#i have a movie night tonight and need to go shopping now ive left it all very last minute cause i was chilling. chillmaxxing some might say

[mercless]

🗡 deleted a post i didnt mean to from my drafts but i cant remember what it was so we press on 🫡

[floralseokjin]

⤑ made-up love song iii.

Your first encounter with Kim Seokjin doesn’t go so well, nor your second, or your third… and maybe that’s because it shouldn’t work on paper. You’re an elementary school teacher, never left the country despite hitting the third decade of your life not so long ago, and you’re unable to remember the last time you dated. He’s the dad of one of your students, nearly a decade older than you and divorced. Oh yes, and just another minor detail – he’s a multimillionaire. 

Your lives are lightyears apart, yet somehow, your paths having now crossed, things just seem to fall into place…

pairing; kim seokjin x reader  au/genre/warnings; strangers to lovers, romance, eventual smut, eventual angst, single dad! seokjin, ceo! seokjin, elementary school teacher! oc, age gap (oc is 30, seokjin is 37), seokjin is a dilf, lots of lasagne talk, flirting, kissing, fluff 🥰 words; 9,340

↪︎ chapter index

chapters; i • ii • iii • iv • v • vi • vii • viii • ix • x • epilogue (+ drabbles)

After you had time to calm down, of course you ended up telling Soojung about what happened on the date. You kept some things to yourself, mainly about how giddy you had felt throughout the whole thing, but you were sure she could see that for herself – she kept looking at you knowingly, and for once she kept the teasing down to a minimum. You ended up staying awake quite late, Soojung opening a bottle of wine. You were still excited from the date and the thought of what was to come next, but somewhere along the line, you and your best friend started getting into your feelings. (Was it really a Saturday night until you and Soojung ended it with slightly drunk sappy heart to hearts and hugs? Obviously not…) 

For the first time in a while you felt comfortable enough to open up about your love life (or lack of one) and felt it easy to talk about the past and to even bring up Donghae. He was a forbidden topic for the most part, no matter how much you were over him, but tonight had changed something. You didn’t know how to explain it, and no, it wasn’t because Seokjin was somehow the man of your dreams who had magically made things better with just one date. That was dumb and only happened in cliché Hallmark movies. 

No, it was because tonight had shown you that life goes on. No matter what rock bottom you hit, or how long it took you to get over it, no hurt was forever. You’d been single for a long time, and happy at that – after you’d gotten over the heartbreak of Donghae cheating on you – but tonight you’d had fun. You’d enjoyed yourself, enjoyed Seokjin’s company. You didn’t know what would come of your second date, or if there would be a third, but you were okay with that. You were just living in the moment, and right now you really liked that infuriating-not-so-infuriating bastard. 

You were taking a chance, just like he was, and it was actually pretty exciting…

.

.

You woke up late the next morning, something you didn’t reprimand yourself for because it was summer break after all, but also, you had a raging wine headache that had needed all the shut eye it could get. Your head was still throbbing slightly as you reached for your phone on the bedside table but seeing a text from Seokjin waiting for you made it miraculously disappear. 

Seokjin (10:28am) Hi Y/N, Thank you for such a great time last night. I can’t wait until Saturday. Would it be alright with you if I kept in touch throughout the week?  Seokjin

You giggled to yourself at his insane formalities. Why was that so adorable? But most importantly how could he be both cute and sexy at the same time? He was hellbent on making you lose your mind. You thought about teasing him, asking him when he’d grown comfortable enough to drop the Regards from yesterday, but despite how well last night had gone, and despite how much you loved joking around with him in person, over the phone seemed different. You were still a little nervous – giddy nervous, but nervous, nevertheless. Your conversation from last night with Soojung came back to you, reminding you that this was all too real. You were potentially catching feelings for this man, and it was new, and exciting, but equal parts terrifying now that you’d woken up with a hangover. 

Everything you typed out in reply seemed way too stiff, so growing frustrated, you settled on an emoji to cut through the formalities. 

You (10:49am) I had such a lovely time too, Seokjin. Of course it’s fine to keep in touch. I’m looking forward to Saturday night! 😊

What did he mean exactly about keeping in touch?, you wondered as you got out of bed, padding your way down the stairs and into the kitchen for a much needed glass of ice cold water. A good morning text? A how are you? You knew he was busy with work all week, so you weren’t expecting too much, but just knowing he wanted to stay in contact until next Saturday made you smile to yourself as you waited for his response. 

You didn’t have to wait long. 

Seokjin (10:55am) Great! I’m so excited to try your World famous Italian lasagne 😁

Cute. He’d followed your lead, ditching the last of the formalities and even signing off with an emoji instead. You instantly felt more at ease, but – 

Oh no. 

Why did he have to bring that up and remind you of your humiliating blunder? You knew what would be taking up all of your time for the few days – you needed to perfect this goddamn dish. 

Soojung on the other hand was unbothered by your predicament. Mind in the gutter as always. “Do you think that’s a euphemism for something else?” She asked straight away once you’d shown her your messages a few hours later. 

“Soojung!” You exclaimed, feeling yourself get a little hot in the face. You wish she’d stop bringing up sex, it was stressing you out. You told her as much. 

“You’re the one who’s invited him to your house for a second date.” 

You stared at her, greatly unimpressed. “You know why I invited him here.” 

You’d told her last night. You’d been hit with a surge of confidence when you’d suggested it was your turn to decide on something. In truth though, you didn’t know the first thing about restaurants, you hardly ever ate out, and when you did it was either fast food or at the food court in the department store Soojung worked at. You knew he wouldn’t have minded any choice you’d made, but that didn’t stop the slight apprehension you felt. 

It was normal, given your difference in lifestyles, and whilst that seemed to be no issue thankfully, that difference was still there. However really, that’s why you’d chosen to cook for him. Seokjin had shown you something close to him last night – the restaurant he owned with his brother, and now you were to show him something close to your heart. Something that was you. You loved cooking and baking in your spare time and you wanted to share that with him however small. Granted it was things you were confident with, but lasagne couldn’t be that hard, right? A true perfectionist, you’d master it quickly enough…

Soojung rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you could suggest McDonald’s and Dilf would be insanely happy.” She nudged you, squealing like a kid. “He’s just so into you!”

You wouldn’t bite. She was making you nervous again. “Stop calling him Dilf, he has a name.”

“Geez, sorry.” She held up her hands in apology. “Didn’t mean to offend your man.” 

You pushed her shoulder, silently telling her to quit it.

For the next few days it became your life’s goal to master the art of lasagne. Sunday night was spent googling recipes, trying to find the most authentic one. There seemed to be a lot of fuss on the right type of pasta. Flat edged would be fine, but the wavy edge was best. You made note of that. Next was the sauce. Two types. The tomato based one and then the white one – which you learned was called Bechamel. That seemed pretty easy to cook up, but the former seemed a little daunting. Every time you’d had pasta sauce in the past it had been premade, starting from scratch was giving you anxiety. Seokjin thought this was your expertise so you had to make it believable. What if you made it too salty? Too bland?

…Possibly you were thinking way too hard about this. Soojung thought the same. 

“Just buy it in a jar, Y/N, for Christ’s sake. You’re taking this way too seriously. You don’t need to learn fluent Italian to make your little white lie believable. It’s a goddamn lasagne.” 

She had a point. 

“He’d be happy with a sandwich. He’s coming over for you, not the shitty lasagne.” 

“Don’t call my non-existent lasagne shitty, you’re setting me up for failure.” You grumbled, looking at the ten tabs you had up on your laptop screen, all claiming to be the best most authentic recipe around.  

On Monday you went shopping for ingredients. You knew a small world foods store that was just outside of town, you’d been there a couple of times when you’d been baking with the children for class. With help from signposted aisles, you found what you were looking for in no time at all, so that night, you and Soojung both tucked into your first (sort of) homemade lasagne. Only the Bechamel sauces was harder to master than you’d first thought. 

“I think you added too much flour.” Soojung’s nose wrinkled as she spoke. “It’s nice, don’t get me wrong, but the white stuff… I don’t know, maybe it’s supposed to taste like that?” 

Nope, she was definitely correct, too much flour, which was odd because you were pretty positive you’d followed the right measurements… 

Tuesday you had a day off from the sight, and even the word lasagne. You met for coffee with your mom but kept the date with Seokjin a secret. Not that she pressed about your love life anymore, she’d long given up on that topic. It was nice to catch up and you made plans for a trip soon. It was hard to find time to visit her when you were in work so you were always thankful for the summer and Christmas breaks. You were her only child, so it made your time together even more precious. She’d only remarried ten years ago, and while Jonathon had kids from his first marriage, they lived abroad. They were older than you and had families of their own. You weren’t particularly close for no other reason than the distance. You’d only met them a few times but they were lovely people. Your father had remarried while you were still in high school, having two more children (a son and daughter) with his wife. You were very close to them despite the age gap and saw them as regularly as you could. Your extended family had long been the norm and you wouldn’t change it for the world. 

Wednesday you were back on the lasagne. You purchased more pasta sauce and decided on the pre-made Bechamel sauce too, just to be safe. This time around everything went smoothly, Soojung had no complaints and neither did you, but you still invited Taehyung around on Thursday for a third go. He was way more enthusiastic than your best friend, singing your praises all night. 

“Y/N, that was amazing!” He exclaimed, leaning back in his chair to pat his belly. “Dilf dick – Uh, I mean, Seokjin, is going to love it.” 

“Guys, is that what you really call him when you’re alone together?” You whined. 

“Blame Soo,” Taehyung shrugged. “She’s rubbed off on me. But, I’m right,” he smirked. “He’s going to want to give you his DD once he tastes this, if you know what I mean.” 

Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, you looked on unimpressed. Maybe if you gave them no reaction they’d stop? 

“Oooo. I wonder what his dick even looks like. I bet it’s as handsome as his face.” Soojung squealed, sat beside her boyfriend. 

“SOOJUNG!” He cried, mouth open in disbelief. 

“Can we just stop talking about his… y’know…” You sighed, unable to say the word aloud. “Imagine if it was the other way around and he was wondering about what I looked like naked.” Soojung wouldn’t be impressed, that was for sure. 

“Fine, you’re right,” your best friend sighed. “I’m just way too excited because you finally like someone!!” She was getting loud now, she always did when she was excited. “And I want it to work out because you deserve it!” 

You chuckled. “Soo, calm down.” But you had to admit her words were sweet. You reached for her hand across the tiny table, giving it a gentle squeeze of thanks. 

“What about Barman dick?” Taehyung asked randomly, totally oblivious that you and she were having a moment. “Huh? Soo? You want my Barman dick tonight?” He wiggled his eyebrows again, a playfulness to his voice as he nudged her. 

She giggled but wasn’t having any of it. “It doesn’t really have the same ring to it, babe.” 

Highly offended he pulled away, pursing his lips. “Whatever.”

“Okay guys, let’s not have a domestic at the dining table.” You laughed. Which was a mistake because now Taehyung’s attention was back on you. 

“So, Y/N, when are you going to invite Mr. Dilf to my bar?”

You sniggered. “How about never?”

“Hey, you ladies are being very mean tonight. I complimented your lasagne.” Hm. That was true, you guessed. “What’s wrong with my bar? I think he’d love it. What does he drink? I see him as a dark rum type of guy.” 

You shrugged. “He was drinking red wine on our date last week.” It still made you feel funny to say the word date. You’d gone on a date. You were dating. A flurry of excitement found its way to your stomach, your excitement for Saturday growing. 

“Interesting,” Taehyung mused.

Soojung stood up, starting to collect your plates. “Okay, I’m washing, who’s drying?”

“Not me,” you sang. “I’ve cooked nearly every night this week.” 

Soojung eyes were wide when you met them, as if she was silently begging you. For what? “Just please promise me there won’t be any lasagne waiting for me after work tomorrow night? I’m going to turn into one at this rate.” 

Saturday arrived soon enough. You woke up the same time your phone went Bing and you knew exactly who it was. Seokjin had been texting you Good morning every day since Monday. He was no longer signing them off with his name, which was progress, and he was even adding more emojis, so you guessed you had rubbed off on him. 

Sometimes he’d drop a meme with the greeting. They were mostly to do with early mornings and workloads to which you’d tease him about because it was your summer vacation after all, you didn’t need to worry about work. But you always sent a Hope today runs smoothly his way too. You didn’t want to rub it in too much. 

Yesterday’s meme had been about dating, something about the guy trying to flirt but being garbage at it and asking if she liked cheese. You didn’t agree that was like Seokjin though – you were gradually learning that he was incredibly modest – but it had made you laugh. Only Seokjin could send you lame memes and you’d find it adorable… You were possibly whipped. 

Seokjin (8:01am)  Good morning. [Image sent] 

Today the meme was about lasagne, which made you question whether he was googling these every morning because no way had a lasagne meme popped up on his social media – if he used any at all. The realisation that he was searching for memes every day was even more endearing and your heart got a little gooey. You read the text on top of the image of lasagne. Dude, is that your new white shirt? Lemme just hop off this fork for a closer look. You genuinely laughed at that one, still wrapped up in your bed sheets. So incredibly lame, but equal levels funny. 

Seokjin (8:01am)  I will not be wearing white… I can’t wait to see you later. Just a reminder that I hope you omitted the garlic for tonight’s meal. I don’t want to embarrass myself by itching all night 😅😂

Immediately the smile dropped from your face and you shot forward, horror washing over you. Oh no. He was allergic to garlic. With the stress of perfecting the world’s best lasagne you’d totally forgotten. What were you going to do? Find a plain tomato sauce? Where the hell were you going to find one? Was that even a thing? You needed to leave now. Jumping out of bed you almost forgot to message Seokjin back. Looking at your phone again the image of the lasagne mocked you… 

.

.

Two hours later you were back at home, in need of a sit down after you’d rushed around town looking for a pasta sauce that didn’t contain garlic (very hard, by the way.) The stress had aged you about ten years. Soojung of course found it highly hilarious. 

“You’d have been in ER before 9pm,” she chortled, still in her pyjamas on the couch. She’d been still asleep when you’d dashed off, a woman on a lasagne mission. 

You ignored her. It wouldn’t have been that bad, right? He said himself he’d only be itching… Clawing off his own skin was probably better than his throat closing up… maybe… 

“How did you manage to forget?” She was still laughing. “AND you said you’d make a lasagne. Italian food always uses garlic. He must think you’re trying to kill him.” At this point you could hardly understand her, words blurring into one as she lost her shit. 

“We went over this. I wasn’t in my right mind when I said I’d cook lasagne.”

She stopped her laugher immediately.  “No way, you’re not blaming me again.” 

“Ugh.” You sighed, suddenly remembering something. “I was going to make my homemade garlic bread.” Now that was a speciality of yours. This night was going to be a disaster.

“Skip the garlic,” Soojung suggested. 

“So, just bread then.” 

She tried her best not to laugh again, not wanting to make it worse. “Yum.” 

It didn’t help. 

What did help though, was making her clean the entirety of the downstairs of the house. As the day went on you started to get more and more nervous, which was silly, but you couldn’t help it. You realised that your place was a shoe box in comparison to his, what the hell were you thinking when you’d invited him here?! It needed to be spotless, to distract him from the fact you would be eating dinner in the same place you would be cooking it… 

You knew there was no need to worry, it was just like last week when you’d grown self-conscious only to be fine once you’d set eyes on Seokjin. No doubt tonight would be just the same, he didn’t give a crap about stuff like that, so why would you even think he would? He’d probably be hurt if he knew… You just couldn’t help those little bubbles of insecurities from floating around inside your brain. You were a law unto yourself, and the garlic-less lasagne wasn’t helping. You’d had no time to prep for it. What if it tasted like cardboard? 

“Lasagne is lasagne,” Soojung reassured you, in the kitchen as you got all the ingredients together. “It’s not going to taste gross just because there’s no garlic in it. Put it this way, at least you can kiss without needing to pop a mint.” 

You whined, shaking your head, you couldn’t even dare thinking about kissing him right now. You’d spontaneously combust from anxiety. 

“Should we clean your room too?” She asked, picking up the jar of pasta sauce absentmindedly. You’d already read the label approximately fifteen times, double checking it was indeed garlic-less. 

“What? No,” you told her, voice all high-pitched. There would be no going upstairs besides from bathroom usage. “But hey,” you exclaimed, rounding on her with the spoon you were holding in your hand. “My room is always clean, bitch.”

She was the messy one.

.

.

Soojung left for Taehyung’s place at half 6, ready for Seokjin’s arrival at 7pm, a hug for good luck before you waved her off. You’d calmed greatly now, nothing like some table laying to ease some nerves. The lasagne was prepped and ready to oven cook, you had a fresh key lime pie in the fridge and you were dressed and presentable with ten minutes to spare. Wonderful. 

The doorbell rung not long after you’d made your way downstairs and you were quickly finding out that Seokjin was a very punctual man. Opening the door to reveal him stood at the porch your heart instantly warmed, skipping a beat when he gave you a dazzling smile and a soft Hey. You felt a little weak at the knees. Nope, you were not ready for tonight. 

In your tiny entryway he offered you a silver gift bag. “I didn’t know what to bring, so.” He said with a shrug as you pulled out a bottle of red wine. 

“Oh, thank you, Seokjin.” You hadn’t been expecting him to bring anything at all. It was a lovely surprise. 

“You probably have some waiting already. I’m sorry.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” you reassured him. “We’ll use this one.” You were going to use a bottle of white wine you had laying around, nothing special at all. Red wine seemed better, fancier, maybe it would go better with the lasagne?

“Are you sure?” He asked. “I was gonna get you flowers but I didn’t want to freak you out or anything.”

You laughed. What was he going on about? “Why would that freak me out?”

His smile was crooked as he chuckled quietly. “I don’t know. I’m new to this, I thought they would’ve been too forward.” 

You gave a small shrug, voice barely there when you replied. “I like flowers.”

He gazed at you, warm eyes softening as he stepped forward. “Next time.” He smiled. “Next time I’ll get you flowers.” 

You swallowed fairly loudly, averting your gaze as you outstretched your arms. “Let me take you coat.” Was it hot in here? You felt a little stuffy. 

He shrugged off the beige wool blend, revealing the tight fitting black shirt he had on underneath. It stretched over his shoulders, accentuating how broad they were, how hard his chest was and how much his waist curved inwards. The pants he was wearing didn’t help matters too. He looked effortlessly gorgeous, hair parted to the side, a piece curled above his left eye, softening the blow of his exposed forehead. You moved to hook his coat on the rack, realising you could’ve been gawping. Not that you could help it, the man was trying to kill you.

As you turned to face him again, he smiled. “You look really nice.” His voice was soft which just made it even more dangerous. “I think this may be the first time I’ve seen you in pants.” 

“Really?” You wondered. You were partial to a dress in the summer, so he was probably right. You’d chosen a pair of black skinny jeans and a patterned chiffon blouse. Nothing too fancy, but he looked at you with awe-filled eyes. Unless you were imagining it. You cleared your throat. “You look good too.”

He stepped back, arms outstretched as he looked down at himself. “Thanks. No white.” He chuckled. 

You forced yourself to laugh too, nerves creeping back just because of your stupid damn lasagne. “No white.” 

Moving forward again he took your hand. It was warm and soft, just as you remembered from last week. Who cared about the lasagne when you were this close to him? When he was looking down at you with those brown, twinkly eyes? Not you anymore. 

“I’ve been looking forward to this all week, Y/N.” 

Oh.

.

.

You invited him inside the living room first, pouring him a small (and his only because he the car) glass of wine as you chit chatted for a few minutes. Sat next to him was RJ, who you’d taken from your bedroom to join you both for the night. He wanted to say Hi, had been your opening line and Seokjin had found it hilarious, cracking up instantly. Although his “I missed you buddy, how have you been?” went rudely ignored. Maybe the alpaca was nervous… 

Ever the gentleman, he complimented you on the house, noting the décor with a fond eye. That surprised you, maybe he had played a part with the interior of his home. Well, you’d only seen the cosy family room – but it suited him very well. You knew there had been no need to be nervous when it came to inviting him into your home. There wasn’t a judging bone in Seokjin’s body. 

You talked about your weeks, yours had been fine, but of course you left out all the stress over the lasagne. Seokjin’s week on the other hand had been quite demanding, but that was nothing new he told you with an accepting shake of his hand. He was used to it by now, but he had to admit tonight’s date had made it easier this time around. He was full of the charm, not that you were complaining…

Misook was babysitting Arin tonight, he told you when you asked how she was. It was his weekend this week, he and Nana took it in turns – when she didn’t cancel, he added as an afterthought – but he seemed a lot more relaxed talking about his ex-wife this time around seeing as last weekend she hadn’t broken any promises. He was happy if his daughter was happy, and that made you smile. You remembered Arin’s sorrowful face that day her mom had cancelled on her, so you were glad they’d found time to spend time together. You also remembered how irritated Seokjin had sounded when he was opening up to you on the bench at the school fate… You wondered just how often Nana cancelled plans, and couldn’t imagine how frustrating that was for both Arin and Seokjin… You hoped this marked the start of things being easier for them now. 

Soon after that, you served him your starter (“garlic – wait, no I mean, no-garlic bread.”), and you chatted some more over that and while the lasagne baked. It was surprising how little you’d touched the sides on your first date, so tonight you covered even more bases. Family mainly. You told him about your half and step siblings, your parents’ remarriages of course coming up too. He seemed interested in that, wondering about your views on it and if it had affected you as you grew up. As a divorcee you understood the relevance to him and because he was so easy to talk to you found yourself opening up freely. 

His parents were still married and Seokjin was the youngest out of their two sons, so it was quite unheard of for the second born to take over a family company. In fact, it was the first of its kind for his, which made it even harder for him. His older brother had been the rightful heir to LG Electronics but his passion had always been in culinary arts. His parents had been kind enough to let him follow his dreams, and thankfully, for Seokjin, that meant he could follow in his father’s footsteps. He’d been eager to prove himself but it had been hard in the beginning. His status as the youngest son meant that a lot of people set him up for failure, but with his family’s love and belief he’d managed to succeed and confirm himself as the rightful CEO. You didn’t doubt it. It seemed he’d worked hard to get where he was now. That was admirable. 

The influx of information was so interesting to you and it didn’t feel real. While you could imagine Seokjin taking charge, visualising him in that tailored houndstooth suit he’d worn when you’d first met him, it was strange to think the smiley and soft-spoken man sat in front of you was from a long line of power and wealth. He should be untouchable, yet here you were able to reach for his hand across the table. Able to feel his forefinger stroking delicate patterns into your palm as you opened up and got to know one another more and more… 

“So, if your family’s a big deal, what about things like arranged marriages? Are they still a thing?” You asked, maybe confusing fiction for fact. 

Seokjin laughed at your wording. “They used to be, not so much anymore. I met my ex-wife through a friend. They concentrate less on things like that these days.” He shrugged, adding as an afterthought, “As a divorced CEO I think I’m a great example of that.” 

That was true, you thought to yourself, wondering how the breakdown of his marriage had also played a part in the stress of his early years as CEO. 

“I know it all sounds pretty crazy, but I like to think my family is just like anyone else’s.” He continued, smiling bashfully when you met his gaze. “That I’m just like anyone else.” 

You wondered how many people had immediately judged him because of his status… You’d been one of them, right? Even if you hadn’t known any of the details, you’d written him off as some obnoxious, rich guy who flaunted his wealth… You felt guilty thinking back. He was the complete opposite.

You nodded in agreement before grinning. “I’d have liked to see what college Seokjin was like.” 

“A complete nerd, to tell you the truth.” 

He answered so seriously, you didn’t know how to react, and then he was laughing loudly, cracking up at himself. You couldn’t help but join in. That’s when your stove alarm went off, shrill and incessant, signalling the arrival of the dreaded lasagne…

It turned out he loved it though. 

“This is amazing,” Seokjin praised, mouth still half full as he chewed. You did have to admit it was good. It tasted just like the original, despite the lack of garlic. Seokjin quirked an eyebrow, smirking your way. “So, how lucky am I to be able to try this World famous Italian lasagne?” 

“Very lucky.” You kept your answer short. Hoping he’d just drop it. 

He didn’t. 

“How lucky?” He tried to pry from you. “How many people have tried it?” 

You gave him a small smile, hovering your fork over the plate. Technically he was the third, but you couldn’t tell him that, could you? “I can’t disclose that.” 

He emitted a short laugh. “What about the recipe? Care to share?” 

You brushed him off with a soft chuckle. “A chef never tells her secrets.”

“Not even me?” His bottom lip jutted out as he looked across at you. 

Your heart did a little dance. He was being unfair. “Don’t pout like that, it’s making me feel guilty.” 

Thankfully the lasagne topic fizzled out after a couple more minutes, your cold sweat having time to dissipate while you chatted and ate together comfortably. However a few minutes later you noticed Seokjin fidgeting slightly in his seat. You politely ignored it to begin with, unsure if you were just imagining it, but then he started itching the back of his neck. You put your fork down, a sick feeling washing over you. “Is anything wrong?” You asked, now watching him itch up his forearm. “Seokjin?”

He looked at you in mild confusion, eyebrows creasing together as he opened his mouth. “Are you sure there wasn’t any garlic in this?” 

You swallowed away the panic racing up your throat. “I’m sure.” You’d read the back of that jar and then read it some more. “I’m positive.” 

… Weren’t you? You watched him scoot his chair back, leaning down to start scratching the back of his calves. He made noises of discomfort as he did so. 

“Oh, no…” You were up before you could stop yourself, racing around him to start hunting in the recycling for the glass jar. 

“Wait, where are you going?” 

You could hear Seokjin’s voice behind you, sounding alarmed, but you were too panicked to really take it in. You needed to be sure. This was just your second date, you couldn’t ruin things already. Turning him into one giant itchy red blob had not been your intention.  

“I was only teasing you.” Still, his words didn’t sink in. That was until you felt a hand on your elbow, tugging gently for your attention. 

You spun around, worried eyes wide – even wider when you found him so close. He was on his feet too, bent a little to level with you, pretty much within kissing distance. His voice was soft when he spoke, you found yourself distracted by his mouth. “Y/N, I was just messing around.”

You blinked, not truly understanding with all those annoying distractions zooming around your mind, but slowly you pieced his words together. Oh. Despite the relief you felt, now you just felt silly. Plus, he was still so close to you… 

You took a step back, the small of your back pressing up against the counter. You needed a clear head. “Don’t freak me out like that.” You told him, but you still sighed in relief, hand against your chest. “I thought I’d poisoned you.” 

He looked a little concerned, but you could tell by his eyes he found your reaction amusing. “I’m sorry,” he apologised. “I just wanted to make you laugh.”

“Make me laugh? You nearly gave me heart failure.” However, you gave him what he wanted, a laugh that sounded weak and shaky, but it was something – you did see the funny side. 

He joined you, shoulders relaxing now that he knew you were okay. He looked behind you, eyes on the trashcan, a bemused smile on his face. “What were you looking for anyway?”

“The jar.” You answered, as if it wasn’t obvious. You turned, deciding to fish it out anyway. Holding it up to him, you were adamant. “See, no garlic. Check.” 

He chuckled. “I already said I was joking.” He took one look at your desperate expression and gave in, taking the jar from your hand. “But if it makes you feel better…” You watched him as he read the label, silently soaking in his handsome features. He looked softer tonight, the curve of his jaw rounding as he smiled. It took you a moment to realise he was done. He handed the jar back to you, and you prayed to God he hadn’t caught you staring at him all gooey-eyed. “It’s fine.” He confirmed. “I’ll be itch free tonight.” 

You smiled and plopped the glass back inside the can. “I looked around town for hour trying to find lasagne sauce sans garlic.” 

He looked guilty. “I’m sorry for being awkward.” Then he paused, eyes narrowing, the hint of a smirk itching at the corners of his mouth. “But… Y/N, are you a fraud?” Huh? What did he mean? You didn’t need to wait long for an explanation. “I thought a certified chef would cook up a batch of her own tomato sauce.”

Oh. You’d gone and put your foot in it, hadn’t you? It was probably time to explain yourself… “I have a confession,” you began, sounding wary. Seokjin looked interested albeit it mildly confused. “I… may have told a little white lie.”

He shook his head, a puff of laughter leaving him. “You’ve lost me.” 

You took a deep breath, knowing you were going to have to spell it out for him. “I’ve never made lasagne before. Ever. In my entire life.” 

He looked confused as silence spread out between you. He sounded it too when he spoke again. “Then why did you say it was your speciality?”

You groaned, dropping your face into your hands for one dramatic moment. “I panicked.” Peeking at him, you babbled on. “I know it sounds stupid but Soojung was curtain twitching and it was stressing me out and then you were asking me what I cooked and lasagne just popped into my head!”

Seokjin blinked, his mouth twitched and then he was laughing – loudly. 

“You find it funny?” You asked, relaxing a tad. 

“Very.” He laughed harder but seeing the look of bafflement on your face he tried is best to still it. 

“I’ve been practicing it like crazy,” you whined, happy you could finally tell him all about your lasagne struggles. “This is my fourth time eating it this week. Soojung nearly killed me.” You snorted at the memory. This started up Seokjin again. “And then I forgot you were allergic to garlic. Your text reminded me this morning and I had to rush out to the grocery store.” 

He was weak at the knees at that, and you were laughing just because he was. It was contagious. “Stop,” you wailed, attempting to get a hold of yourself. This week had actually been quite traumatic. “I’m glad you find it funny, I’ve been in constant stress ever since you drove off last week.” 

“I can’t help it.” He chuckled, although he did sound apologetic. “You’re just so adorable.” The air that settled around his effortless admission made your skin prickle. When he carried on, his tone was gentle. “You know I wouldn’t have minded if you changed the menu to something else, right?” 

You pouted ever so slightly. “But you were looking forward to it.” 

He gave a small shrug. “True, but… that was more so code for ‘I’m looking forward to seeing you again.’ The food was just a bonus. I’d be happy with a Big Mac.” 

You felt your cheeks burn and you tried to shake yourself out of it. “So embarrassing,” you murmured. You didn’t know what for… The lasagne mess or the fact he could have this much of an effect of you? You were inclined to go with the latter. 

“What about the no-garlic bread?” Seokjin asked, changing the subject a little. Maybe he’d sensed your embarrassment and didn’t want to make it worse. He was sweet. “Did you make that?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “Well, I didn’t bake the bread. I just toasted it.” It was still a speciality of yours though. “It would’ve been much tastier with the garlic.” 

He gave you an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. This body wants to turn me into a miserable old man.” 

Pfft. Old? Miserable? He was anything but. 

“Sit,” he prompted you, smiling as he motioned with his head to the table. “Finish your World famous Italian lasagne before it grows cold.” 

As you moved he delicately cupped his hand around the curve your waist, giving it a soft squeeze before he got to his chair first. Your stomach flipped, head dizzy as you sat and tucked your chair in. Last Saturday popped into your head, the way you’d loosely held hands outside and how you were sure he’d been leaning in to kiss you – properly. 

You knew one thing. You really wanted to kiss him tonight. 

Trying to get a hold of yourself, you glanced at him, catching his eyes. He was already tucking in again, and he grinned bashfully, as if embarrassed. “This really is great. All that practice paid off.” A pause. “You should show me how you cooked it sometime.” 

Your face lit up in surprise. “You cook?” In the back of your mind you were aware that he’d probably been hinting for a third date, but you were so shocked by the possibly of Seokjin cooking you couldn’t stop yourself from asking. 

He chuckled quietly. “I mean, when I have time and can be bothered. I like cooking but it’s just easier to go to a restaurant or get it delivered.” He looked sheepish before adding, “Or Misook does it for me.” 

There was no shame when it came to that. Seokjin probably worked all hours of the day, no one could expect him to tie on an apron when he got home and start pulling out pots and pans. 

“Do you cook a lot?” He asked. 

You nodded. “Soojung and I take it in turns.” 

“So what is your speciality?” He smiled. 

This time around you were in your right mind and able to answer properly. “Veggie tacos.” 

He raised his eyebrows, impressed. Then he tried again. “Can you make them for me sometime?”

