#i love this interview so much but that yellow background puts me off so much so i had to recolour this and put it on my blog

[tommolinson]

Louis Tomlinson On Tom Holland, One Direction And His Best Feature | Ask The Audience

[itsclydebitches]

Title: Paved With Good Intentions

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Relationships: Very background Charlie/Vaggie. 99% Charlie and Alastor interactions (with added Razzle and Dazzle)

Word Count: 3,863

Summary:

“Why... hmm. Okay, real quick: what’s an old-timey way of saying someone is full of shit?”

Charlie blinked up at him innocently, probably overdoing it a tad, but after a week of hearing him disparage her dreams as “wacky nonsense” she couldn’t bring herself to care. Not too much, anyway.

“Why, I’d say the sod is full of hot air! A far classier image than the one you’ve just conjured.”

“Then you’re full of hot air, Alastor.” Charlie grinned.

Or: Charlie wants everyone to know that she didn't invite the Radio Demon into her home without precautions.

A/N: First Hazbin fic! Jfc Alastor may be one of the hardest characters I've ever written for. Nailing his voice is gonna take a while.

Fic also below the cut if you prefer to read here 👍

Many in Hell (okay, most in Hell) were under the impression that their Princess was a delusional simpleton, unable to understand something as straightforward as how her own domain worked. Her little interview hadn't helped matters, even if it did reassure them that she could at least throw a decent punch. Really, Charlie only cared about her reputation in as much as it might attract new patrons to the hotel. She didn't need her people to love her, she just needed them to be safe .

(She'd said that to Vaggie once who promptly broke into a choking laugh. “Charlie. You need everyone to love you. All the time . You're just lucky you're really fucking good at it.”)

If strangers cursed her out on the street, that was fine. If her first soon-to-be-redeemed soul thought this was a hilarious fuck-up with only free board making it palatable, that was also fine. If her own father laughed awkwardly at the mere idea of her success that was fine because Charlie could see the good underneath their caustic words; the fear and vulnerability buried beneath their dismissal. Criticism rolled off her back like magma on a fire-duck and if shouldering the disdain of her community was the price of seeing them saved, Charlie would gladly pay it.

...Although, she did wish her closest companions had a little more faith in her. Not about the hotel necessarily, but just that she had a functioning brain she put to use.

“Your... goats?” Alastor said, tipping his head to narrow eyes at them.

“Goat-dragons,” Charlie corrected, not sparing him a glance. “Mom made them when I was younger, to act as my bodyguards when she and Dad weren't around. You would not beeeliiieve how many assassination attempts there were when I was a kid. Dad even dyed my hair once to try and give me a low profile and that was—well! You don't need to see those pictures. The point is that I didn't just let you in all willy-nilly, heedless of my own safety, or whatever it is Vaggie's been saying. If you'd meant any real harm they would have torn you to shreds.”

Charlie was in the process of re-styling the seating area for a slumber party that night. Which throw pillow better conveyed emotional safety to share one's most intimate secrets past 3:00am? Blue or yellow? Pursing her lips, she bounced from foot-to-foot a couple times before chucking both against the growing mound. After a good fluffing she nodded. Both. Both was good.

When she turned, Alastor was staring.

He'd only been at the hotel about a week but Charlie had noticed that he did that a lot. It wasn't just the fixed smile that lent weight to his gaze; he didn't blink . Leaning against Husk's bar with that microphone tucked under one arm, Alastor looked so at ease that Charlie knew it was all an act—the real Alastor, tentacled and laughing maniacally, simmered just beneath the surface. She'd have felt threatened by it if not for the fact that, well, Razzle and Dazzle were here.

Charlie shot them a quick smile. They'd piled on the carpet together, a mess of limbs and horns. Snores and the occasional 'meep' emerged to fill the silence.

“Well now, stop the presses! Our little lady is just full of surprises.” Alastor's grin stretched even further, seeming to creak along its edge. His hands connected in a shattering clap. “We haven't known each other very long, my dear, so I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding—entirely forgivable, I assure you—but I thought you just implied that these lazy, miniature vermin are capable of besting me?”

“ Don't talk about them like that! ”

The words snapped out of Charlie before she could consider reigning them in. She even saw a little smoke wafting upwards, a sure sign that if she let those emotions stew any longer her true form would burst through. Fucking hell, Charlie, you're giving orders to the Radio Demon now? Oh Lord. It was never good when her thoughts starting sounding like Vaggie, but Charlie stifled a groan as she admitted that yeah, that probably wasn’t selling the whole 'Capable of handling tough situations without needlessly endangering herself' vibe she was going for.

