#i hope you get to enjoy some chocolate cake today (if you like that flavor?) for the occasion tho

[spilling-blood]

i feel like i'm intruding on something looking at your icon. what doth the plushes be up to on the eve of national chocolate cake day?

Well I have to apologize dear anon as the answer may make you feel like even more of an unintended voyuer.

They seem to be performing some sort of ritual around Milo rn...

[bookshelf-dust]

Hi ;) I'm sorry it's me again 😅😭I've been having an overabundance of fic ideas lately... So... What about reader doing something super nice and cute for Billy's birthday ? He isn't used to it, his family has never remembered his birth date, let alone celebrated his birthday, so when he sees that reader actually remembers his birthday and does something very meaningful to celebrate it, he just ends up crying because of how beautiful the present it : I don't know what the present could be though, like maybe she sings him a song that she wrote for him ? Which is surprising since she has social anxiety which shows how much effort she put into making this day memorable for him. Really choose whatever you think it's best. Thank you !!!

billy vs. the grinch

billy hargrove x fem!byers!reader

word count: 1,084

warnings: swearing, fluff

a/n: hi, my love! please don’t be sorry! i appreciate you trusting me with your ideas. this is really sweet. i hope that you enjoy what i came up with and that it’s what you wanted. <333

————

Billy’s fingers are gripping your belt loops so hard you’re afraid the denim might rip. You push open the front door, the wood cold on your fingertips.

Billy’s been on the verge of tears since seven forty-five this morning, when you hopped down your front step and launched yourself into his arms. “Happy birthday, gorgeous,” you’d said.

He’d only told you his birthday once, right after you met. That you remembered it was making his heart grow, what was it, three sizes? Isn’t that what the Grinch said?

Fuck, it didn’t matter. What did matter was that you were taking him home where he’d get to spend time with the only people he’d felt loved by.

Billy stays behind you after you’re inside like he’s never been here before.

“Is that my birthday boy?” Joyce’s voice carries to the both of you from the kitchen. You keep moving, pulling him along since he refuses to let you go.

Your mother has flour in her hair, and she’s wearing an apron with ladybugs on it. You’re pretty sure Will picked it out for her at some point.

When she sees him, she claps her hands excitedly, smiling brilliantly. She looks so young.

“Hi, Billy! Happy birthday, sweetie.”

She pulls him in for a hug, which he accepts. Joyce Byers has this thing with her hugs. They make everything feel like it’s going to be okay.

“Thank you,” Billy mumbles. You run a hand up the curve of his spine as if to say, It’s okay. You’re not bothering anyone. This is happening because we love you.

When she lets Billy go, Joyce kisses the crown of your head. “Hey, baby. Jonathan picked up pizza. I figured that would be okay?”

You assure her that it is.

Will and Max enter the kitchen from where they’d been in Will’s room. They’d biked home today so that you could spend some time with Billy.

“Happy birthday,” Will says. “You know you can buy lottery tickets now?”

Max snorts. “He wouldn’t have the money for them. He spends it all on cigarettes.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be nice to me today or something?” He asks her.

“I was going to give you a hug,” she tells him. “Unless you’re immune to that sort of thing.”

You take Will’s hand, walking over to look at what your mother has been up to, just long enough to give them a minute. Their relationship has improved exponentially in recent months. It’s nice to see them finally have each other to rely on.

On the counter sits a cake in a glass pan. It’s strawberry flavored, which you can see from the pink tinge it has, and there’s chocolate frosting smeared over the top of it.

Happy Birthday, Billy is written in a sloppy scrawl across the top, two big number candles sitting above his name. 18.

Later, after the six of you have demolished it, Billy tells Joyce that it’s the best damn cake he’s ever had, and that she’s not allowed to fight him on it. She obliges.

Billy told Will and Max to pick out a movie because it would stress him out too much. They did, and you all sit around the living room, devouring that too.

Billy thinks about how he’s never felt safer. He enjoys just sitting in this room with these people who he knows care about him, even if it isn’t exactly the group anyone expected him to end up hanging around.

When the movie’s over, you lead Billy down the hall and into your bedroom. “Sit, pretty please. I have a present for you.”

“I told you not to get me anything,” he says.

You tap his knee. “Since when have I ever listened to what you tell me to do?”

Billy chuckles and it makes you smile. You place a manila envelope in his lap.

“Sorry. Didn’t really have anything to put it in.”

“I don’t give a shit about how you wrapped it, baby.” You feel yourself go warm. It doesn’t matter how many times he calls you that—it always has the same effect.

“Open it.”

You sit down on the floor in front of him, the carpet squishing under your legs. You prop your head up, settling your arms on his knees and under your chin.

You watch as he pulls a sheet of thick paper out of the envelope.

Billy’s eyes widen just slightly and his breath hitches.

“Baby.”

It’s a drawing of the Camaro.

You sit up a little more so you can point the specifics out to him.

“I borrowed Jonathan’s camera to take a picture of it one day a couple weeks ago. And I dug out my best paper too.”

You run a finger along the lingering pencil marks. “I tried my best with the blue. I don’t exactly have the most extensive colored pencil collection in the world, and I’d already gone through mine and Will’s, so it’s not perfect, but. It’s still pretty blue.”

First you sketched the drawing, as best as you could, and then you colored it just the same. You used a thin pen to outline it when you finished. It’s simple, but you’re happy with it.

Billy runs his thumb over where you left your signature by the back tire. When he looks up at you his eyes are glossy.

“You drew this whole thing just for me?”

“‘Course I did, Billy.” You wipe away the tear that’s just managed to slip out. “I love you and stuff.”

He tosses his head back, laughing. You kiss his cheek, over a patch of freckles, and he blushes.

“You like it?” You ask.

He sets it down beside him. “Are you kidding? I fuckin’ love it. Thank you, sweetheart.”

Billy is even more touched when he thinks about how it’s not often that you draw. You love to do it, but it’s not something you think you’re that great at. He disagrees by a long shot. So the fact that you took the time to do this means the world.

When he hugs you, he tries to put all of this feeling into it, and you make sure to rub up and down his back as a reminder that it’s okay for him to be emotional about this. You’re sure he wants to fight it.

“I love you too, by the way,” he says into your hair.

You pull back and kiss him. He tastes like chocolate.

“Happy birthday, pretty boy.”

————

please let me know if you liked this! feedback is always appreciated!! comments and reblogs mean more than you know. <33

[nogenderbee]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ 𝔹𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 ₊˚ˑ༄

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ not a request

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Happy Birthday to my shy hamster!! <3

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ fluff

Affiliation with @virtualbookstore

Kohane's birthday were coming... you were studying all the photos she sent you in recent months to not miss any clue what she might be silently hinting on. Maybe she wanted something specific for birthday?

You didn't knew if it was just a misunderstanding or if she was actally giving you hints... but she've been going out to bakery's and cafe's quite often... and took many nice photos of butterflies... so even if those weren't her hints, you took it as a hint from universe that you should bake something for your girlfirend's birthdays!

You decided to make vanilla-peach flavored cake with white chocolate butterflied on top! Maybe even few flowers? It all really depends if you have a lucky day and if your skills will decide to cooporate or not... but even if it'd be bad, you still would give your all!

You didn't really trust your skills in the end tho so you decided to ask An for little help! She agreed to let you use kitchen in Weekend Garage before opening hours and she even offered to help with chocolate butterflies!

What you and An forgot about tho was that VBS had a morning practice today... And you just discovered that by her bursting into the kitchen and yelling her discovery out loud.

"Y/N are you done yet?!! I totally forgot me and VBS have practice today at 8am!"

"An, IT'S 7:30AM!!"

"I know! I can try holding their attention away if you'll need some time, just try hurrying up a bit?"

You gave her a nod and with more motivation now, you tried working faster. The butterflies were luckily done already, all you had to do was put them on top of the small cake! But before that... you also had to put frosting on top and then package it nicely in case she decides to enjoy it at home.

You were just putting final touches when you heard cafe's bell. Technically it could be anyone but this soft voice doesn't belong to just anyone.. You knew well it was time for you to give your girlfriend a nice gift, but cake wasn't fully ready yet! You prefered to take your time with packaging rather than ruin your whole work so you just heard An trying to find quickly a good topic to not go in stage yet.

"A-An weren't we supposed to-"

"Happy Birthday, Kohane!!"

When An was running out of topics, you finally bursted out of the kitchen with pink box in hand decorated by white ribbons. You noticed the surprise and even slight blush on her cheeks but you still decided to deepen it by handing her your little gift.

She opened it carefully and An walked away to her dad to give you some privacy. Meanwhile Kohane's eyes were sparkling once she noticed the peach cake and little butterflies.

"It's- it's amazing! Did you really made it yourself?"

"Mhm! Do you like it?"

"Yes, I love it! I hope you don't mind if I try it at home... I don't think it's good idea to eat it before practice..."

"Of course not! That's actually part of the reason why I packed it."

You smiled when you saw how relieved she is that you thought of everything for her. You had plans for something more but you can always take her on a little date after her practice.

"(An, I owe you one...)"

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

@bleachtheidiot - come get your hamster girl!

[son-tatso]

BouTEAque Time [Tatso & Tater]

son-tatso Tatso a Saiyan Time Patroller was sent to a certain era to investigate a distortion, though he was stuck, unable to find any leads beyond the where and when it was last detected. He supposed he should wait around to see if it happens again, so found himself exploring this time's West City to pass the time.

“Oh, BouTEAque? Haha that’s good!” he laughed at the punny coffee shop name he walked past it, getting interested enough for him to go in to check it out.

“Hello! I like the name of the shop, is there anything you would recommend?” Tatso asked the nearest staff member. He had a striking resemblance to a teenage Gohan and Goten due to his hair, though he hoped he could pass himself as a normal human civilian with spiky hair, having changed from his Sayan armour to more normal clothes before entering the city so he could blend in. // for Tater

@dragvnsovl answered:

As soon as she heard a customer entering, Tater gave an automatic greeting in a cheerful tone, tossing a friendly smile in their direction. "Welcome!"

She finished up cleaning a table before turning towards the newcomer when he gave his question, folding the rag in her hand and placing it on the table's surface with a hum of thought. "Recommendations..? Oh, there's quite a few. We have a particularly large selection of teas and coffees with different flavors. Our confections and pastries are also popular, especially the pies and cakes. I'm fond of the carrot cake, myself." Perhaps a bit on the nose considering her long bunny ears that twitched curiously.

She paid no mind to his hair, having seen her fair share of interesting customers. Lifting a hand up, she tapped a finger against her chin in contemplation. "Though, since the weather has been hot lately, perhaps something refreshing like a lemon and mint iced green tea? Our chocolate banana semifreddo has been a hit so maybe you would enjoy that?"

-

“Yes,” Tatso confirmed, listening to Tater carefully, mentally noting down her recommendations. He wasn’t exactly hungry, just more thirsty if anything. “You’re right, it is actually quite hot today. So I’ll have a large lemon and mint iced green tea please.”

Deciding on the order, he looked around the place while waiting. It seemed friendly and lively enough, and he doubted the food and drinks were bad either, it was likely he would come back again for a pick-me-up at some point later.

[goodluckclove]

i browned some butter today to make a batch of cookies; it smelled like walnuts and caramel and i thought to myself "clove from tumblr would be proud of me right now" so thanks for singlehandedly making me a food enjoyer via songbird elegies. (((and the cookies turned out pretty good overall too. toffee chocolate chip)))

i'm gonna work on a food-focused WIP i started months ago. it's another one of those little hurt/BIG comfort stories and i forgot how happy it makes me. just wanted to let you know you've been a great influence. i hope you're doing well. :)

( also i just realized we both have herb names ! basil and clove . that's so fun )

Oh my god I can't believe the influence I'm having on The Youth. I'm convincing people to enjoy yummy treats.

Crazy coincidence that you did this, because I just finished putting a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies in myself. I have a secret though that you might be interested in for your future cookie endeavors.

The fat you put in your cookies makes a huge difference in the texture. You used butter - browned butter (fucking great choice) - which is why your cookies will likely have a nice crispiness to go along with the caramelized depth of flavor. But next time you might want to consider shortening instead of butter, which will result in nice dense cookies with a soft, cake-like texture.

Or you can do what I like to do when I have the time, which is half shortening and half butter. I got this trick from a vintage cookbook and if you can remember to soften butter beforehand (or beat a harder stick with a baking spoon, that works), and it really makes a difference. Best of both worlds, crisp edges and a softer middle. You bite in, especially right as they cooled down enough to hold their shape but still be hot, and it's like eating the concept of a cookie at it's purest form. Just a perfect blend of crunch and soft dough - and, in my case, gooey chocolate.

Yum yum. Corrupt the youth by getting them into baking and cooking. Let's party.

Also I'm so psyched to hear more about your new story!

[mistressofthecubicle]

The Lunch Thief -

“Well, well.” Ellie’s voice was filled with longing and desire as she reached into the fridge. She was raiding the work fridge again. Every time she was on a diet she was unable to control her hunger. She’d become a bit of a petty lunch thief. She would look in the fridge to see what others had brought. And when no one was looking, she helped herself. She was sneaky about it though as she would only take parts and pieces. She would slice off a sliver of cake or take a few fries or whatever was available. She always tried to make it look as if nothing had changed, though sometimes her attempts at subterfuge were not very successful.

It was such a huge office, and most everyone didn’t care, so in the long run it was no big deal, but the whole office knew that there was a lunch thief. It had become a bit of a joke around the water cooler. But she didn't worry too much, no one suspected that it was her. Today she’d found a real treasure. Instead of the usual fare, someone had stored nearly half a cake in the fridge. From the remaining letters on it, it looked to be a birthday cake. She pulled it out and placed it on the counter. There would be plenty left over. She needn't worry that anybody would notice a missing slice. She got a plate and a fork and cut a large piece, complete with frosting. It was chocolate inside and had a red jelly filling. She carefully wrapped the remainder back up and replaced it, taking care to leave it sitting exactly as it had been previous to her swiping some of the dessert. She ate it and enjoyed every last bite.

The chocolate was decadently rich and held a slight bitter and dark undertone to its' flavor that she savored. She couldn't quite place the subtle aroma on her tongue. She had just cleaned up all trace of the ill-gotten dessert from her face, and had deposited her plate and fork in the garbage can, when her friend Bill strode into the break room. She went for a coffee cup as if that had been her intent all along.

“Hi Ellie, how's your day going?”

“It’s going fine, thanks Bill. What are you up to?" She said indicating a piece of paper and a roll of tape in his hands.

“Oh, I’m putting a warning on some food in the fridge.” He stated blankly, he seemed detached and remote, like something else was on his mind.

“Ah, someone take your lunch again?” she laughed, as if she were on his side. He snapped back to the present, and replied to her with feeling that was more serious than simple concern over whether or not his lunch was walking away; “I wish that were the case. My fridge broke last night and I had to bring something to work and keep it here. I need to take it to the lab after work.”

“What lab? Why?” Ellie asked suddenly very curious.

“Well, you see my sister had a birthday party the other day and several people died the day after. The police say that she put something in the cake to kill them. Luckily for her she gave me a huge piece, which I never ate and the police don’t know about the part that I have. She’s asked me to take my share to an independent lab so that she can hopefully get her name cleared. I’m putting a warning on it so that people will know not to eat it.” Then he showed her the sign he’d printed.

“WARNING: This cake is possibly the cause of multiple deaths. Taking to the lab after work. Please DO NOT TOUCH in case cake is actually poisoned. - Bill Watland.” Then he opened the fridge and put the warning on the plastic enshrouding the cake.

Ellie, though suddenly terrified, tried to play it off; “Wow, so... some people really died? How do they know it was the cake?” She asked, hoping to make sense of the crazy story Bill was recounting.

“That’s the interesting thing. Everyone at the party was able to choose from either a white cake or a chocolate cake. Most people chose white and only a few ate the chocolate one. Neither my sister nor I ate the chocolate one, which is why she sent the rest home with me for my kids. Thank god they weren't coming over to visit until the weekend or we could've all suffered the same fate. Anyway, the next day all the people who ate the chocolate cake went to the hospital, and the doctors called my sister, because of the birthday party connection. Within two hours of being admitted they'd all died. Now, they're investigating my sister for murder.”

"OMG!" Ellie trembled, her face flushing red then fading to white as the blood drained out of it.

