#i just wanted to get it into writing since i couldn't cram all of it into my writing without it being clonky :

[ofgentleresolve]

verse: a spark to the flame ( 1/??? )

cw for violence, death, fires, and literary gore.

so now that i finally got that oneshot out of my system ( no pressure to read it, of course, although i am proud of it ♡ ) , i can summarize a bit more about what happens to patrick in this universe, along with some tidbits that didn't make it in:

he volunteered for his best friend, lee hyuk, on impulse when hyuk was initially reaped as the male tribute for the 53rd hunger games. the thought of being in the hunger games was terrifying, yes, but the thought of watching his best friend die in those games was unthinkable to patrick. not when patrick had already been abandoned by his birth family- he didn't want to lose another person.

in this verse, patrick was left behind in an orphanage along with his brother by his parents before his brother disappeared too. no one knows what happened to them. since i hc district three as, while a rather dreary environment to live in and mostly on the lower economic side ( think poor but not as poor as district twelve ), they are a tight knit community that emphasizes education of the young. he learned a lot about the basics of engineering and science and was taken in by an elderly couple, who ran a grocery store of sorts when he was seven. he could do arithmetic well and as they needed someone to balance the books for them. he did a lot of reading while manning the shop.

most, if not all of the books he read ( and still does ) are non-fiction. another hc, but i highly doubt the capitol would let the districts read literature from the days before the capitol regime bc that would give individuals the ability to picture a life where the capitol is not in control....the only fiction books available are the pro-capitol ones and he never would touch those.

the female tribute, his district partner, was tellessa latimis. growing up in one of the poorer zones in district three, she was already used to fighting for her life as brawls tended to break out where she grew up with her parents, three younger siblings, and her cousin. older than patrick by a year, she was sarcastic, guarded, realistic, and very grounded. while she detested the hunger games, she was more than willing to kill if it meant surviving. she was very protective of her siblings and cousins.

tellessa was also very good at using a knife; she was light on her feet and could throw a knife with about a 75% accuracy. and that's without training.

beetee, their mentor ( as the only female victor wiress was considered not 'right of mind' after her games ), had to decide between patrick and tellessa who he would support in the arena- he chose tellessa.

during the training sessions, patrick stuck with almost exclusively the wildness survival stations ( like foraging for food and making fires ) and reading the books there on the topic. he also tried to refresh his memory on the basics of engineering and electricity too. he did learn the basics of using a knife, but didn't go further because he thought it would garner unwanted attention from the careers ( tributes from one and two ).

he also made friends with ellio, the tribute from district 8. they both liked reading and got along well. after tellessa, ellio was his default for who to stick around. patrick never suggested an alliance though because he didn't want to be the one to kill ellio and ellio was tight with his district partner.

when he went in for his evaluation with the gamemakers, patrick completed a rubik's cube in about five minutes. he fumbled in the middle though so that's probably why his score was in the lower middle. tellessa on the other hand dismantled a dummy using only a knife. she scored an 8.

during the interview, he referred to himself as a gentleman in an attempt to distinguish himself amongst the tributes. in a way, it did work.

during the games, patrick broke one tribute's jaw with his backpack while escaping the initial bloodbath, sets fire to four other tributes via the generators, and takes out two more tributes with a more traditional trap. adding in the final showdown with remos, the tribute from district two, that makes patrick's body count 8.

tellessa comes in fifth place for the games; she and patrick had a plan to destroy the supplies that the career pack had amassed. however it got blotched since remos decided to use her as a hostage since he recognized that patrick was the real threat to his survival.

tellessa burned to death in the electrical fire patrick caused along with remos' district partner. patrick held tellessa's hand in her final moments even though it was charred and very hot.

that's where he got the burn scar on his right palm from.

patrick was crowned the victor after a fight to the death with remos. he stabbed remos with a broken pipe.

[i-want-men-i-cant-have]

✮ imagine kisaki dating you just to be closer to hina, your best friend. you knew her since you could remember and kisaki since cram school. you didn't have a real opinion on him and just thought he was the shy, studious type- nothing really special to write home about.

✮ but you were surprised when he confessed a little after hina started talking about a boy named takemichi and how he saved her. you don’t know why he confessed at all. you couldn't even think of a single reason. you never spoke; it was just you standing behind hina, waiting for her to finish complimenting him so you could go get popsicles at the park.

✮ the confession seemed fake- even something a little you could pick up on. it was like a robot, and not in the way he was confessing to himself in the mirror so many times; it was just dry. the confession had no heart to it. he wasn't even blushing and looking down, flickering his eye to you and the ground and spilling out, “i like like you!” it was just bland. so bland, in fact, you forgot every single word of it even while listening to it.

✮ but you were also young and thought a boyfriend would make you cooler, so you accepted it. also because you didn’t want to be left behind from hina and her ever-growing relationship with takemichi.

✮ when you asked him why he liked you a few weeks into the relationship, he said something about how you were like a plant and didn't get on his nerves. you didn't talk to him for a week after that.

✮ but when middle school started is when you were questioning the relationship. sure, it was weird to date someone and then move into middle school. the new personalities and new friend groups would naturally cause conflicts, but you were determined to keep on dating the guy. so determined it clouded your thoughts on the real underlying reason he even wanted to date you. you also didn't want to question if he liked you just to have a repeat of the plant comment.

✮ you were still friends with hina in middle school, going from a friend to a best friend if takemichi didn't already fit that role with a boyfriend. you were jealous of him, spending so much time with her after school. you didn’t know if that was the real reason or maybe jealous of their relationship. kisaki looked at you and spent time with you, yes, but it all seemed so artificial. like some alien trying to blend into the real world disguised as a cow with purple spots in a field of grass.

✮ it all changed, or spiraled when he met some guy, oniinii, osanii, osanai? he said you have your friends and he can have his, so you shouldn't judge, so you didn’t. you let him be. after all, relationships are built on trust and understanding.

✮ now the only time he wants to hang out is when you make an offside comment about how hina was going to be there or you were hanging out with hina. you thought it was just a way for him to be less awkward around you- a third person to brighten up the mood and keep the conversation from coming to an awkward pause. still, when you mentioned other names, he just hummed and continued to study for an upcoming test while you sat on his bed staring at the tv.

✮ after about a month of this, you were a little more than mad. you wanted to stay in the relationship for a reason you couldn’t pin down. you wanted to think it was because you liked him and his calming presence. you shoved down the feeling of being stubborn; a year plus relationship with someone wasn't a lot, but to you, it was. you’ve stuck with him for a year; he’s the first and only guy to confess to you. then you pushed down the feeling of not wanting to be alone, just having friends- nothing special like a boyfriend in sight.

✮ so you started shoving more and more dates in his face if one date a week was bombarding. you just wanted a simple lunch date with him on the weekend, drink something nice, and maybe eat a sweet with him and talk about your week.

✮ but he would slowly start to ditch it more and more as the weeks passed. the first and second week were the best because he actually showed up and stayed. you would carry the conversation, assuming he was awkward, but it was overall a nice time- calm and comfortable.

✮ but he would slowly slip farther and farther from your date plans. you didn’t want to question it the first few times he left as he said osanai needed him and you assumed he was just tutoring the poor guy. you didn't want to judge people based on their appearance, an appearance you had yet to see but from the sound of it he could be a delinquent. besides, kisaki was leaving money to pay for his and maybe your meal if you didn’t talk a lot. yet as the weeks passed, your thoughts of the tutoring switched to your boyfriend getting bullied by the gang member you only know the name of.

✮ kisaki did catch onto your worry and he told you not to worry. he had told you osanai was his friend. he had told you osanai needed some help with homework. he had told you him and osanai needed to finish a last-minute project. excuses, excuses and more excuses.

✮ now the only dates you even get are the spur-of-the-moment ones which you force him to go on. even then, he leaves early, leaving more and more cash on the table each time to cover the bill.

✮ and then came hanma. you remembered that man's name the first time you heard it. you hated the way he looked at you. he had this look as if to tell you he knew so much more than you. like he knew something you didn't. not to mention his laugh whenever you left the room. your room. they would talk and discuss whatever teenagers talk about in your room, food crumbs on your bed left by the new boy.

✮ your boyfriend and his new replacement for osanai even used kisaki's room. you know this from kisaki telling you randomly, as if to diffuse your anger after a long day. but then hanma said he liked the vibe of yours so they used it more. you had a feeling he was just making up excuses so he could get a mini maid, you.

✮ you were afraid of the new replacement of osanai. you don’t even think kisaki remembers him, which pisses you off more than you’d like to admit because he spent more time with him than you.

✮ hanma got under your skin in more ways than one. he never got mad at you, never even raising a hand to hit you. it was that look he gave you that made you hate him so much, not the amount of time he spent with your boyfriend.

✮ when you yelled at the tall boy for smoking in your room, he laughed and told you not to worry about it so much because he did it out the window. you were on the verge of shoving him out the window if he kept up being himself.

✮ but the reason you probably hated hanma so much was that you had more of a relationship with him than the boy you were in a relationship with.

✮ now, you remember those dates kisaki left you for with osanai? now he was leaving with hanma every time he apologized quicker and quicker. each time he left, he would leave a wad of cash greater and greater than the last. you didn’t want to question the money; it was his life after all. it also would mostly cover the tab and sometimes leave you some extra money. one of these times you had enough left over to buy him a present, and with your anniversary coming up, you wanted to buy him something- it was his money after all.

✮ you liked the present having thought about it for a while now. you had decided on a mini pig phone charm, remembering how they were one of the smartest animals in that one documentary you watched a few years ago. you also remembered he didn’t like dumb people, something he brought up when you asked what the amount of money the tip would be. it was the perfect anniversary gift! so perfect in fact you bought a matching one so you could even remember you had a boyfriend!

✮ and a week after your anniversary when you walked into your room, you saw hanma sitting on your bed, looking at his phone while something played in the background. that little pig charm was dangling from his phone, almost taunting you. even that stupid pig was giving you the pitting look hanma would always give you, only this time hanma had a smile on his face watching as your eyes followed the animal sway side to side. side to side on your boyfriends best friends phone.

✮ when you ran to the bathroom to call hina, kisaki was knocking on the door a few minutes after you burst out of your own room. he sounded so… dissatisfied. so unfazed. like he was forced to do it, but you knew better than to believe it was hanma who did it. could it be? your boyfriend was actually trying to care for you? did he actually appreciate all that time you spent trying to love and care for him? did he love your date ideas? did he love you?

✮ no.

✮ no.

✮ no.

“can you stop crying? it’s annoying and i can’t focus.”

✮ tetta kisaki must die.

you slam opened the door to his face, watching as he stumbled back into the wall, paying no attention to the prying eyes and ears of hanma from down the hall. “shut up! just shut up already! why is it the one time i need you to not talk you finally open your mouth?! you’re always so quiet around me! i’m the person you're supposed to open up around, and you don't! the one time you should say something- anything nice to cheer me up, you tell me I'm annoying!”

“are you… breaking up with me?”

“what else do you expect?! i can’t call you by your first name! i get you something for our anniversary and you give it to your best friend! you never spend any time with me! you only want to spend time with hina, who has a boyfriend! i mean seriously, what’s wrong with you? have you just liked her this whole time!?” and with hanma's annoying laugh, it was solidified. he never even liked you in the first place. hanma knew. osanai probably knew. everyone knew but you.

“i hope you and hanma have a great life together kisaki.” you finally try and relax, keeping a steady breath looking down on your ex-boyfriend. “now get out. now.”

[milunalupin]

hi hi hi! so many congrats on a 100 followers, what a deserved accomplishment, love!!

you can obviously ignore this if you're uncomfortable writing this/or this doesn't hit your creative spot. because this is so cliched uggh.

okay so i was thinking maybe a little grumpy!reader x sunshine!sirius, friends to lovers trope? (it makes so weak in the knees 🫠.) feel free to take the plot literally anywhere your heart desires, because you'll serve either ways!!

love you, make sure to drink water and eat good. hope you have a great day/night ahead.

--🍁autumn

hi hi my love ! thank you for you patience <3 and adding more sirius to my blog

— sunshine

sunshine!sirius x grumpy!reader ★ 1.2k words

"Sirius Black if you don't stop tapping your finger against the table, I will not hesitate to hex you."

You sent a glare towards the raven haired boy from across the table. History of Magic was your worst subject and you had a big exam coming up. "Why aren't you with the other boys anyways?"

It's not like you two weren't friends, but Sirius wasn't usually the one to seek you out. It was usually Peter since he was the one who introduced you to his friends, then Remus who at times also enjoyed his peace and quiet. You spent quite a bit of time with the girls too, especially since you all roomed together. James and Sirius had always been friendly with you, but it wasn't like you would stay up in the common room sharing secrets, although Sirius had recently been around you more than than normal.

"Well aren't you just a ray of light." Sirius sent you a lopsided grin, setting his elbows on the table and resting his head on his hands. "They're out somewhere with Prongs looking for Evans, and I wanted to see my favorite girl."

Your quill froze over the parchment. Sirius was such a flirt, you couldn't take anything he said to you to heart, because he didn't mean it, right? You lowered your head and tried to focus on your notes, pretending like you didn't hear him.

"Anyways," he chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "You know about his problem with Evans, and you're a girl, could you give me some advice to relay back to him?"

"Thanks for noticing. What kind of advice?"

"Well, what sort of things do girls like to receive?"

"I don't know Sirius, I don't regularly receive gifts from boys." You rolled your eyes and scoffed, glancing up at him to see his eyes on you, waiting for an answer. "but I supposed I would quite like it if someone brought me my favorite drink, or book. You know, it shows that they've paid attention to the little things."

"So how would you- girls-" he let out a shaky laugh, his cheeks tinged pink. "How would girls like to be asked on a date?"

How would you know? You didn't want to speak negatively of yourself but there had to be some reason as to why boys never came up to you. You would never guess that it was because Sirius had already warned the whole male population at Hogwarts to back off his very pretty friend.

Groaning quietly, you rubbed your hands over your tired face. "Sirius, I don't know, can you please let me review my notes in peace?"

"That doesn't count, you're not being fair." Peter whined, pulling on his hair as he looked down at the chessboard. You shrugged and stuck your tongue out at the boy, getting up and taking a seat on the carpet by the fire next to Lily.

It was the night before your exam and as much as you wanted to hole up in your room and cram, your friends had convinced you to spend time with them. Lily was painting Marlene's fingernails while Remus took your place playing against Peter in chess.

"Who wants hot chocolate!" James called out, Sirius and him walking towards you all with trays of steaming mugs. The two passed out the sweet beverages,

"Thanks Sirius." you thanked him softly, his gaze softening as you wrapped your hands around the warm drink and blew gently on the top. Your eyes brightened as you took a sip and tasted a hint of peppermint.

The rest of the evening was spent playing games, dancing to Remus' new records and sharing Peter's surplus of sweets from Honeydukes. You felt your shoulders relax as you looked around at your friends having a good time, catching Sirius already looking you. His eyes darted away as soon as you saw him, the corners crinkling as he laughed as some joke James had made. You felt a nudge in your side, turning to see Lily cocking her head towards the dorms asking if you were ready to go. Nodding, the three of you girls stood up and waved goodnight to the Marauders and shuffled up to your room.

You flopped into bed with a blissful sigh. "Thanks for tonight guys, I needed this."

Marlene waved her hand in dismissal. "You've studied hard, you needed a bit of a break."

"The peppermint hot chocolate was just the thing I needed, it's my favorite."

"Peppermint hot chocolate?" Lily's nose scrunched with disgust, but then her eyes widened with realization, her and Marlene sharing a knowing grin. "Right, the peppermint hot chocolate."

You turned your head to squint at them. "Why do you two have that look on your faces?"

"We don't know what you're talking about, goodnight!"

You're going to pass the exam, you're to going to p—

"Watch it, you half-breed, or I'll turn you into the little mutt you are." Lucius Malfoy spat at you as you ran into him, pulling out his wand.

"Oh sod off, why don't you put your daddy's money where your mouth is?" you scoffed, reaching for your own wand. He sneered at your comeback, taking a step closer to you.

"Hey sunshine, I was looking everywhere for you! Let me walk you to class." Sirius appeared next to you, taking your school bag and slinging it over his shoulder, shooting a grin to Lucius, canines on full display. "Thanks for watching her for me Malfoy but next time, don't."

Sirius steered you away from the fuming Slytherin, arm around your shoulder. He ducked his head down to speak to you quietly. "You alright?"

"Fine, boys are just jerks." you grumbled, your mind now focusing on your exam as you two turned into the hall where your classroom was located.

"Not all of us though, right?"

The corner of his mouth lifted, your smiled mirroring his own. "Yeah, Pete's alright."

"You're killing me doll." He threw his head back dramatically, his smile slipping as yours did, now standing in front of the History of Magic classroom. "Hey, how about we made a deal?"

"Huh?" you pulled yourself out of a daze, looking up at him. "What's the deal?"

Sirius coughed to the side and straightened his posture. "You get an Outstanding on your exam, and I'll take you out."

A flush crept up your face, not believing your ears. As annoying as he was, of course you had thought about Sirius romantically before, who hadn't? You really hoped your studying paid off, your smile and voice coming out shy. "What if I don't get an Outstanding?"

Sirius lit up like the Great Hall during the holidays, smiling ear to ear. "Then I'm still taking you out to cheer you up. I also have just been dying to take you on a date, sunshine."

An hour later you left the classroom with a giant smile on your face and a big 'O' on your parchment. Sirius immediately took your hand in his and dragged you to Hogsmeade for your first date, the twinkling sound of your laughter letting him know it wouldn't be your last.

[orchidniins]

Serendipitous Beginnings Pt. 1 | Arthur Frederick

Summary: Y/N moves to London to pursue her dreams and reconnect with her best friend But what she doesn't expect is a cute neighbor and a new exciting chapter of her life. Pairings: ArthurTV x F!Reader Warnings: Fluff Word Count: 6.4k A/N: FIRST FIC!!!!!! I’m so down bad for Arthur and just wish there was more on tumblr about this literal walking green flag of a man. I wanted this to be a cute little fic. But I feel like I got a little carried away with the story. But I also think that I need to start somewhere. Maybe the next fics I write after this will be a little more to the point. The more I write, the better I’ll get. I'm always open to suggestions and requests. Hope you enjoy!!

