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thefrogdalorian · 1 year ago

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The Best of Both Worlds - Chapter One

Din Djarin x Female Reader Modern!AU

❁ Series Masterlist ❁ My Masterlist ❁ Read on AO3 ❁

Word Count: 4690 Rating: General Summary: After a dreadful day which saw you drenched by a rainstorm after leaving a hectic day at work, you reflect on your love for Mando and upcoming excitement for the sci-fi convention you will soon be attending with your internet best friend. Content Warnings: None! Author's Note: Hope you liked the start! My love of mass transit systems bleeds through, I think. But I hope I captured how wonderful being part of a fandom and forming online friendships can feel! Thanks to @suresnips for being my beta!

1. Why Does It Always Rain On Me? [Reader's POV]

Spending your mid-twenties obsessing over a fictional character with fellow fans online was not exactly how you envisioned your life unfolding, but it seemed that the universe had other plans in store for you. You couldn’t be too disappointed with this outcome though, as the comforting familiarity of your favourite show and the community surrounding it was like a tight, warm embrace that had seen you through your toughest days. Just like today, when you would lean on The Mandalorian as a crutch yet again, as settling in to watch an episode would be the comfort you needed at the end of yet another miserable day.

It had been a draining day that seemed like it would never end. You seemed to be having an awful lot of them recently, where any little thing that could possibly have gone wrong had gone wrong. Work was busier than usual, with plenty of colleagues pestering you with questions and asking for assistance on tasks, when you had quite enough of your own work to occupy yourself with. Perhaps worst of all, you had forgotten to charge your headphones. Your heart sank as you went to turn them on just before you left work, only to find that there was no charge left. It was a major inconvenience as it meant that the soundtrack of your favourite show was not there to transport you to a different galaxy as you began your journey home. Instead, all you could hear was the relentless noise of the city. The cars and the people that never seemed to shut up for even one single second.

Your feet thundered against the pavement, the rhythmic thuds helping to ground you despite the loss of comfort that your precious headphones provided. Things were finally starting to look up. Well, they were, until you felt a spot of water against your left cheek. You sighed and looked up towards the sky, noticing the grey clouds that had suddenly rolled in from nowhere, and the eerily cold breeze that was suddenly swirling all around you. Rain was imminent.

To add insult to injury and make your already torrid day even worse, the heavens promptly opened. And you had not worn a coat, nor brought an umbrella in the trusty backpack you carried everywhere. Even though the sky was a little grey, it had been a perfectly pleasant, warm morning when you stepped out of your building that morning.

You muttered curses under your breath as the rain began ferociously pelting you, furious at your unpreparedness. You quickened your place, hurrying to the closest station to the museum you worked at as you continued to curse the weather with a variety of colourful language, but it had predictably done nothing to halt the relentless downpour. Even though summer should be approaching, the weather was awful. For what felt like weeks now, the weather had nothing but cloudy, cold and grey. It was beginning to grind you down. You just wanted to finally see some sun so you could enjoy the warmer months. Winter felt like it had never really ended.

Mercifully, you eventually made it into the station, after ducking and weaving through the dithering tourists that lingered outside the prestigious institution in which you worked. You shook your head, hoping some of the water that had drenched your face and hair would at least fly off and prevent you from sitting on a crowded tube while soaked to the bone. You brought your arms around you, suddenly aware of how unpleasantly cold you felt after getting so wet in the rain.

But fortunately, as you descended deep beneath the city to the platform, the temperature rose. The tunnels, far below the city, had been built long ago; with their poor ventilation, they retained all the heat generated by the crowds. Sometimes it could be stuffy and feel as though there was no air, but today you were weirdly appreciative of the quirks of the tube.

Your momentary appreciation for the mass transportation system soon disappeared though, when you finally emerged onto the platform. There was a seemingly endless sea of bodies, crowding into every available space. You took a deep breath and squeezed between them, taking advantage of several confused tourists to position yourself just behind the yellow line in a spot that you knew would be in a prime location for the doors when the tube finally pulled up.

You tapped your foot impatiently as you stood on a crowded platform waiting for the tube to finally arrive, surrounded by the terrible din of an unappealing combination of annoyingly loud tourists and stressed-out commuters. To top off your miserable day, the line you needed to take to get home was suffering from delays, a fact the irritating trill voice of the announcer kept reminding you. They were sorry if it caused you inconvenience – of course it did! The empty apologies did nothing to quell the pounding in your head.

You were sick of crowds and noise, you had endured more than enough of it for one day. Work had been so busy that at one point, you felt as though your head was going to explode from all the tedium. The gradual buzzing in your head that you felt when you were annoyed had quietly begun in the early morning and had just gotten louder and louder throughout the day. You were exhausted.

The rumble of the train finally hurtling through the tunnel towards you was for a moment, you were convinced, the greatest noise you had ever heard. You took a few deep breaths in preparation before it finally pulled up, now was time to fight your way through the sea of limbs and bodies to cram yourself inside the sweatbox on tracks that would take you to the comfort of your own home. To Mando. The man who helped pick you up whenever you were feeling down, without ever being able to know the impact he was having on your life.

It was the thought of how your heart would leap when you started the next episode in your rewatch and first saw his shiny form sauntering across your screen that seemed to carry you through the crowds you usually detested without draining too much of your dwindling energy reserves. You still winced, though, as you clambered aboard the sweltering carriage that was already likely too full to accommodate any more passengers. You knew there was no getting around it. This was just the reality of living in a major city like London. It was you who had been so determined to move here, after all. Eventually, after a lot of shuffling, you found yourself face-to-face with the dark brown musty jacket that belonged to a man who seemingly had not been acquainted with the wonders of deodorant.

You fixed your gaze on the ceiling above you and tried to imagine yourself anywhere but here. You pictured Mando scything through a group of bad guys and imagined you were as strong as him. You reminded yourself over and over that this would not last long; there were only a couple of stops to a major train station, meaning the crowd would thin and you would hopefully get some more peace far away from the man’s musty jacket. You just about held it together for the next few stops, wishing you were already at home. You visualised the euphoria of finally walking through the door to your apartment, ready to change into comfortable clothes and settle down to watch your favourite show. Unfortunately, your illusion was constantly shattered by the crowds in the carriage with you.

Finally, though, you arrived at the stop where most crowds would depart and with the worst of the crowds having departed the tube, you were able to find a seat facing the window. Although there wasn’t much to see in the tunnels, you knew with every rattle that you were closer to home. You briefly considered the possibility that if your fellow travellers knew that sometimes, the only thing that got you through the day was knowing that you could come home and watch an episode of The Mandalorian, they would dismiss you as a pathetic loser. But you supposed that people coped in other ways, with harmful and destructive habits that caused pain to other people. You were not harming anyone with your passion and love for The Mandalorian, even if you knew it was not the most socially acceptable hobby for a grown woman.

Despite how sad your routine would probably sound to most people, the bond between you and The Mandalorian was stronger than any disparaging remarks that could come your way. Indeed, there were very few people in your life who truly understood the love you had for that show. Oh sure, there were casuals you had encountered, like your friend and colleague Tom, who was also a viewer of The Mandalorian – at least you had someone to occasionally discuss the latest episodes with.

But your chats with your workmate were nothing deeper than how many people Mando had taken out in the latest episode and whether one day he could be seen on the same level as Vader in terms of iconic Star Wars characters. It was all very surface level and you felt reasonably sure, despite your closeness, that Tom would be at best bemused by your online activity and contemplate involving some kind of local authority at worst. Better that some things were kept secret.

Fortunately, you had a community of people online who unquestionably got it. You had them to talk to about the show that had become such a big part of your life. The Mandalorian had come to you at a difficult time in your life, a time when you most needed it. Recent years had not been kind to you, as they hadn’t been for most people. With global pandemics and both man-made and natural catastrophes, there were plenty of horrors awaiting you at life’s every turn. But you were so grateful that you had the show you loved so much and the people you had found because of it to help see you through.

It had seemed that you were destined to find it at the exact moment when you did. At one of your lowest points, Mando had been there, with his deep voice and confident swagger to soothe you on your darkest days. To lose yourself for a few precious moments at the end of each difficult day and just watch the character that you loved so much flying around space, fighting bad guys and leaving each place better than he found it was deeply engrossing and comforting to you.

It didn’t matter to you that you did not have the faintest idea about what the man behind the helmet looked like. To you, The Mandalorian was the perfect sci-fi character. You had grown up loving the galaxy far far away and all things Star Wars, always keeping up with the latest releases and discussing them with your family and friends, but you would never have considered yourself a superfan who knew everything about it. It was not until you had started watching the show about the lone bounty hunter that a switch in your brain was flipped and you became completely, hopelessly obsessed with it. The musical score captured the mood perfectly and complimented the stunning visuals, the wide shots of landscapes as your favourite character travelled across whatever planet he found himself on that week, flying through the galaxy in his beloved Razor Crest. Every time you listened to music from the show – you were rarely seen without headphones, they were seemingly glued to your head – it was as though you could imagine yourself pacing through the galaxy alongside Mando. It was a way to get inside his head, imagine his emotions and how he carried himself.

You had been a little late to the party, only watching the first season after it had already aired in its entirety. But you had more than made up for lost time, completely immersing yourself in the world. You were pretty sure you had read absolutely everything about him and memorised the scant details that you knew about his life. Part of the allure of the show was how mysterious the character was himself. No one had ever seen his face nor did anyone know his real name, he was simply known as Mando. His need for secrecy was necessitated by the ancient Creed he belonged to, that followed a strict way of rules. Mando would never bend or break them for anyone, no matter how much fans fantasised about being the one to finally pull the lone gunslinger out of his shell and break through the harsh emotional walls he had put up for himself.

After you had finished watching the first season, you joined the online fandom and quickly met a group of like-minded fans who were just as obsessed with all things Mandalorian as you were. You had found your tribe; you found solace in your online friends. They all shared the same passion for the show in a way that none of your friends in real life understood. The first person you had ever really spoken to had grown to be your closest friend Ria. You still remembered how nervous you were about speaking to her. She was a popular author who wrote many of the most well-received fanfics about Mando that appeared online after the first season had aired. But after you had nervously left your username on social media in her comment section, you found that she was just as lovely and welcoming as you had hoped when you began talking to her. After all, you were both, by definition, nerds who most people would see as losers for being so obsessed with one character. There was no need for hierarchy or competition here.

After meeting Ria, she introduced you to some of her friends and you had all joined a group chat where you seemed to message each other constantly. On the train on the way to work, at lunch, last thing at night… there was always someone there to chat with about Mando. It helped that you were spread out across so many different times, all the way from Australia to Argentina and many places in between. The anticipation you had all felt for season two had reached a fever pitch before it was aired and, thankfully, it had lived up to all expectations. Speculating about what was to come in each episode with your online friends had been incredibly exciting. Not knowing what was coming next, who Mando would have to find or where he had to travel had been thrilling. After you had seen the first season, there had not been long to wait for the second season, which was released within a year. But now, there had been no new episodes for a few months as they worked on the next season. The wait was agonising, but your friends were helping you through.

Every single one of you in this group chat had undergone, at various stages, an identical process where you became completely enamoured by this same character, finding yourselves thoroughly charmed by his swagger and mystery. Each one of you, despite the distance that separated you, had found yourselves falling down the rabbit hole and becoming completely obsessed with the lone bounty hunter from a secretive warrior society, bound to never reveal his name or face to a single soul.

The casting had been perfect… because just like the character on the show: in real life, you had absolutely no idea who the actor behind The Mandalorian was. Not a single one of you had any idea who portrayed Mando. His identity had been kept a complete secret – with the most watertight NDAs in history, you suspected – which was a highly unusual move in Hollywood. You were sure whoever he was must have a good reason for it. After the popularity of the first season and the viral phenomenon it had become, you couldn’t help but suspect that the man who played Mando, whoever he was, was probably extremely thankful for his decision to stay out of the limelight. You were sure that he would have been subjected to insane levels of scrutiny from the media and fans of the show. Indeed, even without his name and face being public knowledge, there was still plenty of that.

Sometimes you felt a little sad that you would never get to hear about Mando from the actor’s perspective. Other cast members gave interviews and attended cons, but there was no way to ever get that interaction with your favourite character, the one you cared about the most. Although you remained in the dark both about his identity and the reasoning behind all the secrecy, you respected whatever reason he had for hiding it. After all, you knew for certain that there was no one else on the planet who could have played Mando as well as the actor who was portraying him. With his confident walk and deep, gravelly voice, he was already an icon without even knowing it.

Despite your respect for the actor behind Mando – you never really joined in with the speculation unless it was a joke. The trend #beyonceismando had been your favourite example of that. But sadly, most fans of the show did not share your restraint. Some of your friends could even be guilty of taking it a little too far sometimes, but you let it go. Life was too short to go around policing what other people did on the internet. Besides, you knew your friends well enough to feel confident that they could never be truly malicious.

Due to the actor’s anonymity, speculation reached dizzying levels that you sometimes worried could be too much for anyone to live up to – you had seen every possible theory online. To you, online speculation should be fun without turning into something creepy and invasive. It was a fine line. A line that you did your best to tread, remembering there was ultimately a human being at the centre of the speculation. Your friends could let themselves go a bit more, but you tried your best to reign it in.

The secret identity of Mando’s actor led to all kinds of wild theories. Some swore that he was actually a she, there was a woman underneath the suit and that was why Disney had to keep it secret. Others insisted that Mando was really an alien, with super strength and abilities straight out of Star Wars. There was also a sizable majority who believed the reason for his secretive identity was because the actor was straight out of the army and had killed thousands in real life. Speculation ran particularly wild on social media: everyone hoped that their favourite actor was somehow the man behind the helmet, even if their schedules did not line up and their voices did not match, which led to more theories that his voice was being altered somehow to conceal his identity. That particular theory meant everyone could now imagine their particular favourite actor was behind the character that had become such an iconic figure in pop culture.

Indeed, most of The Mandalorian’s appeal to the general public was the mystery and the speculation as to his true identity. Some people only watched every episode, thinking that would finally be the week he removed his helmet and their theory would prove to have been the correct one all along. Some people scrutinised every single shot, wondering if the mask had slipped for even a second. People had even tried to hack into the CCTV cameras of the studios where the seasons were being filmed.

You couldn’t lie and say that you didn’t enjoy indulging with your online friends. You had spent countless hours talking to them, laughing at their attempts to piece together his identity from the scantest of information. They scrutinised the internet for images to compare his build and height compared with other known actors who were in the right age range. They were convinced that perhaps the way he held himself – the gait of his walk, the stance he took with his hands on his hips, the way he often shifted his weight on one leg – could give them clues as to his identity that they were so desperate to crack. You left them to it, laughing at how they could turn the smallest things into some kind of full-blown theory and proof. But to you, Mando was just as amazing without you ever knowing anything about who he was beneath the helmet. You loved the show and the character much more than you loved the online theories.

Ultimately, watching the speculation unfold was all good fun (at least for you) and proved to be a welcome distraction that helped you to get through the horrors of being in your mid-twenties. Like the situation you found yourself in now – having to exit the tube and make food after a long day of work.

Daydreaming about Mando and the friends you had made had passed the time perfectly, your stop was next and you couldn’t wait to finally be off the tube with all of its furious rattling. Thankfully, by the time you made it to street level, the rain had ceased. The humidity had increased in its place, though and any remaining dampness on your clothes from your earlier drenching magically evaporated in the hot air.

Only the stairs up to your apartment separated you from Mando now, and you felt the final energy reserves draining as you ascended them. You sighed as you turned the key and pushed the door open, both in relief at finally being home after such a difficult day and pure exhaustion.

There was nothing you wanted more than to sloth out in front of the TV and watch your favourite space cowboy do his thing on your screen. But unfortunately, you were an adult. No one would magically appear with a plate of food, much as you would have appreciated it. You headed into the kitchen to begin preparing your food. You wondered what Mando would be like in the kitchen (everything came back to him eventually) – did he even eat? You had never seen it on screen, at least. You wondered if he even could eat under the helmet. Perhaps you’d text Ria about that later, and see her thoughts. Maybe she’d even write a oneshot based on it and gift it to you.

As you stood there in your small kitchen, stirring the ingredients in the pan that would constitute your dinner – you realised just how this show had invaded every crevice of your brain. The Mandalorian had undeniably entered your brain in a way that made you think of it almost constantly. Sometimes, when you were walking around on your lunch break, you would imagine whether anyone you passed in the street could be the man that you were so enamoured by. You felt certain that you’d recognise Mando’s broad shoulders anywhere, even if you were right next to him. But it was a fruitless task, one that you knew deep down you would never get answers to. It wasn’t like he was just going to magically appear next to you one day or anything.

With your dinner plated up, you made your way to the front room to eat in your preferred position – on the sofa, in front of the TV. Sure, being an adult was hard sometimes but it meant that you got to indulge in little luxuries like this. Your family would probably freak out if they saw how you ate – hunched over on the couch, squealing with a mouth full of food over scenes you had watched dozens of times before – but you didn’t care.

As you flopped down on the couch, ready to watch another episode of The Mandalorian while eating your dinner, your phone buzzed with a message from one of your best online friends. You had met Ria shortly after you had felt compelled to make an account after finishing the first season of The Mandalorian, but you had yet to meet in person. That was all going to change very soon, though: she was flying in to attend a convention with you next week. The promise of not only finally meeting your best friend, but also getting to spend time surrounded by others who loved The Mandalorian just as much as both of you did at the convention, had honestly kept you going recently. It was the subject of the con that was the reason for Ria’s messages:

[thisistheslay] 17:57: OMG! OMG! There’s gonna be a Mando panel at the con next week. WE HAVE TO GO!!

You tapped out a reply:

[ilovemando] 17:57: what panel? and when?

[thisistheslay] 17:58: Literally the first day at 2pm. It’s called ‘The Man behind the Mandalorian: Exploring the Identity of the Galaxy’s Best Bounty Hunter.’ We NEED to be there, like you don’t understand!!

[thisistheslay] 17:59: HELLO bestie, what if HE’S THERE! What if they finally unveil who he is!!

You put your phone down on your lap and let out a small laugh as you rolled your eyes. Ria was constantly convinced that Mando was finally going to reveal his identity. It was based on pure speculation at worst and half-baked rumours at best. It had been an ongoing debate between the two of you throughout your friendship, you doubted that Mando would ever reveal himself. He had left it this long, why would he choose to reveal his identity now? But it was all in good fun, after all. You knew how much Ria truly loved the show and Mando. Just like you, for Ria, this speculation was all a bit of fun. She wasn’t one of the toxic people who said they would never watch another episode if the actor who played Mando turned out to be ugly. Yes, unbelievably, that was something that you had actually seen people write publicly online, for others to see. Maybe even the man who played Mando himself. It made you feel sick, they didn’t deserve him or the show.

You texted back:

[ilovemando] 18:03: oh i do, but not like you. yeah we’ll go… don’t be disappointed when mando doesn’t show tho

[thisistheslay] 18:04: No he’s going to be there! I can just FEEL it!!

[ilovemando] 18:05: ok sure, whatever u say. gotta eat but i’ll message you later

You really did have to go. No distractions would come between you and an episode of The Mandalorian, especially not while eating your dinner. As you sat back and watched the episode you had seen dozens of times before – in this one, Mando was tasked with hunting down a group of rogue mercenaries on a prison ship – your mind wandered back to Ria’s messages. You knew she was just being her usual ridiculous self, losing it over crumbs in an exaggerated, ironic way… but you couldn’t help but wonder about what you would do if her words came true. What if you did, one day, come face to face with Mando? What would you say? Would you even realise when he was in the same room as you, would it be an obvious, earth-shattering feeling? Or something far more subtle?

It was a ridiculous topic. But despite yourself, it was one you spent the rest of the evening ruminating over. The prospect of attending the con was nerve-wracking already – it was going to be a large, crowded event with many people in an unfamiliar environment. That was already setting your nerves on edge, even without the prospect of Mando being there. But thinking that there was perhaps the smallest chance that you could be about to lay eyes upon the man who brought your favourite character to life…

Well, that was a whole other level of nerves.

Next Chapter

#my fics #tbobw #din djarin fic #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #the mandalorian x reader #mando x reader #pedro pascal characters #the mandalorian fanfiction #IT'S OUT THERE NOWWWWWW lets GO!!!!

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getlostsquidward · 3 years ago

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Divine Intervention

Irina Spalko x fem!reader

A/N: For the anon that requested another Irina fic, here you go! <3

Warnings: violence, blood, nudity

Summary: The knowledge-seeking woman gets what she wants, and more.

gif from here

“Tell me everything you know.”

“I want to know everything! I want to know!”

An ominous sound can be heard in the Akator. Debris of rocks from the ceiling was starting to fall, the walls of the temple were rotating, and there was a very bright light coming from above. Akator was slowly deteriorating, but Irina didn’t falter; spellbound by the creatures who will give her the knowledge she always wanted to have. The people around her either got away in time or were sucked in by the spaceship. She stood ground in the middle of the thirteen crystal beings, graciously accepting their great gift.

“Tell me. I’m ready. I want to know!”

A smoke-like thing transferred from their skulls to Irina, passing her the wisdom she so desired.

“I can see. I can see!”

The crystal skeletons started to merge, incorporating to form a body. “Cover it! Cover it!”

Irina was overwhelmed by the knowledge she had gotten. It was too much for her, a human brain to handle; her eyes started to burn, her body disintegrated and turned into ash.

Irina was woken up by the blinding ray of the sun peeking in between the tall big trees, in the middle of the woods. She touched her face, her arms, to check for any burns or wounds, but she found none. She also found herself… stark naked. No clothes, no shoes, not even her trusty rapier. Blindly believing that she was alone in this vast forest, she roamed around to find clothes and shelter.

She was incredibly hungry and parched, having walked for hours now. Her feet had small cuts now, her arms with insect bites, due to the absence of garments to protect her body. Yet, she doesn’t plan to stop searching even if the sun is setting down.

It was now dark, but she can slightly see a faint flicker of lights not far ahead. She followed the light, determined to get what she needed even if she had to kill someone if they refused. It was a two-story cabin, inhabited, based on the fruits and vegetables growing outside. She looked around the house, searched for another entrance beside the front door and windows. Irina found a back door, but it was locked. She stared blankly at the doorknob, wishing she had something with her to open the damn door that wouldn’t alert whoever was inside.

The knob clicked. Thinking that someone had opened it from the inside, she shuffled for a fighting stance, ready to attack. When the door didn’t open, she pushed it and peeked inside. There was no sign of people, and the lights were off. She peered in the dark, searched for something she can eat. There was none lying around, and instead, she met was some new shiny appliances.

Her eyes caught the knives in the corner, so she took one, just in case it was needed. The sound of stomping feet from the wooden stairs alerted the Colonel-Doctor. She hid in the dark and waited if the person was threatening enough to kill.

You skipped the last two stairs, rushing to the fridge to get a tub of ice cream. You skimmed the items inside, looking for something to snack on while you watch your favourite show. It was rather empty aside from the half-full ice cream tub, and some leftovers. You really have to get groceries tomorrow. As you closed the door, a sharp object was pointed at your neck. You retreat away until your back hit the table. You can faintly see the woman hovering over you thanks to the dim light from the kitchen island.

You slowly raised your hands on your head, “Woah, lady. What do you want? You wanna rob my kitchen? Well, consider this your unlucky day because there’s barely anything ther-“ you stop blabbering as she pressed the knife into your skin.

“I need clothes and food. And tell me what this place is.” Her thick accent sent shivers on your spine.

“Okay. First, this is my house, and well, we’re in the middle of nowhere; and this middle of nowhere is in the Y/C. I will get you clothes, but I need to get upstairs to my room. For the food, there’s a leftover in the fridge. I’ll heat it for you if you want. Please, just please don’t kill me,” you pleaded.

She stepped back enough for you to stand, but her hand grabbed your shoulder as a precaution as if you can outmuscle her. You walked towards the fridge to get her food and put it in the oven. After setting the timer, you head to the stairs, the woman still behind you. Once you got to your room she closed the door abruptly and gave you space to rummage on your closet. You don’t know if your clothes will fit her so you settled on giving her an oversized shirt and one of your comfy shorts. “Here,” you turned around to give her when you finally noticed that she was naked. “What the fu…” your eyes trail down her Alabaster skin, but abruptly faced away when she cleared her throat. Blushing from being caught, you merely tossed the clothes to her.