He was persistent, you’d give him that. You shrugged, trying your best to sound impassive but the little smirk gave it away. “Maybe if you say please…” 

He laughed, leaning forward, a hand clasping yours as he tilted his head. The piece of curled hair falling into his left eye. “Please?”

Your heart did another little dance inside your chest. 

.

. 

After dessert you both made your way back to the living room, settling on your couch with two pomegranate mocktails Taehyung had prepared for you yesterday. All you had to do was add the pomegranate juice and lemonade to the ice cubes and crushed lime segments and mint before serving, easy-peasy. Seokjin was highly impressed, but of course you couldn’t take the credit. It was all down to your best friend’s very helpful barman boyfriend. 

You were glad Seokjin wanted to stay as you didn’t want the night to be over yet. It had flown by so fast and you’d had so much fun. You already felt like you knew him better, even after only two dates. It was strange to you, how you could feel so relaxed in a stranger’s company, but then again, you guessed he wasn’t a stranger anymore… Plus, he was so easy to talk to, so interesting to get to know…. Everything between you two came easy. 

Like opening up to him, being a bit more vulnerable… 

“I’ve been slightly nervous all week,” you admitted, clutching your drink to you before chuckling softly. “– and not just about the lasagne faux pas…” 

“There was no need to be nervous. I thought we left all that behind on the first date,” Seokjin reassured, smiling warmly your way. 

You were sat together, turned to face one another. It was intimate and cosy. He had one leg lifted, the ankle resting on the knee of the other leg, and where his pants had ridden up, you could see an inch or so of his calf before it met the black cotton of his sock. For some reason, you found that very, very sexy. Maybe you had been single for far too long. 

“We did,” you agreed, hesitating slightly. “It’s just… I haven’t done anything like this in so long.” 

You didn’t even think you’d ever invited someone around for dinner before. You were still quite young when you found yourself in a relationship with Donghae so your dates before him had been very basic. Your dates with him hadn’t really classed as such just because you became official fairly quickly, and your dates after him, well, it was already known that they had been few and far between. 

“You already know we’re in the same boat,” he smiled before chuckling bashfully. “No, but really, when I asked you for dinner that day at the fate I was expecting you to turn me down.” 

“How come?”

He looked down at his drink, lifting a shoulder. “I thought you’d think that I was crossing a line… or maybe the spark I was feeling was all in my head and in reality you just found me really annoying.” 

That was cute. He’d been doubting himself. Human after all. Not that you’d ever thought he wasn’t. You still didn’t miss the opportunity to joke around though. “I mean, both can exist simultaneously.” He taking a sip of his mocktail when you replied so he ended up snorting into his glass, amused by your wit. 

A moment or so passed and Seokjin gazed at you, smiling softly. If he kept this up, you’d be a puddle on your parquet flooring. “So, tell me,” he hummed. “How did I luck out so good?” You raised an eyebrow, wondering what he meant. “How come an amazing person like you isn’t married or in a relationship?”

He must’ve seen the slight shock on your face and panicked instantly. “Is that a weird thing to ask? I feel like it is. I apologise.”

“No,” you insisted, sitting up a little straighter. He followed. “No, it’s not.” You wanted to open up to him. You really did. You just didn’t know where to start. Although, it was pretty simple. “I’ve been single for a while.” 

“How long?” Seokjin was instantly focused, attentive, noticing the change in your body language. 

“Three years. My last relationship didn’t end very well.” You paused, wondering if you should continue. But then… It had been a massive part of your life. No matter how much time had passed and no matter how okay you were now, it had still happened. And Seokjin, he had trusted you enough to open up about his divorce – even before you’d gone on your first date. You wanted to talk about it. You really did. 

“I found out my fiancé was cheating on me.”  

Seokjin’s eyes widened, unable to cloak his surprise. He hadn’t been expecting that. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said sincerely. 

“It’s fine,” you smiled. “It was rough getting over it. Took me a while, but it is what it is. It’s in the past now.” 

“Did it put you off dating?” 

You were pleasantly surprised to find it was actually easy to talk to Seokjin about this. Your mouth was opening before you had to think about it. “I mean, at first. I was still very much in love with him, even after he broke my heart. But I got over him and I started dating again – briefly – It just didn’t feel right.” You stopped to smile. “It’s been over a year and I can’t say I missed it… but you…” Nerves growing, you pushed them away. “You’ve changed that. I’m having fun.” 

Seokjin’s face lit up and he chuckled. “I did hit second date status after all.” 

“You did…” 

“So,” he leaned closer, a small smirk on his face. “You could say, hitting your car that day wasn’t actually my fault because it was supposed to happen.” 

You snorted as you laughed, head falling against the back of the couch. “I wouldn’t go that far.” 

He made a sound. “But we wouldn’t have met otherwise.” 

“We would!” You exclaimed. “The parent-teacher meeting.” 

He blinked, feeling dumb. “Oh, yeah.” 

It wouldn’t have had the same effect, granted, but you would have become acquainted with one another regardless. “Would you have still liked me?” You asked without thinking, surprising yourself. 

“Yes,” he replied immediately. “I was instantly attracted to you after all, it’s just…” Instantly attracted? Definitely a charmer... “There would’ve been no way for me to get to know you like I did.”

You narrowed your eyes. “You’re really adamant that you had to reverse into my car to make this work, huh.”

He shrugged casually. “It was the only way.” 

You laughed quietly, finishing the last of your drink. Time was getting on, it was pretty late, Seokjin had already finished his, you watched him sit up to lean forward and place the glass on your coffee table. His shirt tightened across his shoulder blades and you could see his back muscles as he stretched. Oh.  

Settling back into the same position, he looked over at you and grinned. His teeth were perfect. Did this man have zero flaws? Why were you so whipped? It was embarrassing. 

“I had fun tonight,” you told him, trying to keep a lid on whatever was going on with you right now. 

He seemed pleased with that, nodding his head. “I’m happy to hear that you think I’m a fun person.” 

You scoffed, body falling closer to his. Your shoulders brushed together. Seokjin didn’t take his eyes off you. “Hm. I don’t think I said that.” 

“Hey, don’t be so mean.” He murmured, one side of his mouth quirking up. 

Like you couldn’t stop yourself, your hand reached for the collar of shirt. He had the top two buttons loose and your pinkie finger brushed against his collarbone. Sparks flew, but you tried to ignore them. “I thought you liked it when I was mean.” You teased, voice low. 

Seokjin hummed, his eyes still twinkled like they always did but there was something else to them, a depth that made you feel funny. He sunk closer to you. So close you could study the thick curve of his eyelashes, notice that both his eyelids were different. He really did have beautiful eyes. You could stare at them forever. 

Preoccupied, you slowly realised that he was watching you too, studying your features in the golden glow of the floor lamp that hovered over the couch. His lips parted, you heard them rather than saw it, but then your attention was on them again. Just like it had been earlier on in the night. He was staring at yours too as he spoke. “I wanted to kiss you last week.” 

You heartbeat quickened but you tried to keep cool. “You did kiss me.” You laughed. 

He sighed. “On the cheek.”  

You lightly tugged his collar, fingertips now brushing the skin of his chest. “Isn’t that what you said you wanted to do?”

You could feel his own heartbeat against your forearm that was pressed into him. It was definitely running a little faster than it was supposed to – stronger. “Yes, but…” He glanced up to your eyes. “I was just being polite. I wanted to kiss your lips.”

It felt like you were holding your breath. Maybe you were, you just couldn’t think straight. Time seemed to stretch out, but you knew what you wanted. So you went after it. Giving him a small smile, you replied. “Maybe I wanted that too.” 

He swallowed, voice so low now it was barely a murmur. “Is that an invitation?” His eyes bounced to your lips again, then back to your eyes as he asked permission. “Can I kiss you?”

You ever so slightly dragged your bottom lip beneath your teeth as you nodded, breath catching in your throat as Seokjin leaned forward and closed the distance between you. The hand in between your bodies moved to delicately hold the wrist of your arm against his chest, holding you there as his other hand reached for your jaw, angling your face to press a kiss to your mouth. His eyes were already closed so you followed. 

He hummed at the contact, his lips soft and warm and you let yourself sink. His actions were light at first, faint as he kept constant pressure, as if he was familiarising himself with the sensation. You couldn’t even let yourself think about how this was the first kiss you’d shared with someone for a very long time. All that was going through your mind was how good it felt to be touched like this by him. 

He readjusted the hand on your face, tucking some hair behind your ear to cup your cheek. You liked that. You liked it when he touched you, and he eased from your mouth completely before coming back with a firmer pressure. It was your turn to make a sound; a tiny gasp as your lips began to move together ever so slowly. He liked that, a hum of satisfaction vibrating against the soft skin of your lips. You clutched at his shirt, gathering the crisp cotton in your fist, that would surely turn it creased, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was too preoccupied with reaching for the glass you’d forgotten was hugged to your body by your free hand. 

He unclasped it from your fingers and had no choice but to break away from your mouth to put it next to his on the coffee table. You whined, attempting to tug him back to you, and he chuckled, taking a hold of one of your hands. “I’ll be back,” he whispered, leaning forward to place the cocktail glass down. 

And he was. 

This time he used both of his hands to grasp your face and dive back in. He was more confident this time, moving in such a way his lips pried yours open. You reached for his shoulders, grasping them to hold him closer and this time you both made noises – sweet, quiet ones that worked beautiful together as your lips moulded with gradual urgency. 

When your hands found the nape of his neck, fingers through his hair, he had to drag the tip of his tongue across your bottom lip, seeking entry. You met it with yours, tasting hints of pomegranate and lime with each wash of tongue. A hand of his slipped down to your side, stroking up and down the curve as if he couldn’t help but to touch you. He settled at your hip after a moment, the other splayed against the side of your neck, his thumb rolling small circles under your cheekbone. 

This was getting addictive. You could tell by the way you moaned softly against each warm, wet curl of his tongue. This was everything you’d imagined and more – because you had imagined it. Late and secretly at night when you were trying to drift off to sleep and thoughts of lasagne were banished… You were glad your first kiss was here, inside, on your couch, because this wasn’t something for the open, your knees wouldn’t have been able to hold you up. 

You could have kissed him forever, you mean, you definitely didn’t want it to stop but you pretty much had to. Breathing was a necessity, right? If you couldn’t breathe you wouldn’t be able to ever kiss Seokjin again and that would be absolutely awful… 

You did it the right way though – gradually. Seokjin slowed it right down, only hints of his tongue left as he hummed indulgently, like he was savouring your taste before he had to inevitably pull away. It made your insides jump around like crazy, hearing him enjoying himself, and you tried your best to come to when he started easing the pressure of his lips, pressing small, chaste kisses to them instead as you ultimately (but slowly) broke apart. 

You opened your eyes, blinking up at him, hands falling from his hair, aware you had become one with your cushions. You struggled to free yourself as he sat back and you watched him smile fondly at you. His breath was shaky – so was yours, and you were sure his hands trembled slightly as one reached up to scratch the back of his neck. His neck that was blotched with red, flushed, travelling to his cheeks. They were rosier than you’d ever seen them before. Your gut stirred. 

“I’ve been dreaming of that,” he told you, before making a face at himself. “Too cringey?” 

You giggled – it sounded foreign. “Just a bit.” But didn’t deter the fact you loved it. 

You warmed when you felt him squeeze your hip, realising his hand was still there and you reached for it, tangling your fingers with his. He pulled them to his mouth, kissing your knuckles softly. His expression was thoughtful when he lowered your hands. “In all seriousness, thank you for giving me a chance, after well, you know, everything.”

You smiled, touched by his earnestness, but it was hard to keep a sane mind when his lips were as kiss bitten as they were – deep pink and glistening. You wanted to kiss his face off. 

“It’s no problem,” you quipped, as if you were doing him a favour. 

He chuckled tenderly, and luckily for you he was unable to stop himself from kissing you again. He reached forward, hooking a finger under your chin to press his mouth to yours softly. “I’d really love if we could keep on doing… this.” He murmured. 

“The dating or the kissing,” you grinned, stealing another kiss in the process. 

“Hm,” he contemplated. “Both preferably.” 

And then you were on one another again, eager once more. 

Although, you did manage to pull away briefly to tell him something, his mouth moving to the side of your face to kiss there instead as your hands dragged down his back. You were somehow able to get the words out – ones that made him laugh against your wet jaw. 

“I’m so glad you hit my car.” 

Written 2020 - 2021.  Please refrain from posting my work elsewhere. No translations allowed. © floralseokjin 2021

[peaceisadirtyword]

Move On IV (Modern!Ivar/Reader)

A/N: Hello!💕 I don’t even know how I managed to finish this with the crazy week I’ve had💀 I had 3 exams, a huge paper to hand in and a presentation. But somehow, I did this too and I wanted to post it as soon as possible🥰 I’m quite happy of how this one turned out considering I hadn’t that much time to work on it. So I hope you like it!♥️ There’s not many parts left (2 or 3) but I have an idea for a “sequel” so if you guys like this one, maybe when it’s done I’ll work on that!

Now enjoy, stay safe and enjoy the holidays, even if this year isn’t the best one for celebrations😅 See you soon🥰 

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, mentions of sex, angst, implied Hvitserk x Reader, don’t kill me for this lol

Words: 4179 (I’m sorry)

Move On   II    III

gifs belong to @therealcalicali​ and @honestsycrets​

You actually liked to go shopping. You enjoyed walking around the shops and looking at beautiful clothes and shoes. You didn't like to try on the clothes, though, because the comparisons between the model on the photos and you were awful. 

"Aren't you gonna try that on, Y/N?"

Torvi's voice startled you. She just got out of one of the fitting rooms, wearing a beautiful silver dress that made her look even better than the model. You widened your eyes. 

"I... Don't think this will fit me" you glanced at the clothes they made you pick. Party clothes; tight dresses, short skirts, low cut crop tops... "I'm more of a comfy sweatpants and oversized hoodies girl" you raised an eyebrow. 

Torvi chuckled, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. 

"Come on, Y/N, I want to see how you look on them!"

She looked at herself on the mirror, frowning softly. You looked at the pile of clothes on the wooden table and wondered why you agreed to go shopping with Torvi, Gunhild and Lagertha when you could be at home, eating cookies and watching Disney movies with Hvitserk. 

They insisted on going shopping and then go and grab lunch. As you barely had any social life anymore, you thought it'd be a great idea. Then they entered one of those expensive shops that you could only admire from afar and glare with jealousy to the people that exited the store with a couple of bags. 

"Okay, I think this is the one" Torvi shrugged happily "What do you think?" She turned around and you smiled softly. 

"You look beautiful" 

"Thank you" her smile widened "You're the sweetest, Y/N"

"Are you girls done?" Lagertha's voice startled you, her head peeked through the door. 

"Nearly" Torvi winked at her "What do you think about this dress? Y/N likes it" 

"I think you look perfect on it" Lagertha smiled at her ex daughter in law. You were still amazed with the narrative of that family, but it wasn't your place to judge "What about you, Y/N? Did you try anything?" 

You opened your mouth to speak, but Torvi interrupted you. 

"She didn't, I keep telling her she should, but she won't listen" she raised an eyebrow and you groan, rubbing your face. 

"Come on, we're not leaving until you try something on" Lagertha chuckled. 

Sighing, you rubbed your face and grabbed the clothes, rolling your eyes as you entered the fitting room, making Torvi and Lagertha smirk in victory. 

_________________________________________

"So... We could go out" Torvi looked excited as you stared at your lunch. You had nothing against modern, expensive restaurant but you weren't sure if it was legal that they asked that amount of money for that. 

"We're already out, Torvi" Gunhild chuckled. Out of all of them, she was the one you could relate to the most, she was the most calm, the quiet, but also as fierce as Lagertha if not more. 

"I know" Torvi rolled her eyes "But maybe we should go out to a nightclub, you know, I haven't been out in forever and I want to, this whole 'plan the perfect wedding' thing is stressing me out" 

"You don't need to plan the perfect wedding, every wedding is perfect when you're in love" Lagertha raised her cup of champagne softly, and you chewed at your food slowly. 

"I know, I know, I just... Ubbe is the one, you know?" 

"We know, Torvi" Gunhild smiled widely at her "But you see... My own wedding with Björn was quite rushed, and still... Magical" she blushed softly, looking down. 

You smiled, remembering her wedding. You had attended with Ivar, who wasn't too excited to go to his half-brother's wedding and was nearly obligated by his family. The two of you left very early, but not before having sex on the limousine Björn had rented. 

"I know you will have the same thing with Ubbe, I can see it" Lagertha caressed Torvi's hand over the table.

"Okay stop getting emotional, I know what you're doing" she narrowed her eyes at them "Can we go out, please?" 

They laughed, and even you chuckled softly.

"Y/N, I trust you, don't leave me alone" she pouted at you "Tonight?" 

"I'm afraid I work tonight" you smiled apologetically "But you all can go out! I'm sure you'll have a better time without me" 

"No, we need you" she sighed "Tomorrow?" 

"Yeah, I suppose tomorrow is fine..."

"Perfect!" She giggled. 

"I'm afraid my time on nightclubs is already over, girls" Lagertha laughed "But I wish you have a great time, enjoy your youth" 

"I think I can" Gunhild nodded "But I'll leave early" 

Torvi looked satisfied. 

"Okay, I can call Sigurd's new girlfriend too" 

"Sigurd has a girlfriend?" You raised an eyebrow. You didn't know anything, but as you barely talked to him due to his bad relationship with Ivar, it didn't surprise you. 

"Yeah, I met her when we had dinner with them to tell them about the wedding... She's cute, and nice... It looks like our dear Sigurd finally settled down... Ubbe was relieved to hear about her, he was really worried that the rockstar life was too much for him" 

Even Sigurd, the now semi-famous musician that girls pursued after his gigs, the soft and sweet Sigurd that had had nearly as many girls as Hvitserk, had settled down. He had an stable relationship. You, on the other hand, had a shitty job and spent your nights watching Disney movies. 

You kept eating as Torvi talked about her favorite clubs, trying to decide which one was more suitable for a girls' night. But suddenly, someone entering the restaurant, and your eyes widened. Torvi stopped talking and Lagertha raised an eyebrow, turning her head to look at the door. 

Of all the people you'd think you might run into on a posh restaurant, Aslaug wasn't one of them. She looked as beautiful and flawless as always, with her hair tied on an elegant bun and her subtle makeup that made her pretty eyes stand out. Ivar had his father's eye color, but the shape was much more similar to his mother's. They resembled each other, and it made your stomach turn. 

She looked around the restaurant, and when her eyes found yours, she looked surprised. An strange expression crossed her face, but she flashed you a sweet smile. Aslaug seemed cold and distant to most people, but to you she was always sweet and caring, treating you like the daughter she always wanted but never got. 

Her smile turned a bit stern when she looked at Lagertha and Torvi, ignoring Gunhild. Then she turned to the bar, smiling politely at the waitress. 

Then the eyes turned to you. You cleared your throat nervously and avoided them. It was true that, out of Ivar's family, the only people you had a close relationship with were Hvitserk, Aslaug, Floki and Helga, and sometimes Ubbe, even if that changed when he decided to get closer to his half brother and Lagertha. Now things had changed, and you still felt a bit out of place in this new social circle Alfred had introduced to you, but your link to the "enemy" was much stronger. 

"I... I'm going to say hello" you muttered. 

No one said anything, and you nearly felt sick. When you arrived to the bar, Aslaug was talking to a man next to her. You hadn't even realized he walked in after her, like her favored son, she had the gift of making everyone aware of only her presence by just walking in a room. 

"Hi, Aslaug"

She turned to face you, her face lightened up and her smile widened. This time it reached her eyes. 

"Y/N, my sweet girl, hello" she hugged you tightly, and you sighed, hugging her back. You missed her "I was wondering if you'd say hello... How are you, my dear?" 

"I'm fine" you nodded "How are you?" 

"I'm good, honey, I'm so happy to see you, I was worried when you..." She licked her lips, nervously "I called you a couple of times, but you didn't pick up" 

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that... I kind of neglected my phone for a few weeks" 

"I understand" she nodded. If anyone in the world understood exactly how you felt, it was Aslaug "I truly do, Hvitserk has been talking to me about you, I'm glad you haven't completely cut off communications with my family, we need you" 

"Of course" you giggled "Hvitserk is one of my closest friends, and that won't change" 

I hope, you thought. You kind of felt very replaceable. 

"I'm glad to see you" she repeated, the smile never left her lips "Remember you will always be welcome in our home, Y/N"

"Thank you, Aslaug" you nearly teared up "I think I should go back now..."

"Yeah, go and have fun, dear" she caressed your cheek softly, not even mentioning the people you were with "Goodbye"

"Bye, have a good day" you shot her another wide smile. 

______________________________________________

Thora looked impressed when you arrived to the cafeteria with Torvi, Lagertha and Gunhild. She was polite to them, but it was obvious that she was surprised to see you hanging out with them. 

'Wow' was the only thing she said once they left, making you promise you'd wear the dress you had bought that morning to the club the night after.

"Don't even mention it" you groaned, rubbing your face as the both of you got ready to start your shift. 

"I didn't take you for someone that had brunch with these people" Thora held back a laugh, and you hit her arm playfully. 

"They're really nice" you muttered "They're just trying to make me feel better" 

"Yeah, they seem nice, but... Are you sure you fit in that group, Y/N?" She raised an eyebrow "Don't get offended, but I never pictured you in there"

"No, I don't" you sighed "As I'm seeing Alfred now, I suppose they see me like one of them" 

"You're seeing..."

"Not like that" you glared at her "Shut up, we're just friends" 

This time she didn't hold back the laugh. 

"I went on a date with Hvitserk" she cleared her throat, and you looked up at her again, interested. 

"And?" 

"Nothing, he's just not my type" she shrugged, making you groan.

"He likes you, I know it" you winked at her. 

Thora shook her head. 

"Hvitserk is the kind of man that likes everyone" she laughed "It's okay, he's nice and fun, but not what I'm looking for... I have another date tonight, though, with a guy I met on Tinder" 

"You're on Tinder?" You frowned as you kept drying the coffee cups. 

"Yes, and you should too" she giggled when you widened your eyes at her "Come on, Y/N, you're young, hot and cute, stop thinking about a boy that didn't appreciate you, you deserve to spend your nights having orgasms, not chocolate ice-cream" 

"But I like chocolate ice-cream" you muttered.

"More than orgasms?" She chuckled, and just when you were about to answer, she interrupted you "Don't answer, you're weird" she rolled her eyes. 

Hvitserk surprised you at the end of your shift with a bag full of beers. He had brought his car and offered you a late night with beer, chips and reality shows. As it was probably the best plan you could have, you said yes, and opened one of the beers even before entering the car. You saw Hvitserk glance at Thora as she stayed to close the cafeteria and wait for her date, chatting with a girl she knew from university that visited her at work. 

"You should work a bit for it" you said, raising an eyebrow at him as he drove to your home with a poker face. 

"She's not interested" he shrugged. As Hvitserk wasn't used to having girls reject him, it had hurt his pride.

"But you can make her interested if you do things right" you chuckled "You Lothbrok boys are always waiting for girls battling their eyelashes at you" 

Hvitserk laughed. 

"You're right, what can I say? I'm surprised you didn't battle your eyelashes at me yet" 

"I was busy with your brother, Hvitty" you giggled "Until he got tired of me"

Hvitserk's smile faded slowly, and as soon as he could, he put his hand on your thigh, turning to look at you. 

"How are you, Y/N?" 

"I'm fine, it's okay" you muttered, shrugging "I saw your mother today" 

"Yeah she told me" he nodded, his attention back to the road "She also asked me not to say anything to Ivar" he sighed "It's because she doesn't like Freydis, she came home for dinner the other day and I could swear she would have loved to sink the knife on her neck" he held back a smile. 

God, you loved Aslaug. 

"Why? What happens with Freydis that no one likes her?" You asked, curious.

"You've seen them together, haven't you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, briefly... Alfred and I left immediately, I barely talked to them" 

"Ivar is infatuated with her" he sighed "He's lost his mind, Y/N, he's not even rational now, his whole world is Freydis, it's not love, it's... I'm worried about him" he frowned "He's changing, he can't see anything past her" 

"Have you tried to talk to him? Maybe he needs a bit of big brother guidance"

"I can't talk to him, he's... He doesn't listen. No matter what I tell him, he doesn't trust me"

"Ivar has a hard time trusting people" you said softly "Maybe..."

"Don't defend him" he glared at you "I know what you mean, but he's known her for a few months, Y/N, and he's pushing away every single person that was important to him, he's not even going to physical therapy anymore" 

You frowned a bit. Ivar hated therapy, but he always understood he needed to do it. Suddenly you felt the need of texting him.

"Stop worrying about him, Y/N" Hvitserk narrowed his eyes "It's my job to worry about him because he's my little brother, but you can forget about him now" 

When you arrived home, Hvitserk went directly to the kitchen to heat up the sandwiches you had taken from the cafeteria and put the beers in the fridge as you entered your bedroom, sighing tiredly. 

"I'm going to take a shower" you raised your voice, and after Hvitserk hummed, probably with his mouth full of food, you entered the bathroom, closing the door and taking off your clothes. 

The warm water relaxed your body and you were able to finally stop thinking, leaving your mind completely blank. 

It didn't last, though. 

As soon as you left the shower, you unlocked your phone, looking for Ivar's contact. The last text messages you had exchanged were from the last days of your relationship. Ivar didn't like to text, so he usually only replied with monosyllables and then called you to hear your voice, but in those last weeks he hadn't even replied. In that moment, you had tried to convince yourself that it was normal, that he might hadn't feel like texting you, but then he had broken up with you. Scrolling down the messages, you could tell exactly the day he had realized he wasn't in love with you anymore -if he had ever been in love, which you started to doubt-. You let your throat ache and a couple of tears run down your cheek before wiping them away and writing the message you had in mind. 

Hi Ivar. Are you okay? 

You didn't think he'd reply. But after hearing people saying how weird Ivar was acting (even more than the usual) and how Freydis had changed him, you started to wonder if he was okay. No matter how much he hurt you, he was still someone you cared deeply about. 

A knock on the bathroom door startled you. 

"Y/N? Are you alive?" Hvitserk sounded a bit worried as he knocked on the door. You cleared your throat and dried the few tears on your face. 

"Yes! Sorry! I'll be out in five!"

____________________________________

The beers didn't last as long as you thought. It was past midnight when Hvitserk convinced you to open the bottle of vodka you had bought months ago and already forgot why. 

It resulted on a blurry night, as the both of you started feeling more and more happy, you watched stupid movies and laughed at them. You forgot about Ivar, the text and the ache in your chest. Hvitserk was the only one that could make you forget everything and laugh so much. 

"Come on, that never happens" Hvitserk groaned, rubbing his eyes with his voice already a bit unsteady. The brothers had a high alcohol tolerance, but Hvitserk was always the one that got drunk first "The girl never runs back to us, we're the ones that have to chase them" 

You giggled drunkenly, hitting his arm. 

"Yeah, we have to make you work for it"

He rolled his eyes, drinking directly from the bottle now. 

"It's always easier to go out to a pub and have sex with another girl" 

You giggled again. For some reason, every single thing he said felt like the funniest thing ever. 

"Yeah, we can do that too" you smirked "For example, as you don't want to work for Thora, she's now out on a date and probably having sex with another guy while you're in my apartment getting drunk and criticizing terrible movies... Who's losing now?" You raised an eyebrow, smiling in victory. Hvitserk frowned and glared at you as you laid back on the couch. 

"Are you saying I should go out and find someone to have sex with?" 

"No" you giggled "I'm saying you should call Thora tomorrow" 

"Anyway" he scoffed again "You should be the one going out to have sex" 

"Me?" You laughed "Why?"

"When was the last time you had an orgasm, Y/N?" 

You closed your eyes and pressed your fingers against your temple. It was hard to think when you had that... Noise in your head. 

"I can't remember" you muttered "Probably before..." You hummed. He knew what you meant. 

"What?" He widened his eyes, and his jaw dropped "It's been months, Y/N, what the hell?" He groaned "You didn't even touch yourself?"

You were so drunk that you didn't even flinch at his question.

"I don't have time for that" you frowned. 

"Well, now I know why you're always pouting and looking like a lost puppy"

You opened your eyes to glare at him, even if you only saw a blurry bulge on the other side of your couch. 

"I don't pout" you scoffed "And I'm just not ready to get to know someone new, Hvitty"

"You don't have to know them, you just need to fuck them" he shrugged "It works, you know, it helps to move on... In fact, this is what you should do; you should go out, pick someone, take them to my flat and fuck them on Ivar's bed" 

You couldn't help the burst of laugher that brought tears to your eyes. Hvitserk looked amused. 

"I'm serious, that should teach that asshole a fucking lesson, he needs it" 

"I miss him" you muttered when the laughter died down "I texted him" 

You couldn't see it, but Hvitserk sighed and rubbed his eyes. He moved then, startling you when he laid down next to you, hugging you softly. It made you smile. 

"You need to stop, Y/N" he whispered then, and the lump in the throat came back "You really need to move on, you're amazing, and there's so many people in the world that deserves you much more than my stupid brother"

"I know" you sighed "But I want him" 

Hvitserk hummed. He knew the feeling. He also knew you'd get over it, with time, but now it was difficult. 

"That's why you need to go out there and enjoy your youth, Y/N" he drank from the bottle again, making you laugh "Get drunk, have sex and stop living like you're fifty and getting over your second divorce"

"Sounds easy when you say it" you giggled turning around to face him. 

"You just need to do it" he muttered. Your eyelids already felt heavy, and when you opened your eyes, you saw Ivar. You didn't even know why, Ivar and Hvitserk didn't really look alike, but in that moment you saw him, his deep blue eyes staring at you, his pouty lips, his cute nose... Even that nervous expression he had whenever the two of you were alone. Your heart started beating faster and faster, and you felt his arms around you. You could even smell him. Oh, gods, you missed him so much. You would give anything, your own life, just to be able to kiss him again, even if it was for the last time. 

So you just leant in and kissed him. 

He kissed you back, but that kiss didn't feel like Ivar's... This one was much more rushed, it was good but... It lacked Ivar's passion and intensity. It wasn't the same. 

Anyway, you kept kissing him, as his hands roamed up and down your body. You might knew you were kissing Hvitserk, but decided to ignore it. Maybe he was right and you just needed someone to move on. 

_______________________________________

Ivar just glared at his phone. He had been glaring at it for the past two hours, since Freydis left, saying she was meeting some friends that night. Then he checked his phone and he nearly dropped it when he saw your name on his screen. Why were you texting him now? He thought you hated him. It was easier that way. 

He rubbed his face, groaning and laying back on his bed. His legs hurt so much that day... No matter how many painkillers he had taken, how much he rested. He was feeling like someone just ran over him with a truck. 

Hvitserk didn't come home either. Not that it made a difference. The long nights they spent drinking cheap beer and talking about family and life were long forgotten. They weren't as close now. He was probably fucking someone he just met, or getting drunk. Did he mention he'd go to your house to see you? Maybe. Ivar had stopped listening whenever your name came up, trying to avoid that rage he felt the last time he saw you, getting all cozy and giggly with Alfred. The fucking Alfred. 

You always insisted he was only a friend, but he knew better, if he hadn't left you for Freydis, you'd probably have ended up leaving him for Alfred. He was better for you anyway. 

Hi Ivar. Are you okay? 

Why did you care? Were you thinking about him and suddenly wanted to know if he was okay? Did anyone say anything to you? 

He had to hold back a smile when he saw your profile picture. It was you in Iceland, hugging one of the huskies Floki had on his house in Skógar. Freki, the husky you had fallen in love with, was infatuated with you, too, and Ivar found very amusing how he would follow you anywhere, trying to get your attention. It reminded him of himself, actually, annoyed when you diverted your attention to something that wasn't him. Ivar had a serious talk with the dog, explaining him that he wasn't allowed to get into bed with you, let alone cuddle you in your sleep, the only living being that could do that was Ivar.

He took that picture one morning you decided to take Freki for a walk. The husky had been so excited to see you that he had knocked you down to the floor, making you laugh. The picture had you looking at the camera, hugging Freki as he tried to lick your cheek. 

