#he shares Amelia's birthday

[princessfoxington]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REUBEN! MY LITTLE MAN BE 7 YEARS OLD TODAY!

Please read the tags for the latest news. No, seriously read the tags.

[pathologicalreid]

little duck | s.r.

in which Spencer is too excited about his first Halloween as a dad to remember he's supposed to be celebrating his birthday

margotober masterlist

who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: fluff content warnings: jareau!reader, birthday party, halloween, dias des los muertos, roslyn talk, this IS my ffofa family but you don't need to read it to read this (just know that reader and jj have beef), mostly wholesome content, babies and having babies, the spencer reid dilf agenda! word count: 1.53k a/n: is this any good? not sure. it's definitely cute though.

Your eyes flickered around the kitchen, trying to spot a familiar mess of brown curls that you’d lost track of about an hour ago. “Hey,” You said to Penelope, putting an arm around her shoulders, “Have you seen my husband anywhere?”

The blonde shook her head, taking the opportunity to glance around the house to see if he was hiding in plain sight, “Haven’t seen him,” she shared a look with Emily, who shrugged, “Did you check outside?”

Shaking your head, you sighed while picking up some trash from the counter and setting it in the trash. “No, thanks though,” you flashed them a small smile before continuing your way around the house, he wasn’t in the office or the library either.

The house was decorated in a hybrid celebration of Spencer’s birthday and Halloween. Décor for the latter had started going up in September, but the fake spider that Spencer put in the guest bathroom still made your heart race. Balloons fluttered in the air while you strode past them, “Hey, there’s the lady of the house,” your head snapped up.

“Hi Dave,” you greeted Rossi with a hug, “How are you enjoying the party?”

He lifted his glass of punch up, “Other than the fact that I’m not sure how you got the punch to turn green, it’s a beautiful party. You’ve outdone yourself.”

Thanking him, you promised to come back and chat once you found Spencer, who was still missing. As for the punch, you were under strict orders not to tell anyone how the punch had turned green, but you knew that Spencer had used spinach as a natural food dye. Personally, you were avoiding the liquid like the plague.

Finally checking outside, the only thing you found was Matt’s older four chasing each other with glow sticks while their father watched on. Kristy was inside with Rosemary, who wasn’t quite old enough to chase her older siblings yet. You smiled at the thought that maybe next year she’d be able to join the big kids.

Henry and Michael were on the playset, the older of the two trying to impress his younger brother by crossing the monkey bars. You waved at Michael on the swing before closing the door behind you, turning around to continue your search in the house, jumping when you found someone behind you. “Oh,” you hung your head in shock, “You scared me.”

Your sister smiled at you, “Sorry, I saw you looked like you were searching for something, I wanted to see if you needed anything.”

JJ made your chest ache. Every time she offered to do something for you or surprised you with a gift, she continued to get into your good graces, but it just reminded you of your broken bond. Shaking your head, you looked around the living room, “I’m just looking for Spencer.”

Recognition flickered in her eyes, “He went upstairs with Amelia about ten minutes ago. I didn’t see him come down.”

You sighed in relief once you knew where your husband and baby were, “Thank you.” Making your way to the stairs, you turned and spoke up again, “And J, take some leftovers home! I really don’t need all of it.”

Hopefully, you could convince everyone to take at least something home. Throwing parties was a curse, there was always too much food. You made your way upstairs, checking the master bedroom before peeking your head into the nursery, finally finding Spencer.

He was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Mila propped up in front of him, still learning how to stand unassisted. You leaned against the door frame, watching Spencer adjust her Halloween costume as she stared at him in wonder.

It was a tradition in your family for your mom to make the costume for Halloween, at least the first one, and Spencer was more than willing to adopt any tradition available to him, especially if it involved Halloween. You gave your mom free rein of the costume idea, so you shouldn’t have been surprised when she showed up before the party today with a baby duck costume in tow.

She was blowing raspberries at him while he brushed some feathers out of her face, “We’ll have to trim some of those, honey,” he spoke to her gently. He had refrained from putting the hood over her head, either because he didn’t want to ruin the tiny ponytail she had sticking up from her head or because he didn’t want her to get too warm, but she seemed more than content to be dressed in the bright yellow outfit.

You were thankful that she’d be comfortable in the costume because the rest of the week would be jam-packed. Tomorrow night was the FBI trunk or treat, then a Halloween party at Rossi’s, then actual Halloween, and then a Dia De Los Muertos party at Penelope’s to round off the week.

Honestly, you weren’t sure who was going to be more exhausted by the end of the week, you or Mila.

Eventually, you caught the gaze of your eight-month-old, who reached out and made grabby hands at you, exposing your location to Spencer, who turned his head to look at you, “Hey,” he said, still holding her upright even though his eyes weren’t on her.

“Hi,” you greeted back, unable to take your eyes off of the baby. More specifically, you were unable to take your eyes off of her costume.

You took a seat on the floor across from Spencer, who helped Mila off of her feet so that she could crawl to you, “Go see mama,” he urged her gently, watching as her tiny arms and legs carried her across the floor.

Once she reached you, she pushed herself up on your leg until you scooped her up, settling her in your lap and raising your eyebrows at him, “You know there’s a party going on downstairs.”

“I had noticed that, yes,” he answered, neatly folding the hood of Amelia’s costume and setting it in a pile.

Adjusting the bow on top of her head, you craned your head down and kissed the side of her head—she gurgled in response. “Did you know that they’re all here for you?”

Spencer smiled slightly, “I knew that too.”

Mila continued to babble while you looked at your husband curiously, “And yet,” you started, “You’re up here, putting her Halloween costume on while you should be at your birthday party.”

“I just wanted to see her in it,” he confessed, eyes flickering down at his daughter in her baby duck costume.

You had to admit, she was heart-achingly cute in the handmade costume. You were so happy when your mom brought up making the costume, not wanting to ask right out for it.

From the day she was born, Amelia was surrounded by family, you and Spencer made sure of it. She was cuddled up in the hospital with a blanket that Penelope crocheted. Even her nickname—Mila—had been granted to her by Derek’s daughter, who couldn’t quite swing the three-syllable name at the time.

There was a pit in your chest that was brought upon you by the symbolism of the costume, you often wondered what life would be like if your eldest sister was still around. You wondered what she’d think of your baby’s middle name—Rose—and if she’d think it was cool. “Hey, Spence?” You whispered, carefully standing up with Amelia in tow.

“Yes, my love?” He responded, following your lead and getting up off the floor, taking the baby from you, and changing her into pajamas.

You hummed behind him, taking the discarded costume and folding it up, placing it on top of the dresser until you needed it tomorrow. “Happy birthday,” you told him for the nth time today.

He smiled at you, resting Mila on his hip before he turned back to you, “Thank you.” Spencer leaned over and kissed you, the action receiving a coo from your daughter.

Laughing softly, you cupped her head tenderly, “It was a pretty good year, huh?”

Spencer pulled you into his side, you being held in one arm, and Mila in the other. “Yeah,” he murmured, “This one was definitely a favorite.”

Becoming a parent with Spencer was a dream come true, there was nothing you could think of that would top this year. Tilting your head back, you looked up at him, “So, what are you going to wish for this year?”

His gaze flittered down to the baby on his hip.

You shook your head immediately, “Pick something else,” you said, giggling at his silent suggestion. To you, it felt much too soon to think about another baby, and you knew Spencer was mostly joking. The two of you had previously decided on waiting.

Spencer sighed in response, looking between you and Mila, “More of this,” he answered, “The three of us, together.”

Raising your eyebrows, “Avoiding a party together.”

“As a family should,” he affirmed, beaming at you.

You were smiling so much that your cheeks ached, and you nodded your head in the direction of the door, “C’mon, there’s a cake downstairs with your name on it. Literally.”  

[shoujo-wizard]

@lexirosewrites here's the ask i told you i've been putting too much detail into, i call it Haunting of Harrington House it's more details on the ask i sent quite awhile ago of a/b/o steddie haunted house AU this is very long so it is under the cut

it involves slightly better harrington parents, but they still aren't the best the emotional neglect is very present, it isn't very steddie or buckingham coded yet so i didn't tag it as either these r just broad initial details

O!Steve A!Robin

Steve grew up in a relatively cosmopolitan town in Washington near Seattle. His father and mother were big shot lawyers with little time for him. He was mostly a check on the to-do list for a "picture perfect" marriage, his designation as a male omega wasn't unexpected or shunned as the Harrington family apparently had a long history of male omegas. But they were still much too busy so every school break they'd dump him at his maternal grandparents house a few towns away. When there wasn't a school break he was primarily in the care of a nanny till his 15th birthday when it was deemed he knew how to take care of himself & be safe abt it.

He grew up learning next to nothing about his paternal grandparents aside from what was essential to a family tree project here & there. Steve knew his middle name, Oliver, came from his great-grandfather & tht said great-grandfather was a male omega as well. Richard Harrington never divulged more than the necessary information that Steve needed for school: his grandfather's name was Elijah Harrington, his grandmother's name was Amelia Smith before she married Elijah, his ancestors were some of the first settlers of the area that would grow into Hawkins, that his grandparents lived there their entire lives

Well time passed as it's wont to do, Steve graduated high school & decided to study Library Sciences as a long-term goal. Despite their estranged relationship his parents were supportive of this choice, but his father drew the line at looking at schools in Indiana. Richard told Steve he'd left Indiana & specifically Hawkins for a reason. He never told his son what tht reason was.

Steve thrived in college, getting a Bachelor in Information Science eventually getting into a Masters program that would earn him a Masters in Library Science thus allowing him to begin working as a librarian. In his Masters program he met A!Robin & they instantly bonded after a disaster of a Socratic seminar where they ended up on the same side of a heated debate abt the legacy of the Library of Congress. When Steve graduates his parents r nowhere to be found even tho they'd promised & even shared w him their travel plans tht would get them there on time. So he goes thru the motions of celebration till he gets a call from an unknown number. It's the police, his parents had been involved in a serious car accident after swerving to avoid a drunk driver. They'd both been pronounced dead at the scene. His parents were dead.

The next two weeks r filled with meetings with his parents lawyer, finding appropriate coffins, alerting business partners & friends alike to the deaths, & then getting acquainted with their will. The will stated that if Steve was 20+ upon their death their house would go up for sale. They'd left certain things to business partners, certain things to friends, and the rest was Steve's to do w as he pleased. he sells much of it, keeps some of it. Among what was left to Steve is the deed & blueprints & keys to a house in Hawkins Indiana. 

Well, he'd always been curious & there was no more childhood home waiting for him so he gets Robin to agree to come with him to the town he'd never been to before. They get in his car & go on a road trip. They arrive in Hawkins days later & stop at a diner they happen to find on Google maps before making the final trek to the mystery Harrington house.

They come upon a historic mansion from the Gilded Age. It's unmistakably in need of work. The windows r dark & the key gets stuck before working. The electricity buzzes & blinks before coming on reliably. There's furniture covered in white sheets in nearly every room. The kitchen hadn't been updated since the 1950s. The drawing room has covered paintings, covered furniture, a large fireplace clearly meant to impress, & nearly empty bookcases built into one wall. There is no television but an antique radio as well as a 70s record player in the sitting room. There's a second fireplace in the sitting room tht is just as gorgeous but clearly meant for the personal use of the family. There's an entire personal library past the sitting room & the platonic pair r apprehensive of the state of the books on the shelves. The library is two stories with a spiral staircase leading up. Another staircase directly opposite the foyer leads up to the second floor of the mansion. The blueprints show a total of five bedrooms & three bathrooms on the second floor with the third bathroom being an ensuite to the master bedroom. There's a staircase w a door at the top leading to the attic/servants quarters. They test the faucets in the kitchen & after some noise & undeniably stale water it works. The fridge clearly needs to b replaced & the oven & stove top r dubious at best. They find the master bedroom has a gorgeous antique nesting frame tht Robin thinks might date to the 1910s. Neither wants to chance the old mattress so they roll out their sleeping bags next to eachother & settle as comfortably as they can on the hardwood floor. 

That night Steve dreams. 

He stands in the garden behind the mansion. The lights r all on, & he can see shadows moving within as if a party is taking place. He's in the pajamas he wore to sleep & his feet r getting cold. But every effort he makes to get to the house makes him sink into the dirt. Just as his head is abt to b submerged beneath the soil he wakes up.

They eventually end up committing to using Steve’s inheritance to restoring/renovating the mansion. The dreams do not stop. In fact when he begins sleeping in the master bedroom alone the dreams get worse. More vivid and more confusing.

It all hits the fan not long after Steve has his first heat in the mansion. He comes out of his heat a little worse for wear bc he kept dreaming in between waves of horniness & moments of care from Robin. The dreams were not the pleasant wet dreams he’d always had during his heats. He could not remember any of them, but he always awoke with a rabbiting heartbeat searching the room for eyes he knew wouldn’t be there.

So he’s a little anxious but has to get over it quickly because they had carpenters coming in to reinforce various areas tht needed the help tht week, the electricity and wiring was already renovated and up to code. Context: they’d been working with local companies through this entire process, and the workers always smelled a little nervous whenever they were around. Neither of them asked because they got the feeling they wouldn’t get a straight answer. So these workers come in to do their job. The last area they needed to work on is the attic/servants quarters. These are big people, strong people, most of them alphas, but they all stood at the bottom of the stairs to the attic psyching each other up to go up there. Eventually they go up, begin working, all is quiet for half an hour, then suddenly every single one of the workers in the attic are charging down the stairs and stampeding out of the mansion.

i haven't exactly finished this thought but im now cooking up an entire fic

[lexirosewrites]

I can't remember if I already sent in an ask abt nugget #6 in my new years birth AU but if I did ignore tht one

NUGGET #6 is, surprisingly, early. Not dangerously early, but it catches everyone off guard & his first 24 hours involve him being hooked up to oxygen. He's born dual sexed but there's no scent.

Steve & Eddie panic bc they haven't talked abt it much w their other pups, but nugget #6 is a rainbow baby. Steve experienced his first ever miscarriage 8 months before he conceived nugget #6. Steve was safe but devastated. The doctor explained tht it might b considered rare for an omega, either man or woman, to have a miscarriage but it does happen.

(In my world building I maintain tht omegas would have very quick labor but also the genetics have evolved in a way tht omegas aren't known for being particularly high risk of a miscarriage. Also, I maintain tht omegas would have mostly home births. But this is an AU where the upside down did happen so I think all the trauma Steve's body went through might make labor & delivery a little more complicated so when they were awaiting nugget #1 it was decided tht Steve would give birth in the hospital.)

SO ANYWAY

Nugget #6 is born so much smaller than his siblings & he doesn't have a strong scent for the first 24 hours. When Eddie voices their shared worry as their son is put on oxygen the doctor reassures them; when a pup is born early it isn't unusual for them to not have a particularly noticeable scent. The nurses & doctors monitor the pup tht is barely technically considered a preemie & everyone is relieved when he is strong enough after just 24 hours to be taken off oxygen. His scent developed overnight as he got used to being outside the womb earlier than anyone expected. The blood test they'd taken already confirmed it but it's a good sign tht he has a milky puppy scent tht is noticeably sweet,

little Samwise Wayne Munson is a boy omega, born at 2:55PM February 14, 2000. Wayne is old & tired from a lifetime of hard labor & no one says it but they're all thinking abt how Wayne might not b around in a decade or so, Eddie cries abt it when Wayne thanks him (while holding Wayne Jr) for naming his bby after him & Steve makes both men cry harder when he says samwise needed strength his first 24 hours & they couldn't think of anyone else stronger

Not even 2 days later, February 16, 2000 at 3PM O!Max safely delivers an alpha boy, the throuples 2nd child. They name him Eric William Hopperfield-Sinclair, Eric is more than the male form of Erica it's also Max's bio dads name; a 2 for 1 special

Erica makes a joke at the gathering tht the Hopperfield-Sinclairs host when their new baby comes home: tht the two will grow up & fall in love w eachother, they all laugh

((They all laugh about it once more in 2024 after Eric gets down on one knee with a cherry red velvet ring box to propose to Samwise in the middle of their huge family Christmas dinner, hosted in the gorgeous actual literal chateau in the Austrian countryside tht was among the assets steve inherited when Amelia passed away in 2018.

Samwise laughs and pulls his own deep purple velvet ring box out of his pocket. They both say yes))

((Eric got Samwise a lab grown pink diamond princess cut into a heart surrounded by small pink pearls on a rose gold band, his Sammy loves pink & maximalism. While Samwise got Eric a lab grown amethyst set into an art deco white gold band, his Eric loves green & art deco.))

(Funny side story in this AU: B!Murray (& his amused mate the Russian ex-pat O!Alexei) made everyone they could guilt into visiting hide in Murray's new & improved apocalypse housing on December 31st 1999. Dustin & Suzie were exempt because they were some of the unsung heroes working overtime to code computers all over the world to NOT glitch out at midnight new years eve 1999. El was also involved but she was mostly a last resort worst case scenario option. Baby Jim was extremely confused abt spending his birthday in the middle of nowhere, but he was also barely 4 so he was easily distracted with the cake grandma Joyce baked)

THATS ALL FOLKS, might end up submitting a few more anecdotes abt this AU for Sunday this week but consider this ask the concluding chapter of a story!!!

💛💛💛

[alovesreading]

Chicken Shop Date | Part 4 |

By @imagine-that-100 and @alovesreading

Description of Part 1: Matty Healy x Reader (Female) | You and your best friend Amelia came up with a very simple idea of taking celebrities on awkward chicken shop dates, and somehow, it’s managed to become both of your jobs. In the past, you’ve found sitting across from some of the biggest stars on the planet and eating chicken nuggets easy. But then Amelia manages to score you a date with the man who you’ve been obsessed with since you were nineteen; Matty Healy.

Word Count: 18.7k

A/N: What better way to celebrate George’s birthday than a cute little Chicken Shop Date chapter! Me and @imagine-that-100 are so beyond excited to finally share this one with you lot, it’s such a wholesome one!!! We were giggling, blushing and kicking our feet writing it so we hope you love it! We absolutely love your reactions so please don’t be shy to share them with us, we’ve seen your love for this little story on here and on twitter and it makes us so giddy that you share our excitement over it. Hope you enjoy this one and thanks so much for reading! xx

| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |

| N’s Masterlist | A’s Masterlist |

~*~*~*~ December 25th ~*~*~*~

Christmas time never fails to fill you up with joy as you get to reunite with your family and just laugh, catch up and shower everyone with gifts, but you are completely sure it doesn’t come close to the way your heart swells up every time you get a new notification saying that you’ve got a message from Matty.

It all started when you woke up to a text of his that said, Why is sleeping at your parents home always so much better? x which made you cackle loudly.

Finding a way to twist his words to tease him, you text him back a quick, Is that a dig at my bed? You can stay on my settee then next time bitch xoxoxoxox

No, you can’t banish me to the settee again xx Matty fights back in a matter of seconds and continues to add, I simply refuse xx but what has you raising your eyebrows in surprise is when he finishes by saying, And call me a bitch again and I’ll have you on your knees apologising for it xxx

Biting your bottom lip, you type, Is that a threat or a promise? and shortly after that’s sent, you add a cheeky, … bitch x knowing just what that would mean.

He acted like he wasn’t impressed, and you could just picture his face as he sent, Wow, really? At 10am? xx

Hilarious you think that’d stop me xx You bite back and to add more fuel to the fire, you send him a petty, Plus you started it xxx to remind him it’s all his fault.

You clearly have forgotten his effect on you because your mind starts to wonder places it shouldn’t at this hour and you’re only brought back to reality when your Mum knocks on your door to tell you to come downstairs for breakfast.

Your family and the reminder of the plans for the rest of the week engrossed you enough to completely miss Matty’s text that he sent a little after your texting was interrupted.

It was time stamped an hour ago and it said, Thinking back to this, I shouldn't be surprised... and the whole spitting thing? x

The last bit has you frowning because you’re sure you’ve not told him about any of your preferences in that aspect. So you send him back a text that’s basically you playing dumb on it, Spitting thing?

Eagerly waiting for a response, you almost jump in your seat when ten minutes later he says, Is our date really not memorable to you at all? Ouch, I demand an apology.

Giggling at his dramatic ways, you continue to play dumb on it by saying, It is memorable but what are you talking about?

You can almost picture him rolling his eyes at you and sighing and you’re left hanging for a response for a couple of minutes until he comes back with the link to a video and a time stamp.

Clicking on it, you’re brought to your date and when you skip to the minute he’s instructed you to, you realise what he means.

The exact moment plays when you say, “And Amelia didn’t like the spit on the camera.” to which he answered, “Only Amelia didn’t like it? So you enjoyed it?” and right after you hear yourself answer with a, “Maybe.” you go back to your conversation with your cheeks heating up.

He added a, If that's not a spitting kink confession, idk what is baby x right after he sent the video and you have a quick think on how to conceal that.

How’d you know that wasn’t just a bit for the video? You try to play with him since you actually wanted to keep him guessing.

But he surprises you when he says, I can watch it back and tell exactly when you’re telling the truth now baby, you’re like an open book x And whilst you’re trying to gather yourself again after melting over that, he sends another text that has you burning up head to toe. This just assures us we’ll have proper fun later baby, so it’s a win really xx

So does this mean you’re into that… You almost hate how shy the text sounds but you’re once again completely overcome by the way he makes you feel.

Are the shows not proof enough? Comes through from him and his smirk comes to the forefront of your mind, completely sure he’s smirking at his screen after having sent that.

Trying to play it cool, you reply with, I think they only spark more questions x

You have to hold back a screech when he sends, Lucky for you baby, I have loads of answers xx

And this time, as you decide to go for a breather after it all, you give him exactly what he’s giving you back. I’d ask for a list but I sorta wanna work them out on the job xx

It was a mistake from you to not expect him to have a comeback to that so you choke on your spit when he says, You gonna get your hands dirty and find out? xx

But you’re fully determined to leave him breathless so with your self control clouded by your filthiest thoughts, you reply, Hands, chest, face, mouth… The list goes on xx

Fucking hell… If you had been on a call then you would’ve died at the groan he let out reading that, Baby why do you have to be so far away? x

On the other hand you are giggling away as your tummy flutters from his reaction and you continue teasing him to keep him on his toes. Alright control yourself, it’s only 2pm x

It bites you back when he sends, You’re a little brat, aren’t you? which has your heart going faster at the thought of hearing him say that to your face.