Gathering your courage to speak, you asked, “Lady, who are you and why are you very nude in my house?” You’re insanely beautiful too, and I mean that with utter respect.

“Irina Spalko. I woke up in the middle of these woods earlier. You can turn around now.” Once you did, she continued, “And thank you.”

“Well, I don’t really mind the company, as long as you don’t kill me, please.”

“Insanely beautiful.”

You stared at her dumbly, "What?”

“You said I’m insanely beautiful,” she said smugly, her lips tugging upwards on a smirk.

Now, what the fuck did she just said? “I- I didn’t say anything like that. You must be hallucinating, Ms. Spalko. Your hunger makes you hear things.” You scurried off downstairs to get as far away from her, and your ice cream. It must have turned to a puddle now.

You set her food on the table and wait as she took her time before following you out. She must be so sure that you wouldn’t take off and call for help.

The princess had finally descended, you thought as you watch her sit at the table and eat silently. “Colonel-Doctor. Not a princess,” she declared. You opened your mouth to speak but remained in an O-shape as no coherent words were coming out. “H-how- what- I- I don’t understand. A-are you a mind reader or something? A witch?”

“Neither. Just… a chosen one.” After that, she paid you no mind and continued eating.

You walked out of the kitchen, fearing that she would hear your thoughts again. Instead, you whispered to yourself, “What have I gotten myself into? I'm like a hostage in my own house, okay. I feel like the main character that dies first in a horror movie.”

You sauntered back in the kitchen and asked the woman, “I take it you’re staying here for the meantime? So do you wanna sleep in the living room or the guest room?” you probed. “I don’t really have much of a choice, do I? If I want to stay alive?”

She only nodded. “Thought so; Uhm, so, where?”

“Guest room.”

“Got it. If you’re finished, just throw the plate into the trash. I’ll ready the room.”

You just finished placing some sheets into the bed when she arrived. “Okay, housemate. Bed’s ready. It’s been a long day for the both of us, and I really wanna sleep now, so let’s settle what we have to settle tomorrow, ‘kay? Good night,” you finished your speech and closed the door. You leaned onto it and breathed out a deep sigh. When did you become such a hospitable host that you just let a dangerous woman into your house?

Sleep didn’t come to Irina that night. She tried to remember what happened before she got here. Right. They had returned the skull to Akator; she requested knowledge and they gave it to her. Her brain was overloaded with too much information that she disintegrated. Irina still remembers the excruciating pain, the feeling that someone was drilling holes into her head, the feeling of being burned, but here she was, alive and well. In the middle of nowhere, with someone who looks very vulnerable. You proved to be of use to her, so she won’t harm you… as of now.

Her mind drifted to you. How was she able to read what was on your mind just by sparing you a glance? Before, she needed to be close to the person as possible before she can read them. Her psychic abilities had her family ostracized; the reason she sought knowledge and her purpose. How about the doorknob? Did she do it? Did the interdimensional beings amplified her abilities, and possibly gave her more?

How many days have passed since she was in Akator?

64 years.

At first, she couldn’t comprehend how time had passed, seeing as she didn’t age one bit. But since Irina had encountered aliens herself, nothing was odd for her anymore.

“So you’re saying you’re from the ’50s?”

“Yes.”

“How did that happen?” you curiously asked. “I mean, one day, you’re in a temple in the ’50s, then you woke up in the woods in 2021?” she nodded. “Actually, you know what, whatever. I believe you. The world is in shambles right now and I wouldn’t be surprised anymore if aliens were real,” you finished as you parked your car.

“Here’s the deal, Irina. You’re a woman out of time, and so much had changed since you… since then,” you paused, “And you’re a very physical woman. Like I think if someone bumped their cart onto you you’ll tackle them to the ground, and I don’t wanna cause a scene. So, stick with me, please.”

So far, so good. Irina wasn’t causing a scene yet, except when she snatches out the item you were holding. She was intently reading the label and then muttering about how it wasn’t good for the body and then putting it back on the shelf.

The cart was nearly full; mostly food, toiletries, and some tools. Irina didn’t add anything save for a toy sword. Okay.

She was mostly quiet, but you see that her eyes silently wander around the place, on the people around, frequently landing on you. You spent shopping in comfortable silence, letting her absorb the state of the world. She may be listing off her questions in her head and then ask about them later.

You look at your grocery list and cart simultaneously, checking if you’ve got everything you needed. As you confirm that you’ve had, you gasped as Irina took your hand into hers and laced your fingers together. You looked at your joined hands, feeling how warm and soft her hand is. You remembered that she can read minds, so you jokingly asked, ‘What hand cream do you use?’, testing her ability once again.

“There are two men following us since we got out of the car. I doubt you noticed, but good thing you take so long in every aisle, I was able to confirm that they were indeed following us,” she whispered, her hot breath tickling your ears. “They intend to steal from you.”

Fear taking over you, you stammered “Oh. Stealing in the light of day, okay, uh can’t you do anything to them? Any more abilities? Clearly, you can defend yourself based on how you introduced yourself last night.”

“I could, but you said you didn’t want to cause a scene. And I wasn’t certain until now.”

“Yeah, I take that back. Do what you have to. I trust you.”

Irina found this as an excuse to measure her abilities. You continued to act normal, proceeding to the counter to pay for your groceries. They have no idea that you and Irina have noticed them already. The men split up, keeping themselves at a distance, as one queued at the counter beside yours. The other had gone out of your sight.

She planned to lure them into the alley at the back of the shop. Once you arrived, she had noticed the other man nonchalantly leaning on the wall ahead, waiting for you. You continued to walk slowly until you felt the second man behind you, effectively trapping the both of you in the middle of the back alley. The moment they got near, the man behind spoke, “You, the one with the bags. Give me your money,” he hissed, referring to you. “Your phone and keys. And no one will get hurt.”

You would’ve run for the life of you if there wasn’t another man waiting on the other side, flipping a knife. Eyes locked on Irina, you patiently wait for her instruction, hoping she wouldn’t turn on you and leave you alone.

“I won’t,” she murmured, side-eyeing either man at your side.

The Ukrainian wasn’t sure if her hunch was right, but if she wasn’t, she could still take both men with bare hands. She stared at the knife and envisioned it impaling on his stomach. The man’s grunt had confirmed her hunch as red stained his clothes, and blood trickled to the ground. She then pulled the knife out and willed it to pierce through the other man’s thigh. Once he was down on his knees, Irina’s hand that never left yours yanked you to run to your car. She gave them a last glance and hurled their bodies to the wall for safe measure.

Afraid that someone might have seen what happened, you started the car immediately and drove out. None of you spoke until you’re sure that you are far enough from the store. “What the fuck?” you blurted, adrenaline still coursing through you. “Did you- did you do that? No, no don’t answer. You definitely did. Uh, telekinesis and mind-reading? Any additional powers you’re hiding?”

You glanced at her, her eyes straight on the road. “Because if you’re planning to stay in my house for God knows how long, you might wanna tell me about them.”

She was silent for a while, contemplating her answer. “I don’t know if there’s more.”

When you didn’t respond, she told you everything that had happened to her since she was a child. How they were exiled in their village when her psychic abilities had manifested, how her own mother feared her for her naïve innocence, which led her to flee the village and search for answers.

You listened attentively, though lost yourself when she mentioned that she was part of the Soviet Union. You only hear and see on the internet how these people were trained, and uneasiness was creeping up. Her intentions weren’t clear; she hadn’t yet thought about what she’s going to do now that she’s in a society she outgrew.

When she noticed that you trailed off, she spoke, “I don’t use a hand cream.”

It was a good thing that you’re not stepping on any pedal right now because you would have pressed the brakes heavily. You raised your brow at her, amused, and a chuckle coming out from you. Though her eyes were still cold and impassive, a genuine smile tugged from her lips.

#cate blanchett #cate blanchett x reader #cate blanchett imagine #irina spalko #irina spalko x reader #indiana jones and the kingdom of crystal skull #indiana jones and the kingdom of crystal skull fanfic

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rentsturner · 4 years ago

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Grump | Mark Renton

I would like to request a oneshot with Rents 💙 with the 10 and 11 fluff prompts 😊 Congratulations on 500 followers! 🤗 / @arianalilyblack 10 - cuddling in bed on a rainy day, 11 - sharing the same headphones

wc: 1.3k

Author’s note: I haven’t written in ages so idk what this is gonna be like but i did love writing it; i missed writing for rents and its pretty fluffy

Warnings: Mark Renton x gn!reader, liv attempting to write soppy shit. Oasis (lyrics in italics). British weather.

Typical British weather. That specific type of rain, a drizzle that wasn’t heavy enough to feel too wet, but standing in it for over two minutes would leave you soaked through. This effect was worsened, of course, by the wind, which chilled you to the bones in seconds. Yes. Typical British weather, a constant drip-drop against the windows.

There had been a mutual decision between you and Mark to stay inside that morning, sheltered from the rain in the relative warmth of your tiny rented apartment. It was bare, no furnishings except for a small sofa and TV, a few vinyls and Renton’s treasured turntable, an old bed frame with a worn mattress than you had managed to put together on another rainy day similar to this one. It wasn’t much, that was for sure, but it had been home for the past few months. The small TV propped up in the corner was buzzing away, showing some old rerun of Top Of The Pops that was boring the fuck out of you.

Mark snatched the remote up from the bed with a huff and turned the tv off.

You turned to him with a raised eyebrow. He usually didn’t mind Top Of The Pops, occasionally humming along to the songs. But not today, apparently.

“Grump.”

He laughed at your insult, throwing the remote off the end of the bed, and stretching his bare arms up to rest behind his head. He was shirtless - this wasn’t unusual. Mark’s favourite outfit was just his boxers when it was just you and him in the apartment.

“Fucking annoying me, wasn’t it?”

You smiled. “Like I said. Grump.”

He sighed again, corners of his mouth lifting up in a small smirk.

“Doesn’t matter if I’m a grump. You’ll love me anyway.”

He had a point, but you weren’t gonna tell him that.

Renton leaned over and picked up his battered but trusty old Walkman, which was lying on the floor from last night. Sometimes he put some music on to help him sleep, some Lou Reed or New Order maybe, just quietly so the constant rhythm would settle him down. You didn’t complain - he had good taste and there wasn’t one song on his favourite mixtape that you disliked.

He untangled the headphones carefully, as careful as he was with all his music paraphernalia. He treasured it, more than anything else than he owned, that was for sure. It seemed like a ritual to Mark, when you watched him put the tape it and turn it on. The same with the record player - carefully holding the vinyl, setting it gently onto the turntable, dropping the needle just right so it was a smooth introduction into the sound, adjusting the speed if he needed to. All practiced movements, something to focus all his attention on.

He offered you one earbud with a steady hand. “Come on, close your eyes. Trust me.”

Of course you trusted him. He was the only thing that really mattered to you at this point. You and Mark Renton against the fucking world. That had been your life for the last few years, hopping between rented rooms and apartments, ever since you had both ran away from home - you on a whim to get out of your small hometown and find adventure, Mark in a desperate attempt to escape the clutches of one Francis Begbie after a ‘business deal gone wrong’. Or so he’d told you. It was obvious there was more to the story than that, but if Mark didn’t want to tell you then that was his choice. The past was in the past, and you were both happy to leave it there.

So you took the earbud, making sure it fitted comfortably, then lay down next to Mark. He rolled over so that he was leaning on his elbow, swinging his leg over and hooking it over your knee so he could pull you closer, your face now only centimetres from his. You could count every eyelash framing those beautiful blue eyes, every freckle dotted on his smooth skin.

You reached out your hand to stroke it over his cropped hair, the strands feeling spiky as you moved one way over them, soft and fuzzy as you moved back. But Mark grabbed your hand gently, bringing your knuckles to his lips and pressing a kiss to them. It was soft, softer than the fluffy tufts of hair at the base of his neck, softer than the pale skin in the crook of his elbow.

“Close your fucking eyes,” he whispered, smiling, his eyes bright, twinkling.

You did. The opening melody of a song started playing through the headphones, acoustic and slow, immediately familiar and comforting.

Sitting on my own, chewing on a bone, a thousand million miles from home

The lyrics alone stirred up so many emotions in you, a longing, mourning almost for time that you had lost, a nostalgia for years gone by. But it also made you happy, optimistic for your future, grateful that you had Mark to share it with.

You felt a light touch on your hand, so gentle that you wouldn’t have noticed it if you’d had your eyes open. But then Mark’s fingers fumbled with yours, noticeably shakier than earlier, and you curled your hand around his, letting him hold you, feel you.

I wanna talk tonight, until the morning light

You felt Mark’s gaze on you, a sixth sense. Blinking, your eyes adjusted quickly to the light and you took in Mark’s face. You were right, he was focused on you (little shit, making you close your eyes but not doing it himself). But his eyes were a little bleary, glistening as if there were unshed tears waiting there.

about how you saved my life

He squeezed your hand at the end of the line. It was purposeful, the look in his eyes making you think that it wasn’t coincidental that he’d chosen that moment.

You couldn’t always tell what Mark was thinking. Sometimes he’d be sat right next to you, but his mind was back in the past, deliberating over moments and decisions that were privy only to him. You never pried, just waited, because you were sure that one day he’d let you in.

And today, you could see exactly what he was thinking. The grip of his hand tight on yours, the intensity of his gaze and the love in those blue eyes, love that Mark rarely showed so blatantly, so vulnerably. He was saying thank you.

“Rents..” you started to speak, but his finger was on your lips before you could finish, urging you not to speak. The music was still playing but you weren’t listening, all your attention now on Mark.

His lips moved slowly. No sound came from him, but you could make out the words just fine. Those three words that had only been ever said jokingly between the two of you, but you had wished for them to mean more, those three words that you had hoped for, but never expected. A warmth blossomed in your chest, ten times stronger than the effect of an Oasis song, because you knew that this time, Mark meant it. He meant it, and that was all that mattered.

Mirroring his earlier movement, you hooked your leg behind his and used it to pull yourself in closer to his body, so your chests were pressed against each other, the light smattering of his auburn chest hair ticklish on your skin. You could feel his pounding heart faintly against your skin, his eyelashes fluttering against your cheeks when he blinked.

Squeezing Mark’s hand as tightly as you could, in reassurance to him or to steady yourself, you weren’t sure, and whispered softly against his lips.

“I love you too, grump.”

*~*~*~*~

Tags : @star-whores-a-new-hoe @rubysnips @funkytxwn @callmearwen @ohhellokenobi @profkenobi @stardancerluv @goldenkenobi @a-seeker-of-imagination @saintlaurentkenobi @million-dollar-legs @imafatassmess @i-am-i-am-obiwankenobi @letmybabysleep @junkieboyfriend @haydens-moles @the-mandalorian-clone-lover @drinksomecoco

#mark renton x reader #mark Renton #mark renton imagine #ewan mcgregor #trainspotting #mark renton #scotland #mark renton headcanons #mark renton x gn!reader #my writing #livs 500 follower celebration

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neon-junkie · 4 years ago

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Queen of Amber - Chpt.1

Summary: You're soon to complete your training, finally earning yourself the title of Knight of Ren. Your Master, Kylo himself, relocates you to StarKiller Base to train by his side, but you become distracted at the sight of your Masters enemy, the bases General.

Pairing: General Hux x f!Reader

Word Count: 1641

Rating: SFW

Tags: Slow Burn, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Forbidden Love, Knights of Ren, Starkiller Base.

Notes: ugh I just LOVE the idea of being a knight of ren that ends up fancying hux and having to hide it from kylo. ive had this fic idea for... years..? and now im finally writing it >:)

The depths of space can feel so cold and empty, a vast plain of darkness, the light from the stars barely bright enough to draw away that feeling of nothingness. In some ways, it is peaceful, having a void so large and empty, but that feeling can be often be interpreted as deeper emotions: loneliness, numbness, isolation, etc. Those feelings are regular to you, or were, up until you found your calling in the galaxy and followed it through. Either you were in the right place at the right time, or you were bound to be discovered sooner or later. That's what you told yourself when it first happened, all those years ago. Some might call you a Sith, an out-dated term but one that still fits, like your favourite pair of well-worn boots. The term molds comfortably around you, engulfing you in the power that short word has; you've seen the way people shiver at the word alone, so think how they'd react when they finally meet one?

However, Sith wasn't the right term for you, and your Master, Kylo Ren, had told you this many times before. You were a Knight, or you're going to be, once your training is complete. Snoke had heard your calling through the force many years ago, ordering Kylo to find you and bring you back to him; you were a child back then, your planet stuck in the middle of a war, your parents had vanished amongst the smoke and you'd been pulled to safety by Kylo himself. At first, you were reluctant; you were scared and alone, isolated, mourning the loss of your family and home, just like the stars. But Snoke and Master Ren had been so kind to you, despite not being able to see Rens facial expressions, and despite Snoke being nothing more than a hologram. You'd discovered his real form very few times, usually trailing in the background whenever Master Ren was called to meet him face to face, and you knew that it would one day be you speaking directly to Snoke, when your time is ready. But for now, you find yourself on board a ship, finally docking on StarKiller Base. You've heard about this base for years, though you've never been on it, always occupied with your own tasks and training. Master Ren had recently been ordered to move here, which essentially meant packing his favourite cloaks and trusty light saber; he was one of the top dogs, being forced to share the base with a General that you're yet to meet. Master Ren has vented to many times before about said General. Yes, you two got along well, thought your status still stands as Master and Knight, or 'knight in training', as Master Ren always called you. His other Knights wouldn't bother with the longer name, simply calling you their Knight, or Sister on the occasion that they were being welcoming; they're a polite bunch, ruthless and bloodthirsty, but still your family. You haven't seen them in some time, busy with their own missions, just as you are busy with yours. You let out a deep sigh through the drone of your helmet as you stand, watching the ships hatch be lowered, welcoming you onto the foreign base. As always, your Troopers exit first, followed by their Commander, and then yourself. Master Ren is waiting for you, stood with his arms by his side, fists clenched, eyes clearly watching you despite his face being covered. You've seen him without his helmet a few times but only in recent years; he never took it off when you were young, probably not wanting to show how young he was too, only a few years older than you but his skills and strength said otherwise. You approach your Master, your cloak dancing behind you as you walk, your attire as dark and edgy as your Masters; he'd picked out your original outfit, through you'd changed a few elements of it throughout the years, adding your own flair to it the more yourself and your abilities grew. You know by now that you're close to completing your training, and you personally think you should have completed it long ago, but your Master continues to cling onto you, telling Snoke over and over that you're not ready, despite his words and pleads. Maybe Master Ren has something in store for you? "Master Ren," you greet him, your head nodding softly as he repeats the gesture. "How was your trip?" he questions. "The usual," you reply. "Boring? Master Ren suggests. "Mhmm," you hum in agreement. Master Ren begins to walk, his head slowly turning away from yours before looking forward, his usual body language for when he wants you to follow. "I'll be giving you a tour of the base later this evening, we have a meeting to attend to first, another petty one where the Commanders scream at each other because they're not progressing fast enough." "I thought you ruled this base with an iron fist?" you prod. Master Ren looks at you briefly as he walks, and you overhear the exhale he lets out, a soft laugh. "The General does, apparently, despite them being behind schedule for almost a week now. I plan on stepping in soon if he continues to fail our progress," Master Ren replies. "I'm surprised you haven't stepped in already." "Snoke has ordered me to keep out of it..." Master Ren admits, and you don't doubt that Snoke has had to lecture him again about his... temper tantrums. Master Ren continues to lead you down an array of corridors, the workers practically leaping out of the way; you can sense the fear on them, trembling at the sight of your Master, and even more so at you. The sight of Master Ren alone is enough to make anybody fear for their life, but two Knights? You're surprised nobody has dropped dead in fright, as entertaining as that would be. The room is already full of Commanders by the time you arrive; they're quick to stand, welcoming Master Ren as he enters, their eyes watching as Master Ren takes his usual place at one end of the table. Master Ren doesn't bother sitting, he never does, he claims it's not intimidating for a Knight to be sat down amongst 'commoners', but you'd enjoy being able to rest your legs for a few minutes. You stand diagonally behind him, sensing the fear in the workers, noticing the way they try their best not to stare. "Sit," is all Master Ren has to say. You watch the Commanders go to take their seats, only to jump up seconds later as a stranger enters the room. Master Ren instantly turns to look at you. 'That's him,' he tells you through the force before turning his head back around and facing forward. You know exactly who your Master is on about, the man that's caused him so much hassle during the years that they've been 'working together.' It seems the General has spent most of his life on his base, and you're surprised you've only just met him now. He's a little shorter than your Master, his fiery hair slicked back and glued into place, with perfectly shaped side burns and not a single piece of stubble on his structured face. He doesn't look very intimidating, not a man you'd expect people to fear, nor follow, but you're eager to see what layers there are to his persona. He's already glaring at your Master as he goes to take his seat, pulling out the chair but then suddenly stopping. His eyes trail over to you and his brows are quick to furrow, almost looking at you in disgust. "Not another one," The General speaks, and you can sense the frustration radiating off him. "That's not a polite way to greet one of your Commanders," Master Ren replies... Wait, Commander? It seems the General has the same question on the tip of his tongue. "Commander?" is all he asks. "Commander," Master Ren nods in agreement. "Has Snoke not given you the memo? My Knight here is to complete her training whilst on StarKiller Base. She has the role of Commander until her training is complete, then she will take the Knight status and join my ranks." "One of you is enough work as it is. I don't need two-" The General's sentence is cut off, his mouth is hanging open and his throat beginning to twitch. You know what your Master is doing, and you look down to see his hand in an arched positioned, as if he's choking the General. "Master," you butt-in. He chokes him for a few seconds more before relaxing his hand; Master Ren doesn't turn any of his attention to you, ignoring the Generals gulps for air as he finally sits down at his place on the table. "Shall we begin?" Master Ren suggests. The meeting goes on just as you'd expect - boring and heated, fingers being pointed and accusations flying across the room. Your Master had barely spoken during it, but you knew he was smiling under his mask at the chaos, watching the General bark at everyone, his face turning as red as his hair as he manged to pull his Commanders back into line. You didn't speak a word, you had no need to, and you didn't say much as Master Ren showed you around a few important parts of the base. Your tour then ended at your quarters, just down the hallway from your Masters. He had said his goodbye before leaving you to it, letting you finally unmask in the isolation of your new room. You spent the night unpacking, trying to find some form of comfort in your new home. Hopefully, this base will soon feel like a home..

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theimpossiblescheme · 4 years ago

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First of all - thank you for sharing all your picrew posts of your OCs I *love* their designs so much and I love how you included voices alongside the descriptions! SECOND - you know I have to ask this because I was immediately all over this idea when you pitched it, but I would LOVE to hear more about the cats in Gus' old theatre troupe when you have the time (they are definitely some of my favourites of yours)!

Awwwww, thank you so much! Honestly, picking out voices to go with each character is my favorite part of the process--I could have been a casting director in another life. XD

Honestly, most of Gus’s troupe were just... cats who came together and decided they wanted to put on a show. Organized actors’ and writers’ guilds aren’t really a thing for the Jellicles, so it’s just a matter of finding other cats with common interests who would enjoy working together. That’s how Iphegenia came to the troupe, and that’s how Gus met Andromeda at the very beginning--they had been abandoned by their humans, but still wanted a place to belong.

Iphegenia’s story is pretty infamous--the understudy who fell in love with a lonely Jellicle Leader and comforted him and their son behind closed doors, only to end up leaving in disgrace. Poor thing wasn’t built for scandal, with her soft heart and weak constitution. Even before the whole affair, Gus half-joked that he was shocked she didn’t crack in two every time she sang (and she had a surprisingly strong voice for a queen her size). But Ginny, as everyone called her, was always such a trooper, never complaining and always with a smile on her face. She knew everyone’s lines before they did, kept up with all the choreography, and even helped the little mouse stage managers sweep up at the end of a long night. The mice were sorry to see her go, too--they picked up all the flowers after her last performance and laid them on her chair, and no one moved them until they had completely wilted.

Cornelius was brought on because Gus’s voice was starting to show signs of wear, and somebody needed to hit all those higher notes. The older tom really wanted to resent this wide-eyed little upstart with his doe eyes and effortlessly smooth vibrato... but Cat help him, he just couldn’t. He was just too genuinely nice to everyone and had a way of making cats laugh even when they weren’t in the mood. There was the occasional mention that Cornelius had seen his share of hard knocks, too--something about running afoul of a nasty dog when he was a kitten, leaving him with a scar across his lips and a hell of a flinch reflex--but he never talked about it. He was, however, the first cat on the scene if someone else was going through a rough time. And Gus had to give it to the boy, it was hard to stay in a bad mood around him.

