#i kissed my sister’s cheek so i could time the duration of how long i wanted the kiss to be

[daydreaming-nerd]

Young Love and Old Money (Cassian x Female! Reader) Part 2

Young Love and Old Money Masterlist

AN: My toxic trait is that I'll read Eris fanfic all day and swoon but the second I work on this series I tear him to absolute filth.

Summary: She was the most beautiful woman in Prythian, sister to the High Lord of Night, and now she is the soon-to-be wife of Eris Vanserra. Despite her many titles and her aura of unattainability, Cassian can't help but fall deeply in love with the princess of the Night Court. But will it be enough to stop her impending wedding to a man who is sure to destroy her from the inside out?

Warnings: Sexisim, trauma from under the mountain, alcohol, Eris' hounds

Word Count: 3,754

The next few days fly by faster than expected and before I know it, I’m walking from my room to the foyer of The House of Wind. I don’t miss my reflection in the passing windows. Once again I had been poked, prodded and primped to perfection. My dress hugged my every curve, not that Eris needed an excuse to use his imagination more than he already was. 

I step into the foyer and find Cassian there with his back turned to me. He hears the clacking of my shoes on the marble floors and turns around, the familiar red glow of his siphons both easing the and aiding my rapid heartbeat. 

“What do you think? Do I look ‘wall ornament-y’ enough?” I laugh trying to hide my pain. 

“No you don’t, you look like a princess.” Cassian laughs but I can hear the hesitancy in his compliment.  

“Thank you,” I smile, ducking my head. “Is it just you and I today?” I ask, looking for a sign of my brother or Azriel. 

“Actually it’ll be just us from now on. Rhys has assigned me to take you back and forth from the Autumn Court for the duration of your courtship.” Cassian says with a hint of annoyance. 

“Oh I’m sorry, that seems a little below your pay grade.” I mutter as my cheeks burn with embarrassment. Cassian was The Lord of Bloodshed, not some personal bodyguard of mine. 

“Don’t be, I could use some easy work,” he assures me. “Ready?” 

“I guess so,” I reply, walking over to him so he can pick me up. Within an instant we’re airborne and I try to hold on to the sense of freedom that flying gives me before I feel suffocated under Eris’ gaze. 

The first few minutes of flying neither of us speak. I can hardly think of anything besides the way his arms feel around me, and I almost wish he had the power to winnow like Azriel did to keep my mind from wandering towards places it shouldn’t. 

“I hope you know I didn’t mean what I said the other day. You know, about you being a wall ornament. I was just trying to see Eris squirm.” Cassian confessed and I can tell by the tone of his voice that the subject had been plaguing him for a while. 

“Don’t worry I rather enjoyed his squirming,” I laugh recalling the way Eris’ jaw ticked from Cassian’s sarcasm. 

“Then I’ll be sure to do it more often,” he said with that knee weakening smile. 

It wasn’t long until we reached the Autumn Court and from where Cassian meant to touch down I could see Eris’ fiery hair waiting for me. The second my feet touched the ground Eris was reaching out for my hand. 

“You look ravishing my dear,” he said, placing a kiss to the top of my hand. 

“You as well prince Eris,” I smile as he loops his arm through mine, leading me up the front steps of the palace. 

“I see you brought your bastard dog with you again,” Eris chided, throwing a glance over his shoulder to where Cassian followed us. 

“Don’t worry he’s potty trained, I even taught him to sit and stay,” I quip back as Eris leads me through the doors. I glance back at Cassian to give him an apologetic expression.

Eris lets out a hearty chuckle and I think it’s the first time that I’ve heard him laugh, “My dear you do have quite the sharp mind,” he says. 

I glance up at the ornate ceilings above the foyer,“This place is huge, how many rooms?” I ask Eris, trying to change the subject.  

“More than I’ve ever bothered to try and count, perhaps you can count with me today? I had hoped to take you on a little tour,” Eris answers, leading me down the hall.

Thick, lush garnet colored fabric covers the floors as ornate gold detailing lines the walls. The flames from the many chandeliers cast a warm light through the hall, and the colors of the Autumn trees can be seen through all the multi paned windows. I wanted to love this place, I wanted it to feel like home. Maybe it would have if Eris wasn’t such a viper. 

We spent at least an hour wandering the halls of the palace, Cassian never farther than twenty feet from us. I was surprised to see that the place was near empty. My mind began to wander, was the place vacant because few people lived here? Or was it vacant because even the staff fears Eris? I suppressed the shiver that went down my back as I tried to turn my mind to other matters. 

“I have something I wish to show you,” Eris says as he leads me outside. 

The brisk air fans my face offering a breath of fresh air that I so desperately needed. His grip on me tightened as we approached a familiar looking barn. It didn’t take me long to realize that it was the same barn he had shown me earlier this week, the one where he kept his hounds. 

We walk in through the wooden door and I’m greeted with the sight of at least a dozen kennels of dogs, all of them barking so loud my ears nearly rang at the sound. All of them, white, black and brown. As we made our way toward the back of the barn my gaze locked on a much smaller kennel where a litter of puppies played.  

“Oh prince Eris! They’re so cute!” I cried watching them wrestle around with one another. 

“I thought you might like them,” he smirked, leaning down to pluck one from the litter, placing it into my arms. The little puppy wiggled around licking my face, earning a giggle from me. 

“What’s this one's name?” I ask, holding the puppy close. 

“That one won’t get a name,” he answers, watching me and the pup intently. 

“Why not?” I inquire, puzzled as to why such a sweet thing wouldn’t have a name. 

“Because she’s a female and we don’t keep the females. They cost more to feed and keep than their worth.” He explains, like it’s common knowledge. 

“But then how do you breed more?” I ask, holding the puppy even closer to my chest upon hearing its fate.

“She’s our breeder, and she has been for a couple of years now,” Eris replies, pointing to a fearful looking dog in the back corner of the kennel. “She always bears the strongest and healthiest pups, and most of them are male which is always advantageous.” 

My stomach drops at Eris’ words. “Then why do you keep the female puppies alive for so long?” I ask, not sure I really wanted to know the answer. 

Eris takes the puppy from my hands and puts it back in the pen where it begins to play with the others,  “Because if we kill them right after their birth the mother gets lethargic and she refuses to nurse the males. We lost a whole litter once doing that.”  he says once more, circling a hand around my waist. 

My heart shatters at the realization of the poor puppy’s fate. “Oh,” I say in defeat, all thoughts from my head dissipating as I stare at the mother. 

“I’m afraid we can’t all be pretty things for future High Lords to enjoy,” Eris smirks, nuzzling my  neck. “Come, I have one last thing to show you before you leave.” 

I nod, following Eris out of the barn, but I don’t leave without one last look at the mother dog in the back kennel. For a second I swear her eyes meet mine and there’s an understanding that we will both share the same fate, breeding vessels for higher powers. 

We walk down along the river until we come across a large weeping willow. It appeared to have been there for years as its branches and yellow leaves cascaded down creating a large curtain around it. We had them all over the Sidra of the Night Court, but I had never seen one bear the colors of fall. 

“That’s far enough bastard,” Eris curses at Cassian as he pushes back the leafy curtain to allow me in. I try to throw Cassian a fearful look but Eris closes the foliage curtain behind him before I get the chance.  

I look up at the branches of the willow, doing my best to avoid Eris’ hungry gaze. The leaves are beautiful as the light of the setting sun shines through them, the slight breeze and the sound of the river flowing next to us made this place its own world. 

“I can see why your family chose to keep you locked up for all those years,” Eris chimes, taking a step towards me. 

“And why is that?” I say retreating a step, trying to keep my gaze on my surroundings. 

“Because every legend I ever heard about your beauty is true,” he smirks, taking another step towards me. 

My heart rate quickens and my palms go clammy as I take another step back, “and what do they say about me?” I ask, as if I don’t already know. 

Eris chuckles, seemingly happy to recite the prose to me, “Eyes like a storm,” he starts taking another step closer to me. 

I feel my bare back hit the bark of the willow and I realize that he has me pinned. He has been hunting me like prey this whole time and I was stupid enough to fall into the trap. 

“Hair like threads of silk,” he continued, brushing a hand through my hair. “And skin as soft as rose petals,” he smiles, caressing my cheek. “The Jewel of Prythian and the weakness of every male.”

Eris’ breath fans my cheek as I feel his body press me into the willow tree, “It seems I have a lot to live up to,” I breathe, trying to keep my voice from quivering. 

“Hardly.” he says, brushing a stray hair from my cheek. “You’re already the greatest temptation I’ve ever known and I think I’m tired of restraining myself from you.” he growls. 

I don’t have a moment to think before his lips are smashing onto mine. My back scrapes against the bark and I know that there will be an angry red mark there when I free myself from Eris’ grasp. His tongue slides into my mouth and I feel my stomach burn. His lips taste vile, like they weren’t made for me, but he seems to be enjoying himself just fine. His hands wander my waist possessively, like I’m nothing more than an object for him to indulge in, though I suppose that’s exactly how he saw me. 

Like a saving grace from above, the large bell atop the castle rang out, signaling that it was 7 o’clock, time for me to leave. I manage to push Eris off of me just enough for me to get a word in. 

“Prince Eris, it's 7, my brother wants me home,” I say, placing my hands on his chest. My head casts down to where they spread over the expensive fabric of his shirt, the patterns being the only thing keeping me grounded. 

“So punctual,” he tuts. “A frustrating quality now, but if things go well for us you’ll make quite the obedient little wife won’t you?” he smirks forcing my chin up so I can meet his domineering gaze.

“Yes of course my prince,” I say timidly. 

“Good girl,” he praised, turning my chin to the side. The second the seventh bell chimes, a hand pushes aside the curtain of leaves and I’m relieved at the sight of Cassian. 

“Princess it’s time to go,” he says urgently, the voice of a general making an appearance. 

“You’re right,” I nod, trying not to look shell shocked. “Until next time Prince Eris,” I say as Eris kisses my hand. 

“Until then my little flame,” he smiles. 

I step out of the cover of the willow tree and Cassian wastes no time picking me up and shooting into the sky. I immediately feel better the second the wind whips my hair back and I can let go of the breath that I’m holding. 

“Do you want me to take you to Rhys?” Cassian asks. 

“No, just take me home please,” I reply, trying to hold back my tears.

As if he can sense my eagerness to feel safe in my own home he flaps his wings harder. We spend the entire flight in silence as I try to forget about the taste of Eris on my tongue but it’s impossible. The entire time we’re in the air I’m unable to think of freedom like I normally do. All I can feel is Eris' brand on me, and the second we touch down on the balcony of the House of Wind I feel every emotion I have come to the surface.

“Thank you for the ride,” I say to Cassian. My voice breaks as I turn from his gaze and make my way inside. 

“Princess wait!” Cassian calls for me but I don’t turn around, whatever he has to say can wait. 

I make a beeline for the kitchen. My tears are falling faster than ever and all I can think is, get his taste out of my mouth, get his taste out of my mouth, get his taste out of my mouth.  I waltz over to the liquor cabinet and pull out the first bottle of whiskey I see. It spills a little as I frantically pour it into a glass and shoot it down my throat, the burn washing away any trace of Eris. 

“Hey are you okay?” a voice drawls from behind me and I turn to see Cassian in the doorway.

“I’m practically engaged to a monster of course I’m not okay!” I cry shooting down another gulp of whiskey. 

“Hey, hey hey,” Cassian coos, crossing the room to take the glass and the bottle from my hand. “It’s okay just breathe.” he says, pulling me into him. 

The gesture makes me let go of all my inhibitions as I sob violently into his chest. I can barely breathe through my shallow breaths. I feel Cassian stroke a hand through my hair. 

“H-how could s-someone be so terrible?” I sob through my ragged breaths. “Those poor puppies, and their mother? The way he t-touches me? A-and the way he speaks to you? I hate him.” 

“Hey don’t worry about me okay? I can take it.” Cassian assures me. “Just take a deep breath for me alright?” 

I listen to him and take a long deep breath, the smell of cedar and leather filling my senses calming me down instantly. He instructs me to take another one and I do, this time the heat of the whiskey warming my stomach helps calm me down. 

Once I finally  have my breathing under control he bends down to look at me, “Now, if we’re going to be drinking whiskey we might as well drink Rhys’ good stuff,” he smiles and for the first time that day I laugh.

“I suppose so,” I chuckle, wiping my tears away. 

“That’s the spirit,” Cassian beams as he reaches for the large bottle at the top of the cabinet. He grabs two more glasses and takes them over to the living room. 

I follow him and plunk myself down on the couch across from him. He pours us each a glass and raises his own in a toast. 

“To old dogs that can learn new tricks,” he laughs referring to the comments made earlier today about him. 

I roll my eyes playfully clinking my glass to his and taking a sip, “I’m sorry about that, Eris really is the worst,” I say. 

“Then why are you looking to marry him? You know if you went and talked to Rhys right now that he wouldn’t make you do this.” Cassian asks, taking a sip. 

I let out a long sigh while swirling the whiskey around my glass,  “Because he sacrificed a lot for me under the mountain, I should repay the favor. Besides, he’s right. War is coming and if this is the only thing I can do to keep Velaris safe, and to keep you and Azriel safe then I want to do it.” I explain to him. 

“You don’t have to worry about me and Azriel princess, it’s our job to keep you safe,” Cassian says leaning forward, setting his glass on the coffee table. 

“I know, I know. You’re big tough Illyrians.” I roll my eyes. “But this is my duty, it’s what my father and mother wanted, it’s what I was made for. I don’t have earth shattering powers like my brother, or siphons and wings like you and Az. This is what I’m good for, and if it keeps my people safe then I’ll show up to woo Eris every single day with a smile on my face.” I say. 

There’s a sadness in Cassian’s eyes and I can tell he wants to argue against me but he doesn’t, “You’re braver than most of the Illyrians I know. I think you could give Devlon a run for his money,” he says with sincerity, taking a swig from his drink. 

“That might be a bit of an overstatement, though I bet with the right motives I could take him down,” I jest, sipping my drink. 

“Now that’s something I would pay to see,” Cassian laughs. A moment of silence ensues before Cassian takes a gold mark out of his back pocket and twirls it in his fingers, “Have you ever played Marks?” he grins. 

About an hour passes by and I’m thoroughly engaged in the game Cassian calls Marks. Apparently it’s a game he had been playing with Rhys and Azriel for years. The concept is simple, we both bounce gold marks off the table and try to land them in the glass in front of us. If I make it in the glass before he does, he has to drink and vice versa. 

As simple as the game was, I couldn't lie that I was having fun. More fun than I have had in years. Turns out I was much better at Marks than Cassian had anticipated and throughout the hour I had him drinking like a fish.  

That’s how Azriel found us, in a room filled with the sound of metal clattering against wood and laughter ringing out from both Cassian and I. 

“Cassian, did you teach her how to play marks?” Azriel mused leaning over the couch next to me to watch.  

“I did and it turns out she’s pretty damn good! I think the princess might be able to school you Az.” Cassian taunts. 

I hear Azriel scoff beside me, “Oh please, move over and let me show you how it’s done.” he says sitting next to Cassian and picking up a gold mark. I don’t even have a chance to bounce mine before Azirel’s drops into the glass. 

“Damn that was good,” I smile downing the last of my drink. 

“Don’t worry princess, I'm sure you’ll be as good as me one day,” Azriel boasts proudly leaning back into the couch. 

“Whatever Az,” I laugh standing up. “Well I think I’ve had enough to drink for one night. Goodnight you two.” I smile walking down the hall towards my room. I hear Cassian and Azriel bid me goodnight and for the first time in a long time, I go to bed with a smile on my face. 

Cassian 

  A pretty little wall ornament for a future High Lord, just like you are…

You will bear me a son…

You’re already the greatest temptation I’ve ever known and I think I’m tired of restraining myself from you…

You’ll make quite the obedient little wife won’t you?

The things Eris’ said to y/n replay over and over again in my head causing my blood to boil. If it wouldn’t start an all out war I would out his head on a fucking pike and feed the rest of him to his hounds. I can’t stop replaying y/n’s face as she looked at the mother dog. It was clear that she knew that her fate would be the same as the animal. I was so blinded with rage I didn’t dodge Azriel’s punch fast enough feeling his fist connect with the side of my head. 

“You’re off your game today brother. Any particular reason why?” Azriel taunts me from across the sparring ring. I didn’t want to admit he was right, but it was obvious my mind was clearly occupied today. 

“I’m fine, I just didn’t sleep last night,” I told him, not entirely a lie. Azriel squares up again and I take my stance.  

“You sure it doesn’t have anything to do with a certain princess you were sharing drinks with last night?” Azriel teases throwing a punch. I dodge it and throw my whole body into my next punch hating how he teases me about y/n. He dodges it and goes for the low blow knocking me down. 

“I can assure you it has nothing to do with her,” I say from where I’m lying on the mat.

Azriel moves to unwrap his hands, seemingly calling it a day for the sparring ring. “Oh c’mon Cass, you’ve been pining for her for years.” he said, reaching out a hand to help me up which I took. “You need to tell her or you’re going to lose her forever.”

“I can’t. I won’t put her in an awkward situation like that, she already has enough on her plate.” I sigh, taking my own wraps off. “Besides she could never love someone like me, she’s a princess and ‘The Jewel of Prythian’ remember? Not to mention Rhys’ little sister. I’m nothing but a bastard born brute.”

“You really think she cares about something like that?” Azriel asks, wiping his face with a towel. 

“I don’t have the guts to find out,” I answered sitting down next to him. 

“Well if you’re looking for advice-” 

“Which I’m not,” I cut Az off. 

“But if you were,” he says, clapping a hand on my back. “I would tell her soon. Because if Eris decides that she’s worthy of bearing his sons he’s going to destroy her from the inside out.”

Part 3

Taglist: @crystalferret202 , @nickishadow139 ,  @graceshifts , @writeroutoftime , @heyyitsnat21,

[chrisevansonly]

Not A Typical Weekend….(Little Duck au)

pairing: Chris Evans x Female Reader (Momma Evans)

summary: it’s back to the hospital you go, only this time, it may not be the news you’re both looking for…

warnings: angst, mentions of anxiety, some tears, very panicky Arlie, comfort of course <;3

a/n: i was feeling angsty so here’s this…i promise i won’t torture this family anymore, I guess this may be a two parter?? considering I kinda left the ending open...? also I hate my writing again so maybe thats why I kinda cut it that way LOL

word count: 952

 You were hoping the pain after your accident would become more bearable after 5 days at home, but when you were still dealing with cramping, and now stabbing pains in your chest, Chris wouldn’t take no for an answer when it came time to go back to the hospital. Poor Arlie had been beside herself all morning as she watched you wince and moan as the waves of pain passed through you. Lisa was just as worried, but tried to keep Arlie calm and away from a potential panic attack

“Momma no go pwease no go!”

You frowned, opening your arms for her so you could hold her for a few moments

“My love, I’ll be okay, I promise you…momma’s gotta get fixed up so I can be all better again”

“Don’t wanna lose momma…”

Your heart was breaking at the tears that lined her eyes, slowly slipping out every few seconds 

“Arlie Mae, you’re not going to lose me, I’ll be home before you know it, I need you to help Nana with your brother, he’s going to need his big sister while Daddy and I are gone” 

She sniffled

“Okay momma…I-I try to help Nana”

“Thank you baby, I know you’re scared, but I’ll be home before you know it, so I need you to eb a big brave girl for me” 

You kissed her cheek upon hearing Chris call your name from the door, standing slowly to kiss Wesley and hug Lisa, you gave everyone one last goodbye before grabbing an overnight bag, and some snacks. It was hard to tell how long you’d be at the hospital until you arrived and got checked out, so overpacking may come in handy, even if you usually avoided it. 

“Ready to go honey?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be I suppose…I just hope it’s nothing serious”

Chris placed a kiss on your temple after helping you get settled into the front seat of the car 

“I hope so too, we’ll just have to wait and see now…”

You nodded folding your hands into your lap, you’d be lying to yourself if you said you weren’t freaking out a little bit. The prospect of it being horrible news compared to slightly okay news, now seeming to become more real, the closer to the hospital you got. Knowing Chris would be panicking just as much as you figured Arlie still may be at home, you remained quiet, and optimistic that you would be in and out of there in no time. 

-

“Mrs. Evans, I am glad you decided to come back in to see us, albeit not the best circumstances, better to be safe than sorry right?”

You were laying in a hospital bed, a private room once again at Mass Gen, you’d had numerous counts of blood taken, a few scans, x-rays, an entire workup because Chris nor you wanted to leave without being absolutely sure you were one hundred percent okay to go back home 

“So, we have taken a look at all the tests and scans we completed, the pain your experiencing is two things, one of them which is a chip in your collarbone, that has come loose and will require surgery in order to have that bone stabilized again”

Your hand reached for Chris’s looking for some comfort, he was quick to take it, holding it tightly in his, eyes trained on the doctor who had what appeared to be more bad news 

“You also have a collapsed lung, which worries me most because of the duration it seems to have been collapsed for, that is going to require immediate surgery, so we are going to take you down within the hour…any questions I can answer?”

When Chris started speaking with him you zoned out, your mind racing through every endless possibility that could potentially happen while you are on the operating table. It felt like your brain was spinning out of control, your eyes now glossed over, you were freaking out, but Chris could see it, so he promptly held your face in his hands 

“Hey, hey…baby breathe, you gotta breathe for me beautiful…”

“I-I don’t want to d-die, what if-what if”

Chris shook his head 

“No, we aren’t going to do that. You’re not going anywhere y/n, we have the best doctors looking after you, they’re going to help you so we can go home to the kids, so we can live the rest of our lives together, you are going to be okay”

He rested his forehead against yours as you closed your eyes, attempting to get your breathing back under control, and after a few minutes you managed to slow your heart rate again, Chris placed a few kisses to your cheeks before settling on your lips just as the pre op team came in

“I’ll be here the whole time, I promise, I love you so much”

“I love you too Chris, don’t ever forget that”

Chris wanted to say more, he felt like he needed you, but once that team of nurses had rushed into the room to prep you for two back-to-back surgeries, he knew he needed to step back and let them get to work. You were in the best care, and the best hands possible here but that wasn’t enough to keep the anxious thoughts and worries away. Even as he sat down in the uncomfortable chair by the window to call home, that sinking feeling never left him, seeing Arlie and Wesley helped to distract his mind. He truthfully didn’t know how long you’d been in the OR, but he hoped to god it wouldn’t be long so he could have you back in his arms, because life without his better half wasn’t something he was willing to settle for nor think about. 

[darklydeliciousdesires]

The Dark Passenger - Chapter Fifteen.

I wanted to update this yesterday, but I had to go into hospital to be checked over (don’t worry, I’m fine, just tired as I was there until 12:30am) so here, apologies for it being a little late! Again, 40 notes to unlock the next chapter. Don’t let me down!

Previous chapters - One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight  Nine  Ten  Eleven  Twelve  Thirteen  Fourteen

Words - 3,506 

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!

Tag list - In the comments. Please DM to be added/removed

“Sit, good girl. Spin, good girl! Alright, speak. Yeah, you’re smart as hell. Give paw, yes! Here you go.” Sitting in the afternoon sun two weeks on from his diagnosis, EZ enjoyed the simple pleasure of going through Sally’s tricks repertoire with her, feeding her little mouthfuls of chicken as a reward. With his medication now coursing through his system, he felt clearer headed than he had in a long time, the darkness within him caged off, the beast placated, no longer running rampant through his brain. Gone. All gone.  

Well, except for the dark passenger that remained. The dark passenger he hoped his impending radiotherapy treatment would be successful in shrinking enough for it to be removed via surgery, EZ fresh from his early afternoon appointment with Doctor Ruiz, his oncologist. She was very confident that an aggressive schedule of radiotherapy would see results, but had warned him that because of the fact they were upping the dosage of radiation to as high as safely possible in an attempt to thwart the tumour’s size and progress along with the drugs, he was likely going to feel like hell.  

The course would last for six weeks, his treatments every day for five out of seven days. Because of the fact that he was likely going to succumb to the side effects, and also was forbidden from riding or driving while going through his treatments, he’d put control of the club into Bishop’s capable hands for the duration, his VP vouching that he would run things smoothly, and all he had to concentrate on was getting better.  

Now that he’d actually decided to do so, now that he realised his life was worth fighting for.

That fight, it was less for himself and more for the family who had pleaded with him to reconsider, seeing his father moved to tears, telling him that he couldn’t bury his son, Angel and Bella also tearfully speaking of their love for him, and unwillingness to let him resign himself to something that wasn’t set in stone. Also, the little slither of optimism that if he lived, he could begin putting the wrong things right that he’d had come to him while he was in the hospital was a voice that had eventually grown so loud, he couldn’t ignore it. Dying wasn’t an option at this point.  

Still, though, he was set in his stance over one person in particular, which was a conversation he found himself having with his sister-in-law, watching her pull up in the yard, Sally wiggling with excitement over her arrival, making happy chirruping noises of delight once she saw Bella climb from her car.  

“Go get her!” Letting go of her collar, Sally hurtled over, Bella cooing ‘my sweet baby!’ while bending to lovingly stroke her face and ears. “How the hell you drive in those heels, I’ll never know.”

Bella looked at her feet and back at him. “Natural bloody talent.” Reaching him, she leaned to kiss his cheek, EZ returning the gesture before she sat down at his side. “How’d your appointment go?”