Masterlist ⟡ Part 2

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

The bustling streets of London welcome you as you step out of the taxi. Having grown up in a small town just outside of London, you’d always fantasized about what life in the big city was like. Sure, your past academic pursuits had given you the opportunity to live all across the world, but London was always the ultimate destination - the place you dreamed of settling down in.

Securing a spot in the archeology PHD program of your dreams was the culmination of years of hardwork and determination. Those late-night study sessions, caffeine-fueled cramming marathons and years spent away from home were finally paying off. It marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter.

Like clockwork, Sienna bursts out of the main entrance of the building and engulfs you in a bone-crushing hug.

Sienna and you went way back. From the eager little girl who lived next door to becoming your closest confidante, she’d been through everything with you. Despite the miles between you over the years – ever since you left for the States to pursue your bachelor's degree and she moved to London for her’s – she remained one of the few constants in your life.

Your day wasn’t complete without a minimum three-hour facetime session. So naturally, after your family, she was the first person you informed of your move. True to form, she’d already cleaned out her spare bedroom and sent you a photo of the door adorned with a makeshift sign that read "Y/N’s Bedroom." It was safe to say that you were excited to reconnect with your childhood best friend and focus on your work. Little did you know, your life was about to take an unexpected turn.

“I can’t believe you're finally here!”, Sienna exclaimed, finally letting you out of her embrace. “I can’t believe it either! I’d started to believe that you only existed on my phone screen”, you replied, pulling her into another hug, which she gladly returned.

“Come on now, we have much to catch up on”, pulling out of the embrace, Sienna grabs one of your oversized suitcases and starts lugging it into the building, you follow closely with a huge grin on your face.

As you entered the apartment, you couldn't help but admire the cozy atmosphere. Sienna always had an eclectic taste, much like yours. She was a bit of a collector and she always made sure to keep and display the souvenirs you sent her from all the museums and dig sites that you had visited and worked at.

You look to the side of the living room that was littered with boxes, “All your stuff got here a few days ago”, Sienna informs you as she shuts the door behind her.

“There should be one or two boxes coming in today that I shipped out a little later”, I mentioned, Sienna nods in understanding. “While we’re on the topic of shipping boxes, have you had a chance to send that cretin’s stuff back to him?” you ask her as you kick off your shoes and take your coat off.

“Ugh, I don’t want to talk about Joey,” Sienna groaned. “He said he’d come by to pick his stuff up later, so I’ve just left a box by the door”, she added, plopping down on the couch and signaling for you to join her. ”But what I really want to know is, how’s your love life? What happened to that guy you were talking to last month? The one from your internship?”, she asks, a curious glint in her eyes.

“Hmmm, yeah, things didn’t work out”, you drawled out. “He was really nice when it was just the two of us, and he wasn’t too bad in bed either, but once we were at our work, things got weird. He’d treat me completely different. Honestly he was a real prick," you explained, throwing an arm around her. "No more guys for me. I guess it’s just you and me, babe," you sighed, earning a laugh from her.

-------⋆✧⋆-------

The next hour or two passed in unpacking and catching up when you received a notification on your phone saying a package had been dropped off at the downstairs lobby. "The rest of my stuff just got delivered. I’m heading downstairs," you announced to Sienna, who had just ventured into the kitchen to get dinner started.

You spot the box as soon as you exit the elevator. You sign for the package at the front desk and pick up the heavy box. Perhaps thinking you could manage a nearly 40kg box full of books by yourself wasn’t the best idea after all.

Lost in the effort of balancing the hefty box, you were completely oblivious to your surroundings. As soon as you turn to head towards the elevator, you feel yourself colliding with what felt like someone's side, causing you to stumble back a step. The impact was enough to make you wince, but that was the least of your worries.

With a dreadful realization, you watch in horror as the bottom of the box gives way, sending a cascade of books tumbling onto the stranger's feet.

“Oh my god, I’m so, so sorry,” you begin to profusely apologize to the man in front of you who is now bent over, clutching his ankle. Quickly chucking the box to the side, you kneel down to inspect his foot. ”Please tell me you’re okay. I’m so sorry. I should have been paying attention,” you continue your string of apologies, hoping that the man wasn’t hurt too badly.

The man winces slightly as you examine his foot, but instantly looks down at you with a reassuring smile. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm okay, really," he tries to assure you, trying to alleviate your guilt. His smile catches you off guard, you stay frozen for a second, momentarily captivated by his warm smile and almost sparkling brown eyes. However, you quickly shake yourself out of it, realizing that this might not be the best time.

"Liar," you retorted with a hint of skepticism, knowing very well that anyone in their right mind would have cursed you out by now.

The man furrows his eyebrows and lets out a light chuckle. "No, really, I'm okay," he insists, standing up straight to show you that he was fine. You couldn't help but exhale a sigh of relief as you fully stood up as well, grateful that your clumsiness hadn't caused any serious harm.

With a slight laugh, the man gestures towards the pile of books on the ground. "Either you have a shopping problem or you just moved in," he remarks, a playful glint in his eyes.

You laugh in response, shaking your head. "I do have a shopping problem, but this is from just having moved in. My fault for thinking I'd be able to manage," you admit sheepishly.

You bend down to reach for the box to put it back together. You're surprised when the man gets down to your level and starts helping you out.

Mumbling a small thanks, you both begin placing the books back into the reassembled box. As you do this, you take a moment to observe his face. He looks to be around your age, with messy brown hair, and honestly, he was kind of cute.

The man picks up a book titled "A History of Archaeological Thought" and reads the title out in interest, quickly flipping through the pages. “I've actually read this one," he remarks, holding up one of your books on ancient roman archeology "Found it quite interesting."

You look at him slightly surprised and say, "Oh, you have? One of my professors from uni recommended it to me. It's really fascinating."

"These are all archaeology and history textbooks," he observes, gesturing to the pile of books.

You put the last book in the box and stand up along with him, laughing slightly. "Haha, yes, some of them are old textbooks from university. The rest are just stuff I've collected over the years."

He looks at you in awe and exclaims, "You're an archaeologist? That's so cool! I've never met an archaeologist before." The sparkle in his eyes returns, and you almost feel yourself slightly melt at the sight of them. You find yourself flashing him a wide smile. There's something about the genuine curiosity and admiration in his gaze that warms your heart.

Before you can say something, your phone rings. Excusing yourself for a moment, you check your phone and see that Sienna is calling, likely worried by how long it's taken you to pick up a delivery. "Sorry, just a minute," you say to the man, turning to the side to answer your cell. He nods in understanding.

"Hey, Sienna," you answer.

"Girl, what happened? Where are you?" Sienna's voice comes through, concerned.

"Long story, but I'll be up in a minute," you assure her.

"Please, come quick. Joey just texted me; he said he'll be here in like 5 minutes to pick up his stuff and I really don't want to be alone when he gets here," Sienna explains anxiously.

"Ok, yeah, I’ll be right up" you respond, sensing the urgency in her voice.

You hang up the call, tucking your phone quickly into your back pocket, you turn back to the handsome stranger. "Sorry about that, but I actually need to go," you apologize, feeling a twinge of disappointment that your conversation was just cut short.

"Ha, don't worry about it," he reassures you with a warm smile.

You apologize again for his foot and thank him for the help. As you go to bend down to pick up the box, he beats you to it, lifting it effortlessly. "Oh, you don't have to," you insist, but he shakes his head with a small laugh.

"Don't want to risk you possibly injuring someone else," he quips playfully.

You look at him with mock hurt and reply, "Rude!" before bursting into laughter, appreciating his kindness despite what had just happened.

As he begins to walk towards the elevator, you follow suit. You suddenly realize just how warm your cheeks had gotten and you quickly fan your face to cool down before you enter the elevator. Once inside, you press the button for your floor and glance around awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. The tension is palpable, but there's also a subtle excitement lingering in the air.

Arriving at your floor, you lead the way to your new flat, with him following without hesitation. Standing outside your door, you turn to him and say, "Well, this is me. Thanks again, you really didn't have to."

He responds with a gentle smile, "Again, it wasn't a bother. I'm glad to help." He sets the box down next to your door.

You stand in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say next when it suddenly dawns on you that you didn’t know the man’s name. Just as you’re about to introduce yourself, your attention is abruptly pulled away by the sound of your name being called from a distance.

"Y/N!" You spot Sienna's nightmare of an ex strolling towards your door, and you know that if you don't go inside right away, Sienna would probably kill you.

Quickly moving to unlock your door, you turn around to the attractive man and flash him a final smile. "Well, I appreciate the help. I'll see you around," you say hastily.

"Goodbye," He replies with a nod, understanding the urgency in your departure.

With that, you pick up the box and swiftly slip into your door, the sound of it shutting behind you signaling the end of your unexpected encounter.

-------⋆✧⋆-------

A week had passed since your fateful encounter with your charming neighbor, yet his presence continued lingering in your mind, a constant reminder of your missed opportunity to exchange names. Mentally scolding yourself for the oversight, you couldn't help but replay the encounter in your head repeatedly, wishing you had seized the chance to learn more about him.

The past week kept you fairly busy, preparing for the start of term on Monday. Despite that, the thoughts of him persisted more than you'd like to admit. Each time you stepped into the elevator or the lobby of your apartment, you secretly hoped for another chance meeting. Though you were someone who always tried to look presentable when stepping out, you found yourself putting in extra effort, something that didn’t go unnoticed by your flatmate.

"This usually isn't like you. Hoping to run into someone?" Sienna teases you with a knowing smirk as you prepare for the day ahead. With an interview for a teaching assistant position in the morning, lunch plans with your future classmates and some pending errands, today was shaping up to be quite hectic.

"You know," you explain to Sienna, "I just need to meet a bunch of people today, trying to make a good first impression that's all." Sienna's excitement bubbles as she responds, "Speaking of meeting new people, we're going to a party tonight!"

Usually, you were pretty social, but with all the tasks on your list today, the only thing getting you through the day is the thought of getting home and sinking into your bed. "I have quite a long day ahead, and all I want is to rest once I'm back," you confess to Sienna. But she's the persistent type that doesn’t take no for an answer, "You're in London now. New place. New life. You need to make some new friends as well," she insists. "Come on, it'll be fun. You can meet some of my friends."

"Fine, I'll see if I'm feeling up to it once I'm back in the evening," you reluctantly agree and bid her goodbye. “Good luck on your interview!” Sienna screams as you head out the door.

-------⋆✧⋆-------

You return home to a dimly lit flat, only illuminated by the lamp next to the couch and the light emanating from Sienna’s room. You feel a wave of relief as you kick off your shoes, finally able to give your feet a break after being on them all day. You attempt to move as quietly as possible, hoping to sneak past Sienna and retreat to your bedroom for some much-needed rest. However, it seems as though she possesses some sort of mind reading ability, as she calls out to you in a sing-songy tone, "Hey Y/N… Don't even think about sneaking off. Get in here."

You weakly protest, "But…" before Sienna shuts down any objections with a firm, "No buts. Get in here." Giving up, you toss your purse and the shopping bags onto the couch and reluctantly make your way into her room.

Standing in the doorway of her bedroom, you offer a half-hearted, "You called?"

"Yes, get your cute butt in here and get ready. You can borrow one of my tops if you want," Sienna responds. Though you pout for a moment, Sienna's pointed glare leaves you with no room for argument. You finally agree, "Fine… I'll go put something on. I'll be right back." Sienna nods, continuing to put on her mascara.

Returning to your bedroom, you rummage through a box of clothes that you had yet to unpack. Finally settling on a pair of black wide-leg jeans, a black bralette, and a sheer black top to layer over it. Quickly changing, you grab your makeup bag and head back into Sienna's room.

"You look so hot! If I were a guy, I'd be all over you," she says with a wink. "I know right!" you playfully reply as you start to retouch your makeup beside her in the mirror.

As you apply a fresh coat of lipstick, you inquire, "Where is this party by the way?" Sienna responds, "Oh, it's right upstairs. It's a house party at my friend George’s place."

"Cool, but I don't want to stay too long. I actually feel like I'll drop dead any second after the long day I've had," you tell Sienna, hoping she'll understand your need for an early night, but you can't help but feel a twang of hope in your heart that you might run into the cute brown-eyed stranger there.

Sienna turns to you with a playful salute, saying, "Yes, ma'am. We'll just have a few drinks, mingle around. We won't be there long." Her words reassure you, and you offer her an appreciative smile as the two of you share a laugh.

-------⋆✧⋆-------

As you and Sienna stand outside of George's flat, you hear the sounds of laughter and music echo from inside. With an encouraging grin, Sienna grabs you by the arms and pushes open the door, pulling you into the flat.

Your eyes scan the room, taking in the sights and sounds of the party. Despite your fatigue, a spark of excitement blooms within you; it's been a while since you've had the opportunity to drink a little and let loose.

Sienna's eyes scan the room. and an excited smile lights up her face as she spots someone. "George!", she calls out enthusiastically, waving to catch the attention of a brown haired man.

He gives Sienna a slightly intoxicated smile as he stumbles over to where the two of you stand. "Hi! You made it!," he greets her with a hug.

Sienna responds with a smile, saying, "Of course! Any excuse to get drunk," as she pulls away and turns slightly towards you. "George, this is my other half, Y/N," she introduces, prompting you to flash him a smile and lean in for a side hug, which he reciprocates.

"Hey, Y/N, how are you finding London so far?" George inquires, prompting you to reply, "Oh, it's been great, and it's a plus living with Sienna…"

"Well, let me introduce you to the rest of the gang and get you guys a drink. Come." He leads the two of you near the kitchen, where you see two men chatting with solo cups in hand. George gestures towards the drinks and encourages you to help yourselves, handing you each a cup as well.

You quickly fix yourself a drink and take a sip, the cold liquid adding some life back into you. You turn around to see Sienna and George now in a conversation with the two other guys. You grab your drink and head over to join them.

"Guys, this is Y/N," Sienna introduces you to the two men in front of you, slinging an arm around you in the process. "Y/N, this is Chris and this is Arthur," Sienna continues, "They live here too. We have another Arthur; he should be around here somewhere," George adds as he takes a look around the room.

Arthur extends his hand and says, "It's nice to finally meet you. Sienna doesn't shut up about you." Chris chimes in, "Yeah, we know everything… even the thing with the door." You look at him in shock and lightly laugh, replying, "Yeah....I am not drunk enough to get into the whole door story." you say taking a large swig of your drink, earning a laugh from the group.

30 minutes and many vodka shots later, you get to learn a little more about the boys. The conversation is flowing and filled with laughter. You find out that all of them are YouTubers and create content on the internet. George makes videos on YouTube and Tik-Tok, and Chris made football videos. Arthur, in particular, was a musician, which you spent a few good minutes remarking how cool that was.

After conversing a bit more, Sienna takes you around the room and introduces you to few more people. Some lived in the building and others were mutual friends that she had with George, Chris and Arthur.

You are chatting with a few girls when George joins the group, more shots in hand, "No more...I'm like another shot away from throwing up," you tell him.

"That's fine. I'll find someone to hold your hair back," he says with a chuckle, placing a shot glass in your hand and in the already drunk state you were in, you comply.

Even more shots later, you excuse yourself to go to the restroom. George tells you to use the en-suite in his room and despite George's instructions, it takes you all but 5 seconds to forget in your intoxicated state.

You head in the general direction that he pointed you in and walk down the hall, stumbling into the first bedroom that you see. The room has a cozy and warm atmosphere. There is a filming set up on the desk in the corner, a bookshelf overflowing with books and a white piano placed against one of the walls. At first glance, you don't feel like the room fits the vibe that George had, but you brushed it off and made a beeline to the toilet.

You finish your business and step out of the restroom. As you exit, you hear the door of the balcony open wider, and at that moment it dawns on you that you might have unintentionally entered someone else's private space by mistake.

Without a second thought, you try to head straight out the door, hoping to completely avoid any interaction at all. But with the alcohol slowing down your reaction time, you're only able to take maybe four steps before you hear a man's voice, "Oh, hello."

In that moment, you just want to make a run for it, but instead, you turn around to face whoever's room this was. You're pleasantly surprised when you come face to face with a familiar warm smile.

"Hey", you reply with slight surprise in your tone, a smile creeping up on your face. His face lights up with a bright smile at the sight of the person that was occupying space in his mind for the past week.

"Hide everything heavy, else I might drop it on your foot," you say, your face scrunching at your embarrassing attempt to make this interaction less awkward. Your words earn you a laugh.

"Oh, sorry btw," you blurt out, pointing to the restroom door. "George said I could use the one in his room, but I got confused and ended up here. I know I probably should have checked to see if there was someone else here first. Haha, I don't always think too straight when I'm drunk, you know, especially because it's been almost 6 months since I drank last so, I'm usually not a lightweight, but I guess the large pause from drinking has kind of turned me into one." you word vomit in your drunken state.

You pause for a second to catch your breath, all while the man in front of you takes it all in with an amused smile on his face. "Oh shit, I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry for that," your words are accompanied with a slight stumble even while just standing, and the man quickly rushes to your side. "Woah there," he says, helping you regain balance. "Come sit down." He leads you and sits you down on the edge of his bed, taking a seat next to you.

"Oh! I'm Y/N, by the way. Sorry I didn't catch your name last time," you finally introduce yourself, hoping to clear the awkward air. He smiles warmly. "I'm Arthur," he says, his voice soft and friendly.

"So you're the fourth flatmate," you remark, trying to keep the conversation flowing smoothly.

"Yeah, that's me," Arthur confirms with a nod. "The elusive fourth flatmate," he adds with a chuckle. "I've been friends with the boys for a while, but I just moved in a a few weeks ago."

As Arthur talks about how he met each of his flatmates, you can't help but be drawn in by his charming and slightly goofy personality. You also didn't mind just staring at his handsome face for a while. You find yourself smiling at his easy demeanor, pleasantly surprised by how instantly at ease you started to feel around him as you two spoke, as if you'd known each other much longer than your short interactions.

You learn that Arthur is a YouTuber too, specializing in TV show commentary and reaction videos. You make a mental note to check out his channel, along with the others', when you manage to find the time.

