!? Alhaitham, did I not tell you to check it every now and then while I ask Cyno and Tighnari for a few herbs?” You asked as you tried to put out the fire that was reigning over the pot. Alhaitham looked up from his book and stared. He turned to the side and muttered that he was lost in his book.

“You read that book like a hundred times already. I’m pretty sure that at this point, you already memorized each line from that book.” You deadpanned. He smirked and thanked you for the compliment. It only caused you to sigh in pain.

Rummaging through the cabinet and cooler, you check out for extra ingredients you could use to remake the pudding. Cooking the roast and panipuri emptied the cooler already, and somebody has to go get the grocery before the stores are emptied by locals. After checking that there was enough, you turned to Alhaitham and asked where Kaveh was. Silence greeted you.

You looked up from the cooler and saw him glancing at the top of the cabinet where you stored the wine. A shaky breath left your lips, hands trembling in irritation. Just then, Kaveh stepped out of his room, tipsy.

“(Y/N)! Hahaha! T-This wine is delectable. You have such great taste, love!” He slurred over, taking sluggish steps towards you.

“I did try to warn him that you were saving the wine for today, but he insisted that you were going to be ‘chill’ with it.” Alhaitham excused.

The thread of patience finally snapped. With a smile, you turned to the two, slamming the knife you were cutting the flowers with. The two flinched, pulled out of their stupor.

“You two have five seconds to get out of this house and do something productive. Either you bring the ingredients from Gandharva Ville or buy our groceries. Choose.” You uttered, your vision flaring as the ice slowly crept through the counter. The temperature inside the house was dropping fast that Kaveh screeched in fear. He panicked and grabbed the list from the counter, while Alhaitham went to fetch his coat.

You waved your hand around to dispel the ice before taking the juicer out to extract the essence from Padisarah and sweet flowers. It will take some time, but it was better to do it now and let it cool for later. While you were preparing the ingredients, you noticed Alhaitham dangling keys in his hand. The lion keychain caught your eye, and it was a dead giveaway.

“Kaveh forgot his keys again? That’s the third time this week. I swear he’ll end up camping outside if he doesn't learn to be aware of his surroundings. Just because he’s in the comfort of his home, doesn’t mean that he can be this forgetful! That guy.” You scoffed. Alhaitham chuckled at your irritation, lightly tossing the keys in his hands.

“You care for him that much?” He teased. You gave him a pointed look, bringing the measuring spoon to his face.

“I care about you two more than anything else. Now, get going. Tighnari should have the herbs prepared. Tell him thanks! And don’t fight with Cyno!” You kissed his cheeks before returning to the counter. He shook his head and replied ‘No promises’.

Sumeru City

Kaveh

“Great, I ran out of the house without taking my keys and water. I’m not even sure if my money is enough to cover the list!” The poor blond was monologuing in the middle of the street, but people who recognized the man were already used to his antics.

Kaveh looked back at the list and noticed that the only expensive ingredient on the list was the dried Sakura petals that you often use when you make desserts out of nowhere. He smiled and proceeded to buy what was on the list.

Nothing wrong was going on until he stumbled upon Dori who was selling new items she procured from all-over Teyvat. Fur coats from Snezhnaya, cloth from Inazuma, research books from Fontaine, and even weapons forged in Natlan. He even found some architectural materials that would be useful for his project.

“Oh… this will suit (Y/N).” Kaveh muttered as he took the hairpin lying beside the research books. It resembled Alhaitham’s chiseled mirror at home but with his coloration— red, orange, and yellow. He was reminded of how often you go out of Sumeru to conduct research and that it would always take weeks before you came home. It made him lonely, but Alhaitham reminded him whenever he felt that way that (Y/N) missed them too considering you took his feather clip and the bracelet crafted by the Scribe with you wherever you go.

“Hey, how much for this?”

Gandharva Ville

Alhaitham

The forest rangers were whispering amongst themselves, surprised that the Scribe was walking towards the Forest Watcher’s office. It was often other Akademiya researchers that would rush and demand Tighnari but never anyone of the highest role. Not since Azar and other sages were ‘imprisoned’ in the Avidya Forest to repent for their wrongdoings. They wondered what was wrong for the Scribe himself to come down to the village.

“So what do I owe the Scribe for personally visiting a humble forest watcher like me?” Tighnari mocked, coming out of his office after hearing from Amir that Alhaitham came to visit. Behind him were Cyno and Collei, the latter worried for trouble that might have fallen upon them.

Alhaitham took out the list of herbs that you requested from Tighnari. When you visited earlier that morning, Tighnari was out and foraging with the others to prepare for New Year. You hoped that after lunch, he was already home and will be able to get the herbs you wanted to use for the last meal you were preparing.

Tighnari snatched the paper and recognized your handwriting. He gave the man a deadpan look.

“You really scared my forest rangers, and for what, errands?” He scoffed, tail swishing in mild amusement. Alhaitham coughed in his hands, turning his head to the side in embarrassment. Cyno walked towards Tighnari to peek at what he was looking.

“What did you do to (Y/N)?” He asked, confused why he was the one getting the herbs when it was usually you who do so. The Scribe did not really want to answer the General Mahamatra to add further to his embarrassment.

“She kicked us out for being lazy and burning the pudding.” Silence reigned over them, that a quack from a nearby raven could even be heard. Cyno immediately turned around to hide his laughter while Tighnari held his head in pain.

“I’d appreciate it if you don’t laugh at the misery of others, General Cyno.” Alhaitham sneered. Collei laughed nervously before grabbing the bag that contained your order.

Alhaitham thanked them before wishing them Happy New Year. Once he was gone, Tighnari let out a shaky laugh, truly finding your situation funny. Who burns their pudding!?

“Happy New Year to you too, (Y/N).”

You suddenly sneezed, shuddering at the feeling that somebody was talking about you. The last dessert you prepared was just finished and was now up for cooling. The cooler activated after you poured in the right amount of cryo energy to power it. This machine was not yet perfect since it still needed a few modifications for electricity alone to keep the temperature as it is. With how resilient researchers and inventors were in Sumeru and Fontaine, you were sure that by next year, it will be possible to implement electricity in Sumeru.

“All right. Let’s clean up. They should be— Oh no! I forgot the time!” Your loud voice echoed throughout the house that it worried you if your neighbors ever questioned why they continued to reside near you. However, right now was not the time as you grabbed the package on the counter and the keys beside it.

You ran up the flight of stairs to Akademiya up to the Sanctuary to see the person waiting for you. He scoffed at your stupid face, crossing his arms in irritation.