“Not bad,” he said with a slight shrug, Sally settling in at his feet. “They’re starting next Monday, if you’re still alright to take me there and run me back again? I realise you’re busy with writing, so if you can’t then don’t stress, I can get a cab.”

Bella had offered to take him for his treatments, since she had little in the way of physical commitments other than her twice weekly meets with the band to brainstorm and rehearse their new material. “Of course, it’s alright, you daft lump!” She nudged him with affection, stroking his forearm. It was lovely to have the brother-in-law she remembered back again, but Christ, it was at such a cost. “What time do we have to be there?”  

“8am. I know it’s quite early, but at least it gets it out of the way and means you’re free for the rest of the day then.”  

“Oh, your brother is going to be so pissed off. That’s his horny time,” she chuckled, EZ arching an eyebrow.  

“Surely with Angel, that’s any time he has sex on offer?”

Her snort laugh had him smiling in an instant. “Yeah, I suppose that’s true!”

“So, how’s your day been? And shit, how’d you get that? Looks sore.” Pointing to the bruise he could see forming on her inner elbow, he winced a little.  

“I’ve been taking pole dancing classes with Camille. She doesn’t charge me, and I get to do it in an environment where I don’t feel embarrassed by my thoroughbred knees, like I would in a room full of other people, so Amelia and I go to her house twice weekly around her work. She isn’t in today, so we had a morning session and then went for lunch.”

At hearing his ex’s name, his heart jumped sadly in his chest. “How is she?”

Pulling her cigarettes out, Bella lit up before replying. “I ain’t gonna sugar coat it, mate. She’s sad without you.”  

His response had left the tip of his tongue before he could process it, delivered on a soft snort. “She shouldn’t be.”

“Well, she bloody is,” Bella affirmed, trying not to be too abrupt in tone, failing somewhat. At least now she knew she wouldn’t get her head bitten off for it, being able to relax a little and not have to watch what she said, or be cautious of the tone of her delivery, save antagonising him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, but she’s so in love with you. All she wants is for you to go back to her.”

“Bella, I can’t.” He dropped his head, looking down to where his fingers stroked swirls into Sally’s coat. “I lied to her, I cheated on her, I hit her, and I manipulated her. I know it wasn’t me, but I still did it. I don’t deserve someone as pure and beautiful as she is. I don’t. I’m not worthy of her.”  

Cocking her head until she caught his eye, she rested her hand on his forearm. “Don’t you think that’s for Camille to decide? Tell her your truth, and then let her be the judge of whether she wants to be with you.”  

He saw that there was a certain amount of sense to her words, her reasoning quite fair, but he remained resolute. “Can’t do it. Because if it is a worst-case scenario – and I’m not saying it definitely will be – but if it is, I don’t want to cause her any further pain. She’s too good for it.”

She nodded, but couldn’t help but offer another little nugget over her friend’s current state of mind regarding him. “She’s in pain already, EZ. Being without you.” Seeing her husband turning the corner in approach, she squeezed his shoulder before getting up, meeting Angel halfway with a kiss, while EZ felt like he’d just received a particularly acute punch to the gut. He could have done without hearing that, but held no grudge against Bella for revealing it. Being his family, but also friends with Camille, he could see she was trying to be loyal to them both.

While he sat in quiet contemplation, Angel and Bella headed out for lunch together, the topic of discussion eventually landing on what she and EZ had been speaking of.

“Well, I think he’s insane, having a sweet, gorgeous chick like that still wanting to be with him, but that’s EZ all over. He fucks shit up and then acts like one of those, what do they call them…” Trailing off, he snapped his fingers, frowning with concentration. “Those dudes who like pain inflicted on ‘em.”

“A masochist?” Bella offered, spearing a cherry tomato from her plentiful salad with her fork.

He clicked his fingers again, pointing at her. “Yeah, that’s it. Thank you for being the thinking part of my brain when it’s being slow-moving, my darling.”

“Hey, that’s my husband you’re bad mouthing,” she spoke through a mouthful of tomato and spinach.

“I know I ain’t the sharpest knife in the damned drawer at times, B. Besides, nobody has it all, and I got the gorgeous face, the hot body and the hella big dick, so I ain’t too pressed.”

She snorted on giggle, winking and sipping her wine. “Yes, you absolutely do, big sexy. I’m adamant in my stance that you’re smarter than you think.” Leaning across the table, she gave him a kiss, stealing one of his fries and receiving a slapped hand for it, Angel muttering something about her never ordering them as a side but always happy to steal his. “Anyway, we were talking about EZ and Camille.”

“We were,” he began, glaring when she stole another fry. “God damnit, woman! Quit it!”

“What? It was only two!”

Catching the eye of a passing server, he beckoned her over. “Can we get a side of fries here, please? Before I take my wife and throw her into that little fountain you guys have out front.”  

The server looked entertained, Bella poking her tongue out at Angel. “Sure, sir. Regular or truffe?”

“Ooooh! Truffle, please!” she confirmed, Angel exclaiming in annoyance further.

“And now I can’t steal any back because truffle tastes like burned plastic!”

She giggled, sipping her drink again. “So, back to EZ and Camille. I think he’s mental too, to be fair. I mean I get that he’s going through a hell of a lot, I honestly do, but having her there for him, supporting him while he goes through it, I can’t see why he’d turn that down, why – as you put it – he's being somewhat masochistic about it all and punishing himself for something he couldn’t help.”

“Because he thinks it’d be selfish, and he’s been like that enough towards her as it is.”  

Bella pursed her lips a little, nodding slowly. “Yep, you’re right. Thinking on it, that’s exactly what he’s doing. I wish he wasn’t, though. For his sake and hers.”  

Angel shrugged, resting his hand atop hers. “No matter how crazy we think he is, I guess we just gotta respect what he wants. Even though he’s hella wrong.”  

The four days between then and EZ’s treatment beginning seemed to pass by in a blur, until the night before was upon him, EZ taking Sally for a two hour walk before returning to an empty clubhouse, figuring the guys likely thought he needed the peace and quiet of his own company, leaving the space vacant.  

The truth was, he was looking for any distraction he could. He was nervous. Who wouldn’t be at the prospect of having something that - in greater, less contained doses, of course - killed people, burning their skin and internal organs, and left entire cities poisoned and inhabitable when unstably released into the atmosphere.  

And it was being beamed into his brain, almost every day, for a month and a half.  

“So long as it shrinks the fucking thing, I suppose.” he muttered while scrolling through the menu of the local pizza shop, before remembering that his buddy Horace had recently branched out into deliveries. Oxtail, rice and peas and hard food it was. With a side of festival. He was starving. It was surprising he had an appetite at all, but then reasoned he hadn’t for most of the day, only fuelled by coffee and the few swigs of apple juice he’d had, plus a handful of almonds.  

“Might as well eat while you still feel like doing that.” Loss of appetite had been noted as one of the possible side effects, and if not that, then he knew the most common, the nausea and vomiting would likely mean that sustenance would fall to the bottom of his priorities list. Well, at least it wouldn’t hit him at once. Doctor Ruiz had advised it would likely begin to affect him after the second or third week.  

When the morning came, he was remarkably calm, leaving Sally sleeping on his bed and heading outside the yard to meet Bella, who was a few minutes early. Getting the first treatment over and done with was the easy part, he found, the nurses all lovely, the radiographer absolutely hilarious, setting him at ease with his infectious laugh and similar humour.  

“So, you got your music for me?” he asked, EZ pulling his cell out. He was told that he could make a playlist that the radiography team could play while he was undergoing treatment, Doctor DiMarco taking his phone from him and snort laughing at the name of the folder.  

“Chernobyl tunes,” he hissed. “Oh my lord, you’re a funny one, Ezekiel. Okay, you just lie there and get comfortable, a nurse will be in shortly with the mask you’ll have to wear for the duration of the treatment to keep your head nice and still, and off we go, my friend.”

Lying back on the table, EZ felt quite composed, giving the nurse a big smile when she came in, fitting him with the netted looking mask, EZ still being able to see through the thousands of tiny holes within it, being told that the treatment would begin momentarily before she left the room. Hearing the opening bars of the song Protection by Massive Attack filtering through the speakers, EZ closed his eyes as the machine above him began to hum.  

He’d chosen that song because prior to his relationship with Camille, he’d never heard of the band, but spent many evenings lying in her bed listening to them as they talked, EZ now wishing with everything he had that those moments had been more genuine from his perspective. She truly was wonderful.  

A few more minutes passed as he continued to think of her, a realisation hitting him; those moments, even steeped in the fact they’d come from a dark place, they must have been more genuine, for him to be sitting there drawing comfort from them now, remembering lying with his head in her lap as she’d stroked his hair, laughing at something he’d said, listening intently to him, being her wonderful, beautiful self.  

Maybe it was why it hurt so damned much now he had chosen to be without her, because while his intent hadn’t always been genuine, his love for her very much had been.  

Now he could separate between his true self and the changes that were because of his dark passenger, it made it worse in a way for him, to know just what it had demanded of him. If he could press a knife into his own head and cut the damned thing out himself, he would. He’d bleed rivers of blood for it to be gone, for it never have hampered him in the first place, to have never hurt Camille as badly as he had. It was a regret he knew he’d live with for a long time, or at least until he got over her, what he’d done to her, too. He was still emphatic about them not getting back together.  

The first two weeks of his treatment went by smoothly, everything fine until he hit the tail end of the third, the fatigue suddenly smacking into him like an out-of-control truck.

“EZ?” A hand gently shook his shoulder, waking him with a start. Turning, he saw Bishop, casting his eyes upwards as they sat together in the clubhouse. “Go to bed, hermano. You need rest.”  

He nodded, getting up and stretching, Biship giving his arm a supportive squeeze. “We got everything handled, don’t worry.” They’d been having an informal chat about how things currently lay with their endeavours, EZ trying hard to remain awake, and failing miserably. He trudged upstairs, stripping down to his boxers and flopping onto the bed, asleep within moments. He managed three hours, until the churning in his stomach awoke him, running to the bathroom to expel the contents into the toilet bowl.  

It was like that for the rest of the night, turning him into a zombie with a raging headache by morning.  

“It isn’t like it could hit me in waves, oh, fuck no. It had to all come at once, like bam, let’s fuck him up,” he complained mildly with laughter as he sat with Nestor the next morning, just him and a few of the girls who worked the bar there, the latter taking in the alcohol delivery, while he and the former drank coffee at a table.  

Nestor raised his eyebrows, shaking his head. “I’m surprised you’re even out of bed, jeffe. I’d be burrowed in my pit if I were going through all of this.”  

He shrugged lightly, scratching his jaw. “Eh, I might go back up in a minute. I... I...” Suddenly, he felt strange, like something was slipping from him, his vision blurring, the last thing he was aware of being Nestor racing out of his seat, catching him as he toppled from his chair. Dark... strange sounds, Nestor’s voice... the taste of blood...  

“Hey, you back with me?” He attempted to focus, Nestor gently pulling his hand from beneath his head. “Seizure.”  

He’d been told he might suffer those more too, the pressure from the swelling upon his brain upping the risk, especially since he’d begun having them as a result of the tumour prior to the treatment beginning. He guessed he needed to let his doctor know, so they could up the medication he was on to prevent them. His oncologist had warned that they might need to re-examine the dosage, should the seizures begin again during the radiotherapy course.  

“Yeah, yeah I am,” he confirmed, rubbing his eyes, still feeling a little dazed, the side of his tongue sore, realising he’d bitten it in the throes of the convulsions. “Thanks for catching me.”

Nestor helped him to his feet, bracing a hand between his shoulders. “No problem.” He went back up to bed shortly after, managing to get a little more sleep, until the nausea awoke him. It was like that for another week, EZ worsening the further he went into his therapy, his anti-nausea meds only actually working if he could keep them down long enough for them to get into his system. More often than not, he couldn’t.  

Week four was agony, his headaches chronic, his mood low and irritable, being left alone for the most part, only his brother coming to regularly check on him, sleeping on the sofa some nights when he was really bad, just so he had someone there with him. Along with not being able to keep the anti-nausea drugs down, the same went for the whole other barrage of pills he had to swallow, including the drugs which assisted with controlling his seizures, Angel terrified he might collapse and hurt himself, swallow his tongue, anything.  

Eventually, he managed to map his sickness, knowing that early morning was a good time to be able to keep something in, so taking the pills he could on an empty stomach. The doses he took later in the day after food, though, when his nausea was rampant, usually didn’t last long enough to take effect. He was tired, he was sick to his stomach, his head continuously pounded in pain, he ran on little sleep, and everything was just too much.  

“Hey, oh, love. You look so poorly,” Bella cooed softly, stroking his shaven head as she sat down on his bed, EZ curled into a ball, feeling like death. Once the radiation had affected his hair, meaning it had begun to fall out in patches, he’d decided to do away with it completely, shaving his head clean, his facial hair remaining intact save for a little patch beneath his chin. “Is there anything I can do for you, anything you need?” she asked. He looked delirious with exhaustion and pain, yet the word EZ croaked as he lay there was clear as a bell.  

“Camille.”  

He managed to fall asleep with Bella lovingly stroking his head, but when he woke up, it was the hand of another who offered such affection, turning onto his back and opening his eyes to see her there, returned to his side.  

“Hey sleepy,” she whispered, EZ feeling tears pool in his eyes, tears of fatigue, of gratitude, of love, of remorse.  

“I’m sorry,” he croaked, Camille stroking his head, shushing him softly.  

“So am I.” Leaning to him, she kissed his cheek, her scent so comforting, the zesty notes of her perfume mixed with gardenia filling his nose. “I’m sorry you didn’t ask for me sooner, so I could have been here for you. At least I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

He nodded weakly, turning to push himself into her arms. “Thank god.”  

There was much, much more he needed to say to her, but at that moment, all he needed, all they both needed, was the comfort of being reunited. Anything else could wait.  

[woozisnoots]

eboy!joshua hong 

° pairing: joshua x emma reader ° word count: 1.1K ° genre: fluff ° warnings: none ° a/n: this is dedicated to my soulmate @haosvteen​​ i love you and you deserve the entire world 💞 there are mean people in this world but just know that joshua and i would never treat you like that eboy or not 🥺

masterlist!

[breathes]

okAY HERE WE GO

you and joshua were actually childhood friends

well kinda,,, not really

his family moved in across the street from your house

you help your mom bake cookies as a welcome gift and his parents are like

“wOW what a really nice neighborhood, don’t you think so joshy?”

...jOSHY ? ?

and then you notice there’s like a tiny guy hiding behind his mom’s legs

he softly whispers “thank you”

but honestly you didn’t know if what was him or the fly that just passed your ear bc it was so q u i e t

he do be kinda cute tho ngl

after a couple days, your parents soon found out that you guys were going to the same elementary school together

so they conducted a parent meeting

and as a result:

CARPOOL

BABYSITTING

PLAYDATES

FAMILY GET TOGETHERS

all this happening while you and josh are sitting next to each other in the corner

staying like 5 feet apart

cuz like,,, you didn’t ask for this?

it’s like they were forcing you guys to be friends

when you have some of your o w n

big ‘hop off my d**k’ energy

it’s not like he tries to make an effort to talk to you either

(joshua shy boi uwu)

so that dynamic goes on for years until high school rolls around

you don’t really share any classes together cuz he’s in more advanced classes than you are

but like,,, you have photography with him? you need the credits okay

you don’t even have each other’s numbers bc what’s the point?

all those years joshua has stayed the same: quiet, timid, carefree in his own nature

(total gentleman vibes ya feel)

you’ve stayed relatively the same as well

your families regularly meet at least once every week or so

while your parents chatted away, you and josh would speak little as 5 words to each other every time

sipping on your own drinks

sometimes his parents would ask josh to play the guitar

you were n e v e r gonna tell him this

but you secretly loved those moments bc he looked hella attractive

the day after you guys ate dinner together, you see josh walk in to your photography class

your day immediately went from

:|

to

:O

BECAUSE yesterday, he looked like this:

TODAY, he walks in looking like THIS:

(hot)

w h a t the f u c k

there was no way josh converted into e b o y culture in less than 24 hours

class starts but you barely pay aNY attention

knowing you’re gonna have to face HIM sooner or later

;)

wELL guess you had to face him NOW since your teacher just announced that you’d be in the same group as him for a photography project

you’re internally freaking out

he talks to the other girl that you guys are also grouped up with

and you notice he’s being,,, rather flirty

and now you have the sudden reflex to want to punch a wall?

like the josh you know talks to no girls

now he wants to suddenly wife up a random girl?

>:(

before you could do anything, josh starts walking towards you

but he just continues walking past you

and just says

“see you”

W T F

he probs gave that girl his phone number, address, date of birth, social security number

and you get a ‘see you’ ?

he didn’t add the ‘later’ after it like ??

what kind of gentleman behavior do you call this?

betrayal?

you do not get josh off your mind for the entireee day

half bc his transformation still has you shook af

and the other half is the fact that you are still furious

you might just give him a piece of your mind

so you go home and get ready to go over to his house

kinda nervous bc this is the first time going in voluntarily

but at the front of your house, josh is ALREADY there in his car

looking at you like t h i s:

and you could have sworn you melted

you hear him unlock his car and say

“get in loser we’re going shopping”

(cue tik tok sound)

i’m sorry… LOSER?

you were flabbergasted and was about to refuse

ugh but the way he nudged his head to the side signaling for you to come sit next to him in the passenger sit

HOW COULD YOU HAVE SAID NO

:3

so you get in the car, he drives to the mall, and for some unknown reason he’s shopping for clothes

he says it’s for the photography project and you’re just like oh

OH

wait but that means

WAIT

YOU HAVE TO TAKE PICTURES OF HIM LOOKING LIKE THAT

nononono

you might combust

you guys go into this one store

josh grabs a few articles of clothing

some rings

and some c h a i n s

you denied him a beanie bc you said he looked better without one

wait did you just say that

he goes into the fitting room

and comes out

“how do you like this look?”

:o

“...”

:O

“yn?”

“okay,, are you doing this to mess with me or are you being serious?”

stupidstupidstupid

as if things weren’t awkward enough

you just popped the cap off congratulations

“what if i am messing with you?”

ahahahaha

what? :)

he did all this just make you look like a c l o w n

FOR WHAT BRO FOR WHAT

you hear laughter and footsteps coming your way towards the fitting room

you try and make your exist to save yourself from the uncomfortable atmosphere

but then josh grabs yours wrist and hauls into the fitting room with him

oh yes

you are in a fitting room with joshua hong

[you’re welcome]

your back hits against the wall while josh traps you by gently placing his hands just slightly next to the sides of your face

he leans in, close enough to whisper in your ear

“you know i’ve liked you since we were kids right? i guess you never noticed”

you couldn’t tell if it was what he said or his breathing that sent chills down your spine

“i’ll take note that you like the eboy look tho. didn’t know you were that type.”

from the corner of your eye, you could see the smirk that formed on his lips and before you could mutter out a response

you feel his lips touch your cheek

it lasted for 2.5 seconds

you almost stuttered at the loss contact

“till next time sweetheart”

and with that he swung open the fitting room door and walked out

leaving you to rot in awe

[ijustwant2write]

A Secret Romantic-Benedict Bridgerton x Reader x Eloise Bridgerton (Platonic)

(GIF credit to @aryaofoldstones​)

Requested by anonymous: ‘Hello! I saw your looking for Bridgerton requests, I would love some Benedict x Eloise sibling fluff! They have such a good dynamic in the show and I need more’

(I wouldn’t mind making another part of this if people want it tbh)

Characters: Benedict Bridgerton x Reader, Eloise Bridgerton x Reader (platonic)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

(Y/L/N)=Your last name

Warnings: Fluff, fluff, fluff

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

Eloise’s gloved hands clung onto her book as she and her family arrived at yet another social event, a ball once again. Her mama had ensured she was dressed to catch the eyes of men, and Eloise knew that meant there would be no room for intelligent conversation. With Daphne now married to the Duke, Eloise had more pressure on her shoulders than she imagined, having to find a suitor of similar standards. However, it wasn’t just her on the market, her brothers were too, especially Benedict (Violet knew it would be extremely difficult to marry off Anthony first, opting for the second eldest son).

Eloise smiled whenever her mama looked her way, though it quickly disappeared once she turned around. Benedict had been instructed to escort her sister around the ball to help seek out suitors, the men knew each other or something about someone; he could help her meet the right one.

“I cannot believe I am here.” Eloise moaned as she looped her arm through her brothers.

“Believe me sister, I do not wish to be here either.”

“Why must you parade me around like a horse at a dressage in order to find a new owner?” Eloise kept catching the men’s gazes, turning up her nose in disgust.

“So dramatic.” he chuckled.

She scoffed.“Well, if you’re going to advise me on who I should be marrying, I shall do the same for you. Now let’s see...”

Eloise looked around the room at all the women, wondering who would be the best match for her brother. Most of these women had no personalities, relying on their outfits to express themselves. Eloise knew of some ladies that were nice, though had nothing in common with her brother.

Eloise shrugged, tugging on her brother’s arm towards the door.“Ah, there’s no one here for us. Let us make haste and leave-”

“Oh no you don’t,” Benedict pulled her back,“we have been strictly told to stay for the night, even if it is just to socialise and...get our names out there.”

Eloise groaned a little too loudly, Ben ducking his head in embarrassment.“How long do these balls go on for?”

“I have never stayed for the full duration.”

“That’s not the answer I want to hear.”

Benedict glanced down at her, somehow only just realising that Eloise had brought a book with her.“Is that book sewed to your hand sister?”

“I brought it just in case I became bored. Which I am already.”

“I shall go and grab us some refreshments. Might as well enjoy them whilst we’re here.”

Eloise let her brother slip away, quickly finding a hiding spot by leaning up against a wall, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds. She opened her book, continuing where she left off, happy she brought a pencil to scribble down notes for later. The studying never stopped for Eloise. 

“Excuse me?” a woman’s voice interrupted her too soon.

Eloise tried her best to be polite, though her smile came off as sarcastic.“Yes?”

“Sorry,” the woman looked taken back,“I thought you were reading a book that I am reading at the moment, but I was wrong. I’ve disturbed you, I shall leave you alone-”

“Wait,” Eloise had now sparked an interest. No other lady had ever approached her like this,“I don’t mean to be rude. What book had you expected?”

“It’s oh so obvious, but I’ve been reading ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. It’s the newest book out at the moment, and my mama lets me read it seeing as it involves a woman finding someone to marry. Although, it’s definitely about something deeper, that’s just what I told her.”

“I don’t indulge in romantic novels myself, but I am glad to hear of a female author selling her work.”

“It’s fantastic. And it’s nice to be able to read something without it being snatched out of my hands. Oh, where are my manners? I’m (Y/N) (Y/L/N). Sorry, I’ve been dancing with men all night and none of the conversations have been as riveting as this so far.”

“Why am I not surprised?” they both laughed.“I’m Eloise Bridgerton.”

(Y/N) tried to not show her shock when she heard the surname. They were only the most talked about family, her mama had gone on and on about them, especially when Lady Whistledown mentioned them in her writings. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Might I ask what it is that you are reading?”

“It is to do with my studies. I truly hate these events, so I thought I would ensure my mind was being worked properly.” Eloise realised that could come off as rude, squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment.“I did not mean to offend you by that.”

“It really isn’t any bother.” (Y/N) giggled.“I rather enjoy these just for the dancing and drinks, I find promenading to be more successful in finding a suitor. Though I would much rather sneak off and see if I can get a few more pages in of a book I shouldn’t be reading.”

“Eloise, why must you go wondering off like that...” Benedict’s words trailed off as he approached his sister, spotting a beautiful woman stood by her.

Eloise’s eyes flickered between the two, and she smiled when she saw the adoration in her brother’s eyes. Cheekily taking the two glasses from his hands, she passed one to (Y/N), who awkwardly took it. (Y/N) had gazed upon the Bridgerton men in passing, they were very nice to look at. Of course, she never divulged in any fantasies about them, that would be silly. But seeing one in front of her had taken her breath away.

“Thank you brother.” Eloise said, taking a sip.“This is Lady (Y/N) (Y/L/N), a new friend of mine.”

He gently took her free hand in his, bending forwards slightly to kiss it. (Y/N) had this done to her many times, but this was different. Benedict made her feel butterflies in her stomach. Eloise could tell her mama was going to love this.

She cleared her throat.“We were just speaking of art, actually.”

(Y/N) furrowed her eyebrows.“We were talking about books.”

“I was about to move the topic along.”

“What kind of art would that be then?” Benedict asked, knowing what game his sister was playing. 

“The...drawing, kind.”

“Isn’t all art drawn?”

“No, it is also painted.”

“I think artists may sketch out a rough idea before painting.”

“Well you would know brother, seeing as you yourself are an artist.”

“I wouldn’t say that-”

“You paint, Lord Bridgerton?” (Y/N) asked.

“Ah, yes, and I sketch.” he hoped his cheeks weren’t turning red. 

“Anything in particular?”

“Mostly people.”

“Are you both attending the art exhibition my family are holding next week?”

“That’s your families’ exhibit?” Benedict became excited.

“Yes, my father collects a lot of art work. Then mother realised she could make a social event out of it, but at least everyone will be able to admire the work.”

“Would you believe it, we already have it noted down in our social calendar!” Eloise informed (Y/N). Benedict could sense her over-reacting, trying to keep a smile as (Y/N)’s face lit up in excitement. 