Hmm call me that again xx Your inhibitions are out of the picture at this point but he is making you go insane with such little effort. It was unfair really.

And what? He texts back, daring you to finish your statement.

But you don’t give him the pleasure of knowing, You’ll find out about that soon enough xx Now be good and go on celebrating baby Jesus’ birthday x.

As opposed to adult Jesus’ birthday? He answers to take the piss out of your wording, Also need I remind you I’m a raging atheist?x

You cackle out loud at the reminder of that Genius interview and you just can’t not send him a screenshot of the exact moment along with, Oh no need to remind me when this exists (I can hear that image) x

Matty knows just how to get you, though, because you’re blushing slightly embarrassed when he says, Obsessed much? You must’ve had that saved cause that was too quick x

You’d love that wouldn’t you? X You quickly reply not letting him get the pleasure of your silence so you’re the one to end the conversation with a bit more teasing, Go play with your new toys Matthew, talk to you in a bit xx

Even though you truly had wanted to text Matty again soon after that conversation took place, you’d gotten carried away around your family and it wasn’t until later in the evening that you’re able to sit down with a cup of tea beside you to talk with him.

You would’ve loved to continue teasing him through text but you want to see his face now so you decide to FaceTime him.

With the biggest grin on your face, you start the video call with a loud, “Merry Christmas!” as soon as he picks up and you can’t even find it in yourself to care how overly chipper you sound as you greet him.

“Merry Christmas baby!” Matty matches your enthusiasm and he’s beaming at you, he finds you glowing under the warm lights that come from the Christmas decorations around your parents home. “Have you had a nice day?” He asks with a soft look on his face, it was a joke how much he found himself to be missing you after he stayed at yours before you went away.

“Yeah it's been really good, how's your day been?” You’d rather hear him talk about his day since yours had been fairly normal, like any other Christmas.

“Yeah busy. So much family, so many questions.” Matty almost rolls his eyes, annoyed at the situation but now he’s escaped to his room for a bit and he gets to see you, he’s happy. But he pouts as he says, ��Barely got to text you, but it’ll be more chill over the next few days.”

Pressing your lips together, you try to hide the big grin that wants to break on your face and you shake your head in amusement, “It's okay, my family have been keeping me busy too. I was forced into the kitchen, reason being I'm always eating too much fast food on my dates so my Grandma was making me cook.”

A smile tugs at the corner of his lips and he tilts his head to the side to ask, “She thinks you only eat chicken nuggets?”

Aware of how ridiculous that sounds, you chuckle “I think so.” And you’re about to say something else when you’re distracted by how adorable he looks with his messy curls, tired eyes and that soft smile of his. “You look cute by the way.”

Matty’s eyes crinkle at the corners when his smile gets bigger at your compliment, “Thanks baby, you do too.”

Right then you could only hope it was dark enough for him not to notice your cheeks tinting red. “What did you get for Christmas?” You switch the topic when you see the shadow of a smirk forming on his face.

“Got this nice cardigan that Mum had made for me.” He lifts one of his arms up to show the sleeves of the clothing piece and you can’t help but be in awe at the pretty pattern of it and how soft it looks.

“Looks very cosy.” You compliment effortlessly, wishing you could cuddle him at that very moment.

But then he lifts himself up more to show what he’s wearing under it, “Not as cosy as my hoodie.”

“Oh my god,” You giggle, “As if you have it on still.”

“Of course I do.” Matty assures with a slight frown to pretend like the prospect of not having it on still was ridiculous, “Best present I got, baby.”

Shaking your head in disagreement, you state, “I'm going out tomorrow to buy you something better.”

“No, don’t” He warns you sternly, “I’ll be fuming if you do.”

But you don’t listen to him, rolling your eyes you go against his wishes, “You can be fuming all you want, I've got something in mind that I think you'll like so I'll be getting it you, no arguments. I’m just sorry I didn't get it before.”

He pouts hearing you apologise for it, “You really don't have to get me anything.” Doing his best puppy eyes for you to listen to him.

Yet that doesn’t work, it only makes you want to get it for him even more. “I want to, so absolutely nothing more on the subject until I hand it to you.”

“And when will that be?” His inquiry is purely in hopes to know how long until he sees you again and maybe it being before what you’ve arranged on the last day of the year.

“New Year's Eve?” You reply but it sounds like a question since you’re not sure exactly when you’ll be coming back home.

He deflates a little at the fact that he won’t be able to see you earlier so he says, “I get home the day before?” in the same tone as your previous answer, again hoping the information brings you to see each other before the already planned day.

But you bite your bottom lip as you remember the texts you had earlier in the day, “Are you being cheeky again?”

“Only if you’ll let me.” Matty’s signature smirk is directed at you once again and you’re screeching on the inside.

“I’m going to refrain, you know… I think we should let the tension build.” Is your polite way of admitting that you could absolutely not be in bed with him and not fuck his lights out if he wanted to stay with you again.

He scoffs out a laugh, “Let the tension build or you can't trust yourself to keep your hands off me.”

“Okay, absolutely no need to call me out like that.” You point out in warning and then remind him in a simple way that it wasn’t only you with the wandering hands, “And speak for yourself.”

He doesn’t let you pin it all down on him though as he bluntly recalls, “I think it was you that pushed me down on your bed, not the other way around.”

“Matthew,” You hear the very distinctive voice of Denise ring through the phone and you want to die when she shouts, “I don't want or need to know that.”

“Oh my god, no.” Your hand is instantly over your mouth and your cheeks flame at what she’s just heard Matty say.

You know he’s got AirPods in so she couldn’t hear you but the fact she’d just heard him say that you’d pushed her son down onto your bed makes you want to curl up into a ball and die. That was not how you wanted Denise’s first impression of you to go.

“Don’t eavesdrop on a conversation then, Mum.” Matty scorns, his eyes presumably on her to the right of him and not on his phone at all.

“Maybe just close your bedroom door so I can’t hear in future.” You can hear Denise backchat, but then she asks, “Who’s the lucky lady anyway?”

Immediately, you want to hide under your blanket. This can’t be the way you meet his Mum. It can’t be, you’ll never live it down.

“Not on Christmas,” Matty thankfully saves you. But it seems she’s persistent as Matty stands up and starts moving around his bedroom so she can’t see his phone. Him scolding her does make you giggle though, “No Mum, absolutely not.”

And you hear a little of her argument, but ultimately Matty just ends up saying, “Baby, I’ll phone you back shortly.”

“Okay,” You nod, and he’s gone in a panic before you even have the chance to get your goodbye out.

You wait for him to call back as you scroll through your phone and catch up with Amelia on what your families have been like so far. You’re giggling away as she tells you what her Aunt got everyone when Matty calls you back about 40 minutes later.

He smiles when he hears your giggles die down as you answer, “Sorry about that, she wouldn’t leave me alone and I promised I'd protect you.”

You shake your head, not agreeing on how he’s putting it. “I honestly love Denise, Matty, it wouldn’t bother me.”

He raises his eyebrows like he’s concerned over your naivety, “It would, you just don't know it yet.”

“You’re so nasty.” You scold him but you’re trying not to laugh at the situation.

But Matty can just picture so clearly what would happen if you met his mum right then and continues to warn you, “You won't be saying that when she doesn’t stop texting you. She tends to go a bit too overboard far too quickly.”

“Listen if you’ve not scared me off I doubt your Mum will.” You take the opportunity to tease him and it makes you chuckle when he rolls his eyes at your antics.

“Yeah, sure. You keep telling yourself that.” His fake annoyance makes your laughter continue and you see how he can’t fight the smile that breaks out on his face.

Remembering how your conversation was cut short before, Matty asks, “What did you get off Dimz for Christmas?” wanting to hear more about your day.

“I don't know yet.” You sip on your tea, looking at the gifts you have for her untouched under your tree.

“How come?” Confusion written all over his face since he thought you were spending the day together too.

“We have our Christmas’ together tomorrow instead.” You start explaining, “We always want each other's reactions so we save our presents for each other for tomorrow.”

He grins knowing what this meant, “Perfect excuse to call again tomorrow and find out what you got.”

You melt inside at the way his face lights up at the prospect of another promised call, “You don’t have to have an excuse to phone me. Like even if you’re bored, it's fine. Me and Ames do it all the time.”

And you truly mean it. You would very much encourage it because the way that you feel every time he texts you is becoming your favourite thing.

“I'm afraid you’ll get tired of my voice.” Matty jokes to get a laugh out of you.

But his heart swells when you assure him, “If it's not happened in the past decade, I doubt it could happen now.”

He feels himself becoming more and more affected by the things you say so he plays it off like that was a boost of his ego and playfully says, “Obsessed!” He lets out a whistle exaggerating it all and your cheeks grow hot at his dramatic actions.

“You wish.” Is the only thing you can think of saying, aware that he has the advantage here with his knowledge of you.

And he proves just that when he smirks and backchats, “You’ve got a tattoo for one of my songs and a top exclusively stating that if anyone isn’t me, you’re not interested… So I don’t reckon I need to be wishing for anything, baby. It’s just facts.”

You sigh and roll your eyes, knowing this all was brought up to him by none other than your best friend, “I still want to kill Amelia for telling you that.” and you elect to not blame yourself for wearing said top to his gig a few weeks after he was told about it.

Matty just smirks at you through the phone, leaning closer when he says, “I have a feeling she has more to tell actually.”

Pressing your lips together you take half a second not to react to him because she knows far too much about you that you’re not entirely ready for Matty to know yet. He’s a big boy, he can find things out for himself.

“You better not even try to get her to speak.” You point a finger at him.

“Why?” Matty raises his eyebrows playfully, but there’s a suggestive tone to his voice when he asks, “What are you gonna do about it?”

You smirk back, not letting him affect you this time, you just flirt back, “It’ll end up poorly is all I’m saying.”

“Yeah whatever,” Matty narrows his eyes at you playfully, “I’m willing to bet your bedroom has at least one poster of me up on your wall.”

“Remind me to never FaceTime you in my bedroom whilst I’m here.” You allude to him being right without actually giving him confirmation and you make sure that he will never ever see your bedroom walls.

Matty laughs at that and the both of you fall into easy conversation. Him talking about his day and you both share lots of anecdotes about your friends and family.

Neither of you have it in you to stop grinning at the other, your laughter mixing together as more stories are shared which ends up in him promising to text Amelia so she can get him your funny childhood pictures you’ve just told him about. And it seems that the sole mention of her name was enough to summon her somehow.

A text from your best friend pops up at the top of your phone as you’re talking and your eyes go a little wide when you see, IF YOU'RE IGNORING ME BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE PHONE TO YOUR MAN I'LL BE KEEPING YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS WOMAN!!! LEAVING ME ON READ FOR AN HOUR! THERE'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT’D MAKE YOU DO THAT!!! DON’T BECOME ONE OF THOSE GIRLS THAT GETS A MAN AND STARTS IGNORING THEIR BEST FRIENDS!!!!

“Oh Christ, she’s getting arsey I’m not texting her back. One second.” You swipe off FaceTime so Matty just appears in a small corner of your screen and you quickly tap on your iMessages.

“Don’t let your friendships die because of me.” Matty chuckles a little, knowing you well enough by now that you and Ameila love each other just as much as him and the guys love each other. Nothing on the planet could break you apart.

As Matty says that, you’re replying, Wow, calm your tits Dimz! Co-dependent much?!?!

“I was doing shots with her at one this morning, she can chill out.” As you send the text off, you shake your head a little, faking annoyance and tell Matty, “She’s coming round here tomorrow too, so she needs to calm down.”

“I’ll tell her to stop interrupting us if you want?” He can already imagine Amelia’s reaction to him telling her to leave you two alone and the way he could play it so she would freak out. “No don’t because that will open up another can of worms that I can't close.” You reply with a sigh, knowing she’d make such a big thing out of one single comment from him that would leave you to clean up the mess for weeks afterwards.

That sparks curiosity in him again, having the very brief knowledge about her incessant interrogation after what had happened yesterday. “She stopped questioning you about yesterday?”

You sigh a little before explaining, “Not for the whole ride home and she outed me to her Mum which was more embarrassing.” and you will your cheeks not to burn in response to you actually telling him this.

“Did you tell her what happened?” Matty can’t help but smirk when he asks you that.

At the same time, Amelia's reply comes through and it has you wanting to throw your phone and scream, Don’t be getting cocky with me now because you’ll be getting to reenact one of those smut scenes you used to read about religiously in a few days time x

“Yes,” You answer his question with a small faintly embarrassed smile, “And she still thinks I’m not telling her everything.” It makes the both of you chuckle, but then you remember what her Mum said and you tell him, “Linda thinks I was serious about being in my slut era.”

Not rising to her games, you just respond, Goodnight Amelia x and close the app before opening Matty back up to be your full screen, and you smile seeing his big grin at what you just said.

“Only for me I hope.” He says and your smile is switched for pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

And as he says that, you see another message come through at the top of your phone that reads, Stay grounded Y/N xxx and you can practically hear her laughing from your house. The little bitch.

You hate that she holds so much power over you. All you need is for her to not tell Matty how fucking crazy you once were until after your date on New Years. You’re so close, you can’t let her fuck it now.

You roll your eyes before you’re directing all your attention back to the man who loves teasing you. “And you can keep hoping.” You state with a forced blank face, trying to appear serious.

But he scoffs loudly and rolls his eyes at you, “As if you aren’t.” And he steals your refutation from your mouth when he adds, “Do I need to bring my previous arguments back?”

Your silence is loud as you bite your tongue remembering all that he knows and what he could find out so you just give up and settle for a defeated “No.”

Winning this has a triumphant smile glowing on his face and you wish you could be stronger and not give him the satisfaction of it causing your own smile. Matty hums and then finishes by saying, “That’s what I thought.” And even when you roll your eyes at him, your smile doesn’t falter, neither does your erratic heartbeat.

Matty Healy really is going to be the death of you.

~*~*~*~ December 26th ~*~*~*~

Just like he had promised he would do, Matty calls you the following day a few hours after Amelia left to go back to her parents. You’d once again been texting Matty all morning, so he knew when was best to FaceTime you, and as soon as he was able to escape from his family again, it was the first thing he did.

“What did you get off Dimz?” He eventually asks after greeting each other. Having thought about it for quite a bit now and the curiosity is eating away at him.

And it only gets worse when you instantly reply with, “I don't want to talk about it.”

“What’s that meant to mean?” He’s taken aback by your point blank refusal to answer a simple question, and he can only think it means Amelia has caused some trouble so his curiosity grows stronger by the second.

Your defeated sigh makes him glow in anticipation of the answer, “Let’s just say the presents were themed and you will never ever see them.”

“Oh my god, tell me what you got right now.” Matty can’t take you being vague with him now because it only makes him more eager to find out.

Seeing your face, he knows you’re keeping your ground so before you even have said “Nope.” his camera pauses for a few seconds and you know he’s minimised your Facetime call to go somewhere else and by the way you can see the camera slightly shake, you ask, “Who are you texting?”

“Your best mate.” He states bluntly, almost done with his text.

The second you hear that fall from his lips, you let out a loud, “No!” as your blood runs cold and your heart drops.

Matty shrugs, sending the text without caring about your reaction, “Too late.”

And he finds you so adorable when you huff and cross your arms in annoyance. You can only say, “I hope you get lost in her dms.” since it’s exactly what you’re hoping to happen so that it saves you some great embarrassment.

“Please,” Matty waves you off, “I’m on her close friend's story.”

Once he tells you that, your heart drops once more. “No, please tell me you’re not.”

“Oh I am.” He smirks as he nods his head, very satisfied by the content he’s gotten to see from both of you. “I’ve seen you drunkenly dancing to my songs baby. Please continue with those moves for me more often.” You know exactly what he means and it makes you have to hide behind your hands as your cheeks start burning up.

But then he makes it even worse for you when he cheekily adds, “Preferably when I’m there and you’re pressed against me.”

You have no idea how you don’t scream out loud at that because you certainly just hear a deafening scream inside you. Taking a deep breath, you let your hands fall from your face and you try your hardest to appear unaffected by his words. “Maybe if you stop pushing my buttons you’ll get some of that on a lucky day.”

It isn’t necessarily an empty promise because in all honesty you would absolutely love that, but you know it’ll be a guessing game to know when the chance for that to happen will appear.

He salutes like he’s just received orders from a general and then proceeds to ask, “What did you get Amelia?” with the fakest innocence as he’s now trying to play good boy.

You shake your head at him first, but then tell him, “Aitch merch.” and both of you burst out laughing. Eventually you end up telling him that you got her a lot more than some shit Aitch merch but that was the funniest thing you got her.

An hour after the subject moved on and you completely forgot about the curly haired singer trying to see what presents you got from your best friend, Matty takes you by surprise when he excitedly gasps, “Now that is the sexiest blanket in the world.”

“Nooooo,” Your eyes go wide immediately, not even needing context about what he’s clearly just seen because you just know.

Amelia’s Christmas presents… All you can think is, Kill me now.

You’re so embarrassed as you complain, “You’re not meant to see it! How have you found it?!”

He lets out a cackle first before he finally answers, “She sent it to me but she's just put it on her story too and tagged us.”

“No!” You throw a small hissy fit as you open Instagram to check the damage. And when you see the picture she took of you proudly holding up your new blanket with a big goofy smile on your face, you yell, “The little bitch.”

You want to die because this new blanket Amelia got you, wasn’t just any regular blanket. This one has the picture of you and Matty standing beside each other, with you in your Robbers girl get up, after your chicken shop date, and it's huge. Yes you absolutely love it, but you did not want Matty to see it.

“That’s fucking amazing,” He continues to laugh and though you love hearing his chuckles, you’re too mortified to properly appreciate them. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

You frown at him like he’s lacking all forms of critical thinking, “Because you’re not a fucking psycho like she is.”

“I can see you absolutely love it from these pictures, do not lie to me.” Matty defends Amelia then, and it’s just the best set scenario because he can just continue to take the piss out of you. “That's probably the best present you’ve ever received.”

Whilst he is correct, apart from the fact he bought you presents himself so they will hold a very special place in your heart forever, you don’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

“Oh right ‘cause it’s you?” You roll your eyes at him playfully as your sarcasm is painfully obvious in your tone.

But Matty doesn’t let it faze him because he says, “Anything to do with me it’s always the best baby, you should know this already.” with the most smug expression on his face.

Looking at him with an eyebrow raised, you answer with, “I wonder how you can walk around with such a big head.”

You should’ve expected him to be funny as he says, “I wobble a little sometimes but yeah it’s alright, thanks for asking.”

Fully having to swallow your laugh and bite the inside of your cheek to keep your stern face, you simply sigh, “I hate you.”

And it becomes another sigh when he smirks at you and replies, “Well, baby, I doubt that.”

~*~*~*~ December 27th ~*~*~*~

“Hey baby.” Matty greets you with a big smile on that cheeky face of his.

You grin, “Hey Matty.” and you want to silently scream at how good he looks today.

He looks well rested and really bright and happy. His curls are unruly, just how you like them and already you want to silently scream where he can’t see you because he looks so fucking fine.

No one should be looking so good at almost 1pm the day after boxing day. The 27th is a day to do fuck all. All you’ve done today so far is make breakfast for your family and wrap the present you went out and got Matty yesterday.

“What are you up to today?” Matty asks you and you give him the boring answer of answering your emails for upcoming work events and more celebrities you have to research before the Golden Globes.

But before you have to do that, you want to speak to him, so after you finish explaining your process, you ask him, “What are you up to anyway? Have you had a change in scenery?”

You’re sure he has. It doesn’t look like his childhood bedroom that you’ve come to know when he gave you a little room tour.

“Yeah,” Matty nods, smiling at the fact you could tell, and he spins himself around so his background changes behind him as he’s explaining, “We’re somewhere in the Peak District in this house that Mum rented out for Lincoln's birthday today. Big family meal later, chefs coming in and everything.”

“That sounds like so much fun.” You can imagine how big and stunning the house might be.

He shrugs, knowing already what it’s like to have these family events and how he does enjoy them but he half wishes you were there with him. The one thing keeping him from saying it out loud is how he knows if you were there you’d be suffocated with questions.

“Hope so, but until about an hour before I’m gunna be bored as fuck and you told me to call when I’m bored so here I am bothering you again.” Matty ends up saying with a soft smile on his face, hoping to see on your face that you’re just as excited to always be talking to him like he is.

Frowning slightly you correct him, “I’m literally doing fuck all you’re not bothering me.”

That has his smile growing bigger and as he settles on his bed, getting comfortable to continue speaking to you, he asks, “What have you been up to?”

“Other than what I already told you, I’ve been really lazy and napped after I had breakfast.” A little embarrassed smile shows on your face, still a bit shy when being so open and honest to him about simple things like that.

You don’t think you’ll ever be over the fact that he said he would listen to a podcast if you were the one talking, you’d like to think that comment on your date was real, and with the way he acts you’re certain it was sincere. You’re still breathless over the fact that he’s always so attentive when listening to you talk about your pretty tame days compared to what his days look like as a musician.

And right then Matty reminds you just why, despite it all, he makes you forget everything to just focus on the way he makes you feel. “Wrapped in your new blanket?” He teases you with that smirk of his and your cheeks instantly heat up.

Trying not to smile at his satisfaction from getting you blushy again, you roll your eyes and reply, “I’m going to need you to stop referencing it please and thank you.”

Matty hums like he’s thinking about it, lips pressed and brows furrowed for a few seconds, only for it all to turn back into a smirk when he finally says, “Never.”

Your facetime ends up turning into just keeping each other company, with the conversation never really dying out. Yes there were quiet minutes throughout the call, when you were typing out an important email or Matty was reading something or other that he didn’t want to bother you with.