“Who do you think you are to keep me waiting, Mortal?” He taunted. You simply laughed and passed him his chazuke tea. You could see his eyes twinkling as he turned around and opened the Sanctuary.

“Lord Kusanali is waiting for you inside. Let’s go. And… thank you for this.” He muttered. You grinned.

The inside felt divine as usual. Although Lord Kusanali, who insisted you call her Nahida, was imprisoned here, she still treated the sanctuary as her safe haven. When you neared the dendro archon, she turned around and gave you a sweet smile.

“Greetings, (Y/N). Something must have occurred for you to be a little late.” She teased. You laughed sheepishly before giving the ajilenakh nuts you prepared earlier. Her eyes sparkled before taking it and thanking you.

Nahida stored the sweets in a place you were not sure where before discussing a few plans for next year. You have a few points here and there before recording it through your own Akasha terminal. It was not grand like that before, but it was enough to take note of things for rewriting. This, again, made the archon amazed.

The meeting dragged on for a few hours. The Wanderer would occasionally drop a few comments here and there which you two appreciated. There was finally an initial plan for the next year which involved the desert and foreign trade. During the discussion, you felt that you were forgetting something until the Wanderer came back annoyed.

“Hmm? What happened, Wanderer?” Nahida asked. He gritted his teeth in irritation before pointing out two idiots waiting outside. A blond and a silver head. It was then that you remembered what you forgot.

“Oh no, apologies, Lord Kusanali! I think I know why those two are here. I forgot to leave them a note that I’ll be leaving! I shouldn’t have rushed out of the house like that!” You agonized. Nahida giggled before telling you that you will continue the discussion in three days time. You thanked her before bowing to the two and wishing them a happy new year.

Outside, you were greeted with pinches to your cheeks. Uncharacteristically for Alhaitham, but expected from Kaveh. They both ranted about how you should not worry them, and to always let them know when, where, and how long you will be gone.

“After all, aren’t we your lovers?” Alhaitham stated as a matter of fact. You stopped and blushed heavily. It was the first time they worried like this and even bluntly stated your relationship. It felt… assuring that you did not even notice a tear trailing down your cheek.

Kaveh panicked and asked if their scolding was too much while Alhaitham was unsure what to do, and even opted to take his handkerchief and wipe your tears. You accepted the pampering and gave each of them a brief kiss on the lips.

“Thank you for being with me and accepting me for the mess that I am.” You uttered, clutching on to their arms.

When you got home, you fixed the table and ate dinner. You three waited until the fireworks started. It was the most beautiful thing they witnessed that night. However, the two led you to the garden where they each presented their gifts. Red tainted their cheeks, and you could not help but fell in love with them all over again. This was certainly the best start of the year.

"Happy New Year, you two! I love you!" You muttered, bringing them to a tight hug which they returned. Your most wanted wish for this year was already granted, but you will keep it to your heart.

'Thank you for loving me.'

Please do not copy or repost my stories, but notes and reblogs are always appreciated!

Please do not copy or repost my stories, but notes and reblogs are always appreciated!

[eleventeeny]

You Wanted the Best: My In-Depth Experience at a KISS Show

October 27, 2023

For 50 years, KISS has been setting the standard for spectacles. With their kabuki makeup, wide and mind-boggling variety of merchandise, and insane on-stage performances, they have changed the culture of music.

Before the show at the Dickies Arena, I had never been to a concert alone nor had I ever bought my own ticket for a show. I went crazy the moment I got the money for a good seat. I went for a seat 12 rows from the stage and I got a soundcheck and Q&A pass.

After I was dropped off and walked up the steps to the venue, I met an older lady, seemingly in her 40's, and we became instant buddies. By a stroke of fate, we also had the same VIP package, so we got to stand in line together. She told me her stories of seeing KISS over the years as well as a story of her meeting Eric Carr in the 1980's, which I thought was really cool.

I got to take a look at the KISS cosplayers around the venue, I didn't get to see many fans since VIP and non-VIP concertgoers were on different sides of the arena, but there were many things to see. I also got to see fans decked out in official and unofficial merchandise; pants covered with the Love Gun album cover, hats with some of the more unflattering pictures of the members, etc.

As I was in line, I got to listen to KISS concert stories from other people in line and I got to conversate with other fans. During the time I was waiting, I checked my social media and saw an announcement that the show had officially sold out.

Inside the building, I was given a VIP pass and I got to check out the merchandise as we waited for soundcheck. It started kind of late, beginning 5-10 minutes after it was supposed to. We got to pick our seats, and when we walked down the stairs to the floor section, I got to admire the props and set for the show. There were huge statues, 2 on each side of the stage, displaying the members of the band, however I didn't get a picture. On the stage itself, there was the iconic light-up logo.

The woman I befriended sat with me in one of the rows closer to the stage. She tapped on my shoulder and pointed to Eric Singer sitting on the edge of the stage talking to some fans while passing out drumsticks.

One by one, the members walked out on stage. Paul announced that he was feeling ill, having just gotten a flu shot, this sickness later becoming the reason they had to cancel two shows in Canada and one in Knoxville, and told the audience he'd be leaving the singing to Gene, Tommy, and Eric so he could save his voice for later in the night.

They played 'Plaster Caster,' 'Shock Me,' and 'Christine Sixteen'. Everything went off great and as I was watching Tommy during Shock Me, Paul threw a guitar pick into a chair three seats away from me. Before I could process it, a few guys dove into the chair to get it.

After 'Christine Sixteen,' they started the Q&A bit, and a microphone was passed around amongst the fans. One fan asked if anyone in the band had used the KISS condoms from 2002, to which Paul cleverly, and probably truthfully, responded "They're too small". Gene also told the story of how he discovered the uniqueness of his tongue when he was a kid, which you can read about in his book Kiss and Make Up.

A few hours later, the openers came out to perform. The band, Amber Wild, was very interactive with the crowd and held themselves well on stage. The vocalist, Evan Stanley, is also the son of Paul Stanley. They had just released their first single 8 days before the show.

When KISS opened with Detroit Rock City, the massive black curtain sporting the KISS logo was pulled down and the members were brought down on individual platforms.

The pyrotechnics were insane throughout the show but were especially prevalent in the opening performance. With each blast of fire, I could feel the heat against my face.

Before God of Thunder, Gene did his legendary blood-spitting performance. I think it'd be cooler if, instead of wiping the blood off his face before singing, he would just perform with the blood still there. It adds to the show.

During the encore, they dropped these huge balloons, confetti, and streamers upon the crowd. As I was leaving, I saw two fans fighting over one of the balloons.

The arena was filled with 1970's kids who seemed less like fans and more casual, which makes complete sense. KISS was absolutely everywhere back then, so when people who were growing up in the 70's see KISS, they feel drawn to it because they're a symbol of that time.