When he locked his phone again, the warm tingling on his chest disappeared. It made him sigh, closing his eyes. Freydis was perfect, wasn't she? She was beautiful, sweet, she loved him. She made him understand he was special, that he needed no one but her. 

She was perfect. She was the one, and she loved him as much as he did, she always said it. At least a few times a day, she smiled sweetly and said that she loved him, so that meant she loved him, right? You didn't say it that much. But then again, you would have never left him alone knowing he was in pain. 

Shaking his head, he unlocked his phone again and wrote a quick text. 

Yeah, thanks. 

Then he deleted your number. He didn't want to see that photo with Freki, smiling at him, he didn't want to think about you or about what you would have done. You weren't part of his life anymore. 

Tags: @mblaqgi​ @alicedopey​ @lol-haha-joke​ @hallowed-heathen​ @naaladareia​ @tephi101​ @captstefanbrandt​ @love-hate-love​ @titty-teetee​ @readsalot73​ @moondustmemories​ @thevikingsheaux​ @therealcalicali​ @blushingskywalker​ @awkwardfangirl02​ @gruffle1​ @justacripple​ @love-dria @heartbeats-wildly​ @letsrunawaytotomorrow​ @inforapound​ @sallydelys​ @hellogabysblog​ @hecohansen31​ @youbloodymadgenius​ @xinyourdreamsx​ @funmadnessandbadassvikings​ @eteramfools​ @tgrrose​ @flokidottirsstuff​ @lovessce​ @tootie-fruity​ @didiintheblog​ @alexhandersenx​ @belovedcherry​ @fantasydevil2002​ @xceafh​ @astrape-the-weatherwitch​ @destynelseclipsa​ @poisonous00​ @littlebear423​ @xbellaxcarolinax​ @soleil-dor​ @geekydane-post​ @katarokkar11 @crackhead1-800​

I hope I didn’t forget anyone :( if I did please tell me

[shhhlikeme]

I ALMOST NEVER SEE ANYONE WRITE ABOUT ARAN SO IM JUMPING IN- ;-; Can I ask for his girl helping him relieve some stress, massaging him and his hands then just a nice cuddle session after..? also Ive been shy to hop in but hi you're pretty and Id love to be friends with you ;-;

UMMM A BIG ACCOUNT LIKE YOURS THAT JUST REACHED 1.25K followers (congrats beb!!) peeps my work ?? And compliments me + gave me my first Aran requestttt ?!

*faints*

I feel like this is a proposal and the answer is YES boo 💍🥰 friendssss 🥺🤗

Anyway I hope you like it newest friend💞

————————————

Some Aran Ojiro x Reader Romance 😩🌹

————————————

you and your boyfriend Aran haven’t been able to see eachother much in the past year at all

He just made the Japan National Team which meant he was practicing and travelling all the time

You two keep up with nightly Facetime dates every night which is great but he almost always falls asleep on you in the first 20 minutes

sleepy muffin that we love so much

You don’t blame him considering his training regimen.

When he wakes up he’s literally talking your ear off apologizing because he feels like a shit boyfriend for falling asleep every time

“I did it again and I know you say it’s fine but it’s not. I’m so sorry Y/N. When I get home, I promise I’ll make it up to you baby girl, I promise. Have a great day Queen and remember I’ll be home to spoil you in 10 days. You’re not ready. I love you! Peace!”

As you lay in your empty bed the next morning, you just smile at the video of him apologizing to you while he is running around his hotel room to get ready for morning practice

Your man works so hard but he never fails to make sure he’s the first thing you see when you wake up and the last person you see before you fall asleep. It’s endearing

He is super super busy being a professional athlete but that doesn’t stop him from making you feel special in the little and big ways

Sometimes, he orders you breakfast or dinner from your favourite brunch or sushi spot that you two like to go to so that he can put a smile on your face when he’s travelling

All he asks in return is a cute selfie of you in your pjs and messy bun with the food and that is the only thank you he needs

Seriously send it though or he’ll spam your phone lol

Can I tell you a funny story related to your mans sweet foodie gestures?

Okay so One random night last weekend.....

You heard a knock on the door of your condo and you quickly paused your Netflix movie to dust the popcorn crumbs off Aran’s t-shirt you were wearing

You opened the door excitedly thinking it might be another Uber Eats surprise from your boyfriend but instead you see a grumpy looking Osamu standing in the delivery guys place

“Your boyfriend is annoying.” Osamu deadpanned as he glanced at you once before letting himself in.

“Uh, Nice to see you.....too, Osamu-san.”

Samu murmured something in response grumpily and went over to your kitchen island to place down a large brown paper bag.

“Stupid professional volleyball playing friend and brother,” He muttered under his breath. You watched him take out lots of food from his restaurant from your spot by the door, by the look (and amazing smell) of it the bag was packed with all your favourites. You were thrilled even though the grey haired boy in your kitchen wasn’t.

“Look at me! I’m Aran. My stupid Uber Eats app won’t work from mutant-spider Australia so instead of just chilling like a normal person I call and beg my very handsome and very successful restaurant-owner friend to make my girlfriend all her favourite dishes and drive them over in the middle of a rain storm. A rain storm!”

You held your ground back at the door (knowing good and well not to get in the way of Samu when he was in one of his signature bitchy moods) as a smile crept on your face. It felt like someone was squeezing your heart as you watched Osamu comfortably rummage through your cabinets and find your dishes. He plated your food beautifully like the professional chef he is, all while mumbling angrily under his breath about his quote unquote “Simp of a best friend.”

When he was done with the food, Osamu also pulled out a bottle of your favourite wine from his restaurant that only Aran knows about and poured you a glass perfectly, swaying the liquid around first to make sure it was rich. Satisfied but still annoyed, Osamu cleaned his restaurant’s paper bag contents away and then walked over to your spot on the couch to take a handful of popcorn. Still a grump, he met you back at the door.

Samu looked down at you with the irritated expression you’ve become accustomed to over the years.

“Aran also told me to give you this.” He deadpanned before leaning down to kiss the top off your head then left. You smiled, unable to stop bubbling over in giggles because you knew Aran just added that to annoy his affection-challenged best friend. You poked your head out to the hallway of your condo building, seeing Osamu’s retreating figure you sang:

“Thank you, Samuuuuuu! 🎶”

Effectively adding to his annoyance just like your boyfriend would have wanted you to.

Without looking back, Osamu just lifted up a cool peace sign that your boyfriend and the two brothers were notorious for.

That trio, man.

dinner that night was the best you’ve had in forever

Not only was it delicious but

You realized that very night that your boyfriend was the most remarkable human in the world and you didn’t deserve him

You checked your phone as you sipped your wine because you received several texts from your boy asking where his picture of you eating is and also asking how funny Samu’s reaction was

You giggled as you read the text and then you had an idea! 💡

You put down your phone and quickly changed into some lacy lingerie for the picture:

Your boyfriend always asked for simple ‘rates PG’ pics because he loved to see you bare faced and wearing his big clothes. It was so cute to him.

he would make each new picture you sent his two backgrounds on his phone and he relished in the fact that you were so beautiful when you didn’t try

You knew this, but you also knew that your man deserved a little ‘sumn sumn’ for making tonight so special for you 😉

You put on a little sultry makeup to go with your sexy number and went back to the kitchen to your food and wine

You took a much sexier picture than he would ever expect

Actually you chose to send him a boomerang:

one of your hair slightly disheveled and your tits basically out despite the lacy cover. You pressed the wine glass to your red lips and winked in the boomerang, wiggling your hips ever so seductively

•••

in a luxurious hotel in Australia, your stunning boyfriend just finished his shower in his hotel room

He dried his face with a towel and opened his iMessage app on his phone... effectively ignoring the:

“🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼it’s done.🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼”

text from his best friend Osamu and clicking your name instead

Aran swiped left on his phone hoping to see another cute picture of his girlfriend being sent to him that makes his day the brightest but what he actually sees instead almost makes him drop his phone out of his wet hands

No Deadass he almost dropped it! it slipped out of his hands 4 times

His heart beating because of his phone but mostly because you were the finest woman he’s ever seen, he replays your sexy boomerang 30 times, literally engraving every detail about you into his mind. If his teammates weren’t so nosy he’d love to make what you just sent him his background on his phone......but that wouldn’t work

He really treasured you and what you sent though. For Aran, the next 9 days at this Global Tournament could not go by fast enough.

Aran’s never asked for naughty pictures from you not once because he doesn’t want you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with, but seeing that you did it on your own, of course it made him want to skip his National game tomorrow just to fly back and make love to you all night then rub your back the way you like until you fell asleep

Mans is in LOVE, you feel me?

He wanted to show you just how treasured you are for sticking by his side through all this travelling shit. He wanted you to always know you were his queen even if he was miles away

So, by you sending this sexy Boomerang and treating him like a King even though you didn’t have to, your man fell even harder for you

He had so much planned when he came home like always: spoil you with a shopping trip with your girls, a romantic spa trip for you both and a trip to the amusement park, but it seemed so far away now

Frowning, Aran texted you back a paragraph telling you how beautiful you are and how lucky he was to have you in his life for a plethora of reasons

He Facetime’d you for the expected classic 20 minutes while you wore that lingerie BUT he actually stayed up for 36 minutes because he was fighting sleep like a damn boxer. He wanted to see you... but of course his fatigue got the better of him and he fell asleep with a big smile on his face because you whispered goodnight

•••

the next day, after sleeping in, Aran woke up for his first tournament game and did all of his pre-game rituals which included calling you, and his best friends Kita & the twins.

He proceeded to his 6:00pm game as planned in the grand court of Sydney.

Aran sweetly signed autographs and Jerseys with his name on it that fans and little kids eagerly presented to him before and after the game that they had won.

“Mr. Ran’! Mr. ‘Ran! Volleybwall is my most favouritest sport to pway , too! Can I have hug???” Asked a particularly bouncy little African-Australian girl in the crowd. Aran glances at the dad for permission and upon granting Aran nodded kindly and picked up the toddler so she was propped up on his hip. The girl wrapped her miniature arms around the big volleyball star’s neck and squeezed tightly. Aran chuckled in his deep voice, exclaiming an “Ow! You’re a strong one, aren’t you? A future Ace for sure.” The little girl gasped at her idols words and hugged him harder. The dad had to literally rip her out of Ojiro’s arms because she didn’t want to let go.

“Don’t break the volleyball player, honey. They’re sore.” Said the father to his daughter.

Aran reached in his gym bag to collect a clean tournament shirt from his bag and handed it to the hysterically crying little girl. “Sore is an understatement. But....here, ‘future Ace.’ When you make the National Women’s Team and I’m the one at one of your games, maybe you can give it back to me.”

The little girl’s whole life was made as she immediately stopped crying and smiled widely, hugging the shirt close to her chest as if it might disappear if she let go.

Because he was a teddy bear and wanted to sign as many kids memorabilia as possible, plus give the youth encouraging messages....Aran usually stayed an hour or two later than the other players after their away games. Telling his teammates to go on ahead back to their hotel without him

HE’S PERFECT 😩

Sore as hell and more tired than ever after his big games, he picked up his phone to call you on his way back to the hotel

He loved hearing your voice it was so soothing to him

No answer. He tried 5 times.

Thinking you were probably working hard from home, Ojiro dragged his feet past the hotel concierge and used all of his slumped body weight to push open the door to his hotel room.

He didn’t remember it being this dark in here or even shutting off the lights when he left, but being too tired to care he dropped his huge bag on the floor, gripping his aching shoulder as he took one step to the right to flip on the lights

When he did, he had to rub his sleepy eyes because he couldn’t believe what he saw

“Y-Y/N?!”

Standing in the middle of his hotel room, you smiled brightly and ran to your boyfriend, wrapping your legs around his waist in a koala hug. You wore that lacy number you used in the picture you sent him last night. Your man stumbled back from the impact and overall surprise but once he was stable he hugged you back tightly.

“Oh my God, you look incredible, what-what are you doing here?!” He asked, still in disbelief.

You pecked his lips and jumped down. “After last night I missed you so much. So I just called into work, booked a 9-hour direct flight and now I’m here! I’m staying for the rest of the tournament. Hi, handsome!!!!” You had so much happiness and light in your eyes that it literally woke up your boyfriend by contentment, even though he was just on the verge of collapsing on his bed from fatigue minutes ago.

He grabbed your face softly in his large hands and tilted your head up towards his to give you a proper kiss, letting you know how happy he was through the kiss.

You pulled away. “Whoa! Someone’s happy to see me!” You poked his tummy.

“An understatement—Wait, what is that?” Finally looking away from your face for the first time since he entered his room, Aran looked behind you in awe. There was a rather large massage table set up in the centre of his suite.

“Oh, that old thing?!” You questioned playfully as you jogged over to the big table and showcased it with your hands like a Wheel of Fortune prize girl. “I tried to book a massage for you for tomorrow because I know you always forget, but they were all booked obviously so I just asked the guy downstairs—after name dropping you—if they could bring this up and they had no problem with it!”

Aran looked at you incredulously so you continued. “Lay down, babe. I know you must be sore after your game. I ordered food for you too but they said it will be up here in an hour and a half. So, I’ll get out some of your kinks now, we’ll eat, and then I can massage you more until you fall asleep.”

Aran couldn’t believe this was happening.

“But you just got off a flight, Y/N! You must be tired, too! I couldn’t possibly—“

You gave your boyfriend your best Osamu impression with your seriously annoyed frown. “Aran. You do everything in your power to make sure that I’m feeling more than amazing every single day even when you are halfway across the world. So now since I’m a mere halfway across the room, I want to do this for you. Please. Let me return the favour.”

Feeling too tired to bicker and knowing you meant business, your big man gave in. He removed his shirt when you asked and settled face down on the comfortable table.

You put on some soft r&b and took out the essential oils you bought from the spa and began to give your man a sensual but remarkable rub down, taking immense care in soothing his muscle pain in his legs and back

You listened for his groans when you reached particularly sensitive spots on his back and spent a lot more time in those areas

When you were massaging his shoulders you made sure to lean down every few minutes to kiss the side of his neck and Aran would sigh in delight every time.

“Y/N. I know you want to get all of my kinks out and trust me this feels amazing, but, if you keep kissing me dressed like that I’ll stop this massage to make love to you on this table. Okay?”

You giggled and smacked his booty.

“Kay.” 😇

When the food came, you and Aran opted to sit on the couch and eat, feeding eachother and kissing and just being all cute n shit—🙄

A/N: Can you tell how jealous I am?

After dinner and your night routines, you told your baby to give you his hands in bed.

you lotioned them in between your smaller ones and gave him a long, much desired, kneading hand massage in the pitch black room until he was on the verge of falling asleep.

“I love you, Y/N.” whispered Ojiro, his deep voice slower because he was half asleep. “Please be here when I wake up....” He whispered before succumbing to a deep slumber.

You stopped your massage, kissed both of his hands and cuddled into his warm body.

“I’ll be here when you wake up, Aran.” You closed your eyes too, feeling sleep wash over you as well.... “I’ll always be here.”

[artisticestheticreads]

Summertime Magic (IV)

A/N: In this chapter, we get more moments from the Black Thick Reader and N’Jadaka and they go run errands and literally spend the rest of the day together... BUT they bump into a little bit of problems along the way. (Bold and Ictalized are links to click on)

FOR FACE CLAIM, CLICK HERE 

WARNING: Lots of fluffiness, weed and alcohol use and some angst.

Song Recommendation: Crush by Yuna ft. Usher

  Y/N was finishing up her last client when the AC blew cool air into the room. She was touching up his twenty two inch ombre dreads along with a tapered fade. He was one of the guys who followed N’Jadaka and saw what he posted about her work. This exact customer was the sixth one that day and she was up until six am, just doing hair back to back. Despite being exhausted, she was thankful because N’Jadaka promoted her so well. Once she was done with his hair and left, she counted all her money and smiled at how much she had made; eight hundred dollars even. She placed it all in her wallet when she got an interrupted call; she smiled at the name. “Hey, Daka.” 

    “Hey, Baby Girl. What you doing right now”, he asked and it sounded like the wind was around his speaker. “Nothing, I was about to go and deposit this money at this bank and hit Target. Some sales are going on and I wanna catch them”, she told him as she grabbed her house keys and fixed her golden yellow body con dress.  All of a sudden, she heard a honk on his end and outside of her door. When she peeked through the curtains, she saw N’Jadaka’s truck parked outside of her house. She still had the phone to her ear when she opened the door. “Seriously, Daka”, she asked and heard his deep chuckle. 

   She hung up making her way to the passenger side, leaning in the window. “You do know I have my own car right,” she asked him making him smile. “You know, I don’t care right”, he mocked her. “Now, get ya cute ass in the car so I can be a generous muthafucka”, he said. She rolled her eyes and got in; they were off. Her window was still down with her arm out making waves against the wind. When she looked at Daka, he was already watching her. “Why are you staring at me” is what came from her lips. “No reason. You just look good. I like that color on you”, he added. Y/N blushed as soon as she looked away. “Which bank we going to anyways?”

“Chase”, she said and he nodded, still looking ahead at the road. “So, how you sleep” she heard and she said “fine, how about you?” He shrugged and admitted, “barely. I have insomnia. I would only sleep for, like, an hour then wake up. Been like that for a while.” She looked over at him and saw how sad his demeanor had gotten. “Must be hard”, she asked with her arm rested beside his. N’Jadaka looked over at her with soft eyes then back to the road. “Becomes natural when you have dealt with it for as long as I did.”

“For how long?”

“Shiiii, since I was like ten....maybe. I think”, N’Jadaka thought out loud. Y/N watched as he drove and noticed his hand close to hers. When her hand inched closer to his, the car came to a stop and he looked at her. “You should be glad this is my bank too. I gotta go in anyways.” He hopped out and so did she but when she did, he looked her up and down. “What I do”, she asked as his arms folded. “Baby Girl, did you hop out the car without me opening the door for you?” She nodded as he walked over. “I don’t know what kind of niggas you hang out with but when you with me, you don’t get to touch doors. Got it?” She said, “yes, Daka.” She walked ahead of him and he opened the doors into the bank.

   The manager noticed them walking and walked over. “Ms. Y/L/N, good to see you again, young lady. How is your father doing?” They shook and Y/N stood back. “He’s getting there. Still a long process but he’s a fighter.” The woman nodded, agreeing. “Yes, well he is in my prayers.”

“Thank you. How are the twins by the way? I haven’t seen them since they were about to graduate.”

“Yes, yes. Thanks again for doing their hair. You did so well. Everyone loved it,” the manager gave a huge smile before asking “so, what brings you two in today.” Y/N looked back at N’Jadaka and said: “well, I’m depositing more money into my accounts.” The woman smiled and said, “that’s great and you have the deposit checkbook I gave you right.” Y/N held it up and said: “yes, ma’am.” N’Jadaka and Y/N stood in the long line when N’Jadaka asked “what wrong with ya pops?”

“He had arthritis in his back and knees. Had it for as long as I can remember.”

“Awe damn. I’m sorry, Baby Girl.”

“It’s okay. He a black man, he’s tough as hell.” N’Jadaka nodded and looked straight ahead. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Why you do hair in your house again?” She looked back at him as his eyes waited for her answer. “Well, I can’t afford it right now. I’m saving it and I, at least, need like five g’s or more. There is this cute vacant spot in the Crenshaw Plaza by Baskin Robbins that I’ve been looking at. It’s perfect because no one else can afford it but not me. I’m almost there.” N’Jadaka noticed Y/N’s beaming smile when she continued to talk about her place. When she stopped, he said “you have some bomb ass idea. Real shit, you got it, Baby Girl.” 

"Thank you, Daka. That really means a lot. I can’t wait to have my own shop. Just not sure what to name it. Maybe something like ‘Naturals’ with for z’s at the end. My mom likes that name.”

“Does have a ring to it. It would catch my eye” he said as the line got shorter: it was now Y/N’s turn. She looked back at him while he looked around like a little kid. She went ahead and deposited her money to get out the way. Once they were done, they pulled into the Target parking lot; N’Jadaka opened her door. They walked in, grabbed a cart and began shopping as she red her shopping list on her phone. “Okay, so I need towels, shampoo, conditioner, more rubber bands, and clips, rubbing alcohol, witch hazel and some other shit.” N’Jadaka trailed behind her as she walked through aisles and all. 

  “Y/N after we done over here, I need to hit the food section for our movie night.”

“Movie Night? When did we talk about this?”

“Last night, woman. When I told you to keep the leftovers for me.”

   She stopped and his chest collided with her back after the unexpected pause. “Daka, you didn’t say anything about dinner AND the movie.” He placed his hands beside hers on the cart pushing it slowly, making her walk again. “Well, we can’t just sit there, staring at each other and eat. That would be weird as hell.” His broad chest was still flushed against hers. The heat that radiated from him must have transferred to her chore. His hands covered hers as they pushed together; she couldn’t help but smile at the moment. All of a sudden, she noticed he was reaching for the items she read off. His finger pointed to one shampoo and he asked: “Which one?” 

“The, uh, Pantene. The one with the gold markings on it. Can you get the conditioner too, with the pumps”, she said as he reached for the bottles while she watched. His smooth bicep was flexed under his short sleeve white tee. He placed them in the cart and they kept it pushing. Throughout the beauty aisle, he grabbed for the items when she told him which ones to get. He stayed as close as possible as strangers either awed, looked in confusion or in disgust. Y/N didn’t care for the unwanted attention but she didn’t mind being this to him. 

   They finally went to the grocery area and he looked over the options. “I’ve been cravings sweets like a muthafucka lately. What you like, Baby Girl”, he asked and she looked up at him. “Well, I like cupcakes and all. But I’m not sure. Do you wanna really ruin your physique?” He chuckled and told her “girl, these muscles ain’t going nowhere trust me” as he moved his pecs against her skin. He grabbed desserts such as brownies, those soft sugar cookies, and cupcakes. “Aight, little one. What you wanna drink? Lead the way”, he announced but his hands still on hers. They pushed the cart to the beverage section and she nodded towards the pineapple juice and Coke. 

  “Are you tryna drink, drink tonight? ‘Cause those are chasers”, he mentioned and she shrugged in response. “Shit, I’m down if you are but since we in this bougie ass Target they don't liquor in here. So, we can go by the liquor store we met at on our way back.” They grabbed some candy and popcorn, soon finished up and were in the self check out; her eyes stared at the total. “Holy fuck”, she said to herself as she pulled out her debit card but saw N’Jadaka pull out money. “What are you doing”, she asked. “Whatchu mean? It’s on me.”

“No, it’s not. I got it.”

“No, I do.”

“Daka?”

“Baby Girl?” 

   She stood with her hand on her hips and he folded his arms when an older black woman passed by. “Y’all are so cute. Reminds me of me and my husband.” Y/N giggled and spoke to the woman. “Oh, ma’am we-”

“Thank you, ma’am. My girl always wanna fight though”, he said and Y/N looked at him with a brow up. “She never wants me to pay for anything. I’m just tryna be a good man to my lady, dat’s all.” The lady looked over her glasses to Y/N and said “let him treat cha, baby. There is a lot of young men outchea that don’t even pay attention. Let him handle it”; with that, she walked away. Y/N still stood there when he poked her arm so she can move a little, paying the total and grabbing the bag before walking away. He looked back at her and yelled “you betta bring ya ass or you gotta catch that musty ass Metro”; she followed behind.

   They pulled into the parking lot as she looked to him. “You coming in with me or you staying here”, she asked and he looked over handing her $50. “You won’t be long. ima just chill here and wait. Stay outta trouble, young lady. Don’t make me have to kill a nigga”, he lectured her, wagging his finger; she laughed and hopped out. When she entered the store, the sound of the ding sound if it was going out. Y/N placed a hand cart on her arm as she looked up and down the aisles. She thought of making her amazing slushes for tonight since it was hotter more than usual. She switched slightly when she got to the alcohol section, grabbing rum and Jack Daniels. All of a sudden, she felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulders. 

 “Thought you was staying in the car” she taunted but she felt like something wasn’t right; this arm wasn’t like Daka’s at all. She turned to see a man she never wanted to see again. “What up, doll,” he said with a gapped smile. He had burnt umber skin, brown eyes with braids in a creative pattern across his scalp. He wore a Dodgers baseball jersey wide open to show his toned chest, dark denim jeans, and Vans. She looked around and pushed his arm off, walking the other way. “What you want Rodney”, she said flinging open the freezer door trying to keep him away as she looked closer at the drink section. “You lookin’ good, Y/N. I see you done lost a little weight”, he said as he watched her bend down, grabbing a small bag of ice.

  She took a deep breath and looked him up and down as she stood up. “I see ya head got fatter”, she threw at him as she walked down an aisle with him following behind. “I see you still got jokes. How you been”, he asked with hands in pockets. “Fine, now go away”, she said looking at random items to keep her eyes away from him. Rodney was her first boyfriend but what he did was unforgivable. Rodney continued to follow her, watching with a careful eye. “C’mon, girl. You not gonna say you miss me like I miss you.” She rolled her eyes and placed her right hand on her hip turning to him with a stern look. She had to admit he was a handsome son of a bitch but his attitude was the worse. 

   “Yeah, I know exactly why you miss me”, she mentioned with a rose brow. He chuckled with a step closer and leaned into her face with a smile. “Yeah, and why you think I miss yo cute ass?” She walked her fingers up his chest then pulled his head down. “Because whoever you with now, done fucked up ya shit”, she said before she pushed his head back and walking to the counter. He made his way over and pulled out his money. “I got ya, ma.”

“Too late. Already paid for”, she said grabbing her bag and making her way to the front door to notice N’Jadaka getting out and leaning against the front. She felt Rodney grab her hand and she yanked it looking back at him, disgusted. “Y/N, I do miss you. There I said it.” She looked out to see Daka looking inside with his hands folded in front of him. Rodney followed her glance and instantly felt heated but kept his cool. N’Jadaka watched Rodney through the glass in the same spot. Y/N started to walk and looked back at him, saying “keep missing me.”

  She finally walked out and N’Jadaka leaned against her door. “Who was that?” Rodney walked out, hands in pockets and eyes on them as he walked away. Y/N noticed N’Jadaka watching him and made him look at her. “A mistake.” N’Jadaka nodded before opening her door and heard something behind him. “He ain’t got shit on me, ma! Never have! Have never will! And don’t fa get that shit!!!” N’Jadaka noticed her trying to get out but he leaned against the door. “Wassup, cuh?! You talkin’ a lot of shit for yo punk ass to be walking away! Could have said that shit back here! Don’t get fucked up, ol’ bummy ass nigga!!!”

 “Daka, can we go,” Y/N asked and N’Jadaka looked back at her. “Say please”, he told her with a smirk. “Can we pleeeeease go”; he sighed and walked over to his side. Soon, he pulled into her driveway and looked at her before getting out and opening her door. “Go ahead in. I’ll bring all the shit in.” Before she could disagree, he looked at her and playful shooed her away. She went to open the door and slid out her sandals. She tossed her hair into a high ponytail, instantly feeling cool. Y/N made her into the kitchen, grabbed a tall glass and poured some iced tea, sipping from the cool glass with closed eyes. 

  “You not gonna pour me some”, she heard which made her jump. She turned to see N’Jadaka sitting her counter. “Wh-when did you come in here” fell from her lips in a timid voice. “Like a minute ago. You didn’t hear me”, he questioned her with a smirk on his lips. “Of course not, butt munch. You scared the shit outta me”, she explained to him as she grabbed another cup for him. She poured him some as he put the groceries up. She started to think about Rodney and what he had done to her. Humiliation? Torture? Heartbreak? Or all the above? “Baby Girl? Baby Girl?”

  She looked up at him as he stopped her from pouring the drink. It had got on the counter, dripping to the ground. He rung out a dish towel to clean up and got another to dry. “You aight? You just spacing out and shit”; his tone, as if he was concerned but she just nodded. “Yeah, I just need a drink,” she said before turning her back to get her blender and plugging it in. “What yo cute ass finna make”, he wondered out loud leaning on his hands, watching her. “I am making some adult icees. A little this and a little that.” She grabbed the ice, alcohol, and chasers. “You seem like a Jack and Coke guy.  So I’ll call this one..” She looked to him and back to the blender. “All Hail the King.” He nodded and folded his arms. “That shit is smooth. Teach me how to make it then.”

 “Aight. First, we need 3/4 of Jack Daniels then we get a cup of Coca Cola.” She began pouring then grabbed a cup of ice putting it in next. “Now, we just blend”, she announced while looking at him with a smirk. She grabbed two tall mason jars and grabbed the gummies she grabbed at the liquor store with a straw. “This is extra but I like this touch though. Now you can just throw them in or placed them neatly around.” She placed the Coke bottle-shaped gummies neatly for him to see and placed the straw in the middle of both glasses. She poured the drink inside and handed him the glass before sipping hers. 

  He placed his lips in the straw as Y/N watched. Once he tasted the drink, he smacked his lips to inquire about the taste. He side-eyed her round face and looked straight ahead. “It’s aight,” he said before sipping the drink again. He looked at Y/N pouted lips and said “I’m fucking with you. It’s fire as fuck. You know what would be good?”

“What?”

“Jack and Coke floats. Now, that shit would be A1 for real for real.”

  She agreed and placed her drink down. “Lemme get these leftovers out so I can warm this chicken up.” She grabbed the huge bag of food from the fridge. Sheila had packed a ton of food for them which was like a family dinner for the holidays. Containers were filled with mac and cheese, potato salad, fried chicken, greens and cornbread; her mouth was almost drooling. Y/N pulled out a baking dish and sprayed with cooking oil, place the chicken on top then setting it in the oven; N’Jadaka watched her in confusion. “Why not put it in the microwave?”

“Because if you put fried chicken the microwave, it’ll get all nasty and soggy but when you put in the oven, it gets all nice and crispy. You can thank me later”, she said standing up. She was getting self-conscious as it got hotter and decided to do the best. “I’m about to hop in the shower. The guest bathroom is down the hall on your left and feel free to anything. I’ll be back out in like ten minutes.”

“Bet” and with that, she walked to her bedroom’s bathroom to bathe. She slipped out her previous dress (along with underwear) and threw them in the basket before stepping into the warm water. She asked Alexa to play her mellow playlist and Yuna started to play. Y/N began exfoliating out of habit and bathed in her Shea Moisture Black Soap. Before she stepped out, she rubbed her body in baby oil. She stepped out to get dressed when she peeked her head through the door to check on Daka; he sat on the couch with his arms resting on the back of it. After closing the door back, she looked for a pair of boy shorts and her old hockey jersey her dad gave her back in high school. It was loose on her since her weight loss even though she still had a pouch and some fluffiness. 

   She slipped it on and put her locs in a neat bun on top of her head before walking out to the kitchen, checking the chicken. “How was your shower”, N’Jadaka asked walking to the island. “It was great. Looks like chicken is ready. You want everything, Daka”, she asked as she got an oven and pulled the tray out. “Yeah, I want everything”. She noticed his voice was deeper and sinful to her ears. Maybe it was just the alcohol, she thought. She turned to him and he was just watching her, sipping the rest of his drink. Soon, she was done warming up the food that needed to be and put their plates together. “So, what you wanna watch? I got Hulu and Netflix.”

“Nah, they just got the same shit. I noticed you got a nice DVD collection over in the corner.” They sat next to one another on the couch and she sipped from her cup as he watched; she noticed. “You okay”, she asked and he pouted, playfully, towards her drink. “Do you want me to make you another one?” He nodded as she giggled and got up. Once she was done with making the drink, she walked over with blender in hand and noticed something. “Daka?” No answer. “Daka? I know yo butt can hear me.”

“Wassup, baby girl.” He was in the corner looking at the DVDs again. “Daka, where is my drink?” He shrugged as she placed the blender down and turned him around; he was sipping the drink with one hand looking at her. “Daka?! That was minnnnneeeeee”, she pouted and folded her arms. He used his opposite hand to place on her back bringing her chest to chest. “Me sorry. It’s just so damn good. I couldn't help myself. Do you forgive me”, he asked but she still pouted with her brows pushed in. He kissed her forehead softly then both her cheeks. “Forgive me”, he asked again and she said “fine. Better be glad I made enough for both of us.” She walked over to the couch to pour the drinks as N’Jadaka grabbed a few DVDs. 