Bill misinterpreted her distress as concern for his sister; "Don't worry, I'm sure it's some terrible misunderstanding, my sister's name will be cleared soon enough. Well, anyway, I’ve got to get back to work. Emails don't stop for death and cake, now do they?" Bill joked. But his joke didn't draw a laugh from Ellie. She simply mouthed “Yup." Her voice breathless and strained.

The moment Bill left the break room, Ellie who’d remained standing by the coffee maker rushed to dump her coffee down the drain and tore off to the bathroom. She tried to make herself throw up, but was unable to purge her rolling stomach of the monstrous cake.

She stood shaking in front of the bathroom mirror, myriads of questions flooding her panicked brain; How would she recover? Would she die? Was Bill just playing a joke on her? Surely the cake hadn't been poisoned, but she didn't dare say anything, not to anyone, at least not yet. She couldn't bear to let people know that she was the lunch thief. She solemnly headed back to her desk and vowed that if she survived, she would never take another person's food as long as she lived.

[rendy-a]

Good to know! How about courting headcanons for Ace, Azul, Floyd and Rook? Something simple to ease you into writing for canon Twst, ehe. /lh Good luck with this and feel free to delete this request if it's not to your taste!

I’ve been thinking about expanding beyond just the Pet AU, so this was a very timely request. 😊  I also adjusted the format a bit to have a small scenario at the end, so it took me longer than normal to write it.  I hope you enjoy it.

Courting Behaviors with Ace, Azul, Floyd and Rook

Romance comes differently to everyone.  Some find it second nature while others struggle to get their feelings across.  How does your sweetheart behave when he has his eye on you?

Ace is like the boy who pulls on a girl’s braids in school.  He doesn’t know what to do with his feelings and it shows.  He can’t leave you alone, teasing you constantly.  You have his full attention, although you might wish you didn’t!  Trey and Riddle definitely tell him to knock it off.  He stops for a while, but he can’t quit for good.  You are just too fun for him to tease.

He will start inviting you to spend all your time with him.  It just feels natural to have you around!  As much as you used to spend time at Heartslabyul, you are spending even more time there now.  Study sessions, hang outs, tea parties; Ace just seems to always have a reason you should stop by.  He might even bashfully invite you to come watch his basketball club practice.  He is pretty good, you know.  Why not come admire him see him play?

Under all that cocky attitude, you’ll find that Ace is oddly dependable.  When you really need him, he always seems to come through for you.  You’ll never forget the way he cut his winter break short to come to your rescue, even though he ended up begin too late.  He also doesn’t make a big deal of small things like splitting his lunch with you when the meager allowance Crowley supplies runs low.  He is just a standup guy, but don’t say it too loud; he has a reputation to keep!

On your birthday, you are feeling down.  It really hits you at times like this that you can’t spend these days with your family and friends from back home.  Ace notices you are feeling blue and arranges a surprise party at Ramshackle.  He even sweet-talked Trey into backing some cupcakes for the occasion. 

The party is going great.  You can almost forget your situation when you are surrounded by your new friends like this.  You finish speaking to Deuce when the table of cupcakes catch your eye.  Trey has really done a fine job on them; the decorations are simple yet fun.  The only thing better than the way Trey’s treats look is how they taste.  You smile and go to grab one of the tempting sweets. 

While contemplating the difficult decision of strawberry (a Heartslabyul specialty) or chocolate (a tried-and-true classic), a hand comes into your vision handing you a vanilla cupcake with a shiny cherry on top.  “I’ve always been fond of cherry myself,” Ace says with a smirk.  You give him a small smile; he has been pushing you lately but after today you suppose you can forgive him. 

You unwrap the cupcake from its wrapper and lift it to take a bite.  Suddenly, Ace grabs your hand and smashes the cupcake into your face.  You sputter and squirm out from under his hand, spitting a mouthful of cream and cupcake out.  “What the hell Ace!  Can’t I even get a break on my Birthday?” you say.  “Ah sorry, sorry.” Ace says.  “It’s a bit of a habit.  Here let me help you clean up.”  He takes a finger and wipes some of the cake and cream from your check and licks it from his finger.  He gives you his mischievous smirk and says softly, “My favorite flavor.”

Azul is too bashful to confess to you, so he goes with the secret admirer route.  It starts small, with little gifts left on your chair or back at Ramshackle.  Nothing too fancy but always something you needed, something that is useful to you.  Each little package comes with a short note.  “Good day prefect.  Your pencil is almost down to the nub.  I hope you’ll accept this humble offering to replace it.”  At first, the notes aren’t even signed.  You ask your friends about them, but no one claims to be the source of the helpful gifts.  It’s an exciting mystery!

Soon there is an escalation to your secret admirer.  Now he leaves full blown letters with the mystery gifts; each letter is signed “your secret admirer.”  You feel as though you are really getting to know this mystery person through their writing, only you still don’t know who it could possibly be!  For Azul, this is both exciting and extremely frustrating.  He enjoys watching you from afar as you discover the little gifts and notes.  He watches your face light up as you open each carefully crafted letter and read.  The temptation to find out what you think about them is almost unbearable. 

Scratch that, it is totally unbearable.  He can’t resist trying to find out how you feel about the situation.  The next time your “admirer” leaves a gift for you, Azul arranges to be casually walking by.  “Why Prefect, what is that you have there?” he asks with a feigned innocence.  Ace and Deuce have long since grown tired of hearing you talk about your admirer, so you are eager to tell Azul all about it.  From then on, he becomes your confident.  Each time you get a new letter from your admirer, you can’t wait to run and tell Azul about it.  You both gossip about the gifts and speculate on just who this amazing admirer could be.  Azul waits eagerly to hear every drop of praise you lavish unknowingly on his efforts.

This is only going to end if you realize Azul is your admirer and confess to him, which isn’t likely as you are rather oblivious to the situation.  Until that time, Azul is just too comfortable having this second-hand romance with the safety of anonymity. 

Your admirer has left you another note (how exciting!) inviting you to diner at Mostro Lounge.  Is today finally the day you’ll meet your secret admirer?  You can’t wait to tell Azul about this new development.  It’s been such a breath of fresh air to have Azul to talk to about your mystery.  If Ace gives you that look one more time when you bring up the letters, well…you don’t really know what you’d do but there is only so much eye-rolling that can be healthy for a person.

The lunchroom fills as you hurry over to a table occupied by the Octavinelle trio.  “Azul, look!  He wrote to me again!”  An interested smile crosses Azul’s face as he asks you for details.  From there, it is the usual song and dance; he asks you what is in the letter, how you feel about it and what you think might happen next.  You are more than happy to gush out about it all; the diner plans, your hope and excitement and what you think the night might bring (a confession!?).  Floyd gives you a look like, Shrimpy you can’t be serious, and Jade seems merely amused.  Before you leave for your next class, Azul assures you that he will be on hand at the lounge tonight to make sure everything goes perfectly.

You arrive at the lounge exactly on time (Riddle would approve) and head to the host stand.  Azul meets you there.  He has been waiting for this moment, planning for this moment, practicing for this moment; this is his moment!  He takes one look at you and freezes.  His confidence visibly fades, and he attempts to speak but all that comes out is a meek mutter.  “Azul, Azul…AZUL!” you shout to get his attention, “Is he here?”  Azul’s nervous look reverts back into his business mask.  “I’m so sorry prefect but I’m afraid this has arrived before you.”  He reaches into his jacket and removes a letter (Plan B!) and places it in your hands.  “He has left instructions by letter for your dinner tonight.  Allow me to seat you in our best booth.”

Your hopes are crushed but you tell yourself that you are at least getting a free meal out of your secret admirer.  “He left very explicit instructions.  I assure you that he has chosen only the very best.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”  Azul reassures you.  “And for what it’s worth…I’m sorry.” He says quietly before leaving to grab you a drink. 

The whole night, Azul acts as your personal waiter.  You are so appreciative that he is taking time out from managing the lounge to keep you company.  By the end of the meal, you’ve even gotten your spunk back.  Each time Azul brings you a new course chosen by your mystery admirer, you both gush over the choice and speculate about why they may have picked such an item.

At the end of the night, Azul walks you to the Octavinelle mirror; you tell him it’s not necessary, but he insists.  He takes your hand before you go.  “Prefect…I hope you had a good evening tonight, in spite of everything.” You smile back at him and give his hand a reassuring squeeze.  “I did, thanks to you Azul.  Who knows, maybe next time I’ll see my admirer in person!”  Azul gives you a faraway look, “Yes.  Maybe next time…”

One of the first indicators that Floyd is becoming interested in you is that he will start spending a lot more time with you.  He is now your study buddy, hangout partner and personal bodyguard.  Any time you need someone, Floyd just seems to be there. 

As he falls deeper and deeper, he starts caring about your opinion more.  If you ask him to do something, Floyd will actually listen to you.  Can he stop teasing Riddle?  He guesses he can play with Shrimpy instead.  Stop goofing off and do his homework?  If you wanted to help studying, you should have just said.  Can he not squeeze that student too much?  Well, he’ll have to explain it a bit to Azul, but he supposes he can let him off a bit easy.  You have as much influence with Floyd as Jade now; and that is really saying something!

One of Floyd’s love languages is giving gifts.  At first, he tries to give you expensive items like sneakers that match his own, but you tell him you are uncomfortable accepting something that expensive.  After that, he sticks to things he finds himself.  You get a small gift each time he takes a walk around campus or a visit to the beach.  They are things like shells, interesting rocks and flowers; each small treasure makes you smile because you know he was thinking of you when he picked it up.  You put them on a shelf in your room and Floyd smiles each time he visits you at Ramshackle and sees the carefully preserved collection.

Sometimes, when he is having a bad day, Floyd asks to lean his head on your shoulder.  He just stays that way for a while, breathing deeply and staying uncharacteristically quietly.  After a time, he stands and gives you a small sleepy smile before walking away.  You aren’t sure what that is all about but if it helps Floyd with his famous moods, you are glad to do it.

Soon comes a time when you are the one having a bad day.  Floyd notices you aren’t your usual self.  “Hey Shrimpy, want to know what always makes me feel better?” he asks.  “Sure Floyd, I’m willing to try anything at this point to make me forget Crowley’s latest stupid demand.” 

He sits beside you and draws you towards him until your head is resting gently against his chest.  You get flustered and try to ask him what he is doing but he only shushes you.  “Quiet Shrimpy.  Just listen.”  You oblige him and sit quietly, silently willing the blood to stop rushing to your face.  “What am I supposed to be listening for?” you ask him. 

“When I feel rotten, I like to find someone I care about and listen to their heartbeat.  Then you calm yourself down until your heartbeats match.” Floyd tells you in a serious voice.  You recall all the times that Floyd has asked to lay on your shoulder and think about what that means.  This is having the opposite effect of calming you down.  Floyd senses your increasing heartrate and looks down at you.  You meet his eyes silently.  Now both your hearts are racing.  You suppose this is also a way to match heartbeats.

Rook’s habit of being overly poetic and praiseful soars to new levels.  He greets you each morning with a romance-novel-worthy line about love and/or beauty.  If you are very observant, you might also notice he reserves certain pet names or beauty comparisons for you alone.  It’s because you occupy such a unique place in his heart! Only your eyes could remind him of the wide eyes of his prey during a hunt; so clear and enrapturing.

You are as important to Rook as Vil and so he will begin helping you out in the same way he helps Vil.  You’ll have a first-class stylist in Rook to advise you on your outfits and overall look.  It’s strange the first time Rook tells you that you really should wear a scarf if you intend to pull off that blazer look but he is absolutely right.  By listening to his frequent advice, you become more fashionable, healthy and overall beautiful.  Rook gets to spend time with you giving advice and seeing your beauty advance to a new level; it’s a total win-win situation for him.

One of the best perks about having Rook’s interest is that he lets you see the campus through his eyes.  His hunter’s instinct and eye for beauty have driven him to explore every nook and cranny of Night Raven College.  He has seen and discovered many wondrous things that he now wishes to share with you.  Things like where you can see the best sunsets and sunrises, the room where the stained glass creates lovely patterns on the wall in the afternoon or the path behind the colosseum where you can smell the wildflowers blooming.  He is not only sharing these places with you but a part of himself by allowing you this insight into his thoughts.

One morning before classes, Rook Invites you to go on a sunrise walk.  He takes you out along a nearly hidden path through the forest until you reach a clearing.  In the clearing is a target.  “Mon amour, I thought today I would share the thing I love most with the one I love most,” says Rook while holding one hand to his chest and the other gesturing artfully. 

You sit on a log and watch Rook skillfully shoot his bow.  His forearms strain has he holds the string back taunt, his steady gaze focused on the target.  When he releases the arrow, his lips upturn just a small bit in satisfaction.  A long history of practice lets him know he will be successful long before the arrow finds its mark.

After watching for a bit, you ask Rook if you can try your hand at it.  He gives you a knowing smile and hands you the bow.  You set an arrow and try to pull back the string, but you can’t even make it budge.  You realize then the amount of strength Rook must have to use his bow.  “Shall I assist you, mon amour?” Rook asks slyly. 

Rook goes to your side and puts his arms around you.  His hands rest right below yours on the bow and string as you hold the arrow in place.  “Now pull,” he whispers in your ear.  You do as he says and this time, with his assistance, you are able to draw the bow.  You excitedly attempt to aim and release the arrow.  It does not hit the target.

“Non, non, non,” chides Rook.  “You are far too eager mon trésor.  Focus.”  Again, he positions himself behind you and helps you draw the bow.  You attempt to focus as much as you can on the target and not on the way Rook’s breath feels on the back of your neck.  A few deep breaths of your own and you release.  This time your arrow does hit the target and you cry out in excitement.  You hear Rook quietly say “perfect”; not in his normal joyful tone but in a quiet and serious one.  When you turn to look at him, he isn’t looking at the target at all but deeply into your eyes. 

[sungiethequokka]

cheesecake over boys

Pairing: Jisung x GN!Reader

Genre: idiots friends to lovers, fluff

Warnings: none!

Word Count: 2.8k

Synopsis: You’re on a chill coffee date with your best friend Jisung, but when a cute waiter starts hitting on you, things take a turn for the worse… or do they?

A/N: Hello again. This was supposed to be a short little story, but ig I fell victim to Jisung’s cuteness and it got a little out of hand. Hope you enjoy!

You were cleaning your apartment when you heard the distinct ding! of your phone from your kitchen table. Wiping your brow, you left the mop where it was and headed towards the kitchen. Upon lifting your phone you found a notification from your best friend, Jisung.

[Ji🐿️​:]

Yo, wanna go get some cheesecake at that new coffee shop?

You smiled to yourself, taking a look at your half-cleaned apartment before shooting a reply.

[Me:]

You mean right now?

[Ji🐿️​:]

Yeah I mean right now. Come ooooonnnn y/n, I’m hungryyyyy

[Me:]

Lmao fine. Let me take a quick shower first. Meet you there in 30.

With that you put your phone down, letting out a big exhale. You couldn’t help but shake your head at yourself, always saying yes to whatever plans Jisung had, no matter how erratic or out of the blue they were. But then again, who could blame you? It was hard to say no when you could picture the exact cheeky pout he always used against you in your head. You two had been friends for so many years it was almost engraved on the inside of your skull by now. Besides that, you always felt better after hanging out with him. It’s like his energy was contagious. You bit your bottom lip, lost in thought.

Crap. You said you’d meet in half an hour. You need to get moving.

You sprang back up from your seat and began storing your cleaning supplies away, before heading to the shower. Once refreshed, you slipped on one of your favorite comfy outfits (some loose jeans and an oversized hoodie), and headed out.

Jisung was already waiting at the door when you arrived. His hair was tousled and kinda wavy, which meant he had probably showered just before meeting you too. You picked up your pace when you saw him, waving a hand in his direction while practically trotting the last half a block to the coffee shop. His face lit up when he saw you, a big toothy smile spreading across his face. You gave him a tight hug before going inside the café.

“Hey. We’re kinda matching today!” you pointed out, slightly out of breath. Both of your outfits were fairly similar in cut and shape.

“I know. More room for cheesecake this way, right?” he giggled, slightly tugging at the loose fabric of his hoodie.

You rolled your eyes and pulled him inside the shop. The place was really nice. It had a chill vibe to it, with minimal furniture, wooden floors and decorations in mellow warm tones. The smell of freshly ground coffee lingered heavily in the air and you took it in with a big inhale while getting in line to make your order.