The show was amazing and even as a younger fan, I felt really involved and included when I spoke with some of the older fans there. I had a great time. There's always something about KISS that someone will find intriguing.

Despite retiring in December of 2023, KISS has still been going strong with their dedicated and loyal fanbase. In July of this year, they surpassed one billion streams on Spotify for their hit song 'I Was Made for Lovin' You'.

[spiritiual-camp]

Red Carnation

A gn!reader x Nekozawa fic !

Word count: 500

Tags: fluff, friends to lovers ??

Summary: The reader is a regular student at Ouran and a member of the black magic club, after a short while after joining the club the reader found themselves quite interested in the president.

CHAPTER 0- The Beggining

It was another autumn for the Ouran Academy. Everything was simple and you had absolutely no worries, only festering anxiety for the path you want to take in the future as you watched the trees' leaves die. 

Classes for the day were almost over, which meant club time. You had joined the black magic club since the occult interested you, not to mention you had quite the crush on the club's president. 

Umehito Nekozawa, quite the man he was. Outsiders only perceived him as a coward, a boy who hid in the dimly lit candle light and behind spellbooks. To you, he was more than that. It wasn't just the sneaky glances of the Tokarev Dynasty creeping from his jet black wig that took your breath away. 

To you, he was a man of passion for what he pursued, along with the judgment lingering from the strangers, however it never stopped him. 

To you, he was the caring man who threw himself blindly to the burning light, just to save his younger sister. 

You admired him deeply, it was beyond words. That's why club hours were your favorite hours of the day. 

The bell rang, snapping you out of your thoughts and fantasies of what will happen today in the club. You quickly gathered all your belongings and made your way to the north building, then to the basement. 

Reiko was seated on the black victorian sofa with silver rose stitching, reading something. All the candles were lit, though she was the only present. 

"Hello, Reiko." You greeted her and sat down next to her, taking out your black cape from your school bag. 

She simply waved instead of replying verbally, flipping a page. 

Soon, laughter was heard. A very distinct one, you could guess who it was in a heartbeat. The laughter got closer and closer, soon Umehito creeped his head next to you, as he stood behind the couch. 

"Hello, Y/N '' he smiled eerily.

"Hi!" You muster out a bit too loud, wondering if your tone of voice was odd but everything was odd here. There was no need to overthink. 

"So.." You added, as the silence grew louder and Umehito resumed the stand behind you. 

After a few more dreadful minutes, he finally spoke. "Halloween is soon. We need a plan for this year." He voiced as he grabbed a book that was previously on the fireplace. 

"We need the perfect curse, indeed." Reiko finally commented on something, not raising her head from the book she was reading.

You pondered for a second however the other two were more versed in magic and curses than you were, as you were still in the learning stage of the culture of it all. However, you did have a gift for fortune telling which you practiced in the club mostly. 

There was another dreadful silence once again, as Beelzenef flipped the pages of the book Umehito was holding with his other hand. Suddenly, he chuckled to himself as he rushed into one of the rooms near the antique grandfather clock and came back after a second. He seemed less enthusiastic than before.

"Something horrible is among us." Umehito spoke. "A curse" a mysterious tone took over his voice.

"What kind of curse?" You asked.

He stopped. "One that's been here the entire time, each halloween. It's the spirit of that female student."

Reiko raised her head.

"I thought that was just a baseless rumor?"

Umehito shrieked at your words, he seemed offended. You regretted your comment.

"There's nothing we can do but wait for the day, then we'll do our best to protect." he said finally.

[usafphantom2]

Clarence “Kelly “Johnson died in Los Angeles on December 21, 1990, near his beloved Burbank Skunk Works. Kelly’s motto was “Be quick, quiet, and on time.”

The SR 71 was very quick, and sorties were always coordinated to be on time, although the third element was way off. As the SR 71 is anything but quiet!

In early 1958, Kelly also understood the necessity when he stated:

‘’ it makes no sense just to take yes one or two steps ahead because we’d be buying only a couple of years before the Russians would be able to nail us again… I want to come up with an airplane that can rule the skies for a decade or more. The higher and faster we can fly, the harder it will be to spot us much less stop us.” The record of the SR 71 still stands as far as we know. That simple statement was to set the stage for the creations that were to follow.

Project Black shield: during May 1967, the possibility that the North Vietnamese could acquire surface to surface missiles began to be discussed within the highest government levels in Washington.

With such an alarming prospect, President Lyndon Johnson authorized operation Black Shield to begin immediately.

The new assignment involved three A-12s being ferried to Kadena in late May 1967 for service with 1129th SAS (Special Activities Squadron) detachment one, The first sorties took place on May 31 and was declared a huge success, capturing almost half the know 190 surface to air missile sites, as well as other priority targets. The A-12 flight lasting three hours and 55 minutes.

A further 28 sorties were flown by the three aircraft until May 6, 1968. 24 of these were above North Vietnam, two over Cambodia and Laos, and three to North Korea.~ Bob Archer

Interestingly, there was an overlap of time when both sets of Blackbirds were flying at the same time! March 1968 is when the SR 71 first arrived. The months of March, April, and May certainly would’ve been interesting and slightly confusing to the natives. It was the people that lived on the island of Okinawa that named the SR- 71 the Habu. Habu is also the name of a black snake. The sons and daughters of the Habu’s’s are called Habubrats.~Linda Sheffield

My source is a book by Bob Archer, “ Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird” The book is full of excellent pictures and information that I have never read before highly recommend. Post by Linda Sheffield Miller

This picture is of the M- 21 a derivative of the A- 12 you can find it in the Museum of Flight, Seattle Washington

@Habubrats71 via Twitter

[itsparis-07]

Brooklyn's sparrow Pt.3

Goin' nowhere fast

(Hey guys it's paris! sooo this part is where the real shit goes down sooo get ready! go read part 1 and part 2 if you haven't and as always please reblog and like! -stay fresh - xoxo, paris)

The air was crisp and cool as Miles and Michiko walked briskly down the quiet, tree-lined street. It was Michiko's first day at Brooklyn Visions Academy, a prestigious private boarding high school in their hometown of Brooklyn. Miles, being the responsible older brother-figure he was, had volunteered to help her get settled in with classes and pick a dorm to stay during school hours. As they strolled along, they chatted animatedly about their favorite movies, music, and video games.

They finally arrived at the school's massive oak double doors, which were carved with intricate designs of books, musical instruments, and sports equipment. Miles took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and gave Michiko a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, as long as you stick with and don't let your wings shows you'll be fine." He reached for the door handle, but before he could open it, a shrill whistle pierced the air.