“Perfect!” (Y/N) looked back up at Ben, making him stand a little taller.“It will be nice to have someone there who knows about the artwork. It will make for an interesting conversation. Just don’t let my father lecture you, he will talk for far too long! And I know you will be too polite to try and get away.”

“My brother is very polite.” Eloise said.“In fact, I’m surprised he hasn’t-”

“Excuse me for the intrusion,” a young man said from beside (Y/N),“but I was wondering if we could resume our dance lady (Y/N)?”

(Y/N) was smiling, but Eloise knew that look; it was the face women made when a man who made them uncomfortable approached, but they had to remain ladylike and polite.

“Actually my brother just asked her and she said yes. You two best make your way to the floor before the music starts again.” Eloise nudged her brother.

Benedict was confused at his sisters offer, until he locked eyes with (Y/N) again. They were pleading him to sweep her away, she was even leaning away from this man. He had been disrespectful in some way, and he wasn’t letting (Y/N) go through that again (despite only knowing the girl for a few minutes). He smugly smiled at the man, holding out his arm which (Y/N) took a little too quickly. Eloise was happy with herself as the pair walked off, sending the man a death glare when he asked her to dance instead. Once he left, her eyes went back to find her brother, who was already dancing with (Y/N), both smiling and laughing. Her mama was going to be ecstatic about this. 

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

Eloise sat in the drawing room, obviously lounging with a book. Her younger siblings were being irritating as usual, running around her in circles. Before they arrived, she had peace. Eloise wanted a few moments alone, because she knew her mama would be bursting with questions about the night before.

“Ah, there you are.” Violet said as she walked in.

The book flopped into Eloise’s lap, a frown on her face. There goes her reading time.

“So, how was last night? Did you meet anyone?” her mama sat beside her.“You two, go play outside if you’re going to run around please.”

The children stopped as their mama spoke, sending each other devilish grins before they ran out of the room again, their giggling echoing down the halls. Violet went to shout after them, but decided to leave it be, there were more pressing matters.

“Well mama, do you see any suitors?” Eloise gestured around her.

Violet sighed.“Did you even try last night?”

“My life will not be reduced to a single night where I was forced to peacock around in order to please a man.”

“Oh, Eloise, must you make everything so dramatic?”

“Funny, Benedict said the same thing.”

“Actually, where is your brother? I have not seen him all morning.”

“He went out.” Eloise was relieved that the focus would now be off of her.“He’s calling upon a lady.”

Violet’s eyes widened.“What? When? Who?”

“Lady (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”

“(Y/L/N)? They are quite reputable.”

Eloise rolled her eyes.“Mama, she is a lovely girl. I don’t think you should just judge her on what family she comes from.”

“Oh, so you approve of this girl?”

“I...I mean...Well, I only spoke with her for a mere few minutes.”

“But?”

Eloise let out a huff.“I enjoyed her company. I think Benedict likes her. I didn’t see him for the rest of the night until it was time to leave. He spent all his time with her.”

Violet became overjoyed.“Oh, what marvelous news! I wish he had told me. Do you know what he took to her? Flowers? Food?”

“I have no idea mama. Just wait for his return and he will tell you all the details. I am not a psychic.”

Violet was impatient as she awaited the return of her son. Poor Collin had also been questioned when he showed up in the drawing room, but he had overslept in bed, waking with a terrible headache. It seemed that it was about to come back to him when his mama bombarded him with questions as to why he hadn’t called upon anyone that morning. Eloise kept her giggles quiet, ducking behind her book when Collin sent her daggers.

Poor Benedict had no idea what was in store for him. His cheeks were aching from how much he was smiling. He wasn’t surprised when he arrived at the (Y/L/N)’s house and saw multiple callers for (Y/N). However, jealousy rose inside him when he thought about these men dancing with her, trying to convince her that they were the man to marry. He held a beautiful bouquet of flowers, remembering that (Y/N) had mentioned her favourite the night before. Looking around at any other flowers she received, he was glad to see no other gentleman had chose it. Surely that would show he was listening? He endured sonnets, stories, songs and boasting from the other men, trying not to show his dissatisfaction as each one stepped forward. There was pressure that her parents were there, especially when he realised he was the last gentleman, everyone else had left.

(Y/N) had been incredibly anxious when she saw Benedict that morning. He had been the only man she genuinely smiled at, hoping he came at his own will, not forced by his mama. The night before had been the best ball (Y/N) had ever been to. Benedict was sweet, charming, handsome and interesting. They were able to talk about anything and everything, no small talk involved like all the other men she danced with. He had swooned her, and here he was, calling upon her. 

Back at the Bridgerton house, Violet had not sat down since talking Collin’s ear off. Eloise was still in the drawing room with her, as were her two youngest siblings, munching on biscuits as they threw questions at their mama. She did not have all the answers, sometimes not even hearing them speak for she was too deep in her thoughts. At one point, she did sit, but beside the window, o the lookout for any signs of her son. When a carriage pulled up in front of the house, Violet leapt out of her seat, startling her children. She made a beeline to the door, standing there with her hands clasped together. When Benedict walked in, he too flinched, not expecting his mama to be there.

“Mama, how long have you been stood there?” Benedict asked as he walked past her, pinching a biscuit from his brother’s plate.

“She’s been waiting for you.” Eloise explained, also excited to hear about his calling.

“I hope you sat down at some point.” he joked, sitting beside Eloise and slouching.

Violet hurried to sit on the sofa across him.“You didn’t tell me you were calling on a lady this morning.”

“Well, we got back late from the ball yesterday evening, and I had to leave early to ensure I got there in good time. Though it seemed every other man thought that too.”

“There were many men there?” 

“Yes, quite a few.”

Eloise straightened up at her brother’s grumpy expression.“You really like her!”

“How wonderful!” Violet gushed. 

“Do not get ahead of yourselves.”

“But you do, don’t you? Otherwise you wouldn’t have called on her.”

Ben was lost for words. He couldn’t argue with that, and he did like seeing his mama happy.“Yes, yes I do. And it would seem she reciprocates the feelings.”

“This is such good news! I must see what our social calendar looks like, we must ensure you two spend time together.”

“Actually mama-” Eloise went to tell her about the art exhibit until Ben interrupted.

“Good idea mama.” he nodded, smiling at her as she walked away, a spring in her step. Once she was gone, he let out a big breath.“I just needed a moment without questions from her.”

“Well, you’re going to have questions from me.” Eloise angled her body to face him, her elbow perched on the sofa with her face resting in her hand.“I didn’t think you were going to call upon her. Are my match making skills really that good?”

“I hate to admit it, but yes, you have done an excellent job.” Benedict felt relaxed thinking about (Y/N).

“So, what happened this morning?”

“I took her flowers, she told me her favourites last night, and then I had to sit there whilst her other gentleman callers desperately tried to impress her. It was agony! Finally I was able to have time with her, and it was just...I don’t know how to put it into words.”

“Did you bring her anything else?”

Benedict became bashful.“I brought her a sketchbook, like the one I have. She mentioned how she used to often sketch when she was younger. I thought it would be a unique gift.”

“Benedict, you truly are a romantic at heart.”

“For her I am, yes.”

Eloise smiled for her brother, until a smirk fell on his face.“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Aw, is someone also a secret romantic?”

“No!” Eloise protested, quickly grabbing her book again.“I am just happy you found someone.”

“And you helped, because you secretly want everyone to find someone.”

“No I don’t! You’re ruining this moment now Benedict.”

“Don’t worry Eloise, you’ll find someone.” Ben joked.

She groaned.“You are insufferable...but I still want to go to that art exhibit.”

“To see love bloom?”

“N-no, to see the art work.”

“Of course, of course. But, thank you Eloise.”

She tried not to smile, but couldn’t help it.“You’re welcome.”

[tommyspeakycap]

that little shelby and uncle charlie fic was so sweet, if you could write more of the two that would be fantastic :,-)

first one here, they’re not directly related but enjoy little shelby (probs about 17/18) telling uncle Charlie about her new boyfriend before anyone else.

terrible liar

There’s an extra skip in your step as you easily manoeuvre around the scrap yard that you knew like the back of your hand towards where you knew your uncle Charlie would be at this time in the afternoon, grooming the horses and mucking out the stables with Curly. It’s Curly who notices and greets you first as he was standing outside the stables lifting a shovel. “Hello, miss Shelby,” He greets with a smile and a curt wave that makes you giggle. “I’ve told you Curly, you can call me (y/n).” You insist kindly, offering him your signature sunshine smile, the kind of sweet one that lights up the day for the people who you spend it on.

“Exactly Curly,” Charlie adds, “You’ve known her since she was this big,” he gestured with his hands to the size you were as a baby. “You’re family.” You state. That makes your uncles friend grin largely and almost bashfully, a little bit of kindness never lost on him and you always seemed to have it to spare.

Curly shoots a smile back to you and heads back into the stable before Charlie turns to you. “Better mood today then, love?” He rumbles with a grin as you nod vigorously and blush ever so slightly just at the thought of the reason you were in such a fantastic mood. “Mhm,” you hum gently, doing a little spin as the wind flutters through your pretty dress that Tommy bought you upon Polly’s advising that you had seen it in a window when you were walking through London and your face had lit up. He gifted it to you this morning and your squeal of excitement, followed by a hug that very nearly knocked the stocky man off his feet had set him up for a day where he does everything while thinking about how he can better the life he’s trying to create for his family. He wants to be able to buy you everything you could ever want to see that beautiful smile that ached your cheeks. “And why’s that? Who’s given little miss Shelby her sparkle back?”

Charlie knew full and well that he had asked, but he truly wasn’t expecting the answer to be as it was. He thought that his niece would giggle as she often does and say something about a kitten she saw this morning or a hug and a kind word from her brother or maybe she tasted the most fantastic pastry on her lunch time walk here (and he knew you did have a pastry because there was still a little smudge of chocolate by the side of your mouth that you hadn’t noticed).

Instead, you do not say that. You don’t say any of those things and Charlie is forced to shoot straight up from where he was bent over shovelling fresh hay so quickly he knew he’d have a twinge in his back for a week when his sweeter than candy little niece says;

“Well i met this boy-“

“You what!?” He booms out. Curly’s shovel clatters to the ground in shock at the sudden burst, and you jump back slightly, wincing at his reaction. “Now see that’s what i thought you’d say, but he’s really sweet and i th-“ Charlie cuts you off as he turns to you looking somewhat appalled. You had chosen him as the first person to tell as you felt he might have the most calm reaction. Maybe you were wrong. “Do your brothers know about this? Does Tommy know?”

“Does Tommy know what?”

You literally jump five feet into the air and yelp loudly, whirling around and placing your hand over your heart. “Jesus Christ Tommy! Don’t do that!” You exclaim wildly, a flush dancing over your soft cheeks in your shock. Tommy raised his eyebrows in question and looks between you and Charlie somewhat conspicuously. It isn’t like his uncle to look irked or sound so appalled and shocked as he had when Tommy heard the tail end of the conversation. “Sorry darling,” he says softly, turning to face you, “Are you alright?”

You nod your head and Tommy squints his eyes. “Yeah i’m alright, what’re you-“ His action cuts you off before you have the ability to finish asking what he was about to do. He had ever so slightly licked his thumb and reached out to swipe the small smudge of chocolate from your lunchtime pastry away from the side of your mouth just like he used to when you were little. “Tommy,” you whine in response, thwarting his hand away the best you could. He just shrugs his shoulder. “Sorry love. Force of habit.” He offers, albeit unapologetically as he lights up a cigarette.

“Now, tell me what?” He repeats, his eyes again darting between you, Charlie and Curly. You open and close your mouth a few times, but words fail to find you. Tommy notes that you look to Charlie almost threateningly, like you were trying to master that Polly Gray look unsuccessfully. You were a Shelby, after all. You looked a lot more like Tommy did when he attempted to enforce unspoken words with merely his eyes. Though, you were too soft to appear menacing. “Tell your big brother, ey?” he prompts, “Whatever it is, i can help.”

That makes you cringe, almost wince even, before offering him the most pained grimace you ever had. “Y’know, i really don’t think you can this time. Just lady problems.” The shaky words leave your mouth a whole lot less convincingly than you had anticipated, and Tommy gives you an incredulous look with one eyebrow raised higher than the other and his cigarette paused in between his lips like he were a freeze frame. Tommy doesn’t tend to shy away from typical lady problems. He wasn’t insecure enough in his masculinity for his sisters (or anyone really) natural bodily functions and/or femininity to threaten him, and it certainly did not discomfort him. She dealt with much worse.

Your nerves aren’t lost on him. There are few times you won’t look him in the eye, preferring to focus your head towards the muddy ground beneath your boots. This is usually when you’ve done something wrong, gotten in trouble or are afraid he’s going to be mad at you, or even disappointed. He was rarely either.

“I can help.”

“She’s missing your mother, Tom.”

Tommy looks up at his uncle who had interrupted him. Charlie offers you a small look that told you the secret you entrusted to him would stay as such for now. You didn’t know how long that would be the case, but it seemed as though he would keep it from the lethal hands of the head of the family. “She didn’t want to upset you, talking about it. But she misses her mother.” He explains. In all honesty, he wasn’t entirely wrong. You did miss your mother and you were scared to bring her up, but it was something you had dealt with for such a long duration of time in your life that you had grown accustomed to that nagging pain. Tommy looked at you with eyes full of sorrow. His mother was one of his softest spots in his heart.

Charlie tapped Curly on the arm and the two left you standing there a few feet away from Tommy, who was just kind of staring at you weirdly. “She was beautiful.” He says finally. “Just like you. You have her heart too, love.” He takes a couple steps closer to you and wrap his arms tight around you, “Always hoped you’d turn out more like her than the rest of us. Think we’re all glad you did.” The thought of being like your mother made your head leap with joy. You wished there was a way she could know you today, know you now. Talk to you about boys, this boy, her boys. Help you understand the world. You didn’t have that.

“I love you, Tom.” You say, words muffled against the material of his coat. “Yeah yeah,” he mutters back, “Now off you go. We can talk more later. A scrap yard like this is no place for a beautiful, smart young lady like you.” You giggle at the words he speaks when he lets you out of his arms, that gentle smile of his tugging up the sides of his lips ever so slightly. His nods his head for you to go off, and you knew what he meant was really that he was going to be discussing some business with Charlie that he didn’t want you hearing about for his obsession with your safety and normalcy. “Bye Tom.” You grin, stepping up to your tip-toes to peck a little kiss against his cheek before you all but skip off. Tommy’s heart warms at the sight of his sunshine little sister heading off with such a happy skip in her step and so much love ready to give

He then feels the presence of his uncle appear beside him again. “She really is like your mother, Tom.” He states, a heavy and painful sigh following. “Yep.” Tommy replied shortly. “Better thinking like that than thinking it’s her boyfriend that’s put that skip in her step. eh?”

“You bastard,” Charlie chuckles as he shakes his head, “You know?”

“Course,” Tommy states simply, “My mother was a terrible liar, Charlie.”

“And?”

“Well our (y/n); she is just like her mother, isn’t she?”

[multifandhoem]

Home || Issei Matsukawa x Reader

A/N: This is my present for @seita in the Haikyuu HQ Secret Santa event! It’s longer than I expected, but I hope you like it!

Genre: smut

Warnings: pseudo incest, stepbrother!Issei, softDom!Issei, virgin!reader, first time, oral (male receiving), spanking (female receiving), fingering, unprotected sex, squirting, cum eating, slight manipulative!Issei, a creepy guy tries to hit on reader at the beginning

Word count: 4713

READ THE WARNINGS, DO NOT COMPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU READ SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE!!!

“I’m going to the store do you want to come with me?”

Issei was leaning on the doorframe to your room, watching with a smile on his face how you excitedly crawled out of your bed, eager at the thought to spend time with your nii-chan. He was home from Tokyo for a couple of weeks and it has been so long since you could really spend some time with him, but with your parents, on a weekend vacation, you had him all to yourself.

Even if he wasn’t your biological brother, something made you always want to spend time with him. He was always radiating a sense of security. You really couldn’t imagine any safer place than in his arms.

Issei chuckled at the way you excitedly stood in front of him within minutes, ready to join him on his quest to the store, so you two would have food for the next three days.

“Well, then let’s go little one.”

Your heart jumped at the endearing nickname he had given you when you were first introduced as his little sister. You really loved your nii-chan so much it hurts.

*-*-*-*-*

It was the weekend before Christmas, so the store was packed.

Issei used his height to his advantage, scanning the aisles and navigating through the least crowded ones, with you clutching the ends of his jacket to not lose him.

“Hey, little one, we need some cheese, milk, and yogurt, can you get these here? I will go grab some cornflakes real quick.” He threw a reassuring smile in your direction before he already dipped down into some aisle, leaving you in front of the refrigerated display shelf.

You were always shy and unsure in situations outside of your comfort zone, but getting some ingredients.. you could make that work, you were sure of it!

Otherwise, Issei-nii chan would be disappointed with you and that was something you really didn’t want.

And everything went great, you nearly got all of the stuff Issei-nii had told you to get when suddenly this one man started talking to you.

“I can think of a better cream you can get.” He didn’t even introduce himself, just sleazily standing way to close to you after you had turned back around, cartons of milk in your hand.

“T-that’s milk.”

You wanted to duck away from the uncomfortable situation, when he suddenly took your wrist into his hand, tugging you back towards him. “Don’t be like that, I was just making friendly conversation!” The grin on his face made shivers appear all over your arms, but maybe it was also the cold shelf you stood in front of.

You shouldn’t think so badly about people or men in general. Stereotyping was bad.

“I’m sorry, I just have to get back to shopping.”

You tried to drop the cartons of milk into the cart, but he still had an iron grip on your wrist. “You haven’t even introduced yourself, that’s not very nice of you. You see, I’m-“ The rest of his words went down in an unattractive squeak, as he was suddenly ripped away from you.

You felt tears arise in your eyes when you saw Issei-nii’s furious face appear behind him. You really messed up this time, you didn’t want Issei-nii chan to be angry at you.

“Get away from her, you scum.” His voice sounded so scary, but after his face softened immediately when he laid his eyes on you you relaxed a bit.

He took the milk out of your arms, dropping it into the cart, before squishing you firmly into his side, navigating the cart with only one arm.

For the whole duration of your shopping spree, he kept you pressed against him, not speaking a word, which made you rethink if he really wasn’t angry with you.

He also had a mean look on his face, but you still couldn’t help but feel safe, tucked under his arm, nearly buried inside of his jacket, tightly clutching his sweatshirt in your hands.

*-*-*-*-*

By the time you arrived back home, you were sure that he was angry with you.

He had gripped the steering wheel unusually tight and he still hadn’t said a word to you.

“Nii-chan…” You fiddled with your fingers, standing in the kitchen while he was aggressively placing all of your purchases in the respecting cabinets. “I’m sorry I upset you. I really didn’t want to, please don’t be angry anymore!”

Your nii-chan was never really angry at you, so for him to be so aggressive now made you very uneasy, to the point that tears started appearing in your eyes, slowly rolling down your cheeks.

“Oh, my cute little baby, I’m not angry at you, come ‘ere.”

He took a big step in your direction, engulfing you in his arms. Immediately you felt warmth blooming in your chest, something only your nii-chan was able to produce.

“I could never be angry at you, baby. I love you too much.”

Issei pressed little kisses onto the crown of your head, his fingers caressing your back gently.

He wasn’t angry at you? The relief made you cry a bit more when the refrigerator started beeping due to being open for too long. Issei silenced it with a kick to the door, still cradling you in his arms.

_______________________________________________________________________

He slowly guided you to the couch where he seated you on his lap, pressing you tightly against him.

“My sweet, sweet baby. I love you so much. It’s okay. You’re just so naïve, I should have known. You’re just a small little baby, I should have never left you alone.”

He raised your head by your chin, kissing your wet cheeks repeatedly with his soft lips, making you sniffle. “I love you too, nii-chan.”

His heart exploded in his chest as you said that. Yes, you loved him. He could not have wished for more. But you should love him. He was your nii-chan. He protected you, he cared for you, he kept creeps like the man today away from you.

The whimper that escaped your lips made every little doubt and regret vanish. You were just so cute. When you clumsily started to move your lips against his, reciprocating the kiss, he wondered if you have ever kissed someone before.

Something primal in him growled at the thought of being your first kiss and within that second he was determined to not only be your first kiss.

Your cheeks were flushed, and your tear flow had stopped when you finally ended the kiss, resting your forehead against his’.

“I just don’t want anyone else touching my sweet little baby.”

“I didn’t know! I thought he was being friendly, nii-chan, really,” you defended yourself, desperate to make him happy with how you acted.

“Nobody is ever ‘just friendly’. Remember that. But you’ll only let your nii-chan touch you from now on, right?”

His hands roamed over her back and he smiled contently when you nodded wildly. “Only you, please, nii-chan.”

This time you took the initiative and pressed your lips to his, willingly opening your mouth for him to slip his tongue in.

The heat in your chest was overwhelming you, spreading through your whole body. You wanted to be good for your nii-chan. Wanted to show him that you’re his good little baby.

“Nii-chan!”

A shudder traveled over Issei’s entire body at your whimper of the title and he felt his dick twitch in his pants. You were still pressing yourself tightly against him, so he moved a hand to the lower part of your back, slightly pushing your hips forward until you were nestled against his sizeable bulge, even if he wasn’t even fully hard yet.

You moaned again, continuing to slightly hump him even though he wasn’t pushing you anymore.

_______________________________________________________________________

Did you know what you were doing? He wasn’t sure, but for some reason the thought only made him get more aroused. “You feel good, baby?” He couldn’t hide the slightly teasing tone in his voice when you kept humping him.

The face you made was so innocent but so vulgar at the same time, he loved it. “Yes, nii-chan!” You were already a bit breathless, moaning loudly when he moved his hips in time with your thrusts to maximize the pleasure.

You were extremely happy with the smile that had been on Issei’s face as soon as you started to push your hips against his. He seemed so proud of you. You never wanted it to end.

You have never done these things with anyone in your life, but your nii-chan would help you, you hoped. And he would still be proud of you. You increased your pace, humping him even harder and faster, moaning every time his cock was angled in the right direction, pressing against your little clit.

You had to do good for your nii-chan. You pushed yourself forward, lips crashing against his messily, your teeth colliding, a bit of salvia dripping down onto your chin.

“Easy there, baby.”

You had done something wrong. You realized it the second he assisted you in pushing your hips forward again.

_______________________________________________________________________

“I- I want you to feel good, nii-chan,” you stammered as a defense and he chuckled.

“You want me to feel good? Then stop humping my lap and get on the floor.” It took a couple of thrusts until you could stop yourself, abandoning your pleasure to shakily climb of his lap and sit on the floor.

“No, baby.” Issei chuckled at you, stretching over the couch to get a pillow he threw on the floor in front of him. “On your knees.”

You scrambled around to get in the right position, embarrassment burning on your face at your stupid mistake. You were now on the same height as the obvious bulge in his pants and uncertainly, your hands moved to his thighs and then the band of his sweatpants, to pull them down.

“Tch.” You pulled your hands away as if you burned yourself. “Did I say you could do that? Don’t be so greedy. Just wanting to get right down to business, I hadn’t expected for you to be such a whore.” You flinched at the insult.

“I’m sorry, nii-chan. I thought this was what you wanted, I only wanted to obey you.” The proud smile he had had on his face earlier had disappeared and you desperately wanted it back again.

“Put your mouth to better use.” He didn’t even wait for you. His hand just snaked itself into your hair, pushing you against his clothed erection, nuzzling your face against it. “Lick it.”

You tentatively started licking it, a sharp tug at your hair reminding you to not be too soft. It felt weird, your mouth was getting dry and fuzzy, but you still tried your best in licking his erection up and down, even sucking on some parts and all in all making a mess of his sweatpants.

“Good girl.” You doubled your efforts at his praise, trying to produce as much spit as possible in your mouth to continue slabbering against his crotch. He raised his hips a bit, finally sliding his sweatpants off, letting his half-hard cock spring free.

You looked up at him uncertain, waiting for permission to continue. A small nod of him was all it took for you to vigorously start lapping at his length, cradling it in your hands while wetting it all over.

_______________________________________________________________________

Issei loved the sight of you on your knees in front of him, tongue playing with his cock.

He wasn’t even fully hard yet and still, your face and hands next to his dick looked extremely tiny in comparison. But you were his tiny little baby, so what else did he expect?

He used the hand he had in your hair to align your mouth with the tip of his dick, pushing it into your warm cavern.

“You look so good sucking cock, baby.” You beamed around his cock at the praise, pushing down even further and promptly choking around his massive length, sputtering to get off it right after. His brows furrowed, his hand keeping you in place.

You weren’t even halfway down, you had to do better than that. He had to teach you. “Relax your throat, if you want to be good at that. I’m not even halfway in, there has to be more that little mouth has to offer.” Tears were welling up in your eyes as you felt him in the back of your throat, the corners of your mouth burning from the stretch around his girth.

You had read somewhere that you should not use teeth under any circumstance, so you tried your best to keep them shielded with your lips, even though your whole mouth was filled.

You wanted to suck, make it tighter and more pleasurable for him, but there was no room for that. And he still didn’t stop.

When you started violently gagging, he held still for a moment, but he didn’t let you retreat. He wanted at least three-quarters of his cock buried in your mouth. Anything else would be unacceptable. He couldn’t have a little sister who could only fit half of a cock in her mouth.