He says, "You know, I totally felt like an idiot the other day for not getting your name." You chuckle softly, feeling a bit relieved that he brought it up first.

"Oh no, that was totally on me," you admit sheepishly, "I was in a bit of a hurry." you quickly recover, flashing him a warm smile. "But it's nice seeing you again," you say sincerely.

"Likewise," Arthur replies, a hint of relief in his voice. "I was hoping we'd run into each other again."

"Is your boyfriend here as well?" Arthur asks, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment. For a moment, you almost feel like you misheard him. "I'm sorry, what?" you ask, taken aback. "Your boyfriend, the guy from the hall the other week, don't you live together?" he asks, with furrowed brows.

"Oh, no, he wasn't my boyfriend," you clarify, a hint of amusement in your voice. "I live with my friend Sienna. He's her ex; he was just coming over to pick up some of the stuff he left behind." You swear you see relief wash over Arthur's face.

"But where did you get that impression?" you ask, intrigued.

Arthur hesitates for a moment before answering, "Well, before he went into your flat, he said that his girlfriend lived there, tried to size me up, and then told me to stay away from your place."

You look at him in shock. "He did what!?" you exclaim, "Are you serious?", you say, making a mental note to strangle Joey if you were to ever see him again.

Arthur nods, a sympathetic expression on his face. "Yeah, I found the bloke a little dodgy. Weird character."

You can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "Well, now you know why he's her ex," you quip, shaking your head.

After a moment of silence, Arthur clears his throat, his tone slightly hesitant. "So, you're single?" he asks, his gaze meeting yours. You notice a hint of nervousness in his voice, and he quickly adds, "I-I don't mean to make you uncomfortable with that question…"

You offer him a reassuring smile. "No, no, it's okay," you reassure him, appreciating his concern. "Yes, I'm single," you confirm, feeling a sense of ease in his presence.

Arthur visibly relaxes, relieved by your response. "Good to know," he says with a small, sheepish grin. You can't help but find his reaction incredibly cute, and you let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, just focusing on finding my footing here in London," you explain, your tone light.

Arthur leans in with curiosity. "So, what brings you to London?" he asks, genuine interest gleaming in his eyes. You can't help but feel a flutter of warmth in your chest, surprised and pleased by the level of interest he's showing, unable to recall any guy you've talked to who has shown such genuine curiosity about your life.

You smile, feeling a sense of connection as you share a bit of your story. "Well, I'm actually starting my Ph.D. next week," you reveal. "It's been my dream program for as long as I can remember."

His eyebrows raise in intrigue. "Wow! a Ph.D.? That's impressive. In archeology?" he asks, his interest piqued. He laughs softly, and adds "I remember from the books you dropped on me."

You laugh, appreciating his recall. "Yes, that's the one," you confirm, feeling your heart melting at how attentive he was.

"Wow, archaeology sounds fascinating," Arthur remarks, leaning in with genuine interest, and you realize just how close he had gotten during this conversation. "How did you get into it?"

You smile, reminiscing about your journey. "Well, it's kind of because of my father," you begin, "He was a Greek history professor, and some of my youngest memories are of sitting in on his lectures when I was little and he has always been very supportive of me learning about other cultures and their histories."

Arthur's eyes light up with curiosity as he listens intently.

"So I just knew," you continue, "When it was time for uni, it just felt write to study archeology. Though I was studying in the States up until now, I traveled to various countries, exploring different archaeological sites." Arthur nods, captivated by your story.

And just like that, the conversation flows effortlessly between you, diving deeper into the world of archaeology and sharing your mutual fascination with the subject. You also ask him about his journey in becoming a youtuber and are extremely impressed by how he transitioned from being a lawyer to a content creator. With each new detail he shares, you find yourself being just a little more attracted to him.

As you continue on with your conversation, your attention is drawn away when you hear a knock on the open door of the room.

George peaks his head into the room, you get up and face him, realizing that you had completely forgotten that you even were at a party. Time had slipped away as you spoke with Arthur.

You check your phone, and were slightly shocked to see that almost 2 hours had passed by since you came stumbling into Arthur's room.

"Y/N, I was looking for you," George says, concern evident in his voice. "Sienna seems a bit out of it. I think you should take her home."

Immediately, you're on your feet, concern for your friend overriding any other thoughts. You follow George back into the living room, Arthur following closely behind. You see that the crowd had thinned out a bit but the music was still playing and there were still people chatting and drinking.

Sienna is sprawled out on the couch, her hair covering her face. You crouch down next to her, gently brushing her hair away. "Are you okay, babe?" you ask softly.

Sienna's eyes flutter open, and she springs up, throwing her arms around you. "Y/N! Where were you all night? I wanted to drink more with you!" she exclaims. Then, she turns to George and demands, "Get us more shots, George!"

George looks between the two of you and shakes his head with a smile. "Water it is," he says and heads to the kitchen to get some.

Sienna spots Arthur standing behind you. "Hey there," she says cheerfully. She'd always been the more social one between you two and absolutely loved meeting new people.

Arthur comes over and crouches next to you, introducing himself to her. "You must be Sienna. I'm Arthur, another one of George's flatmates," he says warmly. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" He asks, and you find yourself looking at Arthur with a smile, touched by how sweet he was being.

"You're the guy that Y/N almost decapitated last week," she teases, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, completely ignoring Arthur's questions. "Oh, you are cute!"

Sienna then glances at you, a goofy smile spreading across her face. "You were right, he is cute," she says, with a playful wink in your direction.

As Sienna's playful words sink in, you feel a blush creeping up on your face. Sienna always lost whatever little filter she had when she was drunk.

You catch Arthur glancing at you for a second, and you quickly avert your gaze, attempting to hide your flushing cheeks.

George returns with a bottle of water and hands it to you. You get Sienna to drink as much as she can.

"I should get her to bed then," you announce to the boys. Moving to pick her up, you find her weight causing you to stumble. Just as you're about to lose your balance, Arthur steps in to help, stabilizing both of you.

"I'll help get her back home," Arthur offers. You flash him an appreciative smile. Grateful for his assistance, you nod in agreement.

"It was great meeting you George," you say with a smile as he hands you Sienna's bag.

"It was great meeting you too," George replies warmly. "Take care yeah?", you nod in response.

With a final wave, you and Arthur begin to make your way out of the apartment, Sienna leaning on both of you for support.

-------⋆✧⋆-------

"Alright, Sienna, we're home," you say gently as you now stand in front of your door, slightly nudging her, waking her up, as she had managed to doze off while you were getting the door open. You carefully guide her through the door with Arthur's assistance.

"Her bedroom is just down the hall." You say to Arthur and he helps you get her to her room.

"Let's get you settled then," you say to Sienna as you lay her in her bed and take her heels off. Arthur steps aside for a moment while you tuck Sienna into bed and ensure she's comfortable.

Once Sienna is settled, you glance at Arthur and gesture him to leave with you. The two of you leave her bedroom as quietly as possible, and you step outside your flat so you can thank him and see him off.

You and Arthur stand in the hallway outside your door, a quiet moment settling between you.

"Thank you again for helping me with Sienna," you say, breaking the silence.

Arthur shakes his head, "It wasn't a bother at all," he replies sincerely, his eyes reflecting genuine kindness. Then, he remarks, "You and Sienna seem really close."

You nod, a soft smile playing on your lips. "Yeah, we've known each other since we were about 10 years old. She's probably the only person in the world who knows me better than I know myself," you explain. Arthur listens attentively, admiring you as you talk about your best friend with a slight twinkle in your eye.

Arthur nods with a smile. "It was great seeing you again," he says, and you return his smile, expressing your mutual sentiment.

He then reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. "Could I get your number?" he asks, a hint of nervousness in his voice as he hands you his phone.

You take the phone with a smile, feeling the subtle tension building in the air. After exchanging numbers, a moment of silence passes as you gaze into each other's eyes. In that moment, you notice just how close he's stood, his height easily towering over you.

In a low voice, you say, "I really enjoyed speaking with you today," with a smile. Arthur replies, "So did I."

The tension between you grows palpable, and Arthur breaks the silence. "I think we should hang out more often," he suggests.

"Yeah, I think so too," you reply, excitement lacing your voice.

Maybe it was the alcohol that was still flowing in your system, or maybe it was the feeling of anticipation that was building, almost like each of you was waiting for the other to say or do something, or maybe it was just this gorgeous man standing ever so close to you, with his pretty brown eyes and a charming smile that was already getting you weak at your knees. Whatever the reason may be, all you knew is that you were feeling surprisingly bold tonight.

Without another word, you lean in, deciding to shoot your shot with the guy who only came into your life a week ago. Arthur reciprocates, leaning in and connecting his lips with yours. His hands come up to your waist, giving it a light squeeze as he pulls you almost flush against his hard chest. The sudden contact causes a light gasp to escape your mouth. Arthur takes the chance as he slips his hot tongue into your mouth. Arthur's tongue explores your mouth, sending shivers down your spine and a warmth spreads down your body.

He gently pushes you up against your door as he deepens the kiss further. You find yourself melting into his touch, your arms moving up to wrap around his neck. You give his fluffy soft hair a slight tug, causing Arthur to let out a low groan and he tries to get even closer to you, as if that were even physically possible anymore.

You feel his warm hand snake up the back of your shirt and settle on the low of your back, the sensation turning your legs to jelly.

If someone would have told you a month a ago that you’d be making out with a guy you had just met outside of your flat in London, you would have laughed at their face.

This particular moment was absolutely perfect and you did not wanna stop anytime soon.

Eventually, the two of you pull away breathless, panting for air. Both of you look at each other with matching lust-filled eyes and flushed cheeks.

In that moment the both of you let out a laugh, now feeling a lot lighter after breaking the tension.

Arthur takes a step back and looks like he is about to say something. But, before he can get a word in, a loud thud interrupts the moment from inside your flat.

The sounds causes you to jolt and step away from the door. You turn around to open the door, hoping that Sienna hadn't hurt herself in her drunk state.

Before you stepped into you flat, you turn to Arthur. "I had a really good time tonight," you say, smiling. He returns you that swoon worthy smile of his.

"I'll see you later." He says with a goodbye.

With that, you head inside, a goofy smile of your own plastered across your face. You lean against your door and take a moment to process what just happened.

"Y/N", your thoughts are interrupted as you hear Sienna call out to you from inside her bedroom.

"Coming," you reply, heading in her direction, your mind still reeling from the passionate moment you shared with Arthur.

Once you had made sure that Sienna was all good and tucked back into bed, you find yourself sitting on the edge of your bed, with flushed cheeks, replaying the events of tonight.

Your phone dings beside you, lighting up your dark bedroom. You peer over to see a "Hi" from an unknown number and at that moment you knew that this new chapter of your life in London, might just be the best one yet.

Part 2

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

A/N: AAAAAAHHHH! I still can't believe that I've finally gotten my first fic up. I kind of want to write a part 2 for this fic. I’m envisioning cute museum dates and late night ramblings. Something that is in the same universe as this story. Let me know what you think.

Check out my other fics and oneshots here. Not working on any new requests currently but feel free to drop into my asks for a chat! 😊

[dinogoofymutated]

SFW!Cable/AFAB! Reader

So NSFW won on the poll option, but I decided to make both a sfw and nsfw versions :) I'm posting this one first since I can't wait, but I feel like I should apologize since technically I've posting this fic three times now and then there will be a fourth. Sorry for the repetition Ya'll! The Remy fic is still coming, but I just couldn't stop writing this lol. Also, there's a few callbacks to the previous cable fic so I'd recommend you read/reread that one before starting this one :)

TWs: Jealousy, creepy men, we choose the bear and the bear is Cable. Slight miscommunication, but healthy talks happen. Reader kinda goes into an anxiety spiral for a minute there. Could probably be read as gender neutral bc no prounouns mentioned.

    The bar is busier tonight than you’ve ever seen it. It’s humid, stuffy, and overly loud with all the warm bodies packed into the small space. You’ve never been one for crowds, but you know for a fact that Cable is certainly not a people person.

    The two of you had been crammed into a corner booth for about an hour and a half, originally having come to the bar to meet a contact that never ended up showing. Normally, the two of you would have gone home by now. It was your idea to stay and get something to eat, wanting to at least make some good with the newfound downtime. 

    You were comforted by the feeling of Cable’s keen gaze keeping an eye on you as you wove through the crowd, finding your way to the bar. You hold back a smile as you sit down, ordering some drinks for the two of you as you wait on the food. Eventually, you glance back at Cable and find him still staring at you, making eye contact as you send him a smile. You’re not surprised, but you raise a playful eyebrow at him. Cable, ever the protective grump, rolls his eyes at you in response, but you still spot the small smile he gives you when you send him a wink.

    “That beer for me, Beautiful?” The voice of a stranger cuts through your thoughts, and to be honest, you don’t even think he’s talking to you until you realize how close to you he is. He’s sat on the barstool next to you, leaning towards you like he can’t quite catch his balance. You make a face at him, nonchalantly moving Cable’s beer closer.

    “Last time I checked it wasn’t.” You say curtly. The man has a smile hiding behind his pout as he leans a little closer to you, oblivious to the way you casually recoil from him.

    “Oh c'mon, don’t play hard to get. I’m chill!” You can tell this guy is most definitely drunk, and you find yourself trying not to roll your eyes at him. If only he knew what kind of trouble he was in.

    “Sure you are. But believe me, my Husband is not.” You tell him. You're not married, but to be honest, you knew this guy wasn't going to leave you be if you left him with some vague label. Didn't matter anyway, however, the stranger laughs in your face, and his breath smells like alcohol and cheap cigarettes, a nasty combo that repulses you. You point back at the corner booth where the cable was sitting just a few minutes before, hoping that he’d at least back off at the sight of the six-foot hunk of muscle you call a lover. Unfortunately, He doesn't. 

    “What Husband?” The man says mockingly, and when you look at the booth you find yourself pointing at an empty seat. The sight lights a small flicker of anxiety in you, and your face falls as the man sets a hand on your shoulder and squeezes. It’s not there for long before the weight suddenly disappears. You snap your head around, feeling relief when you see the man’s wrist caught in Cable’s literal iron-clad grip. 

    “This Husband.” Cable grunts. 

    All of the blood drains from the stranger’s face in an instant, but it doesn’t take long for the attitude to come back. He tries to yank his arm out of Cable’s grip, but Cable’s arm doesn’t move an inch. To be honest, the sight kinda made you blush a little. Sure, you had seen Cable’s strength many times, but this… well. This was different. The guy starts to yank a little more aggressively, and all Cable has to do is clench his hand for the asshole to yelp and give up. You set a placating hand on his shoulder, and Cable glances back at you. His gaze softens, and he sighs before letting the guy go.

    “What’s your problem, man?” The stranger spits as he holds his bruised wrist. You had already gathered your things and was getting ready to get the hell outta dodge, giving Cable’s shoulder a hard pat as you desperately try to keep him from getting in a barfight. Cable is ignoring the guy, walking close behind you as you start to walk away.

    “ -s’ an ugly bitch, anyway.” The stranger mumbles under his breath, but not nearly as quiet as he should’ve. Cable stops in his tracks, wheels around, and slugs the guy with his left arm. Theres a sickening crunch and the bar goes silent as the drunken stranger is violently knocked from his seat. Your first instinct is to scold Cable, but the guy had it coming anyway. You look around, and with every eye in the bar squarely on you and Cable, you decide you’ve definitely stayed past your welcome.

    “Ohhkay. Yeah, let’s go.” You tug on Cable's arm, practically dragging him away at first. You weren’t worried about the drunk, that guy sure as hell wasn’t getting up any time soon. To be honest, you were more concerned with the fact that you could never meet someone in this bar discreetly ever again. Yay. 

    The drive back to today’s apartment is silent, and you’re thinking too much about Cable, honestly. He’s not necessarily talkative himself, arms crossed in the passenger seat as he looks out the window. You send a nervous glance his way. You had called him your husband, and although it felt right in the moment as you tried to get another man off your back, you didn’t think that Cable would actually hear you. And boy, did he hear you. Sure, he responded… like he did. The memory of it almost makes your stomach flutter. Part of you wants to be absolutely delusional and just revel in the fact that he inadvertently called himself your husband, but what if he felt forced into it? What if he only said that so that you wouldn’t be caught in a lie? When you think about it, that had to be it. I mean, he was being overprotective in the first place, but he was just trying to defend you from unwanted attention. God- you just wish you could pull your thoughts together. Pick up the confusion and chuck it out the door.

    You drive on autopilot, and before you know it, you’re already “home”. Nathan splits off from you, going to change probably. The fact that he hasn’t really looked at you yet makes you even more anxious, but to be honest, you probably wouldn’t have noticed if he had. He wasn’t usually affectionate when he was high-strung, and you knew that, but still. You can't seem to let it go.  You’re curled up on the couch when Nathan joins you, fresh out of the shower and already in casual clothes. He gives you a little space as he sits, like he doesn’t want to startle you. He’s still as stoic as ever, but at least he doesn’t look angry. You’re itching to say something, to speak, and he can tell. 

    Nathan could feel your anxiety since the car, and no matter how badly he wanted to know why, he could tell that you needed a moment to get it out. He crosses his arms with a sigh. He didn’t consider himself a jealous man, but when that idiot at the bar started talking to you he just couldn’t stand it. He knows he blew your cover big time with that punch, but there would always be another crusty bar to go to. In all honesty, he was more concerned with your change in attitude. You receded into yourself in-between the bar and the car, and he didn’t want to know if he was the reason why. He wonders if he overstepped.

    “Sorry, by the way.” You finally manage to say. Nathan cocks an eyebrow at you.

    “For what?” He asks. You look away nervously, fiddling with your fingers.

    “For when I called you my husband back there. I know we’re certainty not… well, I was just scrambling and needed something concrete- and calling you my boyfriend felt weird so-” 

    “Take a breath.” You’re surprised as he cuts you off, feeling a little stupid as you try to collect yourself. There was so much you had been through, so much that you had learned how to handle, but this?? Why was it so hard to communicate feelings like this when you normally can communicate with him so easily on the battlefield? He was probably tired of your rambling.

    “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I get it. We wouldn’t have even had a problem if the guy had taken a hint.” Nathan says, pissed off at the thought of the guy putting his hands on you still. You glance at him, a confused look on your face as you lean back on the couch.