Miles and Michiko turned around to see their principal, Mr. Delacroix, standing at the top of the steps. "Ah, there you are, Miles. And who do we have here?" he asked, eyeing Michiko curiously.

"Um, this is Michiko. She's my new… housemate," Miles stammered, trying to think of the best word. "She's just transferring in for the year."

Mr. Delacroix nodded, looking amused. "I see. Well, welcome to Brooklyn Visions, Michiko. We're glad to have you. Now, I suppose you two have some things to attend to. Classes start in fifteen minutes, so make sure you head over to the auditorium to get your schedules." With that, he turned and disappeared inside the school.

Miles and Michiko exchanged glances before following Mr. Delacroix's instructions. As they made their way through the bustling hallways, Michiko couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and excitement for the day ahead. The walls were adorned with colorful murals depicting famous alumni and various school achievements, and the air was filled with the chatter of students and the sound of lockers slamming shut. They eventually reached the auditorium, where a long line of students snaked its way towards the stage.

"Here, take this," Miles said, handing Michiko a schedule. "I'll go get in line for you. Just stay here and find your homeroom." He gave her a quick nod before disappearing into the crowd.

Michiko glanced down at her schedule, feeling a little overwhelmed. She had classes like English, history, math, science,Spanish, and even an elective in Choir. She wasn't sure if she'd have time to explore her interest in street art with her busy schedule. Just then, a group of girls walked past her, giggling and whispering. "Did you see that new girl's hair?" one of them asked. "Another emo freak." They all laughed, and Michiko felt a pang of sadness. She wished she could fit in, but she knew that would be difficult with her unique appearance and fashion. Her uniform's tie was full of punk bands/artists she listened to with miles, and to top it all off a choker around her neck and black lipstick and lipgloss on her two toned lips.

As she continued to look around, she noticed a poster on the wall advertising an after-school club for anyone interested in street art. She made a mental note to check it out after school. Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Miles, returning from getting his schedule. "Hey, I got us both into the same spanish class. I'll help you out when you need it." He said with a grin. Michiko smiled back, grateful for his support.

They finally found their homeroom and took their seats. The teacher, Ms. Smith, was an older woman with graying hair and kind eyes. She welcomed them to the class and introduced herself before asking them to share something about themselves. When it was Michiko's turn, she hesitated for a moment, wondering how much to reveal. "Um, I'm new here, and I'm interested in street art," she said finally. Several students, including Miles, nodded in understanding. She walked back to her seat and sighed with relief. The class continued with a brief overview of the syllabus and assignments. Michiko was relieved to see that there were no exams or papers, just creative projects that would allow her to express herself though, if she only knew what she wanted to do.

During the break between classes, Michiko and Miles decided to explore the school further. They wandered through the hallways, admiring the artwork and taking in the energy of the place. "So, have you decided what club you wanna join?" Miles asked her, his voice tinged with curiosity. Michiko shook her head, still uncertain. "I don't know. I just want to find a one I like and make some friends." She replied, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Well you've got me and my mom to help you out, right?" Miles said, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "And the art club should be a good fit for you. There's even a bunch of kids who are new this year, so we can all sort of stick together." He smiled, his blue eyes twinkling with warmth. "Plus," he added, "I've been meaning to ask you about this, but have you ever thought about the bounty they've got you..oscorp I mean." Michiko felt her heart skip a beat. She knew what he was referring to. There had been several news reports about her escape from the metro a few weeks ago, and now with the NYPD looking top to bottom for her and her alone, she knew she couldn't stay hidden much longer.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the break and the start of their next class. As they made their way to their new classroom, Michiko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew she had to be careful, but she also didn't want to miss out on the chance to make friends and explore her interests. Maybe the art club would be the perfect place for her after all. Maybe gym class would take her mind off of it. Maybe she could find some way to keep herself safe while also living a normal life.

She took a deep breath and tried to focus on the present moment. In the gymnasium, along with kids who wore the school's gym uniform alongs-side her, they were preparing for a game of dodgeball. The air was filled with laughter and energy as they picked their teams. Miles was on the opposite side, but he gave her a friendly wink and a thumbs-up before the game began.

The whistle blew, and the students scrambled to get into position. Michiko found herself surrounded by players from both teams, the red and blue balls whizzing past her head. She ducked and dodged, trying to stay out of harm's way while looking for an opportunity to score a point. As she ran, her eyes scanned the gymnasium, searching for any signs of danger. The game was intense, but it felt good to be a part of something, to be just another student at this school, if only for a little while.

But due to her excitement, black wings ripped through the back of the shirt, tearing it apart as her dark feathers sprouted from her back. In the commotion, she accidentally elbowed another student in the face, causing them to drop their ball. Before anyone could react, Michiko had snatched it up and threw it at another player on the opposite side, scoring a point for her team.

Miles looked at her in shock, his mouth agape. The other students gasped, their eyes wide with surprise and fear. Michiko's heart sank as she realized what had happened. Her dark wings were fully extended now, tearing through the fabric of her shirt and leaving feathers scattered across the gymnasium floor.

Before anyone could say or do anything, their gym teacher, Mr. Thomas, rushed over to them. "Michiko, what in the world is going on?" he demanded, his voice shaking with confusion and concern. She hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words to explain. But before she could speak, Miles stepped forward and put a protective arm around her shoulders.

"Run…Now." Miles whispered urgently to her. "I'll cover for you." Before she could protest, he gave her a gentle shove in the direction of the locker room. As she hurried down the hallway, her dark wings flapped behind her, carrying her through the air with ease. She could hear the commotion in the gym growing fainter with each step she took, but she couldn't help but feel a sense of panic rising in her chest.

Finally, she reached the safety of the girl's locker room. Slumping against the wall, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She knew that this was just the beginning; she couldn't stay hidden for long. But for now, she needed a plan.

She thought about her options: she could go to the states and try to blend in with the other people. Maybe she could find a place where she wouldn't be noticed, where she could live her life without fear. Or she could stay in Brooklyn and try to find a way to control her powers, to keep them hidden from the world and stay with Miles and Rio. It would be hard, but it might be possible.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she couldn't abandon Miles and Rio. They were her friends, and she couldn't just leave them to face whatever was coming for her. With a heavy heart, she decided that she would stay in Brooklyn and try to find a way to control her powers. It wouldn't be easy, but she couldn't shirk her responsibilities.

As she sat there, lost in thought, the locker room door swung open. It was Miles, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Hey," he said softly, coming over to sit down beside her. "We need to get your out here."

Michiko looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears. "I can't just leave you or Ms. Rio, Miles. I can't abandon you guys to this."