“Do you know what you wanna order already?” you asked Jisung, turning around to face him with a relaxed smile.

He lifted a brow in disbelief. “Take a wild guess.”

“I know, I know,” you scoffed. “I mean ~besides~ the iced americano. They seem to have a lot of different cheesecake flavors to choose from. I think I can even see a coffee one from here.” you pointed out, lifting to your tiptoes to get a better look at the cakes on display.

Jisung suppressed a smile while watching you try to make yourself taller. It was cute, really. You almost reminded him of a little kid trying to choose a prize at the arcade. He scratched his nose in an attempt to hide his expression before you turned around to face him again. Taking a glance at the display, he finally came to a conclusion.

“I think I’m gonna go for the classic today, you know, just to see how good they are. If they really make a good cheesecake they need to nail the OG before going crazy with the chocolate and stuff. You feel me?”

“Yeah. I think you’re right. You sound like such an expert though,” you teased, knowing full well the boy was passionate about his cheesecake.

“Shut up.” he retorted, biting his lip and quickly poking your side, eliciting a low involuntary yelp from you.

“We’re in public. Behave.” you scolded him while swatting his hand away.

He innocently put his hands behind his back and gave you a faux apologetic look as you arrived at the counter. You sighed, shaking your head before focusing your attention on the person behind the register.

“Hi. We’re gonna have two iced americanos and…” you trailed off once you saw the man standing at the counter. He was… cute, to put it plainly. Tall, nice hair, bright eyes. And he was smiling at you, a warm smile full of perfect teeth. You struggled to find your words for a second. Jisung coughed rather loudly beside you, and elbowed you to the side while he finished your order.

“It’ll be two iced americanos and two slices of New York cheesecake, please.” he interjected, before handing the man his card and giving you a quizzical look.

Once your order was placed, you took a seat at a booth beside the big front windows.

“What was that?” he questioned right away, with a look on his face that you could only describe as mild annoyance with a hint of amusement.

“What was what?” you tried to dodge, taking a look at the street outside.

“C’mon. You were like a deer in headlights when that dude smiled at you. I thought I might need to give you CPR to get you out of the shock.” he sneered with a playful smirk on his lips.

You reached over the table to slap his arm. “I don’t know, he took me by surprise. Did you see how white his teeth were? Normal people don’t have teeth that white.”

“Like a shark.” he pointed out nonchalantly.

You shrugged it off, but he kinda had a point, though you wouldn’t admit it. After that little bit of nagging you were back to your regularly scheduled banter, talking about work, the band, which games you were playing recently… anything and everything, really. You could talk to Jisung for hours and the conversation would never become boring. You felt really at ease with him, and he felt the same with you. There was never a tense silence between you two.

Your order finally arrived after some time, and you were surprised when you lifted your head to thank the waiter to find out it was the same man that took your order at the counter. You offered him a soft smile and an almost inaudible “thanks” when he placed the coffee cup in front of you. Jisung watched your reaction with wide eyes. The waiter, on the other hand, continued to smile at you with his perfect teeth for what seemed like an eternity. You averted your eyes after a few seconds and turned to look at Jisung, feeling the blood rushing to your cheeks, knowing you were red as a tomato.

Once the waiter was out of earshot, Jisung struck again. “That was disgusting. That man is a creep. I was totally right about the shark thing. He looked like he might gobble you up at any moment.”

You stifled a giggle, much to your friend’s dismay. He looked at you like you were out of your mind, round eyes widening and eyebrows lifted high. “I’m serious!” he protested.

You shrugged it off. “I think he’s cute.”

“You have terrible taste in men.” he retorted, directing a judgmental glance at the other man.

“Jisung!” you scolded, kicking his ankle below the table. “Don’t stare, please- I’m already embarrassed.”

“Fine.” he rolled his eyes at you. “Can we focus on the important stuff now? Like this cheesecake, for example?” he whined, the hint of a pout forming on his lips.

Anything but the pout. You accepted defeat, succumbing to his cute expression. “You’re right, we’re here for one thing, to answer the age old question… is this the best cheesecake in town? Let’s find out.” and with that terrible impression of a news anchor, you dived straight into the piece of cake in front of you.

Soon enough, the conversation had turned into a heated debate over which cheesecake was actually the best. You’d visited so many cafes together over the years and had made it a ritual to always try the cheesecake when you found a new place. You were discussing your preferences between fits of laughter and snarky remarks.

“I can’t believe you’d value flavor over texture. C’mon! It’s all in the texture! What good is a cheesecake if it’s not silky smooth in your mouth?” he criticized your decisions harshly, all the while making dramatic gestures with his hands. His eyes were the size of two plates by now, and you couldn’t help but be endeared at how passionate he was.

“Please, you’d eat anything as long as you had a gallon of coffee to down it with!” you remarked, trying to stifle another bout of laughter. You could feel your cheeks tingling from smiling so hard, and you dried a couple tears that had gathered on the corners of your eyes.

A comfortable silence fell between you as you both finished your coffee and chilled out, contented and full. There was no one else you’d rather do this with. There was nowhere else you’d rather go.

Jisung looked at you across the table with something akin to adoration in his eyes. He nudged your foot lightly and shot you a warm smile. You gave him one in return.

The silence was interrupted when someone approached your table. From the shift in your friend’s expression, you could tell it was the waiter from before. You lifted your eyes to meet his as he cleared his throat.

“Hey. Just checking in, do you guys need anything else? We’ll be closing soon.”

“Oh.” you blinked a few times, looking outside the window. The sun had already set and the sky was getting dark quickly. Time had flown by without you noticing.

“I think we’re good, thank you.” Jisung chimed in, but the waiter barely even acknowledged his existence.

With his eyes still trained on you, he added, “In that case, could I give you my phone number? I’d really like to ask you out some time.”, that perfect smile still plastered on his face.

You fell silent for a few seconds, and even though you weren’t looking at him, you could swear you could feel Jisung’s gaze piercing a hole through your skull.

“Y-yeah, sure!” you stuttered finally, too stunned to say anything else.

With that, the man slipped a piece of paper with his number written on it under your cup, and walked back to the kitchen. You watched his back as he left, still a little bit dazed from the whole situation.

“I can’t believe that.” Jisung blurted out, suddenly getting up from the table.

“Wait, what?” you followed his movements while trying to gather your things fast enough, as he was already heading for the door. “Ji, wait!” you rushed out of your seat, following your friend.

He was out of the café in record time, and you struggled to catch up with him. You called out once more. “Ji, can you tell me what happened? And please can you stop walking so damn fast?!”

Despite your pleas, Jisung kept walking at the same hurried pace, not turning back to look at you.

“I can’t believe you fell for that! That’s the oldest trick in the book! Are you really going out with that freak?”

You stopped in your tracks once you reached the corner of the street. His words didn’t make any sense.

“Are you angry because that dude gave me his number? Ji, seriously?”

By this point he’d stopped too, a few feet away from you, but he refused to look you in the face. He looked up at the sky and let out an exasperated sigh, his bangs framing the sides of his face as he tried to find the words, seemingly somewhere among the clouds overhead.

“Yeah, I guess I got annoyed by that guy hitting on you.” he finally admitted, redirecting his gaze across the street to nowhere in particular. You could tell he was getting antsier by the minute.

You took a few steps forward in his direction, trying to scan his face for any sign of a coherent reply.

“But why? You’re not the jealous type. You’ve never been.” you pried, desperately trying to understand. If there was one thing in this world that made you weaker than his infamous pout, it was seeing him genuinely upset. You felt the urge to grab him by the shoulders and shake until he told you what was wrong so you could fix it.

“I’m not!” he bit back matter-of-factly. He chewed on his bottom lip, finally looking you in the eye. His expression was filled with frustration. “I’m not jealous, and I’m not angry at you. I just- ugh, can we just forget about this?”

He turned around to keep walking, but you were quicker this time, grabbing him by the wrist to stop him. You pulled him gently a few steps closer to you.

“Ji. Can you look at me? I’m not gonna drop it until you tell me what’s wrong. I don’t like you getting mad at me. Even less when I don’t even know what happened.”

He finally turned around to face you. You were stunned to find the exasperation from before was gone, and was replaced with something a lot more… tender. There was vulnerability in his eyes. His eyebrows knitted together and lips formed a thin line as he pressed them together. You couldn’t help but feel the need to hug him, to ease whatever was eliciting this reaction. But you waited for a reply, trying to give him some space.

He shifted his weight from side to side uncomfortably, looking at his feet for a few moments while trying to come up with something, anything, to get out of that situation. He finally gave up with a sigh, and lifted his head to look you in the eye once again. This time the hurt puppy look had reached its full potential, eyes wide and glossy, eyebrows slanting upwards and bottom lip pushed out into a real pout.

“I think I… I’m sorry, this is so dumb. I think I got upset ‘cause I like you.” he stammered, cheeks turning bright red as he tried not to avert his gaze.

“You mean as friends?” you blurted out, almost without thinking.

His whole expression dropped in a split second. “Wow. The guys were right. You ~could~ be a part of baboracha.” he deadpanned, arching an eyebrow.

You let his words simmer inside your brain for a few seconds. Oh. Oh. The realization hit and you let go of his wrist, suddenly too astounded to say anything. You blinked a few times trying to process the information, but your mind was completely blank. You stood there, completely motionless, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape in what he previously called your “deer in headlights” look. 

Jisung waved a hand in front of your face in an attempt to bring you back to reality.

“You know what? Let’s just forget about this whole thing. My mistake. Can we pretend none of this happened and go back to being happy and eating cheesecake?” he offered, trying to salvage the situation.

You knew you had to shut him up before he had a chance to take it all back, and so you did the first rational thing that came to mind: you extended your arms toward him, cupping his face between your hands, and without wasting another second, pressed your lips against his. It was a soft kiss, and you gave him plenty of room to pull back if he needed to. But something inside you felt like it clicked into place, even more so when he wrapped his hands around your waist and pulled you closer.

You stood there for a few seconds, just taking everything in, before you pulled back with a small smile. Your eyes immediately searched for his as you snaked your arms around his neck. A breathy giggle fell from your lips, and he couldn’t help but mirror it.

“Did you really have to wait till some random dude hit on me to tell me this?” you asked in a low voice, the beginning of a smirk forming on your lips.

“Shut up.” he replied, lazily resting his forehead against yours. “Can we go back home now? I feel like I need to faint onto a couch right now.”

“Dinner and a movie?” you sighed out, gently nudging your nose against his.

“Sounds like a plan.”

[ethereal-writes]

Everybody Makes Mistakes (Ft. Luke and Barbatos)

Warnings: Spoilers for Obey Me, Luke has a breakdown, Celestial Realm is toxic, possibly gaslighting?

Length: 1.1K words

Genre: Angst, hurt, fluff, comfort.

Summary: Barbatos notices that Luke doesn't seem to be in a good mood today. The reason why breaks his heart.

A/N: I've had this idea for a while. I wanted to explore the father-son-type dynamic Barbatos and Luke have, and this is what it turned into. I'm so sorry for putting Luke through this level of angst, but I hope you still think the story is cool.

I hope I tagged all the right warnings. If you think I should add some, please let me know! I hope you enjoy!

-Ethereal (✿◡‿◡)

Story below, please don't claim as your own!

Luke was often at the Demon Lord’s castle baking alongside the royal butler, but it was rare that he was ever this quiet.  

On one hand, it made it a lot easier to get things done when Luke wasn’t distracted and excitedly bouncing around the kitchen, talking about this and that or how next time they just have to try this new recipe he found.

But Barbatos found that it wasn’t anywhere near as fun.

Their chaotic baking sessions always brightened up the kitchen. Even if the results weren’t perfect, they always had fun.

They made the lonely castle seem full of life.

And though Luke wasn’t any less distracted today, he wasn’t talking at all.

Barbatos found it very unnerving.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Luke grabbed a measuring cup and started to measure the wrong ingredient.

When he didn’t catch his own mistake, Barbatos intervened.

“Ah, Luke, hang on. That’s meant to be sugar.” Barbatos gently grabbed Luke’s wrist and pulled it away from the missing bowl.

“It’s…huh?” Luke shook his head slightly, snapping out of it and double checking. Sure enough, the container was labelled ‘salt’.

Usually Luke would’ve laughed it off, or perhaps reprimanded Barbatos for treating him like a child (despite the fact that he was).

Today wasn’t the usual sort of day, though.

“Oh,” was the only response he got, then Luke turned away to grab the right container.

Then Barbatos heard a sniffle.

“Luke…?” Barbatos took a few steps towards him, unsure. “Is something the matter?”

Luke whirled around, revealing tears streaming down his red face. “I just can’t do anything right!”

“It was only one mistake,” Barbatos pointed out, taking a few more steps towards the angel.

Luke shook his head, clearly frustrated.

“No, it’s not!” He looked away, furiously scrubbing at his eyes with his sleeve. “I already messed up lots with Michael already, I can’t make any more mistakes!”

“With Michael?” Barbatos asked, prompting Luke to continue.

Luke sniffled. “When I was in the Celestial Realm, Michael asked me to send him stuff when I got back. He wanted some princess poison apple thingies, those cupcakes Asmodeus likes, and three different teas. He also asked me if I could do some baking for a bankquet that he was having next week.”

Luke took a deep breath, steadying his breathing. “He wanted a few dozen cookies with a few different flavors, a cake iced like the photo he sent me, and he asked if I could make some red velvet cupcakes.”

“Oh, was that all?” Barbatos said sarcastically. That seemed like an awful lot to demand of an angel as young as him.

Unfortunately, the sarcasm was completely lost on the child.

“Y-yeah!” Luke’s eyes started to water again, and he plopped down on the floor. He curled up into a ball, swallowing thickly. “It was so easy, and I still messed it up!”

“What happened?” Barbatos asked as he joined him on the ground.

“I-I made chocolate cupcakes instead!” Luke cried, throwing himself into the crook of Barbatos’ shoulder. “I forgot he wanted red velvet!”

“He didn’t write all that down for you?” Barbatos asked in disbelief.

Luke didn’t respond, sobbing.

Barbatos gave up on asking questions for the moment, wrapping his arms around the child as he wept.

“I know you’re not a child,” Barbatos said. It wasn’t true by any means, but it would make Luke feel better. “But as far as angels go, you’re still very young. It’s expected that you’re going to make mistakes. To be honest, I’m surprised Michael was this upset with you.”

Luke sobbed even harder, saying something that was mostly incoherent.

What Barbatos did manage to make out made his blood run cold.

“Wasn’t…can’t…gonna…fall…!”

“Falling? Who said you were going to fall?” Barbatos demanded a bit too harshly, peeling the child off of him to search his face.

“No one told me,” Luke scoffed. “But that’s what happens when angels make mistakes! Lucifer and his brothers and Lilith made a mistake, and they got casted out of heaven!”

“That’s…” Barbatos trailed off while Luke snuggled into him again. That was a gross oversimplification of what had actually happened. And using that twisted version of events to scare young angels into behaving was just disgusting.

Of course, Barbatos couldn’t tell Luke that. Luke was very proud of his role as Michael’s servant, and his home in the celestial realm. Telling him how awful the celestial realm truly was would only cause the angel more distress.

He had to say something, though. He couldn’t let his favorite baking partner think he’d be damned to Hell over cupcakes.

“That’s not what happened,” was what he finally settled on.  

“Huh?” Luke had settled down a little, but he was still trembling.

Barbatos rubbed a hand along Luke’s back, trying to reassure him. “What Lucifer and his siblings did was far…more severe than mixing up a delivery request.”

“What did they do?” Luke asked.

Barbatos sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”  

Because then you’d see that they were in the right.

“Because it’s not important,” he said instead. “You trust me, don’t you?”

He felt Luke nod.

“Yeah, you’re alright…for a demon…anyways.” He mumbled the last part under his breath.  

Barbatos knew better than to take it personally and chuckled instead. “Then please believe me when I say, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Little slip-ups happen to everyone.” He lowered his voice, his tone almost sly. “Even Michael.”

Luke gasped, pulling back. “What!? No way!”

Barbatos smiled, glad to see Luke wasn’t frowning anymore. “It’s true. Lucifer told me that once, during a very important meeting in the Celestial Realm, Michael spilled an entire cup of coffee on himself.”