Brighella’s specialty was attracting potential audiences, whether that meant designing posters, organizing auditions, or just standing out on a street corner and reciting Shakespeare or Marlowe at the top of his lungs until cats were curious (or annoyed) enough to see what was going on. He was the sort of cat who never got lost in a crowd, with his distinctive voice and his penchant for wearing very flashy human trinkets as costume pieces. He was also extremely unsentimental and practical to a fault--if you wanted a cat to give it to you straight without mercy or sugarcoating, you went to Brighella. You might not get the answer you liked, but you would get an answer that worked and that everyone else could live with. If Gus’s memory served, Brighella often laughed, but he almost never smiled offstage unless he was planning something to help the troupe... it was a smile everyone both loved and dreaded.

Pumpernickel was always very quiet. The closest comparison I can give is Piglet from Winnie the Pooh--timid, anxious about everything, always stammering when he talked. But he was also a superb listener; if you weren’t in the mood for Cornelius’s relentless cheer, Pumpernickel would sit down with you and look at you with those sad eyes while you poured your heart out. If any cat needed it, he gave excellent advice, too, especially when it came to matters of the heart. Under the neurotic facade, he was a complete bleeding heart who preferred to talk only when it truly mattered (and he had such an expressive face that half the time he barely needed to talk to get his feelings across). And even though his roles rarely called for it and his speech impediment still gave him trouble, he had one of the best voices in the troupe.

Wiskuscat was also a cat of few words, but with a gruffer and more cynical edge. He often talked like an Oscar Wilde character--full of quips that, once you scratched the surface, were deeply pessimistic about feline nature. While this didn’t make him much of a conversationalist, he would still patiently answer any question asked of him as long as it wasn’t too personal. And while he preferred to give cats their space instead of rushing to comfort them, it wasn’t out of malice--having a minute to just yowl things out before things fell into perspective helped more than anything, he believed. He wasn’t good with emotions and thought they could betray you more often that not, but he was sensitive to his friends’ feelings and never tried to interfere. Nobody knew exactly how he got to be that way, and after a while they stopped trying to ask. In fact, Wiskuscat seemed most genuinely comfortable when no one was talking, but instead just existing peacefully in the space together. Lucky for him, the troupe never found that a problem.

And then Lila... dear Lila... Gus didn’t know how he’d overlooked her for so long. She’d just always been there, a trusty member of his supporting cast, brimming with dirty jokes and snatches of old songs, nearly giving him heart attacks when she insisted on whistling backstage and almost saying The Scottish Play’s real name. Everyone loved her, of course they did, it was impossible not to... and then she came to the first dress rehearsal for As You Like It, adorably smart in “Ganymede’s” jacket and hat, and Gus found himself wondering if she’d always been quite this adorable. Even after they became mates, it never really felt like anything changed. They still joked around, still strolled through the markets together on quiet days (”You call this a date, Asparagus, and I will feed you that scarf”), still chatted blithely about absolutely nothing, still had each other’s favorite tea blend on tap at a moment’s notice. The only difference was that the hole Andromeda had left in Gus’s chest didn’t ache so much anymore.

(The troupe fell apart the same way an old coat falls apart--every part of it was simply old, and no new patch fit in the old spaces quite the same way. No one had Iphegenia’s eye for detail, Cornelius’s optimism, Brighella’s speed at seizing an opportunity, Pumpernickel’s sympathy, or Wiskuscat’s discretion. No one could ever be Lila. And Gus wan’t counting on his health to hold him up onstage anymore. It hurt to see them go, but he knew it was for the best... that’s what he told himself, anyway. For some must watch, while some must sleep: So runs the world away...)

#asked and answered #ride-a-dromedary #cats the musical #OCs #my headcanons #This got away from me but I'm actually really proud of what I came up with for them--not bad for a three-word foundation. <3 #I'm just so glad you like my OCs--I always have so much fun developing them. :D

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dancetheficaway · 5 years ago

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Hi! I’m back!

I did lost the ask I’m about to answer, but it was from a lovely anon who requested a Jeongyeon x Mina strap on fic! Enjoy!

Jeongyeon yawned, looking over at the clock. She was contemplating taking a late afternoon nap when her girlfriend, Mina, got home from work.

-Jeong, I’m home! Where are you?

-Bedroom!

Jeongyeon heard Mina’s steps resonating through their apartment before she came into view, leaning against the door frame, a smile on her face. Jeongyeon briefly gulped at Mina’s appearance: she was wearing a suit jacket that showed off her waist, heels making her legs look even longer than usual.

-Someone’s staring...

Jeongyeon blushed at Mina’s remark, but her girlfriend only chuckled, walking over to the bed after having taken her heels off.

The couple exchanged a kiss, asking each other about their day. Mina smiled when she saw how tired Jeongyeon was: she had been up late finishing up on a photography project for her gallery.

-Were you about to take a nap?

Jeongyeon nodded, her hand mindlessly caressing Mina’s back. She saw how Mina lightly bit her lip, a habit she had when she was hesitating.

-What are you thinking about, Minari?

Mina’s cheeks took on a slight pink tint, before she turned around to look in her girlfriend’s eyes:

-Do you really want to know?

Jeongyeon had kind of an idea as to what got Mina blushing, as she was wearing one of her girlfriend’s favourite outfit on her: some nice, dark slacks with a light brown shirt, top buttons undone.

Still, she was not prepared to be pounced on as soon as she nodded, Mina straddling her easily.

Almost automatically, Jeongyeon’s hands went to Mina’s thighs, gently spreading them a little wider as Mina got comfortable on top of her.

They kissed, Mina’s hands hurriedly undoing the rest of the buttons on Jeongyeon’s shirt. Jeongyeon let out a quiet moan when Mina deepened the kiss, her hips gently grinding down on her.

-My nap can definitely wait, darling, Jeongyeon said when they broke the kiss.

Mina smirked at her girlfriend, taking her jacket and shirt off. Before Jeongyeon could put her hands back on Mina, she had pushed her back against the mattress, a silent request to remain still shining in her eyes.

Jeongyeon complied, as she always does: seeing Mina take whatever she wants from her had always been very arousing to her.

Mina stood up from their bed, walking over to a particular drawer. Jeongyeon let out a groan when she saw what Mina had picked: one of their favourite dildos and their trusty, old harness.

Mina finished undressing before climbing back in bed.

-I want you to put this on for me, Jeong.

Jeongyeon hurriedly did as told, anticipation filling her. Once her trousers were off, and the harness was secured, Mina took her hands in hers.

-I have been horny all day, Jeong. So you’re going to be a good girl for me, and let me come however many times I want on your cock. Understood?

Jeongyeon nodded quickly, completely under the power of Mina.

Mina smirked down at her, pressing a quick kiss to her pulse point, before adding:

-Oh, and... keep your hands to yourself, alright? If you don’t, you won’t get to come.

-But...

Mina frowned, and Jeongyeon gave in.

-Ok.

-What did you say?

-I meant understood, darling.

-Good girl.

Jeongyeon’s hands got sweaty as she placed them underneath her head, under their pillow. The temptation to touch Mina was already strong, and they hadn’t even started fucking.

Mina reached over their bedside table, squirting a little lube on the dildo. Then, she teased Jeongyeon by running a finger through her folds, showing off how wet she was.

Jeongyeon let out a groan at the view, and watched with attention as Mina took the strap in her hand and gently sank down on it.

The moan Mina let out when the whole length was inside her made Jeongyeon’s hips twitch.

-Finally...

Mina started to raise her hips, only to drop them back down slowly, fucking herself on Jeongyeon’s cock.

Jeongyeon had seen Mina bare countless times before, but each time felt like the first: she was so beautiful, riding her like that, her hair falling in front of her face slightly, one hand in between her thighs to play with her clit.

It wasn’t long before Mina’s pace became faster, Jeongyeon cursing at the way the strap rubbed against her clit when it bottomed out inside her girlfriend.

Jeongyeon moaned, her eyes greedily taking in the spectacle that was Mina taking her cock so easily, high-pitched gasps falling from her lips.

The closer Mina got, the more Jeongyeon wished she could touch her.

Mina could see it in the way Jeongyeon’s arms trembled every once in a while. She briefly considered giving her the permission to touch her right now, but her thought process was interrupted by her first orgasm of the night as Jeongyeon had now begun to thrust up into her.

-Jeong! Fuck, right there!

Jeongyeon moaned when Mina called out her name, breathlessly slumping against her chest.

-Are you alright, Minari?

Mina lifted her head off of Jeongyeon’s chest, kissing her lips tenderly before starting to ride her again.

-More than alright, baby. You can touch me now...

Jeongyeon smirked, her hands instantly going up to play with Mina’s breasts, knowing they were sensitive.

Mina’s hips sped up, loving the way Jeongyeon tugged on her nipples just the way she loved it.

Jeongyeon’s chest heaved, feeling herself close to the edge.

-Are you going to come because I ride your strap so good, babygirl?

Jeongyeon’s eyes looked up into Mina’s.

-Minari, you’re so sexy, fuck... I love when you take what you want from me, darling.

Mina smiled, keeping the eye contact going when she felt one of Jeongyeon’s hands push away her own, taking its place on her clit.

-Yes, Jeong... Make me come on your cock...

Jeongyeon’s fingers rubbed Mina’s clit in time with the rhythm of Mina’s hips.

This time, when Mina came, her eyes were staring deep into Jeongyeon’s, seeing the lust and love in them as she moaned out her girlfriend’s name.

It wasn’t long before Jeongyeon followed, the way Mina looked down at her pushing her over the edge.

When they had ridden out their highs, Jeongyeon helped Mina lift off of the strap before she opened her arms wide, Mina instantly snuggling against her.

-I love you, Minari.

-I love you too, Jeong. And at least, now, you have a reason to want to take a nap.

Jeongyeon laughed, hugging Mina tighter.

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thisbrokenmask · 5 years ago

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Masterlist

Hello and welcome to my masterlist!

This page will be updated as and when I upload new content, but I hope you enjoy anything you choose to read here.

If you have any requests, send me an ask!

No translations, reposting and/or modifying of the following fan fiction is allowed without my permission, as stated under the Public Copyright License.

legend {☁} - fluff {♥} - romance {✄} - angst {★} - smut {♫} - inspired by music {♔} - author favourite {✤} - event piece

Kim Seokjin

Ready {✄, ♫, ♔, ✤}: Two months after your relationship ended, you ask to meet Jin in a coffee shop. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Let Go by BTS.

A Little Medical Magic {☁, ♫, ✤}: When you take your son to A&E in the middle of the night, you don’t expect the paediatrician to get on so well with your son. You don’t expect to ever see him again, either. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Dope by BTS.

Havana Nights {♫, ♥, ♔, ✤}: Your favourite bar in Havana often has a live band, but you weren’t expecting one of the new singers to catch your eye so quickly. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Airplane Pt. 2 by BTS.

Trick or Treat {♥, ★, ♔, ✤}: You’re not a fan of Halloween, normally leaving your building’s trick or treaters in the capable hands of your trusty plastic skeleton, Frank, while you enjoy a hot bath, a film and a bottle of wine. This year, however, Jin unexpectedly shows up at your door and you find he’s not an unwelcome addition to your plans for the evening. Written as one of my @btsholidaybingo submissions, using up my ‘Trick or Treat’ prompt.

V for Vivian {✄, ✤}: Certain that your ex sort-of boyfriend won’t turn up to Taehyung’s New Year’s Eve costume party, you go ahead with your half of the couple’s costume you’d planned. Written for my ‘Costume Party’ prompt for the @btsholidaybingo event.

Min Yoongi

Moving On {♥,♫,♔,✤}: As you get ready to say goodbye to your old apartment, you look back on the memories you’ve made there with the man you love. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Moving On by BTS.

Postscript {♥, ☁, ♫, ✤}: Yoongi sends you a new song, but it’s the postscript message that catches your attention. Written for the ‘Awake (Xmas Ver.)’ square on my @btsholidaybingo card.

Relax {☁, ♥}: you come home stressed from work, but your boyfriend has an idea of how to help you relax

Jung Hoseok

Too Sweet {★, ♫, ✤}: Hoseok has an addiction that he can’t break, no matter how dangerous it is. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Boy Meets Evil by BTS.

Thank God for Haunted Houses {♥, ☁, ♔, ✤}: you’ve had a crush on Hobi for a while but you never expected him to return your feelings. so, when your friends make it so that the two of you have to spend some time together, you’re not quite sure where the night will lead you... Written for the @btsholidaybingo event, ‘Haunted House’ prompt.

Stay Up With Me {☁, ✤}: You don’t think you’ll make it to New Year, so your fiancé makes sure you’ll be comfortable. Written for the ‘Jung Hoseok’ square on my @btsholidaybingo card.

Kim Namjoon

Tease {★, ♫, ♔, ✤}: You decide to use your position in the crowd to tease your boyfriend during a performance. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Burning Up by BTS.

Matching Pair {☁, ♔, ✤}: You return from a day of shopping with a surprise for your husband, Namjoon. One of my @btsholidaybingo submissions, written for the ‘Fuzzy Boots’ prompt square.

Park Jimin

Wish {♥,♫, ✤}: You thought you’d grown out of believing in wishes made on stars, but Park Jimin shows you that perhaps wishes can still come true after all. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Wishing on a Star by BTS.

Eerie-sistable {✤}: Jimin and Tae have made a bet with Namjoon that they can get Yoongi to stay longer at the Halloween party this year, and you’re a key part of their plan. Written for the ‘Sexy Costumes’ prompt for the @btsholidaybingo event.

Drift Away {✄, ♫, ♔, ✤}: Jimin is home for Christmas. So are you, but it’s been several months since you broke up with him and he’s still hurting. Will you give him the closure he needs? Written for the ‘Crystal Snow’ prompt for the @btsholidaybingo event.

Kim Taehyung

00:00 {♥, ♫, ✤}: After three months of Taehyung being away on tour, you find yourself watching the clock as you wait for him to come home. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions, inspired by Zero O’Clock by BTS.

Simply Meant To Be {♥, ☁, ♔, ✤}: Unable to travel to see your families this Christmas, you and Taehyung decide to have your annual movie marathon on Christmas Eve, partly to distract you from being away from your families. While watching, Taehyung ends up giving you one of your presents early. Written for the ‘Kim Taehyung’ square on my @btsholidaybingo card.

Jeon Jungkook

Make It Right { ☁, ✄, ♫, ✤}: Jeongguk is your best friend, from his first day at your school through to the moment you need him most. One of my Bulletproof Bingo submissions (even though it’s over), inspired by Make It Right by BTS.

pussyfoot {☁, ✤}: Far from a normal midnight stroll in the rain. Written for the ‘Shape Shifter’ prompt for the @btsholidaybingo event.

Hallo-Scream! {☁, ✤}: It’s your first October with Jungkook and you’re only just finding out how much he loves Halloween - because the other members won’t let him talk about the holiday until October 1st. Once midnight ticks over, his planning and pranks are allowed to begin... but you’re his girlfriend, he won’t prank you, right?

Bangtan Sonyeondan

✗ - still growing

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orionwhispers · 5 years ago

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Perfect Places // Steve Harrington

(A/N - yep. this isnt peaky, i know. im taking a little breather so i dont completely burn out writing tommy, but trust me i have 3 wips for him coming soon!! i dont know if any of you guys will like this bc its stranger things and thats ok!! i just had a blast writing it and i love steve and it really challenged me. pls let me know if u like it!! stay safe my loves xxx)

warnings - angst but also so much fluff your teeth will rot

You felt like the moon was mocking you.

It loomed overhead, round and full and beautiful, the colour of purity and innocence, a beacon of light contrasting against the ink coloured sky. Your face was red hot, streaked with tears that dripped down your nose and collarbone and into your shirt, staining you with sadness that you could feel clawing under your skin.

You were sat on the Byers’ front porch, the sneakers you had once kept so pristinely clean were now caked in mud, your socks soaked through. You felt numb, you ached for something; a familiar lash of anger or heartache, anything to make you feel human again, but you just felt numb.

You could hear clattering from inside the house, low murmurs of voices and whispers tangling together, but you blocked them out like it was just white noise. The steady hum of those you loved and trusted brought some comfort, but that was instantly replaced by longing for the one person who deserved to be there, the person who deserved to still be alive.

You had been ecstatically high on adrenaline, you were terrified but vivacious as you helped bundle your boyfriend and the kids into Hoppers’ car as he raced past the Laboratory’s gates. You remembered the feeling of Steve’s hands around your waist as he pushed you into the back, flustered and protective, determined to get you away from any danger.

You should have said something.

You knew something was wrong, but you kept quiet. The air in the car was thick and dense like smoke, and Hopper was covered in crimson coloured splotches, you noticed the way he didn’t look at you, instead keeping his eyes focused on the road ahead. You should have said something, should have asked where your Uncle was, should have demanded an answer, but instead you pushed those thoughts away and watched the road through the windshield until your vision went blurry, Steve’s thumb soothingly rubbing over the top of your hand.

You knew he felt it too.

It was only when you reached the driveway of the Byers bungalow, feet moving on autopilot, tearing through the front door and seeing Joyce waiting for you, tears running down her face as she pulled you into her chest, did you realise the immensity of the situation. You let out a wail that could rival a demogorgon, sinking down into the coarse fabric of her hospital gown, her hands clambering across your frame, desperate to offer any comfort she could.

Steve was beside you in an instant, gripping your elbows to stop you falling onto your knees and onto the shag carpet, cradling you into him like a child. He felt so helpless, not knowing how to ease your pain, words getting stuck in his throat like cotton balls as he watched the girl he loved shatter into pieces. One look at his familiar face contorted in torment and it set you off again, coughing and spluttering like you were drowning in your tears. You pushed the consolatory hands off of you harder than you had intended, feeling suffocated and in desperate need of some form of relief. You were no good to anybody like this, you needed to wallow in your grief alone, Joyce had bigger problems and you refused to drag her down under with you.

You stumbled towards the front door, murmuring “I need some air.” You sank into the darkness like it was an old friend, wrapping your arms around yourself as your head throbbed and pulsed. You let the cold air hit your bare skin and fell to the ground, knees to your chest and silent screams leaving your throat.

Steve ran forward to be by your side, but Hopper pulled him back by the hood of his jacket, a large hand consoling your distraught boyfriend, “Let her go kid, give her a minute.”

He gave you five.

Watching the hands tick away meticulously on the clock above the fridge, he flexed his fingers and allowed the slow and steady noises to keep him grounded. He loathed the idea that you were outside alone, beautiful face covered in tears, heartbroken and shattered. Not only that but the knowledge that those things could be looming in the woods waiting to sink their teeth into you was driving him mad with paranoia. The only thing stopping him from pulling you inside where he could safely watch you was the unwavering concern that not letting you grieve would do more harm than good, so he settled for watching you through the window, hands clamped around his trusty bat - just in case.

————————————————————

You were sure you had run out of tears. Exhausted and dehydrated, you buried your head in the palm of your hands, desperate to stop the mind numbing pain at the back of your skull. The trees rustled gently, olive coloured leaves glinting under the stars. You wondered what could be lurking inside of the forest, but you were too drained to care.

You heard the door creak behind you, but relaxed at the familiar weight of Cortez’s against the soft wood.

“Hey.” His voice was soft, almost timid. Sounding so foreign coming from his mouth, so cautious and kind that it almost made you start crying all over again. He paused momentarily, before inhaling and sitting down beside you, his long legs awkwardly bent, his back starting to ache, but he couldn’t care less. You both sat in a comfortable silence for a minute, unsure how to break down the barrier that was forming between you. Your hazy eyes lingered on the T-shirt’s and sweaters dangling from the Boyce’s washing line, sleeves swaying with the movement of the wind, almost as if there was an invisible person dancing inside.

Steve was the first to break the silence. He usually was, his quick wit and smooth demeanour had been one of the reasons you had fallen for him in the first place, the only person you had ever met that could make you melt into a puddle and then cry with laughter with just a few sentences.

“How you holding up?” He faltered, picking angrily at a loose thread hanging from his denim jeans. “That was a stupid question, I’m sorry.”

You didn’t trust yourself to form words just yet, but you tilted your head as much as you could muster, communicating with your boyfriend in that nauseating way that only the both of you understood, except this time it felt sour instead of sickeningly sweet.

You crunched a stray leaf under your shoe, mulling over the sound as it tore under your heel. “It doesn’t feel real.” You muttered finally, biting your lower lip with your front teeth, letting the pain stop your tears. “I keep expecting to see his face, his stupid goofy grin.” You smiled gently, “I keep waiting for him to turn up and say it’s all a prank, but I know he won’t, he’s too kind for that.”

“He was the nicest person I’ve ever met.” Steve said truthfully, “He was a good guy.”

Was. Three words that swam around your head and tangled your stomach into knots and you choked on the thickness in your throat. The strangled groan was so heartbreaking that Steve wanted to tear apart the things that did this to you with his bare hands, but instead he pulled you closer with them, clasping you against his chest.

He let you cry, he let you ruin his t-shirt and cover him in your mascara and wet, hot tears. He would let you bawl into everything he owned, even his prized The Clash shirt or limited edition Charlies Angels sweater that was buried in the back of his wardrobe - he would give it all to you, to stain and rip and ruin, if it meant you had at least one moment of solace.

Under the beautiful navy sky littered with stars, Steve sighed, wishing he knew what to say. He wished that he was as articulate as Nancy, or as strong as Hopper, he’d even take being as soft spoken as Jonathon, if he knew it would make you feel better. But you hadn’t fallen in love with any of them, you had fallen in love with him and he was going to do everything in his power to try and make his girl hurt a little less. So he tried to distract you.

“Do you remember our first date?” He said, breaking the silence, his eyes focusing on the branches of a tree swaying in the distance.

He heard you sniffle, felt the rise of your head under the palm of his hands. If you were surprised by his question you didn’t show it. “How could I forget?”

He smiled, thinking back to the day, over two years ago. If he thought hard enough he could almost relive the gut twisting anxiety and the sweat pooling on the nape of his neck as he pulled up to your house. The two of you had been friends forever, bound since the day you both shared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the playhouse in kindergarten. But you both started naturally drifting apart around the end of middle school, settling onto different paths as you grew up, only really seeing each other in the hallways or at the back of the school bus.

By the time you both entered high school, Steve was completely swept up with basketball and his newfound popularity, and you were settling into your own friendships and trying to stay on top of your grades. You rarely saw one another, but by chance the two of you were paired as lab partners one semester in sophomore year, and soon science became his favourite subject. Seeing you became the highlight of his day, better than scoring a goal in basketball or cutting class with Tommy and Carol. It was as if no time had passed between the two of you, the conversation so easy and genuine, and he made it a personal challenge to have you in stitches by the time the bell rang.

He fell hard, and fast. He had always thought you were beautiful, even when you were just kids and you wore your hair in two braids and seemed to always be covered in glitter. There was just something about you, an ease and a lightness that you carried, something about your smile and sound of your laugh that had him stumbling over his sentences like an idiot. He liked hearing about all of the things he had missed, like how you got grounded for sneaking out of your room to go and watch the new Star Wars, or how you crashed your dads car into a tree the very first hour after you got your license.

It wasn’t long before he realised that his day didn’t feel complete unless he had spoken to you. He started noticing how every game he searched for your face in the bleachers, the only person he really cared about seeing. His eyes would flicker over faces at parties, determined to find your sparkling eyes and kind smile, finding the hit of seeing you more electric than the cheap beer and fizzled out joints being passed around him.

He was nervous. He didn’t get nervous - he was Steve Harrington for Christ’s sake, but somehow you had managed to turn his whole world on its axis. He tried to live his life with as little regrets as possible; but in the quiet of his bedroom, with the moonlight casting shadows across his walls, he couldn’t help but feel furious with himself. If he could go back in time and do everything all over again, he would make sure to hold onto you as tight as possible and stop the two of you drifting apart.

He wasn’t stupid, he knew you were a knockout. The kind of girl that would bring even the strongest of men to their knees, the kind of girl that lingered in his brain long after he had fallen asleep. He also knew that he wasn’t the only one who had been completely captivated by you. He had seen the way Mike Adams cornered you after the school assembly, laughing at something you said as you sat with a group of friends, an enamoured look in his eye. He saw the way Jacob Taylor tried his hardest to get as close to you as possible at a house party, dazed by the way you twirled your hair obliviously and smiled like white, hot sunshine.