He put a hand on her shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle. "I know, but we can't just hide forever. We need to figure out how to deal with this. And we're stronger together. We'll find a way to make it work, okay? We'll be safe, and we'll keep each other close." His voice cracked slightly at the end, but there was a determination in his eyes that gave Michiko hope.

She nodded, wiping away her tears. "Okay," she whispered. "But…what about you? If people found out you and your mother have been keeping me…Oh god." The realization of what Miles and Rio could face hit her like a punch to the gut.

"Don't worry about us," Miles said, his voice firm. "We'll be fine. We'll figure it out together, just like we always do. Now, crawl out the window and I'll take you home. We'll come up with a plan there." He paused, searching her eyes for any sign of doubt. "You trust me, right?"

Michiko nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I do. I trust you both with my life."

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Then let's get you home." He helped her to her feet and led her to the locker room window. It was a tight squeeze, but with her wings, she was able to crawl out easily and onto the fire escape. Once she was safely outside, Miles joined her, and they made their way through the alleyways and backstreets of Brooklyn.

As they hurried home, Michiko couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. But she knew that she couldn't face it alone, and as long as she had Miles and Rio by her side, she knew they could weather any storm.

When they finally reached their apartment building, Miles paused outside the entrance and took a deep breath. "Okay," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "Here's the plan. You stay here, in your room. Don't answer the door for anyone unless it's my mother, got it?"

Michiko nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "Got it. Just…be careful, okay?"

Miles smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. And we'll figure this out together, I'll just need some help." He gave her a quick hug, then hurried off down the hall, his footsteps fading into the distance.

Alone in her room, Michiko paced back and forth, unable to sit still. She kept glancing out the window, watching for any sign of Miles or Rio. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant sounds of traffic and the occasional shouts from neighboring apartments. She picked up the sound of the door opening and closing, Rio rushed inside her room checking for wounds or cuts on her face, body. She was relieved to see that she was okay.

"Miles?" Rio asked, her voice trembling. "Where is he?"

"He went out," Michiko replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "He said he needs some person's help.." Her voice trailed off, her eyes darting back to the window. "But I don't know who."

Rio's face clouded over with concern until she she knew where he was going, "Aaron…Ese chico está en problemas cuando llega aquí, maldita sea." She cursed under her breath. "We need to think of a plan. He's going to need all the help he can get."

They paced the room, trying to come up with a plan. Michiko felt helpless, her mind racing with every possible scenario. "We should call someone," she suggested, her voice barely audible. "The police, maybe?"

"And tell them what?" Rio countered. "That we have you here? They'd lock us up." She paused, thinking for a moment. "We have no choice but to wait for him to come back.."

The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. Michiko tried to distract herself with television, but her mind kept drifting back to Miles. Finally, there was a knock at the door. Her heart leapt into her throat as she and Rio exchanged worried glances.

Rio took a deep breath and moved toward the door, her hand hovering over the doorknob. "Who is it?" she called out, her voice shaking.

There was no reply, but the knocking continued. Rio looked at Michiko, her eyes wide with fear. They both knew that Miles would never be that careless. Something was very wrong. With trembling hands, Rio unlocked the door and slowly pulled it open. It was Miles and his uncle Aaron. they walked in with food and placed on the kitchen table, Michiko ran to Miles and hugged him tightly, relieved to see him alive.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

Miles nodded into her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm good…we have a plan, my uncle is letting us stay with him and to help you blend in and defend yourself, since your a bounty now." He said, his voice reassuring. "So, eat up, and don't worry about anything. We'll get through this together." He patted her on the back before letting her go.

Michiko's stomach growled as she took a seat at the table, the aroma of the food filling the room. She looked up at Miles' uncle, Aaron, with newfound respect. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his face lined with experience and determination. His eyes were kind, but there was a steely glint in them that suggested he was not a man to be crossed.

As they ate, Rio filled Aaron in on what had happened, leaving out no detail. The older man nodded solemnly, his expression growing more grim with each word. "It seems like the people after you are willing to go to great lengths to get what they want," he said once she'd finished. "But don't worry, we'll make sure you're safe here."

The rest of the evening was spent discussing their plan of action. Aaron laid out a series of strategies to help keep Michiko safe and to prepare them for any potential threats. He also explained that they would need to travel light and be ready to move at a moment's notice. As the hours passed, the four of them grew closer, their shared experience forging a bond that transcended their previous acquaintance.

The next day, they rose early and set about making preparations to leave the city. They packed their belongings into a single bag, leaving behind any unnecessary items that might slow them down or draw attention.

As they were about to leave, Michiko turned to Miles, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Miles. I don't know what I would have done without you."

He shrugged modestly, trying to play it off. "It's nothing, really. I mean, you're my best friend, aren't you? Of course I'd help you out." There was a pause, and then he added, "Besides, my uncle Aaron is a pretty cool guy. He's been through a lot, and he's taught me a lot about life. So, I figure he'll do the same for you- "

"THIS IS NYPD HAND OVER XJR-10 NOW!" came a voice over the speaker. A flashbang exploded nearby, blinding them momentarily. Michiko and Miles covered their eyes, wincing at the pain. When their, vision cleared, they saw Aaron had drawn his gun and was crouched behind a nearby car.

"Go, go, go!" he shouted, motioning for them to run. Michiko and Miles followed suit, sprinting down the alleyway. They heard gunfire behind them, but Aaron's expert marksmanship seemed to be keeping the cops at bay. They ran for several blocks, weaving in and out of alleys and side streets until they were sure they had lost their pursuers.

Finally, they collapsed onto a nearby bench, gasping for air. "Are you okay?" Michiko asked Miles, her voice trembling. He nodded, trying to catch his breath. "Yeah, I'm fine," he wheezed. "You?"

Aaron appeared a moment later, jogging up to them. "We've lost them for now," he said, sheathing his gun. "But we can't stay here. We need to find someplace safe to hole up until we can figure out what to do next."

Miles nodded in agreement, still trying to catch his breath. "Where do we go?" he asked.

Aaron looked around, considering their options. "There's an old friend of mine who owns a rooming-house in Jersey City. It's not the most luxurious place, but it's quiet and off the beaten path. We can hole up there for a while and figure out our next move." He glanced at Michiko and Miles, making sure they were both on board with the plan.

They nodded in agreement. Miles still looked shaken from the ordeal, but he seemed to trust Aaron's judgment. As they walked through the streets of New York, Aaron kept a careful eye out for any signs of trouble. Despite the danger they were in, he couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with these two young people and a mother. They were all in this together now, and they would need to rely on each other if they were going to make it through this alive. to be cont in pt 4!