 “Michael…he-?” Luke cut himself off, giggling.

Barbatos nodded. “Yes. And would you like to know what I find the most interesting about this story?”

Luke nodded eagerly, wiping the last remaining tears out of his eyes.

“The reason Michael spilled his coffee is because Lucifer startled him…by poking him with a pencil.”

There was a beat of silence before a huge grin spread across Luke’s face, and he burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Barbatos couldn’t help but laugh as well— laughter is contagious.

Suddenly the two were interrupted by a ding.

“Oh! The oven is ready for the cookies!” Luke exclaimed, scrambling to get up from Barbatos’ lap.

“Oof- Ah yes, you’re right.” Barbatos stood up as well, brushing himself off.

He watched as Luke began working on the cookie dough with his usual enthusiasm. He shook his head with a small smile and took his place beside the young angel.

Someday, Luke would be too old to distract that easily.

He’d learn more about the war. He’d learn why the brothers had truly fallen, and he’d learn about the less-than-perfect aspects of the Celestial Realm.

But today wasn’t that day.

No.

Today was the day they perfected their chocolate chip cookie recipe.

[smoochkooks]

—christmas cream(pie) ; (m.)

⟶ pairing: jeon jungkook/reader

⟶ genre: established relationship, smut, fluff

⟶ word count: 3.6k

⟶ summary:  a day before christmas dinner with your boyfriend's parents, you discover another alternative way to use the chocolate cream you’re making. jungkook is more than willing to indulge in your little fantasy.

⟶ warnings: explicit sexual content, food play, finger-sucking, spit kink, dirty talk, oral (f) receiving, slight choking but nothing too extreme, unprotected sex, creampie, jungkook being the sweetest boyfriend on the earth and your emotional support, tooth-rooting domestic fluff:(

a/n: hi!! this is my little christmas present for you. hope you enjoy what my brain came up with yesterday<3 ps. i also dont know what kind of fic title this is.

Christmas secure a top spot on your own self-made list of holidays. You enjoy practically every aspect of it. The food, decorating your house, songs, movies, the whole magical aura of warmth and love – you name it.

But this year though, you're fiddled with anxiety because it's the first time you're going to celebrate with your boyfriend Jungkook and his parents.  

You've been dating for two lovely years, living in a shared apartment for almost six months but somehow you've never spent any major holiday together. Until now, it actually felt like a step bigger than moving in. Choosing to be with your families and celebrate separately was never an issue for both of you.

And foolishly, you thought this year would be no like the other, that you'll kiss your sweet boyfriend goodbye before Christmas Eve and reunite after the whole shenanigans would end. But to your surprise, Jungkook had different plans for you.  

“Y-your parents did what?”  

“They invited us for a Christmas dinner.” he repeated calmy, completely unfazed by the pure shock marring your features.

He was sprawled on the couch, hair messy and falling onto his forehead because he had been avoiding barbershops lately (it wasn’t like you minded it–if anything, it made him look even sexier). He was wearing your favorite pair of sweats that had a soy sauce stain on the left knee and a simple black t-shirt, yet for you he looked like an angel sent from the above and devil reincarnated at the same time. So deliciously domestic and soft it almost made you wanna jump him right here and there, if it wasn't for the more nagging matters that you had yet to discuss with him.  

“But,” you stuttered, brain too consumed by nerves to help you formulate coherent sentences. “I was visiting your parents in Busan over summer.”  

“Yeah, but it's been a while and they really want to see you again,” he said, raising from his spot. He came up to you, his tall, lean body towering over your form. The moment you saw his sparkly doe eyes boring holes into yours, you knew you were approximately twenty seconds from giving in. “Pretty please.” he tried again, palms cupping your flushed cheeks until you had no choice but to agree.  

“Okay.”  

Jungkook grinned in response and leaned to press a chaste kiss onto your lips. “Love you, baby.” He tasted like spicy noodles and soda but you ignored it, mustering a small smile.  

“Love you too.” you said, always meaning those three little words because truly, you could never resist Jeon Jungkook and his charms. He had you wrapped around his finger more than you'd ever admit and you'd simply do anything to make him happy, even if that meant stressing over a Christmas dinner with his parents.  

“They really like you, ___. You have nothing to worry about.” Jungkook murmured upon kissing your nose, and then forehead. “My mom is already so excited to see you. She said she would make an apple pie because you once mentioned you liked it.”

You leaned into his touch, slightly less angry you had been surprised with a revelation like that but at the same time still apprehensive and filled with nerves. “You aren't making this easier, you know?” you asked.  

Jungkook sent you an apologetic smile. “You're amazing, baby. You don't need to convince my parents again that you're the right person for me,” he said, hands finding purchase on your waist and pulling you closer to him. “All you have to do is smile and compliment my mom's cooking skills. And maybe ask dad about fishing. You know he's been crazy about it lately.”

Easier said than done, you thought to yourself. Jungkook was a natural when it came to bewitching people. Your parents adored him because he knew all the right words to make them fall for his charms. He didn’t have to try hard or pretend to be someone else in order to be accepted as their daughter’s partner.  

You, on the other hand, were on a different side of the spectrum. No matter how many times Jungkook reassured you of your worth, you still had a lot of insecurities to deal with. That was just who you were as a person. Maybe it was why you clicked so well together. You needed someone to be your second Sun.

“You got his.” With a final kiss onto the crown of your head, Jungkook left you standing in the middle of the living room, and all you could think about was a fricking apple pie and finding new ways to impress your boyfriend's parents. 

Hence way you're currently in the kitchen, blender in your right hand as you mix the ingredients for the most extra chocolate cake you've ever made, determination written all over your features like you’re competing in the final Bake Off episode.

And why is that? Because your brain couldn't let you sleep peacefully at night if you didn't decide to bake your own cake for Jungkook's mother. It started innocently, slowly getting information out of your boyfriend about his parents' favorite food. Of course, you had to be clever about it, so he wouldn't suspect anything too early into the game. That's why after asking a round of rather specific questions you lured him into a blowjob because you know he usually loses his goddman mind after a good dick sucking.  

Content with your plan, you're now a day before the Christmas dinner, Jungkook's mother's beloved cake almost ready to be put into the oven.

“Babe, I'm home!” you hear Jungkook calling from the corridor. You sent him to do some (un)necessary grocery shopping so you could have a time for yourself to prepare the cake without him looking over your shoulder and analyzing your every move. You really hate when people do that because you’re more likely to screw something when you’re being watched.

“Let me taste it then,” he says, grabby hands reaching for the bowl but you quickly swat them away.  

“I'm here!” you shout back, unplugging the blender once you're satisfied with your chocolate cream.  

“What is the smell?” Jungkook asks, entering the kitchen. “Oh,” he quips, placing grocery bags on the floor. “You made this?”  

“Mhmm,” you hum, dipping a finger into the bowl and then putting it into your mouth. It tastes good, not too sweet but at the same time it still has a strong chocolate flavor. Perfect.

“Wash your hands first.”  

“Wait,” You can almost hear the gears shifting in his brain. His grip on your waist tightens as you desperately try to stifle the laugh babbling in your throat. “This is my mom's favorite cake.” 

Jungkook dramatically salutes you, even though you see him smirking under his breath. Once his hands are all clean and dry, you feel his arms encircling your body from the back. “Is this for me?” he murmurs, obviously referring to the cake.

“Nope. It's for tomorrow's Christmas dinner.” 

That’s why you break into a smile, pulling him for a quick peck. “You can taste my cream now.” you say.  

“Great observation.”

“And you said you were making it for the Christmas dinner,” Jungkook continues, “Which means you did this purposely.” he finishes, twirling your body so you're now facing him.  

“You said she would make me an apple pie so I thought I could reciprocate the kindness and do the same,” An innocent smile tugs at your lips. “Besides, the more food the better.” 

Jungkook snorts. “So here's why you were asking me all those weird questions lately.”

Your eyes widen. “You paid attention to that?”

“Babe, I might be a simple man who enjoys seeing his girlfriend sucking his dick but it doesn't mean I don't listen to you,” he says, sounding slightly offended but you know that deep down he's amused by the whole situation. “You didn't have to do that, you know?”  

You let out a long sigh. “I know but... I just felt so weird. Your parents are so happy to see us, they are doing all those preparations and I couldn't stop thinking about doing something to impress them in return,” you murmur. “So they wouldn't think it preparing a whole celebratory dinner for their son and his girlfriend was actually pointless.” you add in a smaller voice, dropping your head down.   

“Baby,” Jungkook coos, fingers grasping your chin so you could look him in the eye again. “You're an amazing person. My parents know that too. You don't have to prove them your worth. Ever.”  

His words make you relax visibly. You don’t know what you would do if you didn’t have Jungkook by your side. He’s just being himself, showing you his extremely caring side as he usually does when you feel down but somehow you’re more thankful for this now.

You dip your index finger into the cream. Then, making sure his eyes are trained on your face, you bring your finger up and envelop with your lips, purposely sucking on it obscenely. “Mmm,” you nothing but moan. “It’s really good.”

“That sounded awfully sexual.”  

“No, it did not! You're just perverted.” 

“But you love me anyway, don't you?” 

You snort at his stupid remark. Suddenly, a not-so-innocent idea pops in your mind and you wonder who’s actually the one with more inappropriate thoughts running through their head. Jungkook might enjoy teasing you on daily basis, but a girl can have her fun too, right?  

Jungkook's eyes darken seeing your little stunt you’ve decided to pull today. He bites the inside of his cheek, before saying,”’I know what game you’re playing.”  

“I’m not doing anything.” you respond, feigning innocence. Before you can dive for more cream, Jungkook grabs your wrist and stops you.  

Bingo.  

When he takes his two fingers and plunges them into the cream, you know exactly what’s coming next, the adrenaline and excitement pumping through your veins. He brings his fingers up towards your face and you have to fight an urge to stay still, waiting for his instructions like the good girl you obviously are. “Open up, baby.”  

You oblige immediately, mouth falling open and tongue out. He pushes his fingers inside, sweet, chocolate cream filling your taste buds. “Suck.” he says simply, eyes fixated on your lips. You do it without a second thought, swirling your tongue around his digits and making sure to lick every last drop of the substance.  

When he decides he can't take it anymore, he pulls his fingers out of your mouth and before you can even blink, he crashes his lips onto yours; fast, messy and unforgiving, thrusting his tongue inside to play with yours. His motives are clear: you aren’t leaving the kitchen without getting properly fucked.  

“So sweet,” he murmurs against your lips, the hand around your waist pulling you flush against him. “My cute girlfriend thought she could tease me and get away with it.”  

He bites onto your lower lip as to prove his point and you whimper. “It’s not like that,” you manage to say, grinding yourself against the evident bulge in his pants. “I didn’t expect to get away with it.”  

Jungkook's hands travel to the backs of your thighs and he lifts you up effortlessly, placing you on the counter. You’re sure there are traces of flour still on it but you couldn’t care less right now, not when a pair of hands roughly nudges your legs apart so he could stand in between them.

“So you did it purposely,” Jungkook leaves your mouth in favor of tracing kisses down your neck. Careful not to marry your skin with hickeys because you would beat the shit out of him if he did bruise your neck a day before the dinner with his parents. “Naughty girl.” He punctuates his statement with a bite to your earlobe, his next words being whispered directly into your ear. “What should I do with you, then?”  

You whimper, your thighs pressing together just hearing the tone of his voice. You lace your fingers through the locks at the back of his hair and place a kiss against his lips. “Fuck me?” you ask in a saccharine-sweet tone.  

He chuckles in response, fingers grasping your t-shirt and pulling it off you, revealing your bare chest to his hungry eyes. He wastes no time and latches his mouth onto a nipple but as soon as his tongue meets your hardened bud, he retreats. Confused, you watch as he reaches for the bowl once again and dips his fingers into the cream. He then smears it all over your nipples, a proud smirk caught on his lips when he leans back to admire his art work.  

“Kook,” you mewl, too pathetically for your liking and you know how much it’ll stroke his ego. “Please, touch me.” you plea, one of your hands reaching to pull him closer to you.

“Yeah?” His chuckle is almost sinister. “Look at you, all dirty and begging me so nicely. Not that smart with your mouth now, are you?”  

All you manage is a nod and meek “Please,” that quickly morphs into a drawn out moan when he finally dips his head to suck your nipple into his hot mouth. You never could have guessed that the idea of food play would be so arousing to you but here you are, pussy clenching around nothing when your sweet boyfriend licks chocolate cream off your boobs.

When he’s done and satisfied with the result, he grabs your sweatpants and pulls them down along with your underwear in one go, your bare ass meeting with the cold marble of your kitchen counter. Jungkook wastes no time and spreads your legs apart, not giving you a second to shy away from his burning gaze before he dives in to lick a stripe up your slit.  

You cry out in pleasure when his tongue finds your clit and gives it a sharp suck, his hands grabbing your ankles and bending your knees so he could have a full access to your glistening core. You’re absolutely drenched, dripping down your thighs and making a mess on Jungkook's face but he doesn’t mind it a bit, eating you out like a champ you know he is.  

“So wet,” he rasps against your cunt. “Messy girl.”

To make matters worse (or better) he takes his sweet time and lets a glob of his spit mix with your arousal because Jungkook, much like you, enjoys giving a head more than anything in the world and makes it his priority to see you lose it on his tongue. You’re positive you will come like this if he keeps continuing abusing your clit just right. He knows your pussy like the back of his hand. Knows what makes you keen, how to make you eyes roll to the back of your head. It fuels his ego to see you like this; helpless and utterly devoted to the pleasure and you don’t even mind when he brags about it later. How could you if you benefit so much from it?  

Suddenly, he grunts into your cunt and your brows furrow because it’s not the sound you’re used to hearing during sex. You look down to check what’s wrong but he’s already up and in level with your eyes, a sheepish smile adoring his features.  

“Neck cramp,” he explains, his palm massaging the back of his neck. “Eating pussy is easier on the bed.” You can’t help but giggle, replacing his hand with yours and providing him a temporary relief. “I’m sorry. Were you close?” he asks. 

There he is. Your sweet, caring boyfriend who never forgets to ask for consent before railing you into the mattress and always putting your pleasure before his own.  

“Mhmm,” you hum, grasping his t-shirt and lifting it off his body. It should be considered a sin to look like this, you think to yourself. “But I want to come on your cock instead.”  

Jungkook grins, quickly pulling down his pants and underwear. His cock slaps against his stomach, pride swelling in your chest because you know you can make him this hard without your touch. “How do you want it?” he asks, guaranteeing himself a moment of relief when he gives his cock a few pumps, spreading precum all over his length.

“Like that,” you answer, gesturing at your current position on the counter. “Wanna see you.”  

“Anything for my pretty girl.”  

If you weren't already red, you would have blushed at his cute words. The sentiment doesn’t last long though, your face twisting in ecstasy when he lines himself up with your entrance and starts pushing inside, the stretch deliciously burning. “Oh my god, Kook,” you whimper, hand clutching onto his biceps for support. “So big. You feel so good.” He groans, slithering himself deeper. His forehead rests onto yours, few ragged breaths before you murmur, “You can move.”

He sets a punishing pace from the beginning, fucking you hard and fast; wet, slapping noises filling the kitchen. You’re a blubbering mess, moaning incoherently as he splits your pussy open, thrust after thrust. “Yeah, fucking take it,” Jungkook rasps, grabbing your hips even harder, no doubt leaving there marks. “Cream my cock like a good girl.”  

You mewl in response, your eyes focusing on his parted lips. “J-jungkook,” you stutter, head completely deprived of rational thoughts. “Spit in my mouth.” It’s almost a breathless plea on your tongue.  

He curses, his right hand squeezing your cheeks. “Open.” You do it right away, nearly moaning when he purses his lips and spits, eyes almost bulging out of his head when he sees you swallow it greedily. “Dirty fucking girl.” he growls.

“B-but you love it, right?” you whimper, eyes glossy because he's hitting that spot inside your pussy that makes your toes curl. “L-love when I’m like this just for you.”  

“Fuck, yeah I do,” Jungkook says, placing his hand around your throat. He doesn’t apply pressure and simply rests it there, urging you to look directly at him. “I love when my pretty baby becomes a dirty slut for me.” He punctuates his words with a harsh buck of his hips that makes you cry out.

