#i like flirty rouge. i also like rouge who spots stuff

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

Aroace Sonic pt 14

If you know you know

[kaeyas-beloved]

Hey there! Can i request a chubby/thicker mc? But instead of insecure, she’s confident af? People think she’s a bitch at first, but they’re proved wrong when she’s actually really good at giving life advice? If i were to be more specific, then she likes coloring her nails, stuff like that and is a bit of a bitch at first but can be your best friend at the same time? Thanks!(i checked your rules, and you didn’t have any specific numbers, so hcs, anyone but pls choose Arthot) thanks!

Can i add more text? If i can, then the chubby but confident mc is also really proud of her lover? Thank you again!

Hello! You absolutely can (both request and add more text)! Sorry this took so long, headcannons aren’t really my forte, but I still hope you like them! Also, I added Isaac and Mozart since I had some ideas for them :) 

Thank you for requesting!

(It’s under the cut since these are sorta long)

Arthur, Isaac & Mozart w/ a Chubby!Confident!Reader/MC

~

Arthur Conan Doyle

Now don’t get me wrong, Arthur loves all women no matter what they look like or their personality (unless they’re evil like that one Sister from his route - you know the one)

But when a women has the confidence level of a queen?? You’ve got him wrapped around your finger. 

There’s just something about women who aren’t like all the others he’s been with that really gets him.  

Even if you insulted everything that you could about him the first time you both met.

It was the boldness in your words and the way you carried yourself without a care what others said that has him infatuated and wanting to know more.

The first couple interactions with the other residents had him falling on his ass laughing.

Never has he seen someone make Theo and Wolfie shut up so fast.

After that he knows exactly when some kind of verbal brawl between her and another resident, most likely Theo, will occur and he kicks back for the show. 

Kind of gets hurt when she says something particularly harsh but brushes it off like he does.

A week passes and Arthur has figured out that she’s a little like Theo in a sense, bitter on the outside but secretly soft on the inside.

How does he know? Well he’s experienced this secret side of her of course!

It was during one of his self-deprecating moods, his past coming to haunt his thoughts when (y/n) walked in with his dinner, seeing as he skipped out on it.

The writer was so deep in thought that he didn’t even hear her come in until the glass of Rouge was set down beside him, shocking him. 

A flirty line was on the tip of his tongue when a quiet “Hey” came from her, in the softest voice he’s every heard from her, that one word silencing him.

“I don’t know what the hell is going on in that head of yours but... don’t let it consume you. It won’t be easy but you gotta push past it and not let it eat at you, that’s how it wins...” 

Arthur’s breath hitched when the faintest of smiles appeared on her lips, he was sure that he was seeing an actual angel.

After that it was like clock work and the two were hanging out more and more, going out in town a lot (with Vic too).

Her advice hit him in a way and like she said, it wasn’t easy, but it was a start for him.

From the very start of their relationship as a couple (y/n) would constantly give Arthur praises anytime he moved forward to forgiving and just bettering himself in general.

Rewards usually involve kisses and cuddles

Maybe a little more ;)

Like I mentioned earlier he doesn’t care that you may be a little thicker than the other women in town, it’s more for him to love!

He’s honestly so happy that you love your body despite what others may say, he’s a very proud boyfriend.

But even if you do, that won't stop him from loving every inch of you and your body.

All in all, it’s a relationship that includes a lot of love and proud moments for one another :)

Isaac Newton

Poor Apple Boi is a little scared of you, don’t be mean to him please he’s shy and insecure T_T

Like don’t get him wrong confident women are great but... you might be a little too confident sometimes for his heart to keep up.

“(Y/N) yOU cAn’T sAY tHinGS LiKE tHAT!!” is something he thinks a lot when a particularly mean thing might exit your mouth.

Begs to any God that will listen that there’s some passive side to you that will help lower his blood pressure. 

But if there isn’t that’s alright, he guess, cause most of the time you aren’t actually that bad.

That was before the both of you ran into the children he teaches at the fountain, his heart and mind doing literal summer salts cause what if you make one of them cry? What then!? He can't handle crying children! 

Nevertheless Isaac still asks if you could help educate them and you agree without complaint - surprisingly

About half an hour later when his group of kids were working (you split them into two groups, one for him and another for you) he took a glance your way and - HOLY SHIT IS SHE SMILING!? 

Takes a double take on that, splashes a little of the freezing fountain water in his face and when he still sees you smiling down at the young ones Isaac thinks he's done for.

But then he hears what you’re telling the children

“If you’re willing to put the effort into it and continue to push forward then you can do and be anything you want...”

You hear that? It’s the sound of his poor heart malfunctioning

Isaac may have an extended life but even then he didn’t think he’d live to see the day that a genuine smile, with no snide present, wound grace your face and that such encouraging words would come from you.

You weren’t rocket science to him anymore, he saw that there was more to you and unconsciously he started to soften up around you.

When the two of you got into a relationship it was a lot of you taking the lead, trying to help the shy man out of his cocoon.

And when he did take those steps and started to speck more and say what was on his mind? He got smooches, loads of them.

You are very very proud that he’s growing into the man he wants to be.

One time when you guys were out and about some snob women were making some comments about your weight. Baby was furious and was ready to reassure you that you were beautiful no matter what you looked like, even if he isn’t the best at comforting people.

He shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was when all you did was say something equally bad (if not worse) to them, grabbed his hand and left. 

When he asked if you were okay he was very happy to hear that their words didn’t hurt you because their opinion didn’t matter to you. 

He did, however, turn a little red when you said that if anyone’s opinion mattered it was his because you love him and knows that he loves you <3 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Won’t lie, both of you got into the equivalent of a cat fight the first time you ran into each other.

It was so bad Jean and Napoleon had to step in before either of you said something that might actually hurt the other.

After that night it was like an unspoken rule between the two of you that under no circumstances should your paths cross.

Which was incredibly hard since Sebastian assigned you to bring him his meals.

Not one interaction went without some sort of mean jab being sent to the other. 

One time you got some pink nail polish on Mozart’s white piano and he lost it

It seemed absolutely impossible for there to be any chance that the two could get along

All hope was nearly lost, but then came the day that (y/n) said something to him that just turned this mess of a relationship around.

The pianist was having a hard time composing a certain piece and nothing was coming to him no matter what he did. 

About to give up for the day, in came the human with a bottle of Blanc for him. When her eyes spotted the disaster that was crumpled sheet music, many of the notes scratched out, she knew exactly what was going on.

“Put yourself back to a time that you were happy and full of joy... Or, think about what you feel when you eat something really good - like chocolate, I know you love it. If there were colours to accompany the feeling, what would they be? Would they be slow moving like a river or burst like fireworks? Use those as a pace and let your heart do the rest...” 

Before the haughty musical genius could question a single word she just told him, (y/n) was already out of the room, off to finish the rest of her chores

Nevertheless Mozart tries it out and by the end of the night he’s got a masterpiece written out in front of him.

And you have an IOU with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart written on it - and he hates having to owe people.

So here he is, out in town for the first time in forever, showing you 19th century Paris since he remembered overhearing you say how you wanted to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Surprisingly, it went well. Every time you said something that would usually elicit a remark from him was met instead with him holding his tongue, your soft voice from the day before playing in his mind each time.

When you caught on that he was actually trying to be nice you too made the effort, thus resulting in the two of you growing just a little closer.

You also gave him some nail polish remover that you had to help clean his piano cause he was having trouble.

From then on the harsh words became playful more than anything.

Could care less what you look like, though is very happy that you're comfortable in your own skin.

During Mozart's performances (y/n) claps the loudest and he knows it, she's told him that it's because she's very proud that he's started to play his music for others and because he wants to, not because he's force to.

His lips always twitch up when he hears her cheer for him, it fills him with joy every time knowing the meaning behind the action and that it comes with love.

BONUS!

Vincent and her got along instantly when he spotted these beautiful designs that she painted on her nails. He wanted to know how she did it without smudging anything since nails are such a small canvas to work with.

Theo got confused and upset when he saw that she was nice to his brother and not him.

She's totally destroyed Shakespeare cause no one messes with her friends goddammit! 