He knew what they were going through, smitten and stupid and dopey and practically a puddle at your feet, because he felt exactly the same way.

He was going to ask you out to dinner and then the movies. He had an elaborate speech planned in his mind, one that he had practiced in the mirror repeatedly - not that he would ever admit it. He was nervous. So goddamn nervous of screwing up the one thing that he really fucking liked, of potentially ruining your friendship and making himself look like an ass for misreading the signals and making you uncomfortable that he almost talked himself out of it as he walked into the physics lab one rainy afternoon.

But when he saw you there, looking up at him. As sweet as cinnamon in your oversized lab coat and stupid goggles, lips slightly chewed and fingertips stained with charcoal, and he couldn’t stop himself from blurting:

“Doyouwanttogooutwithme?”

For a moment he wished he took photography class, so he could snap a picture of the blush on your cheeks, have a physical copy of your wide smile and the glint in your eyes; something to look at when he was trying to fall asleep.

“About time, Harrington.” You had said, and it had knocked all of the wind from him, and he had walked around with a big goofy grin for the entire rest of the day.

————-————————————————

“I remember being so goddamn nervous. I thought I was going to throw up.” He said now, his voice laced with humour, somehow always knowing how to diffuse any situation.

You curled up further into him, craving his stability and warmth, and you relaxed as you felt his palm rubbing comforting circles across your back.

He looked into the darkness, remembering the anxiety filling him as he waited for you on the street by your house. He remembered peering into the rear view mirror, fluffing the edges of his hair with his fingertips, twisting and pulling the strands until they sat where he wanted. He could feel his leg shaking, foot hovering above the gas as he struggled to keep his composure. He hadn’t even been this nervous when college scouts came to a game, and he seriously needed to stay cool before you opened the door and saw him.

“You brought me flowers.” You said quietly, and he looked down at you with a gentle smile, his heart clenching at the sadness in your voice.

He remembers standing in the grocery store, cursing and muttering under his breath, wondering what was more romantic: tulips or sunflowers.

He bought both.

He can remember holding them in his shaking hands as carefully as he could as he walked up the stone path to your house.

“I had to talk myself into ringing the doorbell.” He felt you scoff under him and he laughed,

“Seriously! I was terrified, more scared than I was tonight.”

Its a lie. Running through the junkyard and fighting off strange monsters had been exhilarating, but also the most terrifying experience of his life; especially when he knew that the kids and you were just metres away, hidden in the old bus. He really thought he was about to die when the demodog reared and snarled in his face, teeth gnashing at his throat, but in those moments all he could think about was protecting you.

It’s strange, he had never been so terrified to lose someone.

“And then Bob opened the door.” Your voice was heavy and thick, like you were swallowing honey and it snapped him out of his thoughts, reminding him of the reason you were both huddled outside.

Your parents worked ninety percent of the time, only really coming home to crawl into bed and then driving back to work six hours later. You were used to it though, falling into a somewhat stable routine of eating TV dinners and doing your homework to the sounds of Jeopardy! playing in the background. Despite the lonely nights and your parents distance, there was always one person who tried their absolute best to make you feel safe and secure. Your uncle, Bob Newby.

The goofy, gold hearted manager at RadioShack was always there for you, especially whenever your parents weren’t. He always made sure your refrigerator had something green inside, and would come over after work to sit and watch cheesy rom coms with you. He even installed new locks and security lights in the yard and on the porch, just to make you both feel better, even though it was Hawkins - and nothing ever happens there.

He was basically a surrogate dad and your best friend, and you weren’t even embarrassed to admit it. Some of the happiest nights of your life had been with him, like when you went to the midnight viewing of The Godfather and shared toffee popcorn and cherry twizzlers, or when he drove you to Lake Michigan for your birthday and you ate sandwiches next to the water.

So when he found out the captain of the basketball team had asked you out on a date, he was a little apprehensive.

“He really grilled me.” Steve muttered with a sad smile, it hurt him that one of the most poignant moments of his life was now to be covered in a thick, black cloud, and he could only imagine what you’re going through. “I thought he was going to pull out a shotgun.”

“Psh. It would have been a lightsaber.”

You remembered shovelling in cereal at the breakfast bar the morning of your date. Bob watching you over his steaming mug of coffee curiously.

“So… Any plans for today?”

You rolled your eyes and smiled fondly at your uncle. “Steve is taking me out. This is only like the billionth time I’ve told you.”

He nodded, “Right, Right. Steve. Steve.” He tested the name on his tongue. “And Steve is - the captain of the basketball team right?”

“Yep.” You said, through a mouthful of sugar. “Oh, and he’s the leader of this really tough biker gang, to get in you have to murder three kittens.”

You watched his eyebrows shoot to his hairline, and then slowly fall back to their original spot when he caught on to your teasing. He held up his hands in playful surrender, taking a swig of his drink and then placing his mug on the granite counter.

“I know I’m being a fusspot! But I’m just looking out for you.”

“I know, Bob! But I’ll be fine! We’re just going to catch a movie and then dinner.”

“Ok.” He sighed, turning to wash up the dishes left from the previous nights pig out fest, but his hands stilled before he could twist the faucet. “Wait! Nothing R rated - or too romantic, and tell him to knock it off if he tries that whole ‘I’m so tired, let me put my arm around you schtick!’”

“I’m ignoring you now!”

You remembered getting ready, picturing the soft blush hue of your summer dress, and the taste of your strawberry gloss on your lips. You remembered the heat of your curling iron as you meticulously styled your hair, checking your reflection as a way to distract from the minutes ticking by.

You knew the familiar feeling of sweaty palms and butterflies before a date, but that morning it was as if somebody had realised a kaleidoscope of monarchs and swallowtails inside of you. You were completely nauseous, but so excited, and you felt like you were floating on cloud nine, unable to believe that Steve Harrington - the boy you had been crushing on since first grade - wanted to take you out.

You were nervously touching up your makeup, widening your eyes and applying yet another coat of mascara, when you heard commotion downstairs - and the telltale sound of your date getting completely grilled. You practically flew to your feet, haphazardly tying your converse and grabbing your purse, hoping to save Steve from the clutches of your overprotective Uncle. You nearly slid down the carpet when you noticed the door was ajar, smiling widely at the sight of Steve clutching two bouquets, his hair perfectly coiffed and his sneakers white and gleaming.

“- No I’ve never been in an accident, Sir.” You heard Steve say, his voice carrying through the hallway.

“Hmm?” You heard Bob reply, “And what about alcohol? Do you drink it?

“Only eggnog at Christmas.” Steve replied with a grin, his lips falling down when Bob sent him a glare. “Ok, not in the mood for jokes.”

“Are you under the influence now?”

“What? No! Why would I… Wow.” He faltered when he noticed you at the top of the stairs, and for the first time his mind went totally blank, his brain short circuiting at the sight of you. He felt his mouth go dry and he struggled to say something, not wanting to look like any more of an idiot than he already was, but Bob got there first.

“You look great, sweetheart.” He said, voice brimming with pride.

You blushed a deep crimson, feeling awkward under both of their stares. “Thanks, Bob.”

As soon as you reached the floor you blinked up at the men watching you, raising a brow slowly when Steve didn’t move. “So are you ready?”

“Yep. Yes. Yep.” He said quickly, rummaging around his pockets for his keys, and then realising they were in his hands the whole time. “Lets go.”

“Be home before eleven!” You heard Bob yell, his words just carrying into the night before you managed to slam the front door shut.

After the initial awkward meeting at your door, and Bob shooting unconvincing daggers at Steve as he guided you towards his car, the rest of the date went smoothly. You had been out with boys before; middle school crushes that took you to the ice cream parlour in town, and letting your best friend rope you in for a double date with a boy you had never met - but nothing like this.

As the car lulled through the streets, any unease forming quickly uncoiled between the two of you, and it wasn’t long until you were both in stitches. It felt so natural and easy, and you found yourself wanting to know everything about the hazel haired man sitting next to you.

You ate at a diner just outside of town, because according to Steve: “they have the best strawberry milkshakes - ever. I swear they’re like crack.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it, Harrington.” You had said, shooting him a million dollar smile over your shoulder. He was glad that you walked in first, because it felt as though a bullet had soared through his gut.

——————————————————————-

“I remember the milkshakes.” You said. Steve looked down at you, curled up on his lap. He nodded at your words, thinking of summer days and winter nights snuggled up in your booth at the diner. You must have shared hundreds by now, drinking such an obscene amount of the sweet treat it was a surprise neither of you looked like a strawberry. You had ruined the fruit for him. He couldn’t take a bite from a strawberry without remembering the taste of your lips or the sound of your laugh, it was conditioned into him like he was one of Pavlov’s dogs. But he would be lying if he said he didn’t love it, strawberries had become his favourite fruit.

“I told you those milkshakes were great.”

“Yeah, you did.”

He could feel you wobbling under him, could feel the heart wrenching tremor of your body starting to shake with tears and he swore internally, trying his best to distract you again.

“And then we watched Ghostbusters.”

You let out a half hearted laugh. “And you almost shit yourself when you saw Slimer.”

“He popped up outta nowhere!”

“And then you spilt popcorn everywhere.”

“Yeah, that old lady was pissed.” He clicked his tongue at the memory, crumbs and melted butter flying everywhere, the entire row in front covered in his mess and glaring at you both, you laughing so hard into your sleeve you thought you might just pass out.

“And then I drove you home - way before curfew I might add - because I’m a gentleman.”

“And then you kissed me.”

“I think you’ll find you kissed me.”

“Ha.You wish.”

It felt good to hear the bite back in your voice, and it warmed him like a zap of electricity that his plan of distraction was working.

Besides, it was partly true - you had kissed him first.

That night as he pulled into your driveway, his gut felt like a huge boulder inside of him. There was nothing more that he wanted then to lean over the console and kiss you, but he was too goddamn nervous.

The date had gone so brilliantly, and he could feel himself, tripping, stumbling and falling completely head over heels for you, but he was so uncharacteristically anxious that it was kind of freaking him out. He was getting all worked up about things he had never thought of before, like his teeth clashing against yours, or accidentally knocking your heads together and giving you a mild concussion.

He left his car running, because he didn’t want you to be cold, (and the constant vibrations were good at hiding the tremor in his legs). It was fully black outside, the night sky a long stretch of navy and the stars were pretty but not nearly as pretty as the girl smiling at him in the passenger seat. Just as your eyes connected and he thought he was going to finally kiss you, the porch light turned on, a nice little reminder from Uncle Bob that he was still watching. You laughed exasperatedly and reached over, filling the distance between you as you tried to grab the strap of your handbag and Steve leant over to give you a hand with the sticky door, but instead your lips caught his and he froze in place, his eyes closed and his heart feeling like a jackhammer in his chest, all of his worries evaporating behind him like ocean spray, because suddenly everything felt right.

“Night, Harrington.” You had said smugly, leaving him in his car that suddenly smelt like cotton candy and coconut shampoo, and with an entire carnivals worth of fireworks erupting from his stomach.

————————————————————

“When I got inside he pretended he had just woken up.” You said now, your words coated with tears but laced with tenderness. “Tried to act like he wasn’t staring through the window watching us kiss.”

Steve tangled his fingers through your hair, anchoring the two of you together, hoping that the small action would give you at least some comfort. He mulled over all of the memories the two of you shared, picturing them shattered at his feet like shards of shimmering glass. He wasn’t sure how to comfort you and it hurt, the silence settling around you like thick, poisonous gas.

“What about our first anniversary? The first time we committed a felony.”

“It wasn’t a felony.”

“Yeah and I’m sure it wasn’t the first time either, you little criminal.”

He remembered when you went out to a much too fancy restaurant in the city. How angelic and beautiful you looked in a little sundress and heels, stealing the breath right out of his lungs whenever he looked at you. How even when he was out of his comfort zone you felt like home, always making him feel stable no matter where he was. He remembered those glances you stole at one another, tongue in cheek laughter and suppressed smiles at the strange place you were both in, the two of you sticking out amongst the older, richer and snootier couples like a sore thumb.

He remembered the glint in your eye and the look on your face, the one that had him completely wrapped around your little finger - (but really, you could look at him anyway and he was a complete goner). It was how you both stood up at the same time, grabbing your handbag and wallet and rushing through the sea of people, laughing loudly as he slipped his hand in yours and pulled you with him, dodging the doorman who was cursing loudly at the kids who had just dined and dashed, even though neither of you had had more than a mouthful of your overpriced starter.

“You are such a bad influence, (Y/L/N).” He had scolded, playfully pinching the inside of your thigh as you lay stretched out on a picnic blanket overlooking the forests on the edge of town. You swatted him away, and he felt his breath hitch at the sight of you, hair tousled and makeup slightly worn, so effortlessly beautiful beneath the headlights of his car.

“Oh, please Hargrove. You would be lost without me.”

He didn’t reply, because it was true.

Instead he leaned over your body, stealing a quick kiss and also a handful of fries from the drive thru bag next to you.

“Hey!” You whined, leaning up and swatting at him. “Those are mine!”

“Technically, technically,” He said, licking salt from his fingertips. “They were at the bottom of the bag, not in either of the cartons - so they were never really yours.”

You rolled your eyes, punching him softly in the gut and laughing as he collapsed on top of you. “You are such a dumbass.”

“Yeah, but I’m your dumbass.”

He ran his tongue over a canine, finding clarity in your eyes.“I can’t believe you’ve put up with me for a whole year.”

“Me neither, but the money your dad gives me to go out with you makes it worth it.”

His finger trailed along the bridge of your nose, his lips curling the same as the path his fingerprints followed. “Stupid.” It was a terrible comeback, but when you looked up up at him like that, all of his sentences spilt into a bowl of mismatched alphabet soup. He blinked down at you, feeling the way his heart hammered against his rib cage, engulfed in the terrifying feeling of being so in love with somebody. “Seriously though, this has - this has been the best year of my life.”

Your rosebud lips parted, showing him that dammed smile that would make him burn down the whole town if you asked him to. “Mine too.”

——————————————————————-

“Remember when I got a black eye because of you?” He murmured, glancing up at the stars that flickered above you both.

“Because of me?” You scoffed, halfheartedly. “Hardly.”

“Ok. Keep telling yourself that.”

There was once a time where he loved nothing more than spending Friday through Sunday completely wasted, waking up on somebodies couch, his mouth tasting like sour liquor and his clothes scattered across the floor - but not after he met you. He used to long for the high from downing tequila shots or jumping into the pool with hazy eyes, a burnt out joint being passed around friends, but soon he realised that nothing came close to the fever high he got from simply being around you.

He remembered sitting in the school parking lot on a Friday afternoon, listening to Tommy and Carol natter about how a group of seniors were going to break into the rec centre and get drunk, but there words were nothing but static as he looked for you among the familiar faces.

You had been officially dating for a few months, and much to Tommy’s dismay, it seemed as though neither of you had any intention of letting the other go. It stung the teenager when Steve started blowing him off to hang out with you, his usual alibi for wild parties leaving him high and dry. He was jealous of the way you managed to consume all of Steve’s attention, and the fact that since the two of you had gotten together, Steve was so much kinder to everyone, and didn’t want to join in with his juvenile antics. When you went to parties, he drank less and laughed more, and Tommy was left doing shots and keg stands alone.

More than anything though, Tommy was jealous that Steve had scored a girl like you, kind and soft and sweet, when he had trouble getting Carol to stay over longer than the time it took to drain a bottle of stolen wine. It made him feel envious and insecure, watching the way you kissed Steve in the hallways with rosebud lips and your eyes shone like diamonds under the gentle sun; when was a girl going to look at him like that?

“You coming tonight, Harrington?” He asked from the hood of Steve’s car, his legs dangling onto the asphalt.

“No.” Steve said, chewing on his fingernails. “Sorry man, I’m taking (Y/N) to the drive in.”

“Aww.” Carol preened, a solid supporter of your relationship. You hadn’t known her too well before you started seeing Steve and hadn’t expected to become so close to her, but now she was one of your best friends. Sure she could be a little vapid and a little rude, but she also made you laugh loudly and always helped you get ready for dates with Steve, and you really appreciated the way she let you into the inner circle. “That’s so sweet. You guys are too cute.”

Tommy ignored her. He could already feel himself boiling over.

“Cmon Harrington, it’s one night. It’s tradition.”

“No it isn’t.”

He exhaled loudly. “Well it should be.”

“I’m good, man. And besides, we’re still going to see the Bulls play on Saturday, right?”

“I guess.”

Silence settled around them like cigarette ash. Tommy, growing more irate by the second, toyed with the collar of his shirt and curled and uncurled his fingers. He wasn’t quite sure why he was pissed - as Steve’s best friend he should have been pleased with how love struck and happy he was, and it wasn’t as though he never saw Steve anymore, or that you had split up the group or anything - but he was still annoyed, and that’s why he said it.

“God, I hope she’s a better fuck than she looks. I mean, she must be if she’s got you this whipped.”

It took a moment for Steve to process what he had said, swallowing his friends words like they were barbed wire, his throat filling with blood.

“What the fuck did you say?”

“Just what everybody else is thinking.” It wasn’t what everybody thought, but Tommy thrived off of mob mentality, and the small crowd watching in the parking lot was enough to spike his adrenaline.

“Tommy.” Carol warned, her voice thick and heavy, eyeing him from over the roof of the car.

“What did you say about her?” Steve asked, his face turning crimson, the shade matching the colour coating his pupils.

Tommy didn’t hold back, his hands firmly grasping his shovel, ready to dig himself deeper. “Jesus. Look at you! Look what she’s turned you into. She’s a bitch, and so are you.” He gestured wildly with his hands, the severity of what he had said was slowly sinking in, but he was stupid enough to stand by it for the time being.

Steve was livid. His body rattling like he had been struck by lightning. He knew he wasn’t some fucking white knight who had to defend your honour, but there was no way in hell he was going to let some fucking prick about you like that.

“And…you know what? The both of you can - ”

“Fuck you.” Steve brought his fingers to a fist and clocked him right in the nose, a sickening thwack echoing around the school. Tommy recoiled backwards, almost falling through the windshield. He managed to regain his balance at the last second, and his face was contorted with both pain and disbelief.

“What the fuck man?” Tommy seethed, spitting out a wad of blood and lunging at Steve, managing to grab him by his collar and slam him onto the asphalt, their jeans ripping across the gravel.

The two of them rolled around, a deadly mix of closed knuckles and crisp white sneakers. A small crowd had gathered around the two of them, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and rich with stories to be shared around the party that night. They both managed to get a couple good hits in, Steve just managing to get the upper hand before the school janitor started calling in for backup.

You had just left World Civ, your textbooks still cradled in your arms and your best friend laughing in your ear as you made your way out of the school and towards the parking lot.

“Yeah, I swear! She…” Your best friends voice trailed off as she noticed a blur of movement in the distance, her ears picking up like a bloodhounds. “Oh my God. I wonder what’s going on.”

You looked up shrugging your shoulders, expecting to see some of the wrestling team or soccer players roughhousing like they usually did, but your blood turned cold when your eyes focused fully and you caught sight of that damn perfect hair.

“Holy shit. Steve!”

If only your phys ed teacher could have witnessed the speed you ran across the car park; dust picking up with your shoes as you bolted towards your boyfriend. You managed to break through the inner circle crowding around them, the teenagers egging on Tommy and Steve as they scrambled towards one another, the sound of elbows and knees and fingernails clashing all around you.

“Hey. Hey! That’s enough!”

Poor Mr Springer tried his best to separate the two of them, wrapping his arms around Tommy’s waist and trying to tear them apart as they continued scrapping like junkyard dogs.

Your mouth was agape as a couple of boys helped break the two of them up, your eyes widening at the scarlet red blood staining the ground and the deep purple bruises already starting to show. You managed to catch Steve’s line of sight, his eyes widening at the sight of you, his face starting to swell.

“Steve? What the fuck!”

“Oh! Hey, babe? How did your pop quiz go?” He asked, throwing you a dazzling smile as though everything was right in the world.

Despite everything, you bit back a laugh, kneeling down to wrap your hands around him. “You’re an idiot, Steve Harrington.” You said, cradling the now puffy side of his face, a quarter sized apricot indent growing under his eye.

He winked at you as he was pulled away and dragged to the principal. He knew he was in for a months worth of Saturday detentions, but he couldn’t care less. He avoided the death glare his former best friend was giving him, licking the blood pooling across his split lip.

If he had to chose between you or Tommy, or choose between nights in with you or nights out with the rest of the seniors - hell, if he had to choose between basketball and you, it would be you, every time.

Point blank, period.

———————————————————-

There was a chill in the air, swallowing the both of you whole. Steve could feel his jeans dampening, your tears cascading down your face and onto his denim. He could feel eyes on the back of neck, and knew without turning around that Dustin and the rest of the kids were watching from the kitchen window, waiting to jump out and rescue you both if something crawled out from the bushes.

He didn’t have much time left. Soon he would have to bring you back inside, away from the vulnerability of the night and into the embrace of those you had grown so close to. He thinks back with a grimace, to the fight you had over your new routine.

Bob and Joyce dating came as a shock to everyone involved, especially Steve. Not so much that Bob had found companionship with the pretty single mother, but more so that it meant you were spending more time at their house - with Jonathon.

He wasn’t jealous.

He wasn’t.

No matter how many times you rolled your eyes and teased him - he wasn’t jealous.

He just didn’t like the idea of you sat next to him at movie nights, laughing with him during family board games, eating breakfast in the chair beside him, driving to school together and singing along to the stupid obscure bands that Jonathon liked.

Ok maybe he was a little jealous. Sue him.

He’d spent the night at your place, under the guise of helping you with your calculus homework, even though you had a higher grade than him, and he watched with sleepy eyes as you rummaged around your desk in the morning.

“What?” He mumbled under the slowly rising sun, half of his face still buried in your pillow. “What? Where? Where are you going?”

You rifled through your handbag and examined the contents, glancing at him over your shoulder. “Bob’s taking everyone out for lunch - well it should have been breakfast but someone - ” you emphasised with a playful glare, “Is making me late.”

“Whose going?”

“Everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“You know. Me, Joyce, Jon and Will.”

Jon.

“You didn’t tell me Jonathon was going.” He’s not sure if it’s true. He remembers fragments of you telling him your plans for the weekend, but he also remembers your words shattering before they reached his brain, because of that little strappy top you were wearing and the blackberry colour of your lipstick.

“What?” You asked distractedly, untangling your headphones from your Walkman. “I did.”

“No.” He clicked his jaw, a sign of his annoyance. “You just said Bob was taking you out.”

“With everyone - everyone includes Jonathon.”

“Right.” He’s pissed. His anger isn’t directed at you, more so the floppy haired teenager you’ll be sharing pancakes with, even though it’s not exactly his fault either. “Since when did you guys become The Brady Brunch?”

You let out a dry laugh, oblivious to the fact your boyfriend was getting more agitated by the second.

Did you really have to wear that skirt? He thought. Why did it have to be the short little denim one covered in cherries that made you look so damn good?

“You know how much Joyce loves her kids, Bob just wants to make an effort.”

“Yeah but why do you have to go?”

You shrugged, applying a swipe of lipgloss and tightening your cardigan in an effort to hide the hickeys blossoming under your collarbones. “He invited me, said it’s a family thing.”

“It’s not as though you’re really family though is it?”

He regretted it the moment the syllables left his mouth, but he was too wound up to think before he spoke. He cringed at the way you lost his gaze in the mirror, really fucking hating himself when he saw the crimson blush rise from your throat and onto your cheeks, and the sheen coating your eyes.

“I should go.”

You didn’t hesitate, grabbing your belongings and darting down the stairs. Family had always been a sore subject for you, and he loathed himself for striking you in the one place that it really fucking hurt.

“Wait.. Baby I -” He chased after you, but you were too fast. He wished that you would stay and argue with him, he’d let you scream and yell and shout at him, because he deserved it and he wanted to let you know he was sorry for being a prick, but you were already out of the door.

“Just up when you leave.” Were the last things you said, disappearing into your car.

He apologised with your favourite chocolates and red roses and an attempt to make you dinner. You couldn’t stay upset with him and his sheepish grin even when half of your kitchen was covered in tomato sauce and your moms pan was coated in burnt pasta.

The boy could screw up, but he always knew how to make up for it.

He trusted you, and loved you, and apologised for - in your words, ‘being a class A jackass’ - and even put away his pride long enough to tell you that, Ok, fine, maybe he was a tiny bit jealous of Jonathon and the bond growing between you.