But you found yourselves aimlessly chatting, with time passing you by far too quickly for either of you to notice. You were googling various actors and directors who were going to be in attendance at the Golden Globes and making notes on them and because Matty was curious, he made you tell him everything that you’d found on them. He wanted your opinions on what you’d seen and if you thought they were any good or not.

Both of you laughed when Andrew Garfield was mentioned and you told him straight up that you weren’t doing any research on him because you practically knew it all. You’ve seen his new show Under The Banner Of Heaven so you didn’t really have to do much more fact finding on him as he was certainly one of your and Amelia’s favourite actors.

That in itself though, sparked Matty’s curiosity about if you put this much effort into researching your chicken shop dates, and then the inevitable question of ‘did you research me?’ to which you found your cheeks burning when you admitted to him that you didn’t have to do any for him or the band. As Matty’s smirk grew, you’re sure his ego did too and you tried your best to get back to your work as he continued teasing you for it.

Matty kept you entertained by going back to your research and adding some of his knowledge about the people you were googling about. Films that he’d liked from certain directors or intricate facts about their careers and how they got to where they are now, some actors small roles when they were younger or parts they had auditioned for and didn’t get.

Once again, speaking to the curly haired man is the easiest thing in the world. So much so, that you don’t realise just how long you’ve been talking to him until your phone pops up with the alert that you only have 20% battery remaining. And knowing it was near enough fully charged before the call started made you look at the time and you gasped when you saw it was 5:47pm.

Matty questions you on your shocked expression, wondering what had you gasping, but then it’s him who has the same reaction as you ask almost rhetorically, “How the fuck has five hours passed?”

“You’re kidding?” His jaw drops and he taps the screen to check the time on his own phone and he’s genuinely just as surprised to see you were right.

Talking to you felt like no time at all. If Matty had to guess he would have taken a shot in the dark that you two had been talking for a little over an hour and a half but no more than that.

But now he looks out of the bedroom window and sees it's dark and he realises that he’s got to be downstairs in the next 10 minutes before his Mum will undoubtedly come and shout at him for not being punctual.

“Fucking hell,” Matty gasps, immediately putting his propping the phone up against the wall of the desk he was sitting at before he starts scrambling about, “I was meant to get changed before dinner.”

Despite your best efforts, when you see him pull his top over his head revealing his chest you pretend like it doesn’t make your heart stutter for a second. Immediately flustered, especially when his next move is to walk around to the suitcase on his bed and unbuckle his jeans and drop them, leaving him in just his black Calvins.

You try and fail to keep your eyes solely on your laptop instead of your phone, but as Matty is pulling on his black dress trousers, he’s smirking back at you trying to act unbothered when you so clearly are.

The curly haired man teases, “You’re entertaining trying to not look at your phone right now.”

To try and save some embarrassment at being called out, you just admit, “I’m just trying to be a decent human being.”

“Leave your morals elsewhere because I very much enjoy your eyes on me baby.” Is what you hear next and if that’s not a green light you don't know what is.

However, that does not mean that you’re okay when you look back at your phone to see him picking out his white shirt and shrugging it on, his chest still on display, and his new tattoo standing out even more to you.

You can feel just how hot your cheeks have gone with this view you have though, and the fact you were caught out makes your embarrassment worse, but you sort of embrace it as you let yourself shamelessly watch him button up his shirt.

At the same time, you ask him with mortification clear in your voice, “Will there ever be a day where you don’t make my cheeks burn?”

It’s not like it’s even your fault at this point. He just looks so good and he’s confident in the most casual way about flaunting his attractiveness off to you. His slutty little waist that becomes defined when he tucks his shirt in, not to mention the way those trousers hug that peachy arse of his.

You need it to be New Years Eve stat. You don’t know how much longer you can take.

“Not if I can help it.” Matty smirks at you getting closer, making you blush again when he winks at you. And after he chuckles at you hiding behind your hand for a moment, he sees that he really has to head down, so he announces, “I've gotta run baby. I’ll message you though.”

“No, just go and enjoy your night.” You tell him, not wanting him to be on his phone when he should be spending time with his family. Smiling, you say, “I hope the food is good.”

“Thank you, I'm sure it will be.” Matty grins and then blows you a kiss before waving, “See ya later baby.”

“Bye Matty.” You grin, catching his kiss before blowing one back at him.

Both of you end the call with massive smiles on your faces and hearts beating a lot faster than they should be.

~*~*~*~ December 28th ~*~*~*~

It’s a few minutes past 1am and you feel like you’re back in school since you’re still doing your research on the endless list of people from the film industry that’ll be attending the event.

After you’d ended your call with Matty earlier you had wanted to go back into it but your thoughts had distracted you and you had needed to go on your phone to aimlessly scroll so your brain would shut up.

After that, Amelia had given you a call just so you could update each other on how you were going about it and sharing the information you had so far on everyone. Though that had ended up on Amelia finding out you still had a third of people to properly look through and she gave you a playful scolding for ‘letting your man distract you from work’.

You’re almost done now, only two people left and since you’re really tired you decide to put everything away and get ready to go to bed, deciding to finish the last two early in the morning tomorrow. After you come back from the bathroom with your fingers cold from the freezing water, you practically throw yourself on bed and get under the covers the quickest you could.

Forcing your eyes to close so you could get to sleep faster ends up being interrupted by your phone vibrating next to you where it's placed on the bedside table.

Frowning, you fully think it’s Amelia again but you find it so weird she’d call this late considering how she is about her early sleep schedule when she’s not out. But once you turn your phone around to see who it is, you’re met with a facetime from Matty coming through.

Answering rather quickly, “Baby?” is the first thing he says in a loud whisper as if he was trying not to make noise but failing.

“Hey Matty.” Your voice sounds hoarse from how long you’ve not spoken as you’ve been keeping quiet for everyone sleeping at your parents’ house.

That’s when Matty realises you’re snuggled up in bed already and so his eyes widen and a worried expression appears on his face. “Did I wake you up? Shit sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up.”

You chuckle at the way he’s slurring his words, and now seeing how pink his cheeks are, you can tell he’s drunk. “It's fine, don't worry I’m just being a Grandma and going to sleep early.”

“Hottest fucking Grandma in the world if you’re calling yourself that.” He states with such conviction, it has you wanting to screech into your pillows.

You’re so glad it's dark in your room so he can’t see the way you get all embarrassed. You hide into your pillow a little more but you distract him anyway by asking, “How was your night?”

“Was fucking mental baby,” Matty tells you as he puts his phone down so he can still see you, and he starts unbuttoning his shirt as he explains, “These chefs started singing and it was like a full on opera… I’m so confused as to who actually cooked the meal for us because I really dont think it was them two now.”

Your eyes wander a little as he finishes undoing his shirt, “That sounds like so much fun.”

His smile turns into a pout as he takes his shirt off and tosses it somewhere behind him. “It would have been so much more fun if you were here too.” Right after he says that, he’s grabbing his phone and plopping himself down on the bed.

You grin as he rests his elbow on the bed and his chin on his hand, “You're cute, but I bet you had a great time with your family.”

“You would have loved it. Food was amazing,” Matty’s mouth water a little reminiscing about how good it all was but when his eyes are drawn back to your face–which he can barely see–, his chest tightens thinking about just how much he wants to see you again.

So in his drunk state, he confesses, “I miss you baby… so much.”

And you can’t hide from him the fact that you feel the exact same way, so you reply with an honest, “I miss you too.”

“Is that weird to say?” He asks out but before you can even assure him that it isn’t, he continues his ramble, “I hope it's not, I just really like you and I've not felt so myself around someone in a long time. You make it easy baby, I really miss you.”

You are melting hearing him so easily say that and it has you pinching yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming.

The feeling is reciprocated and you make sure to tell him just that, “It's not weird to say at all. I feel the same, not felt as comfortable as I do around you with anyone new for a long time.”

Matty has the biggest smile on his face after you say that, his insides coating with this warmth he’s not felt in a while and as his eyes close from how big his grin is, he continues with his sincere words, “I really like you.”

Biting your lip, you feel your stomach doing somersaults, “I really like you too.”

“I just wish you were here. I wish I was cuddling you again. You keep me warm. Helps me sleep.” He admits it all, and it’s especially that last bit that has your heart growing in size because you’ve not heard that he has trouble finding sleep lately.

You’re sure if you try to give him a cohesive answer, you’ll fail so you go straight for a little joke so you can calm yourself down at least for a few seconds. “Maybe you should have got yourself a heated blanket.”

But Matty makes it so hard to collect yourself when he rolls over on his back and you see him shaking his head, “No, I’d rather have you.”

The way his curls fall messily over the pillow, and how pretty he looks as his face softens from his exhaustion, has you wishing so hard that you were there beside him and that time would go faster just so it could be New Years and you could have him all to yourself again.

“Me and my heated blanket?” You joke once again with a little smirk on your face that he can’t really see from how dark it is and the way his eyes keep closing against his will.

“Might consider if it was your better blanket.” Matty smirks and forces his eyes open to see your reaction, which ends up being a little giggle, “You know, the one with me all over.”

“Of course you do.” You reply with your smile still unwavering on your face.

In his drunken mind he gets the tiniest bit defensive then, “I’m better than that blanket though.”

And you give him the pleasure of agreeing with him, “Yeah, I prefer the real deal.” It’s not even a burden to admit that because you would take cuddling him over anything, any day.

Matty can’t stop his giggles and his grin grows bigger at your answer. “I'm so excited for New Years. I can't wait to take you out.”

It really is all he can think about, counting down the days wasn’t enough anymore and with the way he always keeps his eyes on the hours ticking by, knowing it was an hour closer he’d be in your company again. He’s at the point now where he’s eagerly awaiting a text back from you all the time, hoping it's you calling him and not someone else.

And hearing you say, “I'm excited too.” makes him happier than he’ll ever admit.

You’re just smiling so brightly at him and he can see it dimly lit by your phone, “I think you’re gorgeous you know?” Copying your position, he lays on his side and snuggles his pillow, “I really do. You’re hot as fuck but you’re also really gorgeous.”

You have to move your phone for a second, aiming the camera to the ceiling just so you can silently scream into your pillow and thanks to his hazy mind, he misses the few seconds it takes you to let it out.

“Thank you Matty.” You finally say after you’ve brought your phone back where he can see your face.

“See? Look at you!” The brightness of your phone lit up your face and Matty found it so fucking adorable seeing you with your cheek pressed against the pillow and your messy hair, tucked in with the covers up to your chin and that grin of yours he was growing obsessed with.

“I wish I could kiss you right now.” He confesses with a sigh, making your heart beat erratically in your chest.

“Matty…” Is all that you can mutter in almost a whine as if you’re pleading for mercy on your heart.

But he doesn’t stop and when he continues saying, “What? I really enjoy kissing that pretty face of yours.” You just hide your face into your pillow, needing to at least have a break of how he’s looking at you because you can only take so much.

“No, don’t hide.” He quietly complains, making you turn back to see him on your screen and you’re about to laugh at his frown but the second he catches a glimpse of your face again, he says, “There we go.” and you’re back being an utter mess.

Your free hand covers your face that’s burning up at every little thing he keeps saying and it’s your turn now to complain about it all, “It’s so unfair!”

It almost sounds like you’re throwing a fit and he finds that hilarious so he cackles before asking, “What’s unfair?”

There’s no reason for hiding anymore, not when you’ve both been admitting many things throughout the whole call. And you know he’s saying all this because of the alcohol making it easier for him to say this all out loud to her but you hope so much that you can hear him say all of it again when he’s sober.

So pouring a bit of your heart out you answer his question, “How easily you make me go like this.”

At this point you should really know that everything to come out his mouth will have you in shambles, because that’s exactly how you feel when he replies, “Well then it’s unfair for me too because I’m a proper mess for you baby.” And he gives you more to add to the list of things that will replay in your mind forever when he continues his confessions, “Think about you all the time.”

“I can’t.” You mumble instantly, everything sending you into a brief state of disbelief along with burning cheeks and a massive smile that won’t leave your face. You hide behind your hand once again and Matty giggles with a loopy smile, loving seeing you react to him like this, but his eyes keep closing from how tired he is.

It’s endearing watching him try and continue the conversation, and you answer him as you watch him try his best not to fall asleep on you. There's another few minutes of conversation before you get his attention again and his eyes reluctantly peel open.

“Yeah?” Matty asks, but when you see his eyes focus on his phone, your heart beats a little faster seeing the way he smiles in response to seeing you.

“You need to close your curtains and turn your big light off so you can go to sleep.” You tell him because at this rate he’s just going to fall asleep as he is.

Matty hums in response, knowing you’re right, but he also can’t help but tease, “You just want me to take my pants off.” because he realises he’s still half dressed.

And when you just stutter for a response, not expecting him to say that, Matty giggles a little and the noise makes you smile. “I love teasing you.” Matty says as he gets himself up, bringing you with him to draw the curtains.

“I know you do.” You smile, and the singer can tell you’re embarrassed by him admitting that. But he loves it when you say, “I’ll have to get you back soon.”

“You can tease me anytime you like, baby.” Matty grins as you watch as his screen descends into darkness accompanied by the noise of the light switch.

As your cheeks grow warmer, you also hear the sound of his trousers presumably being unzipped and the shuffle of him getting them off. But the camera eventually settles with just the faint glow of his phone on his pretty face which is snuggling into his pillow again.

“Come get in bed with me baby.” He tiredly mumbles, “I need a cuddle.”

“I’m there in spirit.” You tell him and you find it comical that the man that claims he doesn’t sleep well with no one beside him is once again almost asleep as soon as his head hits his pillow.

His eyes are closed again, and the more he talks the slower his words come which makes you smile. He’s clearly a tired boy and you’re tired yourself so you decide to call it a night.

You softly say, “Get some sleep Matty, yeah?”

“Okay baby.” Matty nods very slightly, his eyes still closed though. But he smiles as he says, “You too.”

“I will.” You assure him, your heart bursting during this whole interaction.

But it hits you a little more when after a beat of silence he repeats himself, “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” Your chest is truly aching with all the feelings you have stored for him.

Despite him almost being asleep, he finds it in himself to tell you, “Imma call you again tomorrow so we can plan our date, okay?”

“Okay.” You nod, despite him not being able to see you.

The sincerity in his voice has you smiling too as he says, “I'm so excited for New Years.”

“Me too.” You grin.

“Night night baby, speak to you tomorrow.” Matty mumbles, his face fully pressed into his pillow now.

You take a few seconds to memorise the sight, before you softly say, “Goodnight Matty.” and end the call.

~*~*~*~

This morning you decided you would let Matty rest, as after a night drinking you usually want to stay in bed for the majority of the morning so you’ve left him to it. You wanted to text him wishing him good morning and that you hoped his head was okay after all the wine, but you didn’t want his phone to go off and disturb his sleep, so you left it.

Instead you busied yourself, you went out and did the food shopping for the family even though you were leaving in the next few days. Regardless, you went out and did it, and as you were half way through unpacking it all and putting it away into various cupboards, your phone starts vibrating and when you take it out of your pocket you see it’s Matty FaceTiming you.

“Morningggg!” You answer excitedly as the call connects and you prop your phone on the windowsill so he can see you.

Instantly you’re met with a loud groan, and when you look at your phone, you giggle seeing that Matty’s face is all scrunched up with his head still in his pillow.

“I’m far too hungover for you to be this chipper so early on.” Matty says as he turns his brightness down on his phone a little, his eyes being far too sensitive to your light setting. “I called because I thought you’d be half asleep like me.”

“I’m sorry baby, I’ve been out this morning.” You lean forward over the worktop so you can see him properly, and you grin seeing how cute and tired he is, “I'm ready for the day.”

You don’t realise you’ve even done it, but Matty grins at you when he asks, “Did you just call me baby?”

Knowing he was right and that you must have done it, you try to maintain some confidence instead of immediately shying away like you’re used to. You ask him with raised eyebrows, “Is that not allowed?”

“It’s allowed,” Matty nods, entirely amused yet he also really loves that you said it, “But I just didn’t expect it.”

You hum, letting yourself smile at him, but you change the subject, “How are you feeling?”

“Rough.” The curly haired brunette admits, “Had one too many glasses of wine.”

Even though you could tell that last night, you coo, “Aw no.” as you don’t want him feeling unwell.

Matty lets out a long sigh before he snuggles back into his pillow, he tells you, “I need a cuddle baby.”

“Wrap a blanket around yourself and consider me giving you one.”

“Not good enough, I need you in my arms.” He says as he pulls his duvet up around his shoulders and pouts at you.

You can’t stop smiling at him as you tell him, “If I could teleport, I’d be there in a heartbeat.”

It warms his heart immensely, but so does yours when he coos, “Need you.”

“Aw Matty,” You chest aches for him, you wish you could spend a full day cuddled beside him, it's a crime you can’t yet. “Don’t make me feel bad I can’t be there.”

The curly haired man chuckles a little, but he asks you, “Can you just take me about your day with you? Podcast me.”

And you’re really not going to argue with him. You chat a little as you put your shopping away, and you do it leisurely because you always find yourself looking back at him.

You both joke a little bit about the shit that you are doing and more boring plans for both of your days, but you’re not really surprised that after forty minutes or so Matty’s eyes have fallen shut. You only notice after you finish telling him a random story from your childhood, and you see that he’s doing the exact same thing as last night.

Even today, it's still just as endearing seeing him snuggled into his pillow, and it warms your heart that he feels comfortable enough to fall asleep around you. Once again, you take a mental picture of him like that, longing to be seeing him like this in person preferably with you in his arms again.

You watch him for another minute before you catch yourself and how odd it really is of you to do. All you can do is blame it on the mental turn of events that now somehow you get to see the man you’ve fancied since you were 19 on your phone falling asleep listening to your stories that he asked to hear.

Life is fucking crazy, but you’ve never been more grateful for everything thats happened for you to get here.

You whisper, “Sleep well Matty.” before you reluctantly end the call.

~*~*~*~

“Hi.” Matty shyly greets you when you pick up, you recognise he’s wearing his Chicken Shop Date hoodie, his curls look freshly washed and the visual makes you smile even harder.

“Heyyy!” You reply just as enthusiastically as you had earlier and it’s all because you’re really growing fond of these calls of yours and you think it’ll be a habit you’d really like to actually adopt and it not only being because you’re away for the holidays on the eve of your date.

He grins at your tone but it falters a bit when he says, “I’m so sorry I fell asleep on you.”

“Don’t apologise, it's fine. You were really tired, it's fine.” You assure it hadn’t been anything to apologise for, you actually are still thinking about how pretty he looked in his slumber, all calm and soft features. It had you asking time to run so you could see it next to you once more.

But he’s stubborn as he thinks it was rude of him to fall asleep when you were talking so he tries again, “It’s not fine, I apologise.”

You’re not having it so with a stern look on your face you simply say, “Matty.” to make him stop.

It’s a short-lived expression of yours because when he automatically replies, “Baby.” your cheeks start to burn and you have to look away.

Matty chuckles when he catches the way you roll your eyes and your hands come to press against your hot cheeks, “Really it just takes me calling you baby to get you all embarrassed?”

Shaking your head without looking at him, you only say, “No comment.” knowing that he already has an idea of that being a statement and there’s no need to ask about it.

A few seconds pass and your hands are still on your cheeks, only this time your hair has fallen over your face and he can’t properly see you, and he wants to see your face when he tells you about the news for your date on New Year's Day.

His voice is soft when he says, “Don’t hide baby.”

And you get flashbacks to the night before so, “Matty, not again.” leaves your lips subconsciously, once again with that subtle begging tone since you know that whenever he starts saying things like that your chest tightens in a way that you’re not sure is healthy.

“What do you mean again?” Matty frowns utterly confused, he doesn’t remember saying that earlier.

You pause for a second to see if he’s joking but seeing his face stay blank has you laughing. “Oh, you don’t remember all that you said last night?” You tease him about it, your brain already liking what this means.

“No.” He replies with a frown, wary of what he could’ve said for you to react like this.

“I mean, it wasn’t that bad.” You start saying, fighting hard against letting it show that you’re about to mess with him, taking the best out of this opportunity really. “Do you remember calling me a gilf?”

It hadn’t necessarily happened like that but referring to his hot grandma comment that way made his face contort in the funniest confused expression that made you almost burst out laughing.

“What the fuck no? Why would I call you a gilf?” Matty tries hard to think about any reason for him to call you that but he can’t come to any conclusions.

He wants to know the context but his curiosity is left unattended when you only shrug and say, “I don't know but you did.”

“Fucking hell.” He swears under his breath, scorning himself for being such a loose mouth when drunk.

Smirking, you continue the teasing recap, “Do you remember begging for a cuddle?”

“No but I'm not surprised, this room is freezing.” That one lets him find a bit of relief since it wasn’t weird and he hopes the rest of what he said stays the same.

But he’s laughed at by his past drunk self when you continue with, “What about how much you missed me?”

“Wow, I really play it cool when I’m drunk, don't I?” He chuckles a little but he focuses on the way you seem so satisfied remembering everything, like you actually liked hearing all of it and that is enough for him to feel settled about it all.

Until you decide to play with him a little.

“Wasn’t the half of it baby.” Your smirk grows, as the cogs in your brain turn and you finally think of something that could get the best reaction out of him, “You also said something about going through my Instagram… You know, for my pictures.”

His heart drops hearing you say that and you see him freeze like he’s been caught red handed, “I told you about that?!”

And it’s when his head goes into his hand that you’ve stumbled across something you never got a second imagined would be true.

You gasp loudly, “Oh my god! What?!” is all you can almost yell in disbelief and when you see him looking incredibly concerned about it all, you burst out laughing. “Matthew! You’re nasty!” You playfully scorn between loud cackles, you cannot believe he actually just admitted to that.

“Wait, what?!” He quickly says, not truly understanding why you’re reacting like this if he had said that the night before, “Didn’t you just say I said that?”

His eyes are wide and his jaw is hanging as he’s fully shocked, it all has you doubling over in laughter, truly incapable of catching your breath. “I was joking about that.” You clear up as you finally are able to calm down and then another cackle leaves you, knowing now you have something valuable to get him back whenever he tries to tease you.