~ 

Requests are closed right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy my other works while you wait for them to open! You might find something you like, who knows :)

Masterlist

[pinkbubbles-and-bigtroubles]

Wicked Game

Another round of the 5sos fic writing collab brought to you by @maluminspace​ and @h0tsos​. There are so many amazing writers involved and I highly recommend checking out the event master list linked below. Thank you to the Sagittarius sorceress  @sexgodashton​ for being very caring, patient, and kind while helping me tame this monster.  Massive shout out to @ghostofmashton​ for the photo edits, especially Ashton’s eye. that’s my favorite. You’re a rock star. Texas girls forever, love you to bits!

Event Master List

Prompt: Chef AU with Cashton

Dialogue Prompt: “Kissing you is all I’ve thought about since the moment we met” First person to spot it in the fic and send me a screenshot gets a personalized blurb request.

Word Count: 20K+ Team Long Winded Bitch strikes again, this will be posted in multiple parts over the next couple of days. This first part is about 5K

Rating: 18+ Slash fic Strong language, alcohol and drug use, and a misogynistic and racist comment. Sexual scenes including masturbation, toys, voyeurism, oral, and anal sex.

Summary: Ashton is ready to move on with his life after his painful divorce from Luke and the demise of the restaurant they’d built together. With the help of his protegee and sous chef Hima Singh, Ashton is ready to take on opening weekend of his new restaurant Anne-Marie’s. Calum is a reporter filling in on an assignment and is surprised when his past comes back to haunt him. Hima arranges an interview that takes an unexpected turn between the two men.

Part 1

"Great job, guys, we couldn't have had a better opening weekend. Thank you so much for making it happen," Ashton told the two staff members in the kitchen who'd closed as he unlocked the back door.

"No problem boss, glad to be here. We made money this weekend. See ya tomorrow," DeSean told him as he left.

Ashton locked the door behind them and walked out into the empty dining room, his steel-toed boots echoing heavily on the distressed blonde faux hardwood floors. He stopped to adjust a few tables, double-checking sightlines and looking over the layout of the tables. The upside-down chair legs cast long shadows in the soft pink neon glow. 

He looked up at the sign above the bar that read "Anne-Marie's." He smiled, not caring if anyone thought it was cheesy to name his restaurant after his mother.  His mom had always been his lucky star, and he couldn't have gotten through the last couple of years without her. 

"You look so serious,' a voice behind him startled him out of his thoughts.

"What the fuck Hima," Ashton yelped, clutching his chest dramatically. "I thought you were still in the kitchen." 

"The guys didn't leave me anything to do so I decided to change and have a drink with you before my brother gets here," she tossed her bag and chef's coat onto a stool grinning at Ashton. She hopped up to sit on the bar before swinging her legs around as she pushed off. Landing without a wobble she reached under the bar and grabbed a bottle of black label Bushmill's Irish Whiskey and two short glasses. 

"Straight for the good stuff, I like the way you think," Ashton smirked, taking a seat at the bar. 

"To simply mark the occasion, of course" she poured them each a shot before adding a splash of water.  She raised her glass, "Cheers to you, Boss, and to Anne-Marie's." 

They clinked glasses. "Couldn't have done it without you," he replied before taking a sip.

"Awwwwww thanks Ashtton, " she grinned at him. "Damn that's good, the whiskey makes me forgive the Irish for how dreadful Guinness is. Did you see Kevin Mackie snuck in last night? I expect a write up in the Metro on Tuesday and I know you saw Patricia Bennett," she rolled her eyes at the name.

"She makes herself hard to miss," he snorted. "I missed Mackie though. Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Because we were busy and I didn't have time for you to get all giggly and nervous. He got the crab puffs and the Mac and Brie and inhaled them. You were right about the nutmeg; I thought he was going to lick the plate."  She opened two bottles of beer before hopping back over the bar and taking a seat next to Ashton. 

"How did this weekend compare to the opening of ‘Lune Rouge’? Was it as good as the first time?" Hima finished her whiskey before shaking a pack of Camel Crush cigarettes out of her bag. 

"If you get ashes on the bar Paloma will flip her shit," Ashton warned. 

"I'm not afraid of her," Hima snipped, but she made sure to be careful. No sense in antagonizing their temperamental main bartender. 

"This opening was definitely smoother than the first one. We didn't know what the hell we were doing. The first night we ran out of duck fat and gorgonzola before the dinner rush was over. My sous chef's sister had to run to Whole Foods for emergency supplies. We got lucky the press ignored us for a couple weeks until we got a little buzz going. This time I knew what to expect but there was also more pressure," he paused, taking a pull on the bottle of beer. "This time I  expected to succeed right out of the gate." 

"You succeeded there," Hima stubbed her cigarette out in her empty glass. "I really need to quit." 

"You could get a puff bar and start vaping," he teased.

"I'm not a fucking junior varsity cheerleader. I can take my cancer like a big girl." She checked her phone. "Ugh it's almost nine, and it's gonna take me at least thirty minutes to get home. You're closing tomorrow with me right?" 

"Yeah, I'll be in around 11 all this week. Rafi is handling brunch with Gloria but I want to be here," Ashton double-checked his phone. "Tuesday I have that interview with Men's Life and they just emailed me." 

Hima saw his nose scrunch up as he read.  "What's wrong?" 

"I thought they were sending Taj, but instead of rescheduling the interview, they're sending Calum Hood," Ashton sneered. 

"Chill dude, it's not that bad," Hima was confused by the venom in his voice. "Yeah he's a bit of a goof, but he's hot and not a pretentious dickhead. They could've sent Felipe." 

"True, true," he grumbled as he saw a black Honda pull up outside. "Kabir is here." 

"Shit, ok see you tomorrow, Boss," she grabbed her stuff, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and ran out the door, locking it behind her. 

Ashton walked through once again. He made sure the lights were off in the employee lounge. Since many of his staff members used public transport or worked two jobs, Rafi had convinced Ashton to provide his staff with a decent place to take a break and get ready before or after work.  He built a small shower stall, lockers, and provided clean towels, and as his new kitchen manager, Rafi took responsibility for maintaining the space. Ashton took a last look at the bar, double-checking for any stray ashes Hima might have missed before setting the alarm, locking up, and heading home. 

Calum opened the email from his editor and swore loud enough to wake the scruffy brown terrier mix snoozing at his feet.

Hey Cal,

Sorry it's such short notice but Taj's mom had an emergency and I need you to cover for him. He's interviewing Ashton Irwin, remember him? He had the Lune Rouge a few years ago. Well, he's got a new place, diverse staff and we're doing a feature. Maybe even the cover if he's really pretty. Tuesday at 2 pm I'll send you the address and details after I talk to Taj. Oh, and my friend Nick is coming into town and I told him you'd show him around. It's been a while since you had a date but you'll like him. He's kinda short, but he's got big muscles, huge dick, perfect credit. You could do a lot worse.

Call me tomorrow

Sham

This isn't good, this isn't good. Calum's mind was racing. He rubbed his temples trying to think. Taj was notoriously reliable and responsible, so if he was taking off on short notice, it must be serious. It was just his bad luck it was Ashton Irwin. 

He usually covered travel and sports for Men's Life while Taj handled food and fashion. Calum didn't mind taking back food and dining for the time being. He'd started in that industry, working as a line cook while he went to school for journalism. He'd quit both when a flirty, older professor recommended him for an internship at California Culture and he managed to land a real job. Professor Davis had been highly disappointed to lose him as a student and catch him making out with her son who went to the same college. He'd found a tiny shitty apartment, spent his life on the road for work, and sent every penny he didn't need to live on to his family. He didn't even date for the longest time until he met a handsome blonde with sharp features and a sharper tongue.

He couldn't remember if it was four years ago or five, but he clearly recalled his review of Lune Rouge had not been nice. Calum was in a toxic relationship with the restaurant's sous chef at the time. He'd let his personal life spill over into his work for the first and only time. It wasn't something Calum was proud of and while he felt he owed Ashton an apology, the right time and place hadn't presented itself yet. He'd run into Ashton twice since then. The first time he was with his husband, and Calum wasn't about to humble himself in front of Luke. The second encounter came not long after their marriage broke up. Calum was dating a photographer at the time, when Ashton came to the photographer’s art show. They were briefly introduced but Ashton's chilly demeanor discouraged any further conversation, so Calum avoided him the rest of the evening. He remembered being unable to stop staring at the handsome chef with the sad eyes. He'd always hoped they'd bump into each other under better circumstances. I guess an interview will have to do.

********

Ashton sat out on his condo balcony overlooking Echo Park, taking in the night air and enjoying a second bottle of IPA. Hima was right, the opening had been a smash. Anne-Marie's had the best staff he'd ever had the pleasure of working with, and aside from a small mix up between gruyere and Havarti cheese, the opening had been smooth. The alcohol hummed in his veins as he allowed his mind to wander back five years. 