  “Chose something, yet?” He placed the disc in and Y/N smiled at the intro music. 

You can do it put your back into it I can do it put your ass into it You can do it put your back into it I can do it put your ass into it Put your back into it Put your ass into it.

  He bopped his shoulders, dancing side to side. She smiled shaking her head and slipping into the kitchen to rinse out the blender. All of a sudden, she felt him dancing against her back, pelvic thrusting her behind. She pushed her backside up against him that made him step back but he wrapped his arms around her waist as they went back to the couch. An hour or so into the movie, they were finished with their food and watching comfortable silence. “Ebony is one trifling bitch. Like she cute but she ain’t got shit on Diamond”, Y/N said and he agreed. “Don’t fa get about her nigga though. Grimy ass nigga. Like he could have fucked anyone else but her fuckin’ family. Nah that’s that bull shit I can’t fuck with.” 

“So, you never would cheat?”

“Never have. Never will.”

“So, lets say if we were together and Kesha had to stay here, you wouldn’t try and fuck her?”

  “Who dat?” She looked at him and said “the girl I was with when we first met.”  He laughed out loud and wiped his fake tear. “Nah, Baby Girl. She ain’t my type.”

  “Then what is your type?”; no answer. Y/N was leaning on her arm with her legs resting on the couch as he sat in his original position. He looked over at his hand and noticed it was close to her but he left it be. Then, the best part came on; the dressing room fight scene and N’Jadaka & Y/N sat closer but still apart. He hissed as Diamond landed the last punch. “Got that bitch good as fuck. Pretty and can hold it down”, he added with a single clap. The movie ended and they decided to make it an Ice Cube movie night. Next up was Friday and they sat closer but still in the same poses. “Aye, baby girl? Is it okay if I smoke in here?” She gave him the okay and he started rolling. His part was about to come in a few minutes when he looked over at her with hooded eyes. “Do you smoke”?

“Never had.”

  Right when the part came on, she heard the TV along with an echo and N’Jadaka passing her a blunt. “I know you don't smoke weed, I know this, but I'm gonna get you high today, 'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got shit to do.” She looked at him and took the blunt gently from his fingers. She sucked in then held it in her system like he told her to do. She held it in so it could get in her lungs and blew it throw her nose; impressing him. “Good. Good job, rookie.” Hours later and now watching Next Friday, they sat there talking and laughing; all the snacks and desserts he bought earlier with Jack and Coke floats made were on the table in front of them. Y/N’s favorite part came on and she giggled as she pretended along with the character. “Mister Nasty Time”, she giggled and heard N’Jadaka reciting the uncle’s part as well.

  N’Jadaka’s came on and he looked to Y/N who still looked at the screen. The part was about to play when N’Jadaka grabs her arm as they stood. Getting in character and he held his finger gun to her temple making her snickering with her hands up.

“Little mothafucka trying to rob me. I'mma show you how I do 'em.”

“I ain’t tryna rob you...”

  They kept this going until the fight scene and he tackled her onto the couch, making her giggling and surrender. Before you know it, they had smoked another blunt and the Jack was all gone. They were sitting just like before but knee to knee and his hand caressing her arm. Y/N can feel N’Jadaka’s arm pulling her in around her shoulder His other callused hand fell onto his lap. That’s when she heard it from his lips. “Put your leg on me so you can be more comfortable. Looks like your leg gonna fall asleep”; she did so and he was right. He wrapped his arm around her neck and she placed her head on top of his chest. As he rubbed her shoulder through her top, his fingertips made circles against her calf and up her knee, finally to her thigh. He kissed her forehead and she looked up to his eyes. They looked at each other with a grin, his fingers caressed her lips, lips inching closer to hers until...

  “Girl, I can’t believe this shit” they heard from the door and looked up, heads turned to the direction. It was Kesha who used her copy of the key, walking in unannounced. She was wearing a yellow tube top, bamboos and her box braids were in a low ponytail. She wore jean shorts with sandals and a grey flannel around her waist. She turned to see the couple on the couch and her eyes went to her best friend’s face. “My bad, best friend. I didn't know we had company.” N’Jadaka set back looking at her as Y/N said “we don’t. I do. Shay, yo ass don’t live here.”

“Then, why I got a key then?” 

“In case of emergencies”, she said as she leaned back. Shay rolled her eyes and sat in the armchair on Y/N’s other side. “So, what y’all doing up in here?”

“Shay, what are you doing up in here”, Y/N asked making Daka chuckle looking at the screen. “Never mind since you look all booed up shit. That can wait”, Shay told her as she folded her arms watching the screen. Y/N looked at him and said: “I’ll be back.”

“Don’t take too long, Baby Girl. Ima keep ya seat warm.”

 She got up and looked at her best friend, nodding to her bedroom door. When they got in, Shay looked at Y/N leaning against the door with low eyes. “Best friend, are you high?”

“What’s wrong, Shay?”

“I asked you first.”

“Bitch, don’t kill my vibe. Bitch, don’t kill my vibe”, Y/N sung then laughed and held her friend in place. “I’m kidding, geez. Aight, tell me wassup.” Shay sat on Y/N’s bed and rubbed her temples. “A bitch almost got jumped.” Y/N was still high but wanted to go off. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand vibe killed.” She sat next to Shay and leaned behind her with her arms. “By who?”

“Girl, that is a wholeee story, sis. So, I was at Ricky’s house and we getting it in. I mean, like, my knee caps are to my ear and he digging in my shit. Right when we about to set it off, he stops and runs in they bathroom. I’m laying there like ‘what the fuck’ then I hear a slam and shuffling outside the door. Sandra in that bitch,  rolling deeper that muthafucka. Looking like she brought the whole family. It was like a quinceanera in that bitch. I had to lock the bedroom door and hurry up and get dressing. I dead ass was finna hop out the window until I looked and there's more of them. I’m like ‘ell nah’ so I’m thinking fast. I peek through the keyhole to see they was going in they kitchen so I ran into the other bathroom. Right across the way. I see a bar of soap on the sink and hear the El Chapo Clan bust into the bedroom and Sandra was like ‘where that black bitch at, Ricky!?’ Then, I threw the soup at the kitchen window. I hear everyone running in and I made a run for it through the window and gunned it.”

  She looked at Y/N when didn’t hear a reaction; her arm was under her chin with a smirk on her face. “You should have known. This the same nigga that was fuckin’ bitches left and right gettin’ them pregnant and shit. Ricky ain’t good for not a damn thing and yo ass fall for it.” Shay leaned on her friend’s shoulder with a pout. “Can I stay in the extra bedroom? They might be looking for my ass.” 

“Sure. Ya clothes are still in there, too. You need a good bath and some sleep”, she hugged her best friend and kissed her cheek. “Now, lemme go finish watching this movie with my guest.” They left the room and Shay said “goodnight, y’all. Take care of my girl, brotha man.”

“She in good hands”, he said over his shoulder. He had another blunt in his hand half gone when Y/N sat back down. “Everything okay”, he asked her as she got back in the pose she was in before. “Yeah, just drama as usual. You good?” He passed her the blunt and nodded; she took a hit and passed back to him. “Nah, that’s all yours, Baby Girl.” She kissed his cheek and took another hit. “Friday After Next?”

“Sure is.” They sat there eating all the snacks and laughing at the movie, reciting lines and all.

  The next morning, Y/N had her back against the arm of the couch with her head resting on the back. She opened her eyes to the mess on the table and the screen now black. Her leg was wrapped around something as her hand rested in other that felt like soften wool. When she looked down, she saw a sleeping N’Jadaka. His head was on her chest, both arms wrapped her waist and long legs rested on the other armest. Her eyes were still half open and she noticed her hand was massaging his scalp the entire time their bodies intertwined together. She grinned and closed her eyes again before she heard him stop snoring. “You up, baby girl”, he asked in a raspy voice with still shut eyes and she answered “kinda”, eyes closed as well. He asked “breakfast?”

“Denny’s or iHop?”

“Nah, Roscoe’s.” Y/N moved a little still with eyes shut and said “okay, just give me a few more....”; they had drifted off to sleep and didn’t wake back up until three hours later.

~

And. I. OOp. Things are getting a little more interesting...ooooooo. So, I wanted to do a little more cute N’Jadaka with some angst but the next chapter is going to be too cute to handle. Also, I am doing three parts (five chapters each) so the next chapter will be the final for this part :(. But do not worry because I am making a separate master for this so be on the look out. I’m gonna got to working on the new ish and paint. Okay. Baaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiii.

~

𝒯𝒜𝒢𝒢𝐸𝒟 𝐿𝒪𝒱𝐸𝒮

@muse-of-mbaku

@im5ftbutmythroat66

@chaneajoyyy

@melanin-samii

@theunsweetenedtruth

@doux-ciel

@unicornluvin8765

@vikkidc

@wakandantings

@thadelightfulone

@mzamethystp

@simbiann

@tropicalsun10

@babydoll756

@notoriouslynay

@vminax

@quinsly

@pinkdemolition

@quietstorm-73

@chaoticcashfancroissant

@bugngiz

@chocolatedippedinhoney

@yafavcocoa

@lostgalaxies

@mbakuwife

@youreadthatright

@babygotl01292003

@acceptyourselfloveyourself

@madamslayyy

@yoyolovesbucky

@theogbadbitch

@wakanda-inspired

@bitchacho25

@toniilaney

@wakandascrystal

@girlsneedlovingfanfics

@raysunshine78

[wintersxsoul]

The Night We Danced

Summary: Two dorks in love that have to wait to get drunk to confess their feelings.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

Word Count: 4k

Warnings: Maybe some language, drunk people and I think mentions of sex?? 

A/N: This is my entry for my dearest @writingsoftheloser 1k historical writing challenge! I got the Victorian Era, so I came up with this longass nonsense. I hope you enjoy and as always, feedback and reblogs are free and make me really happy and motivated <3

  Bucky Barnes was a dancer.

He sometimes had flashes of his old life in the late 30’s and 40’s, long summer nights dancing with beautiful dames, little Stevie by his side laughing and stepping in the ladies’ shoes. Everything was much more simpler, happier, but war happened and the dances turned into battles, the warm hands that he was used to hold became rifles and glocks. The jazzy tunes turned into gunfire, dates turned into risky missions and the thought of a long happy life turned into dust when he fell off that train.

Bucky Barnes stopped being a dancer to be a soldier, a spy, a deadly assassin.

They had taken all he was away, all his memories, his hopes and dreams. Everything was wiped but not his motor skills or knowledge. They turned him into the most efficient soldier, cold and calculating, his only motive in life was completing his missions. He had killed mercilessly, not questioning even once who was in front of the gun, he just knew he had to pull the trigger.

Everything changed the moment Steve Rogers, his best friend since childhood, found him 70 years after being used and tortured. Steve saved him from the claws of Hydra and gave him the opportunity to gain back his own self, to finally give his life meaning again.

His life changed drastically when he joined the Avengers, he could use his unrequired skills to help people, to save lives. He had his closest friends, Steve of course, Sam, Nat and then he met you. Once he was able to recover almost all his memories, he had a long heartfelt conversation with Natasha since she had suffered in similar ways. The brainwashing, the body killing training, the horrors of the Cold War and the cruelty of the Red Room.

You and Nat were inseparable, both becoming SHIELD agents the same year. You were a freelance hitwoman, both of your missions were to kill the same target. But before you could kill each other, SHIELD stepped in and rescued both of you, seeing your potential and the ability to do the missions other agents weren’t able to. When Bucky first came to the compound, you were away because your last mission went badly and it almost killed you, so Fury and Steve decided it was better for you to lay low for a while. Months went by and Bucky’s curiosity only grew, he really wanted to meet you, since everyone talked about you like you were an angel. When the time came to finally meet you, everything he ever heard about you was not nearly accurate to him. You were as much of a mystery as Nat, but unlike her, you opened up to him fastly, trusting him blindly. You both held each other on your worst nights and were also there for the other when you needed a good laugh.

You could have never imagined that the infamous Winter Soldier could be such an absolute dork with such a pure heart and soul. At first he was a bit sulky and moody, he was like a ghost around the compound, but months of therapy and help from his friends turned him into the man he was today, the man you loved deeply, even though you lied to yourself trying to make it seem like a platonic feeling. For years you remained as best friends, until the masquerade ball Tony organized for Natasha’s birthday.

“So, what are your plans for the party?” You asked Bucky nonchalantly while you looked for costume designers online. He looked up from his book and shrugged, he really didn’t know what you meant but he knew you would elaborate. You closed your laptop and placed it on your nightstand, all your attention on your friend now. You laid across the bed, resting your head on his lap. You were staring at the ceiling so you totally missed Bucky’s adoring gaze.

“Well, apart from getting hammered with Thor’s Asgardian alcohol, I don’t really know.” You rolled your eyes internally at his comment. You laid on your stomach so you could face him, your chin resting on your hands on top of his chest.

“Obviously you are doing that, but it’s not what I meant.” Bucky chuckled and you rolled your eyes. You weren’t sure about asking him to be your partner, maybe he was planning on going with someone else, maybe he wanted to go on his own. You cleared your throat while reaching out to fiddle with the laces of his hoodie nervously.

“Are you going with someone?” He frowned, realizing that you didn’t assume (like he did) that you were going together. Maybe you were planning to go with a date? He knew it had been more than a year since you had dated someone so maybe you wanted to use the party as an excuse to do so?

“What you mean with someone? I d-”

“You should ask Sarah from Forensics, I’ve heard she has a huge crush on you. She’s sooo soft and pretty. I have her number if you wa-”

“Okay, Y/n stop right there. I am not going with Sarah or with anyone else but you.” His eyes widened at his own boldness but he quickly found a logical explanation.

“I mean, we always go together to this kind of shitty parties we both dread. But if you are going with someone else is fine.”

“Yeah, yeah I just thought that maybe you wanted to go with an actual date and not your best friend.” He tousled your hair and you whined jokingly. He mumbled “dork” and you stuck your tongue out.

“My best friend is pretty cool and when she gets drunk the party starts, so I am not missing that for Sarah from Forensics.”

“Oh god James, and I am the dork? You absolute dumbass.” You shook your head in amusement and sat on the bed, putting your disheveled hair in a low ponytail. You slapped him lightly on the right shoulder and got down of the bed, gathering your stuff.

“I can’t stand to see that beautiful stupid face right now, I have to look for a fucking dress. You better wear something in dark red cause, you know it-”

“it’s my color” he mocked you using a high pitched tone of voice and laughed at the face of disgust you jokingly pulled off.

“Fuck you.”

“Why don’t you f-” His sentence was cut off by the bang of his door closing but you already knew what he said. You rolled your eyes and made your way to Nat’s room since you needed to organize shopping days and all that stuff.

-

Bucky Barnes was a dancer and fortunately he still had some moves, but waltzing was out of his league. He knew what a masquerade was of course, so the fact that he had to learn how to dance a completely different style was...frightening to say the least. He talked about it with Steve so they both were headed now to a masterclass while their dates were out shopping. Nat had asked Steve as her date because she wanted to go with his best friend. Their friendship was the most platonic you’ve ever seen and watching them flirt and banter was the highlight of your days. Nat was a fantastic dancer of course, she used to be a fucking ballerina, so she offered to teach you some moves. She was the only one who actually knew your feelings towards Bucky because you had confessed them one night you had drank your weight in vodka and when you saw Bucky’s text asking you to please be careful, you laughed and told her. You didn’t remember that conversation and when Natasha tried to ask you, she realized she shouldn’t bring up the topic until you were ready to believe it yourself.

“Ooof Nat, should I really buy this expensive dress?” You asked her while checking yourself out in the mirror. The dress was absolutely stunning, made of a dark red taffeta or a similar material, short sleeved and a beautiful v-neck, not very revealing but enough to make your babies pop. The bodice hugged your curves and the skirt was puffy.

“Listen, Stark is paying for everything, that includes our dresses. So yes, you are going to buy it.” She stood up and lead you back to the changing room so she could purchase both of your dresses.

Steve sighed heavily at Bucky’s complaints. They’d been dancing for four hours straight and they weren’t getting any better, or at least that’s what they thought. Bucky really couldn’t believe he had been dragged into this mess just because he loved getting drunk with you under any circumstances.

“Come on Buck, don’t worry. You two will probably be too drunk to even stand, why bother so much in learning this shit?” Bucky rolled his eyes and nudged his friend on the shoulder.

“Listen pal, I wanna do this right. You know how much I love dancing so this is just an excuse to learn something new.” He could almost believe his own lie, but Steve knew better. He knew Bucky better than himself, so he obviously knew the unspoken thing that was going on between two of his best friends.

“Okay buddy, whatever you say. I just hope Y/n appreciates all this instead of laughing at you like Sam and Nat are probably going to do.” He muttered something to himself and left the room without saying a word.

“Fucking idiots, I hope they fuck soon.” Steve said to himself before turning around and smiling at the dance teacher.

“Let’s do this Janet, I have a very dangerous woman to impress tonight.”

-

“I really, really, really, really regret the day I gave you access to come into my room whenever you want to.” You told Bucky, who was laying on your bed on his stomach, his face buried in the pillows. You slumped next to him and buried your face in the pillows as well. You really thought you looked like idiots but you couldn’t care less.

“Can we stay here? We can watch one of those victorian romantic movies you love and get wasted on our own.”

“You know I would love to, but Nat would kill us. Besides, you hate those movies.”

“I was just trying to persuade you Barnes, you don’t need to be so rude.” You stood up and opened your first drawer, pulling out the two masks you had bought throwing Bucky’s to his head and he responded with a fake “ouch”. He sat on the bed and looked at you amused, the small mask in his hands.

“And you have the nerve to call me rude. I already have my mask and I won’t show it to you until tonight.”

“Wow, sorry for thinking about you and your shitty memory, old man.”

“You know what Y/n? I’ll see you tonight before I throw myself out of that balcony.” You giggled at his fake tantrum. You really loved your friendship with Bucky, because even though you were always joking around each other, you had your backs. He was always there and so were you.

“You want me to walk you to your room?” He frowned at you but his eyes widened when he realized what you were about to say, but you said it before he could cut you off. “In case you don’t remember where your room is at.”

“That was one time Y/n, please let it go.”

“Never.” And with that said, he left. You giggled remembering the first night you two got drunk together. It was the first time Bucky had tried Thor’s alcohol so he was excited to finally get drunk after all those decades. He drank by himself almost three flasks and encouraged you to drink a bottle of vodka on your own, so at 6 am, you were stumbling through your room floor because Bucky had forgotten where his own room was, so he wanted to sleep at yours.

You took a last look at yourself in your mirror and placed the mask in its place. It was a shame that Bucky had decided not to wear the mask you’d bought for him, but his taste was pretty great so you knew it was going to be amazing.

When you reached the party the place was already full of people. Everyone was dancing to the slow melodies or drinking at the bar. You noticed that Tony had removed all the furniture from the room so it looked like a grand dance hall, the usual modern lamps he owned were replaced by huge golden crystal chandeliers, the windows were covered by thick curtains that looked like the ones European palaces had. The cream and golden tones of all the decoration gave a really regal look to the party, the soft glow of the candles in the bar and the sound of champagne glasses relaxed your senses.

You fixed your long silk gloves and sighed, moving through the crowd towards the bar, where Nat stood chatting with who you assumed it was Steve, Sam was behind the counter pouring alcohol to his half empty glass.

“You mind filling this lady’s glass?” Sam smirked and you winked at him. He raised his eyebrow under his cream and red mask and he took out a tall glass.

“What would the lady like to drink?” He rested both of his palms in the counter, looking at you with an amused look in his eyes.

“Vodka on the rocks, s'il vous plait.” You heard Nat choke on her drink and Steve turned to look at you while Sam just poured your drink, a smile playing on his lips.

“Aren’t we starting a bit early, Y/n? Your date is not even here.” You shrugged at Sam’s comment and took the glass when he handed it.

“Since you all seemed so surprised with my drinking choices, I’m going. I need an unjudging friend right now.” You waved your hand gracefully and moved towards the centre, trying to find Bucky. After five minutes and an empty glass, you saw his bulking figure talking to some woman. You needed a moment to gather your thoughts because he looked absolutely sinful with the outfit he was wearing. The black pants marked all his muscles, specially his thighs, those fucking thighs that drove you insane and his ass...you shook your head trying to stop your mind. You needed another drink.

“Wow look who’s back and empty handed!” Steve said to the small group. You nudged him in the ribs and asked Sam for another glass of alcohol.

“Why are you this flustered Y/n?” Nat asked you when she noticed your flushed cheeks. You fixed your mask trying to hide your nervousness and failing miserably.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” Your three friends shared a knowing look and you rolled your eyes, finishing your drink in two sips and encouraged by the burning liquid, you went to where Bucky was. You could now see his whole outfit perfectly and your heart swelled. He was wearing a black ruffled shirt with a black and dark red embroidered vest and a black tail coat. His face was covered by a simple half Venetian mask, decorated with the same colors as the outfit’s. He was chatting with some agent you couldn’t recognize and you felt a pang of jealousy at how he was looking at her, smiling and touching her. At that moment you realized the alcohol was kicking in and that’s why you were having those stupid thoughts. You approached your friend and placed your gloved hand to his shoulder, indicating him that you were besides him and waiting for him to pay attention to you. You catched a part of the conversation and they were talking about one of the last missions the undercover agents did, so after a court nod from Bucky and a brief goodbye from her, his eyes were on you.

“Well, look at you!” He smiled at you warmly and you felt something flip inside you. “How did you recognize me?”

“Oh boy, you can mask that face all you want but you can’t mask those thighs.” You smirked and he started laughing at your comment, making you feel proud of your wittiness.

“How drunk are you already?” You brought your hand up between your bodies and pressed your thumb and index together whispering “a little” so only he could hear it.

“Lucky for you, I drank almost a flask, so that makes us dangerous already. Wanna dance?” He extended his hand and you took it accepting his invitation. You suddenly felt really nervous since it was the first time you were going to slow dance with him but unbeknown to you, Bucky Barnes felt sick due to his nerves. He wanted this to work, he wanted to show you and the world that he was still capable of being a soft person, not this cold calculative soldier with a dark past.

The feeling of his hand on your waist and your other hands intertwined was intoxicating you, your bodies pressed together, the only thing between you two were your clothes. You spinned around the room for what felt like eternity, time for you had stopped and everyone had disappeared.

You burst the small bubble you were both in saying you needed a drink, Bucky stopped swaying you and with your hands still intertwined, went to the empty bar.

“I’ve always loved the Victorian Era, you know?” He said while giving you a glass full of vodka, and took a sip of his flask. “The clothes, the courting, the chivalry and all that fuss.” He smiled sadly at you thinking that you wouldn’t notice.

“If you could, would you go back in time and stay?”

He took another sip, now longer, and shook his head. “Of course not, you wouldn’t be there.” He blurted out without thinking and you just giggled at the comment.

“Oh Barnes, don’t be so dramatic. I’m sure you would make good friends there as well.” You gave him a sincere smile and he shook his head again, taking another sip of the flask, this time a long one. You looked down at your glass and twirled the straw, looking at how the ice cubes collided with each other.

“I love you.” You jerked your head up and maybe it was the alcohol clouding your mind or the denial of your own feelings, but you didn’t notice his intense gaze, filled with love and adoration.

“And I love you too, you idiot. As my best friend, you should know that already.” You placed your lips around the straw and finished the whole drink, Bucky still looking at you shocked that you rejected his feelings without you noticing.

“No, Y/n, what I mean is that I’m-”

“You are what, Barnes?” Nat cut Bucky off and you threw yourself into her arms, kissing her face and wishing her a happy birthday. “I missed you, Nat. Where were you?” You started talking to her totally ignoring your friend, who got that as his cue to leave the party. He would never blame you for not feeling the same or not even noticing his feelings, that was totally on him, but he didn’t feel well enough to stay in the party. He knew you wanted him there, to get drunk together and then both of you ending up throwing up in the sink and the toilet, but tonight he needed to breathe, he needed to get out of the crowd.

“Hey, where is going Bucky?” Asked Steve while he approached Nat and you. You frowned and looked at the entrance, catching a glimpse of Bucky’s broad shoulders and hair leaving the party. “I’ll be back in a sec.” You said and stumbled down the bar stool, heading towards the entrance half running.

“We both know they are not coming back, right?” Steve said to Nat, a strong nod and a sigh answered his comment.

You ran as fast as your drunken state let you but before you could notice you slipped with the dress and fell.

“FUCK” You screamed to the empty hall and took off your heels and gloves, standing up trying not to fall again on your ass. Bucky was nowhere to be seen so you headed to his room, your head spinning due to the alcohol.

“What are you doing here?” Bucky startled you, making you lose balance but he caught you before you could fall again.

“I was just checking that you got to your room safely, since you know, you get lost and all that.” You laughed at his fake hurt expression and straightened your clothes. You noticed that he had taken off his mask and that you were still wearing yours. “Why did you leave?”

“I’m feeling a bit sick, I think I drank too mu-”

“James, if you don’t tell me what the fuck is wrong I’ll torture you until you do. The drinking excuse is the worst you could’ve used with me.”

Bucky sighed defeated, he knew he had to get it off his chest, after three years carrying this on his own, he needed to let the words out, he needed you to know. He reached for the laces of your mask and took it off, placing a strand of hair behind your ear and cupping your cheek.

“I love you, Y/n.” You rolled your eyes in fake annoyance just to mess up with him.

“Baby, we already established that I lov-”

“Y/n, you are not listening. I am in love with you. I want to be your best friend, your lover, your partner in crime and your drunk buddy.”

You stared at him wide eyed, not knowing what to answer or to do. He caressed your cheek with his thumb and you gasped at the feeling, making Bucky think that you were rejecting the act. You stopped him from moving his hand and he leaned in, his lips brushing yours lightly.

“Either you kiss me or I faint, so make a m-” And just like that, his lips crashed against yours with a passion and hunger you’ve never felt in your entire life. He pressed you against the door, the stupid huge dress stopping you from feeling anything. Your brain finally woke up and you realized what was going on. Bucky Barnes loved you, he was in love with you. And you were in love with him. You pulled away and stopped him, making him step backwards scared that he did something you didn’t want to.

“You love me?” You really asked him, thinking that maybe your brain was betraying you. He nodded and looked away, not wanting to see the rejection in your eyes.

“Hey coward, look at me.” You held his chin and forced him to look at you. “I love you too, always have. I was just too damn scared to admit it to even myself.” He smiled and kissed you again, this time slower, pouring every ounce of love he had for you in the kiss.

“What now?” He asked you once he pulled away to breathe. He had his hand on the back of your neck, caressing your skin with his thumb.

“As much as I’d love you to fuck me against every surface on that room, I am drunk and tired and I need to process everything.” He nodded and waited for you to come up with what you wanted to do next. “So you are going to take this dress off me carefully cause I can’t do it on my own and it’s expensive as fuck, you are going to give me one for your shirts and we are sleeping, together.” He nodded again and smiled, leaning in again to give your lips a small peck.

“Consider it done, asshole.”

[sockablock]

Something New for Me and You

• (start) (AO3) (prev) (next) • 

Chapter 3: Winter Air in the Library

Today 3:27 AM

Molly Tealeaf: hey there! Molly Tealeaf: i got your number from the movie chat haha Molly Tealeaf: i just wanted to let you know how much fun I had tonight! Molly Tealeaf: you have an excellent singing voice Molly Tealeaf: and we should absolutely do this again ‘(~˘▾˘)’~ Molly Tealeaf: and maybe im being forward but if you ever want to talk about what happened w the electricity? Molly Tealeaf: also I still need to give you that jacket back, don’t i Molly Tealeaf: anyhow you’re probably asleep now so i’ll talk to you later Molly Tealeaf: good night mister caleb!

•

“My sneakers are still fine,” said Nott as Caleb chewed the end of his expo marker and drummed his fingers against the tabletop. “You can cross that one off the list.”

“Are you certain?” he pressed. “They are looking rather tattered, and if I sell the clothes Jester got me then we should be—”

“No way,” Nott frowned, shaking her head. “That was a present! You can’t sell it, what if she asks to see them? Or what if you need to go on another fancy date?”

Caleb scoffed. “I do not think I will be doing that anytime soon,” and then his expression softened. “But you are right. That would be rude to Jester. Fine,” he sighed, and drew a line through ‘new sneakers’ on the whiteboard. “We can see if there is enough money next month.”

“Hey, hey, what about the rings I stole, though?” Nott asked. “Maybe they’ll be worth something this time. Or, if we really need to, we can try running some cons.”

Caleb nodded slowly. “We can go see how the rings sell later, when Bibelots is open. As for trying old tricks, that might have to be a plan C, or even D. I do not really want any undue attention from the law. Better to steal from the shadows.”

She shrugged, and reached across the table to pull Frumpkin into her lap. “Whatever you say, Caleb.”

“Okay,” he said, and scribbled a final number at the bottom of the board. “This should work. If we are careful, in a month, we will have enough electricity to use the television and charge our belongings at home, for sure.”

“Really?” she asked, face brightening. “That’s great! Then we can host movie night, when it’s our turn!”

His triumphant expression turned slightly sheepish. “Yes, spatz, then we can. I take it you know what happened, last night?”

“Yep. I did want to check the TV to make sure, first, but I would’ve said something if Molly hadn’t interrupted—”

Caleb quickly shook his head. “Nein, no, I am…glad that you did not.”

She frowned. “How come?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, er,” he said, “I do not want the others to know that we are struggling, financially.”

“What? Why not?”

He felt wretched as he sighed and said, “I don’t want them to think down on us. We are poor, and they are not. Well, at least we know that Jester and Beau are not—”

“Their apartment was crazy.”

“—and if the Moondrop has such a reputation, I am sure that Fjord and Molly and Yasha are not either. But…but we are, and I am worried that if they found out, they would not want to spend time with us anymore.”

Nott was quiet for a moment. Then she blinked her huge yellow eyes and asked, “Is that why you worked so hard to clean up before, when they came over yesterday?”

He nodded miserably.

There were a few more beats of silence as Nott considered this. Then she nodded firmly and pressed a finger to her lips. “Alright then, Caleb. I won’t say anything. Goblin’s promise. Well, that doesn’t really mean much, I guess. Nott’s promise,” she amended with a faint grin.

He returned the smile and leaned over to ruffle her hair. “Thank you, Nott. I am glad you understand. And hopefully, if nothing goes wrong, we should be fine financially and will not have to worry too much next month.”

She grinned. “Great! And then maybe you could start using your phone too, and you can talk to that purple guy.”

“Maybe,” he muttered, and then stood up and reached for his satchel. “For now, though, we have other things to focus on. Like how it is almost time for work. Are you coming along, today?”

She shook her head. “I’m going to hang around the square and see if I can…help our money problems a bit more.”

“Alright,” he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder, “be safe. Stay hidden—”

“—and stay alert, yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a professional, remember?”

He chuckled. “How could I forget?”

She gave him a short, poorly-executed salute. “See you later, Caleb! Have fun at the library.”

He shrugged his old coat on, did the buttons up, and wrapped his scarf tightly around his neck. “See you later, spatz. Have fun in the Square. Come on, Frumpkin.”

And then, after the orange tabby slipped into the hall, he shut the door and headed off to work.

•

Today 10:26PM

Molly Tealeaf: good morning mister caleb! Molly Tealeaf: i hope you slept well, sorry about all those texts last night! Molly Tealeaf: i must’ve had a bit more to drink than i thought Molly Tealeaf: anyways, I just wanted to see if you were free anytime this weekend? Molly Tealeaf: there’s a lovely little coffee shop ive just been dying to try Molly Tealeaf: i think you’d like it

Today 12:14PM

Molly Tealeaf: so if that sounds good, shoot me a text? Molly Tealeaf: ive got a flexible schedule any time before 6 dear

Molly slipped his phone back into his pocket and sagged in the barstool until his forehead hit the countertop. Yasha pulled a cup down from the back shelf and poured him a glass of water.