    “So…?”

    “So, don’t apologize. It’s not like I actually…” Nathan stops for a moment, and your heart skips a beat. “I didn’t mind it” He finishes.

    “Oh?... Oh.” You say, slightly taken aback. Nathan is flushed red, ears included, staring straight ahead as he avoids looking at you.

    “So we’re okay, right?” You ask.

    “Of course we are,” Nate responds immediately, without even thinking. He looks over at you finally, still blushing a little. You relax at that, having a bit of deja vu. You realize that one of you had moved closer during the conversation, and your sides were pressing together. Nathan’s hair is messy, the gell having washed out during his shower. You always liked how fluffy it was like this, and to be honest, you can't help but reach up and run a hand through his hair. He huffs at the action, a ghost of a smile on his face as he rolls his eyes at you, but he doesn’t stop you from doing it. He’s a bit too tall for you to comfortably reach, even sitting down. Your arm is getting a bit tired, but you don’t want to ruin a sweet moment like this one. After a minute of you debating what to do, Nathan sighs and pulls you into his lap. 

    “You think too much.” He says, closing his eyes. He brings one of your hands back up to his hair, encouraging you to keep going. You hadn’t expected the action, almost startled by it. Sure, it wasn't like you had never touched him before, but the two of you… you were still getting the hang of things. New changes, familiar feelings. It felt good to be this close to him, and for once you know that you don’t have to worry about your time together being cut short.

    “Does it bother you?” You ask quietly. “When I think too much?” Nathan hums, hands resting on your waist.

    “...No. You think more than anyone I’ve ever met. Your mind is always running about something or other. Really, I’d be more concerned if you weren’t thinking.” You notice a slight change in his demeanor during his last sentence, but you don’t comment on it. Instead, you find yourself admiring his face. Your hands shift down from his hair, rubbing your thumbs under his eyes, across his cheekbones. Your eyes drift down to his lips, and you can’t help but lean in and kiss him. He’s surprised for a moment, eyes flickering open and then shut as he cups the nape of your neck and kisses you back. You sigh into him, moving to straddle his legs as his left arm tugs you closer to him by your waist. The cold metal chills you through the fabric of your shirt, his thumb idly rubbing against you. 

    Both of you are out of breath when you separate, caught up in the unbreakable connection between the two of you. You look into his pretty brown eyes, and you want to say it. You want to say those little words so badly. But you know you shouldn’t. There was something about saying it that made everything a little too real, that made everything seem a bit too different. You want to say it, but you don't. You know he knows. You know- you hope he feels the same. It’s all you could ever hope.

    “Of course I do,” Nathan whispers, a look so similar to heartbreak on his face. Your eyes widen, once again not realizing his intrusion into your thoughts. Then again, maybe you were just so used to him lingering in the back of your mind that you didn’t notice anymore. You kiss him again. This one is slower, more intimate, more sensual, and he returns it in the same manner. You’re feeling a little sappy, but content just the same. Nathan finds himself in a similar well of emotions, hoping that next time he won't have to remind you for you to know it’s true.

[caribbean1989]

It's Better Together - A Baby Lasagna fanfiction

Who: Baby Lasagna / Marko Purisic Request: maybe the reader is representing another country (doesn't have to be a singer maybe in the team) and after the behaviour of isreali's team (as many people said they treated them bad) she isn't feeling well and marko helps her and supports her. Requested by: anonymous Word count: 916 Warnings: some implied swearing and rudeness.

A/N: Thank you so much for your request. I have changed it a little bit, so it's not specifically about the Israeli team being the rude one, but it can still be read as such.

If you want me to write more Baby Lasagna fics, you can always make a request through my Ask Box. For more information on my Baby Lasagna fanfics, see this masterpost

It had always been your dream to represent your country at the Eurovision Song Contest. This year, your dream came true true when you were selected as the contestant for your country.

After months of preparations, the moment was finally there. As soon as you'd arrived in Malmö it was everything you had hoped for and more. Your fellow contestants were really nice and supportive, the organization was flawless, and so far you were really enjoying yourself. You weren't the favorite with the bookmakers, but they still tipped you for a top 10 candidate.

The schedule was demanding, though. Each day was filled to the brim with rehearsals, interviews and other press-related obligations. Some of the interviews were fun, others were dull, but today you had had an interview with a journalist who was flat-out rude and even somewhat hostile. During the interview you were able to keep your cool, but it took every ounce of your self-control to do so.

Immediately after you were done, you stalked out of the room and made straight for the contestants' lounge. That area was only accessible to the performers, and strictly off-limits to any kind of media-personnel. Since it was late in the evening and most of the other contestants had already finished their duties for the day, you expected it to be empty. And some alone-time to cool off was just what you needed.

Without even checking if someone else was in the lounge when you stepped in, you angrily slammed the door closed behind you, and loudly released an entire string of curses in your native language.

A startled gasp from further down the room made you realize that you weren't alone after all. You let your eyes roam over the dozens of sofa's and armchairs crammed into the lounge, and indeed found one, halfway down the room, occupied. It was Marko who sat there. Your little outburst had clearly startled him, and he had jumped up from his seat. He now stood looking at you a little wide-eyed.

"I'm so sorry about that." You passed a hand over your face and took a few deep breaths to calm yourself down. "I survived," he chuckled, before a frown crossed over his face. "Are you alright?" "Yeah..." You sighed. It wasn't truthful, but you didn't want to burden him with your troubles.

But Marko wasn't so easily fooled. He cocked his head slightly to the side, and gave you an intense stare for about a second. "No, you're not." He stated quite confidently. You couldn't help but laugh. Of course you had met Marko in the previous days. You liked him, and you had had a few nice chats with him, but you two didn't really know much about each other. So the confidence in his statement surprised you.

"Please, don't take this the wrong way." Marko immediately second-guessed himself. "But I think you still look... upset." He wrung his hands together, clearly uncomfortable by his own words and wondering if you were going to get angry with him now.

"You're right," you finally confessed. You weren't nearly alright yet and still way too upset by how the journalist had treated you. Yet, you were strangely relieved that Marko was here and had seen that you were still distraught.

"Maybe you should sit down." Marko quickly recollected himself. You nodded quietly, before walking over to where Marko had been sitting and throwing yourself down in the armchair opposite him. "Here." Marko handed you a bottle of water and sat down as well. You gratefully accepted the water, taking a few sips of the much needed hydration.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Marko smiled shyly. "It's just... this journalist." You shook your head. "The interview I've just had was awful. So rude and disrespectful." "Ah..." Marko understood immediately. "I know exactly who you mean. If it's any consolation, he's rude to everyone. I had to do an interview with him yesterday, and... let's just say that I was glad when it was over."

Marko's words did make you feel a little better. If someone could be rude to a gentle soul like Marko, they were just mean and heartless.

Suddenly you remembered that tomorrow you had another, even longer interview scheduled with the same journalist. "Oh, no!" You buried your face in your hands. "I totally forgot I've got to do more press with that guy tomorrow." To your surprise, Marko chuckled softly. "You and me both. Quite literally actually." "What do you mean?" You looked up at him. Marko smiled crookedly at you, giving a one-shouldered shrug. "You and I are teamed up for press tomorrow."

You blinked stupidly at him for a few seconds. You needed a moment to remember that Marko was indeed right. In your fury and frustration that fact had completely slipped your mind. "So sorry," you mumbled, "I forgot about that." Marko smiled another shy smile. "It's fine."

For a few moments there was silence between the two of you. "I'm glad we're teamed up for tomorrow." You broke the silence. "You're a good guy, and I feel really at ease with you." Marko blushed slightly red. "Me, too. And if anyone is rude to us tomorrow, I'm sure we'll be able to get each other through." "Absolutely," you nodded happily, all the anger of just now quickly draining from you.

And suddenly, tomorrow's press day didn't seem so bad anymore, because you knew Marko would be there with you.

[spinningwebsandtales]

Imagine Going On A Park Date With Steven

Steven Grant x FemReader

Rating: G

Warnings: Slight steam but mostly tooth rotting fluff

Word Count: 1.3k

Requested by @the-marshals-wife

(A/N:) If anyone couldn't tell, I had a little too much fun writing this piece! And it is one of the most fluffiest pieces I've ever written! I hope that you enjoy it my beloved friend and to all the other Moon Knight fangirls I hope you enjoy it too! I hope to get more writings up and into my queue as I have some news to share, I'm just waiting on some answers first! Until next time happy reading! ~Countess

Steven wiped his sweaty hands onto his jacket. He hadn't been this nervous since his first day on the job at the museum. And though he loved history and teaching others, he struggled socially. Then he met you. Perfect and kind and an absolute dream. It had been that first encounter in front of the dinosaur section that him tripping over his feet, more so than usual. It wasn't until your beaming smile had his racing heart calming and him quickly agreeing to your invitation to coffee.

After that simple outing for coffee, Steven had begun to realized how much more often you were hanging out around the museum. Runs for coffee, turned into unexpected lunch meetups, and walks to a bakery for a quick sweet treat. This was the first official date between you two, and Steven had been the one to buck up enough courage to ask. And now he was standing here at the park entrance sweating profusely as he waited for you to join him. After he heard of the small festival happening in the local park and how you enjoyed little get togethers like this, he was more than happy to do something a little out of his comfort zone when it came to you. So he prepared himself and wore his best but comfortable clothing.

"Steven!"

Your voice had him quickly looking up and the sight of you had him wiping his hands once again, this time on his pants. His throat tightened at the sight of you in a modest sundress that flowed gently around your ankles, comfortable flats with freshly painted toenails on display, and a sun hat that protected you from the sun.

"Sorry I'm late," you panted while adjusting your small bag. "Traffic was bogged down on main street. I barely got through."

Steven shook his head, still completely speechless. Your head tilted, concern in your bright eyes as he still hadn't said a word. Feeling like the most awkward being alive, Steven cleared his throat trying to dislodge the words he wanted to say.

"You look absolutely amazing," he finally said. You laughed making him blush bright crimson as he realized he didn't reply to your lateness.

"Thank you," you replied taking everything in stride. "You look handsome as per usual."

Steven stammered, scrounging around in his bag he quickly pulled out a little box of chocolates. The edges a little bent from being stuffed inside his crammed bag.

"These are for you!"

"Oh chocolates," you took the box gratefully. "We'll share these later!"

He nodded before offering out his hand. You took it seemingly unaware of how badly he was sweating. You gave his hand a gentle squeeze and lead the way through the park gateway. People seemed to be everywhere, but it wasn't where the crowd was overwhelming. A couple bands played at each end of the park and in between was different vendors. Some sold food, several advertised different games for prizes, and a few scattered around were selling chances to win more advanced prizes. To your glee there was a stand selling snowcones, but you wanted to leave that for last. Right now you just wanted to enjoy finally having a fun date with Steven Grant.

The whole place a whirlwind of color had Steven dazed, the only anchor was your hand guiding him along. In moments you both had made it halfway through the park, trying to decide what you both would like to do first. Steven wasn't much for the more physical games, but he could outdo anyone in a trivia game. You managed to rope him into playing a ring toss game with you. With a basket of rings before each of you, you both proceeded to toss the rings towards the bottles set up in a wooden box. The clink of the glass bottles had his heart racing faster and in a blink of an eye, the rings were gone and he was no closer to a prize. You on the other hand were able to ring two bottles for a couple smaller prizes. You were handed a couple of small keychains, one a smiling sun and the other a sleepy looking moon. Both adorable in appearance, you couldn't help but grin.

"Here," you held out the moon keychain towards Steven.

"I didn't win it though," he stepped away.

"I know but I want to give it to you," stepping closer as he backed away. "You give me moon vibes so I think you should have it."

Steven reluctantly took the keychain, "I'm supposed to be winning you prizes."

"Real couples share the burdens," you kissed his cheek before leading him to another game a few feet away.

His cheek tingled where your lips made contact and he promised himself in that moment that he would win at least one thing to give to you. He never felt more determined until now.

Three games later and you both found a bench to sit at and take a break. It was this moment Steven revealed the little galaxy patterned bear, that he had won at a rubber duckie game, while you had waited in line for a couple bottles of water.

"Now I get to the gentleman and return the favor," he boasted with a small grin.

You gasped taking it gently from his hands and gripped it to your chest, "It's so cute! Thank you Steven!"

"It's nothing that special."

You gasped playfully punching him in the shoulder, "Shut up yes it is! I shall name him Stevie and he will be my bestest mate!"

Steven suddenly took great interest in his shoes, "I hope he doesn't take my spot then."

Noticing his blush, you gently reached down to take his hand and threading your fingers together. Steven's head jerked upward, from his nose to his ears a pretty bright pink.

"I don't think anyone could take your place Steven," you replied gently.

With sudden bravery, to which he had no idea where it came from, Steven leaned in closer. His nose brushed against the stray hairs that had escaped from your hat, tickling him. Your breath hitched at his gentle caresses on your fingers. You could have sworn your heart skipped a beat as his lips pressed against your cheek tenderly. You leaned in closer, your eyes closing, letting Steven do whatever he liked. You could trust him and you knew he would never take advantage of you.

"No one could take your place either," he replied, his warm breath puffing against your now blushing cheek. He clapped his hands, startling you from the searing moment. "How about a snowcone? You've been eyeing the stall since we got here."

"What about dinner," you whispered.

"Life's too short not to have dessert first," he replied matter-of-factly.

You laughed, "Who am I to argue with the master historian?"

Steven stood up from the bench and once more offered you his hand, "Shall we milady?"

"We shall," you agreed heartedly and took his hand. Deep down inside you knew that taking his hand in this moment meant something more. You felt like you both were taking your first steps into something more, bigger, and beyond either of your understanding. But you felt a giddiness taking over. As long as you got to explore this future hand in hand with Steven, you couldn't help but feel like everything would turn out just right. You gave his hand a little extra squeeze and as he looked at you with knowing eyes, you knew he felt the same way as you.

[nouvxllev]

plssss emma myers x reader 🙏🙏🙏🙏 late christmas fic plsssss im on my knees for angst

the moment you knew

Pairing: Emma Myers x Fem!Reader

Summary: With your schedule crammed with projects, speeches, meetings, and weekly parties your friends would pull you to, you can barely even say a simple greeting to her through the phone before being pulled away to another. Your conversations with Emma just kept getting shorter and shorter, and she couldn't be even bothered to message you back once in a while. But it was fine, you'd say to yourself. She's busy. Even on Christmas day.

Words: 2.7k

Warnings: angst

a/n: i seriously dont know how to write angst properly so bear w me.. and thank you so much for the request!! wrote a happy ending since even i cant write one without breaking down (ps: kinda based on the song the moment i knew and how you get the girl by taylor swift!!!)

masterlist.

3:32 PM

You could hear everyone at this party. Your friends, family, and some plus ones they brought; you all heard them. But that one voice you wanted to so desperately hear was gone.

Ever since you were a child, you adored Christmas. It's something more than just a date on the calendar. Everything down to the trees, wreaths, movies, and presents you had all so loved when the clock struck 12:00 on Christmas Eve. You would always come down after a long night of not sleeping and immediately open the presents your parents gifted you.

Now, you were an adult. And now, you had someone special to enjoy Christmas night with. Christmas night and an anniversary.

Christmas Eve was the date the both of you met, the day the both of you started dating, and the both of you spent your living days together.

That is, until college.

Emma lived just away from your university where you, unfortunately, got gifted with an apartment near your campus even after weeks of fighting with your parents to just let you stay with her.

With your schedule crammed with projects, speeches, meetings, and weekly parties your friends would pull you to, you can barely even say a simple greeting to her through the phone before being pulled away to another. Your conversations with Emma just kept getting shorter and shorter, and she couldn't be even bothered to message you back once in a while. But it was fine, you'd say to yourself. She's busy. Even on Christmas day.

happy anniversary emma!!! when r u coming? read, 12:03 AM

You blinked. You were staring at your message for long enough that it was etched in your iris.

You hosted this Christmas party for your anniversary with Emma, handpicked the outfits you knew Emma would adore, made the place look elegant even for a lousy apartment, and cooked the cuisines you've memorized in the back of your head ever since.

Now it was just for everyone to indulge.

You stood near a corner, the lights you had put up blinded your eyes just now. Your phone, clasped tightly in your hands, became a dying wish.

You couldn't help but periodically check Emma's contact. Hoping for a call, or even a message from her. Hell, you'd even take a text that she wouldn't be coming to the party. Just, anything will do just fine.

Everyone who walked passed you, tucked away in a corner of your own party said hello and went on with their day, their wishes and greetings became background noise to the ringing in your ears as you constantly found yourself checking your phone for notifications.

"Nice place you've got here, y/n!" They would say. You'd give a smile.

"Thanks for inviting me, y/n!" They would say. You'd give a smile.

"Merry Christmas, y/n!" They would say. You'd give a smile.

"Where's Emma? Shouldn't she be the first one to be here?" They would question. You'd stayed silent. You questioned it just as much as they did.

5:36 PM

Hours passed, the party continued, but Emma's presence wasn't even near you. The laughter and cheer of everyone who attended just became background noise at that point.

You tried to suppress the growing unease in your chest that was gnawing your soul bit by bit as time passed by. You should've been with the others, the others who were dancing, the others who were clinking glasses, the others who were happy with their lives.

You eyed the door, yearning for the time the clock strikes a certain minute when the door opens and you'll be greeted with the girl who carried everything someone would wish for just outside the door and give you a big hug.

It wasn't that you weren't enjoying the party; it was just that you wished the joy could be shared with someone else. Someone who would be there with you, dancing under the twinkling lights, clinking glasses, and just being by her side.

"Hey, you okay?"

A voice brought you out of your state. It was Jenna.

She sat down with you, holding a glass of champagne between her fingers and her headphones circled around her neck. A concern in her voice made you feel slightly better, but it was never enough.

You took a deep breath, the phone in your hand you were looking at ever since you sat down on the table you had turned off and hoped it'd ring if you did.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

11:50 PM

It had been eight hours.

Eight hours ever since you've been holding back tears. Eight hours ever since you've been convincing yourself Emma was just late to your party, Eight hours ever since the laughter in the crowd got bigger and heartily when you just stood around the corner while your eyes desperately begged for a message, Eight hours ever since you were telling people that you were fine, Eight hours ever since you greeted Emma happy anniversary only to receive nothing back, Eight hours ever since you've spammed her messages and called her throughout the night, eight hours ever since you realized Emma was getting tired of you.