You sigh, a smirk tugging at the corners of your lips, “Oh my fucking god.”

Matty’s hands are over his face again now, entirely embarrassed and he pleads, “Stopppp.” as his fingers drag down his cheeks.

But you’re absolutely loving this. “Oh this is so good to know.” You say excitedly.

“Why are you like this?” Matty sighs, his cheeks slowly getting more red and you’re absolutely loving every second.

“Can’t believe you just outed yourself like that,” You laugh, knowing that this fact that you’ve stumbled across is doing wonders for your ego, “You’re so easy, aren’t you?”

Matty pouts, “You’re being mean now.” as he tucks his curls behind his ear, something that you know by now he does when he’s a little nervous.

“If you think this is mean, you’ve seen nothing yet, big boy.” You tease, still smirking.

Matty grins and raises his eyebrows suggestively hearing you call him that, “You can call me that again.”

“Absolutely not.” You chuckle, but you keep the power you currently have over him when you state, “I’m curious now, though.”

“No you are not.” Matty shakes his head, knowing exactly what your next sentence is going to be.

“Yes,” You smirk, “And you’re gonna tell me what your favourite picture of mine is.”

“I’m not.” Matty shakes his head, trying not to show you his embarrassed smile and he can feel his face flame even more.

“Yes you are.” You demand, but he shakes his head again, so you plead, “Baby, please?”

How can he deny you when you call him baby and you’re just staring at him all doe eyed and eager. He embarrassingly admits, “The one at the Miu Miu party. Not you and Amelia, just the one of you.”

“Oh yes,” You smile, remembering what you were wearing and the picture you posted on Instagram fondly. You big yourself up, “I looked fucking hot in that mini skirt suit.”

“You certainly did, baby.” Matty smirks, agreeing with you after he unhides behind his hand and releases a long sigh.

“Right, wipe that smirk off your face because I want you embarrassed again.” You grin, not letting this go whilst his cheeks are still pink.

Matty puts on a brave face and acts unbothered now though, “Well I’m not anymore.”

“Sure you aren’t,” You tease him, “You’re sure you’re not embarrassed after you’ve just admitted to fucking your fist to my pictures?”

Phrasing it like that has Matty’s eyes jumping wide open. His dick twitches in response to your words and the various memories of him actually doing that whilst he was away on tour and the majority of this past week.

Matty says your name hoping it’ll make you stop, “Y/N.”

“Oh Y/N now is it?” You grin, finding him even more amusing now.

All he can do is sigh, and he looks straight at you as he admits, “You’re driving me insane.”

“I sure hope so.” You smile, enjoying every sweet second of his reaction, “Quite like this turn of events.”

Matty pleads, “Stop.”

“What?” You grin, acting all innocent, “I’m not saying anything.”

Matty runs his hand through his curls and sighs into the distance, as he can’t look directly at you for a few moments which amuses you further. And when he does look back at you, you love seeing him not be as cool and confident as you know he usually is with you.

“You’re never gonna let me live this down are you?” He asks you, and you hope that you’ll be able to draw this reaction out of him again sometime.

“Never.” You confirm, grinning like a fool, absolutely loving how sheepish he currently looks.

You understand why he likes doing this to you now.

“Can’t wait for you to see my Golden Globes dress.” You bite your lip loving the way his eyes seem to light up at the mere mention of it, but then roll back when you add, “Might ask for the thigh slit to be even higher.”

Matty lets out a groan of pleasure at the mere thought and the noise makes you press your thighs together. Thankfully the man can’t tell as his eyes are closed as he’s groaning, “You’re going to murder me.”

You chuckle a little at that and nod once he looks back at you. This might be the best news of your life.

Matty Healy has cum to the thought of you. Life goal achieved. Next goal is to make him cum in person, and hopefully he will return the favour so you can die a very very happy woman.

“What about the one where I'm in my GQ awards dress at the hotel?” You have to ask, because that is one of the others that you think he’d use. “Did you like that one?”

“Yeah, I liked those ones too.” Matty reluctantly admits, loving but hating the fact this has you all excited.

“Mhm, bet you did.” You tease him again, “Dirty boy.”

“Don’t start with that.” He sighs like it pains him to hear those words come from your mouth, but it’s a pain caused by not having you right there with him because a second later he’s smirking at you through the screen, “Are you trying to get me going?”

You match his smirk, your tummy fluttering at the way he’s looking at you, “Should I be?”

Matty continues teasing you so the previous conversation is dropped, smirking even more at the way you seem to be recoiling into yourself under his gaze, “Dunno, depends on which mood you’re in, baby.”

But you know what he’s trying to do, so you bring it all up over again, “I don’t think I really need to do much now, though. Can just show you my Instagram account from now on.”

He lets out a long sigh, his face completely falling after your words, “Oh you love knowing this, don’t you?”

To taunt him more, you nod eagerly with the biggest grin on your face, feeling triumphant really, “Absolutely. I have you right here.” You point at the palm of your hand, eyes narrowed playfully at him and nose slightly scrunched as if you’re taking the piss out of him.

All it takes for you to fold is him saying, “You sure do baby.” in such a sweet voice with the softest of smiles.

“Stop it.” You warn, pressing your lips together as you’re really holding back from reacting but you feel everything he says lighting up every nerve on your body.

Matty chuckles, his eyes still staring at you like it’s impossible for him to look somewhere else, “What?”

You roll your eyes at his attempt to appear innocent and you shake your head to say, “Just let me have my moment.”

“Right, sorry.” His hands are up as if he’s giving up yet a shit eating grin breaks on his face and his stare is so intense you have to look away.

You warn him before you even look back at your phone, “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” He tries to sound the most confused, “M’not doing anything.”

You point an accusing finger at him when you turn back, “You are! And you know exactly what it is.” He seems to grow even more amused at your reaction, making you sigh, “How have we gone from bullying you for getting off to my pictures to me not being able to look at you, fucking hell.”

He shrugs his shoulders, “I have that effect.”

“I don’t need you having a bigger ego, so stop it.” You try to make your statement serious but he can see straight through you and the way he’s got you right where he wanted.

“Do you really want me to stop though?” Matty plays with you, an eyebrow raised and you squirm in your seat in silence. He lets you sulk in the lack of words but when it gets longer than he expected, he just can’t hold back from teasing you even more, “Cat got your tongue?”

Keeping your stoic face the best that you can, you shake your head, “Just thinking of a way to shut you up.”

But your whole face falls when he replies, “If you were here baby, there’s loads of ways I would love for you to shut me up.”

His eyes scream mischief, and you cannot wait to find out what it is that he’s been thinking about and planning for weeks for your date that is so soon, you just can’t quite believe it, “Only two days now.” You bite your lip to conceal the massive smile that’s threatening to tug at the corner of your lips.

Yet you fail because seeing you smiling this big at him, has Matty matching it and his insides melt thinking about having you next to him once again, “Couldn’t go slower if you ask me.”

And you’re about to say how you feel the same way, like time is playing tricks on you when something seems to go off in his head and he continues, “Oh, that reminds me,” Matty smiles, “I have questions about New Year’s Eve?”

You raise your eyebrows curiously, and you lean forward giving him all your attention, “Go on.”

“So George and Charli are hosting their first party in their new house in the evening and I wondered if you wanted to go to that? And if you did, I still want to take you out so thought I could take you out to dinner earlier on and then we go to their party whenever.” Matty tells you but he also doesn’t want you to feel like you had to spend the night with other people when your original plan was to spend it with just him, “It’s honestly fine if you don't wanna go to theirs, I can take you out later on then, but if you did I will take you out earlier.”

You can see that the singer is rambling on for nothing though, because you nod, “I’m up for going to their party if they won't mind me coming.”

“They don't mind at all, George asked me to ask you.” Matty tells you, “He said Amelia can come too if she wants.”

And Matty is telling you the truth, when George asked him if he was coming, Matty point blank said no and that he was going on a date with you and then George told him to bring you with him afterwards. He said to invite Amelia too if she wasn’t already busy and Matty promised he would ask.

He’d been nervous about it though because he didn't want you to think that he was trying to get out of your date to go to his mates house. It was the complete opposite, he would rather spend the night with you, yet at the same time if you felt comfortable enough, he’d love for you to become friends with his friends too.

“I’ll ask her, thank you.” You smile, and clarify, “So we’re going out earlier?”

“Yeah,” Matty nods, and he suggests, “Maybe I could pick you up about four and we go out near you in Brixton somewhere? And you can stay at mine later when we get back from George’s?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” You nod, trying not to smile like a fucking idiot.

You can feel your heart pounding in your chest at the mere thought. Never have you ever been more excited for a date, and you’ve been on a lot of them at this point.

“You ever been to The Laundry?” Matty asks, bringing you out of your thoughts.

Thinking about it for a moment, you remember the restaurant he’s talking about and nod, “I went in for drinks once last year I think. It’s nice.”

Matty smiles and raises his eyebrows curiously, “Would you let me take you there?”

As if he even needs to ask.

“I’d go to McDonalds with you, Matty.” You try and put it as plainly as possible how little you care about where it is you go. As long as you’re with him, you will have a great time, “I took you on a date in a Chicken Inn, anything is better.”

“Okay,” Matty chuckles, realising as well that it really doesn’t matter. He had fun on your last date and he knows that’s everything to do with you and not just the bit that the both of you were playing up to. So he smiles and nods, “I’ll book a table for like half four and then we can go to George’s afterwards. If that sounds okay with you?”

“Sounds perfect.” You bashfully grin, really letting yourself get excited about it now.

Matty grins right back, but it's more in reaction to your face in the corner of his screen as he’s putting in his details for the reservation that makes him pause. You look so fucking cute, he can’t help but tease you a tiny bit as he taps back onto the FaceTime so you take up his full screen again.

Matty asks, “What’s that smile for?”

At the risk of being cringe, you don’t hide your emotions from him this time. “I’m excited… I’m happy.” You shrug a little, feeling your cheeks heat up at the admission, but you ask, “Am I not allowed to smile?”

“Course you are.” Matty grins right back, and he takes a screenshot of how cute you look in this moment, before he ruins it by teasing you even more. “I just like knowing I'm the cause of it, baby.”

At this point, you drop your phone so he can’t see you anymore. You really just need to take a second to silently scream and not look all flustered in front of him.

You can hear him laugh and you silently scream into your hands for a moment before taking a deep breath and designing some composure. Matty laughs when you pick your phone up and you have your lips pressed together and you look all flustered.

Even more so when you whisper, “You’re going to be my cause of death.”

He teases you for a minute more until he goes back to finishing the reservation. You chat as he does it, and the both of you confirm the time of half 4 and then Matty books it.

Truly, you’ve never been so excited for a date. And Matty feels the exact same. Maybe it's because he’s never actually had to wait for a date this long, but also because he is genuinely so excited to be back in your company soon.

You spend the next half an hour talking about everything and nothing. But you do end up asking him about his plans, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“We have to leave this house tomorrow, so I think because I’m not too far away from Sheffield imma go call and see Wheels and Alex,” Matty tells you, although he should probably text his best friend and ask if he can just gatecrash her day. The curly haired man explains, “I think they are up visiting her best friend and Alex’s family.”

“That sounds fun.” You smile, “You’ll have a great day.”

“I always do when I see her to be fair, she’s one of my best friends.” Matty smiles, “She’s a gem.”

You can’t help but think that’s pretty adorable of him. You’re aware she’s his ex-girlfriend, but she’s happily married to another legend and the way Matty still regards her so highly after so many years of not being together must mean she’s lovely.

And you’ve followed her for years, just like you had Matty, and you’ve always thought she was great. So there’s nothing stopping you from nodding and agreeing, “She seems it on her socials.”

Matty smiles hearing that, but he also gets a little excited when he realises and tells you, “You’ll meet her.”

“I will?” You raise your eyebrows questioningly.

“Yeah, I’m certain that she’s going to George and Charli’s.” Matty thinks out loud. “I’ll double check tomorrow.”

You hum in response to that, smiling and the thought just makes you even more excited for New Years. But you then get lost in your thoughts for a moment, wanting to know something but you don’t know whether you should ask or not.

After internally debating it for a few seconds, you just ask Matty, “Can I ask you a personal question?”

Matty nods, “Course you can.”

He has nothing to hide from you, and you’ve been hiding nothing from him so he doesn’t mind telling you things about himself.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.” You give him the option, not wanting to pry too much.

Matty brushes it off and encourages you, “Hit me baby.”

“Okay Britney Spears.” You chuckle a little before you go serious and ask him your question, “Do you get on with Alex now?”

“Because from an outsider's point of view - who obviously has no real insight into what was happening - it always seemed like a personal dislike you had between you. Like it wasn’t just for the sake of not liking each other, it was actually fuelled.” You look around your room as you find your words to ramble on but when you glance back at Matty and can’t quite gauge his reaction, immediately you backtrack, “I’m not explaining this well. Sorry… You don’t have to answer.”

“No, it’s okay.” Matty assures you and he goes on to say, “The simple short answer is yes. We get on, and everything is fine now.”

Matty continues with a small smile on his face when he explains, “Even I find it funny sometimes that after a decade of not liking him, he’s actually a really good mate now. Makes me laugh, can chat about things that aren’t just music and we can both embarrass Wheels so it’s quite funny too.”

You absolutely love that nickname he has for her. You sort of only know 1975 lore of where that nickname actually came from, but you’re sure you’ll ask him or her at some point if you do end up meeting her at George’s party.

“I’m sure one day I’ll tell you the full story, it’s too heavy for a FaceTime… I’d wanna tell you in person,” Matty pulls on the end of his curls before he tucks the ringlet beside his ear as he says that, which again you notice is his nervous behaviour, “But yeah, we’re friends and he’s actually a good laugh.”

Recognizing he was a little nervous saying that, you shake your head, “You don’t have to tell me anything… I wasn’t prying for details, I just wondered if you got on.”

Matty can see you starting to panic a little, so he eases your worries, “No, I know you weren’t, but I will tell you at some point… It’s everything that’s made me into who I am today so I don’t want to hide it from you.”

Hearing how sincerely he said that makes your chest ache. And you get the vibe the story will be a rollercoaster of emotions so the mere fact he actually felt comfortable enough with you to even discuss possibly telling you, means the world to you.

When you softly tell him, “As long as you’re comfortable with that.” Matty can’t get the smile off his face.

You're far too cute for your own good. All he wants to do is hug you and cuddle you into him and never let go.

He assures you, “You make me comfortable, baby.” and your heart proceeds to melt.

Christ knows how you’re going to make it through this date.

“Good, I’m glad…” You trail off, that smile now back on your lips as you're entirely obsessed with him. But that’s not to stop you from teasing again, “Will you sort out my dates with them tomorrow please?”

Of course Matty fakes an offended gasp then though and you have to bite your lip to stop yourself from laughing. The singer asks with wide eyes, “Can we have our second one first please?”

You laugh and nod, but instruct him, “Just plant the seed and I’ll do the rest.”

~*~*~*~ 29th December ~*~*~*~

Both you and Matty stayed up chatting again last night, both until you were almost falling asleep on each other again. And today with him being busy you’ve not FaceTimed because he had been busy with family in the morning, and he’d gone to Sheffield in the afternoon, and you were spending the evening and night over at Amelia’s.

Regardless though, you’ve been in contact most of the day, and it's been incredibly flirty. And that all started this morning after you’d already been messaging for a while and you moved on to the topic of the films you had to watch for the Golden Globes, but then the conversation changed to what your favourite films of all time were.

You seem to have pretty similar taste in films, despite the few niche ones that Matty name dropped that you had yet to see. He said that you could watch them together, but you said if that’s the case, then you’d be making him watch some Rom Coms that he’d yet to see because he thought they were too cringe, but he would trust your judgement.

You name a few, and Matty ends up scorning you for watching La La Land and you automatically defend it. Telling him that it has to be one of the ones that you watch together because it's full of music and romance, but then you warn him that he isn’t allowed to make fun of you when you inevitably cry at it.

Noooo baby, you can’t be upset when you’re with me, can’t have that xx Is the message you receive first, and he makes you coo at your phone but then he sends you another which makes you have a completely different reaction: However, I’m always here if you ever need a shoulder to put your legs on xxx

The gasp that you let out makes your family that you’re sitting around look at you and ask if you’re okay. Obviously, you just play it off like you’ve not just had a mini stroke in reaction to that message.

He really is going to be the death of you.

You take a minute to compose yourself, and you literally have nothing to reply to that other than scorning him. Because you really can’t be sexting him so early in the day.

Matthew…

It’s 11am!

His reply seems innocent, but you know he’s far from it. You can practically picture his smug grin as he typed out, Just giving you something to think about, take your mind off being sad x

You decide to scold him whilst also flirting, Yeah, and putting me in an entirely different mood xx

But Matty just teases you right back, Mhm good, think of me baby xx

You’re a menace xx You reply, biting your lip to try and stop the embarrassed smile that’s dying to make an appearance on your face.

When his reply comes through, all you can do is shake your head, You know it xxx

Flirting like this goes on for the rest of the day. Many times does he have your jaw dropping at his teasing messages, but you give it him right back most of the time.

You fear that he only liked you on your date because of your un-fussed humour that you can turn on and off, so you bring that back for some of your texts. You want to appear more confident to him and not always the embarrassed and flustered mess that you are most of the time when you FaceTime.

If anything continues after New Years, you’re sure that you’ll become accustomed to Matty and what he’s like, but you really don't want to get too ahead of yourself. So you just make yourself appear more in control of your emotions over text and you flirt with him first too when the opportunity arises, and Matty can’t lie he loves it. But he also loves when he can see that he’s got all flustered too. He just really likes you.

The day seems to pass the both of you by, never really being out of contact and before either of you know it, it’s quite late on in the evening and Matty has just crawled into the spare bedroom of his friend’s flat.

He’s just had a shower and he’s quite happy to actually just spend some time texting you without any other distractions. What are you up to baby? xx

Matty knows that you’re either still at Amelia’s family home, where you’d spent most of your afternoon and evening, or you’re about to be on your way home. Selfishly, he hopes that you’re alone again now so you can FaceTime each other.

But unfortunately that’s not going to happen as he finds out you’re still with your best friend when you reply:

Nothing just finding my 2022 dump pictures because Amelia is beside me pestering me to do one before the year is up x And a few seconds later, he also receives, What about you? xx

Matty tells you honestly, Still at Wheels and Alex’s flat, I had a drink so they said I could stay the night. Just got in bed xx

But he’s just gave you a nice opportunity to tease him so you say, Threesome sounds hot xx

And you’re left expecting a snarky comeback but your throat runs dry when he replies with a sarcastic, Please and a selfie of himself shirtless in bed, completely alone and follows it with, No sex for me tonight. I’d need you here baby xx

Biting your lip, you quickly type, Such a shame I’m not there, I’m sure you’ll survive xxx

You’re trying so hard not to react so Amelia doesn’t pry into your conversation but he makes it so hard for you when the next thing he says is, Don’t think I will, wanna facetime? xx

For your own sake you decide to make a joke out of it, just in hopes to get your heart rate back to normal and your cheeks to not be burning, Wow somewhere in the distance I can hear Too Shy playing xxx

Yet that continues to not work out for you because he has your breath hitching in your throat and your heart racing even faster when his text comes through and it says: Mmm no, I need to fuck you properly first before we do it over the phone xxx

Fucking hell.

You close your eyes and bite your tongue for a moment and will yourself not to have any reaction so your best friend doesn’t ask what was said. When you open your eyes you take a deep breath before typing out your reply as if that hadn’t taken your breath away and made you press your thighs together.

Have it all planned out do we? xx

And it’s barely a minute later he replies.

You know I do xx

The memory of him admitting to having enjoyed your pictures before, comes to the forefront of your mind then and now reading that text, you’re fully giddy knowing he wants you just as bad as you want him. So you ask for some more information, How’d you like to have me then? xx

Legs up and wide open for me preferably xx

Yep, you definitely need to go home.

Whilst you’d love to continue with the way this is going, you really can’t whilst you're still with Amelia. You end up responding a little sarcastically with, That sounds like a workout x

He replies with, You best be up for some cardio then baby x and you’re just glad it’s back to normal flirting that has you a bit more composed.

If it’s with you, can’t wait xx You cheekily say, a smirk on your face that he can’t see but he’s definitely picturing as he reads your text.

And it’s him saying, Awh yay, gym buddies! x next that has you hiccupping a laugh.

Fuck off, you dickhead😂 is all you say back, biting the inside of your cheek when Amelia looks up from her phone with a frown at the way you’re shaking from chuckles scaping your lips.

Thankfully she’s more entertained with what’s on her phone so when Matty says, Don’t start calling me that now, I might like it x back and you silently laugh at it, she ignores you.

You fake having known that and smartly reply, I was just trying to get you in the mood for what I’m about to post x

But his next text has you pausing and holding your breath as it says, I’m rock hard baby, don’t worry x and now all you’re left wondering is if he’s being honest or playful.

Trying not to hint the way that has you head scrambled, you tell him, I’ve got you covered baby x

A massive grin tugs at the corners of your lips when you see his next text reads, I hope I’m going to appear in it xx

But you want to keep teasing him some more so you only give him a vague, Maybe if I'm feeling generous xx to keep him on his toes.

If you could see him through your screen, you’d see the way he’s just smirking at his phone like a lunatic and how fast his fingers move on the keyboard to send, You better had baby xxx

Guess you’ll just have to wait and see xxx

You’re playing it so cool now but you’re very much looking forward to seeing his reaction to some of the pictures you’ve chosen to be in your next Instagram post.

You chuckle softly when he says, And how long will that wait be? xx

And Matty can hear your voice in his head when he reads that you reply with, Someone’s eager x

All he can say to that is the truth and it has you internally squealing when you read him say, For you? Always x

Matty is left to scroll though the things he’s missed whilst he’s been socialising today as you’re taking your time to reply. He likes to think he’s teased you enough to have you all flustered for him, but in reality you’re saying your goodbyes to Amelia and her family before getting in the car and driving a few minutes back to your parents.