“I don’t see why I needed to come in so early,” he mumbled, words muffled. “It’s not like I need to practice, really.”

“That’s not a good attitude,” Yasha chided, and slid the drink over. “Gustav made it clear that the 25th anniversary event was important to him, and there are only three days left.”

Molly sighed, and reached blindly for the glass. When his fingers finally made contact, he lifted his head, took a sip, and frowned.

“This isn’t vodka, dear.”

She nodded. “It’s water. It’s noon. You’re hungover.”

Molly scoffed, but took another sip. “I am not hungover,” he protested. “Beau was the only one who got that shitfaced last night.”

“That may be true,” Yasha agreed, “but you are still not in top shape. Desmond did not call a break because he was tired of playing, that is for sure. And the others can tell there is something on your mind. Me included.”

Molly shrugged. “Maybe there is, dear. Or, maybe, I’m just having a bad day.”

“You?” Yasha raised an eyebrow. “I did not know that was possible.”

Molly his tongue out at her. “It happens to the best of us. I would know, because I’m the best of us.”

Yasha sighed. “Is this about Caleb? Is that what this is?”

Molly had a brief flashback to staring at his phone screen at four in the morning, waiting to see if the other man would respond. He shook his head.

“Absolutely not. Not at all.”

Yasha, bless her heart, seemed convinced. “Is it your...abilities? Are they acting up again?”

Molly shook his head much faster this time. “No, no. It’s…it’s really nothing. I promise, I’m in tip-top shape—”

“Good!” grinned Bosun as his large green hand suddenly clapped Molly on the back. The half-orc leaned against the corner of the bar and beamed. “Break’s over now, friend. We’re going again from Toya’s solo. Sound good?”

Molly shot him a cheerful smile. “Sounds wonderful.”

And as they both stood up and walked past, Yasha gave Molly a meaningful, furrowed brow that conveyed just how much she didn’t believe him. He shrugged sheepishly, and followed Bosun back towards the stage with the twirl of an imaginary coat.

•

Nott slipped into a back-alley just on the fringes of the Pentamarket Square, and took a quick swig from her flask. There were plenty of folks out today, morning commuters and shoppers getting a head start on Winter’s Crest gifts. She rubbed her fingers together, and murmured a few quick arcane commands. A small, shimmering hand appeared before her, and then promptly turned invisible. She beamed, and then scaled the dumpster and pulled herself onto a nearby fire escape.

•

Caleb had his nose buried deep between the covers of a particularly promising summary of the history of magical breakthroughs in the Pre-Divergence Era, and almost didn’t notice when Jester dropped her heavy pink bookbag onto the floor and cheerfully plopped her elbows onto the counter, leaning her face annoyingly close to his. He didn’t even blink when she started singing his name and flicking the little metal bell in front of him, and he ignored her as she started insulting him and cursing out his cat, and didn’t even move until she clapped her hands together, muttered the incantation for Thaumaturgy, and made all the doors and windows slam open with a shuddering blast of hellish energy.

Chilly winter air flooded into the library. He looked up, met the raised eyebrow of Jester, and blinked.

“Oh. Good morning, Jester.”

She rolled her eyes, and draped her arms over the counter to try and smack the book out of Caleb’s hands. He pulled away in time, so she rolled onto her back and her upside-down face beamed at him without any hint of annoyance.

“It’s the afternoon, dummy,” she teased. “I finished my classes. I’m here to be tutored.”

Caleb blinked again, and shook his head slightly. “Scheiss, it is already two-thirty?”

She nodded, and flicked him in the nose. “Ah, I knew you were in there somewhere. I sent you like thirty texts, Caleb.”

He gave her an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, Jester. But you know I do not use my phone.”

She pouted, and shook her head. “Why not though, Caleb! It makes life sooo much easier, what’s even the point of having one if you don’t use it?”

“In case I am going somewhere dangerous, and I need to keep in contact with you all.”

Jester giggled. “Why would you be going somewhere dangerous, silly?” And before he could answer she held up her own phone and waved it around in the air. “Besides, I’m not offended, but how will you be able to talk to Molly now? How are you guys going to coordinate your dates?”

Caleb scowled, but mostly out of embarrassment. “Jester, we are barely friends. We aren’t going on dates. If he needs me, he can always contact Nott.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Does he know that? You guys are ‘barely friends,’ like you said. Does he know about the goblin messenger pigeon system you’ve got going on?”

Caleb opened his mouth, and then closed it again. He paused.

“Oh,” he said. “Er...I suppose not.”

Jester huffed dramatically, and tapped him lightly on the arm. “I’ll let Molly know,” she said magnanimously. “In the meantime! I need math help.” She leaned down and rummaged around in her bag until she pulled out a red binder, which she passed to Caleb. “I don’t know what the fuck a vector is,” she said, “but I need to by tomorrow.”

He sighed, and put his book down. “Alright, alright. I’m still technically on shift, though, so pull a chair up here. I can’t leave the front desk.”

As Jester retreated to the copy room—makeshift staff lounge—to fetch a stool, Caleb started rifling through her math notes. They were quite neat, though the margins were completely filled with various doodles, some sketches of her surroundings, and many caricatures of her teachers and fellow students. There were also quite a number of scrawled comments and arrows pointing to various drawings. He sighed again.

“Jester, are you using your math notes to talk to the Traveler?”

There was a pause, and then a thud, and then the sound of Jester harrumphing.

“So what if I am?” she called from the back. “So what? I’ve got to talk to him at some point, and numbers are soooo boring. It’s the only way I’ll even stay awake in class, Caleb.”

He rubbed at his eyes. “I understand that, spassvogel, but have you considered that if you did pay attention, you would not have to come ask me for help so often? Sieversii is an excellent institution, and I am sure if you just applied yourself you would do fine. ”

She came through the door, dragging a stool behind her, and shrugged as she brought it next to Caleb’s position at the counter.

“Maybe,” she said, “but then what would be my excuse to come bother you all the time? Besides, the college might be good but our teacher is shit. I don’t know who ever gave Professor Anders his license, but they should be arrested for mistreating children.”

“You are over twenty years old.”

“All the same,” Jester said, and gestured towards her binder. “Anyways, come on! Learning time! Why are there letters in the bracket, and what am I supposed to do with them?”

Caleb picked up a pencil. “These are indicators, that show magnitude and direction,” he explained, drawing a line across the page. “It means that the, the, say a particle, is moving this way…”

•

Nott, crouching behind the rusted iron railing thirty feet away, cast Minor Image over the necklace grasped in her Mage Hand. It immediately transformed into a pigeon with its wings outstretched, and she quickly yanked the Hand into the air and towards her, creating the illusion, more or less, of a bird taking flight. Nobody seemed to notice anything strange, and she grinned brightly when the hefty silver chain fell into her palm.

“I am the best,” she whispered delightedly to herself, and slipped the necklace into her pouch.

•

“No way,” Beau argued, waving her hands passionately through the air. “Kamordah was robbed. That ref had no idea what he was talking about.”

“Elbowing is a foul, Beau,” Fjord sighed, “and if he didn’t call Redleaf out Alfield would’ve stampeded.”

“Aw, bullshit. That was barely an elbow! And Alfield shouldn’t be talking, their record last year was a mess.”

“Yeah, sure, but you know Redleaf has a history—”

They continued arguing as they made they way down the sidewalk, city buildings towering above them and streets slowly coming alive as the evening crowd finished work and started filtering out for the night. The sky above them was just beginning to darken, and a winter chill swept across their red cheeks and damp hair--still dripping slightly from the gym showers. Eventually, they turned the corner and the metropolitan landscape opened up into a grand view of the harbor, where ships docked on the river and, a block away, the Fletching & Moondrop stood proudly beside the gleaming water.

“Is Jester coming by tonight?” Beau asked after they eventually just agreed to disagree and began making their way to the back staircase of the bar.

“I think so,” said Fjord as followed Beau up. “I’m pretty sure she has an exam soon, but she’s been pretty excited to see how the anniversary preparations are coming. I promised her a behind-the-scenes tour,” he added sheepishly.

“We work in Fletch, though,” Beau said as she rifled through her duffel bag for the keys.

“I know, I know, but Jester still wants to see it. I’ll sneak her into the back during break and besides, I think they like me enough.”

“Do you know what’s been planned?” Beau asked. “It sucks that we’ll be working while it’s all going on.”

Fjord shrugged again. “I know there’s some kind of big production, but that’s all Molly’s told me so far. He came home one night in a skintight dress and a feather boa, but that might just’ve been him.”

“I wish the performers would tell us more,” Beau groused. “They’re so cliquey.”

“They spend a lot of time together, I guess. And, honestly, I don’t know if I could handle that kind of life. Molly’s gone all hours of the day, I’m just glad he and Yasha bother to hang out with us.”

Beau pushed the door open and raised an eyebrow at Fjord. “Was that sarcasm?” she asked.

He grinned. “Maybe,” he said, and swung the door shut behind him.

•

“Oh, Mr. Widogast,” said Yorda, the head librarian, just as Caleb was zipping his satchel shut. “I was hoping to catch you before you left.”

Caleb glanced up, and gave her his signature, politely blank expression. “Hello, good afternoon. Is there something we need to discuss?”

She nodded, and Caleb caught the nervous expression in her eyes. His heart sank.

“Is this about my request for more hours?” he asked dejectedly. “I assume you cannot?”

She wrung her hands. “I’m sorry, dear, but I’m afraid it’s worse than that. Er...I’m going to have to cut you down to only three days a week.”

Caleb fumbled for his bag, and just managed to grab the strap before it hit the ground. His eyes were wide, and he could feel a number of emotions now wracking his brain. He tried to tamp them down.

“But...but...why?” he asked as calmly as he could. “Why? I am a good worker., I have the best record with correctly sorting books, I...I am a good worker, Miss—”

Yorda gave him a pained expression and shook her head. “I’m sorry dear, I’m sorry. It’s not you, understand? The whole library’s budget was cut, I promise this has nothing to do with your performance. I’d let you run the entire building all day if I could, we just can’t afford it, right now. Adelaine's getting a cut too, and I won’t tell you how my salary’s looking. I’m sorry, dear. I wish I could do something about it, but--”

After that, it was largely a blur. At some point, Caleb had eventually collected his things, excused himself, and walked out the front door. He barely remembered striding quickly through the city streets, barely remembered making it back to his building, must have avoided the creaking floorboards by the stairs so Kosh wouldn’t hear him on instinct, and only really awoke as he crept into his apartment and shut the door and slumped down onto the ground and closed his eyes. He could see the numbers dancing in front of him, dried-out expo marker scrawled on the whiteboard, his perfect calculations to ensuring their financial security now shattered.

He couldn’t be mad at Yorda; she was a nice enough woman seemed genuine about her sympathy. Libraries were never really on the city's radar anyways, that and the books were why he wanted to work there so badly in the first place. But now what? Now what was he supposed to do?

Somewhere in the fog of frustration, he felt Frumpkin crawl into his lap. He gratefully accepted the cat’s soothing purrs, and tried to think of what he could possibly do next.

•

Nott was on top of the world. She already had a jade bracelet and another necklace tucked away in her pouch, and was in the middle of the risky but enthralling process of trying to use two Mage Hands at once to carefully remove a woman’s shiny gold earrings. After that, she’d go home and show Caleb the haul she’d gotten today.

•

Today 7:43PM

Molly Tealeaf: actually now that i think about it i wont be free this saturday Molly Tealeaf: its the 25th of the bar! Molly Tealeaf: tomorrow would be best then i can tell you all about it!

Molly, sprawled across the sofa and glaring intently at his phone, almost didn’t notice as Jester danced into the Moondrop’s break room, followed by an exasperated-looking Fjord. But then she grinned delightedly, and threw herself onto the cushion next to Molly and started giggling.

“Mollymauk! How are you today?”

He looked over, took in the sheepish smile on Fjord’s face, and beamed. “I’m doing wonderfully, dear. What brings you here?”

“I need a full tour and breakdown of Saturday’s performance,” she said, instantly snapping in all-business mode. “Fjord doesn’t know shit.”

“Well, come on, I know some things—”

“Like what?” Molly asked, raising an eyebrow. “What could you possibly know?”

He floundered for a moment, and then looked down at the ground. “Drinks are 25% off downstairs,” he muttered. “There’s a new DJ.”

Molly laughed, and flung an arm around Jester’s shoulders. “Stick with me, dear. I’ll fill you in. But Fjord isn’t allowed to know. Not because he works downstairs,” Molly added quickly, “but because I just love seeing him like this.” Then he turned towards Fjord and winked. “Tell Beau she’s welcome up here any time, and I’m sure I could rope Yasha into showing her around.”

As the half-orc rolled his eyes, Jester giggled harder and nodded excitedly. “Ooh, I can’t wait! Oh, but first,” she said, quickly tapping Molly on the nose, “I have a message from Caleb. Well, more or less. Basically if you two are going to be friends, you need to know that he never uses his cell. If you need to talk to him, you gotta go through Nott.”

Molly had a brief flashback to the night before, when three feet of narrow-eyed, suspicious green protectiveness had glared up at him from behind scraggly bangs and a tattered brown hoodie. He thought about Caleb. He sighed.

“Alright, alright,” Molly conceded. “No pain no gain, I suppose. Now, a tour! Come on, I know just where to start.”

“Oh?”

“Oh yes. The costume room.”

•

“What’re you doing back down here so soon?” Beau asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you and Jester were going to go fuck in the back room?”

Fjord’s ears turned a deep, deep shade of green, and he dejectedly made his way around the bar. “First off all, we weren’t going to do that,” he muttered. “Secondly, Molly stole her. He’s showing her the decorations ‘n whatever now.”

Beau, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, shrugged. “Hey, at least she’s happy, right?”

Fjord sighed, but this did seem to brighten his mood. “Yeah, I guess so,” he agreed, and then gave Beau a sly grin. “Yasha’s up there right now too, by the street level door. Molly says she might give you a tour if you asked nicely. AndI don’t think she goes on break for a while, so if you wanted to sneak up there…?”

Beau’s cheeks colored, and she quickly looked down at the ground. “I...er...nah. Nah, it’s alright. But um...was she wearing that sleeveless shirt?”

Fjord chuckled, and nodded.

“Fuck me running,” sighed Beau, and let her arms uncross. “Damn.”

•

“Caleb, why are you on the floor?” Nott asked as she climbed through the window. Living on the third floor never broke her habit of unconventional entry.

He looked up, and worry instantly spiked through her chest. That glassy-eyed expression usually was a signal that something was wrong. She quickly made her way over, and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you alright? Is...is there anything wrong?”

He nodded, and sighed. “Yorda spoke to me today.”

“...um...alright? What did she say?”

“She cut down my hours. We are now operating on two less days of salary.”

Nott was quiet for a moment. Then she carefully wiggled an arm between his back and the wall, and pulled him into a hug.

“It’s okay,” she muttered. “We...we’ll be fine. You’ll figure it out and oh, hey!”

She broke away, and yanked her pouch out. “Look at this! Look, I got a bunch of stuff today, and it might even be real! Maybe this will help.”

Caleb, who had untensed slightly after her embrace, managed a small smile. “That’s very good, spatz. I am sure they will help quite a bit, we can go see Oglen tomorrow.”

“Great!” beamed Nott with relief. “I can—”

Her phone buzzed. She frowned, and pulled it out.

Today 8:19PM

Molly Tealeaf: hello there Nott

She blinked, and rubbed at her eyes. Maybe the cold air of the apartment was messing with her vision. When she looked back down at the screen, she frowned. It was Molly.

Nott TB: what do you want

There was a brief pause, and the “...” icon let Nott know her response had the desired effect.

Molly Tealeaf: straight to the point i see alright Molly Tealeaf: i was told that if i need to contact caleb you are the person to go to Molly Tealeaf: actually apparently via phone you are the only person to go to

She smirked slightly at that. Next to her, Caleb peered over her shoulder at the tiny screen.

Nott TB: you are correct why do you need him

There was another pause.

Molly Tealeaf: id like to arrange a meeting with him Molly Tealeaf: i need to give that coat back Molly Tealeaf: and i want to treat him to coffee tomorrow to thank him for letting me borrow it

She rolled her eyes, and Caleb spoke.

“Who is that? What are they saying?”

Nott passed her cell over. “It’s Molly. He wants to meet up tomorrow and return your coat and buy you coffee.”

Caleb blinked. There was something stirring at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t entirely pinpoint what it was. “He wants to return my coat and buy me coffee?”

Nott shrugged. “I guess.” And then she brightened and said, “Hey, you should go! You need to relax, I bet, and you love coffee. And free things. And that coat was a present from Jester. She’d be sad if you didn’t get it.”

Caleb rubbed his chin. He glanced down at the phone, and handed it back to Nott. “Al...alright, I suppose. I guess I would not have had anything to do tomorrow anyway.”

“Great!” Nott said. “I’ll let him know.”

Caleb nodded. “Do that, please. I will...um...I will go sort out my closet, now. Excuse me.”

And then he got up, and walked into the bedroom. Nott heard the curtain that divided the room in two slide shut.

She looked back at her phone.

Molly Tealeaf: please tell me you aren’t ignoring me Molly Tealeaf: do you hate me Molly Tealeaf: nott please if anything just let me swing by and get the coat Molly Tealeaf: nott please

She sighed.

Nott TB: he’s in Nott TB: if the coffee place is far he’ll need a ride Nott TB: im watching you mister Molly Tealeaf: uh Molly Tealeaf: thank you Nott TB: dont mention it pick a time tomorrow bye

And before Molly could type out a response, she grinned smugly to herself, put the phone away, and skipped off to bed.

[winstonhcomedy]

“Dope A-F” 1/9-1/10  “Tonight Shows and Bro Re Nata”

Sweet baby lord had two hot ones last night at two dope shows. Had a super fun night of standup at two of my favorite mics! 

After work I headed over to Short Pump Town Center to get to The Funny Bone for the open mic hosted by Liz Carr. I was there super early so I decided to do a little shopping first. I picked up a new jacket at H&M. It’s a big puffy red, white, and blue jacket that has a real 90s ski movie vibe to it. I throw it on and then head to the candy shop right across from me. Where I proceed to spend 8 dollars on taffy because I am a toddler.

I do some writing in my car and head up to the club. When I get there comedian Brett Leake (5 Tonight Show appearances) is coming in the door. Brett is a comedian living with muscular dystrophy so he is not out at shows as often as he’d probably like.  So it is always a treat to see and talk to him.

After Brett and I get signed up we have an absolutely wonderful conversation about comedy. I get to ask him questions about his Tonight Show appearances. He walked me through the entire process the first time he was selected, and everything that went into that set. 

We then discussed the differences between comedy then and now. How when he started there was no real comedy about identity. Everybody just wanted jokes in the club and they wanted you to steer away from certain topics. He said that he wouldn’t talk about his MD too much on his first Tonight Show because they didn't want him to talk about it too much. Which is in stark contrast to comedy today. I really wish I had recorded this conversation because it was an invaluable discussion about standup. 

Times like this are why I’m glad to be a comic. He talked to me like a peer and a friend and that was really special. If you ever have a chance to talk to Brett or see him live go do it. He now does a mix of comedy and motivational speaking and he is always fun to watch.  Here is one of his appearances on morning radio.

We do the comics meeting and I notice there is a lot of newer comics here. I think other than Liz, Brett, Richard Woody and I no one on the list have been doing comedy longer than a year. I am also interested how shows like this are going to go. We then get the show rolling. Brett opens the show up and has a fine set. He is working out some material about numbers and some questions he has about a couple different religions. 

We then get into a string of newer comics. I can’t really remember anything too much about many of them. There are a few who have taken Patrick Buhse’s class (and it’s always exciting to see these people out at mics actually continuing to do standup). 

The show is going pretty well. Mu Cuzzo goes up right before me and he’s dressed up like he’s about to give a sermon. He has a hot set, and then it is my turn. I feel super good about my set. I worked on my new joke about witches and then riffed an idea about Trump not being the worst president. It got a laugh as well. I had a pretty good set and I’d give it a B-.

Rick went up later that night and ended up doing ok. He was doing new stuff, and people had left. He couldn’t really connect, but it happens. He stayed in the pocket and finished the set.

I then headed over to McCormacks to do some time. I get there and find out I am third and the show is about to start. There are a few comics that I hadn’t seen in a long time, and also a lot of newer comics as well. Looked like a good crowd and they seemed to be into comedy from the start. So as long as you could deliver you would be set.

I went third and I still heard a few hot takes about R.Kelly which is always fun. Nothing like newer comics taking a hot topic and beating it into the ground. I know that I could probably get some good material by focusing on what is in the news, but it just all feels so hacky right away since everyone is giving their take it is a deterrent. I need to get over this because some of my best jokes are about hot topics in the news, or news stories. It is a thing I am actively working on this year to get over that. 

I go up after and have a super hot set. Everything works. I do my two brand new bits, and add a bunch of tags to a third. I got a bell ring from the bartender which was dope, and didn’t have a down moment in my set. It felt really good and one of the better sets I’ve had at McCormacks in a while. Just feels like proof that the hard work is paying off. I’d give this set an A-. After my set I grabbed my stuff and headed home. All in all not a bad night for comedy!!!

The next night was my night to host a showcase at Pro Re Nata Brewery in Crozet. JR Stoffel is the usual host of this show, but he is in Las Vegas for CES for his job. So he handed the reins over to me. I got to book a fun lineup (Rick Williams, Paige Campbell, and Richard Woody), had a guest spot (Alex Castagne) and Chris Alan headlining. 

We had a pretty good crowd actually. I think at our peak we were at about 45+. Which is a solid number for a freezing cold day in Crozet. This show is continuing to grow and bring in business. JR has done a great job building the room. 

I went up first and had a pretty good set. I did new jokes and some light crowd work. I basically just wrangled the crowd for 10 minutes and get them in the mood. A fine hosting set, but I didn’t kill. I”d give this set a C+.

After me was Alex. He did pretty well. He had some lulls and he wasn’t happy with his set, but from the outside looking in he held his own and had some jokes get some pretty big laughs. 

Then Rick went up. He had a good set too. Most of his material worked and he actually got an applause break for a joke he has about kickball. He didn’t close crazy strong, but people definitely dug his set.

Richard Woody followed him with one of the strongest sets of the night. From beginning to end everything he did was working. He got some huge laughs and held crowd control for the duration. He did some material which included him reading his online dating interactions, and it did super well to close.

Paige Campbell had an uneven set. He’d hit really hard and then not get much. Which honestly seemed to be the theme for the entire night. Everybody would lose the crowd a little bit and then just get them back. They were enjoying the whole show but it was almost impossible to build momentum to really make them crack. No one did poorly, everyone did well and got laughs, but you felt like you could lose them at any second.

Lastly Chris went up and did 45 minutes. He was in his own head about it and didn’t seem to be enjoying his self. He was working out a lot of new material during this 45 minutes, and I was super impressed that he stuck with it even when it wouldn’t go anywhere. Then he would follow the lulls with a killer joke that would destroy. The audience could tell he wasn’t feeling it 100% but they stuck with him. I thought he had a good set, and a lot of his new material is super funny and is only going to get better. It was a solid ending to a super fun show. Chris is crazy critical of his self, and that’s what makes him a great comic. 

After the show people came up and were super supportive and said they’d be back for the future ones. I think JR’s room is slowly turning into one of the better comedy rooms in the area and I can’t wait to see what he does with it next. 

WHAT A HOT TWO DAY STRETCH FOR COMEDY! I will be at Cozzys tonight and tomorrow at 8! And Sunday at 8 I’ll be closing out the show at Hof Garden at 7. So come one and all. I love you laydees xoxoxo sugar!

[nachtgraves]

Hey, I'm a fan of your work over in Ao3! I have a prompt idea for a Yuuri! On Ice fic. Could you do a 5+1 kinda thing where Yuuri and Victor are dating (I was kinda picturing it to be an AU because we all know they would move in together) and whenever Yuuri comes over to Victor's apartment and stays late he hints around to staying over for the night but Victor is a very dense boy and doesn't get until, like, the end. BONUS If you put an unnecessary amount of angst and then a huge amount of fluff

I FINALLY FINISHED IT. I’m so sorry it took forever but it is done! I deviated a bit with your prompt, but I hope you still enjoy (: This is also my first 5+1 type of thing so hope I did that decently. And thank you!

Title: Five Times Yuuri was Obvious and the One Time Victor Finally Got It // AO3Word Count: 4,960Tags/Warnings: G/PG. College AU, misunderstandings, established relationship, Victor is oblivious but means well, minor background relationships.

1.

Yuurireally likes Victor. Like a lot. He’dnever have thought that the guy he saw coming into the ice rink where he workedpart-time would ever look twice at him. But now here he is, on the olderRussian’s couch watching some dumb TV show he, at least, has not been payingattention to, while said Russian is getting the takeout they ordered from thedoor.

“—nkyou. Have a nice night.”

Yuuri’sphone buzzes. A text from Phichit. Victor’s moved to the kitchen and Yuuriknows from experience that Victor will bite his hand if he tries to help.Victor has weird and outdated views on hosting guests, especially boyfriendshe’s still trying to do the whole impressing thing with. Yuuri doesn’t know howto tell the man that he just needs to laugh and Yuuri is gone.

From Phichit / 7:34 PM

So ur not coming back tonight riiiiiight?????Ive not taught u well if u doI will be v disappointed yuuri

Yuuri’sface heats even though he did come over to Victor’s with the intention to notbe sent off to the trains to go back to his and Phichit’s apartment at the endof the night. He doesn’t even care if they do things. Well, he does, and would not be opposed, but he mainly justwants to wake up to Victor in the morning.

It’sa weekday, but neither he nor Victor have classes or work in the morning. Yuurihas work in the afternoon and that’s during the time Victor usually comes tothe rink to skate, now with the added bonus of light flirting and making plansfor date nights when it’s Yuuri’s shift to moderate the skaters. He’s preparedto withstand the teasing from Phichit and Yuuko should he and Victor come tothe ice rink together, Yuuri wearing the same clothes Phichit had last seen himin, or, better yet, in something of Victor’s.

To Phichit / 7:37 PM

We’re eating takeout and watching a movie.But if I happen to miss the last train…

Yuuriadds a fingers crossed emoji before hitting send. Phichit’s reply is immediateand Yuuri’s cheeks flush at the series of peach, eggplant, and kissy faceemojis.

“Dinneris served!”

Yuuristuffs his phone face down in his lap, startled by Victor. His boyfriend isstanding with two plates loaded with naan and a chicken curry at the foot ofthe coffee table. He tilts his head. “Is everything okay, Yuuri?”

Yuurinods, mentally willing the flush on his cheeks to die down. “Yeah! Yup.Everything’s fine.”

Victorraises a brow and sets the plates on the table. “Okay… Well, do you wantanything to drink?”

Theydecide on some wine and Yuuri vocalizes that he is limiting himself to oneglass, two glasses max. Victor laughsat him but puts the bottle away after pouring the both of them modest glassfulsbefore joining Yuuri on the couch.

“Atoast?” Victor asks, raising his glass.

“Towhat?”

Victorhums, lips pursed in thought. “Delicious food, a hopefully interesting movie,and the best company I could ask for?” The little smile Victor flashes isentirely unfair. Yuuri’s face is bright red when their glasses clink togetherand Victor is unapologetic.

Theystart the movie, an action-adventure-comedy type thing that had won severalawards that neither of them had managed to see when it was in theaters. As theyclean off their plates and nurse their wines, Yuuri gradually closes thedistance between Victor and himself until their shoulders press against oneanother. Yuuri curls his legs up and leans against Victor. His boyfriendglances away from the screen and huffs a laugh, but throws an arm aroundYuuri’s shoulders and lets Yuuri lean further into Victor. They meet for abrief kiss that has Yuuri arching for more when Victor pulls away.

“We’llmiss the movie,” is Victor’s excuse in the face of Yuuri pouting. Hetemporarily placates Yuuri with one more kiss and tucking Yuuri closer to hischest, cheek against Yuuri’s head.

Yuuri’sonly got half a mind on the movie, even though it is actually interesting andif Yuuri wasn’t thinking about other things he would have been just asenthralled by the plot as Victor is. But it’s getting later and later and themovie is longer than Yuuri thought it was, but it works in his favor since thelast train he can catch to go home arrives in the next twenty minutes at astation that is a ten minute walk away and there’s at least another thirtyminutes left of the movie. Yuuri fights the urge to stare at the clock on hisphone to see the minutes tick by.

Themovie ends and Yuuri’s missed the last train by eight minutes, assuming it wason time.

“Ohshit, I’m sorry, Yuuri. I lost track of time.” Victor looks incredibly guiltywhen he sees how late it is.

“Don’tworry about it,” Yuuri assures him. He feels a little bad that he somewhatorchestrated the situation and Victor seems to feel really bad about it.

Butthen Victor perks up in that way he does when he believes he has an incredibleidea. Yuuri has to hold back the preemptive yes.

“Lyft!”Victor exclaims.

“Ye—what?”

Victorgrins and unlocks his phone. “I’ll call you a Lyft. Let me just download theapp real quick.”

Yuuridoesn’t tell Victor that he has Lyft, as well as Uber, on his phone. While hehas found the services to be incredibly useful during nights out where no oneis capable of getting themselves home, currently, he has some very differentfeelings on the matter.

“Ah,yeah. Thanks.” Yuuri sighs as he gathers his things and Victor sorts out the Lyft.Victor cheerfully announces that Yuuri’s ride will arrive in moments. When itarrives, Victor walks him to the front of the building and Yuuri gets a kiss onthe cheek before sliding into the car.

Yuurireally likes Victor, but he wishes Victor could take a hint.

2.

WhenPhichit is determined, nothing can deter him.

“Okay.So clearly, your boyfriend is a little slow on the uptake, but! Now that I’mtaking charge of this, you will not be coming back here if I can help it.”

Yuuripretends to look affronted. “Are you trying to kick me out?”

Phichitplays coy and twirls a lock of hair. “Well.Only for like a night every once in a while.”

“Likeme being home hasn’t stopped you before.” Yuuri nudges his best friend. He’sgotten used to seeing, and sometimes hearing, some of Phichit’s closer friendsthe occasional morning.

Witha laugh, Phichit lets his entire weight fall onto Yuuri, causing the two tospread out on Yuuri’s bed.

“Phichit,get off!” Yuuri laughs. Phichit squirms until he’s pretty much starfished outatop Yuuri. “I can’t breathe!”

Phichitraises himself up and smirks at Yuuri. “Well, I wonder if there’s a certainRussian we know that would help you out.”

Facepink and laughing, Yuuri pushes Phichit off of him. “Shut up.”

“Alright,back to business. When is coming by?”

Yuurisearches for his phone, lost amid blankets. It’s trying to hide in a pillow andflashes several notifications from social media and a couple texts. There’s atext from Victor, flooded with exclamation marks, saying that he finished hiserrands earlier than expected and can be ready whenever Yuuri is.

“WheneverI want, it seems,” Yuuri answers. He shows Phichit the text and is just barelyquick enough to keep his phone out of the Thai boy’s reach when he grabs forit. “What are you trying to do?”

Phichitshrugs, eyebrows high on his head, eyes directed to the corner of the room.“Nothing,” he draws the word out like he’s not even sure what lie he was goingto come up with. “Anyway, time to slut you up.”

Yuuriis slightly afraid.

Victor’seyes widen when they meet up and Yuuri grudgingly admits to himself thatPhichit does know what he’s doing. Even if Yuuri wants to pull at the too-tightshirt that belongs to Phichit and squirm in the jeans that supposedly make hisass look ‘bitable’ and are definitely going to be more of a struggle to takeoff than they were to put on.

Theygo out to see the movie Victor’s been looking forward to and grab dinner at acute Spanish restaurant after. Victor animatedly goes over his favorite partsof the film, praising directing, acting, cinematography. He goes over the partsthat were lacking, but overall his expectations had been met. Yuuri watches himfondly, chiming in every once in a while, nodding along or disagreeing with oneaspect, but overall he lets Victor lead and is content with sipping wine and cataloguingthe Russian’s every gesture.