[bluesylveon2]

Rook 32! (Neige concert lmao)

Hi anon! Rook is very oc in this but I hope you enjoy the fic! I had fun writing Yuu being grossed out at happiness lol :)

Prompt 32.  my friend drags me to the concert of some boy band that I can’t stand because they didn’t want to go alone and you overhear me complaining about how awful they are and decide to prove me wrong in a heated debate

Note: Modern au, aged up characters, me lowkey ranting about NRC losing to RSA, mention of game events, "Heigh Ho!" is a fan translation (cries in EN server)

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: not beta read and possible OOC characters (Rook definitely is)

Yuu was annoyed, very annoyed. She was annoyed at the world when she got dragged out of her will, and her roommate, Rielle, was currently having the time of his life at the Neige LeBlanche concert.

Who was Neige? One might ask. Neige was a talented actor and singer known for his cutesy looks and friendly personality. It was nice for some people, but not Yuu. She was not a fan of him at all. Too bad she was sitting in the front section, close to the stage, of the concert, or else she would've booked it out of there. 

"Did I ever tell you that I hate you?" Yuu turned to her red-headed friend, who pouted in response.

"But you said that you were my friend yesterday!"

Yuu rolled her eyes. "Yes, until you dragged me here! That was when I revoked your friend status."

Rielle stopped pouting and gave his most adorable puppy eyes his blue eyes could muster. "C'mon Yuu, this will be fun. You will have a great time, I promise."

Yuu only crossed her arms and sighed. Here goes the next two hours of her life wasted on this concert. "I am going to die."

"Of fun!" Rielle beamed and turned his attention back to the concert. Neige had finally arrived, along with seven dwarves standing behind him.

"Hello, everyone! How is everyone tonight?"

Yuu winced as every fangirl/fanboy screamed their heart out for the performer. Yuu could feel her hearing starting to degenerate. "If only I invested in some earplugs," she grumbled and glared at Rielle, who was too busy fanboying to care.

"Tonight, I will start my show off with a familiar song. This one is one of my favorites, Heigh-Ho!"

"A KIDS SONG?!" Yuu exclaimed and turned to Rielle. "Is he serious right now?"

"Of course he is!" Her friend replied as Neige sang the first few verses. 

The sun calls for us with a wave of its hand Our morning is here Let's all get ready Who's sleeping in? Pull him out of his futon Hurry up, hurry up! Let's go, let's go! Good morning, everyone!

"I am living in a nightmare!" Yuu groaned as everyone sang along. The words sounded cult-like in Yuu's ears, and she already wanted her misery to end. If only a monster appeared and ended the show…a girl could dream. 

Yahoo, yahoo What a fun song Let's all spin around and dance Come on, let's hold hands Let's all laugh and dance

"Does this boy even hear himself? Spinning around, laughing, and dancing. What a goody two-shoes! He sounds so fake!"

“Excuse moi, madamoiselle. Roi de Neige sounds very passionate about his words.

Yuu, annoyed, turned to the stranger next to her. He had long blonde hair, green eyes, a shirt with "I <3 Neige," and a wide-brimmed hat with a feather. Yuu questioned why the guy didn't get complaints from the people behind them. "Well, his singing makes him sound like a little boy, and he's what? 18."

The man arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms. All of his attention was focused on Yuu. "Oh? Tell me, madamoiselle. Which artists do you prefer?"

"Well, I like Poppu Myūjikku because they have a variety of music, unlike this Cocomelon remake."

The man hummed in thought. "I see what you mean. Roi d'Or is a good drummer, Monsieur MagiCam is also a good singer, and Monsieur Curiosity has a very unique taste. I saw a video of him smashing guitars and stage diving on MagiCam. Tsk tsk." 

"Oh yeah? Tell me, what makes Neige so interesting, then?"

The man smiled as if rose petals were floating around him. "Well, his songs have so much meaning behind them; it just makes you want to sing along! His innocent demeanor attracts people and animals to him. Also, he has worked hard to get to where he is now. Just staring at him now makes me wish for world peace."

Yuu laughed mockingly. "World peace? That sounds stupid. Besides, Neige is not the only hard-working celebrity. There is Vil Schoenheit, who works ten times more than Neige and is a better celebrity than him!"

(Somewhere in the same city, Vil unknowingly smiled as he fixed a lavender-haired boy's makeup).

The man stood up straight and looked down at Yuu in annoyance. "Roi de Poison is beautiful but not on the same level as Neige. In fact, both of them competed in a singing competition, and Roi de Neige won."

Yuu felt a vein pop out of her forehead. She had remembered seeing that competition and how devastated Vil was at the results. He was so close to winning, but he lost by one point. What pissed her off the most was that he lost to the very song Neige started the concert with. "WHY YOU!!! Neige is nothing compared to Vil, and Vil deserved that win!" She yelled out with angry tears running down her eyes. Her response shocked the man, and it seemed like no one else heard it as they were too busy cheering on Neige. 

"Hey, Yuu." The redhead behind Yuu interrupted, causing her to turn her attention to her friend. "Are you okay? I heard you yelling just now."

Yuu wiped away her tears with her hands. "I just want to go home, Rielle. Please take me home."

Rielle looked at her with concern. "Are you sure?"

"Please!" Yuu pleaded, and Rielle nodded. 

The man sat there frozen as he watched the encounter. Suddenly his mouth moved before he could think ." Wait."

Yuu turned to the man. "What do you want now?"

The man dug inside his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief. "Here, and I'm sorry about earlier."

Yuu stared at the handkerchief and the man before reluctantly taking it. She just wanted to leave without embarrassing herself in front of more people. Yuu said nothing as she and Rielle left eh venue, leaving Neige and the mystery man behind. 

---

The birds were singing a sweet melody outside of Yuu's window. The sun shone brightly, and everything reminded her of Neige's concert and the mystery man. Yuu shook her head. She wished she knew who he was now that her mind had settled. She could return his handkerchief back and apologize like an adult. A knock interrupted Yuu's thoughts, and she called for someone to come in. A familiar mop of red hair and blue eyes entered, carrying a glass of water. 

"Good morning, Yuu." Reille smiled hesitantly as he handed her the cup. "I see that you are awake now. How are you feeling?"

Yuu drank the water and smiled. "Better now. Thank you."

Rielle sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry for dragging you to the concert. I thought that you would have fun when obviously you didn't. I will make sure to not do something like that ever again."

Yuu smiled sadly and looked down at the empty cup in her hands. "It's alright. I forgive you."

"That's good. Speaking of, you need to look at MagiCam.