You can't take it anymore. “K-kook,” you whine, grabbing his wrist and urging him to squeeze your throat. “I love you.”  

Despite his hand around your neck and cock abusing your cunt, he breaks into a smile. He leans down to kiss you on your putty lips. You try to keep up with him but there’s no use for that, so you just open your mouth and let him slither his tongue inside. When he pulls away, your lips are wet with saliva. Messy, but you wouldn’t exchange it for anything less. “Love you too, baby.” he groans in a strained voice, dragging his cock fast through your walls.

As if reading your mind, his thumb reaches to rub fast circles on your clit. “’m so close,” you mumble, thighs shaking.

“C'mon, pretty. Wanna see you come around me.” Jungkook murmurs, gone is his dominant aura, it’s now only his gentle voice coaxing you into an earth-shattering orgasm.  

When you come down from your high, you’re swatting his fingers away from your core. Normally you would probably indulge into it more, but oversensitivity seems to be too much to handle for you today. Jungkook thrusts his hips a few more times and follows right after you, groaning your name and spilling himself inside.  

“That was nice.” he comments breathlessly  and you can’t help but chuckle, widing your arms around his neck and pulling him for a well-deserved kiss.  

“I’m too tired to move my legs and somebody needs to finish the cake,” you pout, not an ounce of exaggeration in your statement because that’s utterly true–you’re always too spent after a round of fucking with Jungkook to even go to the bathroom on your own. He gladly carries you there in his arms bridal-style every, single time.

“It's okay, sweetheart. I’ll do it.” he says, making you giggle under your breath triumphantly.  

You might be willing to do everything for you boyfriend but if anything, you’re equal in that department.  

“I’m also pretty sure there’s flour on my ass.”  

Jungkook raises his brow at you. “That I’m not going to clean.”  

“Fine. But next time I'm putting whipped cream on your dick.” you decide.  

When he pulls out of you, his cum spills out of your hole but he's quick to catch the droplets and push them back inside you with his fingers. “You’re a little minx, you know that, right?” he says and then licks his digits clean.  

“You love me anyway.” He grins, leaning to kiss you but he stops mid-way. “What is it?” you ask, raising your brows.

“Since I came inside you, we can call it a creampie, right?”  

Still slightly dazed after sex, you’re not quick enough to realise what he implies before it’s too late. “I mean yes but–oh my god. No, no, no! Stop!”  

“Cream-pie!”  

“I hate you!”  

“And I love you too.”  

After all, you were worrying about the dinner too much, as always.  

Everybody complimented your cake. Jungkook's mother was delighted. His father talked about fishing for almost an hour.

But your sweet boyfriend's smirking face as he ate the cake was telling you were in for a long night of sinning in your bed as soon as you went back home.  

And he obviously didn’t disappoint.  

[dokidokitsuna]

Some SSS Doodles

1] I thought it might be nice for Toni to be a little taller than Mags. ^^ I really enjoy the contrast between their silhouettes; why not heighten it?

3] My first Star Dream/Mother Computer gijinka, and I love her…! இ௰இ Unfortunately, she is still evil…I’m not yet sure how big of a role she will have in the story, but she is confirmed to appear in at least one chapter. Mother hopes you will like her when the time comes~

5] …I’m not going to say who this character is; I want you to guess. ^^ This is a challenge for the diehard Kirby fans out there…although I think her design alone contains enough clues for the average fan to guess what she is, even if they’ve never heard of her.

2] I really like to think about food systems and production, and I hope to actually work in the industry someday (it’s one of the reasons I majored in biochemistry). But until then, I’m going to live out my dreams through fictional situations like this-- welcome to the first installment of the Green Zone Culinary Digest! :D

Today we’re going to cover some basic vending-machine fare, which actually makes up a large portion of the inhabitants’ diet. Due to resource scarcity, it tends to taste fairly bland; relying heavily on color, texture, and design to make it appealing. Small amounts of normal foodstuffs are mixed into…questionably-sourced fillers, to create these cheap products.

2a] Cheese Eyes were the first snack I came up with for this AU-- it’s such a fun name~. This is a simple potato-based snack, which actually does not contain any form of cheese.

2b] Fishbones are a corn-based snack, with a savory flavor that’s difficult to describe. The general consensus is that they taste like chicken.

2c] The HWC-CNC: Haltmann Works Co. Complete Nutrition Cube~. This is a muffin-sized, heavily-fortified snack created to prevent nutritional deficiencies. It comes in various flavors and textures depending on what’s most available; every batch is something new. Most batches include at least one psychoactive compound, to encourage people to keep eating them.

4a] Leftover water from boiling and processing the savory snacks in Section 2 is mixed with fillers and sweeteners to create the somewhat-dairy-based “smoothie”, Rainbow Parfait Wing! Also comes in Chocolate and Butterscotch flavor.

4b] Leftover solids are squished together to create the Vascular Marshmallow, a mysterious snack that includes added fats and protein powders. It’s not very popular, but it has a sort of cult following.

4c] Pep Brew is the liquid counterpart of the CNC’s, a vitamin-fortified drink with lots of flavors (used to mask the unpleasant taste of the water). This is the only thing most of the inhabitants drink on a regular basis; drinking from home faucets is not recommended.

4d] Beanbons are a snack similar to anpan, and consist of the most high-quality food you can get in this price range. Rice and wheat flour-based cakes are baked and filled with a salty paste made from beans and insect proteins. Sweet varieties include real corn syrup and any edible seeds.

[fallinallincurls]

Without A Doubt, My Heart Will Lead Me To You (Two)

alexa play here we go again by demi lovato because here i am again with ANOTHER verse for a favorite player of mine!! i’m not sure where this even started but it came from a conversation with @tonyspep like usual and i hope you all love this whole verse as much as i do! there is a LOT planned to be written in the future, but this is just the beginning so meet noah graham mackinnon!

gina is writing ej’s side of this verse which does overlap at some points. go read her companion piece if the home is where the heart is, then i’m homesick for you!! she borrowed noah and the fic did not disappoint so show her some love as well!