11:55 PM

"Y/n, y/n!"

You heard the door open after a few knocks, it was Jenna. Again.

She found you leaning against the cold sink. You had your hands tangled into your air, your head hanging by and the faucet was running.

You glanced up, your eyes red and puffy from crying. The room felt small with Jenna entering, her looking at you with concern etching across her face as she gently closed the door behind her. You could still hear the screams, and countdowns of people outside, but you just couldn't hear that one voice. That once voice that should've been here.

"Where’s— Where’s Emma?" You whispered, staring at Jenna with your tear-streaked appearance, the hitch in your voice said everything.

Jenna's voice caught in her throat as she looked into your eyes, or rather averted your gaze. "Oh. Oh, Y/n— I'm so sorry, she didn't—"

"She didn't come," you finished Jenna's sentence, the weight of those words settling heavily on your shoulders. The room felt even colder, the sink you were leaning on felt like ice, and you could feel your hands slip away.

"It's Christmas Eve, Jenna." You choked out, "I thought she'd be here. I thought… it's our anniversary." Your voice trailed off as you looked up, fighting to hold back the tears that were resisting your attempts.

Jenna moved closer, offering a gentle hug until you looked at her, eyes swelled and your weight immediately crashed onto her. Silent sobs filled the room as Jenna patted your back.

"I just wanted it to be special," you mumbled against Jenna's shoulder, your words muffled and barely audible. "I wanted her to be here."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3:23 AM

Short, short, long, short.

Someone knocked on the door. You recognized it instantly; it was Emma.

You had already changed into clothes that were no longer comfortable, feeling every fabric peel against your skin. The pieces of the party were scattered across the floor — glitter, polaroids, and bottles scattered across the hardwood tiles. Half-lidded eyes, you sat on the couch, phone on your hand. Still.

Your fingers scrolled over Emma's contact. Numerous missed calls and unread text messages filled the screen. As you scrolled, you noticed her replies were short, and her daily pictures were absent. No more 'good morning' or 'good night' messages. No nothing. It was the moment you knew; maybe it didn't work out after all.

When did it all go wrong?

You heard the knob churning as the door creaked open. Emma stood there. Your gaze met hers. It's weird how different you perceive someone else after realization.

"Y/n?"

She took a step forward, reveling in you and your mess.

"Can we talk?"

"Talk?" You let out a bitter laugh, your phone being forgotten, "we should've talked ages ago. Where have you been? Why are you always missing from my life?" Your voice dwindled, a crack in your throat.

Emma's eyes looked at everything but yours, her hands going to her chest. "I've been busy, okay? I have.. I have things on my plate."

"Busy?" You stood up, "why are you always using the same excuse, Emma?"

"Y/n—"

"Whenever I talk to you, you always respond with 'I'm busy.' Why does it always feel like I'm talking to no one? I can't keep going on with my life expecting you to just randomly appear in front of me when I know that isn't going to happen."

"Not even a happy anniversary back."

"It's our anniversary?"

Oh.

"You forgot?" Your voice went hoarse.

Emma blinked, "Y/n, it's not that simple. I have a lot going on in my life, okay? I just can't keep track of dates when I have that much workload."

"A lot? A lot going on, Emma? I've been left in the dark by you. What about 'us?' Have you even thought about what this silence your giving is doing to me!?"

"Y/n please—"

"Explain?" Your voice wavered, stepping forward that Emma was backed onto the door. "You've had countless of chances to explain, countless of unread messages, countless fucking times I've cried to you about how much I want you to open up to me."

"Y/n, I'm just—I'm just busy with everything. School, work, I—"

"You always are." Your anger softened into hurt, the numbness taking over you. "How many times are you going to repeat that? How many times did you even care once to think about how your treatment affected me?"

Emma's eyes met yours, "I didn't mean—Y/n, I love you, but—"

"Love?" Your body felt numb, your hands going to your sides. "You can't love me when you act like you don't even have someone to love." The words hung in tension, the air felt like you could drown in it.

"I can’t even wake up on the same bed next to you, Emma. I can’t spend— I can’t spend every second of my day without thinking that you fucking left me with someone else."

"Y/n—"

You stood in place, tears staining your face. "I don't want love that makes me feel like I'm abandoned 24/7, I don't want love that questions my worth every fucking day!" You shouted, noticing how Emma didn't even flinch. Not even a bit.

"This is suffocating—You are suffocating, Emma." You looked at her, eyes swelling as the lights flickered along with your emotions. Your voice came down to a mere whisper.

You wanted her to walk up to you and hug you. You wanted her to kiss you and tell you that everything would be okay, and the words you spoke were just a mere dream you had days ago. But Emma stood there. No denying, no accepting, no nothing.

"Y/n— God, y/n, I’m so sorry."

A sigh was the only response you could give her.

"I'm sorry too, Emma."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ever since you were a child, you adored Christmas. It's something more than just a date on the calendar. Everything down to the trees, wreaths, movies, and presents you had all so loved when the clock struck 12:00 on Christmas Eve. You would always come down after a long night of not sleeping and immediately open the presents your parents gifted you.

But now, it was you. Just you on Christmas Eve.

You sat on the couch, your legs coming up to your chest. It's been a year ever since you let Emma disappear from your life, a year ever since you told her off.

Noise from the TV, noise from the rain pouring outside from your apartment, it all blared in your ears while you hugged your legs even tighter. Your eyes started to fall as you keep track of the time on your phone.

Countless of books scattered across your desk instead of drinks, countless of papers and pencils littered instead of people, pillows sat across from you instead of Emma.

You had to admit, you missed her.

A sudden knock on the door was the only sound that took you out of your thoughts instead of the ambiance blasting outside.

You had no motivation to get up, at all. Even at Christmas, without someone by your side, it wasn't even the same anymore.

With a deep sigh, you decided to open the door.

"Happy—Happy Anniversary, y/n."

It was Emma.

...The fuck?

She was standing here, outside the pouring rain, outside of your apartment, outside of your space. Holding flowers that were now ducking their heads because of the rain they experienced, her hair was a dirty brunette color seeping through the strands, and her breath was shaky as she stood there. Freezing and holding flowers for you.

You stood there, eyes wide open. "Emma, this isn’t—"

"It is." Emma breathed, her hand coming to her face to wipe the tears mixed with the coming downpour, "It is our anniversary."

"It’s the date when we met eachother. It’s the date when we first started dating. It was the last day ever since I heard your voice mutter my name. It was the last day my name sounded so perfectly." She gulped, her voice wavering from the cold. "I don’t care if— I don’t care if it’s the day we broke up. Well, of course, I care since I just practically left you in the dark."

You just stood there, dumbfounded, letting her explain everything.

"Can I—Can I come in?"

You nodded after a few seconds. "Yeah. Yeah—come in," you managed to say without a crack in your voice.

Emma stepped inside, her shoes wet from going across the flood and taking time out of the rainy night to get you flowers. You and Emma faced eachother.

"I'm so sorry."

You stared at her. "You... You don't have to say that all the time. I got the gist." You responded.

"I left you in the dark, I never updated you, I never told you how much I loved you, I never told myself how much I needed you." She started

Emma took a deep breath.

"I wasn't busy, I wasn't anything I said before. I was lying to you."

You stayed silent, the TV light reflecting on the walls.

"I was scared, now that we were in college, I was scared if you went to another school, maybe you'd find someone better. I let my own fears and insecurities get the best of me. I ran away, I shut myself off, I couldn't take it." She gripped the bouquet she held.

She took a step closer, but you stayed in your place.

"I realized… maybe just moments after I knew you were hurting, I pushed away the person who meant the most to me." Her eyes glistened with tears. You noticed. You went soft around her, your eyes no longer tense.

"I love you. I love you so much, more than I ever allowed myself to love another. I never meant to make you feel like someone who was nothing to me. You were the opposite. You were everything to me." She looked at you, asking for consent with the look in her eyes. "I want to be the partner you deserve, the partner that makes you happy every second."

With a nod, you too broke down. A lump forming in your throat. "I missed you too. I—I didn't know if you'd come back to me after all that, I didn't know how to reach out." You went to her after you noticed her eyes softened.

You came crashing into her with a hug, your arms squeezing her body who was dripping with rain from outside.

"I didn't want to let go," you whispered, your voice filled with the honesty and vulnerability. "I couldn't take it."

Emma held you tighter, her voice soft, "I'm so sorry for making you feel like you had to. Your emotions were valid anyways. I was a total dipshit."

You pulled back, looking into her eyes as the clock behind Emma struck 12.

"I love you."

"Yeah. I love you too."

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12:00 AM

Ever since you were a child, you adored Christmas. It's something more than just a date on the calendar. Everything down to the trees, wreaths, movies, and presents you had all so loved when the clock struck 12:00 on Christmas Eve. You would always come down after a long night of not sleeping and immediately open the presents your parents gifted you.

Now, you were an adult. And now, you had someone special to enjoy the season. Someone who, from the moment she stepped inside of your apartment, it was the moment you knew Emma was someone who'll stay forever.

[erathene]

F*ck It (Part 1)

Summary: Strider pays a visit to the Prancing Pony where you are working as a barmaid, but all does not seem well with the wandering ranger. You do your best to fix it. 

Word count: 2.1k

Pairing: Aragorn x Female!Reader 

Warnings: LOTS of swearing and cursing, you have been warned. Intoxicated behaviour and alcohol. Mention of menstruation in a humorous manner.

AO3 Link: F*ck It

Author's note: Special thanks goes to the members of @fellowshipofthefics discord group (vamp_ress, prettea and spider__lilies) who helped me explore new ideas when my inspiration dried up 😊 Also thanks to DocFigureskaterM for being my beta reader. I tried a completely new writing style with this fic; my toddler son is starting to understand words now, and I have had to really watch my mouth around him! 😂 So this fic was born out of trying not to use curse words in front of a 16 month old haha.

Part 2 has now been posted!

..........................

The Prancing Pony was busy tonight. All of the parlours were crammed with punters, and the air that lingered around the bar was thick and heavy with sweat and drink and pipeweed smoke. 

You picked your way carefully through the crowds, collecting glasses as you went. You didn't mind bar work, but it's not like you had much choice. You couldn't shoe a horse, your needlecraft was shit, and you had fuck-all artistic flair for floristry, so that eliminated about half the jobs going in Bree. You didn't have two pennies to rub together, so that ruled out buying your own land to rear livestock or grow produce to sell. Fuck it, tavern work would do. It kept your belly full and a roof over your head, so it would do nicely. 

Barliman Butterbur, the Gaffer, ensured you were paid fairly, but it wasn't a high-earning job. It wasn't a glamorous job either; your days mostly consisted of emptying piss pots from the upstairs chambers, scrubbing the parlour floors, or wiping out the tankards ready for the evening drinkers. And drink they did. As night fell, the punters came, downing pints and pints of ale and cider and anything else that could be poured into a flagon. Some were regulars, loose-lipped locals trading gossip and louts one-upping each other in pointless contests to see who could win in an arm wrestle or a brawl out back. Some were strangers, passing through from abroad or travelling merchants wanting nothing more than a bite to eat and a soft bed for the night.

And then there was him.

You rarely traded conversation with the punters. The less they knew of you and you of them, the better. Moving mouths made idle hands, so your Mam used to say, and she was absolutely right because striking up a conversation with any punter would mean you had less time to get through all your cleaning. But you knew his name, Strider, and you knew he was a ranger. He wasn't a regular, though he frequented the Pony about once a month, and neither was he a stranger, for he knew your name and was on first name terms with the Gaffer too. He was just Strider. He was tall, towering over most men, with a mop of dark hair and curtain bangs that occasionally hid his grey eyes. Grey eyes that were never cold despite the colour. Broad shouldered, a bow and bedroll usually strapped to his back, and a large-as-fuck weapon at his belt. He wore a mottled green cloak with a hood, the type that you'd use if you wanted to fuck off into a forest and never be found again. Whenever he turned up, he had a ragged look about him, like he'd been through a bush backwards and had a good story to tell about it too. 

You would never admit it, even if you were on your fucking deathbed looking at the lord creator himself. But if you had to describe your "type", it would be Strider.

So it's no surprise when your heart stuttered for a microsecond as soon as his giant mud-soaked leather boot stepped over the threshold. He'd been gone for a while and it had been months since he was last here. Not that you were counting the days of his absence like some lovesick maiden awaiting the return of her knight in shining armour. Fuck that shit. 

Normally, Strider would ask for a half-pint of the local cider, take it to his favourite table in the corner of the bar, and settle himself comfortably, retrieving his pipe and tobacco from his travelling pack. Fuck, if there was a sign you'd worked here too long, knowing his exact routine was probably it. You readied a half-size tumbler as he approached the bar.

"An ale today, y/n" he said, placing a fistful of coins on the bar in front of you. "And make it a full pint, if you would be so kind."

That was.. odd. You did as instructed, like a good tavern girl, pouring dark amber liquid into a larger flagon. As the container filled, you noted Strider looked more roughed up than he normally did; flecks of mud clung to his skin and hair along with perhaps a fortnight's worth of grime, the filth on his palms and between his fingers would have rivalled that of any gardener, and you'd bet your last copper his clothes hadn't seen the inside of a washbasin in over a month. Placing the tankard down in front of the man, you took just one coin from his pile. "The ale's no dearer since your last visit, Strider," you commented with one eyebrow raised and a glance at his gold. But he paid you no mind whatsoever; the flagon you had handed him moments ago was almost vertical as he downed the pint. 

"Another," he croaked, planting the empty flagon on the bar beside the coins that remained. You poured another from the same barrel. The second pint disappeared almost as quickly as the first, and was soon followed by a third.

Upon ordering his fourth drink in what felt like as many minutes, you slammed your hands on the bar and looked him dead in the eye. "What the fuck's the matter with you?" you asked, not bothering with pleasantries. His grey eyes met yours for a fleeting second before he looked away. You thought you caught a look of shame in those eyes before he broke contact, as though he knew he was getting a telling-off for his behaviour but he was going to carry on anyway and fuck everyone else. Very strange indeed. This was unlike the Strider you'd had dealings with in the past, who would politely ask you to share any tales you'd heard from locals over diluted cider and a puff of pipeweed. This Strider seemed out of sorts, as though he was holding onto thoughts and feelings about fuck knows what, and all he could do to control it was to force more alcohol down his throat, to drown it and make sure it never saw the light of day. You'd seen this behaviour in other punters plenty of times before. But not in Strider. Strider was always in control, always predictable. 

You already knew you weren't getting an answer to your question. Fuck, you shouldn't have even asked in the first place. Another punter down the bar started growling loudly about the lack of service. Resisting the urge to tell the prick to pipe down and wait his turn, you quickly refilled Strider's flagon. 

For the rest of the night, your work mostly kept your attention away from the ranger. The fleeting glances you did make in his direction confirmed to you that he continued to drink, and the more he consumed the more he leaned into the bar for support. As the punters began to clear off for home or to their chambers upstairs, Strider was one of the final ones who remained. When the Gaffer called last orders, the ranger had folded his arms across the bar with his head rested upon them. You approached him slowly, ready to take away the many empty flagons that surrounded him. 

"I'll.. need a room, y/n", he said as you neared, his words slurring together.

You sighed. Fuck's sake, Strider. "We're full for the night, I'm afraid." If the fucking fool had decided that earlier rather than at last orders, he might have a bed upstairs by now.

Strider groaned in disappointment. Clearly this wasn't what he wanted to hear, but there was fuck all you could do about it. He made to rise from the bar, but his movements were completely uncoordinated, and he staggered sideways, catching himself by the edges of his fingertips on the solid bar. He glanced at you with a confused expression, probably wondering why the world was spinning and why there were six of you standing before him. You'd seen that look before in patrons who couldn't hold their drink. Seemed that Strider was one such patron.

Fuck. With every room upstairs taken, the only option for Strider would be to sleep on the street, and if he was lucky enough to find an alleyway that wasn't covered in pig shit and piss, he'd likely find himself mugged for his remaining coin or possibly worse. Bree was often subject to petty crime with so many people coming and going. Were you resolved to letting this man wonder the roadways until he collapsed in surrender to his drunken stupor? You gritted your teeth. The Gaffer would be locking up soon, he was already rearranging empty chairs and stools at the other end of the room. 

You glanced back at Strider. Actually, the street was not his only option. There was a free bed upstairs: yours. 

You moved quickly whilst the Gaffer was distracted. Yanking Strider's arm, you pulled the drunkard to his feet, catching his dead weight as he failed to remain upright. You both awkwardly shuffled to the narrow stairway that led to the upper floors of the inn. Strider was muscular and well-built, and that made him fucking heavy. Lifting and shifting barrels over the years here was paying off though as you managed to get him upstairs with only minor difficulty. As soon as you crossed the threshold into your dimly-lit and modest bed chamber, Strider doubled over and vomited violently onto the hardwood floor. 

A stream of curse words flew from your mouth, the likes of which would make your Mam turn in her grave, god rest her soul. This was one extra cleaning job you could fucking do without. Fucking Strider and his lightweight stomach, no wonder he never strayed from his fucking cider if this was how he got after one too many ales. You dropped him ungraciously onto your single bed in the corner of the room where he curled up into a ball on top of the blankets, his hands cupping his head. You took a deep breath and tried to calm your emotions. The fool was probably suffering enough right now.

"Wait here whilst I get something to clean this mess up," you instructed him. "And any more where that came from can go in there," you added, kicking an empty bucket in his direction. Strider grunted in acknowledgement, but did not move.

It took you over twenty minutes to mop up the mess and scrub the stink of bile out of the floor. On your way back downstairs to return the mop and bucket, you grabbed a couple of flagons and filled them with fresh water. Strider would probably wake up with a giant fucking hangover tomorrow and he would need liquids that were alcohol-free. Once back upstairs, you tried to hand one of the water-filled jugs to Strider, only for him to crudely bat away your hand.

"It's water, you moron. Drink." You were not in the mood for his shit. You were already facing the prospect of sleeping on your own floor and this thought left your bedside manner extremely lacking. But you tried, adding "you'll feel like utter shit tomorrow if you don't."