Yuu tilted her head in confusion. "Why?" Rielle opened his phone and showed Yuu the screen. It was a video of an interview about the concert, and on it was none other than the man from yesterday wearing his ridiculous hat and shirt. "Great Sevens, is this real?"

"Just watch." Rielle pressed play, and the man's voice filled the room.

"I enjoyed my time at the concert, and I'm not just saying this as the Eternal Snow fan club president." The man and the interviewer laugh. 

"Are there any memorable moments from the concert?"

Yuu felt herself suck in a breath as the man's voice suddenly turned serious. 

"There are. I met many fans during it, but also someone who was not a fan. Someone as passionate about other celebrities as I am with Neige. However, I said some things I regret, and for that, I am sorry. I hope to apologize to you in person, but this will do for now."

"Thank you for those words, and I hope you will find this person one day. Thank you for speaking to us, Monsieur."

The man only laughed. "You can call me Rook Hunt."

"Yes. Thank you, Rook. This is NRC News signing off."

Yuu and Rielle sat in silence. Yuu was busy processing everything when she suddenly remembered something. She reached over for the discarded handkerchief on the nightstand and examined it. 

There, embroidered in purple, were the letters "R.H."

Disclaimer: I do not own Twisted Wonderland and its characters. Those belong to Aniplex, Walt Disney Japan, and Yana Toboso.

©: This story belongs to bluesylveon2 2020-23. DO NOT modify, republish, or plagiarize my work.

[landboundstar-writing]

Movie Night

Another repost from AO3 and my main blog.

Tip if you can. Reblog if you can't

NSFW - Minors, be gone. You have been warned.

CW- Zatanna/Boston Brand nipple play, oral sex, spooning

"Zee,"

The whisper startled Zatanna from where she was reading on the couch. Uncrossing her legs, she looked up to see a ghost 

"Hey, Boston."

She could see their unit's resident ghost with no problem thanks to magic, even times like now when he did not borrow somebody's body, and he came further into the room. The flames in the fireplace started to turn blue as he stood in front of them.

"What's wrong?"

Boston was normally a pretty chatty and cheerful ghost, but he looked sad. Zatanna shut her book and stood, coming over to stand with the ghost.

"I'm lonely. Can we watch a movie? Please?"

He shifted his foot back and forth, and she was pretty sure he was blushing.

Zee shrugged. "Sure."

"Really?" His eyes lit up, literally, for a second.

Zee smiled. Zachary and John had gone to see a local band at the bar, and they were both likely to be out for hours yet. And things had been quiet tonight while she had been on call. It was the perfect night for a baggy sweater and leggings with a fire in the fireplace. But she had started to feel a little lonely herself halfway through the last chapter, so hanging out and watching a movie with Boston seemed like a great idea.

"What movie?"

He flashed a smile. "Something old that we both have watched a dozen times so you don't get mad if I talk and I don't lose the plot? Comedy? Musical?"

Zee couldn't find Singing In The Rain right away, so she clicked on The Court Jester.

"It's nice having a quiet night with a movie after spending time with people all week."

"With people? Or around people?"

Zatanna looked startled by the question. 

"You are surrounded by people every night. But your cousin, John, your assistant, Dinah, some of the Belfry. You don't really hang out with the others. And, I was a performer. Don't try to tell me that you are just hanging out when you are on stage."

"You sounded like John for a second."

"He gets it too. And most of the Justice League treats both of us like we don't belong. Besides, John doesn't mind doing this when he stays in or is at the Watchtower. He doesn't even mind the hugs."

"Hugs?" Zatanna was startled into laughter. "Sorry, I didn't realize you liked John."

"When he isn't threatening to send me on because I possessed somebody, we get along. He'll talk, give me hugs, watch cheesy horror flicks or the Twilight Zone. And he gets me wanting to be around people. I miss it. I can't even change out of what I died in."

"Do you want that? To change clothes? Or get a hug?"

"Yeah, but -"

Zatanna waved her hand and did a quick backcasting. Boston still sat next to her on the couch, but wearing a black tee shirt and pajama pants. His face was scrubbed clean of greasepaint, just a regular guy with blue eyes and brown hair.

"Cozy." He blinked down, staring at his hands resting on the soft flannel pants, looking so confused, sitting next to her in normal clothing.

"It's magic." Zee whispered and pulled him into a hug.

There was a beat, then two, before he hugged her back, pulling her head against his shoulder, hands rubbing circles on her back.

Then, he stilled. Slowly, he went to pull away.

"Boston?"

"I shouldn't do this." His words were barely a whisper against the top of her head, stirring her hair.

"I wouldn't have given you a hug if I wasn't okay with it."

"Zatanna, I don't want to stop with just a hug."

"Okay."

"What?"

She climbed onto his lap, hands resting on his hips. "I said I am okay with that."

"Last time that  I did this, I got shot for it."

"I don't plan on shooting you." She gave a gentle kiss at the point where his neck and collarbone met.

And found herself laying back on the couch, Boston leaning over her.

"If it's okay, I'd like to take the lead. There are some things I've missed."

"Go ahead, then."

Zatanna felt lips skimming over her throat with gentle kisses as she felt deft hands rolling her leggings and underwear down and off.

As his hands slid back up, he grabbed the hem of her sweater and lifted it up and off.

"You aren't wearing a bra."

Zatanna stared up at him, as he looked at her naked body. "Is that a problem?"

"Not at all."

He kissed her breasts, teased her nipples, licking the undersides as he slid down to kiss down her stomach, hands gently pressing at the insides of her knees to urge them apart.

He kissed lower and lower as his hands slid back up her thighs.

She gasped as he started, licking and sucking on her center, his tongue parting her labia.

He licked another time, and her hips lifted, muscles tightening as she moaned and came.

Sliding back up, he turned her quivering body, spooning her.

Zatanna spent a bit of magic to clean up and pull a blanket over both of them.

"I take it you did that a lot."

Boston smiled. "Best way to watch a movie. You should see what I could do with a drive-in."

Zatanna laughed. "Maybe once it's warmer out. But, I don't mind having a movie night with you now and then."

"I'm glad because I wouldn't mind doing this again too. Have you ever seen Some Like It Hot?"

"Of course."

Boston smiled and kissed her neck, his touch spectrally cool. "Great. That means you won't miss anything."

"Sounds like a date."

[charlieslowartsies]

Just wanted to say I love your KG AU, especially your versions of Scraptrap and Springtrap! Are their any facts about them you haven't been able to get into the story that you'd be willing to share? I'd love to hear them! Thanx for the wonderful story, I'm always happy when I see an update!