And you understood. Your eyes were big and filled with tears, but you still gazed at him with adoration in them. Your nii-chan was teaching you how to suck dick properly. How to pleasure him properly. And there was nothing more that you wanted, other than your nii-chan feeling good because of you.

_______________________________________________________________________

After he was content with how much dick you could fit in your mouth, he pulled you off of him, letting you breathe for a couple of seconds before shoving you right back down, now bobbing you on his dick.

You tried doing something, eventually giving up, relishing in his moans while he fucked your mouth. Every surge of pleasure of his was a different pleasure for you.

Seeing your nii-chan get off with your mouth, feeling his dick becoming fully hard, because of you, it was the greatest pleasure you ever experienced.

“Good little baby. Sucking my cock so good.” The praise made your insides bloom with a comfortable warmth. You did good. Your nii-chan was happy with you.

One of your hands cupped his balls, fondling them, unsure what to do with them. But he moaned louder, so you were sure you were doing something right. You wanted to see his face, but the tears streaming out of your eyes obscuring your vision, only getting more with each time he hit the back of your throat.

_______________________________________________________________________

The sounds you made were heavenly. Issei wanted to record you to always hear them.

The choking and moaning around his cock was something he could never grow tired of. He wondered if you would swallow his come like a good girl.

He would make you swallow it one way or another, either directly from the source or licking it up from his fingers, his cock, or the floor.

The thought sent shivers down his spine and he thrust even harder. The image of you licking his come off the floor. He had to try that sometimes.

Probably not today, if you behaved. It was still your first time after all and he was a good nii-chan.

“Keep going, baby, just a bit longer.”

Praise made you more eager to please, practically devouring his cock, tongue moving everywhere it could while he was still restlessly thrusting into your mouth, nearing his climax.

You were just so cute, with spit and tears all over your face, humping the air while kneeling between his legs. Issei was sure you weren’t even aware you were doing that. You just loved him so much.

_______________________________________________________________________

His thrusts grew more and more erratic and his groans louder. You tried to blink the tears out of your eyes, but new ones were appearing over and over again.

You just wanted to watch your nii-chan lose himself in the pleasure you gave him. When you could finally make out his facial features he had a breathless smile on his face. A feeling of accomplishment bloomed in your chest, especially when he gently took up more hair in his hand, pushing it out of your face in the process. You just felt so loved.

And then he came.

You were so grateful for your nii-chan’s come, even though you had to choke a bit when he pressed you deep down onto your dick, shooting his seed deep into your throat.

He still kept you around his dick, as his breathing came down again, enjoying the slurping noises you made around his dick, desperate to not let a drop escape. Seems like he worried for nothing.

“You did great, baby.” He finally let you come up for air, chuckling at your proud smile. “Thank you, nii-chan. I really enjoyed it.” He mentioned for you to come back up onto his lap again, letting you sit on his lap again, his sweatpants still dangling around his knees.

“Leave it there. I like you messy. Especially when I’m the reason for that.” He stopped you from wiping your spit and tears from your face. You looked so good with a wet face.

“I’m never going to be messy for anyone else, nii-chan. Only you.” He groaned at your statement, feeling his dick springing back in motion again.

“That’s right, baby. Only messy for me, right?” He chuckled at her nodding, tapping your ass. “Then let’s reward you for being a good little baby. Lay over my lap.”

It was borderline funny how fast you scrambled to get into position, even though he had to help you a bit until your ass was positioned right over his crotch, his large hands roaming over your cheeks.

_______________________________________________________________________

The teasing touch already made you twitch thanks to the pent-up frustration you had from sucking your nii-chan off. But a warning slap to your right cheek made you remember your position immediately.

With one final movement, he pulled your leggings down until they were hanging below your ass, only exposing your round cheeks and nothing more.

“Such a pretty baby,” he hummed appreciatively, fingers dancing over your naked cheeks, sometimes even dipping between them a bit.

You whined against the pillow you were pressed against, drool already sullying the cover.

“Don’t be an impatient brat.” He spanked your ass again, making you moan. “Let nii-chan be gentle with you, you won’t like the alternative.”

You weren’t sure if you could dislike anything your nii-chan did to you. But you trusted his judgment, biting into the pillow to refrain yourself from whining.

Finally, his hand dipped down between your checks for more than a quick brush over your lower lips. He let out a surprised moan when he let the tip of his pointer finger dip between your lips.

“Oh, baby, you are embarrassingly wet. Did sucking me off turn you on that much?” He laughed a bit, swirling his finger around in your wetness, eliciting quiet sighs from you. “I like making Issei-nii feel good,” you confessed, missing his content nodding.

“Yeah, you do. You’re the perfect little sister, aren’t you? My slutty little sister.”

He dipped a finger into your hole, making you arch your back, pressing up against his finger. He immediately removed it again.

“Look at that. You suck your nii-chan off one time and suddenly you think you deserve more than I decide to give you?” You whined in apology, forcing your ass back down.

“I’m sorry, Issei-nii.” He returned his finger back to your entrance and this time you were a good girl, not moving.

There was a slight squelching noise when he started slightly thrusting his finger in and out of you, enjoying the way you obviously had to hold yourself back from impatiently moving.

_______________________________________________________________________

Even though Issei’s fingers were thick, one of them was not nearly enough to quench your thirst. Especially when he was neglecting everything else apart from caressing your asscheeks with his other hand.

But apparently, your silent prayers were heard, since he gently started prodding at your hole with a second finger. You immediately felt much fuller, even if it wasn’t enough yet. If he could move a bit faster, or harder, the situation would change, but at the moment you were breathing into the pillow.

“Moan for me, baby. You shouldn’t move, but you can make me hear how good I’m making you feel.” He scissored his fingers a bit, promptly eliciting a moan from you.

“Can you move faster, nii-chan, please?” He allowed you to talk, right?

Apparently not, when he pulled his fingers out from your pussy, delivering a harsh slap onto your ass, making you flinch in surprise.

“I allow you to moan and you are already requesting stuff? Bratty little slut. Well, I’m going to give you something more.” He pushed you off his lap, roughly tugging you upright, pushing your leggings off of one leg, so you were straddling him again.

He took your face into his hand, squishing your cheeks together, smearing your essence all over them in the process.

The big dick of your nii-chan was already hard again and the second you wanted to gently rut against it, he lifted you a bit, aligning his cock with your entrance. Excitement filled every one of your pores at finally being one with your nii-chan.

That was until he slowly pressed into you.

_______________________________________________________________________

With the way your hole fought against his dick, there was no way you weren’t a virgin. The thought of being your first made him slow down for a second to contain his excitement. And he still didn’t want to hurt you too much.

He had wanted to prep you more, but you had decided to be a little brat. He worked his cockhead into your little cunt, groaning at the feeling of your wet insides engulfing him.

“Too big, nii-chan. Too much.” You were whimpering against him, tears streaming down your face once again.

“Remember, you decided to be a little brat and not let me stretch you properly first. So now take it like the slut you were trying to be.” He spanked your ass again before taking mercy on your shaking form and moving his fingers to your neglected clit, rubbing it gently.

Suddenly your whole body tensed up, a rough shiver moving through your whole body, legs twitching, mouth opened in a silent scream.

It took a couple of seconds for Issei to realize what was going on, but the erratic clenching of your pussy was, what gave you away. He was only inside you with the head of his dick and you had come.

Your cunt kept sucking him in, making him slip in a couple of centimeters further. He really had to hold himself back. You just looked so fuckable. He couldn’t believe you just came, without him really doing anything. Not that he had anything against that. You were just so fucking perfect.

“Fuck, baby.” With a deep growl, his hips thrust up a bit, sheathing him inside of your cunt halfway. “That was the hottest thing I have ever seen.” A tired smile was on your face, happy at the praise, even though you weren’t really understanding what had just happened.

If he had known that you were so sensitive, he would have fucked you a long time ago.

_______________________________________________________________________

Issei gave you a small break to come down from your high before he started massaging your clit again, ready to elicit more of your beautiful moans from you.

And he was not disappointed.

Your mouth was dry from the continuous moaning he made you do, his skilled fingers making you relax more and more, making you forget the pain while you slid further down onto his cock.

You were already so full of your nii-chan’s cock. You couldn’t imagine anything more having space inside of you, but when you looked down you saw that there was still a bit left. And you were determined to take your nii-chan’s cock fully.

So, you kept sinking down more and more, until you were fully pressed against him, his dick completely inside of him. The proud smile on Issei-nii’s face made you forget about all of the pain as you blinked the tears out of your eyes, stretching yourself to connect your lips again.

It was only when he slowly thrust his hips up again, that you felt a bit of pain return, but not nearly as strong as before. On the contrary, the pain was kind of.. pleasurable?

You felt dirty at the thought, but your brain was emptied again when Issei-nii began to move normally, thrusting his cock in and out of your stretched cunt at a slow pace.

_______________________________________________________________________

He kept his eyes fixated on your face to see any signs of discomfort immediately. You were looking so hot. Your tongue was rolling out of your mouth, you were panting, and your eyes had a delirious sheen to them. You already looked so fucked out. And he hadn’t even really started.

He quickened his pace a bit, but still no signs of discomfort. Your moans got louder, and you tried meeting his thrusts with your hips. You really were perfect.

He moved you until your back was pressed onto the couch and hastily shoved a pillow under your ass. Now he could really let go.

Already the new position made you see stars. It felt like he was even deeper in you if that was even possible. He hooked your legs over his shoulder, leaning over you until your knees were pressed into your body. And then he started practically hammering into you, eliciting a loud scream of his name from you.

It took only a couple of thrusts until you were spasming around his cock again, but he couldn’t stop. He was in way too deep. He just had to ruin you now.

“Issei, Issei, nii-chan, I – I – fuck, please, please, more.” The words you were slurring had no context, you just didn’t want him to stop. You felt something good coming.

Issei wasn’t even thinking about possibly stopping. He was too enamored by your tight cunt sucking his cock in over and over again.

He felt his release approaching. But he wanted you to come one last time around his cock, so he squished his hand between your bodies, furiously rubbing at your clit, watching you lose yourself with a loud scream, your body twitching with the intensity of your orgasm, liquid spurting out of your abused cunt. It was the sight of your face and the feeling of you squirting that made him lose his composure, shooting his seed deep inside your cunt.

_______________________________________________________________________

You were breathless, slowly coming down from your high, while Issei-nii peppered your face with kisses. “You did so good, baby. So good. Perfect little baby. I love you so much.” The praise made your heart bloom, and you gave him a tired smile. “I love you too.”

You whined when he pulled his cock out of your abused hole, watching with fascination how his cum dribbled out of you, mixing with your fluids. He scooped the mixture up on two of his fingers, hovering them in front of your mouth, not waiting long until you had sucked them completely clean.

“Messy little girl, squirting all over me, ruining the couch.” You were too tired to pay any mind to his words, only continuing to suck his fingers every time he offered them to you.

He cleaned you up correctly after having you eat your cum, gently wiping you clean with a washcloth. He would have preferred to shower you, but you already seemed like you were going to pass out every second.

You felt his gentle hands around your abused cunt, removing the sticky feeling and sliding clean clothes onto your body before carrying you somewhere, probably his room, if you could go from the scent.

And in the back of your mind that was still conscious, you couldn’t help but be excited about everything the next few days had to offer.

[jimlingss]

i have a request for something Taehyung! maybe taehyung christmas/holiday??? OR taehyung and the prompt "Give me attention"??? honestly i will take anything taehyung 🤩

↳ The Best Friend’s Older Brother Cliché

2.3k || 99% Fluff, 1% Angst || Kim Taehyung || Best Friend’s Older Brother!AU

Taehyung is your best friend’s older brother. 

It’s so entirely cliché that you cringe whenever you think about it, but it’s true and it happened…..you had the tiniest crush on him in high school. Okay— it was a big, fat crush. But you weren’t willing to admit it, not then and certainly not now. Mostly because it’s weird. Plus there’s the fact that it would be breaking the code of honour between besties. Sisters before misters.

The last thing you would want is to make Joy upset. 

But when you came home from college in the summer and Taehyung returned from his own studies abroad...you didn’t expect him to look like that.

“Hey, Y/N.”

“H-Hey.”

Taller. Leaner. Better dressed.

Maybe it had just been a long time since you’ve seen Taehyung. Maybe you had gotten desensitized but the long period away from him made you hyper aware of his existence again. Either way, seeing him made you realize that he had very much become a man.

He was no longer just the unattainable, cool teenage boy that you swooned over but left behind nonetheless in your coming of age years. And that fact slapped you across the face.

You didn’t expect for him to be like that either.

To smile at you like that. To strike up conversations. To be interested in what you were doing, where you were going.

“What are you majoring in again?”

“Anthropology.”

“Really? That’s super cool. I took one anthropology class when I was a freshman. Do you like it?”

“It’s not too bad. I think it’s interesting.”

Taehyung smiles faintly. “I always knew you were smart.” 

It was one date. 

You came over. Joy was abruptly called in to fill a shift at her summer job at the ice cream parlor.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I swear I’m going to choke Jimin.”

“And then who’s gonna have to bail you out? Get going before you’re late.”

“Promise we’ll hang out more tomorrow.”

“Have fun at work!”

Taehyung happened to be there, hanging around the house, and he offered to drive you home.

“You really don’t have to.”

“I’m not going to make you take the bus in this hot weather, you know that right?” The corner of his mouth tugs easily. “Just get in the car.”

Except you both stopped to grab a small bite. A burger and fries. While sitting out at the park.

You’re not sure if that even constitutes as a date — there was nothing said about it, no mention made, all entirely too casual to be considered one. But it was the first time you and Taehyung were alone together.

Okay, if that counts...then technically it was two dates.

You and Joy went out to Jungkook’s party. She had a little too much to drink and the pair of you needed a ride home afterwards. Naturally, Taehyung was the one who picked you up in his car, begrudgingly, as Joy fought him before she laid down in the backseat, but he still flashed you that smile.

“Had fun tonight?”

“It was alright.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t end up going home with him.”

“Who?”

“You know. That guy with the glasses you were talking to on the lawn.”

“Namjoon? Oh no, we’re just friends.”

“Hmm. Is that so.”

After Joy was put to bed and tucked in, Taehyung asked if you wanted to stick around to watch a movie. You might or might not have cuddled into him during those three hours, but really was it cuddling? He just slung his arm over the couch where you were sitting and you leaned into his chest.

The two of you were just getting comfortable.

Alright, if that counts, then it was three dates but just three!

Taehyung asked you out personally, but it was to help him pick a gift for Joy’s birthday. He drove you downtown and you walked together in the streets, checking out boutiques before parading around the mall.

“What do you think?”

“Joy hates camo print and she doesn’t need another backpack, Taehyung.”

“Perfect! So she’ll love this then.”

He ended up getting a sweater she’d been eyeing for months.

When it became dark and you got hungry, instead of being dropped off at home, you went to the night market together on a whim. You snacked, had conversations and exchanged numerous stories. You still remember the laughter and how much your cheeks ached when you finally jumped into bed that night.

But before the summer ended, before you both left for your respective colleges, he wanted to talk.

“I had a lot of fun this summer.”

You eye him. “What did you even do this summer?” 

“Hang out with you.” Taehyung grins, eyes sparkling with mischief. “And I liked it.”

“Good. I might be hurt if you thought this entire time was awful.”

“I like you too much to ever think that. But...hear me out. What would you think we made things offici—

“We’re going to be super busy,” you interrupt in a panic, having a sense of where he was going with this. “...going to different schools and all that.”

You search his expression while schooling your own. Taehyung stays silent for a second and tries to read you. You’re not sure how successful he is.

“Right.”

“I’ll contact you, Taehyung.”

He smiles at that and eases. “Okay. Yeah. Sounds good. You can call or text me anytime.”

“Anytime?” You try to lighten the mood by shooting him an incredulous look. “I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

“If it’s you, it wouldn’t be a bother. Trust me.”

Except when you got back, you didn’t call him. You didn’t text him either.

You only saw him briefly when Joy would occasionally facetime him in the same room as you, when you were merely a figure in the background and Taehyung would ask who it was.

“Y/N, of course, who else?”

And you would give a small wave.

There were no conversations, no small talk, no exchanges of laughter. But it was better that way. Otherwise, you wouldn't know what Joy would say, how she’d react. You don’t even know if he’s serious about you. And you’re too scared to find out the answers to any of these questions.

It didn’t matter anyway. Deep down, you know Taehyung should be kept at a distance. You know it would be better if these feelings could fade away as a sweet, brief summer romance.

What you didn’t anticipate is to come over to the Kim’s for the holidays a few months later.

“Where are you going?”

Taehyung’s following after you, trailing at your heels like a lovesick puppy. “And don’t tell me you’re showering because you already used that excuse to avoid me today.”

You spin around, masking your startlement at just how close he is, and you frown. “I’m not avoiding you.”

The corner of his mouth tugs. “We shouldn’t lie to each other, sweetheart, even if you have the tendency to do that.”

You feel hot in your face from the pet name. “I never lied to you.”

Taehyung raises his brows. The both of you know then and there it’s a lie.

“My empty phone says differently.”

You cross your arms defensively. “I never promised I’d remain in contact. I was just...busy with classes.”

“Oh. Another lie again.” Taehyung grins, and he exhales softly causing a hundred goosebumps to raise along your skin when you feel the warmth of his breath. “You should really stop your bad habit, Y/N.”

You take a step back and he steps forward.

Before you know it, he’s cornered you in the dark hallway, staring at you intently before his half-lidded eyes flicker to your lips.

You swallow hard. “Go annoy your sister instead.”

“Why should I?” His mouth slyly curls. “I like you way better.”

For the entire duration of the break so far, the both of you have been sneaking around the whole time. From Taehyung instigating a game of footsies under the dinner table to whispering in your ear when no one’s looking to winking at you from across the room so quickly that you’d miss it if you blinked. You feel his affectionate hand on the small of your back when he slides by you, feel his gaze when his shoulders graze yours, and you feel the tickle in your tummy when his voice lowers into that seductive, husky pitch. 

During the summer, he was kind and friendly Taehyung. Cautious when it came to you. Hesitant to look your way.

But this time, he’s intensified. Flirtatious. Bold. Pulling out all stops.

Maybe it’s because he’s pissed that you didn’t contact him like you said you would. Maybe because he doesn’t understand why you’re restraining yourself, and he feels the need to push to know. Maybe because he suspects you know he likes you, and you like him — he wouldn’t be wrong. 

But either way, his new brazen approach was making you weak in your knees.

“Your mom’s coming,” you mutter while pressing your hands to his chest. You don’t know how or why he feels so firm.

“She isn’t. But even if she was, she’d be more than happy to know we’re together.”

“W-We’re not together, Tae.”

“That could change right now.”

“I...I can’t.”

His thick brows furrow. “Why not? I like you, Y/N, a lot.”

You swallow hard, feeling scrutinized under his heavy gaze. Taehyung’s beauty is lethal when he’s this close and you feel an urge to brush away the dark strand that’s fallen in front of his forehead from his neatly styled hair. It was a contrast to the casual hoodie and sweatpants he was wearing. He was handsome and cozy, ready to stop hearts or be hugged like a teddy bear.

It didn’t help that he was saying these kinds of things either. “I know.”

“I don’t think you do.” His voice drops a pitch. “For the past few months, I’ve been thinking about the summer and you. The entire time, I was waiting for you to call me, to text me. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Taehyung.”

“We can make this work. I want to make it work, so don’t make me wait anymore.”

You gaze at him, breath hitched in your throat and your self-control meets its limit. You practically leap onto Taehyung, heart thundering against your rib cage, standing on the tips of your toes — all to kiss him.

It’s soft and unhurried. 

Taehyung is caught off guard, but then you feel his wide smile against you. Immediately, his strong arm reaches for your waist and he tugs you in. A yelp escapes your throat as your bodies become flush against one another. Taehyung’s other hand presses against the wall behind you and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue licks into your mouth and you groan, wrapping your arms around his neck. He tastes like sugar cookies, smells like citrus, and absolutely makes your knees weak.

You’re not sure how long you and Taehyung make out for, swapping spit like horny teenagers without experience.

It’s not until you hear a— “what the hell!” — do you break apart.

Joy is standing at the end of the hall and you shove Taehyung away from you, wide-eyed. He stumbles back, equally surprised.

“I-I can explain!”

Joy’s jaw has gone slack and you realize she’s waiting for said explanation.

“I….I…we….umm….”

Taehyung looks at you and then at his sister, opening his mouth to rescue you from this mortifying experience. But his sibling beats him to the punch—

“Look.” She raises her hands and you brace yourself. She wouldn’t end your years of friendship over this, would she? Then again, you can’t blame her if she did. “You don’t have to make this weird. It isn’t weird unless you make it weird. So I’ll just pretend I didn’t see anything.”

“Wait.....what?” That was certainly not the reaction you were expecting. You think you’re more taken aback than she is. “You’re okay with this? You’re okay if we’re dating?”

Joy nonchalantly shrugs. “It’s not a big deal. You’re adults, so you can make your own decisions and I kind of had a feeling there was something going on anyway.” She smiles and looks at her older brother. “Taehyung, you’re way too obvious. The biggest gift under the tree is for her from you.”

He grins. “You caught me there.”

You’re shell-shocked at how unconcerned she is and seemingly supportive at that.

“You knew?”

“Of course I do. We’ve been friends for what, ten years? I knew you had a crush on my brother back then. So if anything, it’s about time.” Joy raises her fist at Taehyung. “You better not make Y/N cry or I’ll make you cry.”

He snorts. “Wow, thanks.”

“Anyway, continue.” Joy lazily gestures. “But we’re watching a movie in five so be quick.”

Your best friend leaves to the bathroom where she was heading to in the first place and you turn to Taehyung who has an amused grin. “Well?”

“I don’t know.” Your mind is reeling at everything that’s happening and how real this is becoming. “For some reason in my mind, I thought that would go way worse.”

“Is that why you were so worried? You didn’t need to be. Joy likes you way more than she likes me, so if anything I’d be the one getting the flack.” Taehyung smiles and leans in. “But does this mean we can finally make it official? Can I call you my girlfriend already?”

You sigh and lift your arms to loop around his neck again. He leans in for another kiss, but you stop short an inch— “Depends on what that gift under the tree is.”

Taehyung grins and before you can pull away, he tugs your waist into him once more. 

This time you kiss each other unabashedly. 

[marahuyos]

anon asked: Hi I really liked that hc with the pointing lips, I didn’t expect to see this on the tag list and my filipino heart couldn’t contain it 🥺 this is my first time requesting for a genshin fanfic heheh. I want to request a hc something to do with Harana, where the characters (albedo, Diluc, kaeya, maybe xiao 👀 and other characters you would like to add) sing from your window to persuade/court you since it’s part of (our) S/O culture so they wanted to impress them with this... IKSNSJS

*:･ﾟ✧ nakilig ako dito putaena AHAHAHAHHA

doing this quickly bc i wanna do it b4 windblume ends sksks. also i’ll go and link some songs fitting for the characters (all filipino ofc. spoilers its all ben&ben HAHAHAHAHA)!

gn!reader

tw: none

✧ Diluc Ragnvindr | Ben&Ben - Araw-Araw

Umaga na sa ating duyan 'Wag nang mawawala Umaga na sa ating duyan Magmamahal, o mahiwaga

• It’s apparent that Diluc can sing since he won first place in the music minigame. He was taught at a young age on playing and dabbling in the arts like any other young noble should. It comes as no surprise that Diluc knows how to sing and play.

• It was you who had to tell Diluc this tradition when the Windblume Festival hits. When hearing the prospect of reciting poetry to your loved ones, you immediately got excited, which made Diluc question your sudden excitement.

• “Back where I’m from, there’s a tradition where a person will sing to their crush if they want to court them. It’s usually underneath a window sill but either way, I do want to experience it at least once!”

• He imprints the sight of your soft smile at the memory of the tradition. He thinks back on his time learning music as he cleans a beer glass. He’s not a bad singer by any means (ngl i thought diluc was voiced by jonah scott bc hoo boy he sings. but imagine my surprise when he was voiced by mishima skks). He can definitely carry a tune but would he risk his entire dignity by singing under your window sill with a song that he barely knows?

• If Kaeya wasn’t there, then maybe. Maybe.

• So he opts for the next best option; serenading in a private and romantic place. It wouldn’t be the Dawn Winery, there is too much traffic to try and attempt to sing. Windrise is an option but Diluc knows that the sisters of the church comes and cleans the statue (and Barbatos knows that he doesn’t want Barbara to faint from his voice). His next bet is Starsnatch Cliff, where numerous Cecilia flowers are littered across the cliff. 

• With that plan, he now attempts to memorize a song from your country. Diluc’s a fast learner, so he has no trouble learning the notes, the lyrics (though his pronunciation leaves little to be desired), and finally, the emotion carried through the music. Now that’s where he struggled since he doesn’t know how to convey emotion compared to other musicians. He tries his best, even asking Venti for help (enrolled is what Venti would use but at least he was paid with the best alcohol).

• Now to actually play the damn thing. He already struggled when inviting you out to Starnsatch Cliff (and bribing the couple that was there away), he hopes that his fingers wouldn’t twitch from nerves. It was when he began strumming his guitar that he realized something: there was no point in proving that he can sing. There was no point in learning a different language when there were many other different things he could’ve done to impress you. There was no need to potentially embarrass himself.