It’slate when they leave the restaurant, the walk to the nearest station quiet andmostly deserted. Victor reaches for Yuuri’s hand, and their fingers are linked,warm and loose, for the walk. They come to the point where they would need topart if they went to their own homes. Yuuri, gnaws on his bottom lip, wraps hisfree arm around his middle.

“Well…”Yuuri trails off, awkward, hopeful, waiting. “I’m that way.”

Victorfrowns slightly and Yuuri traps his bottom lip between his teeth, biting downhard. He looks up at Victor through his lashes, eyes wide, Phichit’s voicerunning through his head giving orders: Curve you neck, draw attention to yourmouth, show a hint of tongue—a hint, a flash! You gotta tease, Yuuri. You are not ice cream in an ice cream shop, there’sno sampling. You’re the display piece they can look at through the window, andcan only have if they take you home.

WhenVictor comes closer, leans down, Yuuri closes his eyes and meets his boyfriendhalfway for a lingering kiss. When they part, Yuuri is ready to nod, stomachfluttering and heart jumping.

Victorsqueezes Yuuri’s hand before he lets go. “Get home safe, Yuuri.”

Yuuri’shands, both empty, slide into his coat pockets. “Ah, yeah. You too.”

Theywalk their separate ways and Yuuri sends a text to Phichit.

To Phichit / 9:48 PM

Mission failed

3.

“Idon’t get it,” Yuuri whines. He shoves away his textbook and notes, floppingover on Victor’s coffee table. Victor, fiddling with a pen as he reads throughstudent work for the class he’s a TA for, looks up from the essay.

“What’reyou stuck on?”

Yuuriturns his textbook around and uses his pencil to point out the problem he’sbeen stuck on. God does he hate Gen Ed requirements.

Victorlooks over the page and comes around to sit beside Yuuri on the floor, lookingover Yuuri’s notes and the in-progress assignment that’s a review worksheet fora midterm-like test.

“You’reon the right track but you’re using the wrong formula,” Victor says after amoment. Using his pen, Victor writes out an equation that looks vaguelyfamiliar to Yuuri and he’s fairly certain he knows what some of the variablesmean. But it still doesn’t really help.

“Victor,” Yuuri whines again after attemptingthe problem with the new equation. He’s flipped through his notes and thetextbook, but still can’t figure out how and what to plug in to get the rightanswer. He’s really not looking forward to the upcoming test. Yuuri can alreadysee all the red marks that will make themselves comfortable on his paper.

Victorchuckles and ruffles Yuuri’s hair. “How about a food break?

Thespeed at which Yuuri perks up is comical, if the way Victor’s chuckles turninto full blown laughter is at all telling. Yuuri puts his schoolwork to theside in a somewhat organized pile, clearing space as he gets up. He followsafter Victor into the kitchen, seeing his boyfriend looking through his pantry.

“Areyou feeling pasta tonight?” Victor asks, looking over his shoulder.

Yuurinods, “Pasta sounds good.”

Withinthe hour, Yuuri and Victor are back in the living room, plates of some lemon,butter, garlic, and herb chicken and angel hair pasta set before them that hasYuuri salivating. They eat on the couch with the TV on and once the food iscleared, Victor pointedly looks at Yuuri’s incomplete assignment. Yuuri slidesback down to the floor with a put upon pout.

“Thisisn’t even graded,” Yuuri grumbles.

Ahand comes to rest on his head, fingers curl into hair. Yuuri looks up with aquestion on his tongue, but a mouth presses to his in answer before he canspeak.

“Mightnot be a graded assignment, but the test counts for a lot,” Victor says oncethey pull apart from the brief, far too brief, peck. “But a boyfriend can givehis boyfriend rewards for a job well done?”

Yuurifocuses more on the assignment than he’s focused on any class that he’s ever enjoyed.Victor’s smile as he finishes up doing his TA work may be incredibly cocky andsmug, but being able to wipe it away with kisses and some hair tugging while inVictor’s lap more makes up for it.

Yuuriis very comfortable in Victor’s arms, and the way Victor’s holding him feelslike Victor won’t be letting go any time soon. But when they break for air andjust rest against one another, Yuuri’s head on Victor’s shoulder and Victor’scheek against Yuuri’s head, Victor sighs. “It’s getting pretty late and youhave class in the morning.”

Yuuristills for a moment against Victor before releasing a sigh of his own. “I kindof wish I lived closer to school like you do. You’re what, a twenty minute walkand maybe ten by car?”

Victornods against Yuuri. “Yeah, about. Depending on traffic it can take almostthirty by car. The street one over from the coffee shop everyone goes to? Theabsolute worst during the lunch rush.”

“Ohyeah, that street is awful,” Yuuri says. “Still, you don’t even have to wake upas early to get to classes on time. I’m jealous.”

Victorlaughs and presses his mouth to Yuuri’s forehead. “But you live closer to theskate rink.”

Yuurican’t argue with that, but the conversation is not going where he hopes itwould. He doesn’t know how else to get Victor to suggest he stay over, since,clearly, it’d be easier for Yuuri to get to class in the morning.

“Ugh,”Victor groans. “C’mon I need to get you home before it really gets too late.Don’t you also have to see your advisor tomorrow?”

“Shit.”Yuuri had completely forgotten. So maybe this time wouldn’t have beenconvenient to stay over. “I forgot. And all the things I had to bring her areat home and—”

BeforeYuuri can spiral into full blown panic, he finds himself much higher off theground than the couch and Victor’s lap, legs swinging freely in the air, theonly point of stability being Victor’s arms, one under his knees and the otheraround his back.

“Victor!”The man only grins. “What? I’m getting you home.”

Eventhough it is the best idea for now and Yuuri had not planned things out well atall, Yuuri can’t help but wish that Victor was carrying him towards the bedroominstead of his coat and shoes.

4.

Yuuri’srelationship with alcohol is one that everyone around him enjoys while heremains oblivious to his actions until days, sometimes even months later. Hehas no memory of the first time he met Victor at one of Chris’ parties and madean absolute ass of himself when Victor sought him out at the ice rink not toolong after. It was only on one of their earlier dates before they officiallyfinally got together that Victor brought up the first time they met. Thepictures of that night are ones Yuuri still can’t look at, much to Phichit’ssadistic glee.

Andyet, Yuuri will still find himself a few too many drinks deep every once in awhile. Especially at one of Chris’ parties where it’s rare to have an intactmemory of the night.

“Ithink you’re done for now,” Victor says, taking Yuuri’s newly filled glassaway. Yuuri pouts, and while trying to reach for his drink, finds it too taxingand simply slumps onto Victor, arms draped over the Russian’s shoulder.

“M’fine,”Yuuri mumbles into Victor’s neck.

Victorwraps an arm around Yuuri’s waist, holding him up. Yuuri settles further intothe warmth of his boyfriend.

“I’msure you are right now, but you won’t be later.”

Yuuriwants to sulk, argue with Victor, but he also really likes being in Victor’sarms so he settles for lifting his face up briefly to give Victor furrowedbrows and jutting bottom lip before settling his head back in the cradle ofVictor’s neck and shoulder.

Victorleads them out of the kitchen – away from the drinks – to one of the couches inChris’ living room. Various people, all somehow associated to Chris, mingle anddance and drink around them. Phichit’s dancing with two of Chris’ coworkers, JJand Isabella are canoodling on an armchair made for one but can apparently fittwo, Sara’s sneaking off with Mila while Emil distracts Mickey, not that that’sany sort of hardship for the lovable Czech.

Yuurileans heavily into Victor, eyes drifting almost shut as he dozes. Yurio andOtabek join them at some point, before Victor’s teasing makes the other Russiansputter insults and storm away, face red. Otabek follows after, the tips of hisears and cheeks almost as red as his not-yet-boyfriend’s. Yuuri’s vaguelyconscious when Phichit swings by and lets Yuuri know that he’s leaving with thetwo guys he had been dancing with most of the night. He must have fallencompletely asleep at some point, for a few minutes at least, because Victor iswaking him up and getting to his feet.

“Yougood to go home?” Victor asks.

Ittakes a moment, groggy as he is, but Yuuri nods and manages to sort himself outwithout relying on Victor too much. Most of the partygoers have gone or are inthe process of leaving. Chris is wrapped up around Masumi who looks nothingshort of fond. Their cat has slunk her way to them now that the house isquieter, curled up on the armrest by Masumi’s arm.

Victorand Yuuri say their goodbyes and head out. Chris and Masumi live pretty much atthe heart of the city so there are plenty of cabs around. Victor hails onequickly and helps Yuuri in.

Yuuri’snapped and dozed and had some time to let all the liquor he’s had go throughhis system enough for him mind to fix on the fact that he and Victor live incompletely opposite directions and Victor’s apartment is closer.

ButVictor rattles off Yuuri’s address to the cab driver.

“You’recloser though,” Yuuri argues.

Victorhesitates, doesn’t look at Yuuri. “It’s fine. I want to make sure you get homesafe and it’s not that far from yours to mine. Besides, I have to do a thingfor the class I’m TAing in the morning so.”

Yuuriknows Victor’s fibbing. Not entirely, but he’s not being completely truthful. Yuurilooks away, down at his hands in his lap. “Oh. If you’re sure.”

Victorruffles Yuuri’s hair. “It’s really fine.”

Yuurigets dropped off in front of his apartment building with a brief peck and ‘seeyou later’.

5.

MaybeVictor just has a thing.  People havethings they’re weird about all the time. Yuuri knew someone who had a thingabout how they eat their food, eating the smallest items on their plate firstand moving their way up. Yuuri had a thing about having people he didn’t knowto a certain, abstract level being in his room when he lived in the dorms hisfirst year.

Butthen he sees Chris’ Instagram post of him and Victor in pajamas, in what Yuuriknows is Victor’s bedroom, Victor in the background holding pillows and extrablankets, captioned ‘sleepover!!’ with an arrangement of emojis, and doesn’tknow what to think.

“Doeshe not actually like me?”

Phichitwhacks Yuuri with the pillow Yuuri hasn’t been hugging to his chest, sulking.“That boy is completely gone for you, Yuuri, shut up. It’s probably justsomething else. Like, Chris wasn’t taking no for an answer or Victor doesn’tcare about Chris spending the night because Chris isn’t his adorable boyfriend.”

“But—”

“Justbe more aggressive the next time you’re over!”

Yuuripouts into his pillow. “I can’t do that.”

Phichitrolls his eyes, “Just get some drinks in you and I’m sure you’ll have noproblem with voicing your wants.”

Yuurifinally relinquishes his hold on his pillow to throw it at his best friend.Unfortunately, Phichit catches it out of the air easily and now has both thepillows. He drops the pillows and shuffles on Yuuri’s bed so they’re side byside, Phichit with an arm around Yuuri’s shoulders.

“Butreally. You won’t get what you want if you’re not vocal about it. Apparently,your Russian is oblivious to actions that, knowing you, are far fromsubtle—don’t hit me, you know it’s the truth—so just be upfront and tell himyou want to sleep over.” Phichit adds on with a wink, “Or not sleep.”

Yuurirolls his eyes and shoves Phichit. He has to get ready though for a doubledate.

Yuurishows up at the restaurant early, but he sees Victor is already there. Victorgreets him with a brief kiss that has Yuuri sighing and leaning in for more. They’vegot a few minutes until the time their reservation and knowing Chris andMasumi, more Chris, they probably had a little more.

Yuurican only think of how the universe is probably laughing at his expense that rightafter he had seen Chris’ Instagram post, Masumi and him wanted to grab dinnerwith Yuuri and Victor the next day. He doesn’t know how to bring it up withoutsounding stupidly jealous when there’s no reason to be. Instead they talk aboutschool and work as they wait for Masumi and Chris who show up with Chris allbut clinging to Masumi and Masumi looking fondly exasperated.

“Sorrywe’re late,” Masumi says, he doesn’t give an excuse, only looks to hisunashamed boyfriend.

“Youcan’t blame me when you get all dressed up,” Chris throws back, flirtatious asever. Yuuri feels his cheeks pink at the implication. Victor laughs and Masumijust shakes his head as they enter the restaurant and get seated.

Dinnergoes well. It’s not often that Yuuri hangs out with Masumi or Chris with theirbusy schedules, Masumi travelling often for his work and Chris busy with hisown. They talk about work and school and future plans, Masumi and Chrisplanning to take a few days off work to go travelling, visit their familiesalong the way. They promise to come by the ice rink some time too, both of themmiss having the freedom to skate and hang out with everyone.

It’swhen the bill has been paid and everyone’s ready to part ways that Chris bringsup how he thinks he left his scarf at Victor’s the other night.

“Ah,yeah, I found it have it hung up. I forgot to bring it with me but I can dropit off at yours sometime if you want.”

Chriswaves him off, “I can swing by and get it myself whenever you’re free, don’tworry about it. Thanks though, and see you too soon. I have a well-dressedboyfriend to…pester. And I’m sure you both do too.” Chris leaves them with asmirk and clings to Masumi as they head home. Masumi manages a wave but there’sno hint of resistance to Chris dragging him away.

Yuuridoesn’t know what to say, he more than hopes that Chris’ assumption andsuggestion would lead anywhere but his track record lends to the contrary.Victor clears his throat and offers his arm. “Sometimes you think you canhandle Chris, and then learn you were very incorrect. I’ll walk you to thestation?”

Yuuritakes Victor’s arm. “How was that sleepover, by the way?”

Victorlaughs. “Chris was very excited. We just watched TV and ordered in takeout. Ithink he’s been a bit stressed about something at work and didn’t want to putit on Masumi. I offered to let him stay the night since we’d been drinking andMasumi was in the middle of some high priority work Chris didn’t want tointerrupt.”

Andthere went Yuuri and Phichit’s theorizing that Chris had invited himself over.If only Victor was that blasé about asking Yuuri to spend the night.

Havinghad some wine with dinner, and envy filling his head, Yuuri comments, “SinceI’ve known you, I don’t think you’ve ever had people stay the night at yours.Sleepovers don’t seem like something you’d do.”

Victorshrugs, “Not often, no. But sometimes being alone in an apartment that is kindof a little big for just one person can get lonely. Date nights at mine areprobably my favorite kind of date nights because of that.”

Yuuriwants to strangle Victor. It would be so easy to ask why Victor has never evenseemed inclined to get Yuuri to stay the night, extend date nights into datemornings. But they’re at the station and Yuuri’s train is rolling up and whileit’s late, it’s too public a place to be potentially humiliated.

“Goodnight, Victor. See you soon?”

Victornods and bends to kiss Yuuri before he has to catch the train home alone.

+1.

Yuuri’snot avoiding Victor. At least not on purpose. Schoolwork has picked up and he’sbeen covering at the ice rink more often and he’s just too tired to do morethan go home and pass out in bed with take out and something playing on hislaptop. So he hasn’t seen Victor in a while for more than a brief hello aroundcampus or while he’s working at the rink that’s been busy with tourists andlocals taking advantage of deals and sales and whatnot because it was that timeof year.

Buthe runs into Victor on campus at the library, Victor at a desk with a pile ofbooks on one side of his laptop and a stack of essays and papers on the other.

“Yuuri!”Victor beams. Yuuri stops by and leans down for the kiss Victor pulls him into.

“Youlook busy,” Yuuri comments.

Victorpouts. “You too. I’ve missed you.”

Yuurifeels a flush of pleasure at the words. “I’ve missed you too. Just the time ofyear, you know?”

Victornods, “Trust me, I do. But doesn’t mean I can’t miss hanging out with you. Thisweek should be the last of it before finals season but are you free thisweekend? Just a night in with takeout and some TV?”

Yuuritakes a second but nods. He has a fair number of assignments all due the nextweek that he should work on this weekend, but he has missed Victor and, despitehis hopes, it’s not like he’ll be spending the night, as he’s learned.

Fridayrolls around Yuuri can tell he’s not the only one immensely grateful for theweekend. He finishes up his last class and heads straight to Victor’s, havingswitched shifts with Yuuko he doesn’t have work until Saturday afternoon.Victor lets him in almost immediately, pulling Yuuri inside and mouth on hisbefore the door even clicks shut.

“Hey,”Yuuri laughs once they part.

“Hello,”Victor grins, still holding Yuuri around his waist. “Ready for the weekend?”

Yuurifalls into Victor with a sigh. “You have no idea.”

Victorkeeps one arm around Yuuri and leads the way further into his apartment. “Well,I have Thai on the way and Netflix up and ready for our abuse.”

TheirThai food arrives halfway into the second episode of the TV show they startedto binge and Yuuri was quite invested. They eat as they continue watching halfof the season before Yuuri starts yawning and leaning heavily into Victor. It’snot even close to midnight but the week’s toll has weighed heavily on hisshoulders.

“Weshould get you home, I think,” Victor says quietly, hand brushing throughYuuri’s hair. Yuuri groans and presses his face into Victor’s shoulder.

“Homeis too far. Your bed is so much closer,” Yuuri mumbles without thinking. As thewords he carelessly said process in his sleepy, fuzzy mind, he’s suddenly muchmore awake.

Yuurilooks up and Victor is uncharacteristically flustered, stunned even. There’sreally no backtracking so why not continue to shove his foot deeper into hismouth?

“Whydo you not want me to sleep over, Victor? I feel like I’ve been pretty obviousbut…”

Victorrubs at the back of his neck, looks away. “Oh. I, uh, I thought you were just,being you, didn’t want to read too much into things in case that wasn’t whatyou meant.”

Yuuridoesn’t know if he should be offended by Victor’s implications of Yuuri beingthat aloof and unaware. There’s some truth to the unsubtle statement but still.

“Soyou’re not opposed,” is all Yuuri says in response.

WhenVictor looks at him again, there’s a heat in his gaze that’s fighting beingtempered.  “Well you see, Yuuri, if youspent the night, I, well, sleeping would be very difficult.”

“Victor.”

“AndI don’t want to pressure you into anything, because I don’t just want to, youknow, but also just cuddling in bed and platonically, well not entirelyplatonically, but romantically? Just sleeping together and seeing you firstthing in the morning.”

Arambling Victor is a rare sight, and any other time Yuuri would let Victorcontinue and see where he trailed off into, but Yuuri is tired and happy andhas been patient long enough.

“Victor,” Yuuri cuts Victoroff before he can continue. With a smile, he leans up and pecks Victor’s cheek.“Just letting you know, I’m staying the night.”

[byeoujison]

october 2020

i tend to not like to reflect on things until they’re over because i feel like im jinxing myself, but i want to do this now. i need to get over my superstition.

ive been working my current job since mid-july, which sounds fake. i feel like i just started this job but i pretty much have my duties down. at the beginning i was determined that i would be staying with this company for a long time. It pays very well, and it’s not horrible so i figured i could learn to live with working 8 hours days for the foreseeable future. the problem is, i don’t do well with foreseeable futures, i perform best under time constraint, so working somewhere that i have no idea how long i’ll be isn’t good for my work ethic.

October was when my mind was really changed regarding my work here. The first week was normal. We decorated for halloween while watching over the garden wall. Me, GF, our roommate R, and J all played poker with chocolate candy and i lost big time.

then the week of the 7th happened. my coworkers aren’t bad people, but they’re very different people from me. I don’t feel like i fit in with them particularly well, especially my only male coworker, we’ll call him Nothing. the previous week, Nothing and I had a very long very exhausting conversation about politics where i basically realized i can’t talk to people about politics unless they’re somewhat versed in sociological rhetoric. i have a degree in sociology, and it’s important to my understanding of the social world. having a conversation with someone who doesn’t know the importance of social forces and social stratification is like talking to a toddler. I also suffer social anxieties that are not diagnosed or treated, so i have difficultly in some circumstances knowing when to take my feelings seriously, it makes me get into social situations that i am uncomfortable with because i initially ignore the anxiety associated with talking to people. I would love to be one of those people that can talk to anyone confidently, but i am not nor have i ever been that person.

the week of the 7th, Nothing asked me very suddenly if he has a bad attitude. i said yes. i was being honest, something he told me to do. he was upset and walked away. i was anxious but tried to ignore it. he did not let me. we had another conversation later and i realized as i was talking to him that i was explaining very personal things about my social anxiety to him to try to get him to stop talking politics with me. he is a very difficult person to get to agree with you. i was shaken, because i knew that he would never seen from my perspective and i would never see his. later that day my boss asked me if i wanted a calzone. i said yes. i was grateful, because she let me drive to pick them up, so i wouldn’t have to be in the building. i spilled sauce on my jeans and had to wear my flannel (thankfully i brought it) to cover it. the calzone was delicious, i was tired and nervous and wanted to go home. that was when the illusion of me working here began to fall apart.

it makes me angry, because a lot of people hold fast and true the notion that you shouldn’t let anyone’s behavior affect you. I agree that we shouldnt but i still do. thats what a lot of people dont understand. i don’t want to be afraid to talk to Nothing, but i still am. I dont want to care about what he thinks of me but i do. it’s not a decision i’m making, it is my gut reaction. the anxiety is not conscious, it is physical, it’s a pain in my stomach that tells me my coworker is something i should avoid. I have not talked with him at length since, and im happy about it. 

that weekend, i decided to go retrieve my snow tires from bellingham, as i had been storing them in J’s dad’s shop. i was going to drive up to my dad’s house on saturday (my friday) for the night, drive up and back from bellingham on sunday with the tires, and then drive from my dad’s back down to portland on monday. My GF came with me and R stayed home. my dad’s house feel golden, like candles. it’s the feeling of being somewhere homey having never lived there. he has a very nice house with his new wife and one of her daughters.

we went to a pumpkin patch on sunday and did a cornmaze, i like doing cornmazes because im good at reading maps, they make me feel smart. there, we decided not to go to bellingham that day, as it was much more appealing to stay at my dad’s house. the weather was pretty bad and getting worse. me and GF took a bath in my dad’s fancy bathub and we watched Insidious, a really bad horror movie that i loved. i love cheesy horror movies.

we went to bellingham the next morning. the drive was normal, and we got my tires with no issue, but i decided i wanted to drive by our old apartment, the one we moved in to in sept 2018. as we got closer it became harder to hold back my tears. GF noticed i was crying and i broke down - i finally realized after driving past the place i’d called home as my memory slowly warped and my brain melted, that the life im currently living is not the one i want to live forever.

we went to boulevard park. there was tension between us. we never fight, we just put each other in bad moods. we got woods coffee and looked out at the water. we got to a place where we both could communicate well, and I finally said out loud that i don’t want my job forever, that i felt as if it was sucking my soul dry.

we left bellingham as we talked about my future. By the time we got to federal way and pulled over in the marlene’s to go to the bathroom i had decided that i want to go back to school. I want to get my masters, maybe even a phd, i just want to go back to college.

i listened to avenue q when i was in middle school, and the song ‘I Wish I Could Go Back To College’ always haunted me. all throughout middle and high school and into college i was afraid of becoming that person - stuck in a time that i couldn’t return to. but on that drive i realized - i dont have to leave college. there are still things these fingers itch to write, but the smog of lonely adulthood ive been forced to inhale his choked me of my skills - im a once-used vessel, still reeking with the stench of all that has used me - but i am empty for another host. a bright, shining beacon of hope; academia.

i’ve felt better ever since this happened. Nothing’s wife had a baby that same weekend, and he hasn’t been at work as often. we hardly speak to eachother. it’s perfect.

GF’s brother stayed with us the next weekend, the J stayed with us the week after that and we went to another pumpkin patch while R was in california with her grandma.

today is my friday, today is halloween. tonight i am going to dress as Gerry Keay from the magnus archives, drink cider, and spend time with my friends.

-Mitchie, Oct 31, 2020, 11:40AM

[spine-buster]

Samhain in the City - 31 Little Wrestlings Fics Challenge

A/N: Halloween fic challenge based on the genius minds of @thewriterformerlytaggedas and @fan-fiction-galore!  Thank you for including me, and I hope you all enjoy!

Please notice that there are some links included within the text to help you better visualize some things.

@wrestlewriting

@thegenericluchadora

@fan-fiction-galore

@anerdysouthernbelle

@spot-of-bother

@amaranthine-reign

@baleesi

@flnnbalor

@smuppies

@sarahmatthews7

@daintymissdevitt

@newjapan

@corey-renee

@running-ropes

@balorsomega

@karleedaniels27

@kazuchika

@ileana0300

@alexahood21

@imnobodiesbitch

@fembxt

@heelturn-timesten

@kaitlynwwefan

@50shadesofadamcolebaybay

@50shadesofkennyomega

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@thyestean-feast

@thecandicej

@devittsbalor

@sp00kylesley

@danahart

@sietefinns

@kaydee-kayyyy

@powerbombshell

@swedish-strong-style

@blondekel77

@irish-newzealand-idian-dutch

@nickysmum1909

@houndofjustice-imagines

@wwesmutdonedirtcheap

@wweximaginesxd

@indywrestlinglover-life

@mandi512

@kakakatey

@ourscratcheddreams

@sleeplessandcynical

It was a dark and stormy night…

Well, actually, not really.  It was dark, sure, but stormy it was not.  Not a drop of rain had fallen from the sky in three days – unusual for Edinburgh, especially in late October.  It put everybody in the city in a good mood, just in time for Halloween and the Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated every year.

Edinburgh was a medieval city at heart.  It’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the stuff of wonders.  Old buildings, winding streets, secret closes, the historic Grassmarket – it had it all.  Tourists clogged sidewalks taking pictures of the old buildings; those who lived in the Old Town often couldn’t believe they were able to live in such historic structures.  The Royal Mile, for all it’s ‘find-your-clan!’ shops and tourist buses, provided the Old Town with its link from Edinburgh Castle, perched upon an extinct volcano looking down on the city, to Holyrood Palace, the seat of the British Royal Family in Scotland.  

But for Zadie, the posh New Town, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the main attraction.  Georgian architecture, streets (mostly) perfectly laid out in a grid, with parks and shops and cafes and anything you could ever want.  Princes Street, with its view of the medieval Old Town and its buildings looking as if they were built on top of each other; Rose Street, the charming alley of pubs only known to locals (aka no tourists allowed); St. Andrew’s Square and Charlotte Square, the picture perfect parks to stop and have a picnic or get in some good reading on a sunny afternoon.

There were more neighbourhoods, of course, that Zadie adored: Stockbridge, Marchmont, Morningside in particular.  Each had a uniqueness to it that couldn’t really be explained, only felt.  Maybe she adored the city due to her background in architecture – also what she was currently getting a Master’s in at the University of Edinburgh.  Maybe she adored it because it was unlike any other city she had visited.  Maybe she adored it because of the people.

It was most definitely the architecture.

All of this was lost on Adam Cole, the man Zadie had been chatting up at her friend Hamish’s house party.  He was cute, she was single, and Hamish knew him from work – best friends with a wrestler, he invited them all over to the house party last night after attending their show.  Now, there were at least seven big burly men stuffed into a flat in Marchmont, along with the regular assortment of friends and acquaintances, drinking cheap wine and beer and eating hors d’oeuvres from Tesco.

“I’ve never been here before,” Adam confessed to her as they sat facing each other on the couch, Zadie’s legs tucked underneath her as she held her third glass of white wine. 

“You’ve never been to Edinburgh before?”

“Nope.”

“But I thought you traveled around a lot for your job?”

“I do, but it’s mostly throughout America.  Sometimes mainland Europe.  When we come to the UK, we mostly stay down in England,” he explained.   “Edinburgh was always one of those cities that we never got to.  Sometimes we’d even plan to take a day trip, but we’d end up being so tired we wouldn’t go.”

Zadie furrowed her eyebrows.  “Edinburgh is always worth it, even when you’re tired!” she protested.  

Adam giggled.  “Well I can see that now,” he said, shifting so nudged closer to Zadie on the couch.  “Hey, why do you know so much about all the buildings in this city, anyway?” he asked.  

“Oh, well, I mean…I study architecture at the university,” Zadie said.

She watched as Adam visibly gulp.  “You’re in university?”

“Oh God, I’m not like, eighteen or anything!” she cleared up, knowing exactly what Adam was trying to get to.  “I’m a Master’s student.  I’m twenty-five.”

“Oh thank God,” Adam took a sigh of relief.  “I can’t be thinking eighteen year olds are cute.”

Zadie arched her eyebrow.  “You think I’m cute, then?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders playfully.  “Maybe.”  He took a sip of beer while still staring directly at her and Zadie could feel her cheeks blush at his intense stare.  His eyes were the perfect shade of blue and her consumption of wine wasn’t helping her cease her thoughts.  

“Why do you guys call Halloween Sam…Samh…Samson or whatever?” Adam’s voice interrupted her thoughts.  

She snorted.  “You mean Samhain [[sah-win]]?”

“Yeah.  What’s the deal with that?”

“It’s based on an ancient Galic festival.  Tonight marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year,” she wiggled her eyebrows.  “Fuck Halloween.  We have a fire festival.”

“A fire festival?!” Adam asked.  Zadie nodded her head.  Adam leaned forward to whisper something in her ear; she could feel the goosebumps forming on her skin and a shiver run up her spine.  “What the fuck are we still doing in this apartment?  Let’s get out of here.”

It was a festival unlike anything Adam had ever seen before…

They had left the party pretty easily.  Adam counted only two pairs of eyes on them as Zadie slipped on her shoes at the front door, and Zadie was too excited, naming all the places she’d show him, to notice any eyes.  ‘We’re in Marchmont, which means we’ve gotta walk north’ she told him, as if that meant anything to him.  He just smiled and slipped his hand over hers, telling her to lead the way.  He was pretty sure he saw her swoon.

Zadie wasn’t kidding when she said it was a fire festival.  Some people had literal torches and were marching through the streets of Old Town, and there were many other fire sculptures on display; performers were doing tricks and busking at every corner, again, all dealing with fire; and everyone was singing songs in Galic and strong Scottish accents.  Adam was overwhelmed with everything that was happening around him, but he was having fun nonetheless.  He couldn’t keep the smile off his face the second he saw Zadie’s smile light up the night, too. 

As she brought him right into the middle of the crowd, he grabbed at her hand so either of them wouldn’t get separated from each other.  That, and for Adam’s own safety.  Everyone was having a lot of fun, but the whole sight of people carrying torches and playing with fire and chanting things in an ancient and foreign language was…creepy, to say the least.  “Uhh…is this the point where you hypnotize me, lead me to my untimely death, and everyone here sacrifices my body to the gods like some sort of lamb?”

Zadie let out an animated laugh at his question, moving towards a small pocket of less crowded space where they could breathe a little bit.  “Maybe.  If you’re good, we’ll find someone else to sacrifice.  Your good looks and hot body would make the gods very happy,” she joked.  Adam appreciated her humour in this situation, but he was pretty positive if they were in the medieval period, or whenever this festival started, he definitely would have been the sacrificial lamb.  “Despite that, are you enjoying yourself so far?”

“Of course.  Better this than some house party in Marchfield, right?” he winked. “Marchmont,” she corrected him, giggling slightly.  “And yes.  Way better than some house party in Marchmont.  Even though some of the buskers are freaking me out.”

“Seriously?”  For someone who was so excited to show him the festival, he couldn’t believe that the buskers, of all things, would freak her out.  Not the chanting, or the fire…the buskers.

“Just the ones with those creepy masks,” she admitted.  “I’ve always hated them…I’ve watched too many horror movies.”

“If they’re freaking you out, we don’t need to be here,” Adam said.  “I can lie and tell everyone we stayed, but we can go somewhere else if that’s what you want to do.”

Zadie appreciated his offer.  Other people would have probably ridiculed her for being freaked out by something so juvenile.  Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.  “Come with me,” she said, grabbing at his hand and dragging him out of the crowd.

Adam followed her without hesitation, but when he realized they were walking farther and farther away from the crowd he became sceptical.  He thought she would maybe take him to a pub, not…wherever they were going.  “Where are you taking me?” he asked.

“It’s time for your sacrifice,” Zadie deadpanned.

It was Adam’s turn to snort.  “Seriously.  Where are we going?  I’m a foreign man in a foreign city and you’re taking me somewhere at night all alone!”

Zadie raised her eyebrow at him.  “Foreign man?  Foreign city?  We speak the same language, you numpty.”