Lune Rouge's opening had been a chaotic mess of brilliance, balls, and blind luck. He was a year out of culinary school, newly married, and ecstatically in love with his husband. Luke was a trust fund baby; his dad ran a major studio. He put up the funding for their restaurant which procured a prime spot in trendy West Hollywood. Ashton had the idea of taking traditional French cuisine and turning it into "pub grub." Luke created a kitschy tacky cool interior with the ambiance of fairy light curtains, vintage 90's movie posters, an eye-popping pink and aqua come scheme.  Featuring a bartender who doubled as a DJ, the restaurant became an immediate hot spot.  

 The culinary press treated them like rock stars and it went to their head.  Ashton was portrayed as the mysterious boy genius, boisterous and foul-mouthed, he ran the back of the house, oversaw the business and created the menu. Luke, who's blonde-haired blue-eyed good looks were regularly described as "angelic", was the frontman, often schmoozing in the dining room, taking song requests, or slinging drinks behind the bar. They worked so well together until they didn't. 

Ashton shook his head, not allowing himself to linger on negative thoughts, not when he'd fought to regain balance. He'd spent the last year freeing himself from the wreckage of his partnership with Luke. Still, tonight after the opening, alone and overlooking the city lights, his mind kept going back to the exhilaration of that first opening night. After they stayed late with the crew for a drink to celebrate, Luke's hand wandered up Ashton's thigh causing him to almost choke on his tequila. Soon Luke started whining about all the paperwork he had to do before they could go home. The crew quickly bagged it out of there, not wanting to get roped into more work. 

Ashton swallowed at the memory before glancing around at the other balconies. It was late enough most of his neighbors should be asleep. Already hard, he reached down and squeezed his bulge through the thin fabric of his pajama pants. 

After letting everyone else out of Lune Rouge that first night he'd been puzzled to find Luke no longer at the bar. He heard noises coming from the office. When he opened the door, he found his husband, shirtless, and waiting for him. 

Ashton slid his hand into his pants swiping his thumb across the leaking tip. He heard a sliding glass door open and froze in place until he realized it was his neighbor below him chatting on the phone. He stroked himself and let his mind wander back to Luke. It had been too long since Ashton got laid, and Luke was still the best sex he'd ever had. He shuddered and bit his lip thinking about the way Luke grinned at him as he opened the office door. Before Ashton could say a word, Luke was sinking to his knees. A bit awkward given his long legs, but it didn't take long before he was letting Ashton fuck his throat. The thought of those blue eyes looking up at him as Ash's hands tangled in those blonde curls caused a moan to slip out, and his neighbor stopped talking at the sound. 

"I think somebody is having sex," he heard her whisper. He almost laughed. 

His dick was twitching flat against his stomach as he ducked back inside his bedroom, kicked off his pants, and grabbed a small tube of lube. Ashton shut off the light and stepped back outside. 

The breeze cooled his fevered skin as he stood there looking out at the city and stroking his dick. The idea that he could possibly be seen turned him on almost as much as his trip down memory lane.  He swallowed another moan thinking about how Luke's lips felt against his, their tongues tangled until he pulled back looking at Ashton with mischief and love before giving him a wink and turning around. 

Ashton's breath caught in his throat as he worked his cock thinking about it. The red and white striped pants his husband pranced around in that night had been blissful torment working him up until the moment he slid those pants down and bent over the desk.

"Come take what's yours, my love, I've been wanting you all night," he cooed, wiggling his hips. 

Luke was a whiny boy when he was getting pounded, and the memory sent Ashton closer to the edge. He felt his knees tremble as he increased his speed, the city lights becoming starbursts in his vision as he edged himself closer. At the moment of release, he swore he could feel Luke pushing back against him taking him in as deep as he could go. 

When Ashton opened his eyes, he found himself sweaty and streaked with his own seed. He was amazed he'd managed to stay quiet, but his neighbor was chatting away obliviously. He went back inside, cracked another beer, and took it with him into the shower, trying to focus on his day tomorrow.

 It was after midnight by the time he went to bed. His body was exhausted but the adrenaline from the opening weekend hadn't quite worn off. He found himself still restless and playing on his phone. After scrolling through Instagram, he found himself looking at the page belonging to the Galway Grill-- Ashton cringed at the name-- an Irish pub and microbrewery very recently opened by Luke and his boyfriend Finn. 

Ashton simmered with resentment perusing the menu; they'd recycled at least half of the Lune Rouge recipes, his creations. He'd heard they'd rushed their opening to launch the week before Anne-Marie's, and even with Daddy's deep pockets the decor looked slapped together, all flash no class. He came to a picture of the happy couple and couldn't help but notice how thin and tired Luke looked despite his huge smile. He felt a twinge of concern for his ex before pushing his phone away in disgust. Rolling out of bed, he headed to the bathroom and fished an orange prescription bottle out of the cabinet. He broke a valium in half and swallowed the smaller piece with a gulp of water straight from the faucet. He scrolled through different sounds on his phone before settling on crashing waves. He spent the next ten minutes stretching and practicing deep breathing to push out any lingering negativity and troubling thoughts. It was too late to drag up the past and there was nothing to be gained. Ashton crawled back under the duvet and sank into a deep sleep dreaming of blue eyes.

*********

Hima rolled into work a little after one, pleased to see a decent lunch crowd and multiple delivery orders going out. She ordered a chicken mojito wrap for her lunch and headed back to the office to find Ashton. She found him in his chair with his laptop open on his desk, a notebook in his lap while scrolling through his phone. 

"So what's the Monday morning report, Boss?" She asked, taking a seat across from him. 

Ashton was beaming as he spun the laptop around to show her. "We made 30% over our projected sales. We came in right at payroll, actually a little under if you can believe that." 

"I've checked the reservation book," she responded, flashing her phone. "We're booked solid for dinner Friday and Saturday and will call is 3 pm-7 pm. We're probably going to have to do that all week." 

"Whatever you need. This weekend is going to be bonkers. If you have any suggestions, I'd like to do something for the staff. That reminds me, I've got to talk to Maisie." He scribbled down a quick note.

"She's already on it," Hima laughed. "The servers who struggled are coming in for extra training with her and Dakota. I have no doubt she'll straighten them up or ship them out."  

Ashton nodded as Daniel knocked on the office door to bring their lunch. 

"How's it going out there? Let us know if you need anything," Ashton told him.

"We've got this, Boss, enjoy your lunch," Daniel closed the door behind him.

"He's Rafi's brother?" Hima asked before taking a big bite. 

"Cousin, Gloria is his sister," Ashton replied tucking into his roasted corn and quinoa salad with queso fresco. 

"Are you ready for this interview tomorrow? You look tired," Hima looked concerned. 

"I am tired," he shrugged. "I just wanna get this over with. I'm thrilled we're doing so well, but that's not what the press wants to talk about." 

"Don't think about it like that. Anne-Marie's will stand on her own. You've just gotta get through this week. I know it's a lot," her words were half-muffled by a napkin.

"Tomorrow is the worst of it. Mackie called and is available Tuesday at one or Thursday for dinner around four. Since he's already been here for dinner, I thought I'd let Rafi wow him this time," he told her.

"Good idea, try to keep it short because if he drinks he gets super chatty. He gave a lecture at school and came to the bar afterward; he would not shut up," she warned.

"Chatty bastard, got it," he replied and they both laughed. 

Anne-Marie's was his restaurant, but he couldn't have done it without Hima.  She was fresh out of culinary school working as a line cook at the Hilton when he'd discovered her a little over a year ago. Ashton only lasted four months before chafing under the corporate yoke and deciding to strike out on his own. She'd been the first person he'd hired for the restaurant, guaranteeing her first year's salary out of his own pocket. Rafi and DeSean were excellent managers for the kitchen, but Hima was a coach: she understood the business as a whole. He'd let her handle most of the press and promotion, and she'd scored two big interviews.

Gourmet Table had interviewed him last Thursday The piece wouldn't be that in-depth, but they'd spent three hours photographing food. He expected the Men's Life article to focus more on him and his personal life. Calum Hood was known for his sharp pen and take-no-prisoners style.  He'd given Lune Rouge two stars and a biting review during a brief stint at California Culture before he'd become known. It was five years ago, but Ashton still had the clipping somewhere. Calum had branded Lune's food as tasty and imaginative but thought the presentation was lacking in creativity. He'd ripped into the decor, calling it "somewhere between art house and frat house," and labeled Luke and Ashton "spoiled pretty boys pretending to be chefs." Luke had brushed it off with a laugh, but it still bothered Ashton. 