Strider lifted his head from your feather pillow. Taking the flagon, he uttered his thanks before drinking deeply. "I s'pose you think I'm a complete fool," he slurred  as he returned the goblet to you.

Before you could respond, there was a harsh knock at your door. "Y/n! Are you in there?"

Shit, it was the Gaffer. He was probably wondering where you had got to whilst you'd been spending time tending to the drunk fucker sprawled on your bed. You pulled a throw from your laundry heap and tossed it over Strider to hide his form, before hurrying to open the door.

"Sorry Gaffer, I was just.. changing," you said quickly. The Gaffer looked you up and down with one eyebrow raised, clearly seeing you remained in the same basic dress and apron that you'd been wearing all evening. "My underwear," you added hastily. "Y'know.. Women's problems." You flashed him a friendly smile. He wouldn't ask any more questions after that. 

It was well into the wee small hours when at last, your shift was done for the night and you were able to ascend the stairs. You pushed the door to your chamber open and found Strider exactly where you had left him, his dark head poking out from under the blanket. He was snoring softly. Peering into the bucket, you saw with satisfaction that he hadn't lost any more contents of his stomach, nor had he made any more mess anywhere else. This was good. You pulled a spare quilt from your solitary cupboard and laid it out over the floorboards. Sinking to your knees without even bothering to change clothes, you wrapped half the quilt over yourself and within minutes entered a dreamless sleep. 

[novthewolf]

hey can you write hermione x slytherin!reader (gender doesn't matter to me) where r convinces hermione to sneak out of the castle and go stargazing and hermione realise her crush on r isn't as small or fleeting as she thought it was thnx

In your eyes, millions of stars

Pairing : Hermione Granger x Slytherin!Reader

Masterlist : Here

Warnings : sickeningly sweet, poor baby is crying, insecurity, english isn't my first language.

Words : +1,6k

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"Hermione !" You called out loudly, rushing through the crowd. Since the students of Durmstrang and Beauxbâtons joined Hogwarts for the triwizard tournament, the corridors were crammed. So you had to elbow your way towards your favourite muggle born.

Her cheeks warmed up at the sound of your voice, much to her dismay. You always gravitated around her, though it didn't bother her at the beginning, but ever since the other slytherins started proclaiming their hate towards muggles, she tried to avoid you. But you were incredibly persistent and stuck with her for almost four years now.

And in the course of those four years, she ended up with sort of... feelings for you. A silly little crush, that's all—one that will probably fade away if she stops thinking about it.

You giggled like an idiot and stood right in front of her, a conspiratorial look on your face. "Alright, I know you will probably laugh at my face for that, but it's really, really important!" You pressed with a wide smile.

Her heart skipped a beat, the thought of you asking her about the upcoming Yule Ball popping into her mind. But she pushed her silly little fantasy back and composed herself, offering you her signature frown. "What is it ?"

"The sky is clear tonight ! There have been clouds up there for weeks, and now we can finally see the stars." I smiled geedily, awaiting her reaction.

"Oh..." She nodded, now understanding your excitement. Hermione, you absolutely knew about you sneaking out to the astronomy tower at night to stargaze. The first time she was caught was the night you caught her and her friends sneaking out of their dorms to challenge Draco. Despite her slight disappointment, she rolled her eyes. "Again, Y/N ?"

"Of course ! Oh, come on, please join me tonight !" You pleaded with a pout, your hands joining in a prayer.

You had asked her to accompany you every time you snuck out, but she always turned you down. However, this time, you really hoped she would accept. Hermione had been stressed for weeks, going back and forth with Harry and Ron to patch things up. You wanted to offer her a chance to relax and focus on herself.

Hermione bit down on her lower lip and looked down. "I don't know. It's been a rough couple of days... I'll just head to bed right away."

You smiled at her, your eyes full of care. "I know, but I swear it will be worth it."

"We're going to be in a lot of trouble if we get caught." She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

You smirked mischeviously. "I never got caught... but I do accept the risk of taking it with me." I teased, raising my hands.

"Ron and Harry are the only reason I always get into trouble." She raised her finger as a warning and fought the playful smile that tried to creep its way onto her lips.

"Add me to that list, then." You winked teasingly, causing her to fumble on her words for a minute.

"O-Oh, you... you sly snake..."

You chuckled mischievously and took a step back towards the buzzing crowd. "Midnight, armour room !"

Her mouth fell open as she yelled after you. "I didn't say yes !"

You turned one last time and visibly shrugged. "You didn't say no." You laugh like a brat and finally disappear.

She scoffed in disbelief, but her smile couldn't fool anyone. She brushed away a strand away bashfully and whispered. "Why are they so annoyingly cute?"

Midnight was soon here, and you steadily made your way up from your common room to the alley of armour stands. In spite of the confidence you showed earlier, you couldn't deny the hurtful beating in your chest, a mix of hope and deep doubt. Your fingers were nibbling around your nails as you waited for her to come. The moment you spot her, your eyes light up, and an excited smile grazes your face. "You came !" I whispered, a slight sigh of relief passing your lips.

She rolled her eyes and muttered reproachfully. "I'm just here to make sure you don't do something stupid." Her eyes kept scanning around frentically, as if awaiting Peeves or Filch to jump out and surprise you.

You sighed playfully and reached to take her hand in yours. "How heroic of you... Now come on !" You chuckled and started to lead her towards the secret passage.

Hermione gasped, and her cheeks flushed. She couldn't worry about the ringing of your footsteps on the cobblestone floor or the chilly breeze brushing her skin. All she could focus on was being in yours, squeezing softly. She shook those thoughts out of her head. She didn't want to think about her silly crush too much.

"We're not going to the astronomy tower ?" She whispered when you got out of the passageway, outside the castle. Her hand holds onto yours tighter. Your thumb circled soothingly on the back of her hand.

"Indeed not." You chuckled a little louder now that you were alone. "We're going to the Black Lake; the caslte would block the view otherwise."

She gulped and glanced back at the shrinking castle. "Why did I accept it... ?" She mumbled. You turned back to her and smiled softly.

"It's okay, you're with me." Your reassuring voice was pushing her to keep moving forward. The tips of her ears were coloured bright pink, but thankfully the darkness covered the evidence of her heart.

Finally, you reached the bays of the lack. Dodging the branches that hide your secret spot. "Wait here a second." You grinned and let go of her hand. The loss of contact made her shiver, and she put her hands into her pocket, the winter slowly setting in.

"Lumos.." You searched for the bag you hid a few hours before you had to go back to the castle. Hermione squeaked when she saw you light up your wand and rushed to grab your arm.

"Put it down !" She groaned. You observed her for a second, simply blinking, before looking down at your linked arms. She followed your gaze and suddenly pulled away, blushing and rubbing the back of her head.

You chuckled nervously, your own blush matching hers. "Sorry, I just needed to grab the blanket." Once the soft fabric spread on the ground, you moved your arm towards it. "My lady.." You bowed your head with a teasing smile.

Hermione chuckled and slapped your arm. "Stop it."

You laid down next to her, and your gaze met the stars, welcoming the familiar sight. But this time, the feeling was different—better. Because she is here, right next to you. Your chest was slowly raising and falling. Being with her this way made you feel warm despite the cold, and knowing the two of you gazed into the same sky created a connection between you two.

Hermione sighed, totally relaxed, smiling at the stars. Minutes flew by, spent in a comfortable silence. The brunette was the first one to speak up. "It is quite relaxing; I'll give you that."

You chuckled and whispered. "The least I can do for you. You study so hard and still make time to help your friends."

She smiled bashfully before dismissing you, her eyes saddening. "But they're still fighting... I should do better. I should do better." She groaned at herself. "It always just feels..."

Tears welled up in her eyes, preventing her from speaking more. She swallowed thickly and stared into the wide night sky.

"Like, I'm not enough..." She sniffed, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Alarmed by her voice, you turned to her and rushed to comfort her. "You are trying the best you can, Hermione. And you are doing incredibly well !" You reassured her. "You are like the greatest person I know." Your hand grabbed hers on instinct, which got her attention.

Her beautiful brown eyes met yours, ready to brush off your praise. But instead, her breath hitched in her throat when she noticed your own eyes reflecting the bright stars. Her glossy eyes shine like a mirror. Taken aback by her beautiful and yet so sorrowful face, you gulped, your brain having a hard time creating full sentences.

"That's why I brought you here... I always come here to clear my mind and get away from all the  confusion."You twisted your fingers, not knowing how to formulate the words that wanted to pass through the barrier of your throat. "No one knows this place, so it's peaceful."

Her heart beats louder in her chest. No one knew this hidden spot by the lake, just you. It was your safe haven, where you felt relaxed and safe, and yet... you were willing to share it with her. Hermione was incredibly touched by your gesture. Her soft hand sneaked her way to yours and embraced it gently. A silent thank you. You squeezed back, too embarrassed to meet her eyes, and instead focused on the sky.

She smiles lovingly, though you couldn't see it. You were always so supportive, caring, and kind, despite your blood status or your different houses. It was at this moment that she realised the simple idea of not spending time with you like this ever again was unbearable.

"You are the sweetest slytherin I know." She joked in a whisper. You chuckled in response and hummed in pure comfort.

No, she wanted to stay here, your hand in hers, laying down, gazing at the stars. Hermione had spent so much time trying to forget her feelings for you that she didn't realise how, just like the stars that covered the entire sky, you took all place in her heart.

But never in a million years will she try to forsake you from it.

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[aangarchy]

Netflix atla live action review ep 7-8

Home stretch baby. I figured since i love the source material i should just be able to enjoy it, or at least be entertained by it somewhat. But even that was just not possible. I pirated it after the first three episodes just bc i didn't want to give netflix the satisfaction of a view.

It's not so much the acting, the costumes or even the bad/mediocre cgi, it's the writing. It's an absolute shitshow, a mess of the highest caliber. For someone who claims to love the source material, it really seems like Albert Kim didn't understand why a lot of the things in the original worked the way they did. Things that are important for character growth got removed, and lore that we normally don't see til later on in the show (or even in a completely different story within this universe!!) got crammed in. For no good reason too bc it doesn't really add anything, just gives us another obstacle or useless exposition that's supposed to explain another useless thing they added.

Both of the last episodes take place in the north pole. This makes sense somewhat because in the original all three of the last episodes took place there. The reason they did this in the original is to have room for all of the stories that still need to take place (pakku, zuko, spirit world, koh, waterbending training, sokka and yue etc.) However in this version, even though minutes wise we have more time, we have less story. Like way less. Also episode 7 proportionally is much shorter than 8 and it really gives issues with pacing.

Let's start with what annoyed me most. Where is the waterbending training? Where is it? The season's title is Water and Aang bent ZERO water this entire season unless he was in the avatar state. Katara "trains" yes, but it's mostly practicing moves she found on the scroll (which gran gran just gave to her? Why didn't this woman give it to her sooner???). She gets NO guidance from anyone, and the way she gets better at bending each time is because a BOY told her encouraging things. A BOY. In the OG we get Pakku saying "raw talent alone is not enough", which makes sense because bending in this universe is an extension of martial arts, and you have to train to become good at martial arts. This LA show however treated bending like a magic power, basically giving some mumbo jumbo about balance and a clear head and think of the people you love to become a better bender. And while yes, your mental headspace also is important (as highlighted in the original where zuko couldn't bend anymore bc he had no aggression left) it wasn't the only factor, it wasn't even the main factor.

When we arrive at the North Pole, Pakku and the chief of the North both expect Aang to help with battle strategy in order to stop the attack bc they're already aware it's coming. Aang tells them he doesn't really know how (wtf were they even expecting it mean that is a whole 12yr old) and they turn away going "guess we can't count on the avatar" like? Dude?? If they have such good intel that they already know the fire nation is preparing an attack, and that the Avatar is alive, how tf did you not hear that the Avatar is also 12 years old and far from a master of the four elements? Idk this weirded me out.

They removed the deserter episode, which means Aang doesn't renounce firebending, which means we get no storyline of Aang dealing with his conflicted feelings surrounding firebending because fire gives life, not just destruction. Katara also doesn't find out she can heal naturally. We just get told that healing is just a thing all waterbenders can do if they train for it. Katara's necklace has no significance at all in the story currently. Yugoda doesn't recognize that Katara is Kanna's granddaughter. Katara's gran gran being from the north originally doesn't play part in the story at all. Katara doesn't even once utter the words "this necklace used to be my mother's". Idk why that bothers me so much but it does. They also removed her rage at not being allowed to fight. Sure this show's Katara also goes to fight Pakku, but literally everytime she speaks she just sounds reasonable. She fights him not because she's So Enraged at not being allowed to become the master she's meant to be, but because the script demands it. She says it so matter of factly too. She's like a mellowed out shell of who Katara is supposed to be. I feel like this overall for her character in this show btw. I don't blame Kiawentiio bc i saw clips of her performance in other works (anne with an e notably) and she's good. This genuinely just seems like poor writing and directing. They removed all of Katara's passion. She's not warm, she's not feisty, she's not angry, she's not nurturing, she's also not flawed at all. I hate to say it but in this version she's giving Mary Sue, especially bc she just learns waterbending on her own, and then gets called a master out of nowhere. That's not how that's supposed to work. You're supposed to earn the term master.

Let's talk about Yue. Amber Midthunder is a great actress, but damn, that wig. Their budget was over 100 million dollars and yet they couldn't give my girl a lace front? Her wig was so structured and stiff, and if it were any other context like cosplay or a drag show this would have been perfect. Now it just looked really unnatural and instead of the hair being platinum it was gray. Yue's character got given more to do here. They changed the story to have her break her own engagement, but it's implied that the reason she did this is bc she met Sokka in the spirit world and... fell in love? Idk it was a bit weird. Both Suki and Yue were inexplicably entranced with Sokka. In the OG it's implied that Yue likes Sokka bc he's so different from the boys in the north, kind of like a city girl falling in love with a country boy. But here it feels different, he doesn't stand out at all compared to the other boys, and Hahn isn't a dickhead like the OG. I will say i like that Yue is a stronger character here. She takes charge of her own destiny and she is the one to realize that she can save the moon spirit, and wasn't told by someone else that she could do it. I am confused by them making her a waterbender, but i'm not mad at that change per se. I liked her sacrifice scene, her own acting was great. Sokka however... i genuinely burst out laughing, like so loud. The zoom in on his face, the expression, it was too much and too little at once. Overall, Yue's story was okay. Was it better than the original? Debatable. But it wasn't bad and that's a win.

We get Avatar Kuruk way earlier than we originally got him. I'm still kind of confused about the whole "you can talk to past Avatars but only in their shrine with their statue" thing, because if that's the case how in the hell is Aang ever gonna ask advice from Roku (or Kyoshi, since the writers clearly have a bias towards her and want to make her the main Avatar guide ig) without having to travel all the way to the shrine? Can they only talk in the one specific shrine or can we take a miniature set of Avatar action figures with us just in case we ever need advice? Also this lore abt the shrines and statues is flawed at best bc later on Kuruk shows up for Aang during the fight, while they're not present at the shrine. Either way, Kuruk was far from the go with the flow Avatar he was characterized as in the original. I know that we got some insight into Kuruk's story in the Kyoshi novels, and turns out it's a lot darker than expected, but Kuruk never let that change his character. He always remained chill, or at least kept up the facade, and i don't think OG Kuruk would be the type of man that is angry about how his life turned out. In this version, Kuruk is this scared, mean, bitter man who is really unsatisfied with his destiny, which he lashed out at Aang for. He seemed really angry at Aang to for no good reason. We're also not supposed to know this part about Kuruk's life yet. It's too much information and de waste time learning about his life story, the only reason we learn it in the first place is to explain the Special Spirit Killing Knife. Also the actor for Kuruk.... yikes bro. Idk which hallmark movie they pulled him from but he and his stupid polar bear hat looked like ass the whole time.

So there's this weird part about Kuruk having a Special Knife that is able to kill spirits. Idk if this is a thing from the Kyoshi novels that also made it into this show bc truth be told i haven't made it far into those novels yet at all, but it was strange to me. Somehow Zhao has this knife. We don't know how he ended up getting it (did the fire sage give it to him? I didn't see it but i might have missed it) and we pretend that this is the Only Thing that can kill spirits even when the spirits are mortal. Doesn't that negate the fact that the spirits are mortal, if they can only be killed by a Special Knife? Also there's this weird convoluted part about how the spirits actually live in the spirit world and only cross to the physical world once every ice moon to know what it feels like to be "mortal" and choose a different "mortal" form each time and this time they happened to be fish. But still, they can Only Be Killed By The Special Knife. Huh? What's the purpose of this added extra lore? I saw someone say the underlying point is that it shouldn't be this easy to kill spirits but.... that's the whole idea behind the Ocean and Moon spirits having permanent mortal forms? Them being mortal and choosing a form as insignificant as a fish, constantly circling each other to represent the precarious balance between Ocean and Moon, a balance that can be thrown off very easily. The whole point was that they're fragile so why add all this extra exposition for no reason? Why make the spirits harder to kill if in the end you're still just gonna have a guy stabbing a wet bag and not some rough spirit killing battle?

Zhao also just gets told by the fire sage that killing the moon is a thing he can do. I don't like what this changes about Zhao's character. Zhao is supposed to be this cunning man. He's scary, determined, strategically inclined, but alas overconfident and willing to go too far which ends up being his downfall. His ambition is what led him to do his own research by visiting a spirit library to find any weakness he could potentially exploit, and that's precisely what he found. In the original, Zhao always fought for his own career. His own accomplishments got him the tools to try and beat Zuko in the Avatar race. But in this version, Zhao just keeps getting handed things. He's a slippery snake that plays friends with Zuko and then tries to steal the glory from under his nose. He gets handed the archers, he gets handed the information on the moon spirit, he gets handed a war balloon (which completely ruins the surprise of the fire nation suddenly having air power at the invasion), and he gets helped by Azula of all people. It makes him look a bit chumpy in this story, and it really worsens his villain qualities.