Thank!!! I love the Bonnie model line (I just love bunnies IRL, so I'm always gunna gravitate toward buns.) Bonnie (and to an extent Spring and Scrap, are heavily based off my rabbit Hiccup that I owned during and after college. That little firecracker was one of my dearest friends, and it sort of helped the grieving process to immortalize his uppity personality in the Bonnies.)

I'll put some fun facts about the two Springbonnie models down below, mostly copy/pasted from notes. If anyone is worried about spoilers, I'll add a read more jic

Springtrap/Springbonnie:

-Springtrap loves instrumental music. He doesn't like songs with guitars because it reminds him too much of The Good Old Days.

-His favorite song to sing back during the Diner was Happy Days, which he sang with Fredbear.

-He used to love telling knock-knock jokes.

-Springtrap loves sunrises, but his favorite way to spend them was standing beside Fredbear in the diner, staring out the window watching the sky change colors.

-Springtrap enjoys reading, and isn't picky. He'll settle down with any book he can get his paws on. He's very fond of Jules Verne and Road Dahl.

-Springtrap inherited a lot of William Afton's sense of 'prim and proper-ness.' However, he isn't *as* much of a rule follower as Fredbear was and is. Springtrap can be the very definition of 'But first, they must catch you.' Especially when he's angered or protecting others he cares about. He did not survive for so long without learning the art of trickery.

-Spring refers to Mike as 'Operator.' This title was reserved for anyone who would have worn him during the open hours of the restaurants. Now, it's a title he only grants those he trusts.

-Even though Bonnie hates Springtrap, the feeling is not mutual. He cares very deeply for his younger bunny brother. Springtrap doesn't fight it though, feeling that whatever he's given as punishment will never be enough for not learning to go against the Purple Man. He lets Bonnie hate him, because he mostly agrees with him.

-Bonnie's beloved guitar is indeed Spring's repainted original one. Spring is okay with this--Bonnie is the only he does trust with it, frankly. If it ever was suggested to go to Blu (Toy Bonnie) Springy would have...Opinions.

-Springtrap has a lot of wear and tear from living with William's rotting corpse inside him. He has stiff facial features due to this--and actually, the best way to see if he's being haunted is to read his body language. William is more emotive and animated, and he uses Springtrap's eyelids and moves his creaky jaw and ears. Springtrap, when he's only himself and no one else, does not lift his eyelids past half mast. He makes very few expressions and speaks quiet and dully.

-Springtrap was designed because of Elise Afton, William's wife. She saw Fredbear on stage and insisted he 'needed a best friend, someone he could turn to and make laugh, perhaps a bunny!' And so Henry and William got to work on Springbonnie. He was even named after her favorite season. She died around the same time he was completed, but well before any haunting or anything.

-Spring's half missing ear does lessen his ability to hear, but not by a lot. It's still above average for a normal human, even if he knows he's missing something.

-Spring's powers mostly oppose Fredbear's. If Goldy is brawn, then Springtrap is brain. His penchant for illusions and making others see what they want is a powerful skill in his arsenal. Once he finds out what makes you happy, or even worse scared, you're his.

-Spring is fascinated by the sky, as well as having a love for botany.

-Spring's original voice when he was Springbonnie was chipper, bright and almost high pitched. It was also goofy and warm, and he would refer to kids as 'Lil boy!' or 'Lil girl.' He retained that to this day--if he calls someone either of those, it means he likes you very much and you remind him of when his life was much happier.

-Springtrap adores and misses Fredbear, who he refers to warmly as 'Goldie-bear.' The concept of Love, romantic or platonic were never really described to him outside the text book definitions, so he only knows how to describe the affection as he's figured it out for himself over the years. As far as he's concerned, he was made for Fredbear and only him, and no one can take that away from them. He knows Goldy feels the same, even after all they've been through, and no matter what side they had to be on.

Scraptrap:

-Scraptrap considers himself the same age as Max Afton, his Suit. Even though he's around Bonnie's age, he insists he's 18 and no one argues with him.

-Scrap has strong phantom memories of taste and smell, and is one of the only Animatronics to carry this ability for some reason. Some wonder if it's because Scrap's human was more...Alive than the others when they first met. No one really knows for sure.

-He has a bit of a crush on Chica, and also on Foxy.

-Before Scraptrap, Mike's common advice was "There's only one thing you can get two Bonnie models to agree on--that the third Bonnie model is wrong." But Scrap has flipped this on it's head. He's friendly and gets along with well other models in his category--even the bossy, obnoxious Blu!

-Although a lot of Scrap's likes/dislikes came from Max, he's not a carbon copy and that becomes apparent within minutes of meeting the two. Max is moody, sullen and mistrusting. Scrap tends to be more inquisitive, friendlier and outwardly affectionate.

-Scraptrap loves video games, especially spooky ones. Even just Max playing Skyrim on Mike's ps3 will have his attention glued to the screen with excitement. His favorite series is the Resident Evil games.

-Scraptrap is the definition of 'do no harm, take no shit.' He has almost killed before in fact. After all, several pounds of steel that can crush a human who will put Max above all else with 0 regard to the rules can get dangerous quickly. Scraptrap paid a lot of attention to those action movies when they snuck into theaters over the years, and he also tends to use Max's wrestling knowledge during fights as well. Thankfully, Max was able to steer him toward using knock out moves, not just straight up neck-snapping ones.

-Scraptrap always tries getting Max a birthday gift, even if they have no money between them. He also asserts his birthday is the day Max was stuffed in him, which Max just kinda goes with--it's cute, in a surreal, horror movie way.

-Scraptrap loves Halloween, because as Max puts it, 'it's the one night of the year we can walk around in public and get free food...and no one screams.' (Max can't and shouldn't eat...but he DOES give in and eat candy from time to time.)

-All of Max's injuries will reflect onto Scraptrap's body within seconds of it happening, and vice versa.

-Scrap sometimes affectionately signs 'Marty' or 'McFly' at Max, after the character from one of their favorite movies. It's also a reference to the fact Max is a kid trapped in time. Max replies with 'Doc' just to see Scrap grin.

-Scrap does not like places that are 'too quiet.' They make him nervous and jumpy. He's one of the only Bonnie models that enjoy tons of sounds and noises. This can sometimes get at odds with Max's need for silence when he gets overwhelmed, so they usually compromise with music.

-Scraptrap is essentially a spare Springbonnie costume. He does have a sound system/speakers in him, but is a selective mute due to past events that scared him into keeping quiet. Afton would threaten to 'take back' Michael/Max when Max would argue with him. Scrap would make them both calm up, fearing he would lose himself if he lost his Suit. The desire to speak never really returned...and, as Scrap sees it, Max can understand him fine. What more does he need?