Unlike the Hemmings’, Ashton’s family didn't have money to throw around. He'd started at sixteen, washing dishes and peeling vegetables for Chef François at Bordeaux on Hollywood. He'd taken culinary classes after high school while working full time. Sadly, Chef François had a heart attack and retired around the time he met Luke. 

"You're not listening again," Hima complained, licking her fingers. "Rafi killed it with this wrap. The chicken is amazing, but the cucumber-mint salad and the tamarind chili mayo are next fucking level." 

"You're right, I'm not. Sorry about that," he pushed his plate aside.

"Ok, what's got you so rattled? You've handled the press like a champ up until now. Is it Mackie or Hood? Who needs to catch these hands?" Hima stood and assumed a fighter's stance, bouncing on her toes. 

"Easy there killer, I can defend my own honor. Mackie is an irritating little mosquito. He just wants gossip, but he's got enough readers so we all have to kiss his ass. Hood gave me one of the few bad reviews we got at Lune, and it stuck. He called us frat boys and said we were trying too hard," Ashton rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed by saying it out loud. 

Hima raised her eyebrows and smirked, "I love it when you're petty. You're always so perfect and Zen, it's annoying." 

"My therapist would disagree. Oh shit, that reminds me," he straightened up in his chair and grabbed his phone. "I've got an appointment at 2:30. I'll be back before 4," he dropped his eyes to the floor. 

"Ashton," her voice was soft but commanding, and he looked up. "I don't know what's going on, and if you don't want to tell me that's fine. I want you to take care of yourself, whatever that takes. Ok?" He nodded and she smiled, "You can tell Dr. Claire that I've confirmed her for 8 pm Saturday, and you're going to personally cook her dinner. We've got the 50th anniversary that night so maybe you could flex and make your Pavlova's? I'll get the berries myself." 

"It's a deal; we can comp them champagne, too. I'd better get going before I get yelled at. She's a stickler for punctuality, I think it's a British thing."  

"I'll hold things down until you get back," Hima gathered up the dishes and headed out with Ashton right behind her. 

*********

Ashton drew a deep breath and exhaled through his nose as the reporter settled in the chair across from him.  Kevin Mackie's column in L.A. Metro was the definitive opinion for restaurants on the West Coast. His readers loved the snarky tone, celeb sightings, and bitchy gossip that peppered his column. His reviews could make or break new restaurants. 

"Let me start off by saying I love the decor of this place. It's rustic, but not in that played out, hipster-in-the-woods nonsense," he leaned in and lowered his voice towards the end of the comment with a coy smirk. 

"You'll find no Mason jars here," Ashton replied, taking the bait. Kevin liked people who liked him, and his most recent column was a snarky takedown of "Pinterest style interiors." Ashton found the article tedious and uninspired, but there was no need to be antagonistic right out of the gate. 

Ashton watched as the reporter ordered his lunch from their server Zia. He guessed Kevin to be in his forties, and he thought he could see fresh hair plugs, bleached blonde, and a bit of Botox. Rumor had it, he'd recently split with his long-time girlfriend over a fling with a much younger waiter. Ashton tried not to pay attention to industry gossip. However, his personal problems made their way into the column more than once, and he couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of satisfaction at the other man's problems. 

After they'd both ordered, Kevin sat back and took a sip of his Pellegrino water and smacked his lips. "I was here the other night and I have to admit I was prepared to be underwhelmed. A menu based on sandwiches and comfort food sounded like an upscale Applebee's, but I really liked it despite myself. I was surprised to see your main girl was on the mature side, but she's efficient as hell so I get the trade-off." 

Ashton's body tensed at the insult to Maisie, and he took a deep breath. Exhaling through his nose he forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Kevin was prattling on with some bit of gossip as Ashton sipped on his iced coffee. 

"So let's start with something simple and ease our way into the rough stuff," Kevin set his voice recorder on the table between them. "Tell me how you formulated your top-secret house coffee blend." 

Ashton broke into a wide grin as he described taking two months to travel and sample different beans, learn more about the roasting and blending process. Kevin sipped his coffee and nodded as if deep in thought, but his eyes kept wandering to Ashton's biceps. He'd been baking this morning so he smelled of cinnamon, his black t-shirt damp and clingy from sweating under his chef coat.

"So we sell the house blend all year, but we have single-source coffee that's seasonal, all of it fair trade," Ashton finished proudly. 

"Coffee has always been your thing if I remember correctly," Kevin said.

"True, true, and once I started roasting my own beans it became a true obsession." 

Kevin followed it up with a couple more softball questions about menu details and sandwiches. Ashton expounded on his love of food. "Cooking for someone is a simple way to show care, to be enjoyed almost as much as dining should be. Food is caring and comfort; it sustains us. It brings people together in a shared experience."

 "Ooh that's a nice pull quote," Mackie chuckled. "I love when y'all have media training. It makes the bullshit flow much smoother.

Ashton seethed but said nothing. He'd watched this man's pettiness wreck a good opening, and Ashton couldn't do that to his crew. Zia brought their lunch. Ashton noticed Kevin had also ordered the chicken mojito wrap. 

"This looks delicious. I think it's a nice touch that you've got so much, let's say diversity, in your restaurant. That you're actually letting them make their own food makes your menu more interesting. Not all restaurants get it. Please tell me you've seen how horribly Finn ripped you off for that tacky Irish pub," Kevin glanced up at him a tiny smirk playing on

"I haven't paid any attention to that," Ashton wanted to end the interview right there. 

"Oh come on, you've had to see how much he's trying to recreate the magic you and Luke once had. The menu is tired, I don't give a fuck if he is Irish. Finn has no imagination yet fancies himself an impresario. Luke's still got it though. He even asked when I was coming here. I didn't tell him of course, I'm a professional after all." 

"Of course," Ashton nodded checking out of the conversation. The reporter talked as he ate which given the wrap he was eating proved especially messy and little flecks of food kept flying his way. Ashton watched the door, nodding at customers, silently willing someone to come and save him. Kevin was still talking about himself when Hima and Zia came out of the kitchen. Ashton tried to catch their eye when he felt a hand on his arm. 

"I wanna ask you about that one," Kevin leaned in so he could almost whisper.

"Who? Hima? What about her?" Ashton was pretty sure he wasn't going to like the answer. 

"What's the deal? I've only ever seen you with Luke. Did your palette change that much? India must've been a real spiritual awakening for you huh?" Kevin winked at him, thinking he was clever. 

Ashton controlled his breathing trying to keep his temper in check. He looked over at the reporter who kept talking oblivious to the situation. 

"Who doesn't like trying something exotic. She seems like a smart cookie. She's darker than most Indian girls you see, like a rich brown butter sauce. I bet she tastes like tumeric though." 

"Get out of my restaurant" Ashton hissed, his hands gripping the table to restrain himself from physical violence. "You are not going to insult my staff, my friends, in their restaurant." 

Kevin started to speak but Ashton cut him off.

"Not another fucking word" he kept his voice at a low growl so as not to cause a scene. He noticed a couple of the closest tables were already watching them. "You've said enough and I'm barely holding back as it is. Get out of my restaurant, don't ever come back, don't ever speak to me again, and if you trash me in this review I promise you I will find you and fuck you up personally." Ashton stood up and Kevin flinched, the sight would have made him laugh if he hadn't been so furious. He stepped back and the reporter scrambled out of his seat leaving his lunch unfinished. Ashton walked back into the kitchen, Hima fast on his heels. He kicked the door open to the break room and headed for the speed bag hanging in the corner. He'd learned the hard way punching walls usually resulted in the wall winning the fight so he'd given himself something easier on his hands. 

Hima watched him from the door, his back and biceps rippling as he went two minutes at full speed. When he finally turned around she could see the anger had cooled somewhat. She hated that her boss looked incredibly sexy when he was angry. 

"Are you gonna tell me what happened?" She asked when he turned back around. 

"Nope, it'll just piss me off all over again, and I gotta get ready for another fucking interview. With a guy who already doesn't like me," Ashton put this coat back on and headed into the line to check on Rafi. 

At least the second interview can't be worse, she thought, wishing she believed it. 