On a completely other note, this LA seems to have a thing for making adults yell at a 12yr old Avatar for leaving the world behind, and it doesn't make any sense, because in this story Aang left on Appa for a joyride to clear his head. Aang didn't purposely leave. He had every intention of returning after an hour. Yet every adult in this show, even the past Avatars that know damn well Aang didn't flee from his responsibilities, yells at him bc he accidentally got encased in ice. And somehow this Aang gets made to feel worse about it than OG Aang even though he deserves it way less bc this Aang didn't actually run away! I don't like what this changes about Aang's character. In the OG, Aang has one fatal character flaw and that's avoiding responsibility. He runs away, and has problems with taking accountability for what his actions cost the world. He goofs around, plays games and likes to have fun to avoid having to face his destiny, all while carrying the guilt and blame for the century war. It's a huge part of Aang's character journey. The guilt he feels isn't misplaced bc Aang knows he ran off, and he knows that the world is in its current state because of his decision. In the end he takes responsibility by showing up to the fight with Ozai alone. In this LA, even though by all means Aang shouldn't feel responsible, he ends up taking responsibility right away. He goes to Kyoshi Island, not to goof around and ride giant koi, but because he knows he can talk to Kyoshi there. Kyoshi yells at him for leaving (again, why? She knows he didn't run away) and gives him a vision about the watertribe getting destroyed. Instead of panicking about it (like OG Aang did after finding out abt the comet) he just accepts that he needs to go and help. And while this Aang does get to have fun moments (i especially loved how in the first episode he sees playing watertribe children and immediately joins them, that was quintessential Aang), he just seems very down and serious a lot of the time. He's scared of people getting hurt and is very worried abt the safety of his friends to the point where he agrees with Pakku and tells Katara she shouldn't fight. It's not Aang at all bc OG Aang was rooting for Katara when she fought Pakku. To sum it up: i think the casting for Aang was perfect. A cute southeast asian skater kid that loves to have fun and genuinely just looked the part? Brilliant! I am genuinely not upset at Gordon's performance at all (although sometimes i wish he'd enunciate a bit better). But the writing messed up the character so much that i couldn't even feel the joy for having the perfect looking Aang. I will say Koifish Godzilla (Koizilla if you will) looked dope. What did confuse me abt the Koizilla scenes is that sometimes there was no music (which is a choice i often like bc it gives the scene extra gravitas) and then sometimes there was a majestic score playing in the back, like they couldn't choose how they were gonna execute it and just picked both. I know that's nitpicky but it bothered me nonetheless.

Speaking of Koizilla. Wtf was that thing they added about Aang "succumbing" to the ocean spirit and being "lost"? They didn't even explain it at all, but both Yue and Iroh talked about how Aang would be lost forever now. We don't get a why, we don't get a how. And "lost" is such a vague word for it too. Like would his spirit be lost and only his body remain? Would he be completely swallowed up by the ocean? Would he remain Koizilla, forever rampaging at the ice wall? They added this for extra tension i guess, but it doesn't really work when only minutes later Aang is able to return no problem bc Katara talked him out of it, so we don't even get to find out what "he'll be lost forever" means. Also: the scene with Katara talking Aang out of it was cute, but the execution was weird. Originally Katara gives this speech when Aang goes Avatar state at the southern airtemple. I like that they still kept Katara's speech to Aang bc it highlights their bond which is especially important for later on in the show, but I don't like how now Katara had to give this really heartfelt emotional speech to Aang in front of everyone else at the northern watertribe. It's supposed to be quite an intimate moment between her, Sokka and Aang as a new family, they're supposed to promise they won't let anyone harm him, which eventually calms him down. Here though Katara's just yelling these words at him in front of everyone and all the intimacy is gone. It also doesn't work as well bc we barely got any time of the gaang bonding. They spend episode 3-6 apart most of the time, so really they shouldn't feel this bond towards each other just yet. Because this LA removed a lot of the side adventures, we don't get the feeling that these kids have known each other for months.

Another thing they removed is Appa and Momo as characters. In the original they each get their own moments, we even got one whole episode with Appa as the main character (which won an award btw). Here though, Appa is solely used as a transportation animal and Momo... honestly i don't even remember what he does but i think it's mostly a small comedic bit? Also he hands the acorn to one of the characters. This is a bad change bc in these episodes Momo gets hurt so bad he nearly dies, and it has no emotional impact at all bc he's just an accessory in this story. I felt no emotional attachment to Momo and he just has no personality. I wonder how this choice is gonna play out when we get the kidnapped Appa story bc so far it's not looking good.

Anyway, for positives. I warmed up on Dallas's performance a lot, i wasn't that mad at Ian Ousley's performance and there were moments where he genuinely made me laugh. The cgi for the creatures was decent, but for the backgrounds it looked horrible. I liked that they showed how devastating the Seige of the North ended up being, with the unnamed kid and Hahn both dying. I liked the effect showing those two had on our main characters. I liked when Aang, Sokka and Katara all worked together taking out that one firenation ship. I liked the way they showed Sokka and Yue bonding. I really warmed up to the costumes as well, i still wish they dirtied it up a little to make them look less new.

There's probably some more positives but they're really minor compared to the negatives and also my brain is just done atp. I'm never gonna rewatch it for more analysis either bc i don't think i'll survive it lol. I might make another post abt my opinion on the show as a whole? Like an overall summary? Bc this shit is VERY long and i do apologize. If you made it this far, uhm. Thanks for caring abt my opinion so much that you sat down for like 10 minutes to read my angry yapping? I appreciate it.

Anyway bye

[dearestspirit]

go for it

-> nicholas d. wolfwood x gn!reader

-> fluff, strangers to something more?, there's a part where someone acts creepy while drunk towards reader

-> wc: 1264

-> note: ever since i finished tristamp and then watched 98 trigun in rapid succession i honestly have not stopped thinking of wolfwood, so. here's this until i process my emotions enough to write something deeper about him

a plume of cigarette smoke curls through the air, stinging your nostrils. it's been a long day of trudging through the desert, and all you wanted was to get a refreshing drink. of course, your only option was some seedy bar crammed into a dark corner of town. it barely took two steps into the saloon before every pair of eyes was on you. with how many patrons there were sitting around, you assumed everyone else was here doing the same thing you were: escaping the suffocating heat of the sun as it went down.

you take a moment to steel yourself. there were all sorts of questionable people throughout no man's land, it's not like this would be your first time handling strangers. still, it's not like you really wanted to put up with any violent behavior with how exhausted you were. rolling your shoulders, you huff and make your way to the bar, sidling yourself into one of the stools. the two chairs next to you remain empty, though there's a man sitting at the curved end of the bar that's got an eye on you. he peers over his dark glasses, cigarette between his lips. you give him a hesitant, lopsided smile as some sort of greeting, inwardly cringing at your actions. you shrug it off as the bartender makes quick work of your order. they slide a full glass mug over to you, a few drops of your drink spilling over onto the counter.

you eagerly go to gulp it down, craving the relief of something ice cold, until an arm wraps around your shoulder.

already there's a twitch in your eye, annoyed that someone is pestering you. all you wanted to do was get in, get a drink, and get the hell out. things could just never be that easy out here, huh?

"hey," the voice belonging to the arm slurs, clearly delirious on alcohol. "you're not from around here."

"nope." your reply is curt, leaving little opening for the person to continue talking to you.

"if you're staying a while, my friends and i can help show you around," they prod an elbow into your side, making you grunt slightly. "get you settled up at our place, even."

"good thing i'm not planning to be here long, then," you gulp down the contents of your cup. "if you couldn't tell, i'm not interested in your company. not your friend's company, either."

"damn, you're not real friendly." they sneer, rolling their eyes.

despite your protests, they still move themselves closer to you, completely ignoring your personal space. the grip on your cup strengthens out of frustration. you're gearing up to tell this person off for the last time so you can pay and leave. before you can though, the mysterious man from the other end of the bar pulls the stranger away from you by the shoulder.

"didn't you ever learn what 'no' means, dumbass?" he chides, clicking his tongue. the person struggles in his grasp, but he holds tightly to them. "you've been a nuisance to anything that comes in here on two legs, take a fuckin' hint and get out."

"whatever," they scoff, pulling themselves away. "wasn't really interested anyway."

they end up walking off, stumbling clumsily out of the saloon.

"so if i sit here, would that be goin' from one idiot to the next, or?" he cracks a goofy grin your way, pointing at the stool that was just occupied.

while you weren't jumping at the opportunity, you figured he at least wasn't completely out of his mind intoxicated. "go for it, cowboy." you tell him, gesturing to the bartender to get a refill. you decided once you finished that glass, you'd leave.

apparently, the night had other plans for you. the man, who had introduced himself as wolfwood, was quite the charmer. he had you laughing and chatting with him at the bar all the way up until last call. there was something like hesitance in his eyes as he watched the bartender scurry around, preparing to close up.

"look, uh," wolfwood starts, cigarette clinging to his mouth. "can't afford much, but i can get you a room at a nearby inn. your own room. separate. i just thought… you deserve somethin' nice after you had what seems like a shit day."

you can tell he isn't the type to usually be sincere– probably somewhat of a flirt who prefers to fool around. with your chin in your hand, you peer at him to see if you can guess his intentions by looking at him. he scritches at the stubble on his cheek, eyes looking to the side so he isn't making direct eye contact with you.

"are you embarrassed?" you question, head tilting with a grin.

"no," he firmly denies, going to take another drag of his cigarette. "it's just an offer, nothin' more to it."

"hm," you mumble, pouting dramatically as you lean to bump him with your shoulder. "too bad, i thought you might have some interest in me."

at that, he makes an attempt to subtly straighten up– though, it's pretty blatantly obvious that your words got his attention. he coughs harshly, smoke fluttering out; though he's careful to not to blow it straight into your face. sort of the bare minimum, but it's a nice gesture regardless.

"is this your first time having a cigarette or do i just make you nervous?" you chuckle, nudging him with your shoulder again. he very clearly and forcefully rolls his eyes, groaning.

"oh please," wolfwood mumbles, ashing the cigarette out into the tray on the bar. "you're tryin' too hard to flatter yourself. but…"

he trails off, and there's something like a distant fondness in his eyes. once more, you think he must have somewhat of a hard time expressing sincerity in his emotions– he seems more of an 'actions speak louder than words' type of guy. though you recognize you're basing all this off of the few hours you’ve spent with him at a bar, of all places. part of you feels like if you were to get closer with him that he could open up more. another part of you feels like you really want to see that happen.

"alright, alright," you tell him. "i accept your offer. it's kind of you."

his shoulders finally untense, your eyes catching the slight droop of them. "christ, thought i was gonna have to jump through hoops to finally get an answer out of you." he jests, but you can tell by his grin that he is genuinely relieved.

however, you can also tell that the bartender's annoyance at the two of you still being there is increasing. their glare as they wipe down the last remaining glasses is prominent.

"c'mon," wolfwood's already getting up, offering his arm up to you to take. he really was gentleman-like, despite his often crass way of speaking. "it's probably best to head on out."

settling into his side, you find a familiar sense of warmth and comfort emanating from him– it's been a while since you last were this close to someone. the desert was unforgiving with civilizations few and far between, not to mention your mainly nomadic lifestyle. it all culminated in a lack of personal relationships, which you never liked to dwell on for too long. but, you were only human. and you certainly couldn’t deny the rush of excitement you felt being walked to your lodging for the night.

you just hoped that, come morning, wolfwood would still be in the room next door.

[knockoff-conlon]

writing prompt:

"Ooh I still have your lighter

ooh I still have your book

ooh, i still have everything you brought but never took"

-taking whats not yours, tv girl

"spot, we can help you with everything." spot shakes his head.

"i don't want your help." there's something heart-wrenching about watching the toughest person you know sitting on the floor of their living room and cracking at the edges.

"you aren't alone," jack tells him. jack is holding his shoulders, staring into his face. and he's right there. but spot feels so far away. "want to go eat? it's been a while since you ate."

"no." he pulls at the carpet underneath him. he feels hollow. everything in him pouring out through the cracks that race had patched. "not hungry."

"want to sleep at our place?" davey offers from the doorway. spot looks up at him. he looks totally gone, a step away from falling off a cliff.

"no." spot is still sitting on the ground. he looks small, curled in on himself like a child would be.

"you shouldn't be alone right now," jack tells him. spot blinks at him. he's so tired.

"i am alone."

"spot-"

"please leave."

"you can't be alone here right now."

"please, jack, just go home."

"okay. okay, but call me if you change your mind." he nods as the two others get their stuff. he just watches them go.

he gets up.

he doesn't touch anything.

race's side of the bed is still how he left it.

spot sits on his side. stares at the place where his boyfriend used to sleep. he always ended up on spot's side anyway, hugging him as he slept.

he gets back up. he can't sleep where race should be. he goes to the living room and lays on the couch. it's quiet. race used to binge watch his tv shows when he couldn't sleep. spot always ended up joining him for whatever episode of drag race he was watching.

the couch isn't good either. everything is how race left it.

he still has race's lighter on the window ledge by the balcony. he would smoke outside on the balcony cause spot didn't let him smoke inside.

it's just on the window ledge, waiting for race's next smoke. how funny.

he still has all of race's books. they're crammed into the bookshelf against the wall- every one of them is annotated and the spines are cracked and they're falling apart. there's more in the bedroom and a stack of them to be put away by the door.

race is never gonna get to break them in. he'll never get to write his thoughts, tell spot all about them until he falls asleep, or shriek when something good happens.

he still has everything race brought over from his old place. the mugs with chips in them, the knit blankets, the clothes.

he has all of it, he has everything but race.

it leaves him hollow. carved out.

life brought everything, death took anything.

[fromabasementonthehilll]

My Girlfriend Is a Witch (pt.2)

͙⁺･༓☾ - Summary: the coldest winter yet had came ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ in, and things hadn't become any easier.

Pairing: lottie matthews x fem!reader

Warnings: ...

Pt. 1

a/n: was drunk for ab a week straight and wrote some of this in a rush, also might not do a pt.3 since this one is longer than I wanted it to be 😟 hopefully will get back to writing in a couple of days so pleaseee do send requests 🤞🏻🤞🏻 ps. reader is kinda stupid in this

∘₊✧────────────────────✧₊∘

Your lips rested on the cracked surface of a cup as you drank the last of your herbal tea - facing the flickering fire. Winter had phased in with spite, and you had finally put the jacket you crammed into your suitcase to good use.

"Hey," Nat sat by you, crossing her legs, "look, it wasn't your fault, we all did it," She noticed your agitated expression that wouldn't go away ever since the day Jackie's body was eaten, "you were hungry, (y/n). I mean, did we really have any other choice?" You knew how bad she felt about it all, you also knew how hard it was for her to convince herself that it wasn't her fault either, and you were her main source of comfort, mostly because you were just as adamant about it as she was.

"I know, Nat, but god - seeing her like that," you winced at your words, trying to block out the image of Jackie the morning after her and Shauna's fight, unable to finish your sentence with a slight stutter. Natalie hugged you in return, your eyes still watching the flames flicker up and down.

Boiling water above a fire every night and scarce of food; Lottie favoured as leader and cold nights spent in near agony - it had become the norm, everyone was forced to accept it, some in favour, some not. The tragic death of your teammate remained haunting, it still lingered in your mouth, it lingered inside of you as it did with everyone else, nobody wanted to think about it let alone speak about it, all that anyone could remember from that night was the words ringing in their ears,

"It wants us to."

It took a while for everybody to acknowledge Lottie's so called 'intuition', though her peace with Jackie's death had been a sort of solace for everyone. You were naturally the first, you watched it become something akin to a cult - the way they all worshipped her, and you were confused seeing it, unsure of what to do or say; just going along with it.

-

You were sleeping in the attic again, eyes closed and hands trying to find Lottie, yet to no avail. You slowly opened your eyes and rubbed them before sitting up to look around, "Lot?" You whispered, eyelids half open. She was nowhere to be found, again, and so you slipped into a hoodie and crept downstairs amongst everybody's sleeping bags, then slowly creaking the door open. You saw Lottie sitting on the porch, hands tucked into her knees.

"Hey," you sat by her - wrapping your arms around yourself, "why are you out here? It's so cold." She didn't turn to look at you. All you did was give her a confused look, before she finally faced you with rosy red ridden cheeks and a slight smile.

"It's peaceful out here." She said, smiling more knowing that you were with her in this moment. She noticed you trying to respond through shivers of cold, and she quickly changed her expression and took her jacket off, "here. You don't have to stay with me you know." She watched your lips turn paler by the second, "I want to." You beamed, voice quiet and soft, before leaning your head onto her shoulder. She wrapped one arm around you, covering you with warmth and placing a soft kiss onto the back of your head. It felt rare to spend time with Lottie like this, you'd have to hope that she was in the right state to give you affection, and it just wasn't right, but right now you didn't care - needing the closeness of her.

The night had gotten so cold that you couldn't feel any of your limbs anymore, and the both of you finally decided to go back in, though as you walked closer to the attic ladder you had heard someone from behind you get up.

"(y/n)?" It was Natalie's voice, you turned your head and Lottie followed. "What are you doing?" She asked, "we just went out to get some fresh air, Nat." You spoke quietly and cautiously unlike Natalie. It was almost pitch black in the cabin, the moonlight barely peaking through the frosty windows. "Are you sure that's it? You can tell me if Lottie's pulling some weird bullshit again." She talked to you as if Lottie wasn't even in the room, "what?" You scoffed, knowing Nat wasn't the biggest Lottie supporter, though still slightly shocked. "Let's just go to bed, (y/n)." Lottie stressed before turning around to climb up, "Yeah, sure, just pretend like everything's normal." Nat sneered and Lottie sighed. "What's wrong with you? Lottie isn't doing anything." You responded with confusion, you could sense Lottie's discernment of Natalie - how it led her to just avoid her in general, but this same argument had been going on for ages and you were tired of it. "You're just feeding into her delusions, (y/n), like everyone else." Natalie gestured, her eyes never leaving yours. "Whatever." You brushed her off and gave her a disappointed look that said 'really?', making made your way up the ladder - leaving Natalie frustrated.

"Lot, I love you, okay?" You lied under the covers facing her, giving her a kiss on the forehead and brushing her hair out of the way as she warmly smiled with tired brown eyes, before falling asleep. You wanted more, to breathe under her touch, to feel the comfort of her sweetness. But she stayed bitter, and you stayed yearning.