As soon as you get in though, you select all the pictures you and Amelia had just chosen out and you post them captioning it as, 2022 you were the year dreams came true, onto my even more slutty 2023 x

Matty jumps as the notification comes through on his phone. He was waiting for your reply anyway but seeing that come up at the top of his screen has Matty wishing his phone would work faster so he could see what you’ve posted.

After a long agonising ten seconds, your profile loads along with your new post and he smiles at the caption you put on that all but quotes his words on your first date. But then his eyes are drawn up to the post itself and he’s eager to see what awaits and he likes it instantly.

The pictures you’ve posted range from cute to sinful, and Matty can’t help but love every single one. There's a few of you and Amelia, both of you having fun and it’s clear for anyone to see that you’re the best of friends and you love each other loads.

There's a few other behind the scenes pictures of a few of your dates. But Matty’s heart feels full when he gets to a picture where he can see you’ve got the Polaroids you and he took after your date pinned up. He’s so beyond glad he makes an appearance in these pictures.

There’s another picture of you in that Miu Miu mini skirt suit where you’re dramatically posing in the hallway of a hotel against the wall which has him groaning a little. There's another in your outfit from London Fashion Week, and then he’s met with a picture of you and Phoebe Bridgers taking a selfie where you’re pulling faces at your phone.

The second to last one makes him laugh too, and he knows it’s from Boxing day because it was a picture of your new blanket that features him on it. This time instead of you holding it up, it’s lay out on your bed and you have lay over yourself and you're grinning down at ‘him’ trying not to burst out laughing.

Matty is on his way to bully you for posting two pictures of him in your 2022 dump, and he’s about to call you a simp when he checks the last picture. And immediately you’ve got him in a chokehold.

His dick twitches in response to seeing it, and he palms himself to try and ease the way blood is rushing to it seeing this picture of you.

Whilst the second to last picture is a wholesome one of you lying down on your bed, this one is far from in. In this one, you’ve got your dress on that you wore for the GQ awards - and Matty knows it's the one because he’s looked at it far too many times at this point - and in this picture you’re propping yourself up on your elbow, whilst holding a rose down to your lips from above with your other arm.

It’s the dress that has Matty in pain though. The way your breasts look like their about to burst from the top of it, begging for the restricting material to be released, and the thigh slit of the dress is showing the curve of your arse as you’ve picked that leg up, crossing it over the other with your Louis Vuitton heels still on.

And now Matty is growing harder with the more he looks at you, and somehow he knows you’ve posted this one just for him. To toy with him, to edge him, to tease him, because that’s what he’s been doing to you all day.

Reluctantly, he tears his eyes off the picture of you to go back to message you, accusing, You did that last one on purpose x

Got my notifications on I see… It’s only been a minute since you posted so you decide to taunt him for it, Obsessed.

You’re certain he’s just rolled his eyes at you when he comes back with, Don’t let it go to your head xx

No way are you letting him get away with it though, instead you encourage him to do what he apparently normally does with your more revealing Instagram pictures. You reply, Enjoy yourself baby x

And you should be surprised, but you genuinely aren’t when he tells you, Call me that again please xx

You’re smirking at your phone at this point as you head upstairs to your room as you start typing out, Oh baby, do you also need my hand to take your mind off doing this at your best friend and her husband’s place? x

And then you throw yourself on bed to wait for his response, which comes back very quickly after and it hilariously says, Don’t be a smartarse baby, you’re making this weird x

You’re giggling to yourself, knowing he’s just trying to sneak his way out of the way you’re giving him a taste of his own medicine with your teasing so you call him out on it by sending him a text that reads, Even if I made it weird you’d enjoy it far more than you’d expect it, don’t fool yourself x

Just to toy with him a bit more and continue to test the waters with him, you make sure to add, I expect at least a thank you in return x

The, You can get a little more than that x that he sends next has you squealing into your pillow for a few seconds but when you bring yourself to look back at your screen and type a response, you see he’s sent something more that has you breathless.

It’s a picture of himself that reminds you quite a lot of the Consumption bit at the shows, for he has his free hand down his underwear and since he’s got no trousers on you can clearly see his We Are Kings tattoo in all its glory.

But what has your mouth going completely dry is the fact that it’s a live picture and when you curiously press on it to see if you can get anything else from it, you find yourself hearing Matty let out a soft moan of relief when his hand disappears under his pants.

All inhibitions are out of the window after that, and you let yourself be openly horny for him then when you say, I like that sound you made there x and as if that information wasn’t enough, you just need to let him know, I’ll be having fun with that later, thanks baby x

Matty had no idea noises could be hear from the picture so he pressed on it to hear it himself, cheeks blushing when he listens to what you’ve pointed out and in attempt to sound like he meant it, he types, I knew you’d enjoy that x

He finds himself thinking there had been a switch in you after he sent that and he loves to have it confirmed when he reads you’ve texted him, I hope you think of me the way I’ll be thinking of you later tonight x

Should I be expecting to hear my name all the way from Muswell Hill then? x He hopes you don’t hide back because this is just another taste of what he got that night in your room when you both got carried away and even though he stopped it before anything could happen, he’s been playing it on his mind and growing fonder of that side of you.

You decide you have to tease him then, because after the picture you just got, you want to give him something else to think about. Opening your camera, you immediately turn off live pictures because you’re not having the same thing happen to you.

After pulling your top off, you ruffle up your hair, just enough so it’s not neat as it lies around your shoulders and you lean back against your pillows again. Picking your phone up, you turn it landscape and you take a few pictures of yourself that show off some cleavage but leave out what he’s dying to see.

And you settle on one picture in particular where half of your face is cut off, but your mouth is open and it almost looks like you’re moaning in the picture. Your fingers grazing your collarbone, hair sprawled out over your pillow and covers over you just enough for him to be left begging for them to come off.

Mhmm hope you heard it xxx Is what you add as a caption to the picture and it’s a lie to say that you aren’t biting on your thumb nervous to see his reaction.

Matty takes a good minute after the picture comes through to process it all. His instant reaction is a loud groan that has him throwing his head back and cursing under his breath. He isn’t sure what else to say back other than, Fuck me x since his head is all scrambled from seeing you like that.

In 2 days xx You cheekily reply, and still feeling the power you have over him, you continue with, Good things come to those who wait x

His text comes faster than the last one and it only says, Cum* xxx

You giggle seeing that message come through, but with him still replying to you, you don’t think he’s doing with that picture of yours as you intended, so you tease him, Replying still??? Don’t edge yourself on my account baby xx

Watching the three dots come up on your phone feels like edging itself though. You’re hanging off his every word but you can’t let yourself feel ashamed about it. Especially when you see his response.

Oh but I love a bit of edging xx

You choke when that comes through. You had your theories but to see it written down and the fact he’d said it makes your mouth a little dry and you’re trying not to get flustered at all the thoughts running round your head.

You bite your lip as you type your reply, almost nervous to even be this forward over text with him. Holding your breath, you tap send on, You’ll change your mind on that after I have you begging to cum xx

The squeal that you let out when you see it change from sent to seen is obscene, and you find that you can’t look at your phone because you’re a little scared for his reply. When you see the three dots bubble up in the corner of the screen you end up throwing your phone to the end of your bed as you can’t handle the anticipation.

After a minute, you collect your phone knowing his reply will have come through by now. And when you see his message, You can’t do this to me right now baby x you can’t help but laugh.

Reading back over that has you smirking to yourself and gathering some more courage, you end up reminding him, You started it x and you scold him and you have to tease him one last time before you call it a night, Don’t give what you can’t take xx

Once again he shows you just how everything you give him, he can give you back three times worse when his reply comes through and you read, I’ll show you all I can give on new years baby, promise xx

It’s pure excitement that bubbles in the pit of your stomach and you’re sure that tonight you’ll go to bed dreaming of what that day will be like.

It’s not teasing anymore when you leave him with a, Can’t wait xxx

You can only hope that when you wake up the next morning, the day magically rushes by and the hours shorten just so you can finally go on the second date you’ve been thinking about for ages.

~*~*~*~ 30th December ~*~*~*~

“You know,” Matty raises his eyebrows at you through and you can’t help but take a screenshot of how cute he looks, “I think it’s really rude that we’re both back in London and you won’t let me come see you.”

Both of you got home today, you around midday and Matty just a few hours ago as he’d been driving for most of the day. You’ve been on your FaceTime about an hour and a half now, and Matty keeps complaining how you won’t let him come over.

But you really can’t, you’ve got no self restraint left at this point, you would never make it to the date if he came over, so you just keep with your initial plan.

You shrug him off again and say, “I like to build tension. What can I say?”

Matty sighs, his chest deflating as he pouts again, “I should have just driven an extra hour and come straight to see you.”

“No,” You shake your head, “Because you can’t be trusted keeping those hands of yours to yourself. You have my Instagram at your disposal if you wanna get yourself off tonight.”

Not that you have a leg to stand on. You’re practically itching to get your hands on him again. You’re dying to fuck him after your conversation last night. This truly has been the longest week of your life.

Matty closes his eyes and dramatically falls back onto his settee as he says, “You’re never letting me live it down, are you?”

“Nope,” You grin victoriously and you love the way he opens his eyes and he pretends to be annoyed about it, but the more he looks at your smile the more he can’t help but grin at you. You tease him a little more as you say, “Hope you enjoyed last night's treat too.”

“Alright, enough.” Matty says a little louder before he brings his phone closer to his face and warms you, “I’ll make you pay for it tomorrow.”

You smirk at that, and despite knowing exactly how he meant it, you turn the comment on its head and play innocent, “I don’t mind paying for our food.”

“I wasn’t talking about the food.” Matty smirks right back, knowing what you’re up to and he loves the way you can’t work up the courage

“I’m excited to take you out.” Matty smiles wholesomely, dropping the act now to be genuine.

“I’m excited to finally be going out,” You grin, your heart beating a little faster at the mere thought of what tomorrow could hold. “It feels like the longest three months we’ve had this planned for.”

Matty hums in agreement, “Longest of my life.”

You’ve got a feeling that after tomorrow, your life won’t ever be the same again. And you can’t wait.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: We hope you enjoyed this one! Rest assured that New Years Eve is coming next, and it’s spicy! Thanks a million for reading, we can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one! See you soon with the next part over at @imagine-that-100​ blog! xx

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[amiserableseriesofevents]

Wherever you find love (it feels like Christmas)

24 Clegan Christmas drabbles for 24 days!

Prompt from here (but randomized)

[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5] [Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8]

[Read on AO3]

Day 09: Fairy tales

Modern AU, wc 1462

The oven’s timer dings, distracting Gale from his thoughts. He pockets his phone, pauses the show that was going on in the background. “Dinner’s ready!” He calls, oven mitten in hand as he goes to retrieve their pizzas, the warm smell of tomato and cheese immediately filling the room when he opens the oven’s door.

He puts the pizzas on the table, adds a beer for Bucky, two bottles of juice and one of Coke, and fills the filter jug with water; the sound of steps rushing to the kitchen reminds him of a stampede and he smiles when the twins burst into the room laughing and shrieking, John at their heels lounging to grab them and laughing as well when they evade him. The little girl, Amelia, goes straight to Gale, hugging his legs.

“I’m safe! Daddy tell them I’m safe,” she demands, giggling and hiding behind him when John makes a move to grab her from her safe spot.

“John, she’s safe,” Gale reminds him with a soft smile.

“I’ll get the other one, then!” John shoots back and pivots quickly to pick up their boy, Edward, who squeals in fake outrage when his dad lifts him from the ground. John buries his nose in the boy’s red hair, inhaling noisily. “Mmmh, you smell delicious! Just in time for dinner, and I’m so hungry I’m gonna eat all of you!”

“That’s not me, that’s the pizza daddy’s make!” Edward protests, squirming when John’s mustache tickles him. “That’s dinner, not me!”

“I bet you’d be more delicious,” John argues. “What d’ya say, Buck? Shall we eat them or the pizza?” He adds, throwing a grin and a wink to his husband who rolls his eyes in response.

“Put him down and let’s start eating, before the pizza gets cold. We don’t like cold pizza, right Eddie?” He says, cutting a pizza square and placing it onto the boy’s dish.

“We do,” John and Amelia answer in synch, sharing a knowing smirk behind Gale’s shoulders.

“Well you can eat it tomorrow if there’s any leftovers but right now it’s dinnertime all together so please John, set a good example and sit down,” Gale commands exasperated, the kids giggling like every time one of their dads gets scolded by the other.

The pizza is good, hardly made by Gale who simply took them out of the icebox and plopped them in the oven but the kids compliments him nonetheless, chins streaked with tomato sauce and fingers sticky with oil. They try to have a competition for who’s gonna make the longest cheese pull and Gale shuts it down quickly before they can make a mess of themselves and of the entire kitchen, but he lets them have some of his Coke, aptly watered down. He and John listen to the kids’ recount of their day, what they did at school and what their friends have said and done in the playground.

“Becky’s birthday’s on Saturday,” Amelia reminds them, as if they could forget the birthday of their unofficial niece and don’t get immediately killed by Johnny and Benny for the insult to their daughter.

“We know,” John says. “Her present’s already packed and ready.”

“Does she get only one present because her birthday’s close to Christmas?” Eddie chimes in. “I wouldn’t like to be born so close to Christmas, people would only give me one present!”

“Maybe it would be a bigger present,” his sister says conspiratorially. “Because it’s worth two presents!”

“We got her two separate things, one for her birthday and one for Christmas,” John informs them. “We’re not barbarians,” he adds, which prompts the kids to ask a thousand questions to Gale about what a barbarian is, and is it bad to be one, and how can you know if you’re one?

As they clear the table, Gale leans closer to his husband until his forehead rests against his shoulder. “I still need to finish some stuff for work,” he says. “Can you do the nighttime routine? I’ll stop by and kiss them goodnight once I’m done.”

John twists around until they’re face to face, kisses him softly on the lips. “Of course, Buck. Just try not to be too late, ok? You’ve been working too much lately, you’re always so tired.”

Gale sighs, melting further in John’s hold. “I know, but it’s the last few weeks before Christmas, it’s always a nightmare. I have papers to grade, final exams to prepare… three weeks and I’ll finally be free and we can enjoy our vacation as we deserve. Now can you please go and make sure our kids survive their bath?”

John chuckles and steals another kiss from him. “Don’t count on it,” he says, then saunters to the living room to rally the children to the bathroom. Gale finishes loading the dishwasher then retreats to his study, where he loses track of time for a while between papers, notes, and registers; once he’s done, he stretches on the chair to ease some of the pain that’s threatening to bloom at the bottom of his spine and checks the time with a sigh: it’s late, again, the children should already be asleep.

Shuffling out of his study though, he hears soft voices coming from their bedroom. He wonders for a moment if they faked falling asleep to get more time to chat after lights out, maybe John’s watching something in their bedroom and didn’t notice; but while the big light in the children’s room is off, Gale can see the glimmer of the fairy lights they’ve hung on their wall, and the hushed voices of the kids are not the only ones Gale can hear. Peeking from the threshold he sees that the kids have pushed their beds together in the middle of the room, with what looks like every single pillow and blanket they own piled on them in a makeshift fort; they’re huddled there, only their little face peeking out of the blankets, with John sitting between them, crammed up in the beds that are definitely too small for his large frame, a reindeer’s antlers headband keeping his wild curls off his face as he reads them from a fairy tales book he’s bought them for their last birthday.

He’s making all kinds of different voices for the various characters, from high pitched ones to a low grumble for what Gale supposes is the monster of the story, and the kids giggle and shush each other in turn, cuddling closer and closer to their dad.

Gale doesn’t interrupt them, he doesn’t have the nerve to. He just stands there, watching them with awe and with so much love in his heart it threatens to burst open at the seams; he can’t believe that after the shitty childhood he’s had he actually managed to create this wonderful family, so full of love and care. He’s not watching an heartfelt Christmas movie in the solitude of his childhood living room anymore, wishing for something like that to happen to him too — this is his real life, the one he’s fought teeth and nail to build together with John. It doesn’t get any better than this.

When the story ends, he clears his throat and steps inside. “Weren’t you supposed to already be asleep?” He inquires.

“We were waiting for you to give us a goodnight kiss!” John answers with a smile that turns into a frown. “Buck, you ok?” He asks, untangling himself from the blankets to stand up.

“Daddy! Are you crying?” Amelia asks, her pretty little face all worried. Gale didn’t even notice he’d teared up, and rubs his eyes with the palm of his hand. “Oh no, it’s just something that got into my eye,” he answers. “Come on now, I’ll give you all your goodnight kisses and then it’s time to sleep, ok?” He adds, stepping closer and bending over the bed to kiss his kids goodnight.

“No kisses for me?” John pouts, stroking the back of Gale’s hand with his thumb; he’s not worried anymore, he’s always been able to read Gale like an open book and knows what made him tear up like that, but he’s still trying to win a smile from him and Gale can’t help but oblige him.

“Of course, my knight in shining armor,” he says and gives him a kiss, lingering a little against his lips to feel them curl upward into a smile, one of John’s hands finding its way to his waist and holding him.

“Gross!” The kids protest out loud. “No kissing in our room, dad!”

John bursts out laughing, his face still mere millimeters from Gale’s who can’t help but join him, his heart still overflowing with love; this is better than any fairy tale.

[nayziiz]

Shadows | LN4

Summary: [Mafia] In the face of dire financial troubles, Lando receives a desperate plea from his father to unearth a lucrative solution within the family business. Fueled by the pressure to rescue his family from ruin, Lando stumbles upon a seemingly perfect venture—using luxury cars as a facade for the clandestine world of drug trafficking. With the unexpected partnership of Amelia Rossi, his father's best friend's daughter, Lando believes he has found the ideal accomplice. However, as the Norris family collides with the ambitious Russells in a ruthless bid to establish their dominance, the perilous path Lando has chosen places not only his newfound enterprise at stake but also entangles Amelia in the dangerous crossfire that unfolds.

Warning: Violence, drugs, blood, smut, fluff, guns

Pairing: Lando Norris x OC (Amelia Rossi) - appearances from other drivers

Masterlist

Chapter 8

The sun beat down relentlessly on the sprawling estate outside of London where the Sainz family was hosting an extravagant day party in honour of Carlos Sainz Sr.'s birthday. The air buzzed with excitement as guests arrived, dressed in their finest white attire, ready to celebrate amidst the lush greenery and luxurious surroundings.

Amelia felt a bead of sweat trickle down her spine, the heat of the day only adding to the overwhelming sense of anxiety that gripped her. Despite the grandeur of the occasion, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach.

Charles, her date for the event, stood beside her, looking dapper in his crisp white suit. He flashed her a charming smile, his eyes alight with excitement, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within Amelia.

As they mingled with the other guests, Charles regaled her with stories and anecdotes, his enthusiasm contagious. But Amelia's mind was elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of the difficult decision she knew she had to make.

She couldn't bear the idea of breaking Charles' heart, yet she couldn't deny the growing realisation that their relationship was built on shaky ground. With Lando still looming large in her thoughts, Amelia felt torn between her loyalty to Charles and her own emotional turmoil.

Amelia's heart sank as she watched Lando and Zara make their entrance, their closeness sending a pang of jealousy through her. She couldn't bear the sight of them together, a painful reminder of what could never be between them.

Desperate to mask her emotions, Amelia turned to Charles and pressed her lips to his in a lingering kiss. She poured all her pent-up frustration and longing into the embrace, hoping to distract herself from the sight of Lando and Zara.

When she finally pulled away, her breath coming in shallow gasps, Charles winked at her before disappearing into the crowd to fetch her a drink. Lando's keen eyes caught the exchange between Amelia and Charles as they shared that intimate kiss. Despite his attempts to appear indifferent, a twinge of jealousy gnawed at him as he watched them.

He felt a surge of conflicting emotions—anger, hurt, and a profound sense of loss. Seeing Amelia with Charles stirred something deep within him, a reminder of the connection they shared and the longing he felt for her. For a moment, Lando's gaze lingered on them, his heart heavy with unresolved feelings. He quickly averted his eyes, forcing himself to focus on the festivities around him

Amelia wandered through the opulent corridors of the Sainz mansion, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The lavish surroundings only served to accentuate her inner turmoil, leaving her feeling out of place amidst the extravagant festivities. She longed for a moment of solitude, a brief respite from the prying eyes and whispered conversations that seemed to follow her every move.

Lost in her thoughts, she rounded a corner and found herself in a secluded hallway, the soft glow of the ambient lighting casting shadows against the ornate walls. It was here that Lando found her, his presence unexpected yet strangely comforting amidst the chaos of the party.

“Lando.” Amelia greeted him, her voice betraying a hint of surprise as she turned to face him.

“Amelia.” He responded, his expression unreadable as he regarded her with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the noise of the party faded into the background, leaving only the palpable tension between them. Despite the distance that had grown between them in recent weeks, Amelia couldn't help but feel a familiar pull towards him, a magnetic force that seemed to draw them together despite their best efforts to resist.

“Lost?” Lando asked, breaking the silence with a gentle smile.

“A bit.” Amelia admitted, offering a faint smile of her own.

“Bathroom?” Lando inquired.

“Yeah.” Amelia replied, grateful for the distraction his presence provided.

“Two doors down to your right.” Lando directed, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer.

“Thanks.” Amelia murmured before she turned towards the bathroom.

As Amelia entered the bathroom, she was taken aback when Lando followed her inside and shut the door behind him. The sudden intimacy of the confined space sent a rush of nerves coursing through her veins, her heart pounding erratically in her chest as she turned to face him.

Lando's presence in the bathroom felt intrusive, yet strangely intimate. Amelia couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on her as she stood before the toilet, a flush of embarrassment colouring her cheeks. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, the sudden proximity between them leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

“I have to pee.” She whined, her voice tinged with frustration as she glanced back at him over her shoulder.

“I need to talk to you.” Lando explained, his tone serious as he met her gaze.

“Lando.” She huffed, torn between irritation and apprehension at his unexpected intrusion.

“Just pee. It's fine.” He reassured her, his voice gentle as he gestured towards the toilet.

Reluctantly, Amelia turned back to the task at hand, the sound of her own heartbeat echoing in her ears as she struggled to focus. Lando's presence felt like a weight pressing down on her, his proximity sending a jolt of nervous energy coursing through her veins.