• But it was worth it when he sees your wide-eyes, your parted lips, and the warmth on your cheeks when he leans in closer. It’s worth it to see your eyes shine just like the stars in the sky when you understood the lyrics. It was worth it to see you say the words that Diluc longed to hear from your lips as he sealed them with a kiss.

Dawn has come within our cradle I pray you never fade Dawn has come within our cradle I love you, my ethereal

✧ Albedo | Ben&Ben - Ride Home

Took a morning ride, found a place up in my mind, no one else can see Maybe it's fate that we lose control In circles around, we go We become who we ought to know We just gotta let it go We just gotta let it go

• I think it’s safe to say that everyone knows Albedo can sing when his VA posted him singing. He can carry a tune and play decently on the strings. It’s just that he closes himself off in his research in Dragonspine all the while the Windblume Festival is in full swing. It’s not like you to leave someone behind while everyone is celebrating so you stand by Albedo for the duration of the festival.

• He says that you didn’t have to keep him company, more so if you don’t know anything about alchemy, but you were adamant to not leave the alchemist alone. Albedo can’t help the warmth fluttering in his heart that you wanted to stay with him. He wanted to try and teach you basic alchemical stuff so you wouldn’t feel bored or left out but he feared the shakiness in his voice would hinder him.

• So, you two talk about each other instead. While Albedo didn’t have anything noteworthy to talk about, you said to him about how you wished you can partake in the music game in hopes to play a love song. You told him that you wanted to try and sing a love song to your crush since it was a tradition in your country. While he bristled at the fact that you have a crush, the way your eyes flitted towards him, with a wavy smile on your face solidified his feelings for you.

• Having that information in mind, he quickly makes a harp out of the materials he has on hand. Such a feat is nothing to Albedo but it wasn’t the music that he was afraid of, it was giving his feelings away to you so suddenly. Learning a new language wasn’t so hard (because he learned it when he immediately realized he had feelings for you, what’s stopping him from learning everything?), but he fears that you may take it the wrong way.

• Or rather, he fears that he may do something he regret towards you.

• But he perseveres. When you were up sitting on a rock formation, studying a rare flower, Albedo stood below you, harp in hand. The sight of him, his beautiful eyes that were used to be so sure are now nervously flitting from side to side. His voice was carried out to the wind, deep and soothing just like the winds that caressed your skin. Albedo is nothing short of nervous but he was sure that he had his point across when he sees your blushing smile.

• All fears vanished when you jumped down a giggling mess, saying that this was the best Windblume Festival ever when you leaned in and kissed him.

So I'm coming home to you, ooh You, ooh You're all I need, the very air I breathe You are home, home

✧ Kaeya Alberich | Ben&Ben - Pagtingin

‘Pag nilahad ang damdamin Sana ‘di magbago ang pagtingin Aminin ang mga lihim Sana ‘di magbago ang pagtingin

• Kaeya won’t deny that he’s just as musically inclined as Diluc. As siblings, they’re naturally competitive against one another, always competing to see who can play the better piece. He wishes he could go back to those days, but bygones are bygones. Now, he strums his harp just for fun. Still, he’s not one to serenade to random strangers so it’s a first time for him to be laying his heart out in the open.

• Kaeya, like a responsible captain, steals you away and joins in the festivities with you with an arm around your waist. Reluctantly, you humored him, as you recount previous stories that you’ve experienced. One particular story that he keeps in memory was when you were serenaded once in your own bedroom window. While you had to turn down the one courting for personal reasons, you can’t help but feel warm whenever you remember the memory. Ever since hearing the bards’ sing their songs for the festival, you can’t help the flutter in your heart.

• Now, Kaeya is a very adaptable man, so he quickly thinks the best way on how to confess to you. Sometimes he has to curse himself from being so successful at flirting at absolutely everyone that he knows you could pass it off as being Kaeya. So he figures out the next best thing.

• Now, unlike Diluc, he’s willing to throw away his dignity for you. He’s willing to throw anything away from you because you were already so etched deeply in Kaeya’s heart.

• He’s a fast learned like Albedo, so it wasn’t hard to learn your language and do the correct pronunciation. All that’s left is to sing it and where. He hopes he could sing it underneath your balcony but you lived near the Cat’s Tail Tavern, where the noise has been raucous in this time of year.

• So he decided on going to the safety of your home, “drunkenly” stating that he was too sloshed to go back to his duties so he wishes to stop by your home until he sobers up. It wasn't an uncommon sight to see, so you relented Kaeya in resting on your couch as you prepared some water for him to sober up. At that moment, he prepares his act. 

• With his guitar in hand, he stands up and meets you in the kitchen. With his fingers elegantly strumming against the strings, his silky voice permeated across the house. His one eye watched your own widen at the sight of the man singing. He relished it even more when he sees the recognition in your eyes when you know the song that he's singing. Each lyric has been beautifully sung and amazingly enunciated that you wondered if Kaeya was a native to your homeland. 

• Kaeya wasn't normally a sap like this. He doesn't just do this to anyone. He even wonders what's the point of this when he doesn't even know that you'll accept him for who he truly is-for what he will do when things go awry. He recounts the words of a bygone father and he feels every ounce of sin he’s committed claw his back.

• But your gentle touch sends them away. Your hands burn the sins to ashes as you told him your ‘I love you’ in your language. And he understood it perfectly.

If I reveal just how I feel I hope you won't change how you look at me Admit all secrets I keep I hope you won't change how you look at me

✧ Xiao | Ben&Ben - Kathang Isip

Pasensya ka na Sa mga kathang isip kong ito Wari'y dala lang ng pagmamahal sa iyo Ako'y gigising na Sa panaginip kong ito At sa wakas ay kusang lalayo sa iyo (lalayo sa)

• Could Xiao even sing? Guizhong may have instilled some Liyue music in his veins when he was still a baby adeptus, she may have pulled her hair out once or twice when Xiao keeps breaking the guzhengs. At least Xiao has a decent voice, so Guizhong wouldn’t strangle Xiao with a forced sweet smile on her face. After the archon war and the yakshas fall, Xiao never sang or picked up another instrument ever again.

• Not when he passed Mondstat, hearing the insufferable bard play his tune, hearing the people who’re safe from karmic binds profess their love for one another, it made him sick. But by Guizhong’s hair would he waste this opportunity to leave you alone in the Windblume Festival. Even if he has to drag you away from the crowd in fear of him lashing out. He is not apologetic to him dragging you away but he does wonder why you would rather choose to spend your time with him rather than enjoy the festivities.

• It was at the city walls, you and Xiao enjoying the almond tofu you prepared beforehand. You did most of the talking, talking about random things that you can get. Xiao would always dutifully listen because he-honestly-you’re the only mortal that wormed his way into his heart and now he wants more but afraid of the consequences. He listens to you rambling about a courting method where one person serenades the other while they were in a higher place, just like the city walls.

• Human courting rituals have been the most confusing thing to Xiao; why go through such great lengths just to confess to someone your feelings? Shouldn’t straight up saying it be better and save time for each party? Even when he says this, he can’t help but watch your eyes glimmer at the thought of someone serenading you, in a night just like this.

• He was willing to embarrass himself for you, as he planted his feet on the wall railings. “Wait here.”

• He jumps and before you could say anything, he uses his Anemo Vision to keep him afloat. On his position, he was below you by a few feet. You watched in confusion when he summoned a lyre (and you could make out a scowl on his face, as if he was cursing the instrument) and soon, he began strumming it.

• His harp skills... could do some work. Some tone-deaf bard might have bawled his eyes out if he hears him play, but he was willing to swallow that embarrassment when he gets to have his point across. He hopes that he does, laying his heart like this just for you to take apart, for you to heal, for you to do whatever you want with it. He was willing to be weak and revere to you as someone as grand as an archon. 

• Xiao wasn’t expecting you to understand but when he sees tears in your eyes and your hand covering your mouth, he immediately stopped his singing and hurried to your side. Though, he didn’t have to. You already jumped down and got caught in his arms. He felt your tears soak his skin, your incoherent babbles muffled by his shoulder but he could make out that Xiao’s feelings aren’t one-sided.

I'm sorry For this imagination of mine I guess it's just because of my love for you I will wake up now From this dream of mine And in the end I will stay away from you (stay away from)

[matsbarzal]

for the august prompt list!!! random au 11. prince/princess with andrei svechnikov? :)

au 11. prince/princess

pairing: andrei svechnikov x fem!reader word count: 1.5k warning: alternative universe, mentions of arranged marriage, potentially only part 1 of a series

Andrei knew what was expected of him as the second son, and the younger brother of the Crown Prince. He’s known his entire life what was expected of him, the path he was meant to take, the choices he was meant to make. He was a diligent son, and he loved his brother and his parents, he knew he would do anything to guarantee the success and prosperity of his home.

As the sister to the Crown Prince of your Kingdom, you knew it was inevitable you would one day have to do your duty to guarantee the prosperity and reign of your country. It was something you had been dreading for so long, dreading the inevitable unhappiness that would one day come to guarantee the safety of your country.

“It’ll all be worth it in the end; do you know how many families you’re saving from being ripped apart? How many young men you’re saving from the hardships of a never-ending war?”

It was the sentence you had heard from everyone, everyone telling you that the arrangement was for the best. Not only did it guarantee the end to a decade-long war, but it also instilled that you would do anything to guarantee the success of your Kingdom and its people.

“I’ve heard he’s a real catch, ya know? Heard he’s one of the most sought out bachelor’s in Barnaul. And I’ve heard he’s very handsome, even better looking than the Crown Prince.”

Groaning as you looked at the girl, a cheeky grin flying your way. Lyra had been the one and only lady-in-waiting you had accepted to come on the journey to Barnaul, a tight-knit friendship forming over the years.

“Ly, I don’t care if he’s the most handsome bachelor there is. Do you know how dehumanizing it is having to marry so your younger brother doesn’t have to deal with a war basically caused by a cockfight between my father and my future husbands’ father? It’s pathetic.”

Shrugging her shoulders with a sympathetic smile, the girl smiled tightly in your direction. “Maybe you’ll end up liking him, just because the situation itself isn’t the best, doesn’t mean he’s awful.”

The trip to Barnaul wasn’t a long one, the time flying by and before you knew it, your father and his guards were walking into the throne as you and your mother trailed in behind him, guards flanking both of your sides.

“Ah, King Igor! It has been far too long, my friend.”

You tried to hide the grimace that started to cross your face when you observed your father and your future husband’s father embrace. It was a tense hug, years of animosity floating through the room, everyone on edge as they waited for what was to come.

“Y/N! Come here please, darling,” obliging, the guard’s allowed you to pass by them so you could stand next to your father.

A curtesy was directed towards King Igor, a pleasant smile overtaking your lips as you observed the man in front of you. His accent was strong as he addressed you, the kindness in his eyes the only reassuring measure of his persona.

“Even more beautiful than your father said, you and my son will make a beautiful pair,” gesturing with his hand behind him, you followed his gesture to meet the eyes of a tall man. His hair was gelled back, a maroon suit covering his skin as he made his way forward. It was easy to tell that this was Andrei, your intended, the man you were meant to marry to unite your kingdoms.

At least Lyra was right about one thing… he was incredibly good-looking.

Bowing towards you, a curtesy was met in return before he grabbed your hand to place a gentle kiss on the back of your knuckles. A warmth instantly shot up your neck, your body tingling at the feeling of his lips pressed against your skin.

“Princess Y/N, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Welcome to Barnaul.”

His voice was smooth, but deep and heavily accented. He had a kind and happy exterior, his smile bright and his eyes welcoming.

“The pleasure is mine, Prince Andrei. I’ve seen only a small amount of it, but your home looks incredibly beautiful. I look forward to seeing more of it.”

Your response was met well, a proud smile adorning King Igor’s and your father’s faces, Andrei smiling slightly in your direction. You had forgotten that he too was being forced into a situation, unable to choose his future bride or the person he wanted to marry. He was just as much of a victim as you were, you couldn’t blame him for the actions of his parents, regardless of how much you itched to do so.

The days in between your arrival and your upcoming wedding passed smoothly, there was only minimal interaction between you and your fiancé, as you opted to remain with your parents for the short duration they had planned to stay in Barnaul.

The day of your wedding came quicker than you were expecting, observing yourself in the full-length mirror as the white silk was slowly wrapped around you. You couldn’t deny that you looked beautiful, the dress fitting to your body in all the right ways, the makeup adorning your cheeks a beautiful addition.

You didn’t hear the small tap on the door until Lyra hoisted it open, just to slam it shut immediately.

“You can’t be here! It’s bad luck!”

The knock against the door was heard again, Lyra pushing herself out of the room to confront the person on the other side, who you could only assume to be Andrei if it was bad luck that they were here. Who cared about luck when you were already marrying just to prevent your Kingdom’s from destroying each other more?

The door opened, but instead of Lyra, Andrei popped himself through, gently closing the wood behind him. No point in hiding yourself now.

“You know, it’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding,” quirking an eyebrow at you, all the man did was shrug his shoulders as he grabbed one of the empty champagne flutes from the table.

“We’re getting married so our fathers don’t put each other in an early grave. I don’t think we had much luck to start with, darling fiancé.”

The attempt to hold in the snort that dropped from your lips failed, a grin taking over his face at your reaction. He had a nice smile, you could admit that, realistically you knew that if you had met him under any other circumstances, it probably could have turned out wonderfully, but it was hard to determine how an arranged marriage would come to be.

“I wanted to come and… talk to you before we had to vow our lives to each other. I know you’ve been spending time with your parents before they leave, and I’ve respected that and didn’t want to overstep. I just… I can’t force myself to marry someone I’ve had one conversation with in passing. I don’t want a loveless marriage, Y/N.”

Scoffing slightly at his words, you rested your arm against the couch as you sat down across from him. “Would you like me to be honest, or would you like the diplomatic response I’m sure you’re expecting?”

“I’d prefer the honesty, but if you’d rather the diplomacy than that’s your choice,” shrugging at your words, he pressed the edge of the champagne flute to his lips and sipped at the now-filled cup.

“I’m sure you’re not an unlovable person, you actually seem quite lovely. And maybe… to a certain degree, I have been avoiding you, but I’m not sure what’s expected of me here. I can’t force myself to love someone I barely know, I didn’t even have a choice in this marriage, but I sure as hell have a choice in my own feelings.”

Nodding in understanding, you watched Andrei’s hands shake as he placed the champagne flute back on the table in front of him before he stood up and made his way to the couch you were sitting on, gently occupying the seat beside you.

“I don’t expect you to love me yet, but I hope you’ll at least give me a chance. I promise there’s a little bit of substance behind my pretty face, not much, but some,” rolling your eyes with a small laugh at his words, you shrugged your shoulders slightly.

“I never planned on not giving you a chance, I just hope you don’t expect it to work-out overnight. Unfortunately, it took me two years to even like my younger brother. You’ve got a lot to live up to.”

A mock scoff dropped from his lips as Andrei smiled towards you again. “Good thing we have until death do us part, huh?”

note: ah anon i know you weren't technically asking for a series... but that may be what comes from this. even if it doesn't, i hope you like it!!! thank you for sending one in <3

[bebepac]

The Double Date Mistake?

I am participating in @wackydrabbles​ prompt # 92 “I don’t think that was meant to go there.” will appear in bold.

This is also chapter 2 of The Meet:  To catch up on what you’ve been missing of the Meet so far Please click:  The Meet Masterlist

Original Post Date: 05/01/2021 at 3:15PM

The Book:  TRR

The Pairing:  Liam x F!OC (Liam x Jilian) 

Word Count: 1948

Summary: Jilian goes on a double date with Bebe and meets Leo for the very first time.  Jilian and Bebe share how they first met each other to the guys.  

Warnings: Sexual innuendos.  Profanity.  

Leo and Liam belong to pixelberry, Jilian belongs to @queenjilian borrowed for the duration of this series. All others are my own to help us tell the story.  

“And done. He has your number now Jili. Now fly my little birdies fly.”  

She thought he would text right away but he didn’t.  The whole way to Bebe’s apartment the twenty minute drive Jili’s phone was silent.

Bebe looked at Jili as she glanced at her phone.  What the actual hell?

She texted Jilian.

“Bebe why the hell are you texting me? I’m sitting right next to you?”

“I was just making sure your phone was on.”  

“I mean he’s still working Bebe.  He can’t just drop everything and just start texting away.”

“The hell he can’t. What in the actual fuck is wrong with you bruh?” Bebe grumbled as she angrily typed on her phone.

“Wing Woman are you trying to crash this plane?”

“The mother  hasn’t even taken off yet with you two trying to pilot it. I’m gonna need you to get your life together Jili.”  

The driver pulled to a stop. “Damn I really wanted to see how this turned out.”

Bebe got out of the car in a huff.

“I’ll let you know.”   Jili called out the window to her.

Jilian wasn’t going to let it stress her out.  He was still at work. She knew her job got busy at times, and she couldn’t just sit on her phone and do nothing.  As she was walking up the stairs to scan her door key fob, the phone rang.

It was a local number she didn’t recognize.

“Hello?”

“Jilian. It’s Liam.”

“Hi Liam.”

“I apologize for not texting or calling sooner.  Things got busy at work.”

“Oh I figured that was what happened.”  

"Bebe is something else. I feel a little attacked. I can tell it's from a place of love though."

"She's my best friend Liam. My true sister from another mister."

"So it's safe to assume you are single?" Liam inquired.

"I am, and for you the same?"

"Yes Jilian I am. Is it forward of me to say maybe we can change that for each other. I would really like to see you again. I'm off next Friday would you be free then?"

Jilian sighed.

"Friday is my date night."

"Oh. I just assumed you being single you weren’t seeing anybody even casually."

"With Bebe. We restaurant hop. We're self proclaimed foodies. 

Do you have any friends maybe we could double?”

“My brother, both him and Bebe have big personalities, I think they’d really get along.  Think she would be okay with that?”

“Yeah I think I could convince her.”  

They continued to talk, and about everything under the sun.  Liam was funny and witty and kept her attention.

She began to realize how much she had in common with the charming Liam Rys.  

She had cuddled into her bed under her covers laughing and chatting with him.  She finally rolled over realizing it was almost dawn.

“Oh my God! Is that the sun?!?!?!” she shrieked, surprised into the phone.

“I’m so sorry Jilian I completely lost track of time.”

“I have to go, I have to be at work in forty five minutes!!!”

Jilian said her goodbyes to Liam and hurried to work.  

Right when Jilian was sitting in her office reading over her chart  for her first patient’s checkup, there was a delivery.  

A large coffee drink had been delivered to her with a sweet gooey cinnamon bun.

“Gift for you Jilian Winchester.”  

Liam was really sweet.

She texted him thank you.

He had let her know he had an extra espresso shot added to her coffee.

Liam was a lifesaver.  

*^*^*^*^* The Double Date *^**^*^*^*

When Jili and Bebe got to the restaurant  Liam and Leo were already seated at the table both stood to greet them.  

Liam softly kissed  Jili’s cheek.  

Bebe glanced at Leo.  He was cute, but he was probably about five inches shorter than Bebe, not to mention Bebe was wearing heels making her tower over Leo.

Liam changed the subject breaking the ice between everyone, and the conversation between the couples started flowing.  

Jilian slipped in the subject of Liam and Leo honestly not looking much like each other.  

“We’re half brothers, we have different mothers. But don’t get it twisted Bebe.  I can scale you like Mount Everest. Taller women don’t intimidate me one bit.”

“Um….thank you for that blatant honesty…. Jili will you accompany me to the restroom please?”  

“Excuse us for a moment.”  Jili smiled politely.  

“Absolutely not Jili!!!!!”  Bebe was adamant when the door to the bathroom closed.  

“Bebe I didn’t know!  I swear when he said older brother, I was thinking he looked like him.  You would think older brothers are taller, bigger, and wiser. He is funny though.  You two do have similar personalities. Maybe try to focus on that Bee.  Let’s just try to have a fun time.  You don’t have to see Leo again.  But I know I want to see Liam again. I like him.”  

“You owe me big for this!!!”

Both women come back to the table.  Their drink orders had arrived.  Bebe takes a long sip on her drink.  

“That’s what I’m talking about!”  Leo smiled.  “A girl after my own heart.”  

“How did you and Bebe meet Jilian?”  

“We actually met in NOLA. We were both presenting at a medical conference.  Bebe for the Pharma side, because she’s a pharmacist,  and me for medical for being a nurse practitioner focused in the at risk population.”

Leo eyes flit to Bebe.

“So you’re a drug dealer?”  

Bebe smiled.  “ Legal Drug Dealer. Yep, that’s what I call myself. I’m slinging pills to pay the bills.”  

“I can dig it.”  

“We met the night before our conference began, in a bar.”  

When Jilian walked into the bar she noticed her right away.  There was a woman at the bar,  drinking her drink telling what appeared to be a funny story that had multiple people’s attention.  All were laughing with her.   She had to be a local. Jili thought.  

She had strings of beads around her neck.  

“What can I get ya?”  the bartender asked.  

She looked at Bebe.  “I want whatever she’s having.”  Bebe was the life of the party.  

“Well I did a little pre-gaming at the drive through daiquiri shop though. 

But mostly Hurricanes.  Get her a Hurricane Sal.”  

The bartender winked at Bebe.  

“Don’t skimp on the good stuff either!”  She yelled out.

Jilian’s eyes widened when the bartender  brought her the drink.

Bebe held up her glass to clink with Jilian’s glass.

“Laissez le bon temps rouler!!!!!”   The crowd screamed in agreement at Bebe’s declaration.

“What?”  

“LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!!!!!”  

Jilian took a long drink of the cocktail.  No wonder.  

“Yep! You like it.  I’m Bebe, what’s your name?”

“Jilian.”  

“I’m gonna call you Jili.  What brings you to NOLA?”  

“Work, a conference.”  

“Bleh you said the “W.” word.  That’s not existing in my life right now.  We’re here, we’re alive, no regrets Jili.  Let your hair down and enjoy yourself.  I mean literally.  That bun is a buzz kill.”  

Jili pulled the pins out of her hair shaking out her locks.  

“So much better!!!! You’re a babe!!!  See they’re already looking at you differently.  We’re not interested though.  Unless they’re buying more drinks.”  

Jili glanced at the guys that were now looking in her direction.  

“You’ve got a lot of bead necklaces going on.”   Jili commented.  

“There are two ways to get beads in NOLA.  Buy them or earn them.”

Jili looked at Bebe and raised her eyebrow with a smile.

“Let me guess, your ass hasn’t spent a dime tonight.”  

Bebe took a long sip of her hurricane.  

“Nope.  Not a single dime.  Including alcohol.  I'll tell you what Jili.  Life’s too short.  I’m not going to regret any of my choices.  I spent a year in Costa Rica, living my life Pura Vida.”

“Pure Life.”  Jilian smiled.  Bebe was a carefree spirit, and people gravitated to her.

“We’re only here for a blink Jili.  How do you want your story to be told?”

She decided to throw caution to the wind and party the night away with Bebe.

Jilian’s alarm went off the next morning.  She was incredibly hung over as she tried to pull herself together.  

She had a random memory of her and Bebe walking down  Bourbon Street singing “Lean on Me”  while they were linked arm and arm.  The drunk leading the more drunk back to the hotel.

She smiled, straightening her black business suit.  She was about to pull her hair up into her signature bun but decided to let her tresses fall free instead.  

As she was getting checked into the convention she slipped her ID badge and program of speakers, herself among the list.  

She heard her laugh.  Jili whipped her head around and saw Bebe at the back of the line with two others.  Bebe was wearing a bright pink business suit, and her shoes and clutch had the print of medications on it.  

“The legal drug dealers have arrived!!!! Big Pharma in da house!!!!!!”  

Jili laughed, shaking her head.  

“That’s how we met Liam.”  

“We found out later we lived near each other, and made plans to meet up.  Been friends ever since.  That was like six years ago.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask us how we met.”  Leo asked.

“I assume you are brothers…. You met… at birth?”

Bebe shook her head at Leo.

Everyone was calm after not to mention the alcohol free flowing.  They headed to  a lounge after dinner, called Blue Notes.  The music there was full of soul and blues.  

The drinks continued. The music there stirred the soul.  

“May I have this dance?”  Jili nodded, taking Liam’s hand.   He held her close.  

Leo eyed Bebe.   “You know, I have always been one to have a huge case of FOMO.  So you and me let’s hit the dance floor too.”  

Bebe downed her drink in one swallow.  “Why the hell not.”  

They walked out to the dance floor.  With Bebe’s high heels Leo was chest level to her.  He pulled her close resting his head on her bosom.

“Um….so we’re doing this… okay…”  Bebe looked surprised but she was smiling.

Liam laughed softly when he glanced in their direction.

“I don’t think that was meant to go there.”  

“The height difference honestly never crossed my mind Jilian.  Things seemed really awkward for them for a bit, for more so Bebe.  Not so awkward now.”  

Bebe and Leo were looking at each other laughing.

“You know this is never going to happen Leo Rys.”  

“A man can dream.  Well….It could happen for the night.  I can tell you’re curious. Let me tickle your fancy tonight.”

Bebe laughed harder at him.  “You don’t give up do you Leo?”

“Nope because I get what I want.”    