That night as you curled up on your living room floor amongst an abundance of pillows and crocheted throws, you reassured him that you were in love with him and only him, even when he drove you up the wall. He fell asleep a little easier that night, his girl happy and safe in his arms, your words calming the storm that was once brewing in his mind.

…And maybe Jonathon wasn’t that bad.

———————————————————-

The light of the moon was harsh, almost like the street lamps that flickered in the distance. Steve could feel you moving underneath him, and his palms were starting to dampen, the reality of the evening finally sinking in.

Bob was dead.

As though the same thought had passed through you, you spoke, your voice strained and quiet. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

“I know.”

Your voice cracked like thin ice. “He didn’t deserve to die. He didn’t… He.” You choked on your words, and Steve pulled you into him firmly, as if to stop you from falling apart.

“I’m so sorry, baby.”

You sniffled, a sob tearing through your lungs and clawing through your throat, and you tried desperately to not think about your poor uncles lifeless body. “What am I going to do without him?”

You weren’t looking for an answer, but Steve gave you one.

“It’ll be me and you, it’ll be us. Forever.”

His future was uncertain. He was under a mountain of pressure from his teachers and coaches and guidance counsellors to get his head down and decide about college and scholarships and what he was going to do with his life.

He even took one of those quizzes that was supposed to help him figure his shit out, but when he sat there, pencil in hand and he read the words - where do you see yourself in five years? The only thing he could think of, was you.

He thought of you, so smart and pretty, your future just as undecided as his, but still by his side. He could see road trips and night drives and long distance calls, he could see morning laughter and monumental arguments and make ups, in the distance he could even see a house with a white picket fence and a big dog and a few kids who looked like a mixture of the both of you.

It seemed so simple. So much more simple than applying for college or an internship, because he knew that whatever he did, he wanted it with you.

And then this crazy fucking year happened, and things weren’t so simple anymore. Soon he was best friends with a bunch of pre teens and fighting off big scary fucking monsters and Billy Hargrove. Soon his small world of basketball and strawberry milkshakes and tongue kisses was filled with danger, and he needed to keep you safe.

“I miss him.”

“I know.” He says honestly. “I miss him too.”

He remembered the last conversation he had with Bob. It was before they found Hopper underground, and Bob was getting ready to leave and see Joyce and Will. You were in your room, finishing off the last of your homework, and Steve was heading downstairs to finish off the last of the pizza. He had just grabbed a Coke and a slice of pepperoni, when he saw Bob rummaging through the cupboard in the hall.

“Hey,” Steve said, waving the hand with the soda in it. “I heard about Will. Is he alright?”

Bob gave a kind nod. “Yeah.” He hesitated. “Well, actually, I’m not sure. I’m uh - I’m looking for my old board games for him to play with.”

Steve smiled, because that was exactly the thing Bob would do. “Well, give him my best.”

They exchanged pleasantries, and Steve spun his heel to rejoin you upstairs, taking a big bite of melted cheese as he walked, before Bob spoke aloud once again.

“There’s something strange going on in this town.”

Steve remembered the year before, standing in Jonathan’s living room, twinkling Christmas lights draped on the wall and a baseball bat in his hands. He remembered Barb and Will, and the body from the quarry.

“Yeah.”

Bob exhaled, moving so that he was standing face to face with the teenager. “You make sure nothing happens to her, alright? You know she’s - you know she’s my little girl.”

Steve straightened, his voice solid. “I would never let anything happen to her.”

“I know. You’re a good guy, Harrington.”

He doesn’t know if he agrees, but he knows that for you, he will be.

“Take care of her.”

“Always.”

And they had partied ways: Steve upstairs, where he pulled you into his arms and made you laugh as he planted wet kisses on your face. And Bob to the Byers house to find a map spanning the length of the walls, and then the hospital, and then ultimately, to his death.

———————————————————-

The dark felt much more menacing now, shadows moving like long fingernails and jagged claws around you. He knew that he had to get you inside. He knew that the others would be making plans and setting traps and he knew how much safer you would be there. His heart was shattered after the small sobs leaving your body, your chest deflating like a burst balloon. He also knew that the best people to comfort you would be inside, Joyce with her motherly love, Dustin with his sweet, silly nature, and even Jonathon who truly loved you like a sibling.

“Cmon, lets get you inside.”

He wrapped his hands around you and helped lift you up, steadying you as you swayed on shaky legs. He cradled you into him, feeling the warmth of your breath and tears against his throat, and he inhaled, preparing himself and readying himself, telling him to be strong, for you.

He wrapped a free hand around the door handle, waiting to twist. He took one final look at the menacing bushes and trees surrounding you both, listening for a rustle from the branches.

He doesn’t know what will happen next. But he does know, that whatever it is, you’ll face it, together.

#steve harrington #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #stranger things imagines #steve harrington oneshot #stranger things oneshot #\#strangerthings #stranger things headcanon #steve harrington headcanon

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solaneceae · 5 years ago

Text

EGOTOBER DAY 1 - FLOWER

Robbie loved flowers.

That one was a given. Since the undead ego had come into existence among his strange, dysfunctional family members, he always displayed a certain fondness for plant life; they may appear still and lifeless at first glance, but that misconception would be shattered under more scrutiny: the way they would oh-so-slowly move to always face the sun, or grow in a certain direction to reach the light.

Flowers were, in a sense, conscious. Responsive. Alive, despite a misleading appearance.

No wonder the zombie felt a sense of kinship around them.

The other egos must’ve noticed it back then; memories of his family’s warm smiles and excited murmurs as they led him out of the house and into the woods. There, in the mossy clearing surrounding an elder willow tree -his favourite nap spot in the warm months- had stood a little glass house that wasn’t there just a few days before.

“This is a greenhouse,” Jackie had said. “We all had a hand in makin’ it. Even Glitchy McGee over here.”

Said glitch had sneered, but the purple-haired ego had only giggled at his antics; he could tell Anti wasn’t mad. He always could.

“It’s for you,” Marv had continued, rolling his eyes, “we know how much ya like flowers, so we thought you’d like to grow some yerself. It’s tiny, but we made it cosy!”

To say Robbie way thrilled that day was an understatement. He remembered whispers of thank yous and I love yous tumbling from his pale lips, his gangly arms reaching out to embrace the people he cared about most. Schneep’s stern advice about proper growing conditions, Chase’s laughter, JJ fondly ruffling his hair. He remembered warmth and unbridled happiness.

But now, he only felt cold.

Robbie let out a distressed whine, fingers slowly brushing along the decaying asters and daffodils. He didn’t understand. He had worked so hard! His body may be slow and unfit for precise handiwork, but back then his natural patience and gentleness had been enough to make his greenhouse flourish. “Even… asked Host… last time we visited…”

So why? Why was everything turning brown? What did he do wrong?

He shivered; the air had become chill the past few days, and his trusty striped sweater didn’t quite cut it anymore, especially for a creature devoid of warm blood. Robbie knew he rarely ever left the heated comfort of the house during the colder months, so he’d been worried about the state of his plants if left unattended for too long.

Looked like he wouldn’t need to worry about that since they were all dying anyway.

The zombie shook his head; what was he thinking? He could still save them! Surely one of the others would know what to do. His milky white eyes steeled in resolve, he walked out of the greenhouse, rubbing his wool-covered arms for a semblance of warmth; he had a magician to find.

***

“You want me to do… what?”

Robbie stared, tilting his head to the side; Marv was at his desk in the library, a bewildered expression on his face, as if the undead ego had just sprouted another head. “Fix… my flowers? With your magic?”

The masked man stayed silent. A few seconds ticked by, heavy and increasingly uncomfortable, as Robbie’s determination started to crumble. “...please?” he tried, thinking it would somehow defuse whatever issue his brother seemed to be having with his request.

The older ego took off his kitty mask and shook his head, an apologetic expression on his face. “Buddy… I can do lots with my magic. But reversing the course of nature?” He grimaced. “I tried it once, and… well, it felt like shite. Like I was tampering with something way bigger than myself.”

The zombie’s hopeful expression crumbled. “So… you can’t help me?”

The magician felt awful letting his little brother down, but primordial magic wasn’t to be trifled with, and he wouldn’t budge on his decision. “I’m sorry Robster, but you gotta let this go. Flowers wither eventually, that’s a fact of life. They’ll regrow when spring comes back, you know that, right?”

Robbie frowned; he did. He knew flowers couldn’t thrive in the cold, he’s read it in one of Schneep’s books back when he first started growing his own plants. But he’d grown so used to always looking after these fragile, colorful lifeforms, the prospect of spending months without caring for them didn’t sit well with him.

“I… understand.” he drawled sadly, looking up at the taller man. “Thank you… for being honest.”

Marvin offered him a gentle smile, setting his hand down on the young ego’s head to ruffle his purple hair. “It’s alright. They’ll be back in no time, you’ll see. Want to clear up the greenhouse with me tomorrow? That way it’ll be all nice and clean for next year’s sprouts.”

As the undead nodded -if a bit unenthusiastically- at his brother’s idea, a pale, green-haired ego quietly scoffed from behind a bookshelf, before vanishing in a burst of neon-colored static.

As Anti found himself outside, he rested his back against a tree and put his face in his hands, glowling; Robbie had the annoying tendency to project his emotions outwards without any restrain, especially when he was upset. The glitch could almost taste it in the air whenever he came close, and it brought up something within him he wasn’t quite willing to face. To make matters worse, Anti suspected that Robbie wasn’t even aware of this particular ability of his, and the glitch was apparently the only ego sensitive enough to pick up on it.

In any case, he did not like the feelings the zombie radiated right now. It pissed him off.

Coming to a decision, Anti glitched into Chase’s room, a plan slowly forming in his mind. “Brody, I- Stop screaming, it’s me- Chase, I swear to fuck, if you don’t shut up right now I will strangle you. Look, I need help with something.”

***

“Robbie? Hey bud, wake up.”

The zombie stirred, milky white eyes fluttering open. Chase was kneeled down next to the couch, gently shaking him awake. Robbie’s face scrunched up in a high-pitched yawn as he carefully sat up from his nap spot in the living room. “Wha…? Do you… need me to move?” The fatherly ego chuckled. “Something like that. Wanna follow me outside? There’s something we wanna show ya.”

He nodded, still lethargic; he’d been feeling down since he and Marv had cleared up the greenhouse the day before, so any distraction was welcome in his book. “Okay…”

***

And what a nice distraction it was.

Robbie gasped, gaze fluttering excitedly around him; dozens of strange, flowerless plants he’d never seen before. Shiny and plump, ranging from deep emerald green to pastel pink, reaching high or hanging low from suspended pots above his head.

He stared, enthralled by the discovery. So pretty… he kind of wanted to much on them a little.

“Do you like it?” JJ signed cheerfully from beside him.

He turned around; his brothers were watching him expectantly, gauging his reaction. He timidly smiled at them. “I… love them… they’re pretty…” he drawled, smile morphing into a worried frown. “But...”

Schneep cleared his throat. “We- well, some of us couldn’t help but notice you were distressed when your flowers wilted.”

Jackie squinted at the doctor’s words. “What’s that emphasis for?”

“Ah, Bitte verzeih mir, I mustn’t have been clear enough. You are about as observant as a mole and I cannot believe we are related in any way whatsoever.”

“Hey!”

“Aaaanyway,” Chase rolled his eyes as the two kept bickering next to him, “those are actually succulents. They’re very durable in both hot and cold weather, and barely need any water. Anti thought you’d like something you could care for all year-long, in addition to your usual summer plants.”

The zombie tilted his head. “Ant…?” Was this his more elusive brother’s idea?

“Yeah,” Marvin scratched the back of his head, grimacing. “He was really weird about it too. Like, you being sad made him angry somehow? So he threatened us to make it stop?” he shrugged. “We would’ve done it regardless, but you know how dramatic he can get.”

“Look who’s talking.” Schneep deadpanned. The magician laughed, flipping his long green braid behind his back. “Bitch, I’m fucking fabulous. There’s a difference.”

Robbie only watched as his family kept throwing jabs at each other, warmth blooming somewhere in his chest as he smiled. He’d have to thank Anti next time he caught him; he might have fooled his brothers with his cold and aloof facade, but he couldn’t hide from Robbie. He was less naive that most would think, and really good at figuring other people out.

The zombie would make sure the glitch understood that. -----

@lilakennedy @tabbynerdicat @egopocalypse @humblecacti

dm me if you wanna be tagged in my egotober fics!

#egotober2019 #egotober #flower #robbie the zombie #jse #jacksepticeye #jacksepticeye egos

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cameron-malkin · 4 years ago

Text

but always keep ‘em on a leash || Cameron selfpara || 6.14.20

As the couple approached the house at the end of a cobblestone street, crystalline hues met with the oddly familiar bright red door. Vaguely, Cameron could recall the layout of the million-dollar home that awaited them. Small, but cold in its pristine quality, each item was placed perfectly on a shelf, as if out of a magazine. In spite of its kitschy decorations, these additions only added to the already unsettling atmosphere. The Bostonian home was, in a word, unwelcoming. The unrelenting grip of his fiancée’s hand was an apt precursor to an unnerving adventure as Cameron felt a crushing wave of anxiety wash over him at the prospect of meeting his future in-laws. Running his free hand down the front of his best white shirt, he tugged at the hem of his well-worn and well-loved leather jacket. Frazzled for what felt like the first time in his life, the reassuring smile gracing his features looked out of place as they entered Lexus’ childhood home. The 28-year-old half expected the Hales to greet them at the door with smiles but was left dumbfounded by empty halls, combat boots trailing behind Lexus as she searched for her parents, eventually finding them on the patio.

Their dispassionate welcome left a foul taste in his mouth, vacant smiles and muttered greetings speaking volumes. Not only did it strike him odd that they refused to greet their only child, but Cameron knew immediately he was not accepted by her parents as the cold but familiar feeling of being unwanted set in. Leather jackets and tattoos made rich people nervous, which was perhaps the reason why he wore it so well, but an uncharacteristic sense of optimism clung to him. Maybe if I could just talk to them, he thought, I could change their minds. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, shoving them in and out of jean pockets as he desperately wished for a smoke, though part of him was worried he’d combust at the mere sight of his lighter, the sticky humidity of the East Coast coming to reclaim him with vengeance. Frazzled fingertips began to peel at the cardboard carton of smokes, hoping that would be enough for now, just knowing they were there. Judgemental stares and awkward exchanges cemented the fact that he was not what was expected — or maybe he was exactly what they had expected and that’s why he was such a disappointment — but he forced himself into a permanent gesture of nonchalance, back slumped as he draped himself in a chair beside Lexus.

“You have a really nice home,” He managed to cough out a compliment with an apprehensive smile drawn across full lips. Had it not been for the palpable tension in the air, the smile might have seemed genuine. Or maybe it was the way it was almost impossible for him to meet their stares, electric orbs focusing intently on the hanging light fixtures instead. Although his statement was true, he couldn’t stop listing the similarities between their home and the extravagant houses he’d plundered in the past. While it was one of the nicest homes he’d been invited into, fingers drumming soundlessly against his trusty Marlboros, he almost wished he was on the other side again. He occupied himself with musing about thwarting their security system.

Dinners were exhausting, the beast that lurked within all too aware of Lexus’ discomfort. It was obsessed with her, restless with her paranoia, her swirling feet driving it mad with each sign of her growing anxiety. Fleeting fingertips brushing against the bare skin of his wrist brought some comfort, made him feel a little bit more…Cameron. He was sure to take advantage of this fleeting solace and on more than one occasion (okay — twice, but he figured any further attempts would be far beyond the call of duty), offered topics of pointless conversation. Rich people like the weather, right? Wrong. He learned the hard way, as only Lexus responded.

Cameron’s favourite parts were the nights after dinner, finally alone as dusk fell over Boston’s city streets. Lexus showed him the secret places she’d hide as a teenager, his favourite of which being a particular blind spot on the roof. It was one of the only places he felt safely alone with her, the pink teddy bear in the corner of her room staring daggers at him all night long.

On their final evening, Cameron had finally broken the ice. Instead of talking about the weather, he studiously complimented Mr Hale’s collection of books in the living room. Better yet, it wasn’t far from the truth, the poet in him genuinely in awe of the pristine collections of classic poets’ works. Although the heavy focus on materialistic possessions irritated him, he was quite proud to have broken the everlasting silence. Even Mrs Hale was happy to join in, the few crystal glasses of expensive wine (the beast counted five, a number Cameron hastily downplayed) loosening her lips. The most vicious part of the evening was how carefully they observed Lexus, their target. Each of the vertebrae in Lexus’ spine went rigid, not unlike the beast lurking within Cameron’s chest, as she sat with extraordinary posture. Both watching, both waiting. Though her parents said little to her, its glowing azure eyes watched their reactions closely, the bronze hues of her mother cold and calculating. Noticing her daughter on edge, the bottle blond finally pounced, her brutal attack slurred from between faintly wrinkled lips.

“I see rehab is clearly working for you.”

A sharp intake of breath caused his lungs to cry out, the beast now a battering ram as it slammed against his chest. Cameron nearly spat out his drink. Rarely caught off guard, the 28-year-old’s gaze fell to the matriarch once more, promising the beast he’d misheard the slur. Yes, Lexus had been drinking but not that much and not nearly as much as her mother. Surely her mother wouldn’t criticize her, a woman so eager to prove her superior intelligence would understand the hypocrisy of such a statement. Better yet, knowing their daughter’s medical history and uphill battle with mental health, Cameron refused to believe they’d abuse her in such a way. Were they not the ones that sought help for her? Wait, he plead with the beast inside. He set his jaw, squeezing uncomfortably as he fought for dominance in a battle he’d yet to win.

“Well, mother,” Lexus sighed, a flicker of pain registering on her features before her expression grew uncharacteristically hard, “At least I tried.”

“Did you? Because you’ve been in a mental hospital for a simple drug problem for, what, a year now? Year and a half? And you’ve made no notable progress. Picked yourself up a hooligan in the process to feed your diluted dayd—”

Wolfish teeth tore at the cage of his skin as if it were tissue paper. In a flash, snarling lips parted with a roar of a warning, “Enough!” 48 hours’ worth of pent up fury released in one statement, he was numb to the fingertips that constricted his thigh in what was perhaps admonishment, perhaps fear, though both inconsequential in a sea of red hot rage. Her father leapt to his feet, the wolf happily rising to the challenge as Mr Hale’s booming voice ricocheted off the old walls.

“Oh, I’ll tell you what’s enough! You dare to raise your voice to my wife—” He threatened, fist slamming against the table as he leapt from his seat. The beast sneered a laugh, recognising the ineffective scare tactic from a previous argument with Lexus. So that’s where she got it from. The thought only angered him more, wondering how many times that fist had frightened her in the past. Mouth parted to continue his tirade; Cameron’s swift interjection cut him off.

“Oh,” His gravelly voice chuckled darkly, eyes magical and radiant with the promise of violence. “Please, go on.” The threat hung in the air, a purposeful look in Cameron’s eyes just daring her father to speak another word. Hesitating, his features paled upon abruptly confronting the danger he’d unknowingly encountered.

Cameron will never forget the quaking of her voice, rough with fear. Fleetingly, he wondered if she feared him — of what the feral beast would do — but there wasn’t enough time to lose himself in such introspection.

“What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing?” Ears back, eyes glued to burning ember hues, both the beast and Cameron were lost. “Can’t you see he’s the only one that had any fucking hope here? You fucking monsters! Who does this? Who actually does this?”

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, his heart hammering between his ears amid being suddenly thrown into the height of a family fracturing. The beast took off, whimpering as it took cover from an unintelligible situation. Cameron struggled to process his thoughts, the hazy red glare of anger fading slightly as his eyes remained transfixed on the beauty of a breakdown. Seeing Lexus unravel somehow brought him back to a place of marginal restraint and, although it wasn’t as much as he would have liked, he was thankful for any improvement. Struggling to keep the tight grip around his self-control as the rope meant to leash a beast turned into a silky band of ribbon caught between clammy palms.

The dark flame of anger illuminated his pale features, a deep breath expanding his chest as he broadened his shoulders. Taking an intentional step towards the figurehead of the household, balled fists clenched at his sides.

“You might think you can do this to her because she’s your daughter, but when she’s my wife, think again,” He seethed, tightened jaw strangling his words. Years of torture suddenly made clear, both he and the whimpering beast prioritized their return to Lexus. Nerves turned his stomach, nauseous as he took the stairs two at a time.

How long ago had she disappeared from the room? The image of her fury, from the shape of her grimacing mouth to the wild look in her eye, haunted Cameron. Would he greet a similar sight? It struck the fear of God into the non-believer, letting out an oath, “Fuckin’ hell.” Leather boots pounded across hardwood floors, following the cacophony of crashing and thudding up the staircase to the second floor. In passing, he noted with disgust that her parents remained seated at the dining table, motionless. “Lex!” Desperation clung to his tone as he called up the stairs, wasting no time invading the sacred privacy of her childhood bedroom.

Raven hair flew back at the sight of an open door, clearing the path for blazing mahogany hues to burn through azure eyes.

“Don’t.” She warned, one hand positioned in front of her, as if to dissuade him from coming closer. Again he wondered, had he frightened her? “Don’t, Cameron, don’t. I can’t, okay, I can’t. I can’t!” Tears slipping down her cheeks, he followed the instinctual tug towards her, unable to bear their separation. Stubbornly brushing past her idle warning, strong tattooed arms pulled her small frame to his chest.

“Shhh,” Although his heart was pounding, he eradicated all sense of fear from his voice, swallowing his own chaotic mix of emotions in order to ease the pain currently afflicting his fiancée. Gently, Cameron threaded his hand into her strawberry scented locks as she pressed an ear to his heart, “Shhh, it’s okay.”

To his astonishment, she began struggling against his chest, bracing against his forearms as she insisted, “It’s not! Fuck! I’m sick of this fucking — fucking — preformative bullshit! You know? I’m sick of being treated like a fucking pariah the minute — the absolute minute — they perceive me to be out of line. And what the fuck are their fucking lines? I mean, for the love of God, what the fuck did I do in there that warranted that? I mean — fuck — I just want something real, like, is that so much to fucking ask for?”

“Hey, hey,” Tattooed hands cradled her face, tone sharp and steady as he made it clear to her there would be no room for refusal, “Look at me.” Guiding a hand towards his heart, he continued, “This. This is real.” And like every time before, upon uttering the sentence, nostalgia stabbed him in the heart. His tone softened as full lips pressed gentle kisses to her temple, “Okay?” In his arms, she became undone, sobs tearing through her delicate frame as Cameron held onto her tightly, each muffled cry calling forth the searing hot pain of guilt.

As slow, steady breaths returned, spiteful words lingered on the tip of his tongue. Faced with the foreign territory of family dynamics, while Cameron knew the beast would gladly lend its voice to curse the people downstairs, he wasn’t quite sure it was best for Lex. A harsh sigh pushed free from lips drawn into a thin line, a pitiful attempt at repressing the beast struggling to break free. Gently, he inquired, “What do you need from me?” Harsh truth clung to his throat. I don’t know what to do, but silent seconds ticked by as he wrestled the words out of his mouth. Muttering his defeat, he confessed, “I don’t know what to do, baby.” Lost and without answers, blood-red lips pressed apologetic kisses to her crown.

“I don’t know,” She shook her head, voice trembling in a way that alerted Cameron to her weeping. It broke him, soul aching at the sound. “I just — I just don’t wanna be here.”

Fine, he nearly answered in a gasp, that’s fine! We’ll leave! In fact, he was almost surprised by the level voice that answered her, “Okay, let’s get out of here.” As if it were nothing in the world, and in a way, it wasn’t. Heart pumping with increased regularity as he was faced with the need of an escape plan, Cameron recalled the nearest airport. They’d need a car. With a ghost of a frown, it became abundantly clear he couldn’t hot-wire a getaway car. Did she still have that credit card?

“What?” The voice from below squeaked, a mere echo in Cameron’s mind as he continued to work out the logistics of their escape. The credit card would allow them to purchase new tickets for an earlier flight. It was only six o’clock, surely there would be more flights to Seattle. Fuck, what about the ride back to Thornewood?

“Get your things,” He stated more plainly as he remained deep in thought, “We’re leaving.” Plan B, the ex-con decided, they’d stay in a motel until morning. It wouldn’t be much, but he had enough cash on him to at least afford that.

Cameron wasn’t aware of the silence stretching between them until she broke it.