Alastor just smiled though. It was hard to tell, but Charlie thought he might have been pleased with her temper. There was something in the way he leaned forward onto the tip of his staff; off balance to start a fight, but magnetically drawn into the fray. “Easy now, darling! I never took to baloney as a child—horrific excuse for a meat, truly—but I can recognize it when I hear it. So you care for these... creatures? Well off course you do! A sweet, silly thing like you is bound to get attached to all manner of beings. The delightful,” he dropped into a sweeping bow, “—and the drab.” Alastor's staff kicked outward at the end of the gesture, landing on Dazzle's back leg. The goat-dragon gave a sleepy grunt at the disturbance but otherwise didn't stir.

Really, Alastor had hardly touched him, but Charlie still felt the tip of one fang digging painfully into her bottom lip. She took a deep, fortifying breath to cleanse herself of negativity. She was just stressed about the new Extermination timeline. And the sleepover. And the fact that the Radio Demon was now living down the hall. Just the other day she’d chastised Angel for a barrage of angry texts he’d sent without thinking and now here Charlie was, nearly flying off the handle for similarly petty reasons. Razzle and Dazzle were fine. She was fine, and her people were going to be fine if she had anything to fucking say about it. Charlie summoned up a smile to match Alastor’s own.

“You’re right,” she said. “An Overlord like you didn’t exist back when Mom made them, so she couldn’t have foreseen how powerful you are. I mean yeah, you’d probably win... even if there are two of them. But!” Charlie hastened to add, waving her hands as Alastor’s head cracked sickeningly to the right, “The point is that these hypotheticals are silly. Why do you care so much about who’d win in a fight? You’re never going to fight them. You don’t want to hurt me.”

Alastor’s head, still staring at her from its unnatural angle, began to vibrate oddly while the chest beneath it hitched. It took Charlie a long moment to realize that he was laughing. Not his usual, staccato Ha, Ha, Ha , but something that felt more genuine, despite the fact that no body—not even a demon’s—should be moving like that.

“Ah, what an entertaining bunny you are,” he said, a slight wheeze mixing in with the radio static. “Charlie dearest, have you forgotten that I was a serial killer? Am currently a hunter of Overlords? A keeper of souls? Are you truly under the misguided belief that I wouldn’t hurt you?”

It was terrifying how fast he didn’t move. Charlie watched as Alastor took his time lengthening each limb—spine cracking, joints tearing until they were only held together by sickly, glowing threads—and the tentacles he summoned were lazy as a house cat, inching towards her like they knew it didn’t matter how fast she ran. They’d catch her. The static grew to a high-pitched whine that hurt her ears and the very reality around Alastor began to distort, glitching horribly. One elongated limb reached out with claws glinting in the newly darkened foyer, fingers twitching, itching to rip out her throat.

Charlie blinked. She pursed her lips, gesturing emphatically to Razzle and Dazzle who still lay snoring on the carpet. “Are you listening to me? They’d have ripped you to shreds if you meant any real harm .”

She could see the exact moment Alastor gave up the performance. He froze, the very air particles freezing with him, and a pin-print of light sprang back into his eyes.

“I beg your pardon?”

“It’s not—you can’t—” With a frustrated groan Charlie pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. “It’d be easier to show you.”

She trotted through the bits of distorted reality (shivering because ugh ) and ducked under the long line of Alastor’s leg. His eyes tracked her as Charlie scooped a goat-dragon into each arm and nudged the hotel door open with her hip. Once outside, she slapped a drowsy Razzle onto her shoulder and cupped a hand over her mouth.

“Hello there!” she called to a passing demon.

“Who the fuck you yelling at? I’ll kill you, bitch!”

“Will you?” Charlie’s gaze slid to Alastor, now back in his everyday form, curiously peeking out from the doorway. “You know what? That sounds great! Really swell! Please come and kill me.”

The demon stopped in his tracks, staring incredulously up the hill at her fidgety form. “What? Fucking what ? You have a death wish?”

“Yes! Absolutely. Will you come kill me pretty, pretty please? Uh... you ugly, short-sighted asshole? Sorry, sorry sorry ,” Charlie muttered into Razzle’s fur.

“Oh, you’re a whole new level of crazy—”

The demon was adjusting his glasses with one claw and pulling out a clever with the other when Charlie felt Alastor’s energy at her back. She didn’t need to turn around again. The horror that descended on the demon’s face and his hasty exit said it all.

Razzle and Dazzle were now alert, tails thumbing, but neither made a move to go after the guy. Charlie released the breath she’d been holding and promised to write at least five Kindness Notes to leave around town tomorrow.

When she did finally look Alastor was twiddling his fingers at the demon’s retreating form. His eyes, however, were still latched onto Charlie.

“What an interesting way you have of entertaining yourself, my dear. I whole-heartedly approve! Let me take you out on the town—Cannibal Town, that is. You can offer your limbs to the first ravenous child we meet.”