“If nothing else Jilian, I think they will at least be friends from this, if nothing romantic happens.”

The next morning Liam was cooking  breakfast when Bebe walked out of Leo’s room. Leo’s sweatpants looked like capris on Bebe.  

“Good Morning Bebe. Would you like some breakfast?”  

“Sure.”

Leo walked out of the room a few minutes later.  

Liam smiled looking at the two of them.  

“Breakfast Leo?”  

“I already ate.”  Leo winked at Bebe.

Bebe choked on her orange juice.  

“Oh you were talking about bacon and eggs, sure.”  

Nope not at all awkward at all.  Liam thought as he fixed plates for himself Leo and Bebe.

Bebe was climbing in her ride share when her phone rang.

“Bebe… Liam just told me you had breakfast with him and Leo… at his apartment.  You spent the night with Leo?”  

“Leo was right, Jili.  Not all of him is fun sized.”

Tags in the comments !!!! 

[misslilli]

Thank you guys, for your encouragement 😌 and thank you so much @today-in-fic for getting this wee fic out there :)

Felix Felicis

MSR. AU. PG-13. | tagging @today-in-fic | read on AO3

Chapter 19 - Enjoy The Good Times While They Last

[ DS ]

On the morning after the party, I’m awoken by the tickle of sunlight on my face and a chilly ocean breeze through the partly open doors. I keep my eyes closed and stretch languidly, the memories from last night putting a smile on my face. What a night! This morning, I feel lighter than air, high on endorphins and him. The one whose touch lights my skin on fire. The one whose presence makes me stumble over my words. The one whose smile has a blush creeping up my cheeks. The one whose voice sends a tingle up my spine right into my brain, the neurons misfiring. The one in whose arms I felt so safe, so protected. The one who makes cleaning up a dirty kitchen seem like the most enjoyable activity on the planet.

I’ll keep my eyes closed for only a minute longer, blocking out the reality I know will come rushing back in when I open them. The past. The hurt. The scary. But for now, for a few moments, none of it matters and I let myself fall for him, in the darkness behind my closed eyes and the cozy confines of my bedsheets.

----------

[ In the kitchen of the beach house ]

“Operation: Bullwinkle is going really well, don’t you think?” Sarah looks immensely pleased with herself, stretching out her arms over her head.

“Who would’ve guessed that it would be the little Moose who’s our very best wingman, getting her out on the dancefloor where she could be whisked away by his dad! And then gets her to stay way past the duration of the party. The look on Moose’s face when he saw them, I wish I could’ve snapped a picture!” Holly sighs at the memory.

“Okay next up, Halloween. What are we goi-“ Alex is interrupted by a sharp “Shh, Squirrel!” from Sarah and they turn their heads in unison towards their friend coming downstairs to join them for breakfast.

“Wow, look who’s walking on sunshine!”

They haven’t seen a smile so big on their friend’s face for far too long now and once she sits down, Sarah starts the questioning.

“So Smiley Miley, care to tell us what happened last night?” Dana only smirks around a bite of her bagel.

“No.”

“Oh come on, D, don’t make me beg! I’m dying to know what happened between you waking up alone with the handsome stranger and sneaking into the house in the middle of the night!”

“It was a good night, that’s all I’m going to say.”

Sarah gasps. “Did you sleep with him??”

“What? No!”

“Then why in the world are you being so secretive about it?”

Their friend rests her chin in her hand with a dreamy smile on her face. “I love you guys but I don’t want you to dissect it to what it all means and taint my memory. I just want to remember how it was. I want to remember how it all was!”

----------

[ FM ]

The morning after the party, Sam and I gather around the kitchen table for breakfast. Felix is still fast asleep so it gives my sister and I some alone time to recap the events of the previous evening. Sam never beats around the bush and gets right to the point.

“Bro, I really like that girl of yours.” I smile wistfully at that and touch my hand to my cheek;  I really do too. “The way you guys looked on the dance floor was breathtaking, let me tell you. It’s a pretty perfect match, don’t you think?”

“Sam, I feel like I’ve looked for someone like her for all my life. She makes me so nervous, I stumble over my words and say and do stupid shit, I called her Snoozy for crying out loud.” Sam laughs at my pained expression and pats my arm.

“You really don’t know your head from your ass when you’re in love, do you?. So, what happened afterwards? Did you talk to her again? Did you ask her out like I told you to?” She looks at me imploringly on her last statement.

“Yes and no. Yes we did talk, she fell asleep with Felix on the couch reading about butterflies and when she woke up, we cleaned up the kitchen together.” A reproachful look from my sister.

“You made her clean up the kitchen with you? Are you insane?”

“Hey, she insisted! And I didn’t want her to go just yet. We had such a good time, laughing and bantering back and forth, flirty stuff. And then, there was a moment…” Sam gasps.

“There was a moment?”

“Yeah… the perfect moment where we just stared at each other and I wanted to kiss her so bad, Sam, but…”

“Oh God there’s a but…”

“But then Felix came downstairs for a glass of water and the moment was gone.” She groans in frustration.

“I love that kid but damn he’s got bad timing!”

“I’ll say. So then I walked her to the door and I was so dazed from that almost-kiss, I couldn’t think of anything to say to make her stay. So no, I didn’t ask her out. She kissed my cheek before she left and that almost made me keel over…”

“I gotta say, bro, I’ve never seen you talk about anyone like that before and I’m really happy for you! Now, ask her out damn it!”

“If I can string two coherent words together the next time I see her, I’ll try!”

My sister nods and at that moment, Felix comes padding down the stairs in his dinosaur pajamas, rubbing his eyes. He crawls into Sam’s lap, stealing a piece of her waffle.

“Good morning, handsome! Did you have a good time yesterday?”

“Yeah auntie Sam, I did, it was awesome! Did you see how I danced?”

“I did, you did pretty well!” At that, he grins widely. “Too bad your dad cut in, huh? Did you watch them dance, too? It was pretty amazing, I think”

“Meh… it was okay, at least you didn’t step on her toes, dad! Did you see all the gifts people got us? Can we go open them now?”

“Breakfast first, gifts later, son!”

We clear the table before heading to the living room where we put the gifts yesterday, opening them one after another, Felix beside himself with glee.

One of the last gift bags is the one from the four teachers and I’ve been wondering all night what they got us. Felix pulls out both presents, handing the one with a neatly written “Fox” over to me. There’s a card for both of us as well and in a loopy handwriting, it reads:

Felix,

We know how much you enjoy reading, so we hope you’ll enjoy your gift and we’re looking forward to all the interesting thing’s you’ll be able to tell us at recess soon!

A big hug and a very happy birthday

Miss Scully, Miss Anderson, Miss Spencer and Miss Carter

“I know what’s in there!,” Felix exclaims and rips the paper off to reveal the very heavy “Oxford History of Ancient Egypt”. He gasps excitedly, gripping the book tight. “Oh my God, I love it! I’m gonna go read it right now so I know all the facts on Monday!”

I open my own card with shaky hands, very aware of Sam’s eyes on me. In the same loopy script, this one says:

Mr. Mulder,

As a fellow magician’s son, it is absolutely essential for Felix to hear the amazing stories of the greatest wizard of our times. It makes a wonderful good-night story and we hope you and your son will enjoy it as much as we did!

Happiest of birthdays

Dana, Sarah, Holly and Alexandra

My finger traces the twists and turns of the D in her signature thoughtfully and with a smile I imagine her sitting at her desk, writing our cards, a scowl of concentration on her face. Sam interrupts my daydreaming: “So?  What is it? Open it!”

I oblige and pull out an elaborately designed copy of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. It’s the collector’s edition with beautiful pictures almost on every page.

It’s the perfect gift. Because it’s from her. For me.

[jilyesplz]

Olfactory Variety: a TLAT!Jily drabble

I'm gonna end up writing Jily's entire Christmas in drabbles before I finish Potter and Evans. Lol. I'm not even mad about it, have TLAT!Jily's Christmas Eve.

Lily loved Christmas, she reminded herself sternly. Adored it, obsessed over it, fantasized about it. Christmas Eve was her very favorite night of the year, because the next time she’d open her eyes would be to a day of caroling and showing all the people she loved how much she loved them.

Well, most of the people she loved.

The deal Lily had struck with her family—James and Lily could spend almost as much time as they wanted together in the week before and after Christmas (almost, because of a 10pm curfew), and in return, he would make no appearance during the Evans’s stay at the Dursley family home from December 24-6th—was, objectively, more than fair.

So Lily had told herself (and James) when they agreed to it.

So she had reminded herself when they said goodbye last night.

So she had repeated like a mantra while Petunia talked over the new Queen album for the entire drive to Yorkshire…while Vernon volunteered to carry Lily’s bag upstairs and then promptly dropped it on her foot…while Lily curled up on the couch after dinner, head on her mother’s shoulder, and buried her nose in the jumper she’d nicked from James until she was finally permitted to go to bed.

But now, as she brushed her hair in the bathroom after one James Potter-less day with the prospect of two more before her, Lily wondered if she ought to have added some clauses. Clauses like sweaters that smell like boys must continue to smell like those boys for the duration of the holiday and fireplaces must come equipped with small bowls of green powder on their mantels.

Lily sighed. She really did love Christmas, and the house and company might not be Lily’s cup of tea, but Petunia was truly happy here. Lily’s sister positively glowed, and that was worth a few cold, lonely days for Lily. She climbed into bed and tried not to think about how much larger it was than the twin bed she had been sleeping in at home.

“Snaps. Snaps. Snaps.”

Lily woke with a start to find hazel eyes inches from hers. “What the h—umfgh?” James’s hand muffled the last word of her question.

“Shh, you’ll wake the Dirtbags.”

“Dursleys.”

“That’s what I said.” As Lily blinked the sleep from her eyes, she realized he was nude except for boxers. He tugged on the corner of her comforter, grinning. “Lemme in.”

“What are you…Did you Apparate into my bedroom naked?” Lily half-sat up, and James made a face.

“Priorities, Snaps. Cold room. Blanket first, then chat.”

Lily laughed and scooted to the far side of the bed, letting James crawl under the covers. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and Lily tugged his right arm under her head, prodding him until she could use his bicep as a pillow. She reached up and stroked his jaw with gentle fingers, his hard lines softening just a little under her touch. “Warm now?” she whispered.

“Almost.” James kissed her. She pulled him closer, threading her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck, and he rolled on top of her and skimmed his left hand down her body until he found bare skin at her thigh. Lily’s tongue brushed his bottom lip and his mouth opened, and Lily lost herself in the heady rush of kissing James Potter for a long, lovely while.

“I missed you stupidly,” she murmured at length, and he pulled away slightly to gaze down at her, thumb brushing her cheek.

“We haven’t been apart that long since November.”

“It was awful. Let’s never do it again.”

James smirked. “A day? I’m not sure that one’s avoidable, Snaps.”

“Don’t act tough. I’m not the one who showed up in your bedroom in the middle of the night.”

She had him there. “I missed you stupidly too.” She wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed tight, pulling him down beside her.

“Love you,” Lily sighed into the crook of his neck, and goosebumps ran down James’s spine. “Love you, love you, love you. Thank you for coming. Want you here always. But…you know you can’t stay,” she muttered nervously, pulling away enough to make eye contact. “There’s no way to pass it off with the Muggles, and…and your Mum and Dad! And Sirius will want to spend Christmas with you, and…”

James cut her off with another kiss. “I’ll go when people start moving,” he murmured. “I charmed your door locked when I got in. Mum and Dad won’t expect me to be up ‘til noon…Padfoot might break into my room if he gets bored, but he’ll cover for us, so who cares?”

“Sure, he’ll cover, right up until he sees a chance to blackmail us…”

“It’s Christmas. I’m waking up next to naked Lily Evans. End of discussion. Speaking of which…” he tugged at the oversized tee covering her torso, “This has done its time. Off.”

Lily laughed. “I see why you’re really here, Potter.”

“How else am I supposed to give you your Christmas present?” He raised his eyebrows, smirking, and she sent him a flat look.

“You live in a castle, James. I know I said keep a sane budget, but if my Christmas present is a sexual favor, I guarantee that is the only direction they’ll be going for a long, long time.”

“Noted,” he chuckled in her ear. “Let it be known that if my Christmas present is a sexual favor, there will be no complaints at all.” Lily giggled. “Now, to return to my original point…” his hand slid underneath the hem of the tee, pushing it up over her hips and waist toward her ribs. “Off.”

“You really don’t like it?” Lily asked coyly.

“Your dad’s t-shirt? Er, Snaps…” Lily raised an eyebrow and pulled back the covers slightly, letting the moon light her shirt.

His shirt, actually. His Quidditch jersey, with his name splashed across her chest.

James swore. He grazed his hand up her side to palm her chest through the shirt and clenched hard when he found her braless. “Wear this every day,” he growled. “I’ll wear Padfoot’s old one to matches, I don’t care. Fuck robes, this is your new uniform.”

Lily laughed, trailing her own hands over the warm, firm ridges of his abs, up over his chest, to massage his shoulders. “I like this uniform,” Lily murmured, and shimmied down to press her lips to his chest as a chuckle rumbled through it.

“Good point, Snaps. I do need to stay on track.” Both James’s hands slid down to the hem of her jersey, and he resumed teasing it up her hips and ribs.

“I’ll take it off, but you have to put it on,” Lily whispered abruptly, and James momentarily stopped his struggle to finagle his shirt off her in order to laugh.

“Are we doing a Quidditch fantasy? Because I hate to break it to you, Snitch, but I'm a Chaser, so..."

Lily bit playfully at his nipple, laughing. “No, Git, I just…” she trailed off. James squeezed her ribs.

“Out with it, Prig. Fantasize away, you filthy animal.”

She dug her forehead into his chest, a headbutt that quickly became a nuzzle. Nose pressed into his skin, she took a deep breath, ruffling the hair on James’s chest and making him shiver. “This whole house smells like lavender. You happen to smell different, so” (with dignity) “in the interest of olfactory variety, I’m permitting you to wear the clothes I’ve nicked from you.”

James’s hands clenched on her ribs and he pulled her up to the pillow, rolled over her, buried his face in her neck, and kissed her, swirling his tongue over her skin, breathing deeply through his nose. “I fucking love olfactory variety.”

Lily sighed, and his hands, gliding down her sides, momentarily froze. At length, James rolled them over, putting Lily over him. She sat up, straddling his hips, and the blanket fell back onto his legs, leaving both of them pale blue in the light of the moon.

Lily (finally) pulled his jersey over her head in one fluid motion, and James took a deep breath, hands gripping her thighs tightly. Lily bit her lip and laid her hands flat against his stomach, and something in her eyes just then (not that her eyes were his main point of focus) made James slow down a little.

“Hi,” James murmured, and Lily smiled.

“Hi,” she said in a small voice, and she placed her hands over his, brushing small fingers over the hard backs of his knuckles. James lifted just his thumbs from her legs to hook over hers. “James,” she whispered, “I’m really happy you’re here.”

“I’m happy too, Lily,” James said, his voice a now-familiar kind of strange.

Her smile grew, and she leaned forward over him (the view just kept getting better), running her hands up his arms to his shoulders, then down to his chest…

“What happened to the shirt?" James teased, as he flexed every muscle in his torso just to keep her looking at him like that.

Lily licked her lips and tossed his jersey over the side of the bed. “You don’t smell that good.”

James growled low in his throat, crooked grin splitting wide, and sat up to wrap an arm around her waist. He yanked a giggling, squealing Lily off of him, tossing her on her back on the bed, and slipped down her body until his head was between her legs. “You do,” James said.

Lily looked down at him, four very dark eyes meeting in the moonlight, and wound her hands tightly through his hair. “I love having a lady of the night,” Lily quipped, and James’s laugh vibrated everywhere.

[binniedeactivated]

𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐟!𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐧. || 🌪💦 (1.2)

[ m.list ]

➦ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 | 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐟!���𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐧 𝐱 𝐏𝐎𝐂 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥

➦ 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 | 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐮

➦ 𝐖/𝐂 | 3.6k

➦ 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 | 𝐈𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭'𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

➦ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 | 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭, 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟

POC = person of color

“I think we should give the bridge to heesung”. soobin suggests at the soundboard with headphones on, listening to the recorded single over and over again.  yeonjun ignores soobin’s overly loud tone and pushes his headphones off his ears. “what makes you say that?”.

“I think he can hit those notes at a better range”.

“let us hear it”. beomgyu requests, with taehyun and kai backing him in agreement. soobin unplugs the headphones and drags the slider to the bridge duration, allowing the song to blare through the speaker. the four of the boys nod, seeing where he was coming from. all with the exception of yeonjun whose phone consistently buzzed in his pocket. he fishes it out and reads daniel’s caller ID before putting a finger up.

“hold on guys I have to take this”.

he steps out of the studio and into the much quieter hallway to answer. it was rare that daniel ever called him so he knew it had to be something serious.

“hello? what’s up daniel?”.

“dad? are you coming?”.

yeonjun checks his watch, seeing that it was past 6pm. daniel should’ve been home from basketball practice by now.

“what do you mean am I coming? your mom didn’t come pick you up?”.

daniel sighs into the phone looking around the empty gym. it was just him and his coach left to leave.

“no I think she forgot again. and she’s not answering her phone”.

as much as yeonjun wanted to curse into the phone about leah he kept himself in control. he never wanted his kids to hear him talking about their mother that way. but sometimes she really pissed yeonjun off with her carelessness and there was no other way to express it in her absence.

“don’t worry danny I’m on my way alright? call your sister and tell her I’m coming to get her from ballet too”.

after hanging up the call yeonjun rushes back in the studio and shoves his coat on while frantically grabbing his car keys. “everything alright hyung?”. kai asked, immediately reading yeonjun’s frustrated facial expressions.

“yeah it’s alright I just have to go pick the kids up. leah forgot. text me about any changes made to the song”.

he made his drive on the freeway quicker than the speed limit but that‘s just how yeonjun was. he hated when his children were the last to leave anything, especially when it was due to leah’s forgetfulness. in the car he even tried to dial her number a few times only for it to go straight to voicemail. he wondered what the hell she could be so busy with that could make her forget her children. even if yeonjun had the most hectic day at work, they’re the number one thing he’d never forget.

once he was in front of the school he shuts the driver door and jogs into the gymnasium, shaking the coach’s hand with an apology.

“I’m so sorry about this coach. there was a little miscommunication between me and my wife today”.

“it’s no problem yeonjun I completely understand”. he chuckles finely. but yeonjun did feel bad. he didn’t know what the coach had planned for the evening. suppose him waiting with daniel ruined them? he was truly sorry and embarrassed.

he coupled daniel’s hand in his, “thank you for waiting with him. I’ll make sure this never happens again”.

“it’s really fine yeonjun, you two drive safe!”.

yeonjun bids him a good “you too!”. in exchange before walking daniel to the car. they weren’t even in the car for five seconds before daniel already started his shenanigans. he threw his backpack in the passenger seat and climbs in, strapping his seatbelt across his chest and placing his feet on the dashboard.

“daniel? what did I tell you about that? get your feet off the dashboard”.

he slides them off and huffs his breath. “the front seat is better when you sit that way”.

“oh yeah? what happens if you get into a car accident like that?”.

daniel huffs his breath again and this time adds an eye roll. a message pinged at his phone, and if yeonjun was side eying him correctly he could’ve swore he saw a smirk spread across his son’s face.

“what are you smirking for? who is that?”. yeonjun questions, speeding on the freeway again.

“my girlfriend”.

yeonjun looks at him oddly. “girlfriend? when did you get a girlfriend? you’re only nine years old”.

“yesterday”.

“and you two exchanged numbers that fast? what does her parents think?”.

“dad why are you being so weird? we’re just texting”.

“you’re too young for a girlfriend. and you guys better not be talking about sex”.

daniel fake gags at his father’s words.

“do you even know what sex is?”. yeonjun adds.

“yes dad I know”.

“and that you shouldn’t---”.

“I shouldn’t be having it until I’m 18. I know”. 

being that they were born in the times of advanced technology yeonjun knew he couldn’t quite control his children’s media consumption. he knew they had to know about some things, sooner or later. no matter how much they knew though yeonjun always kept a strict hand. he wasn’t going to just let them go be wild just because they were knowledgeable.

“good, wait here while I go get your sister”. yeonjun parks perfectly in front of the ballet studio and gets out of his car to go fetch her. once he was out of sight daniel immediately unlocks his phone and deletes the text messages he knew his father would flip out about if he saw.

yeonjun sincerely apologizes to the ballet instructor just as he did the coach, promising that this mishap wouldn’t happen again. the more he apologized the angrier he became at Leah, the one who was truly at fault here. nevertheless he grabs myla’s hand, complimenting her about how cute she looked in her purple tutu. she soon climbs in the backseat, scrunching her face up at her older brother.

“daddy how come daniel always get to sit in the front seat?”. she whines.

“because he’s the oldest myla. plus you’re too small for the front seat. we’ve talked about this”.

she crosses her arms and mumbles, “that isn’t fair”.

“life isn’t fair”. daniel rebuttals.

“shut up daniel”.

“you shut up ugly”.

“guys. if I hear another argument on our way home I’m going to make you two hold hands for the rest of the night”.

“ew!”. myla blurted.

“I’d die if I touch her”.

“then stop arguing then. I only want to hear compliments”.

myla fiddles with the ruffles on her tutu for a short moment. “you know what? I love you daniel”.

the oldest boy slowly looks back at her, wondering what in the hell she could possibly be talking about. yeonjun smiled a little obviously pleased that she was being obedient.

“every time I talk to you, you make me feel smarter“. she continues.

“dad! do you hear your daughter? this is why I’m the good child”.

yeonjun knits his eyebrows, “okay number one daniel, you’re not the good child. number two myla what did I just say?”.

the girl pouts her lips a little in response. “daddy I’m hungry”. she whines shifting the subject. that reminded yeonjun, this was around the time leah was supposed to have the kids home already and cooking them dinner. he had the urge to curse again but withheld them for the sake of his children’s ears.

“after we pick up your brother we’re going to go home and eat okay? I’m kind of hungry too”.

on days where the kids had to stay out for extra activities, yeonjun’s mother did the honor of caring for logan until either one of his parent’s picked him up. yeonjun couldn’t be anymore grateful to have his parents involved in his children’s life. all three of them loved their nana and papa dearly, and this showed the most as soon as she swung open the door, both daniel and myla running to hug her and then going straight for their papa.

“oh! look at my babies!! me and your papa was just talking about you both!”. she jeers, and yeonjun smiles before hugging her. “hey eomma”.

“hey junnie, I wasn’t expecting to see you today”. she comments after kissing him on his cheek. yeonjun sighs, already knowing who she was referring to.

“come on, me and your nana bought you both some snacks”. yeonjun’s dad waved off to both daniel and myla, sensing that his wife had something to talk to yeonjun about. once the kids were out of sight the two of them continued their conversation. she safely straps a sleeping logan in his car seat.

“come on eomma”. yeonjun semi-whined, not wanting to talk about it at all. she purses her lips anyways.

“you already know what I’m going to say junnie. you need to divorce her. she’s only good for giving you babies”.

“she’s the mother of my children I can’t just divorce her”.

“yes you can. why are you taking so long to do it? wasn’t she the one that was supposed to pick the kids up today?”.

“yeah....she was”.

she throws her hand on her hip. “and then? did she forget? again?”.

“eomma I really don’t want to talk ab--”.

“what kind of mother forgets her kids junnie? tell me. did i ever forget you when you were little? like ever?”.

“no, you didn’t eomma”.

“so? don’t you see what’s wrong?”.

yeonjun clutches the handle bar of the car seat. he could hear the kids making their way into the living room again so he decided to quickly wrap up the conversation.

“i can’t be alone in this eomma. I really can’t”.

“look daddy! nana and papa bought us sweet rice cakes!”. myla proclaims while twirling the packet in her hand.

“oh god, that’s way too much sugar”.

“don’t be like that junnie. they can eat as much sugar as they want”. his father defended, rubbing the top of daniel’s head while daniel was sticking his tongue out at yeonjun.

yeonjun shakes his head and laughs. he carries the car seat while giving both of his parents a hug, thanking them and telling them how much he loved them before he drove home with his children, overthinking what his mother said.

“okay guys it’s been a long day, make sure you take your showers. Daniel you go first”.

the oldest scoffs, “what?! why me?”.

“because you don’t like to take them. make sure you actually get in the shower this time. don’t just stand outside and leave the water running”.

he huffed his breath for at least the twentieth time today, marching his way to his room. “fine!”.

“and use soap!”. yeonjun shouts directly after him, sitting the car seat on the kitchen table. to his surprise Logan was already woken up by the sound of his voice, fluttering his eyes and curly eyelashes up at his father upon contact.

“hey lolo!”. yeonjun coos, “did you miss me?”.

the baby’s cheeks mold into a small grin, especially since he was finally out of the car seat and instead in his father’s arms. his father’s arms were his favorite place to be.

“daddy can we have rice and chicken for dinner?”.

yeonjun pulls open the fridge gazing at the array of food choices. “yeah what kind of chicken though?”.

“ou! can we have barbecue?”. Myla adds, pulling herself atop of the stool at the kitchen island. yeonjun scrunches his nose, “barbecue chicken with rice? What about baked? With some garlic maybe?”.

“oh what about cheese too?”.

yeonjun snaps his finger with an idea. “what about baked garlic Parmesan chicken?”.

“omg! Daddy can I help you make it? Please please please?”.