-

The day your parents moved interstate was the day you met Lottie - standing over her porch watching the new neighbours; you, drive in. She brought store bought brownies for your family whilst everyone was under the impression she made them,

"There's no way you made these,"

"Ugh, alright, I didn't. I'm sorry."

She was never that much of a cook. One time you fell ill, staying at hers while your parents were out of town. Lottie had took it upon herself to cook you dinner for the next week, and it was hell.

"Let's just get takeout instead, babe." You would try to reason in the most softest voice possible. Though against your will, she would insist on cooking, bragging about how she had discovered new ingredients. "Here you go." she'd say with an oblivious smile, proud of her pesto-pasta-parsnip concoction, somehow she had managed to make the simplest foods hard to eat, and sometimes it would get so bad that you'd have to fake being too sick to eat. This time round there wasn't much to cook, just tea to brew and herbs that sat around waiting for the next time you were lucky enough to find meat to eat.

"I made you this." Lottie handed you a cup of wild rose tea, you sat on the cabin floor half awake, "Oh, thank you Lot." You smiled, holding the cup with both of your hands in attempt to borrow heat. She sat down next to you, a bothered expression on her face. "(y/n)," she muttered, unsure of how she was to phrase it, "what's going on with you and Natalie?" She asked with curiosity and slight confusion. "What do you mean?" You weren't sure of how to approach her when she spoke to you about other people, her jealousy wasn't something you necessarily wanted to indulge in, and you weren't certain if she was even jealous.

"I mean that I don't have a good feeling about her." Her statement was stern, assertive. "It's like an apparition of her, I guess." This time doubtful of herself, she watched you up and down.

"I mean yeah, she's been acting weird towards you lately, but that's something you'd have to ask-"

"That's not what I'm talking about."

You furrowed your eyebrows at her. Maybe it really was jealousy? Envy that you had been spending more time with Natalie than Lottie, even though to your knowledge you were just helping a friend with hard times. "Talk to me, Lot." You stressed, while placing your hand on her cheek. "If you really do believe in me, you'll stay away from her." She said with slight rigour, you'd never seen her speak to you as harshly as she did in this moment, and your fear was enough to comply. She brushed her sternness off and smiled contently before getting up and leaving, though she hadn't noticed Natalie come up to you straight after. "Are you okay? Did she say something? What happened?"

"Nothing." You got up to follow Lottie and disregarded Natalie as her gaze trailed you.

"What the fuck Lottie?" You exclaimed the words you couldn't just a moment ago, she looked at you confused. The others couldn't hear your voices as you were in the attic, and you used it to your advantage, "you cant just make me ignore Natalie, she's my friend, she needs me." You flailed your arms at her, she took her hoodie down and placed her jacket to the side. It felt like a knife to the chest the way she would talk to you sometimes, of course you wanted to be with Lottie - you loved her, but what did Natalie have to do with anything?

She edged closer to you, walking up to your smaller frame, you clenched your jaw looking at her. "You're not listening to me, (y/n)," she raised her chin, "it wants you to, it wants me to," She stopped and lingered on her last words, "wants you to what, Lottie." You stared up at her; heart racing, trying to induce a response. You were dazed by her superstition, though recently you had your doubts and frustrations, how she would speak of 'it' to brace her cunning, and you had to convinced yourself that it really was an unexplainable truth and not just an excuse to get her way with things.

"It doesn't matter, just listen to me." Her mind was clearly somewhere else. "You haven't even kissed me for the past week, and you expect me to just accept it? I miss you, Lot." You whined at her, "yeah, well, that isn't my main priority." She said coldly, turning around and biting her lip.

"Are you kidding me? I cant deal with you. Talk to me when your heads straight." You ran off, almost in tears from how ignorant she was, and how excruciating the situation was as a whole - why was it so hard to just talk to her?

You walked faster than usual, asking Nat to follow you. Stopping outside behind the cabin, you broke down, Natalie held you as you sobbed into her shoulder, "hey, it's okay." She rubbed your back, "talk to me, what happened?" You calmed down slightly, backing up.

"It's Lottie, I don't even know what happened, she just-"

"I know, you don't have to tell me." Even when you were breaking down crying the angst between Lottie and Natalie was persistent, you didn't pay much attention to it though, considering you were in too much of a mental haze. She brought a hand to your cheek, wiping your tears, "it'll be okay, I promise." You chuckled shyly in return, eyes meeting hers. Natalie watched you tuck your bottom lip in and breathe in shakily, you were too focused on regaining composure to notice her moving closer to you, and all of a sudden you felt her lips on yours, salty tears in her mouth. For a split second you leaned into it, tilting your head slightly to fit her, before abruptly pulling away. "Nat," you spoke, shocked. "I'm sorry, I should've known you weren't into-" her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "no it's not that, I just," you panicked, "oh," Natalie gave out, finally catching onto yours and Lottie's relationship. "Look, this was a mistake okay? Just forget about it." You rushed, heading back inside.

Somehow you were completely oblivious to Natalie having any romantic feelings towards you, your eyes were wide and your lips were shaking profusely as your gaze was pinned to the floor, shyly opening the cabin door and forgetting to close it, after which you heard Shauna moaning at you with exhaustion and shutting it, focusing her attention back to the fire.

This time you had slept downstairs, ignoring Lottie in your peripheral whenever she'd show up. You carelessly fell asleep on a random throw, trying to block out any memory of today.

-

Your eyelids were heavy, waking up to commotion in the room and a random blanket thrown onto you. "(y/n), wake up." Mari shouted, loud enough for you to blink a few times and stay alert, "what's going on?" You asked, "Nothing, just do your chores." She walked off in unnoticeable frustration. You gently moved the blanket - slightly stumbling, making awkward eye contact with Natalie before picking up an empty bucket.

You were on water duty again, the cold had created a thick layer of ice on top of the lake, though Travis had hacked a small hole into it for water supply recently. You threw a jacket on, zipped it up, and left.

"Wait, (y/n)!" You heard someone from behind you panting, you turned around to see Lottie. "What about the laundry?!" Misty shouted from afar, she simply ignored her and stopped in front of you, "hey," she said, catching her breath, you continued walking as you spoke to her, "what's up?" You looked at her curiously, still silently beating yourself up over whatever happened yesterday.

She stayed silent for a moment, and you felt the need to console her uncertainty, "Lot, I believe you," You stopped behind a tree, placing a hand onto her shoulder "I swear, I do." She knew exactly what you were talking about, how you doubted her despite her persistence against Natalie, and how you were now reassuring her. Lottie paused for a second, mind thinking back to how stubborn you were to acknowledge what Lottie had told you. "Why should I trust you?" She asked quietly, voice breaking almost unnoticeably. All you could do was stare at her in distress, "you promised me that-" she choked on her words. "I know." You scarcely admitted, "but you can't just ignore me, fuck, Lottie - I thought we were over." You cried with prominence. "I'll do whatever you want, I swear, just please talk to me." Tears began forming in your eyes as you pleaded profusely, they glistened sharply against the teethy snow, and she watched them with guilt. Her frigid hands cupped your wet cheeks,

"I love you no matter what." She said, dragging the fear out of you, "I'm sorry." she faltered slightly. Your lips quivered as she moved closer, "I'll always believe in you." You whispered with cold breath, she knew you were hers, and she was yours, and so she kissed you. She pushed further, backing you against a tree, tongue caressing your lips like honey. She pulled away for a second, "(y/n), I mean it, I'm sorry. I should've been there for you, when Ja-" you kissed her back, even harder this time while you wrapped your numb hands around her neck. She stood over you, quiet moans leaving your mouths. You could feel your cheeks flush slowly as her soft skin was finally against yours, you giggled against her as her mouth trailed down to your neck, planting kisses all over you - you felt hungry for her, your hands pushing her head further into you.

A sudden guilty conscience overcame you, remembering Natalie's lips against yours, and you tried to numb it by raising Lottie's face and smashing your lips into hers yet again, tasting her every flavour.

"(y/n), we cant do this here." She broke out, you nodded and headed back.

"Where is the water??" Misty complained, seeing you with an empty bucket at the doorstep, "must've fell out, sorry." You ran up, dragging Lottie with you. As soon as you reached the attic you wrapped your arms around her neck and reached up to kiss her, this time your head was blank, just focusing on satisfying your famine, running your hands all around the back of her head and messing her soft and dark brunette hair up to filth.

Her desire for you was stronger than before, and this time as she trailed down to your neck there was no need to push her in, her mouth was warm and harsh against you - blade-like teeth lightly grazing your skin as you breathed with subtle moans. Your animalistic nails dug into her back and under her shirt, impatient and heavy with impulse; you worshipped her like she was your god, "I want you, Lottie." You whispered inbetween panting, she smirked with a quiet yet deep laugh in response, undoing your shirt with steady hands, you closed your eyes for the last time that day.

-

Natalie came down with a sickness, a kind you've never seen before. It wasn't out of the ordinary, though it still felt unusual, as if she was tampered with. For a moment you felt bad - instinctively wanting to stay by her side, but Lottie wouldn't allow it and you knew it, so you had just left the others to take care of her.

You wouldn't tell Lottie about that one time Nat kissed you, you knew that she knew, somehow and however that was possible.

Trusting her was a given, you life was in her hands and nothing ever went wrong after you'd given in.

[feeshies]

Okay since I did pretty well during my first year, I feel like I can share my law school Study Hacks

(May also be applicable to non-law school studying)

Disclaimer: these are tips from someone who is okay with being average-to-decent in law school. The jobs I want aren't the ones where you have to get straight A's your first year. If you're looking to get into BigLaw, I can't help you. Also I didn't really study in undergrad (I only enrolled in classes where I could write a final paper instead of taking an exam), so a lot of these tips I had to learn on the fly. If you have a technique, stick with that. Also (x2) I have ADHD, so I had to come up with a technique which worked with that.

I'm mostly making this post because before law school, I fell down a lot of study-influencer rabbit holes, and I found myself feeling self-conscious that I couldn't get my study habits to look that neat and "aesthetic."

Part 1: Setup

Step 0: Get a big whiteboard.

This is the first thing I bought when I moved into my apartment and it's my favorite possession. Listen, planners are nice. I used planners all throughout undergrad. But that's just because I didn't have the space for a big whiteboard. The big whiteboard is not just where I put my assignments, but it's also where I plan out my week (we'll get to that)

Step 0.2: Get a smaller calendar whiteboard.

I have a smaller whiteboard that functions as a calendar. I don't put due dates on this (unless it's a major due date or some kind of school event). Not really relevant to studying, only to show that I separate big due dates from my everyday study tracking. Trying to cram everything into a normal calendar can make it easy to overlook important stuff.

Step 1: Before the semester starts, color code all of your classes.

The colors can be completely arbitrary (I just used the colors that came up on OneNote).

For my first semester, it was:

Contracts: Blue

Torts: Orange

Civil Procedure: Black or White

Legal Writing I: Green

After the first semester was established, I was able to use this color association for similar classes during the second semester:

Property: Blue

Criminal Law: Orange

Legislation: Black or White

Legal Writing II: Green

These are the colors I would always associate with these classes. On my giant whiteboard, I would use different colored markers to indicate which class I was writing about (versus having to go "contracts: pages 12-50" or whatever. I could just write "12-50" with blue marker)

I already erased my whiteboard for the semester (another reason to do this: it's incredibly satisfying), but here's a recreation:

I have my reading assignments for each week organized by class (+ the due dates.) Then in red, I write down the number of pages I'll have to read in each segment. Whenever something's done, cross it off.

This is my weekly calendar where I divide up when I'll be reading and how much (plus other stuff I have going on that week). I also divide the reading evenly. If I have two days to read 28 pages, I'm doing 14 pages one day, and the other 14 the other.

This is because 1. If the assigned reading has a natural shorter and longer part, I'm going to do the shorter one first and put off the longer one because I am lazy and I don't care about sabotaging future me. If it's even, I can hold myself accountable. And 2. stopping abruptly can make it easier for you to get back in that same headspace when you continue reading. It's the same mentality behind that writing tip that stopping mid-sentence can help prevent writer's block, because your brain is good at filling in gaps. It's much less daunting than starting at a fresh topic.

Other things of note:

I transcribe the notes I take in class when I get home. I try to do this as soon as possible so I don't forget anything (jotting down specific examples or anecdotes raised by your professor can help you memorize the material more). I take my notes by hand (in a notebook color-coordinated with the class), and then I use OneNote so they're in a more legible place.

I also try to update my outlines every week. This was something I didn't learn until late first semester but I wish I knew earlier. You don't want to be scrambling to make your outlines the week before exams. I'll go more into outlining later.

I also don't do anything school-related on Sundays. Mainly because that's my cleaning day, but I also need a break. Try to set a hard boundary with yourself.

I'll go into more detail about my exact studying and outlining strategies in another post (plus exam stuff), but this was just about the setup and it's already too long.

TL;DR: color-coordinate your classes, get a big whiteboard, studying doesn't have to be pretty if it works

[kimberly-stocks]

I’ve got a nsfw literati prompt 🙏

could you write something along the lines of Jess helping Rory de stress after constant studying? 👀

Canon compliant. Set in season 3, sometime in spring I guess? At the time Lorelai started seeing Alex. Not in any way connected to my story Things I'd never say.

Rory heard a light tap on her window and stood up from her desk, stretching tired muscles to open the window for Jess. She pushed the frame up and looked outside to find her boyfriend standing there with a to-go cup of coffee from Luke's.

"Hey," he said giving the coffee to her.

"Bless you!" She took it gratefully, gulping hungrily.

"You didn't come by the diner after school, thought you might need some fuel."

"Yeah, I had to study. I have this stupid history test tomorrow," Rory groaned.

"When do you think you're gonna be done with it?"

"About ten, maybe?" He nodded in response.

"I'll leave you to it then," he gave her a small smile and almost turned to leave, when she tugged on his arm, and pressed her lips to his in a brief kiss.

"Thank you for the coffee, you're my hero."

"No problem."

~xxx~

A little after ten Rory stood up from her chair, every verterbra creaking in protest from being in the same position for too long. She was just putting her books and notepads away when she heard a tap on her window once again. She smiled to herself and went to open it for the second time that night.

"Hey, how's your studying going?" Jess asked intertwining his fingers with hers through the frame.

"I just finished. Wanna come in for a bit?"

"Where's your mom?"

"She's staying at Alex's tonight."

"Huh," he smirked at that piece of information. Coming here was a right choice after all. He sneaked inside with the grace of a cat, closing the window behind him. Rory plopped on her back across the bed.

"I'm exhausted, all those dates and names, I have no idea how I'm gonna remember it all tomorrow, so much cramming with only one cup of coffee is an impossible task." She whined. Jess came to lie next to her, taking her hand in his.

"I know a great way to help you relax," he started.

"Which is?" She turned to look at him.

"Orgasm," he smirked.

She gulped nervously. She let him touch her boobs through her clothes for the first time a few weeks ago, and since then Jess was dropping hints about doing something more, but she still wasn't ready to have sex with him. She didn't want to offend him, but didn't want to go all the way either. It was quite a predicament.

"Uhh... I'm not... You know..."

"I know. You don't have to have sex to get an orgasm, you know?" He turned to look at her only to catch her turning away from him, her cheeks flaming red.

"Oh..." She didn't know how to react to that. What did he expect?

"It's okay if you're not ready for that either," he squeezed her fingers tighter in reassurance.

A long pause followed. Jess seemed relaxed, enjoying just being next to her, while Rory's thoughts were racing a mile a minute. Was she ready for anything sexual at all? It sounded kind of enticing. Scary, but enticing nonetheless. And her mom wasn't going to be home till morning. But she had a test tomorrow, so she couldn't be late for school. She didn't want the repeat of her first year with that meltdown about a Shakespear test. Then again, it wasn't awfully late yet, and she could use some relaxation.... She squeezed Jess's fingers to get his attention, and asked "What else can we do for... You know, uh, orgasm?" She could see his smirk out of the corner of her eye. She still didn't dare to look at him directly, too embarrassed and shy about the whole conversation.

"Remember how I touched your breasts the other day? I can touch you like that down there too. Through the clothes. Or not. If you want."

"Okay," she whispered after a moment of hesitation. She felt him move to hover above her. They locked eyes before he pressed a soft kiss to her lips, coaxing her to relax. The very next second her instincts kicked in and she lost herself in the kiss, like she always did with him.

They were making out for a bit until she felt his palm covering her breast gently. He started massaging it, kneading and rolling her nipple between his deft fingers. She moaned into his mouth. She wasn't wearing a bra underneath her sweatshirt, so she could feel everything. Encouraged by her reactions he went to kiss and suck on the sensitive skin of her neck. His hand never leaving her chest, alternating between her soft mounds. Rory was clutching at his back, threading fingers through his hair, pulling his head closer to her neck. She loved it when he kissed her neck. Then slowly his hand started travelling lower until it came to the juncture between her legs. She pressed them together, losing focus for a second. He looked up at her "May I?" She nodded shakily and relaxed her thighs. His palm landed on her pubic bone and just settled there, his fingers between her legs, applying pressure and heat to the most intimate spot even through her sweatpants. His eyes went completely dark, contrasting to his usual hazel shade. Her lips parted in anticipation, and he started rubbing her softly, careful not to scare her with overwhelming sensations. It felt weird in a way that she never let anyone do that to her, but she still didn't quite understand what she was supposed to be feeling. And then.... He found her clit and everything changed. She gasped suddenly at the shock of feeling like an electric current went through her limbs.

Jess focused on that spot he found, and started rubbing her there in circles, increasing the pressure some. Her eyes closed and she was washed with pleasure she's never felt before. He kept caressing her methodically, tirelessly until her breathing got shallow and with one final moan she climaxed in front of him.

"There you go," he whispered pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, extracting his hand from between her legs slowly.

Rory was lying there with her eyes closed, breathing erratic, her mind completely blank of all the thoughts and concerns. She blindly reached for him, and he intertwined their fingers one more time. Watching her was such a treat. Looking at her pale cheeks gaining color, and then shining bright pink with arousal, her lips parting, her tongue darting out to lick them, her chest rising and falling, nipples hard, poking through the fabric. She was a vision. And he was pretty sure he just gave her the first ever orgasm of her life.