“What's wrong?” She asked, unable to suppress the note of concern in her voice.

“You've been quiet.” Lando observed, his gaze searching hers for answers.

“I've been busy.” Amelia replied dismissively, her words lacking conviction as she avoided his probing gaze.

“Busy with Charles?” Lando pressed, his voice soft yet insistent.

Amelia hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal to him in this vulnerable moment. The truth hung heavy in the air between them, unspoken yet palpable in the tension that crackled between them.

“Something like that.” She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper as she finally met his gaze.

“Are you happy?” Lando asked, his voice tinged with a hint of desperation as he searched her eyes for the truth.

“You don't get to ask me that.” Amelia countered, her tone defiant yet tinged with regret.

“Amelia," Lando pleaded.

"Stop, Lando." She warned as she wiped herself and stood up. She washed her hands at the basin he was leaning against.

Their eyes locked in a silent battle of emotions, each word spoken carrying the weight of years of unspoken desires and unresolved tensions.

“I don't think he loves you.” Lando stated softly, his voice tinged with a hint of desperation.

“I don't think you love Zara.” Amelia countered, her tone firm but laced with uncertainty.

“I don't.” Lando admitted, his confession hanging in the air like a heavy cloud.

“Charles is great.” Amelia acknowledged, her words tinged with a hint of resignation.

“But is it great enough?” Lando questioned, his gaze piercing as he searched her eyes for an answer.

“I can't do this, Lando.” Amelia whispered, her voice barely above a murmur as she fought to contain the torrent of emotions raging inside her. “You can't keep doing this.”

“I'm not doing anything.” Lando insisted, his voice tinged with frustration.

“You've been doing this since we were sixteen.” Amelia continued, her words coming out in a rush as she struggled to hold back the flood of memories threatening to overwhelm her. “You lead me on. You make me fall for you, say all the right things. You then harshly remind me that we're best friends and shove your next fling in my face. You tell me no guy will ever be good enough and the cycle repeats itself time and time again.”

“Amelia.” Lando interjected, his voice pleading as he reached out to touch her.

“Move out of the way, Lando. We're not doing this. Not here. Not today” Amelia demanded, her tone firm as she pushed past him.

“How many times have you thought of me touching you today?” Lando pressed, his voice low and husky with desire. “And driving you wild just the way you like, in ways no other man ever has.”

“Just fucking stop.” Amelia snapped, her patience wearing thin as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

As Lando took a step back, a wave of regret washed over him, realising that his words had crossed a line he never intended to breach. He watched as Amelia's expression hardened, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and hurt.

“I'm sorry, Amelia.” He murmured, his voice laced with remorse. “I didn't mean to push you.”

She stood her ground, her voice trembling with emotion as she struggled to maintain her composure.

“Lando, I can't do this. I can't keep having this same conversation with you over and over again. It's tearing me apart, and I can't keep pretending like it doesn't affect me.” She said, her tone pleading.”

“And, I can’t keep living my life without saying how much I love you, every second of every day. You think that's fair, that I keep that to myself?” Lando countered, the emotion and hurt evident in his tone.

Amelia's steps faltered as she opened the bathroom door, Lando's words hanging heavy in the air, his confession echoing in the confined space of the bathroom. She turned back to face him, her heart aching at the raw vulnerability in his voice.

“You've always been there for me.” He continued, his gaze unwavering as he held her in his steady gaze. “Through every high and every low, you've been my rock, my confidante, my everything.”

Tears pricked at the corners of Amelia's eyes as she listened to his heartfelt words, her heart swelling with a bittersweet ache at the depth of his love for her. For so long, she had yearned for this moment, aching to hear the words she had longed to hear whispered in the quiet of the night

Zara, searching for her date, turned the corner, hearing every word escaping Lando's lips. He doesn’t notice her as she remains hidden behind the wall.

“I love you so much it hurts.” Lando continued, passionately confessing his love for the girl standing across from him.

Amelia, overwhelmed by the confession, spotted Zara and quickly exited the hallway. Lando turned to follow after Amelia and found Zara instead. As Lando's gaze landed on Zara, he felt a pang of guilt and apprehension wash over him. He knew that his confession had put Zara in an impossible position, and he braced himself for the fallout of his words.

Zara's demeanour was inscrutable as she stood before him, her arms folded tightly across her chest in a defensive stance. The air between them crackled with tension, heavy with unspoken emotions and unresolved questions.

Lando's heart sank as he met Zara's gaze, seeing the hurt and betrayal reflected in her eyes. He searched for the right words to say, grappling with the weight of his own emotions and the consequences of his actions.

Zara's voice was tinged with resignation as she cut off Lando's attempt to apologise, her words laced with a mixture of hurt and acceptance.

“Save it, Lando.” She said firmly, her tone brooking no argument.

Lando's heart twisted painfully at the finality in her voice, the weight of his actions bearing down on him with crushing force.

“I'm sorry.” He repeated, his voice thick with remorse.Zara shook her head, a bitter smile playing at the corners of her lips.

“I always knew you two had a thing.” She admitted, her words carrying a hint of sadness.

Lando reached out a hand, a desperate plea written in his eyes. “Zara, baby-” But she pulled away, her resolve hardening as she met his gaze with steely determination.

“Go chase after the girl you really want.” She said quietly, her voice heavy with resignation.

And with that, Zara turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Lando standing alone in the hallway

Tears threatened to fall from Amelia's eyes as she returned to the party. She crashed into Charles and grabbed hold of him for physical support. Charles immediately noticed the distress in Amelia's eyes as she collided with him, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, providing a sense of comfort and security.

“Hey, what's wrong, mon amour?” Charles asked, his voice filled with concern as he held her close.

“I'm not feeling good. Can we leave?” Amelia's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her emotions on the verge of overwhelming her.

“Of course.” Charles responded, his tone gentle and reassuring.

With Charles's support, Amelia began to feel a sense of relief wash over her, knowing that she had someone to lean on in her moment of vulnerability. As they made their way out of the party together, Amelia found solace in the warmth of Charles's embrace, grateful for his unwavering presence by her side.

From the balcony, Lando's heart sank as he watched Charles comfort Amelia and whisk her away. He knew he had caused her pain, and seeing her leave with someone else only amplified his guilt. Despite his overwhelming desire to chase after her, he remained rooted to the spot, unable to tear his gaze away from the sight of them driving off into the night.

As the sound of the Ferrari's engine faded into the distance, Lando was left alone with his thoughts, grappling with the consequences of his actions and the realisation that he had jeopardised the most important relationship in his life.

[cuddlyfunk]

Oh, Summer Child

What if Eddie Munson had a half sister? What if he never knew about her until she was forced to come to Hawkins?

Chloe Munson gave up searching for home after her mom abandoned her. Maybe all it takes is a town she never wanted to move to and a brother she never knew existed to find what she's looking for.

-Word Count: ~2.8K

There was something behind that thing people say about the only constant in life being change. Chloe Munson knew this deep in the fiber of her being. Her life was that constant. A whirlwind she could rarely comprehend herself.

The first seven years of her life were spent with her mother. Amelia Crowder wasn’t a terrible woman. But she wasn't prepared to be a mom in any sense. Chloe's memory of that time mostly consisted of the smell of alcohol, being left alone in shabby motel rooms and wondering a million things. Why was her mom gone so much? Why couldn’t they live in a house? Why were their last names different? Why didn’t she have a dad? Some of these questions were answered in a rather unfortunate way when Amelia Crowder bought an apartment near Vegas and decided she didn’t want to tote a kid around anymore. So the year Chloe Munson turned eight, she was dropped off in an unfamiliar place with a man she didn’t know while her mom traveled across the country. Without her. The transition was foggy in her memory. Al Munson was different from Amelia Crowder and Chloe's memories of time with him mostly consisted of learning. Though the lessons from him were different from ones she might’ve learned if she was in school.

She learned not to cry, she made that mistake in front of this man that was supposed to be her dad once.

She learned to appreciate her mom. At least she didn’t get angry when she drank.

She learned she was a mistake. Al had a habit of reminding her.

She learned to take care of herself, to stay out of trouble and avoid attention whenever possible.

Everything she learned added another brick to a wall she slowly built around herself. The number one thing she learned. She learned how to protect herself. Even if that meant going along with whatever her dad said.

Maybe it was another cruel irony of the world that her dad got arrested on her tenth birthday. He had been gone all day, but that wasn’t unusual. She sat in the yard, fiddling with an old radio she scored from the dump. She was curious if she could get it working again, an old woman had given her ten dollars for fixing her TV once.

When the police car pulled up, she suspected something was wrong. It was when the policeman asked, “are you Chloe Munson?” that she knew something was wrong.

It was personal.

After that, everything was a blur. She remembered phone calls, going to a weird smelling building with other kids and adults, social workers. That was the day she learned about her Uncle and her half-brother, who a social worker, overly chirpy, said she would be going to live with.

Worst Birthday present ever.

And that's how she ended up on a car ride to a town she had never heard of to live with people who shared the same descriptor as the town.

That’s how she ended up in a trailer, holding a trash bag with nearly all her worldly possessions and looking at this old man they called her Uncle. Uncle Wayne.

It wasn’t the first time she wished her mom cared enough to raise her own daughter, but now it was like a wave crashing into her, pushing her to the floor and dragging her into cold, dark water.

“So, you’re Chloe.”

She didn’t respond. Her fingernails still had dirt under them from her time outside and it was starting to bother her.

The man sighed, “right… Well, Eddie should be home real soon. You two got the same eyes, you know.”

Chloe hated her eyes. They reminded her of her dad.

“Actually, you remind me a lot of him when he was your age.”

When she was little, sometimes people would stop her and her mom when they went somewhere together.

“She’s your mini-me,” they’d say or, “she looks just like you.”

It was their hair, maybe. The same puffy dirty blonde hair. Or the freckles, constellations dotting near everywhere on her and her moms skin.

When she lived with her dad, well, she couldn’t escape her similarities to him.

Now it was just the same with this Eddie. Her brother. Half-brother.

Another relative to be measured against.

There was a pause, long and uncomfortable. But Chloe refused to break it, almost like a challenge.

She counted it a little victory when her supposed Uncle broke it instead, “you’re free to look around and all. Make yourself at home.”

Home. Right. Like this was her home. She had never had a home, not really. 

Looking around the place, she decided this wouldn’t last a week. This would never be her ‘home’.

That’s when the door opened.

She turned as soon as she heard the footsteps coming up to it. She didn’t need the introduction her Uncle was giving, she already knew who this was. Some guy with dark curly and dark brown eyes looking right at her. He was right, she and Eddie did have the same eyes.

It must’ve been a shock to come home to a new sister. Half-sister. Chloe could recognize that. It was a shock to be moved to a home with a new brother. Half-brother. She wished he’d stop staring at her, anyways. It made her feel like the bugs she used to collect when she was little, being held in a jar to be observed.

She didn’t really pay attention to the conversation. She didn’t really care what the explanation was for her being there. She busied herself looking around the trailer. Better than being caught examining the people. It was… homey. Small and cluttered, but more in a lived in way than a really messy way. She kind of liked it, if she was being honest. She wouldn’t tell them that.

Chloe only started paying attention when she heard her name, she looked at Eddie, the one who said it, “huh?”

He smiled at her. It was weird, “I asked what you like to do. You know, your passion.”

She blinked. It felt like a trick question. She didn’t want to answer wrong, but she didn’t know what the wrong answer was. She looked at the ground and hoped for the best, speaking quietly, “I fix stuff.”

She figured this was true, no one could accuse her of lying, and it was a useful skill. A reason to keep her around. So there was that.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, “fix stuff?”

She shrugged and glanced between the two men from under her brow, “TVs, radios, cars…”

Uncle Wayne spoke up in surprise, “cars, huh?”

She nodded, “actually, I like cars most. Their insides are so interesting…” She trailed off, forcing herself to resist the urge to ramble on about engines and batteries. She had learned when to shut up.

“You know, that’s pretty cool, you must be smart.” Eddie smiled at her again. She felt the compliment in her stomach, making it flip around. But she quickly had to deny it, shaking her head harshly. Because she wasn’t. Anyone who had ever commented on her intelligence had only used words like ‘dumb’, ‘slow’, ‘stupid. She appreciated Eddie trying to be nice, but she wished  he wouldn’t lie to her. Or at least know to lower his expectations. She didn’t want to disappoint him so early in their meeting.

“I’m not,” Chloe insisted, “I just like cars.”

Eddie made a face, he looked like he wanted to say something about it, but he didn’t. She was grateful for that at least. 

Chloe tugged on the cuff of her flannel shirt. It was too hot for any kind of long sleeved shirt, but it made her feel less exposed. So there was that. Not that anyone really cared to notice what she was wearing unless it was to make fun of her.

“There’s a bedroom.” Eddie said, Chloe caught him glancing at Wayne when she looked up.

“Huh?” she tilted her head, unsure why he was bringing this up.

“There’s only one bedroom, I mean. Mine.”

“We’ll make it work,” Wayne said gruffly.

“I don’t need nothin’. I can sleep anywhere.” Chloe insisted hurriedly.

“You can have the bed. I’m not kicking you to the couch.” Eddie argued.

The two glared at each other. Chloe stood her ground. She didn’t want to owe these people. She didn’t even know them. She wasn’t taking favors. 

But the strange thing was, Eddie stood his ground too. He didn’t jump at the opportunity to not have to give up his own space for her. Someone he just met.

Eventually, Wayne stepped in. “Sleep’s still a ways off. We’ll get it worked out. Don’t you wanna put that bag down, Chloe?”

The weight in her arms hadn’t bothered her until he suggested it. Not that it had that much in it. She supposed the few tools she stuffed in there were a bit heavy. Not that she had much of those. Or anything.

So she shrugged.

Eddie nodded towards the hallway, “you can put it in the room.”

Chloe thought about this for a moment. She figured it wouldn’t do any harm. Her stuff would be here anyways. It didn’t really matter what room she put it in. So she nodded. And Eddie showed her the room while their uncle said he’d start dinner.

The first thing she thought entering the room was that she liked it. Not that she’d tell him that. But it felt distinctly lived in, similar to the rest of the trailer. Posters of people, names and images she didn’t recognize lined the walls, including a large banner with ‘Corroded Coffin’ written in large spiky letters. It was cool, even if she didn’t know what it meant. But the best thing was the guitar. She snuck glances at it as she carefully tucked the trash bag in a corner where it wouldn’t bother anyone. 

“You like music?” Eddie asked. Maybe she hadn’t been as discrete with the looks as she had intended.

She shrugged.

“Is that an ‘I don’t know’ or a ‘I don’t want to talk to you’ shrug?”

“I don’t listen to a lotta music,” she muttered.

He grinned at her. She was starting to wonder why he kept smiling at her like that, “don’t worry, little sister, I’ve got the best music in all of Hawkins. I’ll introduce you to the gods of metal.”

It felt nice to have someone promising to help her. In any way, really. Even if it was a bit silly. And it felt nice for him to call her his little sister. Not that she’d tell him that. So she stayed silent.

“Not much of a talker, I’ve gathered,” Eddie said after a moment.

Chloe shrugged. She realized about two seconds later when he laughed that it wasn’t helping her case. She opted to glare at him to stop him from laughing. It only half worked.

“Well, anyways, you’re probably hungry. Let's go see what’s for dinner, yeah?”

She nodded, she didn’t really care either way. But she was hungry.

Pasta was for dinner, apparently. Spaghetti and meatballs. She passed on the sauce, never having liked tomatoes much.

It was a quiet dinner, but she liked it that way. No shouting, no fighting. Just a few simple questions she answered as quickly as possible. It was nice, really. She liked having dinner with these people, she liked the food well enough, too. Not that she’d tell them that.

“Suppose you’ll be wonderin’ ‘bout sleeping arrangements,” Wayne remarked, looking at Chloe.

“I guess,” she said before shoving a forkful of food in her mouth.

“Well, we don’t got an extra bed for you yet…” Chloe cut in, “I can sleep on the couch or somethin’,” she offered again quickly.

“I told you, you can take the bed, really,” Eddie rolled his eyes.

Before she could argue, Wayne interrupted, “well, I’ve gotta work tonight. You know, there’s a fold out bed in the livin’ room. You’re welcome to take it while I’m away, until we can get you somethin’ more permanent,” he nodded to Chloe, “if you’d like.”

She  thought for a moment, “you don’t need it?”

“Not tonight,” he sighed.

“Okay, maybe,” she nodded. It felt odd, but she was almost disappointed. She kind of liked her Uncle. It was hard to imagine him leaving so soon when they had just met. He seemed to be able to look into her head like she could look at a car engine. She wondered dully as she ate if he might be able to fix her brain while he was in there.

From there, things seemed to pass far too quickly to Chloe. She didn’t really know how to react when she was left alone with a brother she barely knew. She didn’t really feel like talking to him or answering questions. She wished she still had the radio she was fixing this morning. Something for her hands to do, for her mind to slip into. But she didn’t have it, so she let Eddie talk when he wanted to. Otherwise she just sat in silence, imagining the parts in her mind, rearranging them until she could pretend it was fixed, even if just in her head.

At one point, Eddie looked up at the clock and asked something that confused her, “do you have any pajamas?”

She blinked, “huh?”

He turned to look at her, “just getting kinda late. I don’t think Uncle Wayne would appreciate me keeping you up too much. You got pajamas for bed?”

“I just kinda wear my clothes to sleep,” she admitted.

“That won’t do,” he exclaimed, “wait here, I’ll grab you something.”

Chloe was hesitant about this idea, but obediently stayed put anyway. She was curious to see what he’d bring back, in any case.

Although she had to admit, what he did bring back slightly confused her. A simple pair of clothes, a shirt and what looked like running shorts. The shirt said ‘Iron Maiden’ on it, which she had gathered was a band.

“Here, they might be a little big… but they’re comfortable anyways. Shouldn’t fall off,” he shrugged and held the items out to her.

She didn’t take them. Not yet. “For me?”

“Duh, who else? Come on, you’re not even sleeping on a real bed. Might as well have some good pajamas. Well, more comfortable than those jeans, I’m sure,” he gestured with one hand to her pants.

They weren’t the best to sleep in, that much was true. When she hesitated longer to take the clothes, they were unceremoniously shoved in her arms, to her surprise.

“Take them,” Eddie insisted.

Maybe, if they weren’t already in her arms, she wouldn’t have wanted to put them on. But, as it was, she found herself on the little fold out bed in the living room, wearing the shirt and shorts she was given. They were soft. Much more cool than her previous flannel and jeans. And though in the back of her mind it was weird to be wearing these clothes that didn’t belong to her, they felt too nice for her to care. She was starting to think, maybe, Eddie didn’t think she was just an annoying bug taking up space. Maybe he really was just nice.

He poked his head into the living room just then, “you ready for lights out, kid?”

Chloe looked up at him, for the first time she wondered if maybe he liked having a sister. She nodded, “yeah, I’m ready.”

“Need me to tuck you in?”

She glared at him, “I’m ten, not two.”

He held his hands up in defeat, “fine, I get it. Lights are going off now, then.” He flicked a switch and she sat in darkness.

“Goodnight, Chlo.” He called.

“Goodnight,” her reply was just loud enough to hear in the quiet night.

She heard footsteps and the creak of a door. She flopped back onto the bed, letting her leg dangle over the side, staring at the ceiling. Feeling her breath going in and out. Imagining she was in sync with Eddie. And maybe Wayne too. Just the three of them breathing at the same time without even realizing it.

As she lay on the little fold out bed in this unfamiliar trailer with the faint sound of crickets outside, she thought. And in her head she told herself that, maybe, she’d try and stay here more than a week. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad. She kind of liked it here. It was stable.

She rolled over and closed her eyes, feeling more at peace than she had in a long time.

Chloe Munson was home.

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this, you can find more of my writing (specifically with Chloe) on the masterlist (all titles are now linked to this blog!)

...

This is an official repost from my main blog @harmonica-demon

[daggerspare-standingby]

The Chase - Part 3 | Hangman x Reader

My gosh, here it is part 3! Thank you again for all the support! This might be my last update for a little bit, almost ready to welcome our little babe into this crazy world.

In honour of Glen Powell's Birthday...Here's Part 3!

Word Count - 1547

No Warnings for this chapter! - The Chase continues :)

It was nice to sleep in, perks of working the afternoon shift, but you thought about Jake’s offer of dinner, and you found yourself taking a little extra care in choosing your outfit and getting ready for work. As long as you've been working at the bar, everyone has told you the same thing. He’s not looking for anything serious, he’s just looking for one night. You didn’t know enough about his tactics to know if taking girls to dinner was part of the one night, but for some reason it just didn’t make sense to you if it was. Why would he shell out money on a date if all he wanted was to get into someone’s pants. “You keep polishing that glass, it’s going to disappear” Amelia, Penny’s daughter, sat on the bar stool in front of you, a knowing smirk all too much like her mothers across her face. You rolled your eyes and poured her a soda “what’s with the look?” She sipped her fizzy drink and raised an eyebrow at you “I could ask you the same question, but I already know the answer.” You shook your head, deciding to humor her “oh yeah? And what’s the answer then?” She grinned and shrugged, before hopping off the barstool and making her way towards the back deck “did you know on the first Saturday of every month Mav takes the squad to the beach for their dogfight football match?” Then she disappeared out of the back deck and down to the picnic tables on the beach. 

Curiosity got the better of you, even though you’d heard many tales after a dogfight football match, you'd never actually seen them play. Tucking the cloth into your back pocket of your shorts, you made your way out to the back deck. You certainly heard them before you saw them, but there, just on the edge of the water was the entire squad, throwing footballs seemingly at the same time, laughing and teasing each other. Even from this distance you were able to clearly make out who was who. And there was certainly one that stood out among the rest, causing a slight flush to rise on your neck as you ogled from the far sidelines. 