“Clearly we don’t, because I have no clue what a numpty is.”

“You’re going to find out by the end of the night, Adam Cole,” Zadie smiled coyly.  

As they continued to walk up the Royal Mile and down George IV Bridge, Zadie led Adam through gate adorned with ‘Greyfriar’s’ at the top.  Adam knew that everything about this part of the city was going to be old – super old, to his American standards – but this place was even older than he was expecting.  It was as if nothing had changed for centuries.  When he saw a tombstone, he stopped dead in his tracks.  “Seriously…where are we?” he asked, looking around.

“This is Greyfriar’s Kirk,” Zadie said.  Again, as if that meant anything to him.  “This is the most haunted place in all of Edinburgh…save for maybe the vaults.”

Adam gulped.  “Haunted?”

“Mhmm,” Zadie grinned.  “So the church was built in the 1600s, and about 1200 Scottish Covenanters were imprisoned here.  You have to keep to the paths because if you walk on the grass, there’s a good chance you’ll step on someone’s remains peeking through the eroded soil.  Tom Riddle – you know, like Lord Voldemort – he’s here too.  J.K Rowling used to write in a café down the street and she got her inspiration for his name from a gravestone here.”

Adam looked around.  The place gave him the creeps.  He didn’t doubt that everything Zadie was telling him was 100% true – that just made it creepier to him.  You could step on someone’s remains just by veering off the path?  No-fucking-thank you.  “Yeah, cool.  Can we go now?”

Zadie smiled.  “Don’t you Americans love your graveyards and haunted things on Halloween?”

“Sure, but that’s like…fake stuff.  That’s volunteers from your town dressing up and scaring you at the local rec centre turned haunted house.  Not…stepping on some prisoner’s bones in a medieval graveyard,” Adam explained, shivering. Zadie grabbed at his hand.  “Okay…next place I take you won’t be haunted.  Deal?”

Adam smiled down at her, already dragging her out.  “Deal.”

It was an adventure of a lifetime…

Cities at night were a journey all on their own.  A city at night was completely different from its daytime identity.  Adam was learning that Edinburgh had it’s own night time magic that came extremely close to surpassing its daytime beauty.  

Much like New York City, Edinburgh seemed to never sleep.  Zadie had taken him walking down The Mound and into the New Town, running into some rowdy teenagers drinking along the gates of the Scottish National Gallery.  They held hands as they walked along Princes Street, on the park side, so Adam could get a good view of Edinburgh Castle perched on its ancient volcanic rock.  He would lean down and kiss Zadie every time she told him wherever they were standing would make a great picture.  After she got the hint, she’d make the comment every ten steps.

They weren’t just kissing though – there was actual talking involved.  About his job, about her studying, about their passions.  How she didn’t always used to live in Edinburgh but moved here for good when she started university; how her parents still lived in the same little house in some town called Pebbles – Pobbles?  Peebles?  Peebles. – in the Scottish Borders.  How she had an older sister who recently got engaged.  How nothing ever happened in her town, which is why she needed to leave.

“Where did it all begin for you, then?” Adam asked as they sat on a curb in Charlotte Square, overlooking the classic Georgian townhouses that gave this area of the city it’s distinct character.  “Like…this love, this infatuation with architecture.  Where did it all start?”

Zadie smiled shyly.  “Right here,” she whispered, nodding her head towards the townhouses.  “Charlotte Square.”

“These ones specifically?”

She nodded her head.  “My school had a field trip to go see Bute House, which is the official residence of the Scottish First Minister…anyway, as we got off the bus, we walked along here and I just…fell in love,” she explained.  “They looked so fucking regal…like something out of a fairy tale, or like, where a princess would live if she wanted to escape from her castle incognito.  So I asked my teacher who built them, and she told me, and then I said, ‘I wish I could have built them’.  And then my teacher said, ‘Well, Zadie, maybe one day you will’.”  It was at this point she looked over to Adam to see him smiling.  “And ever since that day, I’ve been hell-bent on building these things.”

It was the most endearing story Adam had ever heard.  “Thank God for that teacher,” he commented.

“What about you?  Where did it all begin for you with wrestling?”

Adam hadn’t taken his eyes off her.  “With a house, too, actually.”

Zadie nudged him, thinking he was making fun of her.  “You’re just saying that,” she accused as he grabbed at her hand.

“I’m not, I swear,” he told her.  “My parents divorced when I was ten and my brother, my mom, and I moved back into my grandma’s house.  My karate instructor lent me a VHS of the latest Wrestlemania and when my mom wasn’t around, my grandma let me watch it.  I was hooked.  I told my grandma that I wanted to become a wrestler and she told me I could do whatever I set my mind to.  She’d let me practice on my brother when my mom was at work.”

“That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard,” Zadie swooned.  “How bad did you beat up your brother though?”

Adam laughed.  “It wasn’t that bad.  There were never any bruises cause that meant my mom would find out.  We got away with a lot around grandma, let’s just put it that way.”

There was a comfortable silence between them, Zadie enjoying the feeling of Adam’s thumb rubbing the back of her hand.  After he had taken his eyes off of her, they settled back on to the townhouses.  Of course they were beautiful to the naked eye, but he wanted to try and see them as Zadie saw them; as magical, as ethereal structures that had so much life, so much history.  

They were silent for so long he thought she might have fallen asleep, but when she raised her head off his shoulder to look at him, he smiled at her.  He leaned in and kissed her quickly, and just as he was about to say something, his stomach growled loudly, embarrassing him.  Zadie laughed at the noise, but truth be told she was expecting it.  They had only snacked at the house party and hadn’t had anything to eat since.  She pushed herself up on her feet and held her hand out to Adam for him to grab on to.  He did and almost pulled her down with him, but she had enough leverage and Adam had the decency to not put too much of the strain on her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close.  She looked up at him with a smile.  “You want to get some lamb kebab?” she asked.

At her suggestion, Adam side-eyed her hard.  She started to giggle uncontrollably at the look on his face.  She thought she was so funny.  “You think you’re cute, don’t you?”

She pursed her lips playfully.  “I don’t have to, you already told me you thought so.”  He leaned down to kiss her again, unable to resist.  “There’s one more place I want to show you,” she whispered.  “You up for it?”

“Let’s go,” he smiled, allowing her to pull him in whatever direction she wanted. 

“Okay, to be completely honest, I wasn’t ready for physical activity.”

“It’s not that much.”

“It’s enough.”

“You’re a wrestler!  Aren’t you like, fit?  Isn’t that your job?”

“I have a whole damn lamb kebab in my stomach, woman!”

“Okay, honestly, you would have definitely been the sacrifice to the gods.”

“Are we there yet?”

“Shush!” Zadie exclaimed, trying not to giggle.  “It’ll be one hundred and fifty percent worth it, trust me.”

“At least I’m working off that lamb kebab.”

Zadie tried not to roll her eyes at Adam’s complaints.  He grunted the entire way up and she was this close to trying to shut him up by kissing him the rest of the way up.  But that was dangerous, and she wanted him to work for the view he’d inevitably see.  

When they finally got to the top, she looked behind her.  Adam’s eyes were wide as he looked at the giant field and ancient monuments in front of him covered in a very thin layer of fog.  

“You bring me up Carleton Hill –”

“– Calton Hill –”

“— you bring me up Calton Hill, you beefed me up with lamb kebab, it’s fucking foggy…you really are sacrificing me, aren’t you?”

“It took you only a few hours to realize,” Zadie winked.  “I’m serious, Adam.  I know it looks like a giant foggy field with some old monuments right now, but it’s just the dew.”

“It’s not just the dew.”

“Okay, whatever.  Just follow me,” she pulled at his hand for the umpteenth time that night.  “And please…whatever you do, don’t look behind you.  At least not just yet.”

“Why not?”

“Cause I want you to get the full effect in the perfect spot.  Also because you might fall in love with the city like I did if you’re not careful.”

Adam smiled for the first time since they had started the climb.  “Okay.  I trust you.”

She led him a bit farther up, made a few turns, and held Adam close.  To his credit, Adam hadn’t said a word and had even closed his eyes when she had asked him, for maximum effect.

“Are you ready?” she asked as she stood beside him, holding his hand and watching him to make sure his eyes were still closed.

“I’m ready,” Adam nodded his head.  

“Okay.  Open.”

Adam opened his eyes at her command and saw the city of Edinburgh in all it’s glory, in the dead of night, lit up in the most beautiful way.  So medieval, yet so modern.  So small, yet so large.  So vast, yet so local.  

He understood now why Zadie was so in love with the city.  He understood now why Zadie wanted to be in the city, study the city, live her life in the city.  He understood why she was so keen on showing other people the magic of the city.

He understood it all now.

He felt her squeeze his hand excitedly.  She had been watching his reaction the entire time.  “Have you fallen in love?” Zadie asked.

He looked down at her.  “I think I have.”

[thenameis--kev]

December 22nd, 2014.

Kevin couldn’t even remember what it was like to celebrate the Holidays– well, that’s a lie. He remembered it well, for it, once upon a time, had been his favourite holiday aside from his birthday. In his household, Christmas was quite a big deal– he’d always been much more of a fan of Christmas Eve because of all the food and guests, but he had also learned to be alright with going to church the next morning. It had been a long while since the last time he’d done that. This was his sixth year since he’d left home, holiday’s food was just a memory just like the image of a tree and presents and a warm spot by the fireplace at the end of the night. But this year it would all be different. Kyle had put up the Christmas tree and had it lit and ready for when Kevin had gotten home, which of course had made him tear up– and he’d put himself in charge of buying scented candles: cinnamon apple, pine tree, gingerbread cookies, vanilla, peppermint– they were all lined up and ready to use. 

Dinner was the next thing in his priorities. Of course he would make sure to cook dinner for Christmas Eve. There were no extra nerves in him for it would only be him and Kyle at their small apartment in downtown Philadelphia. It had always been his dream– it was safe to say this would be the year of dreams come true, of that he was sure. For the past seven months, with highs and lows all over the place, Kevin firmly believed he  had found the one person he was meant to be forever, and Kyle had expressed the same thing multiple times by now. He was in love. In a way he never thought he could be. He loved the idea of having someone to spend the night with and wake up to, and see weeks and months passing by without worrying much about anything at all. It seemed that their lowest times had passed just at about three months but ever since, everything had been more than alright between Kyle and him, and even if their relationship had only been going for a few months, Kevin couldn’t help but consider his future with Kyle. Which future? Well... He saw it all. He saw themselves in a suit, with metal bands around their ring fingers, a house– their home. Kevin spent hours a day fantasizing about life with his boyfriend, specially as he walked back home after a long day of work, wanting nothing but to see his love and never move away again from his hold. 

December 22nd was not the exception. Kevin held plastic bags from the store in each hand. He could feel his muscles tense and getting sore from the tension and the heaviness of the bags, but he could barely contain his excitement as he walked back with all the shopping for the Christmas Eve dinner. He was about two or three blocks away from his building when he saw a big crowd rushing towards it, and if he looked further down, right outside his building a much bigger crowd was waiting. The sun had been going down for about twenty minutes now, which made the sky dark enough to distinguish the black and red lights from an ambulance parked right by the crowd. Kevin’s mouth dried at the same time his chest sunk trying to imagine what could have happened. Maybe Mrs. Jones had finally passed away at the age of 93, which would be sad and got even sadder when Kevin thought about her old cat. Maybe someone had burned down their kitchen– it was a common incident in apartment buildings around that time of the year after all. Kyle barely ever cooked, so he was not in the list of possible people who could’ve done that– he was much too smart for that. Maybe the kid in apartment 1802, right above them, had broken something– from the way he ran around and how he could be heard from downstairs, he would not be surprised. But that did not explain the crowds outside. Kevin picked his phone and called Kyle’s phone which he knew by heart, but he didn’t answer. He looked at the time, it was the time of his usual shower. Kevin shook his head and kept on walking. 

As he thought of the many theories he could possibly fit in his brain, Kevin had gotten close enough to see with more detail. He wiggled through people, excusing himself with needing to get to his door, which was not a lie but a much bigger part of his mind was simply curious about the whole incident. 

There was blood staining the snow on the sidewalk. A big stain. And then a few feet down, he saw three paramedics covering a body– male, judging for the shape– with a white sheet, just like he’d seen in movies before, like he would imagine a whole cinematic moment would happen. It wasn’t too hard to join the dots and learned what had happened. Something in his stomach twisted because he could not imagine what would push someone to jump off a building, to commit such action. Kevin had been through a lot, still carried with a lot of weight on his shoulders, yet he still couldn’t understand how someone could get to this place. He let out a sigh and checked phone, passing all bags to one side, but there was nothing. Kyle hadn’t gotten back at him. He wondered if he knew about all of this, or perhaps he’d decided to take one of those long baths he loved. A dark thought crossed his mind, but he shook his head and decided not to entertain said thought for too long.  

“–Excuse me... I’m tryin’ to get home,” Kevin said softly, feeling as if he spoke any louder it would ruin the moment of respect for the deceased still laying in the middle of the sidewalk. 

“Did you know him?” Kevin overheard as he passed by a couple of familiar faces. He smiled at the pair, who looked at him as if he didn’t know anything but didn’t say much. “I did,” the woman responded, immediately breaking eye contact with Kevin, who stopped just to hear the full gossip. She lived in his floor, which didn’t make her a total stranger, but neither Kevin nor Kyle liked her all that much for the way she looked at them, judging them and their relationship, but her tone was different in that moment. “He lived in 1702.” Kevin turned around at the mention of his very own apartment number, feeling his knees going weak, yet his body sent a rush of adrenaline as he found her eyes. 

“No,” Kevin muttered, feeling his blood drop from his face, tasting acid in the back of his throat. The woman just looked at him with an apologetic expression and nodded softly, though still not acknowledging him in the conversation. 

“Male. Name is Kyle Montgomery, according to one of the neighbours. Height 5′11. Twenty two years of age–” Kevin then overheard one of the paramedics as he walked across the street towards the ambulance speaking on a radio, as if he’d taken the perfect cue of his neighbour and decided to confirm what she had just said. 

Everything going silent to the point where he could only hear his breath and the sound of his own heartbeat for only a couple seconds until everything inside him shut down. He dropped his bags one by one, the glass container breaking into pieces, cranberry jam spurting everywhere and making the crowd open up around him. His eyes moved up to where their window would be, and he could not see clearly, of course– but he wanted to see Kyle waving from above– something, him. Wanted his phone to ring in that exact moment. Instead, Kevin felt sick, immediately feeling his gag reflex kick in until he found himself in all fours in the floor emptying the contents of his stomach. There was a reaction from the crowd of course, which would have embarrassed Kevin had this been any other situation, but he couldn’t feel anything in that moment other than a paralyzing fear. “It’s not him,” Kevin mumbled for himself, struggling to get back on his feet. “I wanna see him– it’s not him. I wanna see him, it’s not him!” He repeated as his own personal mantra, getting louder each time as he came closer to the ambulance. It was only a matter of time before he was stopped by a policeman in the area. “LET ME SEE HIM!” He yelled, the crowd going silent in that moment which made it feel as if his own voice had echoed around the whole planet. The cop of course told him to calm down and restrained him, which Kevin fought back but didn’t have enough strength. “LET ME SEE HIM. IT’S NOT HIM!” He cried once again, his voice breaking as his knees gave up and brought the cop to the ground with him. He looked up only to find the one and only proof he needed– a single shoe, covered in glitter because it was Kyle’s favourite thing to do, cover random things of his own wardrobe in glitter. He’d done those shoes just a couple weeks ago. And now it was somewhere in the ground, several feet away where the body was laying in the ground. 

Black out. 

Kevin opened his eyes with no recollection of time or how long had he been out, but his head hurt– though not as much as his chest. He blinked a couple times, recognizing the inside of a very steady ambulance. It wasn’t much more needed to bring it all back. His breathing picked up, which caught the attention of the paramedic, a woman not much older than him who cared to place a hand in his chest, keeping him from standing up. “He’s not out there anymore,” she told him, as if she had read his mind, but of course it did not make him any more calm. “I will tell you where he is if you promise you’ll take it easy tonight, and not gonna do anything stupid,” Kevin wasn’t too aware of what was happening but his eyes were following the IV stuck in his arm. He felt a delicate hand move across his face to wipe off his tears, which only made him cry even harder, but he couldn’t move. Not a single part of his body was responding to him anymore, all of it crushed by the pain he was feeling starting at the very center of his chest and expanding all through his body, to the tip of his fingers, down the length of his hair. 

The night was long. Statements were taken, and so many official things had to be taken care of that Kevin had grown numb as the hours went by. The sun had already come out when he made it back home– ‘home’ because he couldn’t call it that way if Kyle wasn’t there with him. It was the last place he wanted to go. The window was closed. The police had passed through the place at some point during the night to collect evidence to confirm what they already knew: that Kyle Montgomery, 5′11, male, twenty two years of age, had taken his own life by jumping off his very own bedroom window. The news were rough, but Kevin had stopped feeling by that moment, but nothing would’ve prepared him to come back to an empty apartment. The last place where Kyle had been. And it broke him again, making him stumble across the room until he could hold onto the dining room table. He sobbed again, and took a deep breath, and another one. Eyes closed for a moment only for him to open them and find a letter by the Christmas tree– something he hadn’t seen the last morning before he left the apartment. 

“For Kevin,” it read. It was Kyle’s handwriting in a glittery gel pen that reminded him of middle school. He clutched the letter and brought it to his heart and was about to follow his instincts and open it right away, maybe looking for an answer of what had happened, but in that very moment, Kevin found himself flooded by a much different emotion. He hated him. He hated this, hated him, hated the memory of him, hated the fact that he had written a letter, hated that he had never said a damn thing, hated himself but he hated Kyle more. And this hate was so strong it made him shake, made his joints lock for a full minute before his hands were tearing the letter into pieces, not even bothering to open the envelope. Fuelled by this new anger, Kevin got up and brought one of the candles to the living room, lit it up and piece by piece, burned every single last word Kyle had for him to ashes.

[teamkaiforever]

WAR OF HEARTS - PART IV

Kai Parker x Reader (x The Mikaelsons) word count : 4 073 *not my gif _______________________

The day after the party Kai woke up earlier , finding Y/N using his chest as a pillow. All the days before that she had been the one to wake up first and leave the room , leaving him to wake up alone. The way she had snuggled to him - so close , her hand where his heart is , reminded him of the time their first night back in the real world. Everything had been so perfect back then , no Kol to butt in and steal her from him. Kai never knew he could feel rage of this range. Since the first moment he had met Kol , he knew he’d hate the guy. Y/N stirred in her sleep and mumbled something interrupting his thoughts. Kai tucked a strand of hair behind her ear , smiling to himself. “I wish this could be us every morning.” he whispered to her.

Kai and Y/N spent the next 3 days together all the time. Almost. Kol showed up a few times to see what was so interesting about Kai’s room because she seemed to spend a lot of time in there. Alone. With Kai. Y/N could see they didn’t like each other much and it hurt her. When Kol was around , Kai was always tense the glow in his eyes being replaced by burning anger and his hands balled into fists. Friday they spent walking around town , acting like complete tourists taking pictures of everything and over a dozen pictures of them together laughing and making funny faces. If someone was looking at them and didn’t know they were just friends , probably would assume they were a couple. Then later that evening Y/N and Kai went to the local movie theater for movie night. Their time at the movies was perfect - they laughed , threw popcorn at each other… Kai had relaxed a lot since the night after the party , he couldn’t stop smiling when it was just the two of them. There were so many movies they wanted to see and they split them over the next few days. “I don’t remember Baywatch being like this but it was so much fun !” said Kai , hugging her from behind as they walked outside the movie salon , lightly lifting her feet off the ground. “What was your favorite part ? I can’t chose - maybe that underwater kiss scene , who saw that one coming..” Y/N laughed. The movie had indeed been fun and there were so many moments to pick from. “Maybe the morgue scene ? Or when Brody was wearing that dress..” she burst into laugher. A moment later Kai started laughing too. Her laugh making him laugh as usual. As much as he had enjoyed the movie , her company is what he enjoyed most. It felt perfect being alone with Y/N - the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed , her laugh in general … He was falling harder and harder for her and it only made things worse knowing he had missed his chance the night before. Y/N appeared to really like Kol and as selfish as he was , all Kai wanted was for her to be happy… Even if it’s was not with him. On their way home they grabbed a bite and Kai loved the look on Y/N’s face - a mix of pride , joy and something else - after he had healed the girl , compelled her and sent her on her way. Y/N snaked her hand around his waist letting him put his around her shoulder. Kai had gotten really good at this and the only reason for it was Y/N , her patience and understanding. “Wow … I might get jealous if you keep feeding on pretty girls like that.” she teased. “Are you tired ? I don’t want to go home just yet.” Kai wiped a drop of blood from her chin , one that she had somehow missed when she had cleaned up her face afterwards. Y/N felt her skin burn where he was touching her and if it wasn’t for the lights being dim , he would’ve seen her blush. “Not tired at all. Not in a hurry to go back home either.” he smiled at her. More alone time with Y/N sounded like heaven to him. “Good. Because … You owe me a dance , remember ?” Kai smiled to himself , realising what her words meant. He didn’t owe her a dance , she just wanted to dance with him again. He twirled her right there on the street , no music no nothing. Y/N laughed as he twirled her again until her back bumped into him. “I love your laugh.” he whispered to her , feeling her tense for a second. Y/N felt butterflies in her stomach , right where Kai’s hands were at that exact moment. Being with Kai was as easy as breathing. She turned her head towards him , finding his face closer than she had expected. They stood like that frozen in time , their lips almost touching for a few seconds before he let go off her , clearing his throat and awkwardly looking at the ground. It had happened again .. except he couldn’t kiss her now because if Kol was to find out , he’d be dead or compelled to kill himself. Y/N surprised him kissing his cheek , a smile appearing on his face as she did so. She poked him playfully in the stomach until he looked up at her. “I love that glow in your eyes you have just now.” she said smiling. Their almost kiss a few minutes ago had her head spinning just like it had happened at the party. You are with Kol now , you can’t kiss Kai. she reminded herself.

* * *

Three whole days Kai had Y/N’s complete attention and Kol couldn’t stand seeing Kai anymore. He seemed to be everywhere Y/N was. If it depended on Kol , Kai would take a permanent vacation somewhere , never to be seen again but Y/N seemed to care about him a lot and Kol didn’t want to cause her any pain. There was something bothering him though. All of them lived in the same house and Y/N kept sneaking into Kai’s bedroom at night. He felt jealous she hadn’t chosen to sneak into his bedroom and always seemed to want to spend her nights with Kai. A couple of times Kol had lurked outside , listening in to what was happening inside. He didn’t know what he expected to hear - maybe them making out or having sex. He didn’t know what he’d do if any of those sounds came from Kai’s room when Y/N was supposedly with him. Instead what he usually heard was only heartbeats and breathing or them talking until early morning hours. Apparently there were a lot of things they liked talking about , which made him jealous since he and Y/N didn’t appear to have that many things in common. It was finally Monday and Kol couldn’t wait to get Y/N all to himself for the evening , maybe even the night. He didn’t want them to do anything just yet , he just wanted Y/N to wake up next to him …and not next to Kai.

“Elijah ?” called out Y/N , walking into the Mikaelson’s library. The vampire flashed in front of her , holding an old looking book. “Looking for this ?” he smiled at her. Y/N laughed under her breath. “You can read minds , can’t you ?” “No. You just wouldn’t shut up about Weightering Heights and how much you wanted to read the original …” said Elijah giving her his copy. Y/N took it from him smiling , opening the cover. The paper felt different , a little softer than the one used in books nowadays. Even though the book was old , it was very well preserved - the pages still had a little yellowish color though and the book smelled like freshly chopped wood with a hint of something she couldn’t put her finger on it. Y/N flipped the first page and her breath got caught in her throat. “Is this … ?” Y/N’s eyes widened , darting between the book and Elijah. “How did you get her to sign?!” Elijah smiled at the ground for a moment. “We were friends. Over the centuries I’ve met a lot of the writers whos books are in this very room. I know you like to read , so feel free to browse here as much as you want.” “Thank you.” she said giving him a hug before taking a few steps inside. Her eyes taking in every inch of the room - book shelfs from the ground up until the ceiling with a ladder on each row. “Woww… I feel like Belle when the Beast let her into his library… I mean no offense or anything.” Elijah laughed at her coment. “Erh , none taken.” “Knock knock.” Y/N turned her head seeing Kol leaning against the door frame with a smug smile on his face. Carefully she left the book in her hands onto one of the closest shelfs and ran into Kol’s arms nearly knocking Elijah over on her way. “Kol ! I’m so happy to see you.” He held her tight for a moment before his hands slid down her waist , his lips finding hers. The swarp of butterflies in her stomach nearly making her knees buckle. Y/N could hear Elijah behind them laughing under his breath. “Happy to see you too , love. It’s been a long painful weekend without being able ot hold you in my arms.” said Kol , his palm brushing against her cheek making her lean into it. “Excited about tonight darling?” “Yes … but why won’t you tell me what you have planned ?” she asked hooking her hands around his neck. “I don’t like surprises … ” “Oh I have a feeling you will like this one , love.” he said pressing his lips to hers. “Everything is perfectly planned for our official first date.”

Rebekah and Freya showed up a few minutes later , dragging her away on a shopping trip at the Mall. Y/N didn’t want to go , she’d much preffer spending her day until 7PM at the library reading but the entusiasm the originals sisters had in their eyes just wouldn’t let her say ‘no’ to them. Reluctantly Kol let her go , chasing after them a few times just to steal a few more kisses. He pinned her to the first wall his lips smashing against hers , then after Rebekah pulled Y/N away , Kol caught up with them at the stairs spinning her around and stealing another kiss. “You two need to get a room.” teased Rebekah , making Y/N’s cheeks flush. “Let her go Kol or we won’t have any time left to find her the perfect outfit.” “Um excuse me ?” said Y/N pretending to be shocked. Of course they wouldn’t let her decide on her own. “I am perfectly fine picking my own outfit.” “No. You are not.” said Rebekah grabbing her hand and dragging her down the stairs. “Not after that converse incident at the party ! I told you - boots and high heels. You are not in high school anymore.” “But I like my comfy converses.” pouted Y/N which only made Rebekah and Freya laugh. As they got down the stairs , she noticed Kai a few meters away , by the entrance of the compound. He had his hands in his pockets and something about his eyes was different - they were a shade darker. Y/N wriggled her hands free from Rebekah’s grip and runned towards Kai giving him a hug. He wrapped his hands around her , buring his face into the crook of her neck before awkwardly letting go off her noticing Kol’s eyes burning on them. “Where are you going in such a hurry ?” “On a shopping trip … Apparently I am not capable of getting myself dressed properly.” she said , winking at Rebekah. “Do you want to come ?” “Me ? Hang around three girls all day waiting around until they try on outfit after outfit ?” he said smiling nervously. If it had been just Y/N , he probably would’ve said yes. “I think I’ll pass. Plus there is something else I have to do today.” “What ?” “Nothing bad , I promise.” smiled Kai. “You’ve been a positive influence on me , I just … have something to do. I’ll tell you later , promise.” Y/N lifted herself on her toes , giving him a kiss on the cheek. “See you later then.” “Yeah …” he held onto her hand , slowly letting go of her as she , Rebekah and Freya left through the door. Kai looked longingly after Y/N for a moment. When he turned around Kol was standing right in front of him , a smile on his face though his eyes were burning with jealousy. “Hi.” said Kai taking a step around the original. Kol gripped his arm , nearly breaking a bone. “I don’t like you.” said Kol. “I don’t like you being here , spending every single night with my girlfriend… You need to stay in your lane mate.” Kai freed his hand , taking a step towards the original. “You don’t scare me.” he said. “As for Y/N spending her nights in my room - it is up to her , not me. We are best friends , I can’t tell her what to do or not.” Kol laughed under his breath. “You should be scared. I can rip you to shreds just for sport. I am giving you the chance to back off. It’s a limited time offer. I suggest you take it.” Kai used every ounce of will power not to use magic on Kol and send him into a permanent nap. He knew he could take him , but it was Y/N who stopped him. “I will back off when she asks me to. Until then I guess we are stuck with each other wheter you like it or not.”

* * *

Y/N and Kol’s first date truly was perfect. He was the perfect gentleman , so attentative to her wishes , willing to make everything she wanted come true. They had went to a small italian restaurant , he had brought her flowers and compelled a guy to play a violin specially for them. Later on he had kissed her goodnight , dropping her off at her room. Kol had hoped she’d invite him in , but she didn’t. Y/N took a quick shower , thinking about her evening out with Kol smiling to herself. Later on she dressed in her PJ’s and laid awake in her bed until 3.21AM , tossing and turning. No matter what she tired , she couldn’t fall asleep. All in her mind was Kai for some reason , how he is probably laying awake in his bed too , thinking she was spending the night with Kol. Y/N didn’t want him to think that. It hurt her thinking he might be thinking that. She tiptoed barefoot down the hall to Kai’s room which for some reason was locked for the first time ever. He was inside , she could hear him breathing and he was awake too. She knocked twice on the door , hearing foot steps coming towards the door. Kai was right on the other side , his hand on the door knob fighting the urge to let her in and spend the night with her again. He knew he wouldn’t fall asleep without her around but also didn’t want to listen to her go on and on about her date with Kol. “Please open the door or I’ll use magic to open it myself.” she whispered. “Please , I … I need you.. I need my best friend.” Kai sighed , glancing around the room before opening the door and letting her in. “I can’t sleep.” she said smiling at the ground. “I keep tossing and turning and… I need you.” Y/N looked up seeing a small smile on his face. “I couldn’t sleep either.” he closed the door behind her watching her toss herself onto his bed with a smile on her face. “Your boyfriend … Kol … will be angry you are spending the night after your first date with me and not him.” he said sitting on the bed next to her. “Shouldn’t you go to his bedroom instead ?” Y/N rubbed her forehead with her thumb and index finger , letting out a deep sigh. Kai was probably right , about everything - that Kol would be mad , that she should not be in his room right now but in Kol’s.. but something was pulling her towards Kai and the feeling was getting stronger. “If he can’t learn to trust me , there is no way our relationship would work.” she muttered more to herself than to Kai. “Plus I need my best friend. How did the thing you wanted to do today go ?” “Good , it was .. good.” he said clearning his throat, glad Y/N hadn’t started talking about her date with Kol. “Aren’t you going to tell me what it was ?” she asked turning to her side facing Kai. “I will … when the time is right.” smiled Kai , pulling her closer to him. “Go to sleep now.

Over the next few days Kol took her on another date. It felt like he wanted to spend every second of the day with her , which made things complicated. Y/N didn’t want to ignore Kai but getting all three of them to spend time together was trickier because none of them liked the other and seemed to tolerate each other only because of her.