“yeah just make sure you wash your hands and stuff okay?”.

this was especially one of the times where yeonjun wished he had home help. sitting Logan down in his high chair was never an easy task to do because logan was quite attached to yeonjun, and he didn’t like sitting down all the time. It took ritz crackers and a handful of yogurt melts to finally get him in his high chair for yeonjun to be able to cook and feed the rest of his children.

this atttachment even went as far as bath time rituals, which yeonjun did with the baby everyday. logan had a baby bathtub for himself but he never liked it. sitting down, looking at his father instead of touching him was enough to drive him insane so he always cried. instead, he liked taking showers with his father. where yeonjun could hold him tightly to his chest while the warm water soothed his backside. he loved the way yeonjun sang to him in there, rubbing his hands through small black strands of hair.

okay, maybe logan is a little spoiled too, but so what.

“dad? do you think I can use some of your body spray tomorrow? I want to smell good”. Daniel asks while forking a piece of chicken into his mouth.

“For what?”.

“For his stinky girlfriend”. myla intercedes.

“you shut up. how do you even know about her?”.

“I know everything”.

“you guys sound like you want to hold hands?”. yeonjun threatens.

“no she started it. but dad can I use some? please?”.

“yeah you can. but why don’t you just ask me if I can buy you some of your own?”.

“because you’re going to say no”.

“when have I ever said no?”.

“when I asked you to buy me a gun like the one on grand theft auto”.

“Daniel that’s a real weapon. A powerful one at that. you can kill people I’d never buy you that”.

“well, anyway, I need to smell nice. I want to show her that she’s with a real man”.

both Myla and yeonjun laughed at the end of his sentence. sometimes Daniel was too delusional for his own good.

“you guys are laughing right now, just wait and see”.

“don’t worry Daniel we will”. Yeonjun playfully promised, knowing Daniel was going to spray himself into a stinking nightmare.

now daniel’s shenenigans were the funny parts at night in the Choi residence. But for yeonjun the most soothing part was when they were all sleeping soundly in their rooms, where he could gain a clear enough head to properly think about what he was going to next in circumstance.

maybe Leah had a knack for clockwork, but she always came into the house when Logan finally fell asleep. And she’d always come into their shared bedroom and get ready for bed as if nothing happened. This is what ticked off yeonjun the most.

he watched her take off all her jewelery and place it in her jewelry box, saying not a word to yeonjun even when she walked in the room.

“so? what happened today?”. he begins, refusing to let her go to bed without having this conversation.

she rolled her eyes. “what are you talking about yeonjun?”.

“you were supposed to pick up the kids today. And even when I called you and even when Daniel called you , you weren’t answering your phone”.

“I had meetings back to back today. I can’t respond to every call that comes to my phone”.

“regardless of your meetings you should pick up your kids. those are your kids Leah. do you know that? Why are you putting work over them?”.

she nonchalantly undresses, changing into her pajamas. as she did so yeonjun couldn’t remember the last time he even touched her body. not that he wanted to anyway.

“Don’t start this yeonjun. I had a long day”.

“So did I”.

“so? What do you want me to say? I’m sorry I forgot yeonjun. I get busy”.

yeonjun stared at her in utter disgust. “What is wrong with you? Be honest do you even want this marriage anymore?”.

of course she wanted this marriage, it provided her with the financial stability she needed.

“Of course I do. But not if you’re going to keep nagging me about the same old stuff”.

“It’s not nagging. why should I have to remind you to do this stuff? you’re a mother before you’re anything else”.

she turns over, throwing the blankets over her shoulder. “I don’t need a speech. I said I was sorry alright?”.

“I’m so sick of you saying sorry. I’m so sick of it”.

“you know what?! how about I just fucking leave you yeonjun? How about that?”.

having awoken from her nightmare Myla crawls to her parent’s closed door. she was hoping to snuggle with her dad but she was a little startled by the yelling. she was hesitant to do anything so she only stayed quiet hoping they’d be finished soon.

“don’t do that. I shouldn’t have to take care of the kids by myself when I have a wife. I want you here. That’s why I’m being like this”.

“I heard you the first time! I said sorry! What else do you want from me? I’m trying my best!”.

“No you aren’t and that’s the problem”.

her silence made yeonjun get out the bed, needing a break before he said something he didn’t mean. he was already pissed that she was repeating the same pattern, but even more pissed that she didn’t seem to care.

“you’re so fucking ridiculous”. he spat just before grasping the door handle and closing the door behind him. he wasn’t expecting to see Myla just a few inches away from the door though, staring up at him innocently. she swallows. she never heard yeonjun that angry before and it kind of scared her.

“daddy? are you okay?”.

“what are you doing up Myla?”.

“I had a bad dream and I was wondering if I can cuddle with you maybe? but you look upset”.

he crouches down to her level pulling her in for a hug.

“I’m not upset baby. Of course you can cuddle with me”.

“daddy? do you and mommy hate each other?”.

“no. I don’t want you to think that okay? we were just talking don’t worry. do you want to go downstairs and eat a rice cake with me?”.

“yes please”.

[royallyprincesslilly]

Title: Crown For Two {4}

Henry Cavill AU x OFC Xari Thornton AU

Warning: Plot, Mild Cursing, Cheesy Christmas Themes, Slow Burn, Dialogue Heavy, PLENTY OF WORDS

Words: 6.6k

Summary: Xari Thornton is a travel photographer with a blog and social media that garners some heavy-duty traffic. People tune in to see where she is and what she’s doing there, all in hopes of either living vicariously through her or to plan their next vacation.  

Her slogan; “Traveling the path to the most off-beaten places, so you don’t have to.”  

Her next stop on her four destination travel itinerary of “Places You May Never Have Heard Of” is Sandvell, a small European country. When her plane makes an impromptu stop due to bad weather, she has no idea where she is. It feels like she’s stepped inside of a snow globe and back in time in a modern way. It leaves her fascinated.

This bad weather forces her to stay at an Inn, The Beaux, for the night. Rather than letting the hours tick by in her room, she explores and meets the friendly locals. While taking photographs, one local in particular captures her lens with eyes as blue as the ocean and a jaw that was chiseled from stone. They strike up conversation during their time drinking at one of the local bars, Ickles. Once they separate, she gets herself into a harrowing situation.  

As soon as she awakens, she realizes she’s not in some fever dream, but a palace and the owner of the palace is none other than the local she met before with the piercing blue eyes, His Royal Highness Henry Wellington Leopold Danglishton, First of his name, Crown Prince of Brexendor.

Note: All right, all right people, the ride continues. I really, really hope you enjoy this. As a reminder, it’s going to be fast-paced a bit, and I am gonna overload you with pictures because why the hell not, it’s a Christmas Fic. 😁 Feel free to come by and tell me what you guys think.

As always, thank you all for reading, I appreciate each and every one of you.

If you enjoyed this, please, LIKE, COMMENT, REBLOG!!! ❤️❤️

***Loosely Edited/Proofread***

***Interactive***

***Picture Heavy***

Previous Chapters: {1} | {2} | {3} | 

-Five Days Later-

-Henry-

“Before we get to cut this ribbon, I want to say something. My father—your king.”

 He paused, swallowed, and bowed his head slightly, trying to gather his thoughts and reign in his emotions. This was one of the first times he’d spoken about his father since his death, especially in front of the entire country. This unveiling was televised all around Brexendor and probably in neighboring sister countries, which meant he was probably speaking in front of over four million people. Clearing his throat, he tried to continue.

 “Eh-em, my father, and your king loved this project. He spent so many nights coming through every detail of it. He particularly wanted to be hands-on with this because he felt this endeavor would bring many people together.”

 He looked from face to face in the crowd, making eye contact and giving reassuring smiles—a tactic he’d learned long ago that made speeches more effective.

 “He believed though we are individual countries filled with many different races, ethnicities, beliefs, and cultures, he believed we are all one people. He believed that one of the most universal things was connection.”

The crowd murmured their agreement as several heads nodded. He felt the hand of his mother on his shoulder, gently reassuring him and giving him some of her strength.

 “As humans, we all crave connection. We all want to make connections in our lives that are worthwhile. That is what this endeavor is, a bridge for our connection across the world beginning with our finances, and he would be so incredibly proud to see it today.”

 The crowd before him erupted with applause, giving him a reprieve to bring himself back to his stoic image. He waited for them to quiet down before he continued.

 “Without further ado.”

 He walked over to the shimmering blue ribbon that was aesthetically tied in front of the bank's doors. Once before them, one of the men handed him giant scissors, and he got into place. The crowd counted down from three. Each second that passed, he could sense the excitement increasing. Once “one” was yelled, he cut the ribbon signaling the crowd to explode with applause and cheers. The camera snapped pictures of him from every angle as he shook hands, waved, and posed with everyone on the bank’s council and the finance commission’s office.

 The next hour was spent walking through the location, explaining all the details that his father had put so much time, thought, and energy into. As he pointed things out, he remembered the various conversations they had together about the items and specifications. This was a project just as close to his heart as it was to his father’s. from the corner of his eye, he saw his mother standing in front of the giant grandfather style clock that his father had chosen special. He loved clocks and had collected quite a few in his years. She placed her hand on it, then dipped her head down. He knew her pain.

 The following few hours passed with him answering questions and doing his duties as head of the country, never breaking away from the status quo. He could do this in his sleep. That was how well trained he was for this. In a matter of weeks, his duties would be tripled or even quadrupled when he went through his coronation. At that time, he’d really put all that grooming to use. It was an event he’d imagined differently his whole life. For one, he’d always expected to look out to his mother and father’s faces as they’d passed the duties on to him. This future was one he was not prepared for.

 “Mother.”

 She hummed and spun her head to him with a solemn smile on her lips.

 “Are you well?”

 She smiled brightly, and any evidence of her previous sadness was only visible in her pale blue eyes, but just a smidge.

 “Of course, I am. What about you, my darling boy?”

 He smiled. She’d been calling him that since he was, in fact, just a boy.

 “Glad to have gotten through that.”

 His mother nodded before she looped her arm through his.

 “You did beautifully. Your father would be incredibly proud of you, Henry, so incredibly proud.”

 The tears welled in her eyes before she kissed his cheekbone.

 “I have only ever wanted to make him proud,” he admitted.

 “He has been proud of you every single day since you were born. Every day.”

 She turned her face away, and he knew it was to hide the tears that had rolled down her cheek. He pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her, allowing her to dab at her eyes. Several moments passed in silence as he looked out the window at the passing snow-covered hills. After a minute or two, his mother cleared her throat.

 “So, what is this I hear of a house guest?”

 He smiled to himself, thinking of you, your smile, your tenaciousness, and stubbornness. Since his mother had been away in Sandvell on Queen duties, she’d been absent for the excitement from the last near two weeks. He explained it to her in the vaguest of terms and finished stating you would be remaining at the palace most likely for the duration of the month. He spoke it so flippantly that he hoped it sounded to her ears that it was not a big deal.

 “Mm-hm. Well, I am pleased you are showing your charming side rather than your scrooge one.”

 He gasped, then snapped his head to her to see her amused eyes dancing with laughter.

 “I do not think it is right for a mother to call her son a scrooge.”

 She did not look as if she regretted it at all. “It is right for a mother to let her son know how he is perceived or has been for the last seven months.”

 “Mother, I do not mean to—I have tried--,” he sighed. “It has only been seven months since--.”

 “I know darling, believe me, I know. One of the tragedies of our roles, we are expected to carry on as if we are not human. We are seen as figurines, and we must ever be pristine. The human emotion of grief cannot hold us bad. Oh, how I wish it were different.”

 They sat quietly again for a few turns on the drive back to the palace.

 “I assume you have taken the necessary precautions with our house guest?”

 “Yes.”

 “Have you spoken to her?”

 “I have.”

 “Was it my son the scrooge or my charming son who did the talking?”

 He scoffed, then shook his head. “I am always charming.”

 His mother giggled before she rested her head on his shoulder.

Once they reached the palace and walked inside, the staff swarmed his mother, giving her details for the preparations for the opening ball that was taking place within the coming days for the beginning of the festive month. It was the tradition for a ball to be thrown the first weekend of the month to usher in the month-long festivities. That also meant that many would come to the palace to stay and join in on the jam-packed month of celebration.

 “Yes, Carolina, I know we have much to plan in a short amount of time.”

 Carolina, his mother’s personal royal assistant, nodded her strawberry blonde head as she gripped the stack of papers and folders in her arms tighter.

 “Welcome home, your majesty,” she began. “Shall we begin right away?”

 His mother, now free of her coat and outside garments, shook her head. “No. Prepare the necessary details, and we will meet in the pink tea room in thirty minutes.”

 “As you wish, your majesty,” Carolina replied with a head bow and curtsy.

 “Oh, Carolina, for tonight’s supper, please tell the kitchen I am feeling quite festive and maybe a roast. I hear we have a house guest, and I would like to welcome her properly.”

 “Mother, do you really think that I have been anything but absolutely hospitable?”

 She smiled and looped her arm through his again as they began ascending the stairs.

 “Of course, I am sure you instructed the staff to be hospitable and tend to her needs,” she clarified.

 She knew him too well. If only she knew that he himself had been the most hospitable of all, he thought to himself. He reminisced on the last few days. He hadn’t been able to have dinner with you for the last five days because the closer the event got, the more work he had to do. You’d exchanged emails about his speech with you leaving notes on what he’d prepared or even giving him suggestions on where to carry other thoughts he’d begun. He liked all your additions and suggestions. It was your suggestion to bring up something personal about his father, especially since it was his passion project. He’d had every intention to disregard it, but in the end, he’d listened to you, and he still hadn’t regretted it.

 Though you were maybe a six-minute distance from his own bedroom and under the same roof, he hadn’t physically seen you in those five days. He did get information from Dr. Alphonsi and even details from McArthur about how you looked, who had been to see you to extend his apologies for getting you into this predicament. McArthur was now your greatest fan. You hadn’t chastised him or belittled him for hitting you with the car. You said it wasn’t his fault, accepted his apology, and even thanked him because you would have probably had a health crisis sooner rather than later with your other ailments.

 Everyone in the palace seemed to have grown to like you. When he saw Jemma, his sister, she often sang your praises and chattered on about something you or your sister had told her. It was easy to see that even she’d been captivated by you, just as he had.

 “Were you listening to me?”

 Shaking his head, he glanced at his mother with a raised brow. “I am sorry, mother. What were you saying?”

 “What has got your head so far away? work?”

 He sighed, shrugged, and looked forward, realizing they were in the hall leading to your bedroom.

 “Where are you leading me, mother?”

 “It is you who is leading me, son.”

 He scoffed. Even his feet seemed to want to go to you. he made a swift left turn away from your hall.

 “Mother, I have some work to attend to before supper tonight.”

 “All right, do not work too hard. Supper is at seven…promptly, Henry.”

 He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Promptly,” he repeated before continuing on his way.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  -Y/N-

“I am quite happy with your improvement, Xari.”

 You smiled.

 “I do feel a lot better today than I have in weeks.”

 Dr. Alphonsi smiled and began closing his doctor bag.

 “That is wonderful news. The direct infusion through IV usually does work better than capsules or any other treatments. You have been a sample patient. If only my other patients would give me this little trouble.”

 You snorted, then shrugged. “What can I say? I’ve always been a teacher’s pet.”

 Dr. Alphonsi smiled again before he walked around to the IV rod to disconnect you. You watched as he slowly removed the needle from your forearm, only flinching slightly. He pressed down on the puncture hole for a few moments then plastered a band-aid across your arm.

 “There. So as our plan goes. A week IV, a week injections, then repeat,” Dr. Alphonsi reiterated.

 “Sounds good.”

 Dr. Alphonsi walked over to the stainless steel trey resting on the side table and placed the needle on it, then began taking the emptied IV bag off the pole. Once the items were arranged on the trey, he walked back over to his doctor’s bag.

 “Any questions for me?”

 You thought for a moment, then began. “Not really since I already know you’re going to say no traveling.”

 “You are not a prisoner here, Xari. If you are feeling strong enough, you can go anywhere you choose. The palace has plenty of rooms that would interest you. When it comes to venturing outdoors, I would say be careful, pace yourself, and do not overexert. There have been many who thought they could walk a block only to find they could not make it more than fifteen meters.”

 You nodded again.

 “Would you like me to speak to the prince about assigning you a lady’s maid?”

 “Oh my goodness, no. that is not at all necessary.”

 “All right. Well, you have my telephone number if you need me, as does the staff. I have instructed someone to inform you every time you are to take an injection. I have a trained professional here at the palace who can administer it if you are not confident enough to do it yourself. If you feel confident, remember every six hours one vial. I’ve combined them to decrease the number of needle pricks.”

 “Thank you very much, Dr. Alphonsi.”

 He nodded, then prepared himself to leave. As he walked to the door, it opened, and in came Anika.

 “Does she have a clean bill of health?”

 “Cleaner, but we still have quite a way to go. Slow and steady, says the tortoise to the hare,” Dr. Alphonsi said before walking out of your room.

 “Oooh, look who doesn’t have a pole attached to them anymore. How do you feel?”

 You took a deep breath and thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “A lot better than a did.”

 Anika smiled with you, then dropped on the bed beside you. “Does that mean you can finally leave this room and go exploring with me?”

 “Nika.”

 “Don’t Nika mean, you know you’re curious and want to look behind every door of this place.”

 She had a point. You were curious. You’d been in a few palaces from around the world before, but you’d never been in a palace as a guest. At the thought of “guest,” you began to wonder if that was what you were. Patient yes, unexpected and unwanted temporary responsibility, maybe. The look Anika was giving you said she was impatiently waiting for a response.

 “Ugggh, fine. Yes, let’s get our Dora on,” you said, slowly getting out of the bed.

 A shower took you longer than usual, mostly in part because you couldn't help but marvel at your surroundings. There was marble and porcelain everywhere. The amount of luxury that surrounded you made your jaw dropped. You sampled everything, beginning with the twelve jets in the shower to the heated bidet. The shower even had a switch that you could change the water from fresh to sea saltwater. That part tripped you up because you didn’t know why anyone would want that. Even the sink had buttons you could use to change the water pressure.

 By the time you’d showered and changed, an hour had passed.

 “What’d you think of the sea salt option in the shower?”

 You snorted, then busted out laughing. “Oh my god, I almost lost my shit. Did you try it?”

 “You know I did. Then I immediately regretted it when I forgot and began really getting into crevices to wash and rinse. Ouch.”

 That only made you laugh harder. The whole time Anika protested and pouted. When you stepped out of the room into the adjoining one, you felt like you saw it in a new light. The first or even second time you’d been in it, nothing registered. Now, you could appreciate the art on the wall, the décor, and color choices. It screamed elegance but also comfort.

“I asked around, and this particular room is called a sitting room. All of the bedrooms have one,” Anika informed.

 “Yeah. When I went and toured Versailles, the sitting room was where visitors were entertained. Marie Antoinette loved to also have tea and cake there before turning in for bed,” you added as you walked around, touching different materials and snapping pictures from a few different angles. It was all super high class. You didn’t expect anything less.

 You and Anika stepped into the hall, and your jaw dropped.

 “Holy Shit!”

 The people in the hall stopped what they were doing and looked back at you while Anika tried to stifle her laugh.

 “Sorry, sorry. Please carry on.”

 They slowly continued what they were doing while you and Anika made your getaway. The halls were gorgeous. The white and gold complemented each other so well you just knew that this was just the beginning. Then when you looked up to the ceiling at the Sistine Chapel worthy mural, you could hear a heavenly hymn in your ears.

 “The Sistine Chapel could never,” you muttered while walking and snapping pictures.

 It was so beautiful you almost didn’t want to move. Anika’s arm looped through yours was the directing force. She pulled you down the stairs that were on the same level of grandeur as the Russian opera house’s. The carpet that lined them was blue instead of the red that bathed other royal abodes. It even looked like it was silk. When the two of you finally descended the stairs to the main floor, you went down one of the halls on the right.

 The first door you both walked into, Anika whistled loudly. “Well, fuck!”

 It was the largest dining room you’d been inside in a long while. The table looked like it could seat at least seventy. As you walked around the room, you took pictures from different angles until you got to the window, then you gaped at what you saw.

 “Wow.”

 “Like a winter wonderland, right.”

 “Have you gone out?”

 “Heck no. You know me and winter don’t agree. There is a reason I live in Georgia.”

 You shook your head and snapped two pictures before you walked off in search of more. Once you and Anika finished looking around the dining room, you walked into a large parlor with several places to sit. You wondered what the room was used for. Your imagination said it could have been where smoking parties happened, or maybe a lounge area before dinners. It honestly could be used to anything.

 A library followed that you knew you could get lost in for days and days and lost you got. You touched titles you were familiar with and others you’d never heard of before, making a mental note to come back and have a closer look. The ones you couldn’t pass up, you took from the shelves and took with you. You didn’t know how long you spent in the library. It was hard to tell because you hadn't looked through the whole thing even with all the time you spent there.

 Somehow, you found yourself pushing open intricate golden doors and walking into an ornate room filled with gold, marble, and that same blue carpet lining. From the ceilings hung low hanging crystal chandeliers and an even more awe-inspiring mural. At the end of the carpet, you saw a pair of thrones. Immediately you knew you’d happened upon the throne room. You walked the length of it, taking a picture every few steps. When you reached them, you stopped in front and stared.

 You could imagine him sitting in the one on the right. You imagined him with perfect posture, a stern face, and tightly clenched jaws with the most regal of crowns. You wondered if this monarchy was as ostentatious as others. Maybe he usually held a scepter and golden orb while being draped with royal furs. At that thought, you imagined him sitting on that throne completely naked with nothing but the royal furs draped over his shoulders. It was a damn inviting vision, one you wouldn’t mind seeing.

 A loud sound behind you made you spin around to find a cleaning crew. Quickly you walked back down the carpet and out the room apologizing for intruding. Once back in the hall, you spun around, unsure when you’d lost Anika. You called her name a few times, but there was no answer. It was then you regretted not bringing your cellphone. You walked a little further down the hall then made a left as the scent of flowers captured your attention.

 When you stepped through glass French doors, you felt as if you’d walked into some country garden. The room was bathed in soft amber and purples, no doubt from the sunset. Thanks to the glass room, you were able to see peeks of its glory through the fluffy looking white snow resting on it. The more you walked around, the more the exterior contradicted the interior. You knew it being the dead of winter made it impossible for the sight before you. There were flowers of all different kinds. It was a sea of blues, reds, yellows, pinks, and even purples.

“Holy Shit!”

 “I will take that as a compliment.”

 You spun around, looking for the owner of the voice, but there was no one there.

 “Uh--.”

 You walked around cautiously.

 “A few more steps.”

 After three steps, you found a woman sitting at a table decked out with every piece of a tea set you could imagine, along with a few pastries.

 “Found me.”

 She looked up at you, then looked back down to your feet until she met your eyes again.

 “Uh—hi,” said.

 “Hello.”

 The smile on her face was pleasant, and it matched the kindness in her blue eyes. They were eyes you felt like you’d seen before, only on someone else. Slowly it hit you who she could be.

 “Oh my god, your majesty.”

 You dropped down to your best curtesy, hoping it would distract her from your potty mouth. She softly chuckled.

 “You are quite all right, dear. Stand up, please.”

 You stood and tried not to give away that you were slightly unnerved.

 “I’m sorry about the cursing. It’s a horrible habit and probably not—dignified,” you expressed.

 She laughed again, then took a sip from her golden rose printed porcelain cup. It looked fancy and antique. “No need to apologize. Believe me; cursing is not the worst thing in the world. I have said quite a few in my day.”

 You smiled, even though you found it hard to believe, especially with how prime and proper she looked sitting there.

 “I have to know, though. How did you know who I was?”

 “Um—your eyes.”

 She looked even more curious. “My eyes?”

 You swallowed and avoided her gaze. “They’re—they’re the same as Henry’s—eh-em, I mean his highness.”

 The way she looked at you made you slightly uncomfortable. She looked like she was assessing you. Before she could speak, another woman walked into the room, one with strawberry blonde hair.

 “Your majesty,” she began stopping instantly when she saw you.

 You cleared your throat and turned to walk away. “I’m sorry to intrude.”

 “No intrusion. Carolina, I think that will be all for today. I would like to finish my tea and possibly get to know our new houseguest.”

 “As you wish, your majesty.” She curtsied then walked back out of the room, leaving you alone once again.

 “Please, have a seat,” the queen said.

 Before you sat, you actually thought to dart out of the room but quickly changed your mind. When you sat down across from her, you took note of the open binders and folders sprawled out on the table. Out of nowhere, someone walked into the solarium, took up the matching teapot, and poured it into a new teacup to your right.

 “Will there be anything else, your majesty?”

 “Thank you, Edie.”

 The woman walked back out of the room, and it got silent for a few moments.

 “Please, have some. It is a Darjeeling blend that is grown right here in Brexendor. I drink at least a cup a day. I promise you it is delicious.”

 She took another sip, but she didn’t look at all worried that you wouldn’t sample it. You placed the books on top of the table and took up the teacup instead, and sipped. Lavender, mint, honey, and rose filled your mouth. A moan escaped you.

 “Good, right.”

 Nodding, you took another mouthful.

 “How are you?”

 After swallowing, you placed the cup down. “I am feeling a lot better, your majesty.”

 “Please, every time I am called that, it makes it impossible to forget. Call me, Cecelia, please.”