Jake was so involved in the game - his competitive nature of course- that he didn’t notice you were watching from the back deck of the bar. That is, until Bradshaw pointed you out “looks like we’ve got a couple of spectators.” Bradley casually mentioned as he nodded towards the bar, where you were on the deck and Amelia was on a chair a little ways in front next to Penny.  “That explains why Mav seems to be on his best behavior” Jakes lips quirked up in a small smirk “so he’ll be the easy target is what you’re saying Bradshaw.” Bradley rolled his eyes “I could say the same for you Seresin. I was thinking of asking her out, you wouldn’t have any qualms about that, would you?” Hangman’s grip automatically tightened on the football, involuntarily as his jaw clenched “she wouldn’t give you the time of day Bradshaw.” Bradley grinned, knowing that Jake was head over heels for you but too stubborn to admit it, “I think I’ll shoot my shot anyways.” 

You couldn’t hear the exact words being shared over the game, but anyone within a mile radius could see the tension radiating off Bradley and Jake, before they continued their match. Those two were like fire and gasoline, always chirping and teasing each other, the camaraderie was there sometimes, but more often than not it was one of them trying to best the other. You watched a little longer, before opting to finish opening up the bar before the rush came in and making your way back inside. 

As you were stocking beer from the walk-in fridge into the fridges under the bar, you heard the back door open and close. “Sorry, we open at 3.” You stood up, wiping the back of your hand across your forehead before you met the sea green eyes of Jake himself leaning on the bar - albeit still shirtless. Your lips pursed tightly to fight the urges that you were sure rose straight to your cheeks to color them pink. “Penny said I could come in and grab a couple cokes and that there were some energy drinks in the fridge?” His knowing smile plastered across his face. Of course he knew he looked good, he knew the planes of his chest and abdomen were hard to resist even for those who resisted most of his other charms. You blinked quickly and shook your head realizing you’d most definitely been staring at his pecs, and he probably caught it. “Uh yeah let me take a look.” You quickly turned away from him, bending to check the fridges in the middle of the island bar. “Um, did Penny say where they are?” the humming of the refrigerator hid the sound of his footsteps and when you stood up you realized he was right behind you. “I think they might be either in the back, or in the walk-in fridge. Want me to go take a look?” You subconsciously licked your lips - his sandalwood and cinnamon scent taking a backseat to coconut sunscreen and salt “no, I was just back there and didn’t see anything so they must be in here.” You took a step away from him, to another fridge door and opened it, bending over to move some beer bottles out of the way and finding the cokes and energy drinks that Penny had indeed mentioned. “Found them!” You took a breath of the cool fridge air before standing up and handing him the beverages “here you go, you know, If Penny knew you were back here, she’d have a fit.”

Jake grinned, he couldn’t help it. He was finally alone with you, your attention all on him - albeit for a short amount of time. He took the drinks from you, his calloused fingers brushing your soft ones “Did you sleep well last night?” You looked up at him in surprise, a pink tinge on your cheeks “yeah, I wasn’t that drunk… I actually slept in a bit.” He nodded “did you give any more thought to my offer? Can I take you to dinner?” the butterflies were assaulting your stomach again, the heat of his body so close to yours making everything feel warmer than it was. “I’m working tonight.” His name was just on the tip of your tongue, his name, not his call sign. Right now, the two of you in the bar, alone with nothing but the squeaky ceiling fan and waves quietly crashing off on the shore in the background, Jake was looking down at you, something you couldn’t read reflected in his eyes. Hangman would show up later, you thought, once he had a few beers and you turned him down again for fear of what could be. “Come on, don’t make me ask Penny for permission to take you out, you’re an adult. It’s just dinner.” You turned around facing the bar again, beginning to wipe the sticky top in circular motions. “I’m not like those badge bunnies you take home every night, I’m not going to go to dinner with you just so you can get into my pants.” 

Jake’s face fell momentarily before he cleared his throat and moved around the front of the bar so you would be facing him again, this time when you met his green eyes, there was hurt reflected in them. “Is that what you think my play is?” Scoffing and rolling your eyes you crossed your arms across your chest defensively “I’m not blind or stupid, Hangman, I see you leave with a different girl every night. I'm not going to be another notch in your obnoxiously low belt.” He straightened and his jaw clenched lightly “let me prove to you that I’m not always that guy. Come on darlin, one night, a great meal. You’ll get a free meal and at least half a good bottle of wine.” The resolve you normally held for him was crumbling under his gaze, you wanted to say yes so badly, but the monster of fear reared his ugly head in your chest. Your heart leaps for one answer, your head turning you to another. After a few minutes of your silence Jake’s frown deepened. “Alright, you keep your resolve for now, I’ll chip away at that tough exterior wall soon enough. Whatever I have to do to prove to you that I’m not whatever is written on the stalls…” taking the cool beverages into his arms “see you later for real drinks.” He turned and began making his way back to the beach and the squad. “Fine!” Just as he was about to step into the heat your voice called out to him. He turned and looked at you from across the bar, his eyebrows raised “what?” You lifted your chin indignantly “I’ll go to dinner with you, but I expect to be wined and dined Jake. None of these cheap beach shack burgers or anything.” His lip quirked up “you’re in for the night of your life darlin’”

--

As always, let me know what you think! I appreciate the feedback and love this story has already received! a little slow still, but I promise their date is going to be really good!

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[dufferpuffer]

Order member ages

Just wanted to post this as its own thing for future reference. People often say Dumbledore recruits directly from Hogwarts, but it never seemed to line up with how old most of the members were...? So - I looked up who all the known members are! :)

First War:

Order was founded 1970 at the earliest - dissolved 1981. Earliest birthday possible: 1953, graduating 1970

S. Black, class of 78. R. Lupin, class of 78. P. Pettigrew, class of 78. J.+ L. Potter, class of 78. S. Snape, class of 78 E. Bones - Murdered w. wife + kids. Brother of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones. M. Fletcher - already well integrated in Wizarding crime world. A.+ F. Longbottom - They would have been OLDER than the Potters as they were 'Prominent Aurors' and Auror training takes years to complete. A. Moody - Legendary Auror. Retired after this war. S. Podmore - Born 1956/1957, apparently…? G.+ F. Prewitt - Molly Weasley's brothers. E. Doge - Albus' schoolmate. Ab. Dumbledore - His brother. A. Figg - old Squib. R. Hagrid - He was 51 when Harry was born Unknown age estimate: C. Dearborn - Missing. D. Diggle. B. Fenwick - 'bits of him' were discovered. D. Meadowes - Personally killed by Voldemort, might mean he is a skilled adult. M. McKinnon - Killed 'with her whole family' E. Vance - 'stately looking with a green shawl' in the the 90s.

Note with the Longbottoms: They were 'Prominent Aurors' - which means they worked for the Ministry for some time. If they were born 1953, and thus graduated 1970 - they would only be 27 when Neville was born... giving them a little time to have built their careers while still being a younger couple. But was the Order formed right at the crack of the war...?

Second War:

F. Delacour - 95/96 at Gringotts, joined the order through Bill. H. Jones - Unknown age. Never mentioned to be at Hogwarts while Harry is there. N. Tonks - Adult, well into Auror training. C + B Weasley - Adult, well into their own careers. A + M Weasley - Born 1949/1950. M. McGonagall - I mean I suppose she was recruited from Hogwarts hey haha K. Shacklebolt - An Auror; my man became Minister of Magic F + G Weasley - 'Graduated' 95/96 - opened store H. Granger; R. Weasley - First mission seems to be when 17 H. Potter - Did some things with Albus at 16...? Unclear.

If I am missing anyone please add B^)

- Harry was doomed to face Voldemort anyway. Does he really count as an Order member...? He's more the reason the order exists. - Ron and Hermione are there in support of Harry - and only do things for the Order after Albus' death, when they are 17 and don't have much choice, they are hunted. Is it really 'joining the Order' when the order barely exists anymore...? - Fred and George... did they do any Order things before Albus' death...? Were they just running their shop, with their Mum breathing down their backs to not get involved? Unclear.

Notes to do with the second Order: Molly is against the children participating. Sirius, Lupin, probably some others but I can't remember are in support of it.

Albus Dumbledore was also against the children participating - especially in 95/96, where his whole deal was trying to keep them at school, safe - even though they weren't learning jack shit. It takes Harry having a meltdown, Sirius dying - and Dumbledore being cursed - for him to go "Fuck it... Harry, you should help. I gotta teach you before I die."

Observations about both Orders:

They both have a large group that come from one source. In the First War it was the Marauders, in the second the Weasleys.

They also share an 'Auror talent' that seem more affiliated with Moody than they do Albus: Tonks and the Longbottoms.

It makes sense that when one person joins others are likely to follow. The Weasley parents -> the Weasley kids -> Fleur. James, Sirius -> Peter, Remus, Lily -> Severus.

That's not really recruitment from school.

If I personally were to use the school to groom/recruit children to fight for me in a war: I would be trying to get the best from every year. I would be heavily encouraging kids from all year levels that show promise to take certain classes and learn certain spells... Then, I would assess them when they graduate: '71, '72, '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78 was a big year. '79, '80... A constant trickle. A couple of new people this year, one the next - and they are all likely to bring at least a friend along, too - right...?

Yet we don't really see that happen. It's just that one bumper crop from 78, that one friend group. Were there NO talented graduates in any other year...? Was ONLY Griffindor considered...?

There isn't exactly a 'skill requirement' to join the Order. You had people there just to source information. Remus did werewolf jobs. Peter Pete'd all over the place. There were min. 2 pregnancies...

They were losing people - if they needed quantity over quality, if they only really needed base loyalty and a good heart... why NOT recruit more students? And yet there's just one blip in 78.

That doesn't particularly scream 'groomed child soldiers' to me. BUT - there are 6 people from the first Order whose ages can't be estimated. Are they the missing child soldiers from the years before/after the Marauders? Dunno.

[fundiepredictions]

What happend in 2024

An overview of all the things that got announced/discovered for Duggars, Bates, Wissmanns, Rodrigues, Kellers, Mortons, Bontragers, Maxwells and some more

January

Josiah was born to John&Esther Shrader (Keller)

February

Miles Kelton was born to Kelton&Josie Balka (Bates)

David&Priscilla Waller (Keller) announced they are expecting baby #7

Katie&Travis Clark (Bates) are moving to Tennesse

Trace&Lydia Bates (Romeike) shared they had a miscarriage

Brielle Grace was born to Jeremiah&Hannah Duggar (Wissmann)

March

Adeline Holloway (Morton) appeared to be pregnant

Lawson&Tiffany Bates (Espensen) announced they are expecting baby #1*

David&Priscilla Waller (Keller) announced their baby will be a girl breaking the BGBGBG strike

Rachel Morton (Smith) appeared to be pregnant

Andrew&Kennedy Morton (Decker) announced they are expecting baby #5

Marlin Bontrager announced he and his wife are expecting three more grandbaby's

Nathan&Esther Bates (Keyes) announced they are expecting baby #2

April

Lila Ann was born to Susanna&Drew Jerred (Wissmann)

Travis&Katie Clark (Bates) announced they are expecting baby #2

Derick&Jill Dillard (Duggar) announced the still birth of their daughter Isla Marie

Allison&Jeremiah Helferich (Bontrager) announced they are expecting baby #3

We learned the name of Duggar-Swanson #3, Ezra, and his uncle, Swanson #10, Dallas.

Carson&Carolina Bontrager (Bowers) had baby #4, a girl

May

Travis&Katie Clark (Bates) announced baby #2 is a boy

Lawson&Tiffany Bates (Espensen) announced baby #1 is a boy

Weston Slade was born to Bobby&Tori Smith (Bates)

Mitchelle&Bryn Bontrager (Leppert) had baby #4, a girl

June

Nathan&Esther Bates (Keyes) announced baby #2 is a boy

Jason Duggar announced he is in a relationship with Maddie Grace Jones

Samuel Rodrigues announced he is in a relationship

July

Lincoln&Susanna Bontrager (Helferich) apparently had a boy

Nathan&Nurie Keller (Rodrigues) had Naomi Christine

Jed&Katey Duggar (Nakatsu) announced they are expecting twin girls

David&Priscilla Waller (Keller) had Desiree Hope

Lawson&Tiffany Bates (Espensen) had William Daniel

August

Cleve&Lise Morton are expecting baby #7

Jana Duggar & Stephen Wissmann got married

Jason Duggar and Maddie Jones got engaged

Jill Rodrigues announced the courtship of Samuel and Brianne Hessert

September

Amelia Marie was born to Jeremiah&Allison Helferich (Bontrager)

Timothy Rodrigues and Heidi Coverett got married

Harvey Gray was born to Travis&Katie Clark (Bates)

October

Jason Duggar and Maddie Jones got married

Graham Alan was born to Nathan&Esther Bates (Keyes)

Jeremy&Jinger Vuolo (Duggar) annouced baby #3 is on the way

November

Chelsy Maxwell (Bontrager) appeared to be pregnant with baby #4

Samuel&Alyssa Morton (Campana) are expecting baby #7

Kord&Gracie Etbauer are expecting baby #3*

Cleve&Lise Morton had Thomas Ezekiel

December

Trace&Lydia Bates (Romeike) announced baby #2* is on the way

Watson Joe was born to John&Chelsy Maxwell (Bontrager)

Jer&Hannah Duggar (Wissmann) announced girl #3 is on the way

Samuel Rodrigues and Brianne Hessert seem to have ended their relationship

We learned that there are four Wissmann grandbaby's 'in the womb' including Hannah's

Elizabeth Wissmann and Zane Buhr are in a relationship

Isaiah Bates's girl, Sarah, got to go to Bates christmas&Gil's 60th birthday

[thebramblewood]

Happy 20th birthday, The Sims 2! When I quit playing, I was in the midst of an Alphabet Legacy. I'd actually made it to the K generation, which isn't too bad! Went through the old screencaps and found some fun moments. I also had several other families in this neighborhood that I played rotationally, so maybe I'll share them some other time. A bit of context on each picture below the cut!

A cat named Piggy. She was royalty and the Sims merely her servants.

Generation 2 heir Amelia trying to bed her teenage girlfriend while her dad's zonked out right next to her.

That wasn't an isolated incident of inappropriateness, by the way. Amelia was a free-spirited woman who liked to feel the breeze on her tits, damn it!

Living in the university dorms was terrifying. You never quite knew who would make it out alive. This poor townie did not!

This fucking dance sphere thing was next level!!!

I was obsessed with Generation 3's Bree. Everything made her angry. Here she is at a wedding giving big "How dare they assume they can be happy" energy.

Cora slept with a lot of different guys. One of them straight up brawled with her when he found out they weren't exclusive.

Darcy "break dancing," aka dislocating her shoulders and possibly breaking her neck.

I bred wolf dogs for multiple centuries and still never managed to turn any of my Sims into a werewolf. How sad is that?

Ant farms! The animations for Sims watching ants were always so cute.

Ahh, dorm life. Still as wild and crazy as ever.

Every toddler in my game went absolutely feral over pet food.

Was anyone else obsessed with the faces Sims made while potty training their kids?

Alien abduction. A classic!

Another Sim I was obsessed with, Jamie! He was the product of abduction, but since his human parent was a spouse and not an heir, he technically wasn't eligible to carry on the legacy. However, he did everything in his power to make himself the center of attention anyway. This is him returning from his own (first) alien abduction on the night of his sister's wedding.

Jamie complaining about how difficult alien pregnancy is to the sister (also pregnant with an actual potential heir) he was always upstaging.

These poor maids were the unsung heroes of my legacy.

Messing around with your girlfriend in a cemetery...

while your ancestors stand by weeping. Sounds about right.

Soccer was a constant obsession of my Sims'. I was so disappointed when TS4's version of soccer turned out to just be glorified kickball.

I had no idea at the time of course, but the last moment of this legacy I ever captured was a Great Christmas Tree Fire, which feels appropriate. It seemed like something was always catching on fire.

[weshallc]

Old Skool Turnadette FanFic Alert!

When is the Wedding?

Happy birthday my best china! @fourteen-teacups 🥰🎁💝🎂

You are the Doc to my Grumpy, the Amelia to my Juliet, the Cathy to my Kelly, the Caroline to my Gillian, the Audrey to my Helen, the Sister Julienne to my Trixie.

I'm having a moment, so let's roll the fic!

This fic obeys no rules. So you snooty lot who couldn't possibly read something without a specific POV and perfect grammar that so many of us find so difficult and all the rest of it. This fic is not for you. It's for my mucker!

CHAPTER ONE

Half past ten on January 25th 1959.

“Hello, it’s just us.”

Sat at the kitchen table, Peter Noakes looked up from bouncing his baby son on his knee and shared a smile and a wink with Freddie’s mother.

“Why does she always say that? Does she think we’ve given a key to every waif and stray in Poplar.” Whispering as the front door slammed shut.

Camilla scowled at him from the kitchen sink and flicked the tea towel resting on her shoulder towards him in warning. “I think she is still getting her tongue around the ‘us’ part. Sort of trying it out on her friends until she feels comfortable saying it in company.” 

Camilla smoothed down her apron and pushed her chestnut hair behind her on alert ears. “And Shelagh is not a waif and stray. She is our house guest.”

Peter grinned at his wife’s indignation and couldn’t help himself.

“I think it’s because she knows how flustered you get when Dr Turner visits, and is giving you the old heads up. So you can plump the cushions or wipe down the kitchen surfaces.”

“I have never heard such outrageous nonsense in all my days, Peter Noakes!” Camilla ranted, wringing out the freshly soaked dish cloth. “I do not get flustered over any man, whether he be a respected GP or an annoying police constable.” She quietly fumed, taking her wrath out on the countertops with the wet rag.

“As much as I’m happy to accommodate such undemanding and pleasant company. We waited so long for a home of our own, so we could move out of Nonnatus, and now it seems like Nonnatus has come to us.”

Camilla turned and looked at him properly. “You really are the most patient of men. But, I couldn’t see her go back to that frightful boarding house and all those dreadful gossips, after what occurred at Christmas. I don’t think, young sir, minded too much giving up his room for a few weeks.” She nodded at her son, who was looking alternatively between his parents intently, like he understood every word.

“And I agreed there was no other suitable arrangement, with Nonnatus awaiting the wrecking ball and, as you say, every snoop worth their while, observing the comings and goings at the flat over the surgery. I just wonder when we could revert back from Noakes’ Home for Wayward Nuns back to Noakes’ Love Nest.”

“That’s enough. They will hear you." Camilla was beside herself. "Hopefully, we will find out in a matter of moments. They had an appointment with the vicar at All Saints this morning.”

The lull in their own conversation made the voices behind the kitchen door echoing from the passageway audible, if not discernible,

Peter broke the silence, much to Camilla’s delight, as she didn’t want to be accused of eavesdropping. When she hadn’t been able to make out a single syllable.

“If this goes on much longer, I’m going to have to arrest the pair of them for loitering with intent.”

“It’s not a boarding house. She doesn’t have to clock in and out with us. We didn’t issue a curfew. Well, at least I didn’t.” She looked at Peter accusingly and then got back to wiping down the kitchen table and picking up her husband's half-drunk cup of tea, throwing the remaining liquid down the sink.

“I hadn’t finished that!” Camilla didn’t hear him as she rearranged the fruit in the crystal bowl. Someone she couldn’t quite place had bought them it for a wedding present.

“I’m sorry to have to be the one to break it to your mummy, but she definitely does suffer from occasional bouts of flustration. Doesn’t she Freddie?” Peter diagnosed, addressing his son, who responded with a gurgle of approval. "Maybe we could ask the good doctor for a second opinion ?”

Peter’s grin widened. He looked like a naughty schoolboy scrumping apples, rather than a doting husband, but in that moment, he was both.

The wet cloth landed on PC Noakes’ head just seconds after the kitchen door opened and an apologetic voice chimed, “It’s just us.”

After a lot of silent but meaningful looks between all parties and the missile safely deposited in the sink, Peter had a fresh cup of tea set before him, as did everyone else. Freddie, who had been watching the morning’s events like he was reporting for the Poplar Gazette, was now sitting on the new addition to his family's knee, observing events from a different angle.

Freddie didn’t really know if he preferred a pink wafer to a bourbon. But he was mildly affronted no-one had asked if he had a preference. He kept trying to grab the pretty pink one out of the hand of the person they called Auntie Shelagh, but she was quick, and said “No” in such a sing-song voice he forgave her.

They were talking again about the weather, crocuses (whatever they were), something called whooping cough, which sounded much more fun than the frowny faces suggested. One of those awkward silences occurred again. That was always his cue. Gurgle, make spit bubbles, form fists, shake arms and giggle. It works every time. Like a charm. Eventually, Mummy found the courage to speak.

“Would it be so very out of turn? If one enquired how your appointment went this morning.”

Shleagh and Dr Turner glanced at each other in that ‘we know a secret sort of way’. It looked like he was about to take hold of her hand, but there were too many obstacles in the way like pink wafers, teacups, a baby and proprietary.

The look Shelagh gave Dr Turner reminded Chummy of an old retainer of her father's who began every sentence with “Permission to speak, Sir?” She caught Peter’s eye. The telepathic consensus was; how long will that last? It was received and understood between them.

Chummy’s attention was distracted when she noticed how tight Shelagh was now holding her son. He seemed very content and his eyes were closing, so all was well.

Shelagh began, “Dr Turner and I have set a date to be married at All Saints' church on the second Saturday in February.”

“So soon?” Exclaimed Peter, ignoring an imaginary dishcloth hurtling towards him.

“Well, yes,” Shelagh replied in the tone of a pregnant schoolgirl with a father brandishing a shotgun rather than an ex-nun with a penchant for purity. “We were hoping for March, to give young Timothy time to grow a wee bit stronger, but of course Palm Sunday and our Lord’s resurrection must always take precedence.”

Peter noticed Shelagh gave Dr Turner that look Camilla gave him when it was his turn to talk. He thought to himself he was only mastering that level of communication, but the Doc picked it up straight away. What a pro!

“That left us with the option of an April wedding, which seemed like an eternity away.”

This time, he took her hand as it warmed itself on the teacup.

Peter smiled to himself. He knew that eternity. He was actually experiencing that eternity right now. Most new fathers understood the consequences of a new baby entering their lives. But no-one had prepared him for a baby at the bottom of the bed and an ex-nun in the next room and the effects on his wife's libido.