*********

Calum eased his beat up Range Rover into the parking lot of Anne-Marie's amongst the Mercedes, Audi's, and Teslas. He cursed the traffic when he checked the time. He was late, and they were busy. Not a good look he thought, grabbing his bag. 

He smiled at the ladies waiting for a table before introducing himself to the impossibly serene hostess. He was quickly led to a table in an alcove not far from the kitchen. As he pulled out his voice recorder and notebook, he noticed a young woman heading his way. Her black hair was knotted tightly in a bun on top of her head, and her chef's coat had a large streak of what might be hollandaise sauce. He remembered his editor, Jacqueline, telling him Anne-Marie's had a female sous chef. He checked the notes she'd given him quickly as she was stopped by a server. Hima, Culinary Institute of America graduate, 23, Indian maybe? 

"Hello I'm Hima Singh, you must be Calum Hood," she greeted him. From up close, he noticed that her eyes were a rich golden brown and that her smile didn't reach her eyes. He chalked it up to her youth; his editor said she was 23 but she looked like a teenager. He mentally stopped himself there. He'd become jaded by one too many husband/wife teams in recent years trying to rebrand a post-divorce startup as a "new adventure." While the divorce was true, Calum knew Ashton's history.

"Yup that's me, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hima," he shook her hand, relieved to see her relax a bit. 

"Chef Irwin will be out shortly. He's helping with a problem in the back" she glanced towards the kitchen, and Calum had a feeling she was lying.

"Can I get you something while you wait? Do you like coffee? We have a house blend cold brew Chef Irwin selected himself that we roast and grind on-site," she asked motioning towards the sign listing the daily selection of teas and coffee. 

"Thanks, but maybe not coffee. I'm nervous enough without more caffeine," he admitted, "but the lavender and blackberry infused lemonade sounds amazing." He smiled and her face softened. 

"Absolutely," she signaled to Zia who brought Calum his drink and a basket of warm, fluffy yeast rolls with Anne Marie's cinnamon honey butter. The smell reminded Calum he'd skipped breakfast as his stomach began to rumble. 

"So you're Chef Irwin's sous chef? I heard a rumor you were a partner as well," he asked, almost drooling as he tore into the soft bread, watching the steam escape. 

"Yes sir," Hima's smile finally reached her eyes, and she sat down across from him. "When he got his core team together for Anne Marie's, there's three of us total. Desean and Rafi are his kitchen managers, and he gave us the opportunity to buy in as minority investors, no pun intended." 

"These rolls are incredible. Please take one before I finish this whole basket and ruin my lunch. How long have the three of you worked for Ashton, excuse me, Chef Irwin?" He asked.

"Desean and Rafi were part of his Lune Rouge crew. They go way back, but he met me fresh out of school and took me under his wing," she told him.

"Did you go to CIA?" Calum was jotting down notes, getting a feel for the story.

"I wish, it's so pretty up there. My twin brother attended Brown, and I went to Johnson and Wales so we could stay close." 

"You're a twin? Is he a chef as well?" Calum asked.

"Are you kidding? He's a lawyer, of course, my parents had to have one in the family," Hima laughed. 

Zia appeared beside their table. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Rafi is looking for you, Hima." 

A worried frown replaced her warm smile and Calum felt his nerves bubbling back up. He glanced around and caught sight of Ashton, flushed and sweaty from the heat of the kitchen, poking his head around the corner. Their eyes met, and Calum felt like he'd been hit by lightning.  

Hima saw his reaction and whipped around to see what Calum was looking at. Spotting her boss she quickly excused herself and hurried to the back. 

Zia cleared her throat and Calum realized she was still standing next to his table.

"Would you like to try Rafi's plantain skewers while you wait? It's my favorite thing here, and it'll leave room for whatever these geniuses cook up," she asked with a smile and a wink. 

He nodded and she headed to the server station to put the order in. Calum looked around and started taking notes.  The most striking thing about the decor was how they'd used diffused skylights for soft lighting to accent the Nakashima-style crafted wooden furniture.  Thanks to his Mom’s love of Antiques Roadshow when he was younger Calum discovered his preference for natural grain wood and bespoke pieces. He liked the use of pastel neon signs to complement the muted green and blue tones of the mosaic tile floors and he thought the framed pictures of what he assumed were family photos of the staff provided a really nice personal touch. The largest photo was in the bar of Ashton and his mother, the restaurant's namesake, Anne Marie. 

Zia set a plate down in front of him. "The boss will be out in a minute., Let me get you some more tea," she told him. 

The skewers consisted of chunks of pineapple, plantain, red onion, and sweet potato grilled and dusted with chili powder and brown sugar served with a yogurt sauce for dipping. 

Calum was almost finished with the first one when Ashton came out of the back, making his way towards him. The chef stopped to talk to several customers, the hostess, and Zia before he made it to Calum's table. Cal licked his fingers, wiping his hands clean with a Sani-wipe before standing up and offering a handshake. 

Ashton took his hand and Calum wasn't expecting it to feel so soft. Caught off guard Calum stammered out an introduction as he sat, but he noticed Ashton just nodded, barely listening. 

"If today isn't a good day we can reschedule," Calum sipped his tea, his throat suddenly dry.

"I'm here aren't I?" Ashton snapped. He folded his arms across his chest, his hazel eyes narrowing at Calum. "I still remember your first review you know."

Calum's pulse was racing. He hated confrontation, and he hadn't expected Ashton to kick off right away. He knew he'd better suck it up and apologize if this wasn't going to go completely off the rails. 

"Listen, I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have been such a dickhead."  As he spoke Ashton scoffed at him and Calum felt his cheeks get warm.  "I was young and stupid. I let something personal affect that review. I'm sorry." 

"Personal? With Luke? What do you mean by that?" Ashton went from annoyed to hostile.

Calum realized he'd said something wrong but wasn't sure what exactly. He was floundering trying to think of what to say next. 

"Nothing with Luke, no no no. I was involved with Finn and we weren't getting along. It's so stupid I know, but I think you're a great chef. The new place looks incredible, and Hima is a delight." 

The anger drained from Ashton's face, leaving him looking empty and sad. His head dropped to his chest, and Calum held his breath waiting for him to speak. 

"I'm really sorry, it's not you, but I can't do this right now. Maybe we can reschedule or something. My apologies, but I have to get back to work," Ashton mumbled, standing up. 

Calum spotted Hima watching them from the podium, chewing on her lip, her black eyes wide with concern as Ashton hurried back to the kitchen. Calum started to get up but she was too quick for him. 

"Well, aren't you lucky. I'm going on my lunch and I hate to eat alone," she slid back into the seat across from him. "Please forgive my boss. He's had a rough day, but I'm better company anyway." She waved to Zia who headed their way. "You gotta try the toasted gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce if you like cheese, but if you want something lighter the apple carrot kale wrap is excellent too," she smiled at him, and to her relief he smiled back, both of them realizing the situation might be salvageable after all.

(A/N: y’all my tag list, much like my life, is a hot mess. I know some of what I write isn’t for everyone. If you want tagged in part 2 of this fic or my upcoming smuts, pink kink series, or dad!calum series please let me know. I apologize for my previous mistake)

@sublimehood​ @tea4sykes​ @be-ready-when-i-say-go​ @scribblesos​ @kiiiimberlyriiiicker1995​ @wildmichaelflower​ @castaway-cashton​ @damselindistressanu​ @notinthesameguey​ @cashtonasfuck​ @irwinkitten​ @mermaidcashton​ @malumsmermaid​

[rimalupin]

Arthur x MC: “Never Have I Ever...”