 You didn’t know what to say to that, and it must have shown because she smiled then giggled.

 “O—kay.”

 “I promise. I am not trying to trick you in any way. I just want you to be comfortable. I can imagine what it feels like to come here and be surrounded by all of this. It is—overwhelming…intimidating even. I just want to make your time here peaceful and enjoyable.”

 She didn’t look like she was lying or trying to cover something. She came off as genuinely kind, like she truly meant what she said.

 “Thank you, your—Ce—Ms. Cecelia.”

 She smiled, then nodded. “Alright. I understand.”

 “I’m Xari.”

 “A beautiful name. It is wonderful to meet you, dear. I do hope your stay has been a good one so far.”

 “Yes, yes, everyone has been nothing but kind and hospitable. I appreciate your kindness,” you expressed.

 Cecelia nodded and took another sip from her cup. Her eyes landed on something on the table.

 “Of Vice and Virtue and Clandestine. Two wonderful selections.”

 “I hope it’s alright. I took them. I promise I will put them back,” you began.

 Cecelia reached her hand out and placed it on top of yours. “Xari, I could not care less if you kept them. You are free to anything in the palace.”

 You slowly nodded and took another sip of tea. As you did, the photos on the table caught your eye. They were of a decorated room. It looked like a mock-up of a ballroom of some sort. The colors of the flowers were orange, and they didn’t look like they belonged with the pastel green that surrounded them.

 “This color scheme is all wrong. You shouldn’t pair orange and green. You have to pick one or the other. I’d recommend the green; it’s very pretty.”

 She looked curious, most likely wondering who the hell you were to say half of what you did.

 “Are you a decorator?”

 “Not officially. I took some classes, got some certificates in event planning and interior design,” you admitted.

 “Oh, so you design for a living.”

 “No, no. It—I am a travel photographer and blogger. It’s not what I planned, but I fell into it. Event planning and design are more of hobbies.”

 “Well, this might just be serendipitous. I am in the middle of planning the ball for the opening of the festivities,” Cecelia began adjusting herself in her seat. “I just got back in Brexendor, and the trip was longer than I anticipated. That means I have two days to put together our annual ball that is supposed to open Brexenavid. That is our month-long celebration of what every Brexdorian prides themselves on—our holiday time.”

 “What exactly is Brexenavid?”

 “It is our month-long holiday celebration that we go all out for. There are tens of events, sometimes games, balls, dinners, and dignitaries within Brexendor and our neighboring countries who will begin arriving to stay with us here,” Cecelia explained.

 You were impressed. It all sounded like a lot of work.

 “And you’re the one to plan all of it?”

 “Yes. That is my role as the matriarchal head of the royal family. It is one of my many roles.”

 You released a breath, then finished your cup of tea. Before you spoke, you poured another.

 “So tell me, if you were planning this, how would it look?”

 You took a few moments to sip your tea and think about how you would do it. Closing your eyes, you tried to visualize the space, but you’d seen so many spaces that you couldn’t really picture it.

 “Where will it be? What room? Can you describe it to me?”

 Cecelia smiled, then stood. “I can do better. Let me show you.”

 Cecelia walked out of the room, leaving you to hurry behind her. she led you through the hall you’d just walked down until you went down another hall you hadn’t before. About a minute later, you followed her into a large ballroom that looked like it belonged in Versailles. The walls dripped gold, and the ceiling housed so many chandeliers you didn’t bother to count past five.

“Wow. What a room.”

 “One of my favorites. It is the usual one I use. What do you think?”

 “Nice room. I would say with the amount of light that comes in and the views; I’d play that up. since it is December and I’ve seen several of your streets, Christmas is huge here.”

 “If you only knew,” Cecelia confirmed.

 “Then play it up. Christmas trees, poinsettias, tree lights, tinsel, everything that everyone loves about Christmas. Give your guests what they really love about this country, the beauty, the splendor,” you suggested.

 She looked around the room as if she were trying to picture it. “I like it.”

 Her smile was bright. “I more than like it. I love it. Carolina thought floral.”

 “Floral isn’t a bad idea. You can add some in. Roses are subtle, lilies, even Dahlias, and Tulips.”

 Cecelia approached you and took your hand. “I love your ideas, Xari. I have one of my own. How would you feel about taking point on this? I know you are still recovering, but you would have every staff member at your disposal. You would not be doing too much. You give the design orders, and everyone else will execute it.”

 You were speechless and couldn’t believe the queen had just asked you to deck out her palace for a ball. “Obviously, you do not have to if you do not want to.”

 “Do what?”

Henry’s voice brought your attention to him. he wore a simple white button-down shirt and grey dress pants. While it wasn’t as formal, he still looked put together.

 “I have just asked Xari if she would put together the ball.”

 “Mother. She is supposed to be resting and recuperating. Dr. Alphonsi has left very strict orders, and work was on the list of prohibited actions.”

 His mother looped her arm with his with a smile. “Oh, darling, I am not talking about manual labor. She has quite an eye for design and event planning. I thought it would be fun.”

 “Mother--,” Henry began again.

 “Plus, what are you doing here?”

 “You said supper was promptly at seven.”

 “Heavens, is it seven already? All right, Xari, you do not have to answer right away. You can take the night to think about it. we should all go to supper.”

 “Uh—I’ll go back to my room,” you began.

 “Nonsense, looking at you, you are well enough to dine with the rest of us. Come,” Cecelia pressed as she released Henry to loop her other arm with yours and led you closer to her son.

 Henry smirked, and when he realized he was in the middle, he softly scoffed and held out his arm for you. Your eyes locked for a few seconds, and you picked up a hint of amusement behind his blue orbs. You slowly looped your arm through his, allowing him to led the two of you out of the ballroom and down the long hall.

 As you walked, his mother chattered on about something that you paid no mind to. All you could focus on was the smell of Henry’s cologne and his towering presence beside you. Your hand rested on his forearm, and the heat radiating off of him tempted you to flex your fingers against him. The minute your fingers moved, you felt his bicep tense. It was an action that brought your eyes to him. You lost your breath when you found his were already on you. Goodness, you thought to yourself, slowly trailing your eyes over the details of his face until they landed on his lips.

 “Eh-em.”

 Snapping your head forward, you saw that you’d arrived in the dining room. You pulled your arm free and walked away from Henry flashing them out, trying to cool them from his heat and gain some control over your wayward thoughts. This dining room was a different one from before. It looked more intimate.

 “This is the dining room we prefer to eat in as a family,” Cecelia explained the closer you got to the table.

 Taking your place beside Anika, Henry took his at the head of the table while his mother across from you beside a beaming Jemma. Once everyone was seated, the staff walked in carrying trays of food toward you. Once yours was put down, the silver cover was taken off to reveal a pot roast of some kind.

 “I hope you are not a vegetarian,” Cecelia began.

 “Oh no, my sister and I love all kinds of meat, Anika blurted out, making you give her a harsh eye.

 “Wonderful. Please, dig in.”

 Dinner went on uneventfully. Jemma talked about her plans to include a local orphanage in the planned festivities for the month. Everyone seemed to think it was an excellent idea. Then the conversation turned to Anika as the Queen tried to get to know her better. The only ones who remained relatively quiet were you and Henry. Every so often, your eyes met and lingered. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words never manifested. That was when your eyes drifted to some part of him, either it was his lips, or his hands, or even those sprigs of black hair that teased the bounty that laid under his shirt just waiting to be played with.

 By the time dinner was finished, and after dinner, coffee and tea were served, things had moved to one of the sitting rooms you’d walked through earlier in the day. After your first cup of chamomile and lavender tea, the queen said her goodnights and left you, Anika, and Jemma to your own devices. It allowed you to crack open one of the books you’d picked earlier. By the time you finished your second cup of tea, exhaustion had caught up with you. When you looked up, it was just you and Henry sitting there. Once again, Anika had disappeared, this time taking Jemma with her.

His nose was buried in a book. Before you could admire the view of him sitting there with one leg crossed over the other, his eyes drifted to you; then he lowered his book to reveal a soft smile. Neither of you spoke. It was a comfortable silence that didn’t need to be filled with words. A yawn sprang from you, making him snort.

 “This can’t be regular chamomile or lavender.”

 “You are probably right. I do know it is farmed straight from the field and brought here,” he answered.

 “Wow, so literally from the earth to your stomach.”

 Henry smiled again.

 “I um—I think I should probably turn in,” you said.

 Henry placed his book aside, then stood. “Allow me to walk you back to your room.”

 “Thank you, your highness.”

 He smiled, came closer, and held his arm out to you.

 “Are you always such a gentleman?”

 “I try to be. It is what I was raised to be,” he replied.

 “So—always. There isn’t a time of day where you say fuck it and let it all fall away?”

 He smiled and stepped a little closer. It was as close as he was the first night in the bar before you parted ways. His eyes bore into you from his towering height, and you decided you wanted to see what he would do.

 “There is about an hour in the morning when I first wake. No one has come in to give me news or updates. It is quiet, and my mind is clear. Then there are those few minutes at night before I fall asleep where I can let everything fall off me. In those two moments—I—I feel like myself.”

 There was a pained look in his eyes that you wanted to know more about.

 “And what does it feel like to be yourself?”

 Henry gave you a melancholy smile. “Lonely.”

 A full minute passed then Henry held out his arm again. “Shall we?”

 You looped your arm and let him lead the way out of the sitting room, down the long corridor, and up the grand steps. The walk was quiet, but you didn’t feel weird being close to him like this. It felt normal. Halfway to your room, Henry spoke.

 “My father told me before he died, the more people that want a piece of you, the less you have for yourself and the lonelier it is at the top.”

 “Sounds like the words of a wise man.”

 “He was very wise.”

 Silence. You’d heard the sadness in his voice the first time he mentioned his father.

 “Do you miss him?”

 “Every single second of every single day,” Henry answered.

 As you turned down the hall that would lead to your room, the silence returned.

 “Your speech was amazing.”

 “You’re saying that because you helped write it.”

 You couldn’t help but laugh. “It doesn’t matter who helped write it. Words are nothing without the conviction to back them up. You made the speech.”

 You could feel his eyes on you, so you met them right before you stopped in front of your door.

 “Thank you,” he whispered. He then took a step to you, closing the wide gap between you.

 “Do you usually have to approve the plans for big events?”

 His crinkled brow said he was confused. “I guess it depends. Why?”

 “Well, since you are so busy being his highness and all, the only way we’d ever see each other the next few days would be for me to accept your mother’s offer and plan this ball seeing how his highness would get the final say-so on all plans. Right?”

 Henry slowly began smiling then he licked his lips. “That sounds about right, but that would mean one thing and one thing only.”

 You leaned against your door and smiled innocently. “And what’s that?”

 “That you want to see me almost as much as I want to see you.”

 Your heart pounded faster and faster. “Almost as much?”

 Henry rested his arm on the door jamb, sort of boxing you in. “You have to know, Xari.”

 “Know what, your highness?”

“Henry,” he whispered quite breathlessly as he stared into your eyes.

The tension between you was palpable. It felt like any second one or both of you were going to do something that neither of you could take back. The loud crack of thunder boomed outside, bringing you both to realize your surroundings. Henry cleared his throat and took two steps back.

 “Good night, Xari. I look forward to seeing those plans at every decision,” he said with a stern face and plenty of humor in his eyes.

 “Your highness.”

 He sighed, then walked back down the hall, leaving you to admire the sway of his hips and the plump but firm state of his ass. God help you, you thought to yourself before you stepped back into your room. You’d never been good at fighting off temptation. You liked to put up a fight but eventually, you always gave in. 

You knew that it was only a matter of time before you did just that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[writer-k-pop]

Your Sister’s Keeper

여기 있고 어딘가에서 길을 잃지 않는 것이 좋다. It’s better that she’s here and not lost somewhere.

Description: Over the duration of your relationship with Vernon, his sister, Sofia, and you have become quite close. Close enough that in a time of need, she calls for you, not Vernon. Warnings: Mentions of cheating and swearing Genre: Angst? BF!Vernon x Fem!Reader Word Count: 2.9k

Seventeen Masterlist | Masterlists

"Yes, mom," I roll my eyes, still facing the wall. "I will. I'll call Grandma later."  I glance back at Vernon who is patiently waiting just a few feet away at the entrance of the company party. Other guests keep entering the venue, their suits tailored to perfection and their dresses emphasizing all the right parts. I catch his gaze and I throw an apologetic look to him.

"Mom, mom." I say to her to get her attention so she stops talking, "I have to go. I will call you and Grandma later."

"Alright. Have fun with Vernon." My mom says goodbye and then hangs up.

I end the call and turn towards Vernon as I put my phone back in my purse. Just as the phone is fully inside, it vibrates with another incoming call. Without looking at the caller ID, I answer.

"Mom, I told you-"

"(y/n)?" Sofia's voice stops me in my tracks, "Don't say my name. I know you're with my brother and he can't know." Then she sniffles.

I turn away from Vernon's line of sight, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

She sniffles again and I can tell she's trying hard not to completely lose it. "Uhm, not really. Can-Can I come over?"

I glance up towards the ceiling, "I mean, I'm not home right now but I can be in like 10 minutes." I offer, internally regretting the lie I'm going to have to tell Vernon.

"I'm already here, can I just go inside?" She sniffles some more.

I find myself nodding though she can't see me, "Yeah, yeah, of course. The passcode is the same and there's some leftovers in the fridge if you need them."

"Th-thank you." She stutters and I hear the elevator ding in the background.

"I'll be there soon. Just hold on." I tell her, refraining from using her name, then we hang up. As I turn back towards Vernon, he walks towards me with a look of concern etched into his face.

"What's wrong?" He asks, reaching me.

I take a deep breath and spit out a lie, "I have to go, Vernon. My friend is having a really bad time and she's already at my apartment."

Vernon's face slowly switches to concern about my "friend."

"Yeah, yeah, go. If they need you go. I can go alone, it's fine." Vernon states and squeezes my shoulder. "Just let me know when you get home and update me."

I give him a small smile and nod, "I will. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just go." He smiles warmly and gently pushes me towards the exits.

Feeling terrible for lying but knowing his sister is on the brink of a break down at my apartment, I pick up the skirt of my dress and walk outside. Once I flag down a taxi and hop in the backseat, I tell the driver my address and send Sofia an "on my way" text.

Watching the streetlights pass, I fiddle with the sleeves of my dress as I wonder what is happening with Sofia. As the taxi slows outside my building, I pay him and quickly shuffle out of the car and up to my apartment. I have to stop a few times to collect parts of my dress that decide not to stay in my hands.

I punch in my passcode at the speed of lightening and throw the door open.

"Sofia?" I call out into my still dark apartment.

"Here." Her meek voice whispers from my bedroom.

When I walk in, Sofia's sat against my headboard with my extra fuzzy blanket wrapped tightly around her. I quickly walk over to her and envelope her in a hug. She leans into my chest and I feel her shoulders sink.

"It's okay, I'm here now." I reassure her, "Let me get out of this dress and then we can talk." She silently nods and straightens up allowing me to head to my closet.

"Where were you?" Sofia quietly asks, glancing at my dress.

"I was accompanying your brother for some company end of year party." I inform her, slipping the dress off my body.

"What did you tell him?" She questions me, worriedly.

I shake my head, "I didn't tell him anything. I only said that one of my friends was having a really bad day and needed me immediately. Which wasn't exactly a lie."

"He would believe something like that." Sofia jokes lightly.

"Gives us the advantage." I reply, leaving the dress on the floor and changing into sweats and a sweatshirt.

Climbing back into bed, I take her back in my arms and sigh into her hair.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask after a few seconds of silence.

She shakes her, "Not yet."

I nod and continue to hold her while she begins to let her tears out. We sit in silence as she cries and I do my best to nonverbally tell her that I'm here and that everything will be okay. My heart breaks with every labored breath she takes in. I begin to wonder what has made her this upset and slowly the anger also rises. How could anyone do something so horrible to such a lovely girl?

"C-can I have some water?" Sofia hiccups.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be right back." I tell her and scoot off the bed. After filling a glass, I head back to the bed and guide the glass into her hands.

"Thanks." She says after gulping down some.

"So, tell me what's goin' on." I sit in front of her.

She glances down, "I, I saw Ryan kissing another girl."

I suck in a breath and my eyes widen in shock.  "Wha- what happened?" I feel the shock punch me in the gut.

"I, I was going to pick him up from his work and surprise him but," Sofia takes in a deep breath, "I got across the street and he walks out with some girl and then kisses her. Right out in the open." Fresh tears make their way down her cheeks and I do my best to wipe them away but they keep falling. "And I couldn't even move. I didn't even know my feet were moving until I was at your building door. And, and, (y/n) it feels like my heart is being crushed by a million bricks and-"

I wrap her up tighter and rub her arm, "It'll be okay. Just keep breathing with me, yeah?"

"He just, right out in the open. For anyone to see." She sputters out, "Like he didn't care if one of my friends saw. Like he,  ugh what a, what a piece of trash."

"He doesn't know you know?" I wonder, staring at my blank wall.

Sofia shakes her head, "I was too shocked to do anything but walk away." She grabs the hem of my shirt in her fist, "I can't believe I actually fell for him. Why didn't I see it before? He's sleazy and awful and what kind of man cheats?"

"He's not a man." I answer her, "A real man doesn't cheat. A real man is loyal and responsible."

"He's not a real man." Sofia mumbles, her tears quietly ever so slightly but not stopping.

We sit together on my bed long enough for the moon to travel quite a distance in the sky. During that time, I run through all the possible things I would do the boy who hurt Sofia while her cries quiet down.

"I'm kind of hungry." She sniffles, readjusting to sit up.

"Did you not eat dinner?" I look at her and she simply shakes her head. Simultaneously I'm reminded that I also haven't eaten.

"I planned on getting dinner with h-him but well... that didn't happen." She explains and I quickly jump off the bed.

"What do you want?" I ask her.

"Something warm." She replies with a small smile that must've taken her a lot of strength.

I nod, "I'll heat up some left over warm chicken soup. And then we can watch movies until either the suns comes up or our eyes droop all on their own."

I make my way to the kitchen and pull out the containers from the fridge. As I pour the soup into a pot, my bedroom door creaks open. I look up to see Sofia peeking out with the blanket resting on her head.

"The room got lonely." She explains. I smile softly and motion for her to sit.

"You are always welcome to join me wherever I am." I reassure her.

Sofia hiccups.

"Do you want a change of clothes?" I question, turning to turn on the heat underneath the pot, "You're probably going to stay the night anyway."

She nods, "That'd probably be more comfy."

I point to my door, "Extra pajamas should be in the middle drawer of the dresser closest to the bedroom doo-"

The doorbell cuts me off. Confused, I walk over to the little screen that shows me who's ringing my door bell. Vernon stands in front of my door, his hands stuffed into his pockets and lips pursed, patiently and anxiously waiting for me to answer.

"Sofia, go into my room and get changed. I'll try to get him to leave." I look to her and she immediately runs into my bedroom, closing the door securely behind her.

Once I hear the definite click, I walk over and open the door halfway.

"Hey." I smile, sticking my head into the space.

"Hey." Vernon smiles, "Everything okay? How's your friend?" He asks.

He's still in his attire for the company party but he's undone his tie and a few buttons of his shirt.

I nod, "She's in pretty bad shape now but she'll be okay."

"I just wanted to check on you cause you never texted me." Vernon explains his visit and I mentally facepalm myself.

"Sorry about that. I mean I got home and well, yeah. It's been a little crazy. Sorry." I apologize again.

Vernon shakes his head, "Don't be. You've been helping a friend and that's admira..ble..." He trails off as his gaze moves past me. "Are those Sofia's shoes?" He points towards the ground.

I turn my head and spot her favorite pair of tennis shoes. They're her favorite because Vernon custom made them for her birthday last year. She wears them everywhere.

"Is Sofia here?" Vernon's tone suddenly turns concerned. "Is she the pers- Sofia!" He pushes the door open and rams past me. "Sofia!"

"Vernon." I rest a hand on his shoulder. "Stop."

"My sister called you and you lied to me about it?" He turns towards me in bewilderment.

"Vernon." I repeat his name but he doesn't let me talk further.

"Why would you lie to me about it?" He questions, "It's my sister. My baby sister." His voice begins to rise in volume, "Why you and why not call me?"

I grab both of his shoulders tightly, "Because some subjects are best left to discuss between girls and not her older brother. At least not right away." He rests his hand over one of mine and sighs. "Just trust me when I say that she's here and she'll be okay."

"What happened?" Vernon asks, his eyes pleading with me.

"I can't tell you. It's not my place to tell." I shake my head in small motions. "When she's ready, she'll tell you but right now, this was the only place she could think of to come. And I don't know about you, Vern, but I'm glad she chose here over anywhere else."

Vernon nods in agreement and takes a deep breath to calm himself, "You're right. It's better that she's here and not lost somewhere."

"She's safe here. I'll make sure of it. But for now, it's probably not the best for you to be here." I hate that I have to say it but it's not entirely false. "Just make sure you're not too far away. She's going to need her big brother sooner rather than later."

He gives my hand a squeeze and presses a kiss to my forehead. "You'll call me with updates?"

I nod, "I promise. You'll know when I know."

"Just," Vernon looks around at the ground unsure of how exactly to put it, "Just remind her that I'm here if she needs me."

"I do." Sofia chokes back a sob and in an instant Vernon has her wrapped in his arms. A new wave of tears wets his shirt as her grip on him tightens. "What am I going to do?" She cries into his chest. I can see Vernon's heart break with every word and I can feel mine break just the same.

"What's going on? Can you tell me that?" He pulls back slightly to look at her pained face but quickly wraps her up again. Pulling her towards the couch, he tries to get the story out of her while also comforting him. I, on the other hand, continue to stir the pot of chicken soup in the kitchen.

I listen to her choke out the story again and I constantly switch from stirring to watching Vernon's face for any movement.

Once Sofia is done reciting, Vernon runs a hand over his face and lets out a frustrated sigh. "Asshole." He mutters. "And he doesn't know that you know?" He questions to which Sofia shakes her head. "I should go murder him. He's an awful human being who- ugh, just wait until I get my hands on him." He angrily rants leaving me in a bit of a shock because I haven't ever seen him this riled up. Though it makes sense. It is his little sister after all.

"What am I going to do, Vernon?" Sofia asks looking up at him.

Vernon takes a breath to collect himself before answering. "Well, first of all, you are going to break it off with him. You don't need a lying and cheating boy. You deserve a much better person, a real man."

"What comes after that?" Sofia questions.

"After that..." Vernon pauses then looks to me for help finishing the plan.

"After that," I repeat and walk over to sit on the coffee table in front of Sofia, "You are going to heal and you are going to get better. You are going to live your life to the fullest and make him realize what a terrible mistake he made by cheating on you. Then even if he comes back asking for a second chance, you'll have the strength to simply smile at him and walk away."

Sofia sniffles and wipes her eyes. "I will?"

"You will." Vernon confirms.

"But I feel like shit." She pouts, fresh tears glistening in her eyes.

"Just for now." I quickly remind her, "That's normal. Completely and absolutely normal. But soon, you will start to feel better."

"And mom, dad, (y/n), your friends, and I will all be there every step of the way." Vernon continues and Sofia nods in understanding.

I pat her knee, "Let's get us some food. I'm sure that might help a little."

Vernon gave me a look of surprise, "You guys haven't eaten?"

I shrug, "Like I said, it got a little crazy when I got home. Do you want any?" I ask him as I walk towards the kitchen but he shakes his head.

"I'm still full from the party." He answers.

I pull out two bowls from the cabinet and fill them both with steaming soup. Picking up two spoons and the two bowls, I make my way back to the living room and set the bowls down on the coffee table.

Sitting on the floor, I begin eating, my eyes never straying from signs that Sofia might need something else. Vernon helps Sofia sip the soup and slowly she starts to eat with more energy.

"You don't have to help me." She mutters, finally taking the bowl from Vernon's hands.

Vernon shrugs, "I want to."

Once the soup is finished, Sofia's eyes refuse to stay open and Vernon carries her into my bed while I sort out the dishes. Just as I set the pot on the drying rack, Vernon walks back out, closing the bedroom door behind him.

"Alright, where does this prick of an ass live?" Vernon half-whispers, half-yells, his palms pressed into the countertop.

I dry my hands, "She needs you here. Not looking to beat up some boy who's not worth your time." I tell him.

"She'll be okay, right?" Vernon suddenly asks, his shoulders drooping deeply.

Throwing the towel somewhere near the sink, I walk behind him and hug his waist. "She will be. I don't know when but I know she will be."

Vernon turns around and clasps his hands behind my back, "Thank you." He kisses the top of my head.

I let out a tiny chuckle, "You don't have to thank me. If it were my sibling, you would've done the same."

"True, but still, thank you." He squeezes my body to emphasize his point.

"You're welcome." I turn my head and glance at the clock. "We should probably go to sleep too." I pull away and bring out one of the many extra blankets I have, "You take the bed with Sofia, I'll take the couch." [For those who think siblings sleeping in the same bed is weird: fight me.]

"Are you sure?" Vernon asks, worried that I won't sleep well.

"I'm sure. She needs you more than I do tonight." I reassure him.

He walks over, wraps me another tight hug, then presses a kiss to my lips which I reciprocate.

"Goodnight." He rests his forehead on mine for a second.

"Goodnight."