warnings: mentions of morning sickness

hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx

word count: 5.9k

~~~~~

Chocolate raspberry truffle. Salted caramel. Lemon summer berry. Tuxedo torte. Red velvet. Fresh strawberries and cream.

About a dozen little plates full of slices cut from different flavored wedding cakes are scattered across the table, yet not one sounds the least bit appetizing. While the baker explains each specific flavor and why the combination would be the best pick for your wedding and the guests in attendance, your mind drifts elsewhere. 

To the turning of your stomach and how something just doesn’t feel right.

Nate’s hand is resting on your thigh underneath the table, his thumb rubbing small circles against your skin, and despite his excitement about taste testing each slice to see which you both like best, you unfortunately don’t feel the same. Instead, the idea of even trying a piece of cake makes you want to run to the bathroom. 

The nausea that’s holding all your attention has seemingly appeared out of nowhere. You woke up this morning just fine, even savored the extra cuddles with Nate more than usual. Breakfast didn’t bother you and up until this very moment, the cake tasting for one of the biggest days of your life, you didn’t feel sick.

Except now, that’s all you can think about.

“Okay, this one is a personal favorite and perfect for a summer wedding like yours.” The baker says with a kind smile, placing two plates in front of both you and Nate. “This is a lemon summer berry cake. It’s a very light vanilla cake with lemon mousse and fresh strawberries and raspberries. What do we think?”

Your fiancé grins, kisses your temple while gently squeezing your thigh and picks up his fork to try the sampled desert. Trying to mimic his actions, you lift your own forkful of cake to your lips and try not to giggle when Nate lets out a small moan at the taste. But the moment you get a smell of the lemon, the uneasiness of your stomach becomes worse which sends you into panic and everything seems to come crashing down.

“I’m so sorry, I just- excuse me.” The words tumble out of your mouth in a rush as you push back from the table, leaving both Nate and the baker in confusion. You just barely get the door open to the bathroom before the feeling of being sick becomes overwhelming. Pushing into a stall and hanging your head over the toilet, you watch in agony as everything you’ve eaten today reappears. 

There isn’t time to think about how disgusting the current situation is or how the nausea still hasn’t disappeared after being sick for longer than it seemed. But just as you lean back, chest heaving and tears pricking in the corners of your eyes, a familiar voice that brings you nothing but comfort and love fills the air.

“Y/N? Are you okay?” Nate asks, stepping into the bathroom in his pursuit to find out what’s going on. His voice is laced with concern, sending another dagger of pain to your heart. Today was supposed to be enjoyable and full of excitement for the upcoming wedding. It shouldn’t be like this.

“Nate, I’m fine-”

“Oh babe,” He murmurs when he opens the door to the stall you’re still sitting on the ground of. “Come ‘ere. What happened?” Without a moment of hesitation, he drops to the floor and pulls you into his lap as his strong arms keep you close. One hand runs through your hair while the other draws soothing circles against your back. You rest your head on his shoulder, take a deep breath and close your eyes when Nate places a kiss on your temple. “I’m here, what’s going on?”

“Just got a little sick. Think I have a stomach bug or something.”

“A stomach bug? Babe, it’s June. There’s no way.” He chuckles sweetly, kissing the top of your head and squeezing you tighter. “Did you eat something bad? Or just stress from planning the wedding? We have plenty of time and can start taking things slower if that’ll help.”

“Hm, it might be stress. My period is like two weeks late too, which I’m blaming on being stressed out about the planning, but getting sick like this hasn’t ever happened before.” You murmur into his chest just as another wave of nausea appears and Nate feels you tense in his arms.

There are very few things you dislike more than being sick, especially physically sick like this. And although it doesn’t happen often, the sudden appearance of strong nausea and uneasiness feels different than anything you’ve experienced before but you aren’t sure why. Nothing unusual has happened to cause the feeling, until you process what you just admitted to your fiancé and the realization dawns on you.

“Well-” Nate starts, but is immediately cut off when your head pops up and your wide eyes meet his blue ones.

“Nate,” “What is it?” He asks curiously, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear and trying to figure out what has the shocked expression painted across your facial features.

“My period. It’s two weeks late. And I know stress can affect the cycle, but two weeks ago,”

“Is when I came home from Denver,”

“After losing the series to Vegas, yeah.” You breathe out, finishing Nate’s sentence and leaning your forehead against his before closing your eyes. The memories of that night flood your mind, the overwhelming emotions and the need to be close to each other became the only focus when he arrived back home. Although it wasn’t even a thought then, you can’t believe the possibility of what making love that night might’ve led to as you piece together everything about the current situation.

“Are you- are you saying you might be…”

“Pregnant? Yeah, there’s a very strong possibility.”

In an instant, Nate’s mind is spiraling out of control. A baby. Sure, plenty of his teammates have kids and he loves being around them, but this is different. His baby, a little human that is his responsibility to love and raise for years to come. He’s always wanted a family with you in the future, little versions of you running around the house and making everyday a new adventure. But up until now, he thought there was time before that dream became a reality. The plan was to start actively trying after the wedding and while neither of you have been that careful in terms of using protection lately, it’s not like you had been avoiding this possible outcome either.

Nate can’t help but think how the timing is inconvenient at best. Of course a child is a blessing and news to be ecstatic about. But at the height of his career as he helps lead his team to the playoffs with hopes of finally winning the Cup and the wedding still without a set date, the diamond on your left hand only an engagement ring, having a baby right now is the last thing either of you need. 

“Bubs? Are you okay?” Your voice breaks him out of his anxious thoughts. He meets your gaze, which is full of worry and love, while squeezing your hands in a silent reassurance. When your fiancé doesn’t say anything, you start to ramble to fill the silence. “I’m sorry. I know the timing isn't ideal and this is only going to mess with your career which I promised never to do from the beginning. If you don’t want to-”

Your words are cut off by a tender, but deep kiss as Nate pulls you closer. He can feel your heart racing most likely with the same anxiety and uncertainty he’s experiencing. Despite the euphoric emotions that always flood his veins while kissing you, he feels like a jerk for getting caught up in the what ifs of how this will affect the future. Who cares if this wasn’t part of the plan or desired timeline? He’s having a baby with you. Besides hoisting the Cup one day, starting a family with the love of his life has been the only other thing he’s ever wanted.

And it’s happening. With you.

“Don’t even finish that sentence.” He mumbles against your lips after breaking the kiss. “Am I terrified? Yeah, I am. Just like I know you are and that’s okay. This is one hell of a surprise and it might be unexpected and overwhelming. But, baby, I’ve never wanted anything more than this. To become a dad and have you by my side through it all. You have no idea how happy I am. We’re in this together, okay?” Nate says in the softest voice. He wraps you up in a warm embrace before kissing your forehead and the sweetest smile blossoms across his lips. Nothing but joy dances in his blue eyes and tears begin to cloud your vision because my god, how did you get so lucky?

“Nothing’s official yet, Nate. I still have to take tests to see if my suspicion is right and then go to the doctor to make sure there aren’t any false positives. But mother’s intuition, I think we’re having a baby.” You sniffle, cupping his clean shaven cheeks in your hands and kissing him again. This isn’t how you saw today going, but you wouldn’t trade this moment for anything.

“Well, what are we waiting for? We’ll just reschedule the cake tasting. This is much more important right now.” Nate chuckles, hugging you tight in his strong arms one last time. You melt into his touch, letting the feeling of comfort and home take over. “Ohmygod, we’re going to be parents.”

Right there, on the floor of a tiny bakery bathroom in Cole Harbour, Nate knows everything in his life is about to change. And only a few hours later, when the same pair of pink lines are staring back at both of you from three different pregnancy tests, does the reality of starting a family together really set in.

Two and a half years later

There have only been two times before this moment where Nate’s whole world seemed to entirely shift signaling the start of a new chapter in his life; when he was drafted to Colorado as the first round pick and when you found out you were pregnant. He knew when pulling that jersey over his head and holding you tight in his arms that nothing would be the same, but in the best possible way.

Now, as he’s pulling on the navy suit jacket and adjusting the fabric over his broad shoulders, Nate feels that same rush of adrenaline return, but this time paired with the comfort and sense of calm knowing what is about to happen.

He’s getting married to the love of his life. Another dream coming true that still seems unreal. If you had asked him a few years ago where he saw himself in the future, the answer would’ve included the typical hockey responses. Not meeting you, falling in love, welcoming a beautiful baby boy into the world and getting married.

But here he is. And there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

“Daddy! Can you help me, pwease?” Noah asks, holding up his little black tie in his hands.

“Of course, bud. Come here.” Nate replies with the biggest smile and waves Noah over to which the little boy practically runs into his father’s arms. His happy giggles fill the room, making Nate’s heart swell with the kind of love only your own child can bring you. “Alright, stay still okay?” Nate reminds him while kneeling down and draping the tie around his son’s neck. With a simple nod, Noah watches intently as his dad explains each step and ties the tie perfectly.

“Now I’m extra handsome for Mommy! Just like you are too!” Noah exclaims the moment Nate finishes. He doesn’t waste a second to launch himself forward, little arms wrapping around his father’s neck and snuggling in which is his silent way of asking to be held. So as always, Nate lifts the toddler up effortlessly as the little boy rests his head on his broad shoulder. “Do you think she will look like a princess? I think she’s going to be soooo pretty.” 

“She’s definitely going to look like a princess and I bet she can’t wait to see you either, bud. We have to get your jacket on.” Nate’s words are full of nothing but love as he lets his mind drift to what is going to happen soon while crossing the room and helping Noah into his little suit jacket.

He’s getting married to the love of his life. You’re going to be his wife, finally. 

Although he once thought the ultimate happiness was in winning the Cup, the amount of insurmountable joy and adoration he feels right now cannot even compare. There’s never been anything he’s wanted so badly. A little family and the woman of his dreams. He has both now which he is beyond grateful for. There is nothing more Nate could ask for.

He knows he should be nervous or maybe even a little panicked as that’s what the usual wedding day jitters include. But instead, the sense of peace and belonging is ever present because for the first time in his life, Nate knows there is absolutely nothing else he is destined for. Unlike when you first found out you were pregnant and the anxiety set in of how the future would be affected, he’s standing in a room with his two year old son getting ready to be married and is ready to take on any challenge life throws your way.

Because you’re it for him. With you by his side, anything and everything is possible.

“Are you excited, Daddy? To kiss Mommy in front of everyone?” Noah asks in the most adorable way to describe the wedding ceremony. His voice breaks Nate out of his own thoughts while helping the little boy adjust the sleeves of his jacket.

“I haven’t been more excited for anything in my life, Noah.”

“More than hockey?”

“More than hockey. You’ll understand one day. I love Mommy so much which is why today is special. And it’s even more special because now you’re here with us.” Nate explains, kissing the downy hair on Noah’s head before slipping into his own suit jacket.

“You waited just for me to be married?” The little boy asks in complete awe while watching his father with the same big, blue eyes full of wonder.

“Just for you. Even ask Mommy.” Nate says with a soft smile, securing the few buttons on the navy blue jacket and his son flashes that irresistible smile of his that he inherited from you. Just as he scoops Noah up into his arms again, a quiet knock raps against the door.

“Nate?”

“Mommy!” Noah cheers, clapping his hands together at the sound of your voice. Nate chuckles, kissing the little boy’s head again before placing him on his feet.

“Y/N?” Nate questions, when he steps up to the door with Noah hugging one of his legs. You let out an audible sigh at your soon-to-be husband’s response and lean your head against the door. “Babe, what are you doing here?”

“I know I can’t see you because of this stupid wedding superstition.” You start explaining, a tone of nervousness evident in your words. “Sarah did almost everything she could to stop me from leaving the room and coincidentally, I ran into Sid, who’s playing the role of security guard, in the hallway. But I had to talk to you.”

“Is everything okay?” It’s a loaded question and one that makes Nate scared to hear your answer. What if you want to call off the wedding? That you don’t want to marry him or be with him anymore? Each thought is more ridiculous, but the spiraling in his mind doesn’t stop until he hears you speak again.

“Everything’s okay, bub. I know what you’re thinking and that’s not what I mean. Not at all. I just miss my boys. And maybe I’m a little nervous too.” 

Now it’s Nate’s turn to sigh in relief, but he can’t stop the grin from spreading across his lips. This is really happening. You’re getting married. But before he can fully enjoy the happiness of the realization again, Nate knows there’s something else he has to help with. 

“What has you so nervous, baby?”

“Everything. I love you and can’t wait to be your wife, but being the center of attention for so long makes me anxious. What if I mess up my vows or ruin my makeup or somehow those thoughts about us getting married now reappear and we have to talk about that? There’s so many things that can go wrong.” The admittance comes out in a ramble, showing those nerves despite the overwhelming joy surrounding the day.

“Nothing is going to go wrong, I promise. And even if it does, our day is only going to be even more memorable.” Nate reassures you, his voice muffled through the door. You can hear the small smile in his words and immediately, a blanket of peace envelops you. “All of your worries are valid, but today is going to be perfect. We’re getting married and that’s all that matters.”

“I love you.” You breathe out, feeling tears prick at your eyes but willing them away. 

“I love you too. More than you know.” Nate whispers back with a full heart and the anticipation of what’s to come before either of you know. “Are you all ready?” 

“Standing out here in my dress with everything else done. Just a waiting game now.” You laugh, knowing it’s so like Nate to ask that because of his undying curiosity. He hasn’t seen anything related to your look for today. Not the dress, your hair, your makeup, shoes, veil, nothing. So the moment he sees you coming down the aisle, you know he’s going to lose it.

“God, I wish I could see you right now. Sure you look beyond gorgeous.” Nate mumbles, leaning against the doorway and becoming more annoyed by the second that only a single piece of wood is separating the two of you.

“Mommy! Do you look like a princess?” Noah chimes in, hugging Nate’s leg tighter and his sweet voice almost makes you break the superstition to see both your fiancé and son.

“Well, I’d like to think I do, Noah. But think you and Daddy will be the judge of that.”

“I can’t see you, but you look the prettiest.” Your little boy states with happiness and you’re reminded again of how amazing life is at this very moment. To be getting married to the love of your life and having your son, who is the sweetest, here for the occasion despite being a little bit of a surprise at the time.

But you wouldn’t trade this for anything.

“Thank you, my sweet boy. And I’m sure you and Daddy look really handsome.” Noah giggles wildly at your words, bringing smiles to both you and Nate even if you can’t see each other’s reaction. He hides his face against Nate’s leg, cheeks becoming pink with blush as his familiar shyness appears. Nate ruffles the toddler’s hair and is about to respond when you speak up again.

“You know, Nate, I wish I could kiss you right now. Even though it’s not possible, that would do wonders for the nerves I have.” 

“Actually, there is a way. Hold on, babe.” Nate says as the solution forms in his mind. Your brows furrow in confusion at his words but you wait patiently to see what the man you love is doing. The soft noises of whispers between the two most important people in your life mixed with light giggles and footsteps fill the air, only peaking your curiosity.

Then, the door opens and Noah is toddling through the small opening with the cutest smile. He looks back in an effort to make sure Nate remains hidden and isn’t peeking. The sight of seeing your son all dressed up with his blue eyes sparkling with joy and his blonde hair styled to look perfect almost brings you to tears.

“Hi baby boy,” You murmur, scooping him up in your arms with the utmost amount of care to settle him against your hip. Nate doesn’t miss the tone of affection in your voice and smiles to himself as he listens to the conversation happening just outside the room. “Look at you!”

“Nooo, look at you!” Noah repeats back with a giggle while snuggling into you for a second before meeting your gaze. The smile stretching across his chubby cheeks is a mix of mischievous and loving, a look you know all too well on Nate. “Here you go.” He mumbles and then he places two big, messy but adorable, kisses to your cheek. “One from me and one from Daddy. He sent me to give you one since you were sad and can’t kiss him. Yet!”

All you can do in response is hug him tightly and bury your nose in his hair. Noah seems to understand the sudden rise of emotions and squeezes you too. The purest form of love fills your heart, the warm feeling of familiarity settling in your stomach with the nervous butterflies. That simple act has erased all the previous worries and now all you can think about is how one of your biggest dreams is coming true.

“Thank you, Noah. Can you give one back to Daddy for me?” When the little boy nods eagerly, you press one long kiss to his cheek before setting him on the ground again. 

He walks right back towards the room and sends a wave your way with a sweet “See you soon, Mommy!” You can hear Nate’s gentle laugh on the other side of the door as Noah disappears, this time being swept up into your fiancé’s strong arms. 

“Think you have something for me, bud.” Nate says just as Noah leans in to press another big kiss to his father’s clean shaven cheek. “Wanna tell Mommy I said thank you and that I know she looks pretty?”

“Daddy says thank you for kiss! And that you look pretty!” Noah yells out, making both of you giggle at the little boy who is both a product of your love for each other and a blessing beyond words. He smiles to himself, resting his head on Nate’s shoulder again while playing with the collar of his dress shirt. 

“Feeling better?” Nate questions, holding his breath hoping the anxiety has eased a bit and you’re not as worried as when you first arrived at the room. 

“Much. Let’s get married, hubby.”

“Can’t call me that just yet, babe. But yeah, let’s get married.”

As expected the ceremony went without a hitch. Nate lost it the second you began walking down the aisle and never let go of your hands unless it was absolutely necessary. There was not a dry eye in the room during the exchange of the original vows you each wrote and a chorus of aw’s accompanied Noah when he carried the rings up to the altar. As the officiant, because he got ordained for Erik and Autumn’s wedding and he couldn’t resist doing it again for another teammate, Gabe had everyone laughing with his cheesy jokes. The wedding was beautiful, everything you both imagined it would be and when Nate finally kissed you for the first time as husband and wife, life had never felt more perfect than it did right then.

Now, the warm summer breeze from the lake blows through the large outdoor tent where everyone is seated at their designated tables for the reception, watching Nate twirl you around the dance floor to the last fading notes of your chosen first dance song. He lets the feeling of overwhelming astonishment wash over him while you try to commit everything to memory, especially the way your heart is full of the most unbelievable love.

You’re married. Nate is your husband. This is your forever.

The thoughts are on a constant loop in your mind as you finish the special dance with the man you love beyond words. His lips press against yours in a tender kiss that makes the crowd cheer and you melt into him. A million unsaid words are exchanged as Nate deepens the kiss, but there’s one thing you know for sure. 

You are so in love with him and this life that nothing could be more perfect than this.

“Ready for Noah?” Nate whispers after breaking away, resting his forehead against yours while pushing a strand of hair back behind your ear. You can’t stop the grin from appearing on your face at the mention of your son, but also knowing why your husband is asking that question makes you beam even more.

After finding out you were pregnant, which led to pushing the wedding date back to ensure enough time to enjoy your pregnancy and adjust to life as new parents, you brought up the idea of changing a few details about the special day to Nate. You wanted the life growing inside of you to be part of the wedding in some capacity because they were just further proof of your love for each other, not to mention how much more meaningful getting married would be with including your child.

It took lots of brainstorming and several ideas that lacked potential until you figured out the unique moment that would be included at the reception. Nate’s blue eyes sparkled with adoration when he suggested a mother/son first dance following your own as a newly married couple. You couldn’t imagine anything more heartfelt or meaningful to share with the little MacKinnon on the big day. 