“But how?” She wondered, large brown eyes peering up at him as her chin rested on his chest. Heart swelling with affection, Cameron fought the smirk flirting with his lips, instead pressing a kiss to her hair with a light chuckle. Times like this, doe-eyes wide with questions, assured the 28-year-old he still dazzled his fiancée.

“We’ll figure something out,” He cooed, self-assured, “We always do…you still have that credit card, don’t you?”

Her lips trembled, opening and closing as she stammered, “But, they pay for that.”

All resolve was broken, full smile gracing his lips as Cameron laughed heartily. Torn between the desire to confess his love for her and knowing he didn’t quite deserve to, he opted to dispel her disbelief. “Babe,” The New Jerseyan chuckled, “So? Fuck these people.” Stealing from the rich to give to themselves felt reminiscent of Robin Hood. They were poor enough, right? Besides, although Cameron would never voice his theory out of hurting Lex, he wondered if the Hales cared enough to check their daughter’s bank statements. Judging from the outburst tonight, it was clear she was “out of sight, out of mind” — regardless of how repugnant that behaviour was. Shaking off his thoughts and the beast that growled lowly from a place deep within him, with a few moments of encouragement, the couple were off.

Blacked out windows hid exhausted features from pedestrians walking the streets of Boston, buildings and faces blurring as the sight of the city faded into the distance. Safety returned in the heat of the night. This he remembered. Nights so black that the darkness clung, sticking to his bones like a second skin. It was only then, in the midst of this familiarity, that he noticed the city streets red with blood, shimmering in the dim glow of the streetlights. The sickness struck him in the gut, twisting his insides without remorse. It wrenched the air from his lungs, chest tightening with an emotion unrecognizable.

Fear.

Sharp teeth tore into his bottom lip, resisting the urge to bark directions at the taxi driver. Faster! But it was worthless, already made aware of the ashes left in his wake. Another family destroyed, perhaps the only one that mattered.

Hers.

Wading through the murky waters clogging his thoughts, the river of guilt and disappointment ran deep.

“Talk to me,” A quiet whisper broke the silence, her soft touch along the back of his knuckles brought him out of the never-ending downward spiral. The only acknowledgement of her words was the whisper of a sigh that met the quiet command. Full lips hummed false happiness, hoping she would assume he was tired and leave it at that. Expectant eyes lingered. Fuck. This time, he shot for aloofness.

“About what?”

“About that, that look.”

There was very little fight left in Cameron to deflect the conversation away from the sea of doubt he was drowning in, no clear escape from the litany of thoughts corrupting every retort sitting on the tip of his tongue. He exhaled a large sigh, running his free hand through his hair.

“I’m supposed to protect you,” Hushed and delicate confessions caused his face to almost flush from the embarrassing fragility of his statement, had it not been for the A/C fanning his face. “Last time we were here, I promised you, like it or not, I’d protect you. Because I loved you. And — Lexus — I’ve only fallen more in love with you. Everything I felt for you back then...it doesn’t even scrape the bottom of the barrel. It’s not even shallow, it’s almost — I don’t know, it feels fuckin’ dumb,” A laugh, rueful and facetious, escaped his lips before continuing, “Like the way I imagine stupid fuckin’ 17-year-old little kids feel. And with that feeling, the way I feel about you now, I only wanna protect you more, y’know? And I know I’ve told you that, but...to know that this is my fault…” Grief-stricken hues shrouded by dark circles were painted a brilliant red by the colourful array of Boston’s nightlife. Briefly glancing across leather seats to Lex, he caught the unfamiliar sight of her unbuckling the seatbelt to crawl onto his lap. Forehead resting against his, he sighed, eyes slipping closed as a hand knotted into her hair. Gently, two hands caressed the sides of his face as if he were just as fragile as she, the pad of her thumb skimming over his tired features.

“Cameron,” She breathed, “You’re always saving me. You’re always protecting me.”

“Yeah?” His voice cut through the air in a low snarl, self-hatred dripping from every word, a pent up rage threatening to spill over and drown out her consolations with the tidal wave of his failures. “Is that what I was doing in the library? Huh? Let’s not forget I pushed you. Not Casey, you.”

“Because I jumped in the way—”

“Sweetheart, tonight. What do you call tonight?” His demand left exasperated lips. Hatred swelled with every syllable, lashing out against the feral beast that raged within his chest. There was no way to describe the near-constant power struggle between a man and his demons, both with an equally thin grasp of emotion. He continued, “If I never got involved, if I never stuck my fuckin’ nose where it didn’t fuckin’ belong, let’s be honest, you wouldn’t’ve been here. Y’know, I got so wrapped up in thinking that you were missing out on this great opportunity for a happy family — something I never had — I didn’t even realize I was walking you right back in to all your shit—”

The forceful guiding of her hand against his neck pulled cerulean hues to honeyed chocolate orbs, deep flecks of gold that seemed to emphasise the haunting notion that Lexus saw Cameron for what he truly was. In moments like these, as rare as they were raw, Cameron longed to see himself through her eyes. Flaws, mistakes and faults plagued his soul, yet she continually accepted and understood them. “What you did was admirable.” Despondent, Cameron attempted to turn away, until two stubborn hands held him tight, steadfast in her conviction. “No, honestly, Cameron. Listen to me, I’d rather you advocate for me and be wrong a million times than stand by and let me fall for everything like I used to. I mean, that’s what I’d do for you, y’know? And, let’s flip the tables — would you just want me to keep my fuckin’ nose where it belongs or whatever?”

He almost corrected her, you wouldn’t if I asked you to, instead he sighed in agreement. “Yeah,” He relented, thoughts inexplicably brightened by the tremor of her voice, weighty with truth. If all else failed, Cameron decided, at least she loved him. Fingers slipped beneath the fabric of her shirt as they skimmed over the sensitive skin of her hips, purposefully tickling her sides as he flashed her a devilish grin attempting to dispel the plague of unresolved frustrations, “But I’m right all the time.”

“You are not!”

“Oh, come on,” Came his teasing hum of disapproval, full smirk settling onto his lips as he affectionately nuzzled her strawberry scented locks before continuing to tickle her sides in the never ending quest to restore her infectious laughter. Ocean eyes found her, parted in the joy of laughter, suddenly irresistible. Catching her lips in a kiss, Cameron guided Lexus towards him, tattooed arms pulling her closer. For the first time since arriving in Boston, he felt Lexus relax against him, further encouraging their passion-fueled kiss — probably to the chagrin of the taxi driver, much to Cameron’s amusement.

Strong and profound worthlessness pulled him away, rejecting the joys of pleasure as the city streets still ran red with the same blood coating his hands. “Lex,” The voice sounded strange, mangled in a way that made him wonder if it was his own. “If I were to tell you I’m sorry...would you know what I mean?”

Though his arms held her tight against his chest, he knew her brows furrowed as the quiet question slipped into the night, “What do you mean, ‘would you know what I mean?’”

Silence swallowed them all at once, tired eyes slipping closed with his nose pressed into her hair. For a moment, he imagined it seemed as though he intended to leave it there. Allow the question to be just that: a question, unacknowledged and unanswered, but he could never resist the temptation of her inquiries. Sighing against the crushing weight that fell onto his chest, constricting each breath that attempted to force its way free from his throat — now drier than the Sahara — Cameron was forced to confront the nature of her question.

It had been easier, once, to answer the onslaught of inquiries from his curious companion. Eyes wide with intrigue, Lexus’ thirst for knowledge was insatiable. For a quiet man, he never seemed at a loss for words, reveling in the power it gave him — that she gave him. Each answer was taken as gospel, as if he were the most trusted authority on every matter that came to mind. For the first time in his 28 years of existence, Cameron was taken seriously, his intellect not only trusted but praised.

Now, in the backseat of a taxi with her expectant eyes upon him, Cameron was speechless. Navigating blindly through the mess of residual anger, confusion pounded relentlessly between his temples. Something new lurked beyond the surface, tugging at him from below, endlessly dragging him ever closer towards the ghosts of his repeated failures as they rose beyond their desolate graves. Among that sad sea, three were freshly dug, all bearing the name of Hale. Heart pounding as if he had run a marathon, Cameron squeezed his eyes shut as chapped lips finally parted. Incoherent strings of syllables broke the silence first, until he found the semblance of a voice he made his own, “They’re just words.”

Soft and slow, it was a confession he admitted to no one. Two words he never spoke because they meant nothing. However, now, with the weight of a family crushed on his shoulders, Cameron was left nothing but those two empty words, uttered too often by people didn’t even mean it — or worse yet — had nothing to apologize for.

Alarms were ringing, red lights flashing as the startling realization smacked him with unrelenting force. How would he ever face himself now? Beyond every well placed joke that highlighted a fictitious sense of vanity, Cameron knew the truth: no amount of broken mirrors could ease the disgust he felt upon leveling his gaze with the two darkening hues that followed him throughout his entire life.

The black cloud of a stained reputation was nothing — a minor grievance or, most often, a badge of honor. The rumors weren’t unfounded, nor had they only surfaced in Thornewood. The talk surrounding him in Washington paled in comparison to the legend of his name in Camden. His name locked doors and drew shades. His hometown shrank from him. That was his job — better yet, it was nature. A door slammed as he walked down the street and Cameron smirked, which seemingly only terrified the town more, not unlike Mr. Hale’s paled features as he confined himself to a singular room of his own home, afraid of what monster accompanied his daughter upstairs.

For the first time in his life, Cameron regretted it. The pale features, the trembling voice — he longed to erase all signs of fear. The beast had gotten the better of him, and destroyed the Hales as a result. Lexus could never return home with him in tow.

“I don’t know how to make up for this — for any of this.” In a whisper, he voiced the sentiment bleeding from his open heart, “But I want to.” Opening his eyes, sapphire hues burned bright with exhaustion as he met her gaze. “Lex, you have to believe me, I never wanted this to happen. I just wanted to give you something I never had…and I blew it. I’m sorry isn’t enough. It doesn’t cover it. I—I don’t know how to fix this.” He shook his head, denying the arms that wrapped around him as his fiancé squeezed him. Rejecting his refusal, Lexus held him tighter, and he suddenly understood what she meant when she said sometimes it felt like he was trying to keep her together. Now, as Cameron unraveled under the cover of darkness, Lexus was the glue that held him together.

#selfpara #Lady

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sass-and-suspenders · 6 years ago

Text

With You

GIF from Crowzley

Prompt: “We need to talk.”

Pairing: Rafael Barba x Reader

Words: 1,351

It started during a quiet night at home. You had been dating Rafael for a few months and, after a particularly rough day for both of you, Rafael showed up on your doorstep with a bag of your favourite takeout in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. Wanting a distraction from the day’s stressful events, you put on a random movie as Rafael uncorked the bottle of wine.

“Ugh, this character is so stupid,” you groaned, gesturing with your chopsticks to the blonde on the screen. “Setting off the flare gun while they were hiding from the flesh-eating albino squirrels was bad enough, but did she really have to text her boyfriend ‘We need to talk’ while he was out searching for medical supplies?”

Rafael was too busy chewing to verbally respond, but nodded in agreement.

“I mean,” you continued to complain through bites of Chinese food. “She could have at least told him what she wanted to talk about. That way, he wouldn’t have had to worry about it while fighting off that zombie hippopotamus. Plus, he would have known that she hid the diamonds in that taxidermy giraffe before the monkey ninjas arrived. But, no, she had to be stupid and text him one of the worst things you can ever text someone.” You threw your hands up in the air for emphasis, accidentally flinging some chow mein onto the couch.

“Don’t even get me started on those monkey ninjas,” Rafael grumbled as he speared a dumpling with his chopsticks.

You and Rafael were silent for a while, content to be in each other’s company and watch, what you would later declare, the best worst movie in existence.

“Hey, Raf,” You said, turning your attention from the bad acting and campy dialogue to him. “We need to talk.”

His eyes flicked from the screen to your face, raising an eyebrow.

“About who gets the last egg roll,” you cheekily smiled as you held up the egg roll in question with your chopsticks.

From that night on, we need to talk became your and Rafael’s favourite inside joke. It even became a friendly competition to see who could come up with the most mundane, hilarious, or just downright weird statement. Of course, neither of you were keeping score, but you thought Rafael was probably in the lead after his text of, We need to talk…About Carisi trying my patience >:(

Over the course of your three-year-long relationship with Rafael, you must have exchanged hundreds of we need to talk texts. In fact, Rafael swore that you had a sixth sense because you always seemed to send them when he was having a bad day.

Take last Wednesday, for instance. Rafael had spilled coffee on his shirt and was changing into one of the spares he kept in his office when his phone lit up with messages from you,

We need to talk

About the Avengers Initiative

Or that day last month when key evidence for a case was declared inadmissible. After consulting with Liv on the courthouse steps, he checked his phone to discover two texts waiting for him,

We need to talk

About your ass in those pants ;)

Or how about the time he was sick with the flu. Miraculously, you were able to persuade him to stay home from work. After making sure he was comfortable, you went out to pick-up medicine and surprise him with soup from his favourite Cuban deli that was halfway across the city. As he was lying on the couch, huddled in blankets and miserably watching daytime television, his cellphone chimed.

We need to talk

About racoon hands (are they tiny people hands or do people have large racoon hands???)

P.S. You better be relaxing and NOT working!

Which brings us to tonight with Rafael stuck at his office, drowning in paperwork.

Rafael was at his desk pouring over witness testimonies with his trusty gold pen in hand. His suit jacket was off, his sleeves were rolled up, and dark circles were beginning to form under his eyes. Case files surrounded him on three sides, giving him the appearance of a weary king living in a castle made of precariously stacked files.

In the middle of mumbling about how the defense wouldn’t know a good plea deal if it bit them in the ass, his cellphone vibrated from atop one of the piles. He scowled at the interruption until he noticed the text was from you.

We need to talk

A second message followed almost immediately.

About Fight Club

A faint smile began to appear on Rafael’s lips as a third message arrived.

…Oops!

Rafael’s small smile escalated into a wide grin as he began typing a reply, letting you know that he would be home late.

Hours later, an exhausted Rafael entered your shared apartment. Loosening his tie, he walked into the living room to discover that you had waited up for him. His heart swelled with love at the sight of you sprawled across the couch.

“Hey,” you smiled lazily at him and made room for him on the couch, the soft hum of the television in the background.

“Hi, cariño. You didn’t have to wait up.”

Rafael made his way over to you, gently kissing the top of your head before collapsing beside you.

“I wanted to,” You told him, rearranging your blanket to cover Rafael. You frowned slightly as you noticed the dark circles under his eyes. “There’s a plate of food for you in the fridge if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks, cariño, but I already ate.”

“Something healthy or did you have those cookies you like from the vending machine?”

“The cookies may have made an appearance,” Rafael admitted.

“I figured,” you said, leaving the couch to go heat up the food. “I know you too well, Rafael Barba.”

Movement on the television screen caught Rafael’s eye and he smiled when he realized what you were watching. “Is this that terrible movie you forced me to watch when we first started dating?”

“Uh, I think you mean the best worst movie in existence,” you corrected from the kitchen.

Rafael rolled his eyes, but didn’t object.

“And besides,” you continued. “From what I remember, you got pretty into it.”

“I did not!” Rafael scoffed.

“Well, you can turn the channel if you want,” you said, returning from the kitchen with the plate of food in one hand and a drink in the other. “I mean it’s not like someone’s favourite part with the cyborg lemurs is coming up.”

“It is?” Rafael eagerly asked as he gratefully accepted the plate. “I guess we can finish it, then.”

“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want it to seem like I’m forcing you,” you teased, nestling into your usual position at his side.

Rafael nodded, the ends of his lips turning upwards as the cyborg lemurs appeared on the screen. For the rest of the movie, however, Rafael’s attention was focused solely on you. Since coming into his life three years ago, you had always made him feel safe and loved. Asking you to move-in with him had been one of the best decisions he ever made; you made his apartment feel like a home the moment you walked through the door with your first overstuffed box. He was in love with you, all of you, including your horrible taste in movies.

He only hoped that you felt the same way about him.

“We need to talk,” Rafael suddenly announced as the credits began to roll.

You shifted from your position under his arm so that you could face him, a smile playing on your lips in anticipation of Rafael’s witty punchline.

But what happened next was not what you expected.

Instead of a joke, Rafael got down on one knee and pulled a small black box from his pocket. A small black box that he had nervously carried around for the last week as he agonized over the perfect way to present it to you.

“About how I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

#rafael barba #rafael barba x reader #barba x reader #Law & Order SVU #law and order svu #prompt

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bazwillendinflames · 6 years ago

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Happy Birthday Enano

Daniel’s birthday! A short little fic for the best bros.

Ao3

Daniel had always been an early riser but now it was torturous as he watched his alarm clock tick over to 6:52. Eight minutes until he was allowed to wake up Sean and Dad.

He wasn’t allowed to turn on his Playbox this early and all the breakfast foods were hidden in high cupboards because Sean kept complaining he had his cereal (which was only once).

Daniel had been trying to distract himself by guessing presents. Dad had hinted he’d be getting some new games for his Playbox and there was a whole collection of new Hawt Dawg Man comic books he was hoping for too. He’s asked for cool sport sneakers so he could actually keep with his track star brother (and actually outrun the big kids at school).

It was harder to guess what Sean would get him. Daniel had almost worried his older brother would forgot his birthday all together, given all he did was act like Daniel was a pain. But, when he had investigated (not snooped, like Sean would say, he was just looking), he’d found wold patterned wrapping paper in the trash. Sean had a job too - even if he didn’t like it and always came back smelling like fast food - and he’d been shopping with Lyla last weekend.

Daniel flopped back on his bed, seeing only two minutes had actually passed since he last checked the time. Ugh.

There was a quiet knock on the door, almost scaring him.

Then, a quiet but familiar voice through the door. “Dan, I can hear you pacing. You’re up already, aren’t you?”

Daniel scrambled onto his feet and pulled the door open. Sean stood on the other side, rubbing at his eyes. his face hidden by his hoodie.

“Dad said I had to wait until seven before presents but I was super excited and I couldn’t sleep!”

Sean rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too. “Hm, sounds like an important day, have I forgotten something? It can’t be Christmas yet. Nope, just another boring Saturday.”

“Sean.”

He broke the act and ruffled Daniel’s hair affectionately. “I’m kidding man. Happy birthday Enano.”

Sean only used that nickname when he was being nice and Daniel felt himself smile at his older brother.

“I get you’re excited but let’s go grab Dad some coffee first before you pester him.”

“Will you make me a hot chocolate?”

He made a big show out of being annoyed but the first thing Sean did when he got into the kitchen was pour out milk for his drink.

Daniel watched as he pressed a few buttons on their trusty coffee machine. He wasn’t allowed to touch it but now he was nine, maybe he was old enough… until he thought of the last time he’d sneaked a bit of Sean’s coffee and decided he’d prefer hot chocolate, especially the way Sean made it.

“For the birthday boy.”

He put the drink in front of Daniel, a slight smile on his face. Sean must be really tired still if he was smiling - he usually had the grumpy teenager act perfected, angsty grimances included.

Daniel sipped his drink, exactly as sweet and comforting as it always was. Sean used to always make him hot chocolate during winter when the water heater didn’t work and they’d drink together, playing board games until Dad got back from work. Now, with Sean’s job and new high school friends to keep him busy, Daniel was pretty sure the last he’d had the hot chocolate was his last birthday.

Sitting opposite, Sean drank his own coffee, grimacing at it. Daniel was sure he didn’t actually like the bitter drink either, he just wanted to seem grown up. He did a lot of things to seem grown up, like smoking and pretending he was too cool to play Minecraft with his younger brother.

Daniel glanced at the kitchen clock and saw it had ticked over to five past seven - he was in the clear. But, he didn’t mention it quite yet. Truthfully, he liked hanging out with Sean, watching as the golden streams of the sun reflected in their garden. Daniel may be an early riser but his brother stayed in bed as late as possible, sometimes Lyla got there before he had re-emerged in whatever hoodie was closest. Sean never spoke to him either, communicating in half-murmurs and groans that Dad called ‘Teenager Talk’.

Maybe it was just because it was Daniel’s birthday and you always had to be nice to your brother on birthdays but it was just like how things had been before and Daniel was going to savour it, even if it involved waiting for his presents a bit longer.

Daniel had to wade through crumpled wrapping paper to reach his last presents. He’d purposely left the gifts that matched the wrapping paper Sean had used. It was cute - bright red with cartoon wolfs and roundish moons - and came with a hand drawn card, showing Daniel in his last Halloween costume as a pirate, surrounded by treasure, with Sean’s cartoonish self as his second mate.

“Wow, that’s awesome.”

“Get to the presents,” Sean said, although Daniel could tell he was pleased with himself. “Open the small one first.”

“Hey, this one’s from Lyla!” Daniel held up the carefully painted decoration. “She thought of me!”

Dad laughed. “You must have made an impression on her.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Sean snapped a picture of his grin. “I guess I’m going to have to tell her you hated it?”

“No!”

“Don’t tease him Sean.”

“Sorry.” He went back to typing and then put his phone away. “Don’t worry enano, I’ve got your back here.”

It was so weird for Sean to be nice to him that Daniel momentarily forgot about the presents yet to unwrap. Until Sean made a gesture towards the box on his lap.

He tore the paper off more carefully - the wolf design was pretty cool - and found a whole set of books inside. The books were old and worn but after Daniel flipped the first one open, he figured it out.

Dear Sean,

Hope you enjoy this magical adventure!

Love Mom x

“But this your copy of Harry Potter! I’m not allowed to touch them!”

“You’re old enough to now. I don’t like to be reminded of Kar- Mom. But you’ll love them. Just be careful, they’re the original editions.”

Daniel hugged the old book to his chest. “Thanks Sean.”

“Open the last one.”

The final package was soft and squishy. A t-shirt with ‘Wolf Pack’ printed on. Sean had a matching hoodie.

Dad smiled between the two of them, clearly enjoying the facts his sons were getting along for once.

“So, know that Dan’s got his stash, his about some breakfast?”

“Can I have choc-o-crisp?”

“I bought pancake mix but later, okay?” Dad ruffled his hair. “It’s going to be a fun day, promise you. No birthday like it!”

After he left, Sean gathered up the pile of playbox games, holding up the top one. “Hey Dan, bet I can beat you at this!”

“Race you!”

(They were so busy playing that Daniel didn’t hear the mail come or have time to check if Mom had remembered or not. For that, he was extra grateful towards his brother.)

They spend the rest of the day hanging out together, grabbed lunch at his favourite pizza place, including the new choc-o-crisp milkshakes. Before bed, Sean will say he loves him for the first time in a while and Daniel will think it will be the best birthday with the three of them.

(And later, he’ll realise it’s the last.)

One year later

“Sorry it’s not much.”

Daniel looked at the offered package, even wrapped in red tissue paper with a gold bow - Sean must have spent some of their work money on it, even if he told Cassidy he’d only spent it on essentials.

“I kinda forgot it was my birthday.”

Sean played with the sleeves of his hoodie. “I know it’s been rough the past few weeks. It’s not exactly as good as Dad’s birthday breakfast or that nice pizza place. But I wanted to give you something.”

Carefully, savouring the only present he had, Daniel unwrapped his gift - a pair of new-ish hiking boots. Sean must have picked it up from a thrift store nearby.

“Boring I know, but I hope it’ll save your feet next time we go walking.”

“Thanks Sean, really.”

“One more thing.” Sean held out a bag of choc-o-crisps. A big bag, one that must have cost at least $15 and the kind of thing he had gotten used to not asking for. “This year at least you can have some for breakfast.”

Daniel leaned over to hug him, almost knocking over the tent in the process. Sean laughed in surprise, holding on just as tightly.

“Happy birthday enano. Next year, we’ll have it somewhere better, promise.”

#life is strange 2 #lis 2 #sean diaz #daniel diaz

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voguemadrid · 5 years ago

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Now it’s November and I’m really starting to get into the festive spirit I wanted to share some of my top picks for Christmas 2019. After compiling a few gift guides over the year, I have been really excited to work hard on this one, and it’s taken a lot.

In fact, as you’re reading this it’ll be 2 months after I first started working on it. 2 months of photos, bits of writing, product testing and email after email. It has been such fun spending 2 months compiling the perfect gift catalogue, and some not so fun writing for 9 hours straight to get it up and ready for you with plenty of time to do your own shopping. I’m feeling hopeful that I’ve found some of the most wonderful gifts to appease even the most awkward of recipients.