(A/N: Fluff piece w/ a hint of angst and the *tiniest* bit of suggestive content. I wanted to show Arthur some more ~love~ by writing him w/ a bestie who’s comfortable with platonic touching/cuddling ((but also this is once again a lowkey self-indulgent piece bc i miss hugging my friends hnggggg T_T)). I’m also a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, so there’s that, hehe~. c: )

~~~~~

“Never have I ever… Broken a bone.”

“Well, I didn't expect that from you.” Arthur raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Haven’t you at least sprained something?”

“That's not the same as breaking something,” I point out as I massage my wrist. A habit I’ve developed ever since I first sprained it.

“I’m well aware.” His eyes dart to my wrist and he reaches out to grab my hand. Of course he’d know I’d sprained my wrist before just by seeing me touch it. Normally, Arthur’s super-observational skills would catch me off-guard. They still do, but I think they’re growing on me now. I guess that’s how you know we’ve spent A LOT of time together. 

He lifts up my hand and gently moves it about. I’m assuming he’s making sure that my wrist is still working. “I’m glad you haven’t broken it.”

I shrug. “I don’t do anything too weird with my hands, so I’m not really worried about that.”

“Oh? Define what you consider a ‘weird’ activity for your hands.” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively and I lightly punch his shoulder with my free hand. “OH! MAN DOWN!” He lets go of my hand and clutches his arm before falling onto his bed. 

I giggle and follow his lead so that I’m lying beside him. “Alright, stop stalling: it’s your turn.”

He turns to lay on his side and places a finger on my lips. “Have patience, my dear assistant! I’m still thinking.”

I gently pry his finger away. “Arthur, ‘Never Have I Ever’ is just a silly get-to-know-you game. It isn’t something you’re supposed to mull over for hours like… chess.”

“Usually, players aren’t supposed to think for THAT long in chess. But you’d know that, Miss ‘Almost-National-Chess-Champion’.”

I roll my eyes and sigh. I never should’ve let that fact slip out. I hadn’t played chess since middle school, so I’m dreading the day that Arthur asks me to play a game with him. My rusty skills wouldn’t be enough to beat him at even one game...

I quickly attempt to re-direct him to ‘Never Have I Ever.’ “Ohhh, just play the game already!” I poke at his sides, trying to see if any ticklish spots exist there. I’ve been trying to look for them for a while, but I still haven't quite found them yet.

“Alright, alright.” He chuckles and grabs my hands. Our fingers interlock almost automatically.

It’s not the first time we’ve held hands like this - it’s become kind of our “thing” ever since we got close. Arthur’s the first friend I managed to make at the mansion, not to mention my first best friend who happens to be a vampire. Our friendship is special, and this is one of the many special things that resulted in it.

“Never have I ever…” He gives my hands a light squeeze, and I promptly return the gesture. “Been bitten by a vampire.”

I furrow my brow. “Pff, no way. I don’t believe you.”

“What? Why not?”

“Isn’t that how humans get ‘turned’? Like some powerful vampire bites a mortal and suddenly they become a vamp?”

“My dear, that is but a myth. The contract we have with le Comte didn’t require him to just bite us to give us a taste of eternal life.” Arthur wraps an arm around my waist, and I squeal with surprise when he pulls me close to him, his body flush against mine. His voice is low and he gazes at me intensely. “It required something much more dangerous.” I have to tell myself not to blush as I feel his breath on my face.

On one hand, I can see why so many ladies fall for Arthur’s advances: he's handsome, charming, and - dare I say - very sexy when he chooses to be. If they were in my position now, I'd imagine that they’d throw themselves into Arthur’s arms and start making out with him before they… well, you know…

On the other hand, it’s Arthur. Yes, he’s an awful flirt, but he’s also extremely intelligent, caring, and goofy. I love these sides of him, and I’m glad that he’s been showing me more of them lately.

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Don’t tell me that le Comte is secretly pimping you guys out.”

“My word, get your mind out of the gutter!” he chides.

“It’s your fault for putting that thought into my head! But no shame if it’s true,” I tease. We laugh aloud, our voices echoing through the room.

Once we catch our breaths, Arthur speaks again. “_____ seriously, you’ve been here for almost a month now. Have you really not been bitten yet?”

I shake my head. “Nope.”

“How interesting…” He’s quiet for a moment. “Nobody here has bitten you?” 

Besides some really close calls (courtesy of Arthur, though it never went further than his mouth hovering near my neck - a move he used on me when I first arrived at the mansion), none of the residents had actually done that to me. “Arthur, I’m pretty sure I’d know if someone bit me.” “I’m just asking! But…” He looks at me with a curious gaze. “Have you ever wondered what it feels like?”

I shrug. “I mean, I guess.” I’m living with a bunch of vampires - of course I’m a little curious. 

But I’m also scared. Does it hurt? How much blood will I lose? Will I pass out?

As if reading my thoughts, Arthur gives my arm a reassuring squeeze. “You don’t have to worry about that here. We’ve got plenty of Blanc and Rouge stocked up, so none of the residents would just sweep you up and make you their meal.”

I look at him, my expression deadpan. “Gee, thanks. Glad to know I won’t be eaten up during my stay.”

“I’m serious! But if you want to know…” His fingers reach up to tuck some stray hairs behind my ear. “You can use me.”

I blink at him, confused. “Use you..?”

He nods, completely serious. “I can bite you. And there’s no need to worry: I’ve done this plenty of times before, so I won't go too wild on you. Not that I've gone completely wild on anyone else!" He quickly adds.

I widen my eyes as I recall what Sebastian had told me when I first met Arthur: “Arthur feeding off of others is a sort of - How do I put this? - ‘vampiric foreplay,’ I suppose.” Does that mean that if he bites me, we’ll..?

No, that can’t be true. Surely Sebastian was over-exaggerating. I’ve heard that people can be into that kind of stuff, so how could it be any different with a vampire?

But I don't want to become just another one-night-stand for Arthur. He's my best friend - I wouldn't want to ruin what we already have...

Again, Arthur reads my thoughts. “We don’t have to do anything beyond that if you don’t want to. But I should warn you that the feeling is rather… intense.”

I narrow my eyes at his explanation, my skepticism at an all-time high. “I don’t believe you.”

“Well, perhaps I can convince you with an alternative explanation. A demonstration perhaps?” He’s speaking with his “Flirty Arthur” voice, but his eyes… There’s a look in them that I haven’t seen before. It’s almost as if he’s been wanting to do this…

I reach out to touch his cheek, curious about the longing look in his eyes. He leans into my touch, and we silently gaze at each other for a while.

I finally manage to answer him. “Fine. Just this once.” My voice comes out quiet and a little shaky. Am I nervous about this..? “But if it hurts like hell and if you draw too much blood out of me, you’d better stop.”

Arthur’s gaze softens and he gives me a kind smile. “Alright. Just tell me and I will stop. I promise.” After I nod again, he wraps his arms around me and rolls us over so that he’s on top of me. I look up at him, still wondering about that look in his eyes. 

He leans closer to me, and I hold my breath as his forehead touches mine. “Just relax,” he whispers. "You trust me, right?" Something wavers in his gaze. Is he as nervous about this as I am..?

I give him a gentle smile, hoping to reassure him. "Of course I do."

He nods and takes a breath before speaking again. “The pain only lasts for a moment.” He moves closer to my neck, gently pushing my hair aside before hovering his lips over my pulse. “But I promise that you’ll feel much better right after.”

Before I could ask what he meant, Arthur’s fangs pierce into my skin, and my eyes widen as I yelp aloud. “AH!” 

The pain is sharp and intense, and I feel as if my neck is on fire. My eyes begin to fill with tears as the wave of pain spreads throughout my body.

But a short while later, the pain starts to fade until it feels... nice..?

An involuntary moan spills out of my mouth, but I’m too overwhelmed by the feeling to quiet myself. What is this feeling anyway..?

Pleasure? No… More like ecstasy radiating throughout my entire being. 

The spot on my neck continues to throb, becoming more intense as it travels down to the rest of my body, setting everything on fire.

Arthur begins to suck on my neck, and I wrap my arms around him, almost instinctively. “Mmm…”

It feels so good… 

My fingers tangle through his hair and he moans onto my neck.

I want more…

I pull him closer to me, and he presses his chest against mine.

I want him...

This feeling. It wasn't just lust. It was…

I have to tell him…

He lifts his head and gazes at me.

I need him...

My eyes dart down to his lips, now lightly stained red from my blood.

Arthur...

He's inching closer to me, his lips hovering over mine. So close, nearly touching.

Our gazes lock onto each other, and he whispers to me. "Do you want this, _____?"

I stare into his dark blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes filled with longing… need… and something else…

The right thing to do is to say "no." Even if I do like him, I still have to return to my own time sooner or later. I didn't want either of us to get hurt by that inevitable future. But now that I'm facing him like this, I'm not sure if I can hide my feelings any longer…