“Yeah, I’m ready.” You say softly, each word full of emotion and Nate places a warm kiss to your forehead. “Think he’s going to like the song we picked?”

“Oh come on, babe. It’s his favorite. If anything, he’ll be a little shy about coming out here, but that’s it. Just hold on, okay? I’ll go get him.” Nate chuckles, bringing back that familiar feeling of pure love in your heart. You nod, kiss him once again and send him off. He signals to the DJ to play a song for the time being while hurrying over to where his parents are, just beyond the dance floor. Noah is in Kathy’s arms, read resting on her shoulder while he takes in the scenes around him. His big blue eyes spot Nate within seconds and the cutest smile blossoms at the sight of his father.

“Hey bud, are you ready for your dance with Mommy? Just like we practiced?” The little boy shakes his head in response, snuggling in closer to his grandmother but keeping his eyes on Nate. Kathy shoots an understanding look towards her own son and gently rubs Noah’s back. 

“Noah, love, Mommy’s waiting for you. Aren’t you going to dance?” Kathy speaks up, quiet words resonating with Noah for a moment before he shakes his head again, cheeks tinting red. 

Nate lets out a soft sigh before making another attempt at breaking through his son’s shyness. Without saying a word, his mom hands Noah over to where he settles against Nate’s hip and watches his father intently. A little smile tugs at the corners of the little boy’s lips as he reaches out to play with the collar of Nate’s shirt again.

“Hey, Noah?”

“Hm?”

“Remember how you said Mommy looks extra pretty tonight? And how she’s been really happy?” Nate questions, earning a definite nod in response from Noah. “Well, I know it would make her the happiest to get her dance with you. Plus, she looks all pretty for you too, bud. You saw how she danced with me, right? So you’ll be an expert out there!”

“Really?” Noah perks up and the most genuine smile blossoms across Nate’s lips. All the nervousness seemed to have disappeared within seconds as it usually does when you’re mentioned. He’s such a Momma’s boy, which Nate adores, and that only makes the moment that’s about to unfold even more meaningful.

“Really. She picked your favorite song too.”

The little boy lets out an audible gasp full of happiness and claps at the realization of what song Nate is referring to.

“The Nemo song??” 

“Yup, the Nemo song. Your favorite! So, do you think you can go out there and dance with Mommy? Promise you can come right back to Nana and Pops right after if you want.”

“I dance! I dance with Mommy to the Nemo song!” Noah exclaims, blue eyes twinkling under the fairy lights and sweet giggles follow his words. With one glance over to the dance floor where Nate sees you patiently waiting with a soft smile and kind eyes, he places Noah back on his feet.

“Handshake?” Nate asks when he kneels down and holds his hand out to the little boy. Noah doesn’t hesitate to follow through the steps of their little handshake, one that Nate started doing with your baby bump and continued with your son the moment he was born. Forward clap, backwards clap, fist bump, kiss on the cheek. Even watching from a distance, the tradition makes you teary eyed. “That’s my boy. Now, go get Mommy!”

The iconic, yet gentle notes of “Beyond the Sea” start playing while Noah rushes toward you best he can with unsteady, but excited steps. He practically collapses into your arms, making you laugh as you catch him. Still in his suit and sporting a smile like sunshine, you feel the love rushing through your veins knowing this little boy will always be a light in your life. 

“Hi, bubba! Want to dance with me?”

“Dance, dance! It’s the Nemo song, Mommy!” Noah cheers as you crouch down to be on his level and take his hands in yours. You kiss his forehead before he begins swaying and jumping along to the rhythm of the song. Despite dreaming of this moment for years now, sharing a dance with your son on your wedding day is nothing short of amazing. There are simply no words to describe how you feel as the dreamy music envelops you and Noah continues to giggle.

Applause and countless sounds of cooing fill the air at the scene. No one but Nate and Noah knew of the unique plan that would be included during the reception so it’s no surprise that everyone is watching in total awe.

Including your husband.

Just as you pick Noah up to hold him in your tight embrace while moving around the large dance floor together, peppering his face with occasional kisses and laughing out of pure joy, Nate feels someone elbow him just enough to get his attention. It takes every fiber of his being to even look away from the most important people in his life for a few seconds, but when he does, he finds his best man standing there with a knowing grin on his face.

“What happened to the guy who was only concerned about Hart trophies and winning the Cup? Didn’t think those serious heart eyes existed for anything outside of hockey.” Sidney teases, unable to resist poking fun at the younger player. Nate rolls his eyes in response, keeping all of his focus on you and Noah still enjoying the magical moment.

“C’mon man, you know all of that changed when I met Y/N. And even more after we found out about Noah. Winning the Cup is still the ultimate goal, but this,” Nate pauses with a bashful smile, gesturing to his wife and son who are blissfully making the most of the sweet dance before the song comes to an end. “Nothing will ever be as important as this, as them. Being Noah’s dad is better than any award I could win and being the best husband I can be for Y/N is all that matters.”

Sid looks at his best friend, who is the happiest he has ever seen him in all the years they’ve known each other. His eyes are full of admiration and there’s no denying that the look painted across his facial features is anything but love. 

Just like you, Nate knew this singular moment of your entire wedding day would be heartwarming to say the least, but actually seeing you and Noah, his whole world, out there creating an unforgettable memory together makes the rest of the world stop. Sidney remembers the feeling himself from his own wedding years ago, the way he didn’t want the night to end and knowing right then nothing else would matter.

And Nate knows, as long as he has you and Noah, everything will be okay.

A comfortable silence settles over the two NHL players while they both watch you twirl around with Noah one last time before he kisses your cheek in the usual dramatic fashion and begins clapping. The last few notes of the song are fading away when Sidney speaks up again. “You’ve grown up a lot, but in a good way. I know this was supposed to happen a couple years ago without a little boy stealing the show,”

“We are not having this conversation again, dude. Wrap it before you tap it, I know. Geez, have one kid a little early and you feel like you have to reteach me sex ed.” Nate cuts him off playfully, cheeks turning red with a wild blush that makes Sidney laugh. 

“Not where I was going this time. I’m happy for you. You deserve this. To be happy and be in love. Life isn’t always going to be easy, but you’ve found the one who is going to love you no matter what and have the cutest little boy who is always going to look up to you. If you have them, you’ll get through anything.” Sidney explains, each word honest and holding genuine emotion. 

“Didn’t ask for you to make me cry, Sid. But thanks, that does mean a lot.” Nate replies, glancing over at the Penguins captain and offering a watery smile of gratefulness because that admittance has him realizing how lucky he is to have this as his reality. 

Before Sidney can say anything else, you’re kissing Nate’s cheek while Noah babbles about how fun it was to dance to his favorite song with his mother. Your husband misses the way Sid’s eyes soften at the sight, thankful that his good friend has found exactly where he belongs, and the longing, yet sweet looks from Erik and Autumn across the room who just had a conversation about having their own little one.

All he sees is you, the love of his life, and the blonde haired little boy who has given him more reasons to be proud then he could count. His accomplishments might include the awards he’s won, highlights from his career and so much more that has to deal with his skill on the ice. But now, he can add loving husband and father to the list, and those are the only two titles he cares about.

“I love you.” Nate blurts out, heart full and the familiar warmth of home settling in his chest. You cup his cheek and meet his ocean blue eyes for a moment, taking in every detail of this exact moment before kissing him. Noah talking excitedly to Sidney, the soft sound of guests mingling with others, sunlight reflecting off the lake. And above all, how in love you are with this man.

“And I love you, hubby. So much”

tagging some friends/mutuals who might be interested:

@tonyspep @miracleonice87 @hockeyunits @avsfans95 @musiclove-12 @barzysreputation @je-ne-regrette-rien @pebellemare @ilyasorokinn @broadstflyers @breezymichelle99 @zuks @islescanes @honeybearbarzal @ch-ristiane @blueskrugs @cherrybarzy @ya-pucking-nerd @beauvibaby @ims0golden​ @sourbarzal​​ @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69

[multific]

Plan a Wedding

Chris Evans x Reader

Summary: When you are asked by your best friend to help her plan her wedding, you don't know what to do, you want to help her, but have the biggest crush on the groom's best man, who also helps with the planning.

When your best friend, Kate, asked you to not only be her maid of honor but help her with the planning of her wedding, you of course said yes, without even thinking twice.

It took you about four hours before you realized what that truly meant.

It meant that you will spend a lot more time with Chris. The man you had the biggest crush on since he was introduced to you and the best part, Kate knew exactly how you felt.

So, now here you were in a florist shop, pretending that you were not blushing furiously as you tried to hide behind every bouquet. 

You took a deep breath and focused on Kate instead. She was looking at at least five different bouquets and table decorations when you stepped in to help her.

"Which are the ones you do not like?" you asked.

"Hmm...The yellow ones wouldn't fit with the theme. But I don't want there to be too much white, so they might work."

"Alright, Then how about the pink ones? You want pastel colors, those are too dark. Let's get those off the table then." The florist helped you and now there were only two bouquets and two smaller decorations to chose from. 

"Which ones do you like more?" she asked turning to you.

"It's not my wedding, but the place you rented for the wedding has a dark wood interior. I think the green would make it too cold. But if you use the yellow with the light pink, it could bring that spring feeling you want."

She nodded. You didn't even notice Chris and the groom, Sebastian, arriving at your side.

"I like the one Y/N said." Seb helped and Kate finally picked one. They gave the order to the shop assistant and then you moved on.

The next stop was the bakery. 

Honestly, you weren't sure which couple asked other people regarding their cake, but you didn't mind it, you liked cakes.

And as the slices kept on coming, your eyes kept on shining. You only got out of the trance when Chris laughed a little.

"You really do like cake," he noted when Seb and Kate were too busy.

"I do, yes," you never really talked with him, you were afraid he might think you don't like him or something, but it was the exact opposite.

"Thank you for helping her pick flowers. I thought we will die in that store she kept on looking and going back and forth."

"She has a hard time saying out loud that she doesn't like something. She thinks it rude, but you will see, I bet she will have a harder time here."

You gave Chris a look and he smiled, both of you turned back to see Seb eating cake and Kate thinking rather hard.

"How many layers will it be?" you asked and tried to help.

"Three," Seb answered.

"Alright. I would say the biggest layer should be something like vanilla and chocolate. It's a safe choice and everyone likes it. Then you can have something fancy which tastes nice like the dark forest one. Then you can have something like red velvet or chocolate only," both of them nodded, understanding your point.

"I quite liked the pistachio one." Chris said, "It's light and nice, I think everyone will enjoy it. I agree with the bottom two layers, those are very popular flavors." 

"Then we will have vanilla and chocolate then black forest and finally, pistachio." Both bride and groom agreed and you were out of the shop quicker than you thought. Now the four of you are headed to have some lunch. 

You and Chris sat at a table as Seb and Kate went to use the toilets.

"What are you planning for her bachelorette party?" Chris suddenly asked.

"Oh, yes, so the idea was that we go to a bar, play some small games. I wanted to get a dancer for her, but nothing too wild or anything." 

"Good, I was planning a striptease bar but then I remembered his brother would freak out so most likely we will go to a bar or have some drinks at my place."

"Sounds good to me," you smiled at him and the pair arrived back. You all ate some pizza before heading to the next place.

Your day went on like that. Going from one place to another. You ended up offering to make the invitations yourself since the place wanted to charge a lot more for them than they should have. Chris offered to help

***

Kate sent you a template of what she would like for her invites to look like. You bought everything you will ever need and more.

You made the text itself digitally then printed it out. Now, they needed to be put together, so Chris was coming over to yours to help. 

Just as you finished preparing everything, your doorbell rang.

"Sorry, I'm late, traffic, but I brought the things you asked, I have an amazing scissor that cuts paper like a dream," he said as soon as you opened the door.

"Hi. It's okay, you are just in time,"

You let him in and the tedious procedure of preparing hundred and fifty invitations began. 

You were about halfway done when you felt your back start to hurt.

"I will make some lemonade for myself, would you like to have some?"

"Sounds good thank you, I started to feel like my eyes will melt." he laughed and moved to the kitchen with you. "So, you have a dancer for Kate, does she know?"

"Oh, no it will be a surprise all of the girls know about him, would you believe that her mother was the most excited?" you poured some ice into the cup and moved to the living room to sit on the couch. "Why are you asking?"

"Just interested, I didn't tell it to Seb or anything."

"Good, I'm so happy for them."

"Me too. But they are both can't decide on the simplest things."

"Really? Would you be better?"

"Oh, please I have my whole wedding planned in my head, flowers and all."

"Says the guy who is still single."

He laughed. "I even know who I want to marry."

This almost made you choke on your lemonade. You felt a bit jealous but didn’t ask any questions. 

"I always thought you didn't like me. I know I can be loud and annoying even, I laugh loudly which I know some women don't like. But when you accepted for me to help you today, I thought there is hope."

"I like you, Chris. A lot actually, and I like your laugh. It's loud but it gives me a smile."

You didn't notice how close he got to you only when he lifted your chin up. He waited for you to pull away but you didn't.

"All I could think about last week was you. I pretended it's our wedding you are picking flowers for and our cake you are tasting. Call me a creep, Y/N, but I am in love with you. I have been for a long time now."

"You are not a creep. And I think I am in love with you as we-" he didn't let you finish as his lips met yours in a soft kiss. 

You dreamed of this moment for so long and now that it was here, you felt like you could faint. You couldn't believe this is actually happening, but it was.

***

"So, you finished with the cards, can we send them out?"

"Ooh, we got halfway done with it yesterday. I promise for tomorrow I will have all." 

You and Kate agreed to have breakfast the next morning. She squinted her eyes and looked at you, then as if lightning struck her eyes opened wide.

"Oh My God, Y/N you and Chris had se-"

"Shhh!" you put your hand against her lips, stopping her. "Don't yell, please." "Finally! I was waiting for you to get together for two years now!"

"Yes, so it's not a thing."

"Great! So tell me everything! How it happened, when it happened, and where? Hope not on my invitations!" he lifted her cup to her lips and you just knew this will be a long day.

But you were happy, extremely happy now that you and Chris were together.

As you told Kate the story of last night, your phone notified you that Chris wrote you a text. 

You will never forget the smirk on Kate's face as she made more sexual jokes, she will never let you live this down. 

Part 2

Taglist: imreadinggoaway @fleursirvart v-2bucky ehsebastian crunch-time-sports  @pxstelrainbow ablogbypeteparker liamssmiler smexylemony @greenarrowhead feelingsareharddd @thisismysecrethappyplace @sincerelyfan @theoneanna @aestheticsandmarvel @rororo06 @castellandiangelo @avengers-r-us @destynelseclipsa   @spilledinkindumpster celebsimagine @capsiclesdoll snoopy3000 @firstangeldragonranch @puknow crazzyter  @alwayshave-faith @soleil-dor @alex12948 scream-kiwi79  @lxdyred @imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl

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Feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank You for reading my story!~

[twisted-memes]

Birthday Gal

 Since it’s my birthday, here’s my hc of of all the characters saying happy birthday. Idk if they say it in the game, but I’m too lazy to check nor do I feel like looking it up/translating.

Riddle: Today is your birthday, right? Ah yes, I did get the day correct. Please accompany me to Heartslabyul, I have a surprise for you. Do you prefer vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry flavored cake?

Trey: Happy Birthday. I made you something small, here I don’t know how much you like buttercream filled cupcakes, but I added a small twist. If you pull out the decorations... see, the sprinkles arrange themselves and dance around the frosting.

Cater: This pic of you is so cute. Close your eyes, no peeking! I have to get your gift. Now hold still, those reactions of yours are too cute!

Ace: I heard from Riddle it’s your birthday today. He’s having a small fit over the decorations. So I snuck you a tart from the fridge. Don’t worry, I have a better gift at the party.

Deuce: I didn’t know what you wanted, so I went to Sam’s shop and got this. It reminded me of you, so I thought you would like it. Happy birthday.

Leona: Happy birthday, herbivore. Here, it’s some good luck charm I got off of Azul. Take it or leave it, doesn’t matter to me.

Ruggie: Boo! Shishishishi! Happy birthday, I remember you telling me how much you wanted a ring from Sam’s shop. It took a lot of haggling, but I finally got it for you!

Jack: Here. Just open it already. It’s a necklace... to match my own. 

Azul: Ah, the person of the hour. Please, take a seat, I have something planned for you. Ahem, please don’t let Floyd or Jade catch wind of my gift, it’s quite...personal.

Jade: Close your eyes please, alright now say ahhh. Mhm, good. I made the cake myself. Happy birthday, and if you ever want more, I’ll be glad to feed you again.

Floyd: It’s your birthday today isn’t it, shrimpy? Lookie at what I got you! It’s a shrimp bracelet, see there’s even an eel. Great, isn’t it?

Kalim: Happy birthday! I didn’t know what you wanted so I got you, an enchanted deck of cards, eighteen pieces of diamond jewelry, a flying carpet, the finest clothes the Land of Hot Sands can offer, some— huh? You didn’t want all that? Hmm, then maybe I should cancel the twenty eight other gifts

Jamil: For your birthday I made you a delicacy of the Land of Hot Sands. It’s rumored to bring luck on those who receive it.

Vil: Since it’s your birthday, I planned us to go out tonight. There’s a beautiful restaurant that my father told me about. I set reservations for us, and the good news is that Crowley has given us special permission.

Rook: My, my, if today is your birthday it must be a momentous occasion. Shall I sing your praises some more, dear? Or would you prefer your gift?

Epel: I overheard Rook rehearsing some poem for you, so it must be your birthday. Well, here. I made you an apple pie from the apples my grandma sends me.

Idia: Happy birthday. Um it’s not much but I got you the first edition of a series I like. I really hope you like it, I would really enjoy talking to you about it.

Ortho: Happy birthday! Big brother told me that today is a special day for you, so I got you something. It’s a receiver, when ever you need me, I’ll be able to zip across campus just to help you!

Malleus: Good evening, Lilia made me aware that it’s your day of birth. I got you a gift, it’s a tamagotchi. I thought that perhaps when you set it up, we could compare our pets.

Lilia: Your birthday? Hmm, can’t say I remembered. Just kidding! Here, I got you my old cookbook, thought it could go to a better home. Plus, a little something extra. It’s a personal invitation to the court of the Valley of Thorns. I know Malleus would love to show you around. 

Silver: Sorry, I almost forgot it was your birthday. But don’t worry, I made up for it by getting you... this. I thought you would like it, if it doesn’t satisfy you. I wouldn’t mind you picking out something so I can buy it. 

Sebek: Greetings, happy birthday. Why would I remember that? As I consider you someone I can trust, I can commit your special day to memory. Now come along, Young Master has prepared a small gathering for you.

[scarletwinterxx]

End to Start pt. 3 - Jaehyun AU

Hello lovelies! this part took awhile to write but she’s here, i hope you like it! I enjoy reading your feedbacks😊🤍

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

taglist: @the-universe-in-you-jjh @undevotedfangirl @dumplingley @halbae​​

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2020 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

PREV || NEXT

“But like how rich is he?”

“Rich enough to buy this building three four times over” you mumbled, not really paying much attention to Jungwoo and more on the cake you’re trying to decorate

“And you broke up with him? Wah noona” you looked over at him with a glare, signaling him to shut up. 

It was the day after the gala, you were supposed to take the day off but you’d rather keep yourself busy than overthink at home. Thus why you’re here now at the cafe with a very nosy Jungwoo beside you with his 100 questions after finding out you dated the Jung Jaehyun. 

“I’m three seconds away from kicking you out of this store permanently” 

“That’s the third time I heard that, this month” he smiled at you, walking back to the kitchen to grab the other pastries to be displayed. It’s still pretty early and it’s the weekend so you don’t expect that many people right now.

“So is he the guy you dated when you were in college?”

“Yes”

“You didn’t say he owned a big company”

“Are we playing 20 questions right now? Go serve the customers” you pushed him to the side when you heard the bell right, going back to what you were doing and letting Jungwoo deal with it. 

“Goodmorning, what can I get you today?”

“Two iced americano please”

Hold up, you know that voice. You don’t even have to look up to see who it was, “Is that all? Would you like to try some of our cakes and pastries? It’s good to pair with the coffee” Jungwoo said, still clueless about who he’s currently talking to 