I’ve decided this year to share the products with photos and a review of each product, of course, there is also a direct link so you can find out how much each product costs and add them to your basket if you feel compelled! These are just standard links, they aren’t spam and they are not affiliate links so I don’t make any money should you purchase.

I’ve not been paid to share these products neither will I make any profit should you click the link. I have however received press samples of some of the products in exchange to review. I haven’t shared all of the press samples that I received – only the ones that I believed were suitable gifts for the gift guide.

I’m hoping this Christmas gift guide will suit all of you, I know the majority of you have an interest in beauty, fashion and travel so I’ve made sure to target those categories. I also know a lot of you have children and grandchildren of your own, so I’ve made sure to include a few bits and pieces that might be suitable for those too! Here’s to hoping I haven’t missed anything!

Let’s get into the Christmas spirit and start Christmas shopping!

Diptyque – Ambre Félicité Candle (Blissful Amber)

I must say, when I first got into blogging I would see people with such beautiful Instagram accounts sharing their Diptyque candle and I would always wonder if they smelt as wonderful as they acclaimed they did. Hand on heart, if the Blissful Amber is anything to go by, they certainly do. This spicy fragrance is one that I can’t get enough of.

This Christmas, diptyque has the most inviting of candles which promises to give your home the festive smell topped with protection, luck, and harmony to bring you the most joyous of Christmases and for all your 2020 wishes to come true. With the scent and colours of three candles, it’s rich in amber, geranium, and lavender, which are all known for their relaxing and calming virtues. You’ll be breezing through the Christmas period with the calming essences which are bound to please your neverending guests.

The dipytque candle is undoubtedly outstanding, the intricacy and the detail of the candle is absolutely stunning and it will guarantee to look gorgeous amongst the Christmas decorations or as a present over christmas. After all, who doesn’t love a relaxing atmosphere? Whether that’s for your other half, your mum, your grandma or your teen daughter, they’re for sure going to love a dipytque candle on Christmas Day.

The stunning colour blue also symbolises wisdom and peacefulness for the festive season and the year to come, which is something I think all of us are hoping for, for 2020 and beyond.

The SUB

Introducing Dad’s new favourite gadget, The SUB by Beerwulf. What better than relaxing after work with a nice chilled pub-quality pint whilst lounging back playing Clash on the iPad and watching the TV? And they said men can’t multi-task!

Who wants to trudge out to a pub on these dark and dreary nights when you can enjoy the great same taste and quality in the comfort of your own home? The sleek and stylish design means that the SUB looks sleek and professional, whilst not taking up too much space at home. The small, compact home draught appliance will be the envy of all your friends when you tap premium beer from your countertop.

You’ll be able to indulge on all of your favourite beers like Heineken, SOL Birra Morreti and more crafy beers available in 2L kegs. Perfect for sports nights, lazy Sundays and Christmas get together, plug in and get ready to chill, to the max.

You’ll love that the beers keep fresh for 15 days and chills all the way down to 2 degrees. With over 30 different beers to choose from, it’s bound to be the ultimate treat for any beer lover!

BaByliss 9000

You might want to take a seat for this because this is about to get real. A new era of hair straightening has arrived and I am welcoming it with the widest of open arms. Let’s face it, busy has become our default function these days. Whether it’s dashing on the tube to get to work or running between one meeting to another. We just don’t seem to have enough time in the day.

If like me, you’re constantly on the go, who has the time for a hair dilemma? BaByliss has introduced the perfect companion for those who value power, performance, and efficiency and, quite frankly, the 9000 is the future.

How many times do you do your hair in the morning, only to brave the wintry weather to find that your once styled hair has transformed into a frizzy and puffy bush? Sounds all too familiar, I know. It’s bothersome. It’s annoying, and without a doubt, it knocks our self-esteem. Thanks to the cordless BaByliss 9000, you’ll be able to touch up your look anytime, anyplace. Yes, you read that right. CORDLESS.

How many times do you find that you’re travelling to a beautiful new country and the last thing you want to do is waste time in the hotel in the morning? Now, you don’t have to. Just charge the lithium-ion battery beforehand and enjoy the benefits of cordless straightening. The ultra-fast heat up and instant heat recovery means that you can pop the BaByliss 9000 in your bag and do your hair as and when.

The BaByliss 9000 is going to be my absolute best friend when it comes to summer. With the humidity and the heat, it’s far too uncomfortable to wear my hair down, but when it comes to photos, I hate having them taken knowing that I’ll look all head and no hair when I look back at the pictures. Now, I can pop my hair up in the messiest of buns, take it down, straighten it a little on the go and be ready for all the photos! It will be bye-bye to flicks, kinks and flyaways and hola to effortless stunning hair.

The 9000 comes in the most beautiful of carry cases, the ‘Feel the Freedom’ printed travel storage case has a heat-protective lining which means that you can pop the straighteners back in whenever you’re ready.

I seriously thought these straighteners would make an ideal second pair, perfect for on-the-go, but I love them so much that they’ve actually replaced my previous straighteners and turned into my new favourite pair. They have a sleek design, which is lightweight and they’re comfortable to hold. With them being cordless, you aren’t fiddling around trying to avoid the cord. They’re super fast to heat up, taking only seconds, with three temperature settings: 160°C, 180°C, and 200°C. There is a sleep mode and auto-safety shut off for extra peace of mind. Included is the 3-Pin UK and 2-Pin Europe charging adaptor, so your straighteners are ready to travel, whenever you are!

Mr. Wonderful Stationery

I have been a massive fan of Mr. Wonderful stationery for quite a while now. Being one of the leading stationery brands here in Spain, it’s exciting to see them branching out into the UK. Not only have they released a whole host of English products, like the calendar and the desk calendar, but they have also rolled out some of their leading products from the Spanish collection.

I’ve always loved the lovely streets collection from Mr. Wonderful so I knew they’d make great gifts for Christmas. Not only is the collection of high quality, but they’re all visually pleasing to look at, with complete functionality. There is always an element of skepticism when you reach out with a new stationery brand, sometimes they look absolutely gorgeous, but don’t actually do the job you want them to do. Whereas with Mr. Wonderful, they not only appeal to all ages, but they’re long-lasting and of a really high standard. You just know that the products you order online will be as beautiful in real life as they seem.

I picked out some of my favourites to share and here’s what I thought would make great gifts for Christmas 2019:

Mr. Wonderful Lovely Streets New York City Powerbank

How often does your phone die when you’re travelling and you reach for the trusty power bank? I’m guessing pretty often. This power bank really ups the game though, not only does it have an adorable design, but it has amazing features too. Holding charge for up to 6000 hours and having an awesome feature meaning it can’t overcharge or overheat, you can charge your power bank knowing that you’ve got hours of charge to make use of. Perfect for travelling around a new city without worrying about your phone losing charge.

You can snap photos and videos and upload to Instagram non-stop with this trusty companion by your side. What I really love about the power bank is the design is the same on both sides. The extra care to duplicate the design I think shows attention to detail on Mr Wonderful’s part. It also feels super soft too!

Mr Wonderful Bullet Agenda

With absolutely zero exaggeration, I’ve been looking for this product for about 4 years. A bullet agenda that is already made for you, ready for you to fill in and use as you please. I’ve always loved the idea of starting and maintaining a bullet journal, but for one reason or another, it always seems to fizzle away. The biggest problem is that I’m just not that great at setting them up. Cue Mr Wonderful.

The Bullet Agenda is one of the most awesome gifts you can give to someone who likes to write, get creative, be organised or wants to get into bullet journalling. If like me, they aren’t great at the initial setup, this bullet agenda is perfect. The pages are already laid out with heaps of different designs meaning that you can get started straight the way. The pages are of thick quality and you’re able to use fine-line pens without it seeping through to the next page. It also has a handy bullet dictionary at the back to help you keep on top of your journalling.

The journal is a hardback book and guaranteed to put a smile on somebody’s face who wants to get into a bu-jo!

Mr Wonderful Lovely Streets London Umbrella

Heading back to the Mr Wonderful x Lovely Streets collection which is focussed around travel, I wanted to share one of my all-time favourites from the collection. Perfectly practical and the most gorgeous umbrella design I’ve come across, the London umbrella from Mr Wonderful has me hoping for rain so I can get a chance to use it often, though not too often, I still love the sun!

The wind-resistant umbrella has such a gorgeous colour complimented by the most lovely of designs. They certainly live up to their name. Adorned with a gorgeous pattern around the edge of London, it certainly pays homage to the capital of England. With a light lilac colour, vibrant pattern and a solid handle, it’s the perfect companion for popping in your handbag. Perfect for battling the British winter, spring, autumn… well and summer. The umbrella has been carefully designed that it appeals to not only the young but the older generation too.

Mr Wonderful Lovely Streets Madrid Bottle

In a world where we are all trying to be a little more conscious and environmentally friendly, the Mr Wonderful Lovely Streets Madrid Bottle is a gorgeous choice for a reusable bottle. I had been talking about how I wanted to make a conscious effort to stop using so many throwaway bottles. Every day I walk to work and pick up a drink and I’m aware of what kind of damage this is doing. I wanted a bottle that made me want to fill it up and make a change.

I also wanted one that I knew was going to be of good quality and not start smelling or lose its pattern after five minutes. After all, what’s the point in making a change if all you’re doing is buying more reusable bottles to throw away?

The Lovely Streets Madrid bottle is exactly what I was looking for. It has a beautiful Madrid design, covered with different Madrid iconic spots and cute little Spanish captions to go with it. For anybody who loves the city of Madrid or Spanish culture, this is the bottle for you. It is airtight and the design is vibrant and clear. Just be careful to always hand wash it!

Mr Wonderful Lovely Streets Reusable Bag

We absolutely adore our Disney Parks reusable bags and make sure we pop them in the car to do our weekly shop with every time, though I am a little mad that we didn’t get one for every park now! I was in two minds whether we needed another bag to pop in with it, but after I saw the London reusable tote, my mind was made up. The bag actually exceeded well beyond my expectations of it, which I probably shouldn’t have doubted knowing the Mr. Wonderful quality, but wow, it certainly went above and beyond.

The pink bag has so many gorgeous icons on it that resemble all your memories of London. The colours are bold and bright and really capture the essence of London. One of my favourite bits is how it has a fox icon which reminds me of Leicester and home. The bag though is of such high quality, the fabric is thick and feels like it can hold and endure an awful lot. Even better still, it has a zip pocket inside and a popper to close it. I really expected it to just be an open bag so the fact it comes with all these little extras makes it even better. It would make a great gift alongside a few Mr. Wonderful bits and pieces.

Slip Silk

I’ve spoken about how much Slip has revolutionised my sleep pattern, so I was over the moon to get my hands on the new marble pattern pure silk sleep mask by Slip. The price tag might make you second guess it for a minute or two, but let me tell you, it’s worth every penny. Waking up after a night of deep, satisfying sleep is worth its weight in gold.

How often do we find ourselves trudging through the day feeling like a zombie from the afterlife? I know I have many times. All too often I was waking up and relying solely on caffeine to get me through. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and toss and turn every hour. But after introducing the slip pillowcase and a slip pure silk mask, I’ve found that my routine is untouchable. Sure, I still have the odd nightmare, or the odd times I can’t sleep, but it’s far less common. It’s now a rarity to have a bad night’s sleep, rather than a rarity to have a decent night’s sleep like before.

The super-soft mask keeps the light out and therefore lets you sleep in peace. It is absolutely invaluable on long-haul and short-haul night flights. Flying back from New York, I slept peacefully and comfortably with my slip pillowcase. It also doesn’t pull off your make-up, so if you are a make-up wearer, you’ll sleep peacefully knowing that your eyelashes will still be in place when you rise.

I cannot recommend a slip silk mask enough. Give the gift of a gorgeous night’s sleep. After all, we all need our beauty sleep! Puppy cuddles not included.

Penguin Random House

Over the past decade, Anthony Joshua has fought his way all the way to the top of the boxing world. After facing the legendary Klitschko, labelled the heavyweight fight of the century, Joshua battled through gruelling rounds to ultimately defeat the champion and find himself at the top.

When he first stepped into a London gym back in 2008, his rise to the top might have been unimaginable to those around him. Reading about his rise to stardom and his spectacular victories, like the Olympic Gold to a home crowd at the Olympics 2012, is bound to interest aspiring boxers and sports enthusiasts. Whether that’s somebody who is aiming for the top themselves one day, or those who enjoy the sport, Joshua is a figure that many admire.

As Oliver has taken an interest in boxing, I’m hoping he’ll enjoy reading about Joshua and finding out more about his history and backstory in which the intimate biography retells the story of his journey and development. Retold by a writer who has seen Joshua’s development and growth from the very beginning, it highlights his early amateur bouts up to his major title fights.

Shop on Amazon: Joshua

Tesalate

Christmas in the sun is one that many of you might be doing, especially those of you heading out to the Costa Blanca over the festive period. Many of us will be spending Christmas sitting out on the beach, or if not, probably thinking about the countdown for our next beach holiday once the festive period is over. Why not beat the blues and get them a gift to get them excited for their next beach holiday? Or get them prepared for Christmas on the beach with the revolutionary Tesalate towel?

What is the most annoying thing about the beach? Hands down, the sand. No question about it. Most of us love to lounge about on the beach for an hour or two, but the majority of us can’t stand sand. Especially when it travels its way back to the apartment and the bed later on too. Well, the Tesalate towel is perfect for you, or your loved one, who hates the sand.

Introducing Sand Free Beach Towels by Tesalate. The groundbreaking new type of beach towel that’s large yet lightweight, super absorbent and fast-drying and yet, completely sand-free. You’ll love laying out on the beach knowing that the sand will shake off straight the way! Sold in over 130 countries, there are thousands of happy customers and I have no doubt that you’ll be the next.

The Body Shop

There are so many things to love about The Body Shop, the cruelty-free brand is one that I think we could all raise our hands and say we love it. Whether that’s the beautifully smelling fragrances or the delectable hair products or the kind to skin skincare. There’s something that everybody is sure to love.

Boasting a wide range of vegan products, alongside its pledge to be cruelty-free, I’ve loved trying out the pieces from The Body Shop and I’m certain that your loved ones are sure to love it too. With bits and pieces from The Body Shop bundled together to make a homemade hamper, or added to a gift bag or box or tucked away in a Christmas stocking, they’ll make great gifts either for a secret Santa, friends, or family. Who doesn’t love smellies at Christmas? After all, you can never have too many!

I find that I get lots of smellies over the Christmas period which means I don’t have to shop for them for absolutely ages, meaning the money I’d be splashing on showers can be splurged on trips instead! Result.

The Body Shop Carrot Wash

One word: YUM. If there was ever a scent that makes you want to eat your greens, (or oranges), it’s this. Healthy never smelt so good. Enriched with organic carrots, which are too crooked to sell to the food industry, the vegan delight leaves your skin feeling cleansed, smooth and, energized. Knowing it’s vegan makes you feel good on the inside too!

We all love to take some time away to relax and pamper, which is why the carrot face cleanser is ideal as a daily facial wash to swipe away the daily buffers from the outside world. Enriched with 93% ingredients of natural origin, it is reassuring to know that you know exactly what you’re putting on your skin. After all, if you can’t understand most of the products, it’s probably not the best. But, with The Body Shop, you know exactly what you’re putting in.

Don’t forget that the packaging is 100% recyclable!

The Body Shop Juicy Pear Hand Wash

Let’s have a show of hands, who here loves soft and smooth hands? That’s all of us right? Though most of us probably find that we tend to neglect our hands for far too long over the Autumn/Winter period and find that it’s too late before we realise it. Well, with The Body Shop, you’ll be lathering up in no time and feeling the benefits of soft, supple hands.

As part of the Juicy Pear collection for 2019, this cleansing hand wash is perfect for the festive season. Not only will your hands be soft and sweet-smelling, you’ll be right in the mood for unwrapping presents feeling clean and indulging in the long-lasting festive scent.

It would make a perfect gift inside a beautiful handmade hamper, or as part of a gift bag. Or popped next to the sink for your guests to enjoy over the busy visiting period. Enriched with pear extract from Italy and Community Trade organic sugar from Paraguay, this gorgeous handwash won’t be around for long so tell Santa quickly!

The Body Shop Drops of Gold

This place about to GLOW. The illuminating Drops of Gold is ideal as an instant brightener, which can be added to your foundation or daily face cream. Great for use on its own or as part of a mix, it will be loved by those who need an extra boost of glowiness over the Christmas period. Giving you an instant pick me up, you’re just one drop away from light and bright. Kick away the dullness and kickstart your look in just seconds.

I’ve found its ideal for popping on your cheekbones to give a gorgeous accentuated look or added around the eyes to brighten up your eyes on those less than glamorous day.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Peel-Off Mask

DIY Face Mask, coming right up. Who doesn’t love a face mask before bed? Pop on a festive film and have the most relaxing evenings filled with self-care with the Tea Tree peel-off mask by The Body Shop.

Simply add water to the vegan formula, mix and apply to skin. You’ll love how soft it leaves your skin without being harsh in the slightest. Enriched with Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya, this delectable face mask will instantly give skin a clearer appearance and make you feel decongested. Perfect for those unavoidable winter bunged up nights.

I absolutely love the tea tree scent. Lounging out on a Friday night with a face mask is one of the ways I love to welcome in the weekends, so chilling out with the tea tree mask was an absolute delight. I just know that anybody who already loves facemasks is going to love a peel-off mask as part of a gift set.

The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yoghurt

Another piece from the limited edition Juicy Pear collection, the light-weight body yoghurt is a delightfully festive formula that treats the body with up to 48 hours of moisture. After showering, it’s a gorgeous treat to slather on to moist skin to leave skin smooth and fresh, without that awful sticky or greasy feel. Made with pear extract from Italy and Community Trade organic almond milk from Spain, it certainly has the Mediterranean infusions.

The Body Shop Warm Vanilla Hand Cream

You can’t get many worthwhile gifts for a fiver anymore, but at The Body Shop, you’ll find lots of thoughtful bits and pieces and the Warm Vanilla hand cream is one of them. Battling the elements is inevitable over the winter period, so why not give them a helping hand with the Warm Vanilla Hand Cream?

They’ll be rubbing their hands with delight thanking you for the gift of soft hands with The Body Shop’s special edition Warm Vanilla Hand Cream. I’ve always adored vanilla-scented products and this one is certainly no exception. This non-greasy formula will leave hands feeling soft and smooth whilst leaving behind a long-lasting fresh fragrance of Madagascan vanilla extract, that smells so good you’ll want to eat it. Or at the very least, reach for a tub of Madagascan Vanilla ice-cream!

Reminiscent of winters gone by, this sweet appeasing scent, like its Juicy Pear friends, aren’t around for long, so get yourself to The Body Shop fast to fill up your basket with lots of festive goodies!

The Bradford Exchange

After Jane, one of my lovely readers gave Alex and me these beautiful ornaments I had to share them on my blog so you could see how lovely they are. They make a gorgeous Christmas ornament and they’re going to look beautiful on the Christmas tree.

With such an intricate design, these ornaments are hand-painted beautiful collectibles for those who love Disney!

They’re a unique and officially licensed Disney collection which are only available from The Bradford Exchange. The magic of Disney never stops in our house, but over Christmas, it gets even more… yes, it’s possible.

Our Christmas tree is mainly focused around Disney and travel so they’re going to look absolutely perfect adorning our tree this year. The Once Upon A Slipper Christmas Ornament set makes a charming and delightful gift for anybody who loves the magic of Disney and Christmas.

Pixi Beauty

With more colours than they’ll know what to do with, you can’t go wrong with a selection of goodies from Pixi Beauty, better still the Pixi Pretties collection is absolutely gorgeous and for sure going to be a huge favourite for Christmas gifts 2019. I have liked everything that Pixi has ever sent me, and the Pixi Pretties has been no exception. Filled with bold and bright colours the collaboration has been one of their best yet.

I’m always so flattered to receive bits and pieces from Pixi, from their personalized Vitamin C collection, their delightful skincare, and their beautiful palettes, I just know your loved ones will adore the Pixi Pretties collections just as much as I am. The colours will be perfect for creating Spring/Summer 2020 looks and will work just as nicely to create a flattering New Year’s Eve 2019-2020 look.

Brighten up their Christmas with a hamper filled with Pixi pieces. Velvety matte lip colours, bold eyeliners, flattering eyeshadows, and gorgeous highlighters will give you a brownie point or two when they open these!

Missguided Chill Babe

Now, I was a little apprehensive about the Missguided eau de parfum for one or two reasons. I am a sucker for a beautiful bottle and I like my fragrances to smell luxurious and be long-lasting. I didn’t think Missguided would match up at all. But, it does hold its own as a lovely daytime fragrance.

I love switching my perfumes around and I’ve mentioned it loads before. I love collecting fragrances and switching up my scent. But, I do sometimes hate putting on a gorgeous fragrance just to go to work, it feels like a waste. But, on the other hand I still want to smell lovely and fresh, let’s face it, I work with these people!

Well, the Missguided perfume certainly exceeded all of my expectations. Coming in a can, it’s an interesting design. The floral fragrance comes to life with bursting scents of raspberry and pear sorbet combined with uplifting citrus. It combines with jasmine and rose topped off with a woody tone of vanilla and amber crystals giving a long-lasting fruity yet floral fragrance. I absolutely love wearing the Chill Babe in the day. It’s such an economically friendly fragrance too so makes a perfect gift for friends or as a stocking filler.

Universal Pictures

Is there anybody out there who doesn’t love curling up on the sofa, with a candle burning, watching movies and eating snacks? Even me, somebody who loves being on the go also loves to chill-out once in a while with a good movie on. As long as there are some hot chocolate and cream to go with it, I’m happy.

There are some fantastic films being released this year which are going to be ideal for a home cinema night.

The Grinch:

Illumination and Universal Pictures presents The GrinchThe Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved classic. The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous spirit. Has anybody noticed that The Grinch didn’t not like Christmas, he just didn’t like people at times? Let’s face it, that’s kinda perfectly acceptable! The loveable Dr Seuss classic is perfect for getting in the Christmas spirit! The DVD also includes 3 mini-movies.

The Secret Life of Pets and The Secret Life of Pets 2:

The Secret Life of Pets 2 Box Set tells the story of Max and his pet friends. Relive The Secret Life of Pets before continuing Max’s adventure in the Secret Life of Pets 2 as he battles with more trials and tribulations in the Big Apple.

From Illumination Entertainment comes The Secret Life of Pets 2. In the sequel, Max encounters canine-intolerant cows, hostile foxes, and a scary turkey when he visits the countryside. Get the whole family together for a family movie night, or pop it in their stockings for a Christmas Day surprise. I can feel a movie marathon coming along.

Soul Analyse

Show them you believe in them this Christmas by getting them an affirmation band from Soul Analyse. The empowering bands part of the I AM collection are a wonderful gift, especially for those who find the Christmas period especially difficult or are struggling with their mental wellness.

The I AM collection has a beautiful selection of bands with varying affirmations that are sure to be a thoughtful pick-me-up for many who will need to hear it this December. The band reminds me of the Cartier band and looks gorgeous on.

With YOU’VE GOT THIS printed on the band, it will be there as a little reminder that you have the power to accomplish what you want to accomplish. It reminds you that you have the power. You have the strength within yourself to achieve whatever it is you want and need to achieve. Whether that’s taking the first steps to building an empire or just getting out of bed today, the affirmation will be there to remind you. After all, we all need a reminder every once in a while.

Elago Charging Hub

The Elago Charging Hub isn’t as white as I’d hoped it to be, instead is more of a dirty creme. The Elago Charging Hub was created to be a handy little extra either on your bedside nightstand or at your work desk. Keeping your phone, Airpods and Apple Watch together, it creates a little space to charge them neatly and together. Made with non-toxic silicone material it is made to last a while. For tech fans, it will be a nifty little gift for them to be able to charge their Apple products. Available in four colours.

Hotel Chocolat

Christmas is a time of… chocolate. And at Hotel Chocolat, delectable treats are aplenty. With plenty of festive goodies available online and in-store, you’ll be spoilt for choice with all of the mouthwatering offerings.

Why not mix and match the terrific trio on the 3 for £20 range? The Jolly penguin, Jolly Santa, and Jolly snowman trio will go down a treat in anybody’s stocking. For those on the nice list, indulge on the milk chocolate, caramel chocolate and white chocolate set for the sweetest of Christmases yet. So cute, they’re almost too good to eat… almost.