Y/N and Kol went out for dinner about a week after they had met and she had wanted to tell him about her day at the fair she and Kai had gone to earlier that day. At first Kol appeared to be interested in the story but every time she mentioned Kai , she could see his hands starting to ball into fists until he rudely interrupted her in the middle of the story just as she was about to tell him about the pony who liked the blue cotton candy she had gotten. “Why is he so important to you?” asked Kol, trying hard not to let his anger show. “Do you have feelings for him ?” “What ? No !” she said reaching to touch his hand. “Kai is my best friend. Of course he is important to me… and I want my boyfriend and my best friend to get along.” Kol stared at her as if she had just slapped him. “Thats not going to happening , darling.” said Kol. “I see the way he looks at you. Everyone does except for you. I don’t want you to spend time with him.” Y/N pulled back feeling her heart break. “Kai doesn’t have feelings for me. If he did , he would’ve told me. We tell each other everything.” she said getting up from the table. “And you are not the one who gets to tell me who I can or can’t spend my time with.” She started walking away but Kol grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry. I just … I don’t like sharing you with anyone.” Y/N sat back in her chair. “Give him a chance , okay. I think you can be best friends if you can just-” “No , not a chance.” “Seriously ?! You just apologised and now you are doing the same thing.” she got up again , walking away ignoring his pleas for her to go back. When Y/N got back to the compound she bumped into Kai who had an overnight bag in his hands. He looked surprised to see her back that early , even more surprised that she was alone. Something was different about her , Y/N didn’t seem quite herself. Her aura was different. “HEY !” she said wrapping her arms around him tight , all her anger subsiding the second he hugged her back. “Wh-what is this bag for ? Are we going somewhere ?” Kai smiled nervously at her. “I meant to tell you earlier but Kol pulled you away. I got my own place down the street. Didn’t want to overstay my welcome here , specially now that you are with … Kol.” “Oh not you too.” she said taking a step back , her hands hanging at her sides. “Don’t tell me you don’t like Kol. I can’t … ” Y/N held her head in her hands for a moment. Kai reached to touch her shoulder making her look up at him. Her eyes were starting to fill with tears. Of course he didn’t like Kol. He hated the guy , his accent and absolutely everything about him. “I’m sorry Y/N. I think it’s for the best.” he leaned in to kiss her forehead. Kai hated he was causing her pain , he hated even more that apparently Kol had done the same earlier in the evening. Y/N felt completely broken , wondering if Kol had been right and Kai indeed had feelings for her. But if he did , he wouldn’t be leaving. “You have Kol , Klaus .. all his sibling. Plus I’ll come to visit you every day and you can come over whenever you want. I owe you so much Y/N. Without you I’d still be stuck in the Prison World all alone. You thought me how to control my blood thirst. I just .. I don’t want to hold you back.” “Kai .. please.” she reached for his hand as he headed for the exit. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I promise.” he said giving her a small smile before walking out through the door.

That same night Y/N laid awake in her bed, starring at the ceiling and all the pictures on her phone she and Kai had taken during their three day movie marathon days. It was their first night separated in months and she felt a hole in her heart because of it. Y/N hadn’t realised how much she likes being in Kai’s arms until they were not around her anymore. She got up , opening her bedroom window and jumped outside down the street looking around and listening in , trying to figure out which apartment was Kai’s. In the end she spent the entire night walking around town trying to clear her head unsuccesfully.

* * *

Y/N knocked on Klaus’ art studio door. He glanced at her and smiled widely. “Can you spare a paint brush and a blank canvas for a friend?” she asked smiling. “You are not a friend , sweetheart. How many times do I have to say this - you are family.” he said handing her one of his favorite brushes. “You look troubled. Something bothering you ?” Y/N put the blank canvas a step away from Klaus’ and got a pallette from the table near by. How was she going to ask him this without things getting awkward ? She dipped the brush into the blue and white mixing them to a blue shade resembling Kai’s eyes and started drawing a circle on the canvas , not having a clue what the painting would end up being. “There is something actually.” she said smiling nervously. Klaus glanced at her expectantly. Y/N walked to the door , closed it and placed her hands on it muttering a spell , making sure no one would be able to listen to their conversation. “I am going crazy. Kol and Kai hate each other and both are pulling me in two completely different directions… and I .. I don’t know what to do.” she said sitting cross legged on the floor. “Is it possible to love them both at the same time ?” Klaus left his brush and paint on his art table and sat on the floor opposite her. “Of course love. You can love two people even three at the same time , but you can’t love each of them equally.” he said. “Then why do I feel so awful ? Every time I spend time with Kai I feel like I am betraying Kol and when I am with Kol I feel like I am cheating on Kai.” she paused for a moment , looking at her hands. “I’m sorry , this must be so weird for you … ” “Not at all , sweetheart.” he said. “Love is a complicated thing sometimes. But you will figure it out.” “I feel like I am going mad. Tell me what to do.” Klaus scooted over to her , pulling her into a hug. “I can’t tell you this sweetheart. You are one of the smartest people I’ve met in my years on this planet. Listen to your heart.”

MASTERLIST March / April 2017 MASTERLIST MAY 2017 MASTERLIST JUNE 2017

[hope-for-olicity]

Fabulous Olicity Fanfic Friday - April 14th, 2017

Happy Friday! So this is my attempt to both thank awesome fanfic writers for their amazing work and offer my recommendations to anyone who is interested. Here are the fantastic fanfic stories I read this week! Had issues with the hyperlinks this week so the link is now posted separately. They are posted in the order I read them.

Pieces of Always multi-chapter by @so-caffeinated and @dust2dust34 - Life continues after Forever is Composed of Nows. Ongoing non-linear collection of family moments for the Queens. http://archiveofourown.org/works/8220479/chapters/18840356 Deceive, Inveigle and Obfuscate multi-chapter by @machawicket - AWESOME story about a pretend marriage between Oliver and Felicity for reasons http://archiveofourown.org/works/6452551/chapters/22278530 Time for a Story multi-chapter by @smkkbert - This fic shows Olicity and their life as a (married) couple with family. Although Olicity (and their kids) are the protagonists, other characters of Arrow and Flash make appearances. Now on Chapter 145 so so awesome!!! http://archiveofourown.org/works/3912157/chapters/8757172 A Soul Lost at Sea multi-chapter by @tinaday3w - MAGNIFICENT regency romance where Oliver is a pirate who had returned to his previous life. http://archiveofourown.org/works/8181362/chapters/22297091 The Challenge by @felicityollies for Olicity Valentine's Smut-a-thon - Prompt:  “You look real good in that suit/dress/skirt/outfit.” http://archiveofourown.org/works/9725273 Untitled by @onceuponanolicity for Olicity Valentine's Smut-a-thon -Prompt: Guy on top https://olicityvalentinesdaysmut-a-thon.tumblr.com/post/157247355707/an-from-onceuponanolicity-it-is-the Untitled by @so-caffeinated - Flash fic set in Pieces of You universe, includes some Bed Bath and Beyond for reasons https://so-caffeinated.tumblr.com/post/159099136389/slight-deviation-from-the-prompt-right-after-i Part of My Heart by CharArrow- What she thought would be a simple FaceTime from her mom, leaves Felicity in desperate need of Oliver and Diggle's help. It also leaves her guys with many questions.  Season 2 rewrite. http://archiveofourown.org/works/9522344/chapters/21533129 Redemption multi-chapter by @vaelisamaza Oliver returns for being with the League after five - this story gets better and better - you should be reading this! http://archiveofourown.org/works/9107518/chapters/22278866 Starling Archers multi-chapter by @missyriver and @thebookjumper - When Oliver Queen signs up for a computer programming class at Starling University, he doesn't realize the girl he's been crushing on since his junior year is the TA for the class.  Ever since they first met, she's never seemed interested in him, but the pride of the Archery team isn't used to not getting what he wants.  And Felicity Smoak is definitely what he wants. SO AWESOME, keeping my fingers crossed for more. http://archiveofourown.org/works/10575477/chapters/23368998 I told you so... by @wherethereissmoak - Based on the prompt "I just like proving you wrong." Felicity asked Oliver not to go out of town a few weeks before their baby was due, but he thought they had plenty of time. - http://archiveofourown.org/works/10363836/chapters/23369913 Bake for a Date multi-chapter by @oycharlynnrose  Donna enters Felicity in a baking contest to win a date with her boss Oliver Queen - Super Sweet and Delightful, link to first chapter, rest are also on blog  http://oycharlynnrose.tumblr.com/post/153149385765/bake-for-a-date-with-oliver-queen-week-one#notes The White Queen by @felicityollies - How do you break a man that is already so very broken? You break the love of his life, of course. Very Dark.   http://archiveofourown.org/works/10342245 Keep it Professional multi-chapter by @mogirl97 - Oliver is assigned to be Felicity's bodyguard http://archiveofourown.org/works/9243455/chapters/20960405 Trust Me multi-chapter by @felicityollies - When a prostitute meets the perfect client, she has to remind herself that there’s no room for getting close to someone in her line of work. http://archiveofourown.org/works/8487226/chapters/22503983 Pour Jouir Par Terre by onanomotopeioa for Olicity Valentine's Smut-a-thon - Prompt: post-workout locker room sex http://archiveofourown.org/works/9722168 All I wanna do (Let Go Tonight) by @bokayjunkie for Olicity Valentine's Smut-a-thon - “Oh, don’t mind me. Just enjoying the view. http://archiveofourown.org/works/9720239 To Sacrifice the Sun multi-chapter by @emmilynestill - Oliver and Felicity are ARGUS agents working on a mission in Mexico, the two share some very important history. LOVE THIS http://archiveofourown.org/works/7510744/chapters/22505918 Until the End Draws Near Parts I-IV multi-chapter by @geniewithwifi - Arrow 5x20 spec - So ADDICTIVE! http://archiveofourown.org/works/10584138/chapters/23488095  

But You Stood By My Side Night After Night (You Loved Me Back To Life)  by Ciara2531 - Collection of Arrow Drabbles http://archiveofourown.org/works/1242571/chapters/2552791

A Day in the Life multi-chapter by @tdgal1 - Felicity Smoak is an MIT graduate and assistant to Oliver Queen.   Suddenly she is his pretend girlfriend and in the spotlight.  Oliver Queen needs a girlfriend to get rid of an obsessive former lover and to please his parents. Fluffy, funny, happiness! http://archiveofourown.org/works/9229205/chapters/20931281

In My Daughter's Eyes multi-chapter by @smkkbert - Oliver and Felicity are parents following a teenage pregnancy, they balance family life with school and I love it! http://archiveofourown.org/works/9606251/chapters/22299287 Peppers (mini drabble) by @felicityollies - Sweet family time http://felicityollies.tumblr.com/post/159420310347/peppers-mini-drabble Felicity Smoak - Model, International Star and Murderer? multi-chapter by @tdgal1 - Oliver is called defended international Star Felicity Smoak when she is charged with murder - I can't express how excited I am about this! https://tdgal1.tumblr.com/post/159430395245/felicity-smoak-model-international-star-and Purge Night multi-chapter by @spaztronautwriter - Felicity is caught in the Glades during the annual Purge. She's rescued by a man who claims he can keep her safe, but when things start to go wrong—and boy do they ever—she might find herself back on the streets, even worse off then before. An Olicity AU based on the movie The Purge (I didn't see the movie and am still enjoying the story) http://archiveofourown.org/works/8451076/chapters/19361185 A Quick Stop at Bed, Bath and Beyond by @geneshaven - Olicity shop for a wedding present - https://geneshaven.tumblr.com/post/159436590504/a-quick-stop-at-bed-bath-and-beyond As Easy As Falling multi-chapter by @charlinert - Felicity has just received tragic news when she meets Oliver, I believe there is hope, highly recommend but you will cry but not every chapter! http://archiveofourown.org/works/8035363/chapters/22542341 Sooner or Later by @olicityandsteroline - Oliver, the stereotypical scrawny nerd, and Felicity, the beautiful and popular genius, have been the closest that best friends could possibly be, practically each other’s other halves. Until Felicity leaves for an incredible education opportunity in Europe. Coming home to Starling City years later, Felicity sees that her once geeky best friend has changed, drastically. Can the two of them be as close as they were before she left? Or have the two of them changed too much? So So WONDERFUL http://olicityandsteroline.tumblr.com/post/136504774651/sooner-or-later Return to Me multi-chapter by @diggo26 - What would you do if you woke up tomorrow with the last 5 years of your memories gone? After an unfortunate accident, Oliver Queen must figure out his place in a life he has no memory of whilst his wife, Felicity, does everything she can to support him. With emotions, secrets and relationships pushed to the limits; will love and friendship be enough to turn back the hands of time? http://archiveofourown.org/works/10536999/chapters/23265480 Impact multi-chapter by @geneshaven - What would happen to Olicity if something happened to William - dark and wonderful  https://geneshaven.tumblr.com/post/159472865114/impact   Ch 2 https://geneshaven.tumblr.com/post/159509239684/impact-chapter-2 The Good Drugs by @sarcasticfina - Oliver has some medication http://sarcasticfina.tumblr.com/post/159472605047 Red Square multi-chapter by @quiveringbunny Amanda Waller sent Oliver Queen to Russia to infiltrate the Bratva. But has she forgotten him there? EXCELLENT new story you need in your life! http://archiveofourown.org/works/10607172/chapters/23453700 Untitled by @cruzrogue - snippet of a lovely wake up with Olicity - sneak peak of an upcoming story! http://cruzrogue.tumblr.com/post/159499227341/he-wakes-up-to-the-feeling-of-her-fingers-rubbing Starling City's Own Pollen Vector multi-chapter by @fiacresgirl -When a new criminal begins targeting Starling City's young women with a weaponized aphrodisiac, Original Team Arrow steps out into the field to catch him. Things go awry.  Very sexy times! http://archiveofourown.org/works/5963350/chapters/13704946 Prompt Whewwwwww! by @imusuallyobsessed - Arrow Girls night! https://imusuallyobsessed.tumblr.com/post/159533571030/prompt-whewwwww#notes Love on the Brain by @lostolicityscenes - 5x20 spec https://lostolicityscenes.tumblr.com/post/159539070891/love-on-the-brain-an-my-stab-at-a-little-arrow#notes Hotline by @geneshaven - Hoping it's multi-chapter Team Arrow deal with a caller to a suicide hotline https://geneshaven.tumblr.com/post/159547037759/hotline Coming Home by @dmichellewrites -  Sentence Prompt: I thought I put it over here...  http://archiveofourown.org/works/10619802

I Don’t Dance by @lovejesusarrowavengersblog - The reason Oliver Queen dances. So Sweet! http://lovejesusarrowavengersblog.tumblr.com/post/159550610848/i-dont-dance-story-repost

// @almondblossomme // @emmaamelia95 // @mel-loves-all // @oliverfel4 // @green-arrows-of-karamel // @coal000 // @miriam1779 // @memcjo // @captainolicitysbedroom // @tdgal1 // @spaztronautwriter // @lalawo1 // @quiveringbunny // @quant-um-fizzx // @thebookjumper // @vaelisamaza // @myhauntedblacksoul // @lovelycssefan // @laurabelle2930 //

[deadmantalking117]

MEL

In my mid 30's I really started getting sick. All the time. So very sick. Up until now I was mostly ok. For the past 10 years since my diagnosis I was doing fine. But I had that Sword of Damocles hanging over my head. I had been told that I would die before I got to be 40. And there's 40.. right over there! And for the first time.. I'm really sick.. a lot. Deaths coming for me. So I did what you're supposed to do. When I got sick.. I had my Dr admit me into the hospital... that's where you go to die.. right? Some episodes were a few days.. some a few weeks. But they were many. Being fed thru a tube. IV tubes everywhere.. so many needles.. Part if my routine was walking the halls. To help recover.. it's very important to keep moving. The more you can force yourself to get up and move.. the faster you recover. It's pure Newtonian physics.. a body at rest stays at rest.. a body in motion stays in motion.. so get moving. Keep moving. Walking the halls is an ordeal. You need to bundle up all your tubes and IV's.. unplug the pumps. (They're battery backed up) and make sure you dont get tangled up and fall. But I put on my monster feet slippers and headed on out. Usually twice per day.. I would try to get 10 laps around the ward. Most times I barely noticed other people.. I'm in astonishing amounts of pain.. and focused on making the next lap. But I could see other rooms.. with other people. As I passed by one of these.. a little shell of a girl.. laying on her bed was being smacked on the back by nurses.. they had to do this several times a day to break up the phlegm in her lungs.. so she wouldn't drown. I had noticed her before.. another frequent flyer like me. This time she gave me a little smile and a weak wave. She's seen my laps.. and had started counting me. One day as I'm passing.. she called out.. "that's 6!" I stuck my head in to say a quick hello. And my entire life changed. Mel was a little waif of a girl. She was fighting a couple horrible diseases that were wasting her tiny little body.. she was terminal.. but hanging on hard.. at 19 years old.. she looked 10.. she was so frail she couldn't get out of bed... ever. I was 36-37 and facing my own mortality. But this girl never had any real life. At 19 .. She's never had a boyfriend.. or any friend.. She's been in hospital beds her entire life. Nurses were her only human contact, besides her parents. But they had to work to support their dying daughter.. so they couldn't be there a lot. I made it my mission to visit her as often as I could get out my own bed. Most days.. as I did my laps. I'd stick my head in the door.. say hi.. ask how she was doing.. always a weak little smile.. "still here" she'd joke. Thats 4! Or 5! As I hobbled past. One day when I stopped by she asked me if I wanted to come over tonight and watch a movie with her.. as a permanent guest.. she got a good t.v. and a vcr.. her mom would bring her movies. "So if you are bored and wanna come by my mom will bring me any movie I want". I have an amazing wife and family. My times in the hospital were made easier by their visits and support. I was never lonely. But this sweet dying wisp of a girl.. only had mom and dad.. and they were killing themselves working to keep her alive as long as they could. So. Movie night! I bundled up my tubes.. put on my monster feet slippers.. and headed over around 8. See.. the thing in hospitals is.. time is meaningless. 2 am.. just the same as 5pm. But mom left at 8 each night.. so she's free! Our first movie was a Ray Liotta comedy/drama called Article 99. If you wanna see a story about veterans care.. its great. A must watch. We gabbed throughout the film. Each making jokes about the movie.. or our actual lives. Or whatever.. I was stunned by how cheerful and funny she was. How could someone this ravaged be so upbeat? I remember when I left that first night.. I had this overpowering urge to give her a hug or something.. but that's impossible. She can't be touched ! The nurses had told me was written in stone.. she was so prone to infection that you had be sterilized before any contact. They had to undergo a whole routine just to treat her! The only reason I could sit with her was because we were already in the same environment.. and I didn't have anything contagious. I recall the time where I was in for a flare up. But I was also having sinus issues.. so her room was a no fly zone. When I could get up and walk.. I had to stand well back from her door and kinda yell in to her room. But she'd always have something to tell me. On days when I was too sick to get up from my bed.. we'd pass messages back and forth through the nurses.."she wants to know when you're coming by for movie night.. and what do want her mom to bring?" Tell her.." maybe tomorrow night.. ever seen Star Wars?" Things like that. Most days.. I was way too sick to get up. But I made a special effort to at least do a couple laps.. so I could say hi. She'd always update me with her "labs" her blood count.. oxygen levels.. what new drug they were going with now.. there was always a new drug. Basically let me know she still alive. I'd tell her about the family.. "Kat says hi.. she'll see you on her next visit" "kids are doing ok" things like that. This was over a time period of about 6 or 8 months..I was literally sick all the time. Most days.. I'd get up.. vomit uncontrollably for a while.. have an astonishingly painful bowel movement or 6. Try to get on with my day. Over and over I'd go back to the hospital.. 3 or 4 days usually.. couple weeks sometimes... one particular stretch of 35 days being fed thru a tube stands out. I was not a happy camper. But here was this dying girl.. who almost never got to go home. And she's better than me. It bothered her that she was happy I was sick... but it was cool that we could hang out. I remember when she confessed this.. she had a small whisper of a voice.. because of the years of damage from tubes and drains. She talked kinda like a deaf person talks. But very quietly.. a husky whisper. I can hear her even to this day.. 25 years later. Picture her laying in her bed.. She looked a bit like the actress Kate Micucci. Just a smaller wasted version. One day the nurse tells me that Mel is wanting me to stop by and visit.. she's doing really good. She also told me.. "You know she dresses up for you?" She would have the nurse comb her hair.. she even had her pretty nightgown set aside to wear when I was in the house. She had 3 or 4 different nightgowns to wear so she wouldn't always have to wear hospital gowns. But one was her favorite.. apparently she only wore it when I was there. Our total time together over this 6 or 8 month time span.. maybe a few hours total. 5 minutes here ... 10 minutes there.. it always had to be me that visited.. and I was in no shape.. and as soon as I could get up.. I was gone. We had a few movie nights. I did make her watch Star Wars.. she said she liked it.. but I remember that we always talked thru the movies.. so I don't think she even really watched it. She made me feel better.. first by motivating me to get up and walk.. but mostly by her relentlessly cheerful attitude. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you.. she was barely alive.. 19 years old.. but looked like a 10 year old who been hit by a bus. Yet there she lay.. smiling all the while. In her prettiest nightgown. One Sunday afternoon theres a knock on my door.. Kat was out shopping and I was sick on the couch watching the kiddies. I open it and there's 2 older people standing there.. GREAT.. church people.. I'm so not up for this.. I'm sick. But they weren't church people.. they were Mel's parents. MEL DIED YESTERDAY. They had gotten my address from one of the nurses.. she knew that I'd want to know. They told me how greatful they were to me. Mel loved me.. she talked about me all the time.. her mom told me she had the biggest crush on me.. if course I knew it.. but I'm choking back tears while these people I've never met tell me I was literally the only friend she ever had. She'd been born sick and wasn't expected to make it to puberty. But she stayed around for almost 20 years. Mom tells me that her numbers were always up when I was in the hospital. About how her friend Steve was back in and we're going watch such and such movie maybe tomorrow aftetnoon. About how they'd always wanted to meet me.. but she didn't want them to embarrass her in front of her friend! Dad was a butcher.. he offered to make my whole family a barbeque.. they wanted to do something for me. I was too sick to eat anything then.. but got their number and promised to call when I was up and around. I never did. Not long after Mel died. I quit going to the hospital. It wasn't her death.. it was a bunch of reasons.. mostly I felt like something had to change. But I'll tell you that story another time. Before they left my doorway.. I asked the one question I never even thought to ask Mel. I knew what diseases she had..I can't recall what they were.. some long medical thing that doesn't really do the disease justice.. like toxohistiplasmosis leukasemia. It's just a bunch of letters slapped together to try to explain the death of a beautiful young woman. Who gives a shit what you call it. I asked them.. " what is Mel short for anyways? I never asked her. Was it Melody? Or Melony?" Her name was Melissa I was her only friend for a very short period of time. And she absolutely changed my life. Her parents are likely long gone.. they appeared to be in their 60s back then.. they had no other children. Kathleen and I are probably the only people who know this person even exsisted.. even if only for brief moment in time. But she did exsist.. And she helped shape the course of my life.. simply because of who she was. She did exsist.. and I was her friend.

[writing-in-riverdale]

Twin Andrews Part 2 | jughead x reader

part one:https://writing-in-riverdale.tumblr.com/post/158708863703/twin-andrews-juggie-x-reader-an-im-hoping

part three: https://writing-in-riverdale.tumblr.com/post/158929430293/twin-andrews-part-three-jughead-x-reader

a/n: part two of twin andrews is here!! if you love it and want more make sure to send me a request for a part three!! love u nugs🌹

♕

“wow V” i chuckle as we walk out of the gym “i can’t believe you got Betty onto the squad” we all laugh and Betty smiles admiringly to her friend.

“it’s about time we had a cooper on the squad” i chuckle looping my arm in the blondes “thank you both- this has been a dream since like forever-” she swoons grabbing her heart.

“you wish is our demand” Veronica tells her friend as we bow jokingly in front of her we all laugh holding a new uniforms in our hands “should we try them out for size?” i nod eager to get into something that was familiar.

we pile into the girls change room and put on our uniforms “im a vixen!!” Betty squeals jumping up at down and swishing her mini skirt.

“B can you zip me up?” i pull my red hair aside as she zips me up

“wow (y/n/n) looking hot!” Veronica exclaims fanning herself cause me to stick my tongue out at her “why thank you miss V”

we walk out of the changing rooms head held high, it started to finally feel like i was finally getting back into my old life, the one i left a year ago for with my mum. I find myself smiling at my friends glad that i came back, i needed them and I didn’t know that till this very moment.

“have you spoken to Archie?” i was snapped out of my thoughts

“spoken to him about what?” i ask stopping at my locker to grab a few books “Betty didn’t tell you?” i shrug feeling someone’s eyes on me “tell me what?” i press.

“she doesn’t need to know-” Betty stumbled with her words, i furrow my eyebrow hitting myself in the head with my chemistry book “if this is about B having a crush on him then yes i know” i roll my eyes.

walking backwards i giggle at Betty’s blushed cheeks, ronnie joins in on the giggle nudging the blonde with her elbow “approve?” she questions and i nod winking st the girls

“look i gotta go- Pop’s after school to celebrate? we have our very first Cooper and Lodge girl that means milkshakes and burgers on me” i ask glancing at the clock it was the last lesson and I was craving one of pops famous burgers

“sounds like a good idea!” Betty smiles at me “good see ya’s later”

i turn on my heels and collide with another body sending me to a heap on the floor, i land on the victims chest and we bop heads “fuck!” i cuss rubbing my head.

i didn’t get a chance to see his face before i tried to stand instantly going dizzy, hands dart to my waist keeping me steady.

“woah easy there Andrews” i instantly recognised the voice “Jughead?” i exclaim glances at his face taking in all his features and that old beanie of his “oh my god” i throw my arms around him as he circle my waist.

“i wow you look-” i step back glancing at him “you look good juggie” i hug him once more and he freezes before hugging me back. “still not a hugger?” i ask and he shakes his head.

“no but you’ve always seemed to be the exception” i laugh “id love to stay and talk but i have chem-” he smiles “me too, walk together?” i nod following the boy

“so how come you weren’t at Pop’s last night for my big return, i knew something was missing but Archie didn’t mention anything” he goes quite so i figure I’ve hit a nerve.

“how are things?” i ask changing the subject “yeah okay” his voice sounds strained “are you sure?” i press “im here aren’t i?” i bite my lip and walk next to him in silence earning a few glances from peers, a river vixen walking with an ‘outcast’.

“this is us” he point to the class i follow him in just as the second bell rang others scrambling into their seats as Mr Hill slips in behind us “seats everybody” i gulp glances around desperately for a seat i forget we’d be in pairs.

all eyes are on me and within seconds the class is buzzing in soft whispers “Andrews” i hear jughead call sitting a few desks back, he gestures to the open seat next to him and gladly slip into it “thanks jones”.

he nods glancing to the front of the class “welcome back miss andrews” Mr Hill greets me “good to be back” i clear my throat awkwardly the eyes of my classmates piercing into me.

“so the hotter Andrews is finally back” i turn in my seat to see Reggie smirking in his seat running his hands through his hair “Reggie Mantle, god even Chicago couldn’t erase your idiot voice from my brain” i smile sweetly batting my eyelashes before facing forward rolling my eyes.

jughead laughs at my comment and i smile at him “baby you couldn’t forget me if you tried” i shake my head facing forward “oh but baby It’s not your devilish good looks that made you memorable it was more what you were lacking in you know where”

the class erupts in laughter and i smirk at my victory “ive always liked you feisty my little river vixen” he purs.

“enough” our teacher yells standing and scribbling notes on the board “good to be back” i mumble catching Reggies sleazy glances in the car of my eye “gross”

i mumble copying the notes “you okay?” jughead whispers “yeah just sleaze ball taking a little bit of a long look” i gesture to Reggie with my pencil and Jughead narrows his eyes at the boy.

“yeah he definitely hasn’t changed since you left” i laugh trying to hold in my giggles and people’s eyes start to stray from the board to me.

“hey juggie” he murmurs glancing to the board then back to his book “Betty & Veronica wanted to go to Pop’s after school to celebrate them making the team- do you maybe wanna come?”

he puts down his pencil facing me “andrews are you asking me out?” i jolt up shaking my head furiously

“no i um no i was just-” i give up when i realise im no longer speaking English “what i meant to say is that no the whole gangs going to be there and i want to hear more about what’s happening around here- Betty told me you’ve been writing about Jason”

he turns to the front nodding “ill be there, we can talk about Jason another time when it’s just the two of us” i nod returning to my work.

“why aren’t we celebrating you becoming a vixen?” i roll my eyes “ive been on the squad since freshman year juggie it’s not that big of a deal” i tease clicking my pen.

“noted” he replies focusing his full attention to the white board.

//

“(y/n)!”

i turn to see my brother jogging over to me looking slightly puffed “you good?” i ask continuing to walk my brother following hot on my heels, i was eager to get out of this damn school and to Pop’s.

“are you going to the dance tonight?” i knit my brows “what dance?” i question approaching my locker to grab a few books slipping them into my bag.

“the school dance- its tonight- Betty asked if I’d go with her and Ronnie” i close my locker “she what?” i say surprised.

“i- i dunno she just asked if I’d go with them and i said yes which means you have to okay!” i grown “arch i don’t want to go to a stupid school dance” he grabs me by the shoulders pulling me toward him “please!” he begs.

i remove his hands from his shoulders and start the walk to his car, “please please please please please” i block him out taking long strides to reach Archie’s truck.

“open the damn truck arch” he shakes his head “Archie! Open the damn truck” i yell frustration consuming me at how annoying my brother was being “i swear to god Archibald is you do not open this door i will kill you!” i hiss and he shakes his head.

“ill open the door if you come to the dance” i groan resting my head against the door “fine fine! ill go” i say in defeat earning a happy yell from my brother followed by the beeps of the car being unlocked “hallelujah” i mumble getting into the car.

“Betty and Veronica are going to the mall to buy a dress so ill drop you off and you can pick out something nice okay” he teases smiling stupidly at you “why don’t we both ditch and order in watch a movie something actually enjoyable” i offer clasping my hands together to beg.

“no, i can’t let them go by themselves” i smack his arm “um why the bloody hell not? we can take care of ourselves yanno” i tell him irritation itching at me.

“oh well it’s your first social event back- you need this” i ignore him glancing out the window as he pulls into the parking lot of the mall “bye sissy” he teases. i slam his truck door and flip him off as he drives away.

“jerk” i mumble

“you made it!” i walk toward the blonde and the raven headed girls “i made it” i smile at them as they loop their arms in mine “let’s get you a killer dress” i tell Betty as we walk into the complex and she blushes

“archie tell you?” i nod “when were you going to tell me you asked my brother out?!” i exclaim bumping her shoulder “i didn’t ask him out i asked him to the dance with V it’s not like it’s a date”

“whatever you say coops” i wink at her and run my fingers across the nearest dress rack “wish i had someone to go to the dance with” i think aloud flicking through the hangers.

“what about Jughead? Yous seemed pretty cozy in the hall” Betty speaks up curiosity filling her voice “oh my god!” i exclaim cursing.

the mention of his name reminds me that we were supposed to be meeting at Pops now “shit shit shit” i smack my forehead trying not to think about how hurt he’s going to be when he shows up and none of us being there

“what’s wrong?” Ronnie asks concerned her arms full of dresses “i invited Jughead to Pops tonight and i totally spaced” i tell them guilty “im sure he’ll understand” Betty tries to comfort me placing a hand on my shoulder.

“i hope so” i sulk “do you know what happened with him and my brother?” she shakes her head “they haven’t really spoken since before summer break i don’t think they spoke for the whole summer” i gulp, great what the hell happened.

the rest of the shopping trip i spent too engulfed in my own thoughts and theories about my brother and his former bestfriend that i barely noticed buying a dress and getting to Betty’s house.

“earth to (y/n)” im snapped out of my thoughts by Ronnie, she waves the curling wand in front of my face “you almost ready Arch will be here soon” i nod finishing off my hair and grabbing my dress “ill just change and ill be down before you know it”

“okay we’ll be outside”

i nod closing the door and quickly changing into my dress sliding on my heels and applying another coat of lipstick before glancing at myself in the mirror. i didn’t look half bad i smile at my reflection before the tooting of a horn brings me back to earth

“really archie? i was coming jesus” i complain opening the front door of Betty’s house and walking down the driveway to meet my brother the girls already tucked into the car

“wow little sis you look decent when you put in effort”

i gasp shoving him in the chest “your 10 minutes older than me okay-”

he rolls his eyes at me and mockingly opens the door for me, i smile sarcastically at him and slip in the passenger seat “the quicker we get there the quicker we can get home” i think aloud

“c'mon it can’t be that bad” Veronica teased but i just shook my head “you have no idea”

a/n: sorry for it being long and kinda poopy im in the midst of starting a new part it’s just with the ending i wanted for this is would’ve taken SO LONG! but be excited for part three because their will be lots of jughead x reader fluff! so if you’d like that PLEASE (im low key begging you) to just type a ‘part 3’ or ‘i really like this series or just SOMETHING. silent readers get me down!

and as always requests are wide open my friend feel free to drop a question or a request, love hearing from you nuggets!

-🌹

TAG LIST AS PROMISED: @smadrat @natalieroseg @isak-lo @lena-light