“Is that green tea with pistachio? I’ll take a slice of that” it just so happens it was the cake you were currently setting up. 

“Sure thing, is that all?” After taking his order, the guy walked to a vacant table. 

“Noona, should I set you up with that guy? He was looking at you, plus he looks handsome and rich”

“Jungwoo”

“Mhm?”

“Shut up”

 You were preparing the order when the bell rang again, “Goodmorning, welcome to the cafe” Jungwoo greeted happily. 

“Oh, looks like he’s with someone” that made you halt for a second but quickly shaking it away. Passing the tray over to Jungwoo, “Here, go serve this and please stop being nosy”.

Jaehyun wanted to visit the cafe for some time now, but he didn’t want it to seem like he’s stalking you. He already knew you know how to bake, your cookies were his favorite. You used to bake those for him after exams as a way to cheer him up.

He didn’t know the first time he’ll be visiting here is when he’s about to break-up with his current ‘girlfriend’, with you standing only a few meters away. But after last night’s gala, Chungha called him suddenly asking if they could talk. 

“Here’s your order, is there anything else I could get you?” Jungwoo asked him and Chunga but the girl just shook her head with a smile, “Really? green tea cake? Your taste is so weird sometimes” she chuckled at the sight of cake on the table

“It’s one of the more unique flavors, we also have a chocolate one. It’s our bestseller” Jungwoo added, “Maybe later, thanks” 

After Jungwoo walked away, the two were left alone to talk. 

“Go on, just say it”

“You don’t have to act all tough all the time you know” 

His eyes landing on hers, as if he was telling her to just get on with it. “We had a good run” she chuckled, “What will your parents say when the word gets out?” Jaehyun asked. He might seem like a cold guy but he does still have some empathy left in him,

“I’ll deal with it. Happiness comes at a price, it just took me this long to realize I’m willing to pay for it no matter what the cost. Maybe you should too”

Jaehyun can’t help but look over at you, you were having a conversation with the guy that took his order and was laughing at something he said. Jaehyun’s gaze made Chungha look over at the side too, in that moment she knew

“So that’s her?”

“No” he cleared his throat before drinking his coffee, “You know you can’t lie that good, not to me atleast. Or her it looks like. Word of advice though, if she’s worth it just do it”

You were doing your best to ignore the two people on the far side of your cafe, Jaehyun and the girl looked like they were having a very serious conversation. When the girl stood up you immediately busied yourself again, then someone was standing infront of the counter on the other side. 

“I heard the chocolate cake is the best seller here” she said, her voice gentle and sweet. She seems like a lovely lady. 

“Yea, and the chocolate chip cookies too. Would you like to try it?” you asked her with a smile of your own

“I’ll take both to go” you packed the treats yourself, passing it over to her as she hand you her payment

“Green tea cake, sounds different” she chuckled, looking at the cake with a single slice missing “Oh yea, I just like trying out flavors here and there”

“What are you talking about? You always make that, if you want to try something new, you can order that. We always have extra” Jungwoo butted in, “Will keep that in mind, my friend loves that flavor”

“Oh, friend” Jungwoo said then looking over at you, “Thanks by the way” the lady said then walked out the door. 

“Friend” Jungwoo repeated with a wicked grin on

“Stop”

“But this is your chance at finally landing someone! Jihyo may be bad at setting you up maybe I can”

“No-”

“Let’s just try, see he’s walking over here”

“I said-” “Uh can I have this cake to go, please? I’ll also get the rest of it” Jaehyun said  looking back and forth between you and Jungwoo

“Sure, would that be all?” you asked as if you didn’t know him

“Uhm so my boss here-” you elbowed him on the stomach, trying to stop him from continuing. “I’m here! Sorry I’m a bit late, class finished later than I thought” Sungchan announced as he enter the shop, making the three of you look over at the tall boy

“Oh, hyung what are you doing here?” he asked Jaehyun when he spotted him, “You two know each other?” Jungwoo asked from beside you

Then it clicked, you almost wanted to slap yourself. How can you be so stupid, you’re not sure. 

“You’re related, how come I never put that together” you looked back and forth between the two

“You two know each other?” Sungchan asked back, “Something like that” Jaehyun mumbled. That made Jungwoo look over at you then Jaehyun then at you again, “Oh, Jung Sungchan. then you must be-”

After that stressful encounter, you chose to just call it an early day and leave the boys at the cafe. Jaehyun didn’t say much afterwards, just waited for his order then left with a few words said to his younger brother. 

Add that to the list of things you were thinking about. After the gala yesterday, after seeing Jaehyun’s mom again you can’t help but overthink about things again. A big part of you itching to do what you’ve always been meaning to do, something you wish you never did. 

Unable to stop yourself, you opened the door of your closet and rummaged through until you find the box stashed inside. Stuffing it in your bag before shruging your coat on, took your keys and drove off. 

You've only been at their place once, that was the first and last time. 

It’s what you see in movies, the typical huge mansion rich people have in movies. The Jungs were no exception, their home looked like something straight out of a magazine. Until now you feel like you shouldn’t be here. 

Parking your car on the driveway, you walked towards the front door. Knocking twice and wait for someone to open the door, when it did it was just the person you wanted to see, 

“Can we talk?”

Jaehyun didn’t expect the turn of events this day had, after finding out his youngest sibling works part time at your cafe ofcourse he had to know more. Telling Sungchan he’ll wait until his shift is over to drive him home. 

“You didn’t tell me you work at the cafe”

“Why? would you stop me just like mom?” the younger one asked, he knew what his brother meant.  With their mother there’s almost little to no room for freedom, their lives were planned out for them. As kids they were told what they should be when they grow up, expectations they had to meet, things they needed to accomplish. 

“No, it’s close to my office. You could’ve just worked for me” he answered, the older brother tone gone

“Then what’s the point? Like I said, I wanted to atleast see the world on my own before mom and dad stops me. Or atleast until college” Sungchan mumbles

“If you don’t want to study the course mom and dad are making you study just tell me, I’ll help you”

“Why? They’ll just get mad at you too”

“Then they can be both mad at us, don’t make the same stupid mistakes I did. Don’t take too long to decide that this isn’t the life you don’t want to live. Just... just be you. If they won’t have that, then you’ll have me” he sincerely said, meaning every word he just said. 

He wished he had someone to say that to him back then, in a way he did. You told him that. 

Even if the world is against him, he’ll have your hand to hold on to. 

“So, how did you know Y/N noona?”

“We went to same college” he answered, keeping it brief. After that Sungchan didn’t ask anymore questions. When they finally arrived at their home, there’s an unfamiliar car on the driveway. Assuming that it was one of their parent’s visitor,

“Are you staying the night?” Sungchan ask as they walk towards the house, “No, just came to talk to mom about something”

“Okay, well see you later” the two brothers went their own ways, Sungchan skipping up the stairs to his room while Jaehyun walk around the house looking for his mom. 

What he didn’t expect was to see who she was talking to, they were at the foyer, sitting at opposite sides of the table. 

“Even when I didn’t have anything to my name, I never touched a cent in that envelope. I’m ashamed I even took in the first place, that was my mistake. And I’m still paying for it until now, you got what you wanted. Jaehyun hates me”

You were talking about him with his mother? 

What envelop were you talking about?

“Then why did you take it?”

“Because it was the only way you’ll stop, I thought if I took the money and disappeared you would atleast spare him, you’d let him live the way he wants to. I don’t care if he’s angry at me, he has every right to be” you answered, no sign of intimidation or fear in your voice. 

But he does hear the pain, and he hated it. 

“Your son is worth more than whatever you give me, that money is bitter reminder of my lowest point. But even then, I’d rather starve and have no roof over my head than spend a single cent you gave me. It’s up to you if you tell him what you did, I think we’re way past the point of going back anyways. He can’t even stand being in the same room as me. One way or another, you got what you wanted. All I want is my peace, I don’t want that with me anymore, I don’t want to keep that in the corner of my closet like the monster I’m too scared to face”

Jaehyun was trying to take all of your words in, struggling to process the truth he just accidently uncovered. 

All those years he thought you left him because you didn’t love him was in fact not what really happened, His mother, surprisingly but not really, manipulated his life yet again. 

“All of the money is still in there, I haven’t touched that since then. I was just waiting for the day I could finally give it back to you. I’m pretty sure you don’t need it, but neither do I” you said your final words then rose from your seat. 

When you turned around to leave the place you didn’t expect to see the person standing by the door, a gasp leaving Mrs. Jung’s mouth

“Jaehyun” she said but his gaze was on you

You didn’t have to ask him, you already knew he heard it. How much? probably enough judging by the look on his face. 

You looked at him with same intense stare, trying to say your apologies without saying anything at all. It feels like there’s this weight lifted off of you after you gave the envelope containing the money back to his mom. Like this time you can look him in the eyes without thinking about the money stashed away in your closet.

There are still questions floating in his mind, you could tell. But Jaehyun didn’t look as troubled as he should be, even with the overwhelming amount of questions in his head he knew this time it would be okay. You were the only answer he needed.

[random-imagines-blog]

Whirlwind {Barty Crouch Jr x Anorexic!Reader}

Requested by: @softheartedsnake Wordcount: 2456 Summary: Barty starts to notice how you’ve been pulling away from everyone, especially when it comes to food. Warning: The reader in this story is anorexic. This being said, it contains thoughts that may be very triggering to people.

With a heavy heart, you held onto Barty’s hand and shook your head. “I’m not really in the mood for ice cream. That’s really sweet of you though, thank you.” He had clearly gone through a lot of effort to put today together. Your birthday, at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor in Diagon Alley. Your friends were here, your family, all gathered together, all waiting for you to be the first to order a delicious iced treat. If you had known this was what he was planning... if you had known all of those calories were going to be waiting for you there... you might have played sick. On your own birthday. Not even today could those nagging voices in your head be quiet. The smells of chocolate and fresh berries and delicious cream and all sorts of toppings - it made your stomach churn. It made you feel every bit of flesh that was on your bones. It reminded you of how ugly you felt that you were.

The faces of everyone turned downcast. The room suddenly started to feel a little tense. Awkward. You scratched at your arm, feeling the weight of all of those glances. You could feel the judgment behind them. Of course someone who looked like you would have their birthday at an ice cream parlor. Just look at how you tried to squeeze into one of your favorite shirts. They probably came out here to see the spectacle rather than because they care about you. Once you were thin though - once you reached your ideal weight - then they would really like you. You were sure of it.

“Really?” Barty asked, thick eyebrows furrowing above his dark eyes. “But I thought - we haven’t gone out for ice cream in so long! Come on. Let me treat you. It is your birthday...”

“No, really,” You insisted, letting go of him. “But don’t let me stop you guys. Enjoy yourselves, have some ice cream. My stomach is just a little upset is all.” You were finding it easier and easier these days to push forward that lie. The looks you got when you had told your closest friends that you were dieting were too heart-wrenching to remember, so you stopped using that word. You just stopped having meals with them entirely.

“Alright,” Barty would say, and he would be the first in line to order himself a sundae. Birthday cake flavored. Came with little candles that danced around and tried to avoid being blown out. “You’ve gotta at least make a wish,” He’d say, once you two sat down at one of the colorful tables. The smell of it was so sweet. Too sweet. Especially now that it was up close and he was pushing it beneath your nose.

The smell was the only thing that you were going to have from this, so you inhaled it deeply to the point where you could taste it upon your tongue. And then you exhaled, blowing out the candles. They gave up on their little chase once the flames were blown out, falling onto the table like dead little soldiers. Barty picked them up and moved them out of the way, and slowly started to dig in. Everyone else did the same, getting their sundaes and eating them while you sat there with nothing in front of you. You put your hand on your stomach to try to hold the growls in check.

But at least everyone was happy. You could focus on that. Seeing the light in everyone’s eyes. They all seemed to be so pleased that you weren’t eating. None of them were bugging you to do so after you gave your upset stomach excuse. But they all kissed you on the cheek and gave you a hug and said that they hoped you could do lunch soon, when your stomach was feeling better. You would say thank you and say you were looking forward to it, though you knew that it would never happen.

The sun felt good on your face. You were looking forward to going home and having a large glass of water to try to calm your stomach down. Maybe since it was your birthday, you would spoil yourself a little. Add some lemon slices. Or cucumber. Maybe some celery since that was negative calories, right? That should get rid of all of the ones that you’re inhaling from just smelling all of the ice cream in here.

“Are you alright, love?” Barty would ask. “Should we stop in at the apothecary, get something for your stomach?”

“Oh, no, it’ll settle itself out,” You said, shaking your head. “The walk will help. It always does. I’m already starting to feel a little better!” And you put a smile on your face, trying to convince him that it was real.

“Then let me at least get you dinner or something. You haven’t eaten all day, you must be starving,” His arm went around your waist, and you noticed that it went all the way around. He’d never be able to fully wrap his arms around you because of the weight that you had, all of this ... fat. You moved out of his way for a moment, trying to make it seem natural, just because you didn’t want his skin to crawl from having to touch yours. You gave him an out.

“No, no, it’s fine,” You said, shaking your head again. “Really. Just watching you and everyone have a good time was more than enough to fill me out. Besides, what would be the point of us going on this walk right now if I’m just going to eat more than I burn off? Ridiculous.”

“Oh bugger,” He groaned. “You’re not still doing that stupid - stupid calorie counting thing are you? Is that why you haven’t gone out with anyone in ages? They all think that you bloody hate them but this is about your weight again, isn’t it?”

He didn’t try to hold you again, but he strode with you. You could feel his anger, thick and dark, wavering from him like a smell. He never liked it when you would ‘diet’, ‘count calories’ or ‘exercise yourself into exhaustion’. And he always said those things like they were in quotation marks too.

“You just can’t understand. You’re perfect the way that you are. Maybe even a little too thin sometimes,” You would admit, looking at him. You envied the hell out of your partner. When he would get dressed in the mornings, standing shirtless in front of the mirror trying to pick out which tie to wear to the ‘awful’ Ministry job that his father had given him, you would stare at the outline of his ribs. The way that they stuck out ever so gently from beneath his skin. You only saw your ribs in your dreams. Where you were thin and beautiful and perfect in every way.

“And you can’t see that you are too?” Barty licked his lips. He took hold of your arm a little roughly, pulled you into a thin alleyway between two shops where you couldn’t be overheard. Your back hit the brick walls, but you were more focused on the way that his long and spindly fingers didn’t make it all the way around your arm. “What did you eat today?”

“I had breakfast!” You protested, rolling your eyes. “What, you don’t trust me?”

“What - did you have - for breakfast?”

The dark side of Barty was showing. You knew it was there, you had seen it more than once. Had helped him to calm it, in fact, leading him to a better life away from the Death Eaters that he had almost joined. The way that the gleam in his eyes would turn from one of happiness to one of madness. It was terrifying. And you knew better than to provoke him in this state. He would never hurt you, no, never, but he might hurt himself.

“Half a grapefruit,” You told him. “And then I skipped lunch. I was going to treat myself to some infused water tonight...”

“That’s not breakfast, that’s not even a bloody snack! Come on, I’m taking you to dinner,” His hand moved from arm to hand, which he clasped firmly.

“Please - don’t,” You said weakly, but he was on the warpath. People moved out of his way as you two walked, you struggling to keep up. He didn’t so much drag you as lead you towards the Leaky Cauldron. “I’m not hungry. I swear. If I eat I’ll - I’ll throw up.”

But he pulled you in regardless. The door was so quick to close behind you, it very narrowly missed hitting you on your bottom. But how anything could miss that, you thought to yourself, you had no idea. Another thought to put into the ‘true thought’ file in your mind. That’s where you put most of your inner thoughts. And all of the nice things that people said about you? Like when Barty would kiss up your neck at night and call you beautiful? ‘Polite Untruths.’ How could you see things in any other way? Even in Witch Weekly, which was only a tiny bit more progressive than the muggle magazines, gave diet tips, weight losing spells, advertisements for illusion robes. It was ingrained in your mind. Didn’t help that the Wizarding World was full of beauty queens.

And snapping back to reality, Barty sat you down at one of the tables. “How about two of your soup de jour, Tom!” He’d call out to the barman, who gave a little cheer in response. And then he’d look at you, his gaze warmer than that of the fire behind your back.

“I’m just trying to lose a little weight so I can be perfect for you, Barty. Because that’s what you deserve...” You would tell him, unable to look him in the eye.

“That’s bloody codswallop,” Barty would say, his snarl curling in disgust. “You’re already perfect the way that you are! You want to lose a little weight, that’s on you but it’s turning into this obsession with you, love. You’ve no’ been out with your friends in weeks. They’re worried about you. They miss you! And I miss ya too. You come home, I cook, you claim you eat out with friends. They tell me different in their letters. They’re even sending me letters, that’s how worried they are!”

“There’s nothing wrong with skipping a meal or two, Barty. I’ll be alright. I drink lots of water...”

“When was the last time that we had dinner together?” Barty asked. You stayed silent. You were trying to think. Nothing was coming to mind. “Never mind that, when’s the last time that you had dinner at all?”

“I-” Everything was coming up blank. All you could think about were those waters. At least the water weight could be shed. Food - it was a lot harder to work off. And you had been going on those jogs each night, but they didn’t seem to be helping too much. You always felt too tired to go very far. Too worn out. But as for actually sitting down and eating something? “It’s been ... a while.”

“You can’t even remember,” Barty frowned. “Come on love, you’ve got to eat something. You’re claiming that you want to be perfect for me, but starving yourself doesn’t equal perfection. Having you being healthy and happy, to me, is perfection. Y’know what, c’mere.”

“Where?” You asked, looking around. There was nowhere else to go. Tom was coming about with two bowls full of soup so unless he was planning on ditching without even eating-

“On my lap, stupid,” He taunted, ignoring Tom. The steaming bowls set down, the barman walked away without needing any sort of acknowledgment.

“I’ll crush you.”

“No you won’t, c’mere,” He said. The sweet and worried expression was fading from his face fast, so you got up hurredly and walked to his side. You looked down at those thin legs hidden by pinstriped pants. He patted it, and you sat down uncomfortably. You tried to only sit on the edge, but he pulled you full on into his lap. HIs arms were around you, holding you down, and his head rested on your back. “This is perfect, love, this is perfect.”

He dipped the spoon into the soup, and brought it up close to your face. Your stomach growled in response to the smell. It was some sort of thick vegetable soup, hearty with tomato, potato, carrot, corn, maybe even some lentils. And he brought it up to your mouth. “Just a couple of bites. For me?”

Well, when he put it like that, you felt like a terrible person for saying no. It felt like you were prying your mouth open, it really didn’t want to allow the food into it. Felt like a bear trap. You sipped at the broth, but that wasn’t enough for Barty. He kept the spoon up as there was still vegetables on it. Reluctantly, you wrapped your mouth around it, chewed a little bit, and swallowed. “Are you happy now?” You asked.

“A bit,” He said, rubbing at your back while dipping the spoon into the soup once more. This time he ate it for himself, and then he would give you a little more. “I wish you could see yourself the way that I see you, and your friends see you.”

Polite untruths.

“You don’t believe me, do you?” He asked. You shook your head. You had to be truthful. “Bloody hell, y/n. I must have been terrible to ya if you feel like that. I’ll try harder, but you’re going to need to try too. How bout - I cook for ya more often, just us. Healthy things. No junk. And - and we can go on walks together, that’s healthy right? Get those erm - those whatchamacalls up. Those happy things.”

“Endorphins?” You asked.

“Thats the ones. Yeah. Those. Would that help you at all, love?”

“I suppose it might be a start,” You said, not being able to resist how eager and lovely he was being. You even opened your mouth and allowed him to put another spoonful of vegetables and broth inside. A good start, but only a start.