“Here here.” Peter cried, “Carpe diem, Doctor, carpe diem!”

Peter’s joy was short-lived when he realized everyone, including a sleepy Freddie, were now staring at him.

“So when’s the wedding?” He meekly asked.

[harmonica-demon]

Oh, Summer Child

Wowww, have I got a treat! I wrote a fic that has more than ~500 words. It's my au where Eddie has a 10 year old half-sister, I figured I've written enough of them that Chloe deserves an introduction. Can be read as a standalone fic, takes place in the same universe Enjoy! ...

There was something behind that thing people say about the only constant in life being change. Chloe Munson knew this deep in the fiber of her being. Her life was that constant. A whirlwind she could rarely comprehend herself.

The first seven years of her life were spent with her mother. Amelia Crowder wasn’t a terrible woman. But she wasn't prepared to be a mom in any sense. Chloe's memory of that time mostly consisted of the smell of alcohol, being left alone in shabby motel rooms and wondering a million things. Why was her mom gone so much? Why couldn’t they live in a house? Why were their last names different? Why didn’t she have a dad? Some of these questions were answered in a rather unfortunate way when Amelia Crowder bought an apartment near Vegas and decided she didn’t want to tote a kid around anymore. So the year Chloe Munson turned eight, she was dropped off in an unfamiliar place with a man she didn’t know while her mom traveled across the country. Without her. The transition was foggy in her memory. Al Munson was different from Amelia Crowder and Chloe's memories of time with him mostly consisted of learning. Though the lessons from him were different from ones she might’ve learned if she was in school.

She learned not to cry, she made that mistake in front of this man that was supposed to be her dad once.

She learned to appreciate her mom. She didn’t get angry when she drank.

She learned she was a mistake. Al had a habit of reminding her.

She learned to take care of herself, to stay out of trouble and avoid attention whenever possible.

Everything she learned added another brick to a wall she slowly built around herself. The number one thing she learned. She learned how to protect herself. Even if that meant going along with whatever her dad said.

Maybe it was another cruel irony of the world when her dad got arrested on her tenth birthday. He had been gone all day, but that wasn’t unusual. She sat in the yard, fiddling with an old radio she scored from the dump. She was curious if she could get it working again, an old woman had given her ten dollars once for fixing her TV.

When the police car pulled up, she suspected something was wrong. It was when the policeman asked, “are you Chloe Munson?” that she knew something was wrong.

It was personal.

After that, everything was a blur. She remembered phone calls, going to a weird smelling building with other kids and adults, social workers. That was the day she learned about her Uncle and her half-brother, who a social worker, overly chirpy, said she would be going to live with.

Worst Birthday present ever.

And that's how she ended up on a car ride to a town she had never heard of to live with people who shared the same descriptor as the town.

That’s how she ended up in a trailer, holding a trash bag with nearly all her worldly possessions and looking at this old man they called her Uncle. Uncle Wayne.

It wasn’t the first time she wished her mom cared enough to raise her own daughter, but now it was like a wave crashing into her, pushing her to the floor and dragging her into cold, dark water.

“So, you’re Chloe.”

She didn’t respond. Her fingernails still had dirt under them from her time outside and it was starting to bother her.

The man sighed, “right… Well, Eddie should be home real soon. You two got the same eyes, you know.”

Chloe hated her eyes. They reminded her of her dad.

“Actually, you remind me a lot of him when he was your age.”

When she was little, sometimes people would stop her and her mom when they went somewhere together.

“She’s your mini-me,” they’d say or, “she looks just like you.”

It was their hair, maybe. The same puffy dirty blonde hair. Or the freckles, constellations dotting near everywhere on her and her moms skin.

When she lived with her dad, well, she couldn’t escape her similarities to him.

Now it was just the same with this Eddie. Her brother. Half-brother.

Another relative to be measured against.

There was a pause, long and uncomfortable. But Chloe refused to break it, almost like a challenge.

She counted it a little victory when her supposed Uncle broke it instead, “you’re free to look around and all. Make yourself at home.”

Home. Right. Like this was her home. She had never had a home, not really. 

Looking around the place, she decided this wouldn’t last a week. This would never be her ‘home’.

That’s when the door opened.

She turned as soon as she heard the footsteps coming up to it. She didn’t need the introduction her Uncle was giving, she already knew who this was. Some guy with dark curly and dark brown eyes looking right at her. He was right, she and Eddie did have the same eyes.

It must’ve been a shock to come home to a new sister. Half-sister. Chloe could recognize that. It was a shock to be moved to a home with a new brother. Half-brother. She wished he’d stop staring at her, anyways. It made her feel like the bugs she used to collect when she was little, being held in a jar to be observed.

She didn’t really pay attention to the conversation. She didn’t really care what the explanation was for her being there. She busied herself looking around the trailer. Better than being caught examining the people. It was… homey. Small and cluttered, but more in a lived in way than a really messy way. She kind of liked it, if she was being honest. She wouldn’t tell them that.

Chloe only started paying attention when she heard her name, she looked at Eddie, the one who said it, “huh?”

He smiled at her. It was weird, “I asked what you like to do. You know, your passion.”

She blinked. It felt like a trick question. She didn’t want to answer wrong, but she didn’t know what the wrong answer was. She looked at the ground and hoped for the best, speaking quietly, “I fix stuff.”

She figured this was true, no one could accuse her of lying, and it was a useful skill. A reason to keep her around. So there was that.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, “fix stuff?”

She shrugged and glanced between the two men from under her brow, “TVs, radios, cars…”

Uncle Wayne spoke up in surprise, “cars, huh?”

She nodded, “actually, I like cars most. Their insides are so interesting…” She trailed off, forcing herself to resist the urge to ramble on about engines and batteries. She had learned when to shut up.

“You know, that’s pretty cool, you must be smart.” Eddie smiled at her again. She felt the compliment in her stomach, making it flip around. But she quickly had to deny it, shaking her head harshly. Because she wasn’t. Anyone who had ever commented on her intelligence had only used words like ‘dumb’, ‘slow’, ‘stupid. She appreciated Eddie trying to be nice, but she wished  he wouldn’t lie to her. Or at least know to lower his expectations. She didn’t want to disappoint him so early in their meeting.

“I’m not,” Chloe insisted, “I just like cars.”

Eddie made a face, he looked like he wanted to say something about it, but he didn’t. She was grateful for that at least. 

Chloe tugged on the cuff of her flannel shirt. It was too hot for any kind of long sleeved shirt, but it made her feel less exposed. So there was that. Not that anyone really cared to notice what she was wearing unless it was to make fun of her.

“There’s a bedroom.” Eddie said, Chloe caught him glancing at Wayne when she looked up.

“Huh?” she tilted her head, unsure why he was bringing this up.

“There’s only one bedroom, I mean. Mine.”

“We’ll make it work,” Wayne said gruffly.

“I don’t need nothin’. I can sleep anywhere.” Chloe insisted hurriedly.

“You can have the bed. I’m not kicking you to the couch.” Eddie argued.

The two glared at each other. Chloe stood her ground. She didn’t want to owe these people. She didn’t even know them. She wasn’t taking favors. 

But the strange thing was, Eddie stood his ground too. He didn’t jump at the opportunity to not have to give up his own space for her. Someone he just met.

Eventually, Wayne stepped in. “Sleep’s still a ways off. We’ll get it worked out. Don’t you wanna put that bag down, Chloe?”

The weight in her arms hadn’t bothered her until he suggested it. Not that it had that much in it. She supposed the few tools she stuffed in there were a bit heavy. Not that she had much of those. Or anything.

So she shrugged.

Eddie nodded towards the hallway, “you can put it in the room.”

Chloe thought about this for a moment. She figured it wouldn’t do any harm. Her stuff would be here anyways. It didn’t really matter what room she put it in. So she nodded. And Eddie showed her the room while their uncle said he’d start dinner.

The first thing she thought entering the room was that she liked it. Not that she’d tell him that. But it felt distinctly lived in, similar to the rest of the trailer. Posters of people, names and images she didn’t recognize lined the walls, including a large banner with ‘Corroded Coffin’ written in large spiky letters. It was cool, even if she didn’t know what it meant. But the best thing was the guitar. She snuck glances at it as she carefully tucked the trash bag in a corner where it wouldn’t bother anyone. 

“You like music?” Eddie asked. Maybe she hadn’t been as discrete with the looks as she had intended.

She shrugged.

“Is that an ‘I don’t know’ or a ‘I don’t want to talk to you’ shrug?”

“I don’t listen to a lotta music,” she muttered.

He grinned at her. She was starting to wonder why he kept smiling at her like that, “don’t worry, little sister, I’ve got the best music in all of Hawkins. I’ll introduce you to the gods of metal.”

It felt nice to have someone promising to help her. In any way, really. Even if it was a bit silly. And it felt nice for him to call her his little sister. Not that she’d tell him that. So she stayed silent.

“Not much of a talker, I’ve gathered,” Eddie said after a moment.

Chloe shrugged. She realized about two seconds later when he laughed that it wasn’t helping her case. She opted to glare at him to stop him from laughing. It only half worked.

“Well, anyways, you’re probably hungry. Let's go see what’s for dinner, yeah?”

She nodded, she didn’t really care either way. But she was hungry.

Pasta was for dinner, apparently. Spaghetti and meatballs. She passed on the sauce, never having liked tomatoes much.

It was a quiet dinner, but she liked it that way. No shouting, no fighting. Just a few simple questions she answered as quickly as possible. It was nice, really. She liked having dinner with these people, she liked the food well enough, too. Not that she’d tell them that.

“Suppose you’ll be wonderin’ ‘bout sleeping arrangements,” Wayne remarked, looking at Chloe.

“I guess,” she said before shoving a forkful of food in her mouth.

“Well, we don’t got an extra bed for you yet…” Chloe cut in, “I can sleep on the couch or somethin’,” she offered again quickly.

“I told you, you can take the bed, really,” Eddie rolled his eyes.

Before she could argue, Wayne interrupted, “well, I’ve gotta work tonight. You know, there’s a fold out bed in the livin’ room. You’re welcome to take it while I’m away, until we can get you somethin’ more permanent,” he nodded to Chloe, “if you’d like.”

She  thought for a moment, “you don’t need it?”

“Not tonight,” he sighed.

“Okay, maybe,” she nodded. It felt odd, but she was almost disappointed. She kind of liked her Uncle. It was hard to imagine him leaving so soon when they had just met. He seemed to be able to look into her head like she could look at a car engine. She wondered dully as she ate if he might be able to fix her brain while he was in there.

From there, things seemed to pass far too quickly to Chloe. She didn’t really know how to react when she was left alone with a brother she barely knew. She didn’t really feel like talking to him or answering questions. She wished she still had the radio she was fixing this morning. Something for her hands to do, for her mind to slip into. But she didn’t have it, so she let Eddie talk when he wanted to. Otherwise she just sat in silence, imagining the parts in her mind, rearranging them until she could pretend it was fixed, even if just in her head.

At one point, Eddie looked up at the clock and asked something that confused her, “do you have any pajamas?”

She blinked, “huh?”

He turned to look at her, “just getting kinda late. I don’t think Uncle Wayne would appreciate me keeping you up too much. You got pajamas for bed?”

“I just kinda wear my clothes to sleep,” she admitted.

“That won’t do,” he exclaimed, “wait here, I’ll grab you something.”

Chloe was hesitant about this idea, but obediently stayed put anyway. She was curious to see what he’d bring back, in any case.

Although she had to admit, what he did bring back slightly confused her. A simple pair of clothes, a shirt and what looked like running shorts. The shirt said ‘Iron Maiden’ on it, which she had gathered was a band.

“Here, they might be a little big… but they’re comfortable anyways. Shouldn’t fall off,” he shrugged and held the items out to her.

She didn’t take them. Not yet. “For me?”

“Duh, who else? Come on, you’re not even sleeping on a real bed. Might as well have some good pajamas. Well, more comfortable than those jeans, I’m sure,” he gestured with one hand to her pants.

They weren’t the best to sleep in, that much was true. When she hesitated longer to take the clothes, they were unceremoniously shoved in her arms, to her surprise.

“Take them,” Eddie insisted.

Maybe, if they weren’t already in her arms, she wouldn’t have wanted to put them on. But, as it was, she found herself on the little fold out bed in the living room, wearing the shirt and shorts she was given. They were soft. Much more cool than her previous flannel and jeans. And though in the back of her mind it was weird to be wearing these clothes that didn’t belong to her, they felt too nice for her to care. She was starting to think, maybe, Eddie didn’t think she was just an annoying bug taking up space. Maybe he really was just nice.

He poked his head into the living room just then, “you ready for lights out, kid?”

Chloe looked up at him, for the first time she wondered if maybe he liked having a sister. She nodded, “yeah, I’m ready.”

“Need me to tuck you in?”

She glared at him, “I’m ten, not two.”

He held his hands up in defeat, “fine, I get it. Lights are going off now, then.” He flicked a switch and she sat in darkness.

“Goodnight, Chlo.” He called.

“Goodnight,” her reply was just loud enough to hear in the quiet night.

She heard footsteps and the creak of a door. She flopped back onto the bed, letting her leg dangle over the side, staring at the ceiling. Feeling her breath going in and out. Imagining she was in sync with Eddie. And maybe Wayne too. Just the three of them breathing at the same time without even realizing it.

As she lay on the little fold out bed in this unfamiliar trailer with the faint sound of crickets outside, she thought. And in her head she told herself that, maybe, she’d try and stay here more than a week. Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad. She kind of liked it here. It was stable.

She rolled over and closed her eyes, feeling more at peace than she had in a long time.

Chloe Munson was home. ...

Thanks for reading!

More with Chloe:

Dead of Night 

Haircuts

School Struggles and Safe Havens (Uncle) Wayne

[skyland2703]

There’s this tiny Thyreophoran (Thyreophora, or armored dinosaurs, is the group that Ankylosaurus and Stegosaurus are from, so the two genera are cousins.) called Jakapil, which is a very basal genus of Thyreophoran, as in its closest relatives are Scelidosaurus, Scutellosaurus, and etc. cause I cannot think of more than those two. Said closest relatives are from the early Jurassic, meanwhile Jakapil was walking in the Argentinian deserts at the same time Spinosaurus was… Spinosaurusing since the Spinosaurus is very inconsistent in what it was like. Jakapil was around the size of a cat and it was very adorable, but its body was covered in armor plating.

The Jakapil was discovered and named around 2012, but its description was done ten years later in 2022. Its full name is Jakapil kaniukura which Ja-Kapil means “shield bearer” in puelchelan and kaniukura means “crest stone” in Mapundungun after its uniquely deep jaw.

Onto my actual point per se, I was thinking it would be funny if Amelia and Javi found out about it, and. Uhh something something plushies?

Idk after the first part.

Amelia looks at *——all of what you said above——* and then stares at Javi, “how do you know that—? Did you actually look it up?”

Javi giggled, “no— not really. A friend of mine texted me this entire thing because he saw me buying stegosaurus and ankylosaurus plushies at the toy store and thought I loved dinosaurs”

“Which you do” Amelia suggested.

“Which I do” Javi affirmed, “and so I thought it would be fun to tell you that our dinosaurs, indeed, were cousins.”

“What”

“Yes” Javi nodded, and she then interrupted again, “wait. Did you just say you we’re buying stegosaurus and ankylosaurus plushies?”

Javi giggled, then blushed, “well— I saw a pink ankylosaurus in the toy store when I’d gone to get a birthday present for Poppy’s first— and i couldn’t resist. Then I stepped into the dinosaur aisle and never really saw the light of day after that…” Javi explained dramatically, receiving a punch in the shoulder from the red ranger, and yelped “ouch” then continued, “so I technically got you the ankylosaurus. And I found a green triceratops but then I thought ollir would be offended seeing that, so I didn’t buy that. Then I was just about to check out when my eyes fell on a.. you guessed it right… a black stegosaurus— WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!”

“And where are the plushies right now?”

“On my bed. I cuddle them” Javi explained, “they’re a pair. Do not separate. Share my bed if you want the plushies”

“I already do” Amelia said, looking around at the way the two of them were literally tangled up in her pink bedsheets, watching Mary Poppins at the moment.

“At my place” Javi placed the condition, and Amelia rolled her eyes, “fair enough. And?”

How did she know there was more to the story— OH the info dump from earlier— Javi chuckled, then continued, “So… After my friend introduced us, I found the Jakapil absolutely adorable.”

“And…?” The way Javi said it, Amelia just knew there was something in it that he wasn’t telling her. The mischief in his eyes showed.

“Well… it’s about the size of a cat.”

“You said that already. And??”

“I got a plushie custom made for it” Javi said, flushing, as he watched Amelia’s hands flying to her mouth, “you did NOT—“

“I did.”

“And…?” Three was still something he wasn’t telling her.

“There’s two of them. And i customed the colors to be… red and black” he said, looking like the human version of the awkwardly blushing emoji.

Before receiving a flying pillow in the face from her.

[liaromancewriter]

Birthday Cake

Premise: Ethan Ramsey doesn’t like to celebrate his birthday. No one told his daughters that.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine); feat. OC children Rating/Category: Teen. Fluff. Words: 875

A/N: In Lia Land, Ethan's birthday is on July 31. I forgot to mark the occasion, but better late than never. Submission for @choicesmonthlychallenge August challenge, birthday dialogue prompt (in bold). I'm also using @choicesflashfics week 46, prompt 3 (in bold).

Ethan Ramsey couldn’t remember the last time he’d celebrated his birthday with a party. Cassie knew how much he detested the fanfare around that day and respected his wishes not to make a big deal out of it.

Besides, he much preferred their private celebrations. Their sex life had always been hot, but it was downright incendiary on anniversaries and birthdays.

The special day was a week away, and he’d already made plans. Naveen had given him the keys to his cabin while he spent the summer visiting family. The nanny would look after the girls, and his dad was coming up from Providence to spend the day with them.

Ethan was already salivating in anticipation of unwrapping his birthday present.

“You look pleased with yourself,” Cassie commented from the other side of the couch, lowering the tablet in her hand, brow arched in question.

It was Saturday afternoon, and they were spending a quiet day at home. The twins were on the floor, engrossed in their coloring books. He heard them whispering and giggling mischievously every now and then. But that was a common occurrence between them, and he didn’t give it any mind.

“Just thinking,” he drawled, dropping his voice after a quick glance at the girls, “about my birthday present. And how much I will enjoy unwrapping it, inch by slow inch.”

“You have my full attention,” Cassie laughed, throwing him a sultry wink. “Two words. Black. Lace.”

“Happy Birthday to me,” he chuckled, seductively running one index finger up her shorts-clad leg, enjoying how she shivered.

At four years old (four and a half, thank you very much), Eloise and Sophie Ramsey knew birthdays meant cake. The games and presents were nice too, but really, it was all about the cake.

Eloise liked chocolate cake best, with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. Lots of rainbow-colored sprinkles. Sophie didn’t mind chocolate, but she’d rather have yellow cake with cream and strawberries; the more, the better.

It was just too bad their birthday was still months and months away. Instead, they had to settle for coloring a slice of cake on the page, they thought, sharing a commiserating look with each other.

And then they heard Daddy say the magic words.

Ethan quickly dropped his hand when he heard the sound of rushing feet. Before he could react, his arms were full of two little girls, their bodies vibrating excitedly.

“Daddy, is it your birthday today?” they chorused, pulling at the front of his shirt.

“Can we have a party?” Sophie said winningly, twirling one finger around a lock of hair.

“And birthday cake,” Eloise said, smacking her lips in a gesture reminiscent of her mother.

Ignoring Cassie’s snort and “Busted!” comment, he struggled for balance as Eloise and Sophie climbed atop the couch. They surrounded him, caging him between themselves, their tiny hands patting his cheeks for attention.

“Can we? Please?”

“Please, Daddy. Please?”

“It’s not my birthday today,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over their incessant pleading.

“It’s next week,” Cassie piped in eagerly.

“Not helping, Rookie,” Ethan glared at her, using the old nickname as he did whenever she annoyed him.

The girls ignored them, talking out loud as they planned who to invite to the party. Their list seemed to include everyone they’d ever met in their life.

“Grandpa Alan, Uncle Naveen, Aunty Si and Uncle Max. And Noah and Belle and Amelia and Bailey—”

“Don’t forget Grandmother Livvy and Grandpa Robbie,” Eloise interrupted her sister impatiently. “And Uncle Bryce and Aunt Rora.”

“Daddy, can we get a clown for the party?” Sophie asked.

“I want a magician,” Eloise added, tripping over the word so that it sounded like ‘maj-shun’.

“No, we cannot,” Ethan said grumpily, his scowl designed to dampen their enthusiasm. It didn’t work as he’d intended.

“Why not?” Eloise shot back.

She lifted her chin mulishly, green eyes firing in a surprisingly adult manner. However, Sophie’s eyes pooled with tears, making Ethan feel like a heel.

“Yeah, Dr. Ramsey, why not?” Cassie teased, lifting Sophie onto her lap as she scooted beside him on the couch.

“I never liked celebrating my birthday,” he explained calmly, looking down at his daughters.

Sophie was now cuddled against her mother, her face half-hidden, but he could see the damp spot forming on Cassie’s white top. If one thing was guaranteed to make him cave despite his best intentions, it was watching his daughters cry.

“We want cake,” Eloise said stubbornly, crossing her arms.

“How about we go to the bakery and get cake?” Ethan cajoled, feeling trapped.

“But that’s not a birthday cake,” Sophie argued, voice wobbly.

“A cake is a cake,” Ethan said reasonably, throwing Cassie a pleading look, hoping she’d back him up on this.

“A birthday cake is special,” Cassie nodded sagely. “Especially when it comes with balloons and pizza. Want to help me plan the party, girls?”

Traitor, Ethan thought in annoyance, shooting Cassie a look that promised retribution.

The twins jumped in delight, their voices bubbling over with excitement. And Ethan resigned himself to the inevitable as he watched his plans to seduce his wife go up in smoke.

Looks like he was having a birthday party.

-------------

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