So I nod. "Yes." There's no point in running now. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck. "I want this. I want you, Arthur."

His eyes widen with surprise. He whispers my name as he lifts a hand to my cheek, and I lean into his touch. We draw closer to each other, closing the distance between us until…

We're kissing. Arthur and I are kissing. It's a gentle, slow kiss so achingly sweet that I nearly cry when our lips first touch. The taste of his lips sends a thrill through me that I have never felt before.

Soon enough, the kiss grows more passionate, sending even more flames throughout my body. My lips part slightly as I moan, and his tongue easily slips into my mouth. I cling onto him, and he holds me tight as our kiss deepens.

And then we break apart, our foreheads touching as we catch our breaths. As if waking from a dream, I blink at him, dazed. "Did we just..?" I didn't just imagine that, right?

He's as shocked as I am. "I… I suppose we did…" He looks into my eyes, searching for something. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you..?"

His concern for me is so sweet that I nearly kiss him again. "No," I shake my head. "Well, it did hurt a little bit. But you were right: the pain didn't last very long." I blush, still feeling the flames inside me that have yet to be quelled.

He lets out a sigh of relief. "Good." His head moves back to my neck, and he peppers the spot he bit with light kisses.

"Ngh… Arthur, what's this for..?" I ask, even though I don't want him to stop.

He lifts his head and looks up at me with a sheepish smile. "To apologize for hurting you."

"Arthur, it's alright, really."

"I still feel bad though. So I hope you'll accept my apology."

Honestly, how much sweeter can this man be? "Of course I do."

Another lovely smile. "Thank you, _____."

I return his thanks with another kiss, and I feel his lips curve into a smile as he kisses me back.

I really do love him…

The kiss is short and sweet. After we break apart, he rests his forehead against mine. “Can I kiss you again..?” he asks in a soft voice.

I raise an eyebrow and move away a little to tease him. “What for?”

He pouts as he moves closer to me. “To ask you to stay.” My eyes widen with surprise at his answer. He wants me to stay..? “I don’t want you to leave...” His hands move up to cup my cheeks, and my heart aches at his gentle touch.

“Arthur, I have to go back someday…” I close my eyes, willing myself not to cry at the thought of leaving him.

“I know…” His thumbs gently caress my cheeks as if he’s wiping away the tears I refuse to let fall. “But until then, can we stay like this? Together, I mean?”

I open my eyes to look at him again. “Together..?”

He nods. “I want to be with you, _____. Even if it’s for this short blissful while, I want to be with you.”

His honest confession is too much for my heart to handle. “Yes,” I say as the tears rush down my face. “Yes, of course. I want to be with you too, Arthur.” I wrap my arms around him and hug him close to me. “I don’t want to leave you…”

He holds me close. “You don’t..?”

“Of course not. You’re my best friend and… I love you too much to leave you." I bury my face onto his chest, his scent washing over me.

“We’ll figure something out, my love. But for now…” His index finger gently lifts my chin up, and his lips meet mine once again. Our kiss is slow, and we take our time tasting each other, exploring each other, loving each other. 

We take our time to make this short eternity last because we don’t know when it will end.

[sparklyaxolotlstudent]

How to Succeed thanks to Spite. 2

AKA The Ladybug Puppet Show

Not much advance in the plot, just some ham and cheese.

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

Marinette was having a good day.

Ever since seeing the movie, she thought it was bad, like, really bad, but since she is Ladybug, she thought that her opinion might be biased. Or the fact that she watched it with Adrien at her side, and there were times she didn’t really paid attention for daydreaming.

But Alya and Nino and Rose and Juleka and everyone else had agreed with her that the movie was awful. Well, everyone except Lila, who thought the movie was deserving of an Oscar and claimed to practically have made it herself. Oh boy, her face when Alya and the rest of the class said the movie sucked and she should know better about Ladybug because she claimed to be her best friend. Marinette’s heart warmed at the memory. And then Lila sobbed and tried to make a sad story about how she had to change stuff so people wouldn’t figure the identity of Ladybug, and while people started to doubt, Alya and Chloe had asked more questions, cornering Lila, who resorted to crocodile tears, but at this point nobody really cared. Marinette even saw a few people rolling their eyes at her. Even Rose and Mylene!

Unbeknown to Marinette, Hawk Moth had felt Lila’s rage at being defied…

“Ah, deceit, jealousy and… is that damn girl again? Seriously? Pft, to think I almost missed my telenovela for her… again. Nooroo, Dark Wings Fold!” Hawk Moth transformed into Gabriel Agreste, and a tiny purple being manifested from his brooch. "C’mon Nooroo, let’s go watch your telenovela. Today Temo will finally confess to Aris that he likes him.”

“Right master… my telenovela” said Nooroo, rolling his eyes behind his current holder.

So for the first time, Lila’s temper tantrum hasn’t transformed into an akuma (An considering Mr. Pigeon had appeared like 20 times already, it said something that even Hawk Moth was getting tired of her. And now she had transformed and was patrolling. She hoped to run into Chat to discuss the movie; as she could finally tell him that he had seen it, now that it was officially out.

And lo and behold, she found Chat on the roof where he had prepared a date. Not that she officially knew about that one either.

“Hey Kitty Cat!”

“Hey Buggy… bug!”

“Buggy Bug? Wow, you’re getting bad with puns.”

“Well, excuse me M’lady… I saw the movie… Is that how people see me? A creepy stalker gloomy Batman loser wannabe?”

“Of course not, That Guy just has no idea how to write believable human beings. And if anything, I am the Batman here. You’re more like Spider-man.”

“… I can live with that.”

The two of them kept talking about the movie, Ladybug finding solace in the fact that Chat shared many of her opinions… and those of her friends, including Adrien. He even used the same Batman slash Wolverine analogy! Maybe she should try to introduce them someday. Then again, Chat Noir might be a bad influence on Adrien.

They heard a “ping” sound, and Chat Noir took his cheerleader baton out of his lower back, which sounds very weird if you don’t know about him. Ladybug raised an eyebrow.

“I setted this thing so  that it would tell me when the Ladyblog updated something. Oh, hey, Alya uploaded a new video”

“Wonder what it is, we haven’t had an akuma fight in days.”

“Don’t jinx it. Bad luck is my territory, being a black cat and all of that”

Chat Noir opened the video and they both watched.

The thing was hilarious. Instead of making a rant about how inaccurate the movie had been, or how ridiculous the whole premise was, Alya had made, with help of Nino no doubt,  sort of a review of the Ladybug movie, but splicing scenes and audio from the trailer, scenes from videos Alya herself had taken, and Alya in a very low budget Ladybug suit: a red shirt with uneven black spots made with marker, and her glasses with some red paper taped to them.

“She’s scared of cats, but powerless without her feline” The video started, with over the top dramatic music… and a crude drawing of Chat Noir as Nyan Cat, which Marinette would latter learn was Etta and Ella’s doing.

“I am so afraid of cats! Eek! Help me, help me! I’m so scared!” Alya said, while a video of Ladybug saving a cat from a tree was showing, with Alya syncing perfectly to Ladybug’s mouth, but not matching the mood at all.

“I work alone. I’m dangerous, if you interfere with my goals, I won’t hesitate to end you” was Nino in voice over, with an over the top gruff voice that no doubt must have hurt doing it, while an image of Chat Noir being playful and flirty with Ladybug played.

“I will conquer the world with my pigeons!” Surprisingly, the video was intact from how originally was. Although that had been the 14th time of Mr. Pigeon, not the first… still, it was about the only thing the movie had got right.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were laughing out loud when the video finished. And they ended up watching it several times, forgetting patrolling altogether.

Luckily for them, Gabriel Agreste also had an alarm for every time the Ladyblog updated… a shame that reporter girl had abandoned the idea of revealing Ladybug’s identity around the same time Rena Rouge had made her first appearance, otherwise she would probably have figured the identity of the three heroes already. Oh, and the identity of the Ninja Turtle who everyone seemed to forget always too. A shame really. Still, at least some times her information was still useful, like that time that they confessed that Chat Noir was allergic to pigeon feathers… oh, right, he had to remember to tell Nathalie to get Adrien’s medicine for allergies. Thanks to Alya he had akumatized Mr. Pigeon several times, he was not effective, but at least he was an annoyance to the heroic duo. And now the girl had made a video that made fun of that awful, awful movie that Adrien had been eager to participate. At least they had portrayed him like a Mafia Boss… which he honestly wasn’t sure if he should feel offended or flattered. Then again, they had made him a silent threat rather than have him do evil monologues. Now THAT was unforgivable.

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

Yes, Hawk Moth watched telenovelas with Nooroo, why do you think he spends so much time on his own? For plots of evil? PFT!