Thinking more about the Christmas dinner than the Christmas stocking fillers? No problemo. The Yule Log Classic for £20 at Hotel Chocolat is as real as it can possibly get. How? Because it was made with a real log! 3D scammed elm log branch transformed into a festive yule log is as authentic as it can possibly. With 50% milk praline, hazelnuts and crisped rice, you and your family can indulge in the great taste of Hotel Chocolat from early morning present openings to double dessert servings.

Happy Shopping!

Pinterest:

Christmas Gift Guide 2019! Featuring: Mr Wonderful, BaByliss, Diptyque, Hotel Chocolat and more. Now it's November and I'm really starting to get into the festive spirit I wanted to share some of my top picks for Christmas 2019.

#christmas #christmas gifts #christmas presents #product recommendations #product review #products

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symbieote · 6 years ago

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Tag meme!

the Rules: Tag 10 followers you want to get to know better.

Tagged by:@gaolcrowofmandos

Star sign: Cancer

Gender: NB, female aligned

Height: 167cm

Sexuality: demi bi

What image do you have as wallpaper?:anAesthetic rebel alliance edit on my phone, art of steve and bucky from the mcu on my old laptop. It used to be a wallpaper of Bucky’s face from CATWS on my PC but just yesterday I changed it to some Generic Flower Photography.

If you could be anywhere else right now, where?: On a plane or a boat or some other such enclosed mode of transportation. It’s when I feel least anxious

Where do you see yourself in ten years?: Probably teaching high school. If things go right I’ll be raking in cash from royalties of a bogus bestselling book that’s real bad and like, getting the good grants and staying in academia. Lecturing for baby undergrads. mothering some grad students. Or like. straight up if I had to reveal my deep secret shameful desire? Being successful and running a publishing firm despite having made no move to pursue it so far in my life and not really having hope for print books making a big comeback.

What’s your favorite 90s show?: I don’t think I’ve really been into a 90′s show? Charmed started late 90′s but I only ever watched later seasons. I don’t have the same pop culture context since for the first nine years of my life I didn’t live in a western or english speaking country. probably 雍正王朝? that aired in 1999 tho. My chilhood faces either aired in 1999 or later or straight up in the case of The Best adaptation of journey to the west aired in the late 80′s and then season 2 was in 00, same with the cartoon adaptation that was in 99 (I was OBSESSED with journey to the west as a kid. It was big on TV and all Millennial Chinese Kids were but like. i was BIG TIME.) so like. Literally nothing I loved was smack dab in the middle of the 90′s, probably bc i was born mid 90′s but still.

Last kiss: idk. Like a solid four years ago probably?

What was your coolest Halloween costume?: I’ve never dressed up for Halloween. One year I did go Goth and go trick or treating with some friends. Another year I did a quick closet cosplay of a tacky secret service agent with the tiny sunglasses. But that’s it. I’m.....not big on Halloween. There’s not much atmosphere near my house which is a cul de sac off a quiet side street off a quiet side street off a side street of the main street of a boring suburb. ONE child comes trick or treating to my house every year. I am also just not into the spooky aesthetic. I’m not christian but I’m a lot bigger on Christmas. The colour scheme and the foods and the general chill atmosphere is more preferable to me.

Have you ever been stood up?: Not for like, dates, because I didn’t used to really date until now.

Have you ever been to Vegas?: nope. I’ve never been on the american continents so.

Favorite pair of shoes: for comfort I have a good pair of ugly black suede boots. For cuteness my beige/nude strappy sandals with the woven straw heels. for a combination of both i have a pair of comfy white leather peeptoed slingback heels that have a wedged cork heel that are light and comfy.

Favorite fruit: hmm. Difficult to decide bc i love fruit. Either watermelon or mandarin, probably.

Stupidest thing you’ve ever done: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. ? Who knows. When I chose my university upon graduating high school. There were many stupid things there.

Favorite book: I dont really reread things often enough to have one particular favourite. Even my absolute favourite pieces of fiction don’t get reread more than every couple of years. I think probably either One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich or just good old trusty LoTR. but then like that’s just because they’re one standalone book. I have many other series I love that aren’t just one book. AHHHH. Young Wizards is always up there. HP despite my issues with JKR’s media presence. OG homoerotic crime solving boy Sherlock Holmes.

Favorite GIF:

I tag: @hughdancytwinkfanclub @medusalithmycelium @simonxriley @capndanvers @melonpult @furansu-pan @takaiko @cycas @chinsengumi @ninethousandbees

#tags #personal

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petitelepus · 7 years ago

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B-Day Present, Dino Day!

This is my birthday present for lovely @yes-i-write-fanfiction! They just turned 18 couple days ago and it’s a reason to celebrate! Aaah, I remember when I turned 18 and I got 18 big chocolate bars as present. To be young again! This is my Child Reader X Dinobots Transformers Animated 2007 story for them! Enjoy dear and happy birthday once again!

”Dinosaurs, dinosaurs! Big and bigger dinosaurs!” You sang happily as you you walked through the thick forest. You had been loafing forever in the little boat you found on the harbour and made it to the island in middle of the Lake Erie where civilisation ended and lush wilderness began, but it was all for for your passion!

You heard your parents talking about dinosaurs in nearby forests and as much as they tried to tell you not to go there, you couldn’t care about their warnings. No way you were going to miss out some dinosaurs! You lived for those big ancient lizards!

Seriously, your room was covered with dinosaurs once your childhood obsession surfaced. All it took was one day in your favourite robotic theme park and you were done for it. You had to have them all after that.

Two years went by as your parents found your obsession cute and healthy, seeing that a child in your age should have a interests so they even painted your room to looks like old world did during dinosaurs’ era and covered it with toys and plushies both won and bought from theme park. They searched you all kind of dinosaur cartoons, but cartoons and toys were good only for so long. You wanted to learn more!

You were already big enough to read some words and use computer, so you searched and read everything you could and you could name almost all the different dinosaurs already! Not to brag too much but you even won your pre-school’s talent show with your vast knowledge. Now you wanted to take that knowledge even further and discover an actual dinosaurs!

Now where were those dinosaurs? Only one way to find out.

You took a big breath and roared from the bottom of your tiny lungs. ”RAAAAAW! RAAAW RAAAAAAW!”

You’ve seen enough nature documents to know when a dinosaur wants to meet another. They roar when they do! You stopped out of breath and listened.

Nothing. You tried again. ”RAAAAW RAAAW RAAAAW!”

Still nothing… And even sun was blocked out by clouds… You looked up and saw that there were no clouds in the sky. It was all bright and blue. Then what was blocking your sun? You turned around and came face to face with someone’s big BIG leg.

”Raw?”

Back in city of Detroit again… woman bawled her eyes out in worry of her child missing. ”Our baby is missing!”

”Chief, you gotta do something!” A police man pleaded from Captain Fanzone. If anyone could find you it was his boss. ”Our child, (Y/n), they were in our backyard, but when we turned around they were gone!”

”Calm down, we will find your child. Is there anyone who would want to hurt her or you by taking her?” Captain Fanzone asked as he took out his memory pad. At his words, your mother cried harder and your father went to comfort her. ”No, we’re just a normal family as we can be captain… Some criminals could hold a grudge, but mostly to you since I only work under you…”

”I see... What about your child? Could they have just wondered off?”

”(Y/n) knows not to go anywhere we said not to— Oh god…!” You father gasped and turned to look at your mother. ”Honey do you think (Y/n) might have heard us when I told you about work?”

”That’s impossible, she should have been asleep already by then!”

”What have you been spewing at your wife soldier?�� Captain asked, tensing on the inside. If the child knew anything connected to police forces or criminals they could be wanted by those said criminals.

”I was just telling her about the Sumdac incident where their daughter was abducted by those Dinobots and (Y/n) must had been up and heard us…!”

Captain Fanzone scratched his head. ”Okay, why would that be a problem? You don’t believe they would have gone to Lake Erie all by themselves?”

”(Y/n) is a very stubborn child Captain… Once they get an idea they go through with it.”

”Oh my God, my baby might be dead….!” You mother cried, tears streaming down her face and ruining her mascara. Not that she cared about her make up, you came up first now and always.

”Calm down, I’ll make couple phone calls and see what I can get. Meanwhile you get your wife inside and make her something warm to drink.” Captain Fanzone ordered his subordinate who nodded and escorted his wife back inside the house.

When your parents were gone Captain took out his phone and made quick calls to town’s security office so they could tell if there was any footage of your takers or you walking off. After ten long minutes of waiting, he got the confirmation that you had walked off by yourself towards the harbour.

Next he called to station to see if someone had came up with report of missing boats or peddle boats. ”Ah ha, so someone informed us about lost rowboat. Got it, get the Autobots on the other line.”

Meanwhile you were face to face with a giant dinosaur…! OF YOUR DREAMS! Your eyes were basically sparkling as you looked at the Triceratops standing over you. You screamed, you were so happy. ”Oh my God, a real Triceratops!”

The dinosaur’s reply was to roar, high pitched and loud, so loud in fact that you had to cover your ears. Despite the dinosaur’s loud roar, you were happy so you roared back at it. ”RAAW!”

”ROAAAAAAAAAR!!!” A roar louder than anything you had ever heard pierced through the air. You whipped around, startled by loud sound and the Triceratops behind you roared again, shocking you and sending you on your butt on the ground.

Just in time as a giant TYRANNOSAURUS ran straight out of the forest, knocking off trees as easily as you knocked down towers made out of your colourful blocks. You were frozen still and you could only watch with wide eyes as tyrannosaurus ran straight at you with it’s giant maw open.

In fear, you shut your eyes and wait, but what you don’t see is how the giant tyrannosaurus stops high above you, snatches the triceratops by it’s neck where it’s long horns don’t reach to touch bigger dinosaur’s abdomen and throws it all across the field straight into other tree that snapped like a dry spaghetti in half.

You opened your eyes only to see and saw how tyrannosaurus ran straight at your friend triceratops and fearing the worst that you had seen in nature documents, you stood up and removed your backpack and took out your stuff.

Just as the tyrannosaurus was about to go for the kill you threw your trusty and not to mention rusty alarm clock at it. The clock hit the dinosaur’s leg and it set if off, clock ringing like crazy. This caught tyrannosaur’s attention and it curiously stopped to turn and look at the small device.

That’s when triceratops got up and made a move to bang it’s horns to tyrannosaurus, but you stopped it by throwing your can of juice at it. You knew what happened to tyrannosauruses that got hurt by triceratops or any other dinosaur, they were sure to die and you were not going to lose your new friends!

”Stop it! Stop it both of you!” You shouted and ran between two big creatures, spreading your arms to tyrannosaurus so it wouldn’t attack triceratops anymore and that triceratops wouldn’t attack it with you in front of it.

The tyrannosaurus turned to look at you, it’s eyes squinting at little you and it roared, but you held your ground, pouting angrily. ”No! Friends don’t fight!”

The dinosaur roared again and then it did the most amazing thing ever.

”Me Grimlock! Intruder! Grimlock destroy puny human!” The dinosaur yelled in English! If you were any older you would have been taken aback, but you were young and little bit too stupid for your own good.

”I’m not intruder! Whatever that is! I’m (Y/n)!” You dug through your backpack and pulled out your plushie of the tyrannosaurus rex. ”And this is Charlie! Charlie is a dinosaur like you and he loves spaghetti and cheese like I do, but he insist on having meat also because he’s a carnivore!”

As you held Charlie for tyrannosaurus to see it leaned in close and and sniffed it with it’s snout. Suddenly it looked confused. ”Eeeh, puny human… puny Grimlock…?”

”It’s Charlie!” You hugged your plushie and smiled. ”And he smells like strawberries.”

The triceratops behind you crumbled and got up on it’s feet. You turned to face it and straight up pushed Charlie against dinosaur’s snout. ”Smell! Smells delicious!”

The dinosaur took a sniff and it appeared to like the scent. When you moved to pull Charlie back it pushed it’s snout after your plushie and whined. You pouted a little and hugged the plushie close to your body.

”Don’t get too greedy! Charlie is mine!”

”Grimlock confused…” The tyrannosaurus behind you grumbled and turned it’s back to you to walk away. You looked after the dinosaur and you quickly ran after it, triceratops following behind you. ”Wait up! I wanna be your friend!”

At the sound of your voice the tyrannosaurus turned and roared again, almost knocking you over again. ”Me Grimlock! Grimlock strongest Dinobot!”

”I’m (Y/n)! I’m six and I love dinosaurs!”

”Puny human love Dinobots?”

”I love dinos!” You spread your arms as wide as they could go. ”Big dinos and small dinos!”

”Errr… Grimlock confused…” Tyrannosaurus grumbled. ”Puny human love Grimlock?”

You smiled so widely that your cheeks hurt and you jumped up and down excitedly. ”I love love love Grimlock!”

If the dinosaur wanted to say anything it didn’t. It only huffed a hot puff of air at you through it’s nostrils and turned to walk away. You whined, but there was a gentle push against your back and you saw your triceratops friend crooning for your attention. You gave in.

”Can I ride you?”

You got your answer as triceratops laid itself on the ground and lowered it’s head enough so you could get on. Eyes wide and sparkling, you cheered, happily climbing over dinosaurs neck. You patted your friend on top of his head and laughed. ”Off we go!”

The triceratops roared and pushed itself up on it’s feet. You almost lost your balance, but you got it back quickly, minding Charlie under your arm. So the dinosaur took you further into island, following after Grimlock. To your utter joy, it brought you to a new clearing where Grimlock crooned and roared at the third dinosaur, a Pteranodon, flying dinosaur!

Excited, you patted your friends head. ”Down down!”

The dinosaur crooned and bowed down and you excitedly jumped down and ran to pteranodon. The bird dinosaur squinted it’s eyes at you once it saw you approaching and screeched at you with it’s high pitched voice. You ran up to dinosaur and screeched happily to it back. ”Scree scree! I’m making same sound as you!”

The pteranodon squinted it’s eyes at you again, but it closed it’s wings to a resting position. You spread your arms wide and flapped them up and down. ”Can you fly? Show me how to fly!”

The dinosaur flapped it’s wings at you, sending a big gush of air at you and ruffling your hair. It didn’t fly, but it was so powerful and the fresh air felt good. You laughed happily and flapped your arms at the pteranodon. ”Again again!”

Something in the way you acted must have amused the dinosaur because it screeched again and flapped it’s wings at you high speed and you laughed even more. ”Awesome!”

There was a sound like metal screeching against metal and you turned around to see Grimlock and your friend rolling around in ground on top of each other. You were ready to go and stomp over there to yell them to stop, but then you saw that they looked like they were smiling.

”Ooooh, so you were just playing!” You awed in wonder and jumped up and down. ”You’re so big and strong!”

At the mention of strong, Grimlock and your friend jumped apart from each other and while you were smiling excitedly they approached you.

”Me Grimlock! Me strongest!” Grimlock shouted and you laughed, gleefully clapping your hands before jumping up and down. ”I want to play too!”

”Tiny!” Grimlock leaned down on your level and gently touched you with his big snout, making you fall over your butt with ease. You yelped and pouted, cheeks turning red with anger. ”I’m big for my age!”

The tree dinosaurs grumbled and you took your chance to jump up, abandon Charlie and run behind Grimlock. Without further things distracting you, you jumped on his tail and playfully started to wrestle with it. You could barely move the heavy thing, but Grimlock played along and playfully let you rattle his tail.

Laughter bubbled from your lungs and you happily wrestled with his big tail, before you heard your two other dino friends to whine. You let slid off from Grimlock’s tail and ran up to triceratops and started to pet it’s snout with both hands.

”You’re so cute! You’re cutest triceratops I’ve ever seen! Cute cute cute!” You sang. The dinosaur grumbled contently now that it got your attention, but pteranodon felt left out and nudged you with the tip of it’s long beak. You extended your other arm and hugged them both together with best of your abilities with your short arms. ”You’re all so cute! I love you all!”

The tree dinosaurs shared a look, but said nothing and for you rest of the day was the best you had ever had. You wrestled with Grimlock, played catch with triceratops and flapped your arms with pteranodon like you would take off and fly! You actually couldn’t, but wow when it actually rose into the sky and flied.

”Wow! Can you pick me up? I wanna be high up there also!” You asked, extending your arms high towards the sky like you were just wishing to be picked up and your wishes were granted as pteranodon swooped down, grabbed you by the base of your arms and flew into the sky.

You screamed, but not from fear but excitement and air tussling your hair in all directions as you rose above the forest. You just hugged limply in dinosaur’s claws and enjoyed the ride, seeing city rise behind the lake and a boat slowly approaching the island.

Not that you paid any attention to it, but the passengers on it certainly paid attention to sight of you being held by a Dinobot.

”Dear God, it’s going to drop them!” Captain Fanzone yelled in horror as he saw you hanging in the claws of dinosaur bot.

”We must wait until we get to the island. Then we can retrieve the missing child.” Prowl, a brave Autobot ninja muttered from next to police chief. He knew Dinobots were territorial, but he couldn’t believe that they would harm someone as harmless as a little child.

”I got a bad feeling about this Prowl… And I don’t like it either…!” Bulkhead, a big bot with bigger spark grumbled in worry and in his mind he had a good reason to be worried. All his latest meetings with Dinobots ended in fighting with them.

Meanwhile you had already landed and you were playing around and showing off all the toys you had brought with you to your new friends as the sun was starting to set.

”This is Alice! She’s a Brachiosaurus! They have so long neck they can reach to clouds!” You showed them your figure of a long necked dinosaur and your friends leaned in close to see better the details.

”This one is Cherry! She’s a Torosaurus and Alice’s girlfriend!” You said and pushed your two toy dinosaur uses mouths against each other as if they were kissing like your parents did. ”They love each other very much!”

Triceratops crooned and leaned in to peck your Torosaurus gently with it’s snout. You laughed happily. ”Yeah, she looks like you!” You dug out your third toy. ”And this is Baro! He’s a evil Carnotaurus and super scary! I had nightmare about him so I don’t like him that much. He was chasing me and tried to eat me…”

”Grimlock protect Tiny! Grimlock strong!” Grimlock yelled and roared right afterwards, other two joining him. You laughed, your voice easily covered by their louder voices, but your were happy either way.

”Wait right there!”

”Huh?” You turned to look on the side of the field and saw a man and two bigger robots by his side. Oh, you knew that man! He drank bitter bean juice with your daddy sometimes! You waved at him excitedly. ”Mister Bean man!”

”Kid, get away from those things!”

”Things?” You tilted your head in wonder and Grimlock roared before stomping between you and Bean man, triceratops and pteranodon following close by.

”Me Grimlock! Intruder!” Grimlock yelled just like he had when you first time met.

The black and golden bot stepped forward and held his hands up towards your friends. ”Grimlock, it’s me, Prowl. We’re here to bring the child back ho—” His words were cut off by Grimlock roaring again and he sounded angry and more ferocious. ”Grimlock protect Tiny!”

And just like that, your friends ran at the Bean man and bots, leaving you baffled and behind. The big green bot looked angry. ”I knew we couldn’t count on these guys to be smart about this!” He shouted as Grimlock moved to bite him, but he extended a big metal ball from his right hand and punched your friend!

Meanwhile the sleeker bot snatched Bean man up and jumped to side as your triceratops friend moved to ram at them. ”Hold on, I don’t think dinobots mean any harm to child!”

”Yeah, but what about us!?” Bean man yelled. You watched eyes wide how your friends fought against the bots and with each hit, punch or kick they took your felt your throat tightening up and eyes sting like you had gotten sand in them. But it wasn’t sand stinging your eyes but tears.

”S- stop it…! Don’t figh-t…! Don’t hurt them…!” You whimpered, hiccups occasionally breaking your speech, until you couldn’t take the pressure behind your eyes anymore and you wailed from the bottom of your lungs as tears started to stream down your face. ”DON’T HURT MY FRIENDS!”

At the sound of your distressed crying, Grimlock and rest of the Dinobots took a one glance of you and abandoned whole fight, running and flying full speed to you. In seconds they surrounded you, cuddling close to you and whining from the back of their throats, but you couldn’t see anything, you were rubbing your leaking eyes and crying out loud so hard.

Autobots and Captain reformed at the background, old man rubbing his head. ”What in the name of the—!”

”They’re… Comforting the child?” Bulkhead was just as surprised as Captain standing next to him. Prowl nodded slightly, his face straight as ever but then he smiled. ”Seems like they grew attached to child. Shows that there’s more to them than we give them credit for.”

It took you a moment to calm down and stop crying, but your eyes were puffy and red and your face was all snotty. You sniffled and leaned in to hug pteranodon beak that it offered for you and triceratops and Grimlock crooned sadly. ”Tiny no cry! Tiny laugh!”

”I- I’ll try…!” You sniffled and looked at the big guy sadly. ”Are you hurt? Does it hurt anywhere?”

”Me Grimlock! Grimlock strongest Dinobot!” Grimlock roared into the sky, then leaned in and carefully nuzzled against your cheek. ”Tiny not sad. Grimlock strong!”

You sniffled couple more times before pulling the sleeve of your shirt over your hand and using it to wipe your face clean of tears and snot. Slowly, you rose up on your feet and wrapped your arms best way you could against Grimlock’s snout in hug. ”Yeah, you’re a strong tyrannosaurus…!”

While you were having a loving hug with your giant friend, Prowl approached you carefully, the only thing alarming you about his approach being your other two dino friends snarling at him. Even Grimlock pulled back from your hug and growled at Prowl.

”Grimlock, we need no harm to you or the child, but the child needs to return home. Their parents are worried sick for them.” Prowl tried to talk some sense to leader of the dinobots, but was met with Grimlock growling more at him. ”Grimlock strong! Grimlock care!”

”I know you do, but if you really care of them you let them go home where they belong.”

Grimlock growled but turned to look at you for answers. ”Tiny go home?”

You smiled at the mention of home and nodded. ”Yeah, I need to go home soon! But I will visit you again and we can play again and have fun and I’ll bring my picture books and toys with me!”

Grimlock and others crooned sadly. ”Tiny stay here…!”

You shook your head. ”I can’t! Mommy and daddy will get worried if I don’t return home! But I will come back!” You held your little finger up to Grimlock and others. ”I pinky promise! If I break it then boogeyman will come and take me away!”

The dinosaurs crooned glancing at each other before they one by one gently graced their snouts and beak against your pinky. You grinned and jumped up happily! ”Now we have a deal!”

”Okay okay, let get things gathered up and get going!” Mister Bean man said as he walked up to you. He took your backpack and started to stuff your toys inside it. ”Let’s get you home.”

Soon you were all on the boat and aborting the Dinosaur island of Lake Erie. You got Mister’s permission to stand by the fence as long as you didn’t stick your head through it and held on tight. With your free hand you happily waved to your friends who grew smaller and smaller as farther you got. ”Bye bye!”

Grimlock and others roared one last time before they returned into the forest to go on with their day and wait for your return. You smiled, though a little sadly that you had to leave your friends behind. Why did you have to live so far away from each other?

”Mister Bean man?” You looked up at the man standing next to you and he turned to you. ”Yeah kid?”

”Am I in trouble?” You asked and frowned sadly as you awkwardly shuffled your feet. ”I left without mommy’s and daddy’s permission… I hope I don’t get yelled…”

To your surprise and shock a heavy hand gently petted your head and your looked up at the older man who grinned back at you. ”I’ll make sure you won’t get reprimanded, but you gotta make sure to ask your parents permission next time when you go somewhere.”

You nodded slowly and then glanced at the big bots standing behind you. ”Can I come visit my friends again?”

The bots shared a look and the green one leaned in closer to you. ”Umm, I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea—” But he grew silent with the black bot gently laying his hand against big one’s arm. The sleek black bot leaned down as much as he could to get to your eye level. ”You can meet them again, but call Captain Fanzone first so he can personally take you to meet them.”

”Who’s Captain Fanzone?” You asked innocently. ”Who is that?”

Prowl smiled. ”Mister Bean man.”

You smiled widely and turned to look at the older man beside you. ”Really!? You will take me to meet my friends? Jay!”

”Once I got time! Also, you need your parents permission first!” Older man shouted but you were too happy to hear him. Instead you happily ran over to giant bots and started to run around them excitedly.

”I can’t wait to play with my friends again!”

#transformers animated #Transformers #my story #writing #tfa #2007 #Child!Reader #Dinobots #Grimlock #Snarl #Swoop #Captain Fanzone #Prowl #Bulkhead #yes-i-write-fanfiction's birthday story #Happy Birthday!

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