[thewritewolf]

DJ Wifi December Day 24 - Date Night

As most of Paris has learned, date nights can be hard to plan in our fast paced modern life. Especially once maniacal supervillians get involved.

@purrincess-chat

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3

A table was tossed over the spot they had chosen to hide behind, crashing onto the floor not far from them. Alya eyes narrowed. She was doing her best to keep Nino safe despite still being in civilian form, but Ladybug and Chat Noir still hadn’t shown up yet. If she didn’t sneak away and find a spot to transform soon, the akuma might decide to get serious in her attempts to hurt people.

She groaned. If only she’d been a little quicker getting to the waitress who had run off crying. Or maybe if she’d decided not to be in the same room as Chloe, they might have been safe enough that Nino would consent to splitting up and “heading home.” But no. Nino, bless his heart, had gotten it in his head that he was the one protecting her and he was absolutely stuck to her despite her best attempts so far to escape him.

The situation was going to get worse before it could get any better and the great irony of it was a superheroine had been on the site from the start to handle it. Watching the akuma villain carefully, she waited until she was distracted before making her move. As the villain turned around to grab another object to throw, she grabbed Nino’s hand to make a dash for the exit. An angry screech warned her that they’d been spotted, but before she could do anything, Nino had pulled them to the ground. In the space they’d just been occupying, a pair of chairs sailed past and shattered against the wall.

Alya was on her feet first, and pulled Nino up and forward as she cleared the remaining distance out of the room. She didn’t bother slowing down or looking back until they were a story down and had a chance to duck inside a side room. Back to the door and Nino by her side, she strained to hear what was happening on the other side of the door. Before long, the villain’s voice faded and she let out the breath she had been holding.

They crept out of the room, finding the halls empty now. “Okay, babe. You get out of here, I need to grab something before I can leave.”

Nino shook his head. “I’m not about to let you go after that akuma, babe.” Alya’s heart skipped a beat. Had he finally pieced it together? “The Ladyblog can wait - you don’t need to be within arm’s reach of the akuma to get good footage.”

She let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t figured out she was Rena Rouge - which was both reassuring and vaguely annoying. “It’s not that! I left my purse back there!”

“We can come back for it after Ladybug and Chat Noir beat her.”

“And Rena Rouge,” she added, slightly annoyed.

“Y-yeah. And Rena Rouge.”

Alya lifted an eyebrow and smirked. Did he just stutter? “My my, Nino. Does Rena get you all bothered?”

His mouth said, “No!” But his blush betrayed him. At her disbelieving look he pinched his nose and said, “Look. Every time I’ve ever met her face to face she… flirts with me.” She laughed at him, which seemed to be of great relief to him. “I honestly have no idea why or even how she can always pick me out of the crowd. But she finds me and she knows just the right buttons to push to make me a mess.” He let out a defeated sigh. “It’s embarrassing, babe.”

Patting him on the back she cooed, “Poor baby, getting hit on by superheroes.”

“Can we just… forget about it and get out of here?”

“Sure, sure.” A few minutes passed as they ever so slowly made their way out of the building. “So what do you think about Rena Rouge?”

“Babe, is this really the time?”

“Definitely! After all, we might end up seeing her today if we hang around here long enough.” She laughed at his groan.

“Honestly, I’m just glad you’re taking this well. Not many girls would be happy at anyone flirting with their boyfriends, especially not a superhero.”

Hard to be jealous of myself, babe. Out loud, she said, “I have more faith in my boyfriend than most. Now, what’s she like?”

“Right, you’ve never managed to get an interview with her, have you? I think you two would get along awesomely - she’s smart and funny and pretty.” He winked at her. “Not that she holds a candle to you though, babe. She’s like Chat in that she seems to really enjoy being a hero. She’s also flirty like he is, come to think of it.”

“Oh come on! Chat doesn’t flirt with just anyone you know - he only has eyes for his lady.”

“I guess that makes Rena Rouge the biggest flirt of the group then, huh?” Nino said absently as he poked his head around the corner, missing Alya’s eye twitch. The front door was unguarded and just like that they were outside, breathing in the cool fall air.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, alright?” Alya said over her shoulder as she walked away.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I’ve got stuff that I need to get to. Oh, I almost forgot.” She rushed back and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. Long enough that he could understand what was happening, but short enough that he’d want more. “I had fun tonight, akuma attacks excluded. Night!”

She left him a sputtering mess as she rounded the corner, searching for a place to hide. Trixx emerged from where ever he was hiding, a smug grin on his face.

“Something you want to say, Trixx?”

“No no, definitely not. Just admiring your handiwork is all.”

She rolled her eyes. No doubt she’d get teased later at prodding Nino for info about herself, but for now… “Trixx, let’s pounce!”

[taviewritesstuff]

Can’t Wait

A/N: I woke up this morning thinking about Ricochet/Denise--a pairing I all but forgot I created. As the title implies, it couldn’t wait. So here, have some fluffy Ricochet/Denise stuff. 

And yes, this (as well as all my Ricochet/Denise stuff) takes place before Ricochet meets Droop-a-Long (because by then Denise has already broken things off with him) and before Droop-a-Long meets Denise.

Also, I used one of my cute Ricochet Rabbit headcanons in here. Spot it and you get a cookie~! :) 

Denise sighed as she looked at the photograph of her and boyfriend, taken outside of the La Rouge restaurant she’d taken him to on their last date. Being much shorter than her, he had his arms wrapped around her waist from behind, a cheeky grin on his face. Her mother had insisted that she throw it away because it was “trashy”, but Denise kept it, though she made sure not to keep it in sight of her mother.

Although she wasn’t too fond of throwing her wealth around like her parents, she did like to make surprises for those close to her. And she loved to surprise Ricochet, if their more extravagant dates were of any indication.

This was one of the drawbacks of their long-distance relationship; since he was working in Texas to earn his position as a sheriff, he couldn’t come over to see her. He’d promised he’d try to make time, but it’d been four months, and talking on the phone wasn’t enough for her. She wanted to embrace him again, to see his expressions, to see his reactions to her teases in person. If her mother weren’t so protective of her, she’d go to his hometown herself to visit him.

The door opened behind her and on instinct, she slammed the picture face down, so hard that she swore that she heard glass break. She cringed as she realized what she’d done, but forced herself to remain calm. She didn’t have a time to answer, though, as additional weight caused her bed to creak. She whirled around, startled. “What in-”

Bright yellow eyes met hers, and the bearer of those eyes lifted his mouth into a smirk. “Surprised?”

Whatever irritation Denise felt was quickly replaced by joy. “Ricky!” She scooped him up into her arms, an easy feat considering his size, and hugged him tight, but then released him and looked down at him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I wanted ta surprise ya,” he said, leaning forward and planting a quick kiss on her mouth. “’Course, if ya want me to leave-”

“Don’t be silly,” Denise replied, pushing his nose lightly. “Of course I don’t want you to go.” Her smile waned slightly. “I was just thinking about you, you know.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm. I love talking to you on the phone, but it doesn’t feel the same as when you’re here, with me,” she answered. “With my mother being so busy and my brother often out partying, I feel lonely sometimes.”

“You’re not the only one who’s lonely,” Ricochet said. “Sheriffin’s a lonely life, Denise…but that’s only if ya choose to. I don’t like bein’ alone, but often times I have ta be, ‘cause it’s part of my job. And it’s times like those, when I’m alone, that I want you by my side.”

Denise couldn’t help but blush at that. “Aw, Ric-” She let out a small squeak as Ricochet crawled into her lap, wrapping his legs around her back. “R-Ricky! The door’s open!”

“Al can close it,” he said, nuzzling into her chest. “An’ if he asks, I’ll tell ‘im I’m makin’ his sister feel better.”

Already, she felt leagues better, but she couldn’t help but laugh. “You know how he’ll take to that?”

“Yep. That’s why I’m gonna say it.” She felt rather than saw his smirk. “It’s funny seein’ him get his dander up.”

“Still…couldn’t you wait until after dinner?”

“Nope,” he answered simply. “I waited for six whole hours. I’ve done enough waitin’.”

She smiled slightly, and then caught the eye of her butler, who was standing outside her room looking at them with surprise. Motioning for him to close the door, she turned her attention back to Ricochet, waiting to loop her arms around his back and draw him closer when the door closed.

“To be honest, so have I,” she said.

“So…dinner later then, huh?” he remarked.

She leaned close, her lips curled into a flirty smile. “Looks like it.”

Date Written: December 24, 2017