Charlie cracked a smiled. “Uh... maybe later? I didn’t just do that for kicks, you know. The point is we’re living in Hell .” She ignored the way his eye twitched at the obvious statement. “Alastor, how many times a day do you think people threaten to kill me? Pull weapons? Or yes, try to eat me? If Razzle and Dazzle attacked everyone who simply appeared threatening I never would have opened the hotel because there wouldn't be anyone left to save. That guy? All bluster. I’m not sure how Mom did it, but they’re capable of sensing true intentions. They’ll only transform for someone with a real, sustained desire to kill me—or, I guess discorporate me—and the rest? The rest I can handle myself.”

“Hmm.”

Alastor bent forward, inspecting Dazzle closely. The goat-dragon panted happily in his face. “Fascinating! Powerful too, though I’d expect nothing less from the likes of Lilith. I must say, the confidence you hold in your own abilities is simply inspiring given what I’ve seen from you so far.”

Charlie blinked, trying to decide if she’d just been insulted or not.

“You remain delusional, darling,” he clarified, patting her head. Alastor’s grin widened at her scowl and he only pulled back when Razzle gave his fingers a quick lick, his static hissing like a cat. Charlie had the strong urge to chuck them both at the demon and let him suffer the fate of endless cuddles and sticky kisses.

She didn’t though. She was merciful.

“That’s why though,” Charlie said, shrugging so that Razzle had to dig his claws into her shoulder to stay balanced. Ow.

“Why what?”

Alastor had clearly lost the train of their conversation—or was pretending to—inspecting his own claws with the air of a bored Valley Girl.

“Why... hmm. Okay, real quick: what’s an old-timey way of saying someone is full of shit?”

Charlie blinked up at him innocently, probably overdoing it a tad, but after a week of hearing him disparage her dreams as “wacky nonsense” she couldn’t bring herself to care. Not too much, anyway.

Alastor’s eyes narrowed. Definitely suspicious, though not enough to deny her.

“Why, I’d say the sod is full of hot air! A far classier image than the one you’ve just conjured.”

“Then you’re full of hot air, Alastor.” Charlie grinned. “This whole shtick you’ve got going where you pretend like you’re just one insult away from killing us all; the super evil Overlord who could go on a rampage at the slightest whim? Yeah, I get why Vaggie is concerned, but that’s not gonna work on me.” She ran her hand gently through Dazzle’s hair, eliciting a purr. “You can toss out threats and transform all you want, but if you’d ever actually intended to hurt me, even just once... they’d have reacted. They’d have defended me, whether they could win against you or not. I didn’t let you stay because I was desperate for your help—although, ha, I kinda am. I let you stay because I trust you.”

The last was delivered softly and Charlie dared to lay a hand on his arm, oh so briefly. Alastor didn’t react. He appeared to be seeing something past her, the dials of his eyes ticking erratically.

The spell was broken when Razzle let out an explosive sneeze.

“Oh shit that reminds me! I need to pick up some almond butter for Sir Pentious. Apparently his human body was allergic to peanuts and he’s still pretty sensitive about it? And Angel made me swear I’d have peanut butter on hand for the s’mores if he was going to participate in the sleepover. I need to hit the shops before they close—can you get the other supplies ready while I’m gone? Thanks, Alastor, you’re a lifesaver!”

Charlie pelted down the hill with Razzle and Dazzle flying around her heels, both of them yipping at the prospect of a walk.

Alastor remained standing there for a long time after she’d gone. At a glance he looked the same as he always did, though if anyone had gotten close enough they would have caught the sound of a radio continually switching stations.

There appeared to be no connection between the clips. Except, perhaps, that each voice spoke in a tone of furious confusion.

***

The smell of popcorn and cheap booze was sickening.

Alastor’s grin never faltered—obviously—but there were small tears in the couch armrest that spoke of his disgust. In all his years alive and dead he’d never had the pleasure of attending a ‘slumber party’ before and the newfound honor was proving to be a dubious one. Sticky sweets, snacks, and spirits covered every available surface, thrown into truly unholy combinations as Husker passed his (admittedly substantial) limit. If they all hadn’t already been damned, Alastor suspected that making caramel popcorn whiskey floats would have done the trick. The other guests were decked out in their finest nightwear, resulting in them witnessing more of Angel than Alastor had ever wanted to see. Their sanguine Princess had led them through insipid card games, a pillow fight—which did not, apparently, allow for weapons or demonic beasts. Mores the pity—and worst of all: a production shown through that horrible picture box. If they craved entertainment he might have offered her the use of his radio, but...

Well.

In truth, nothing that had occurred here tonight had truly tested Alastor’s patience. If anything, this was merely a distilled version of their collective sins; hardly surprising. He had merely been...out of sorts since their little spat that afternoon. Though it was nothing Alastor couldn’t handle, of course.

(A block away six of Hell’s dictation speakers suddenly crackled to life, causing everyone in the vicinity to freeze, warily lifting their heads. Rather than the usual draconian drivel, however, a sustained, static-y growl began to sound.)

“They’re called Kindness Notes,” Charlie was saying, displaying her stack of colored paper like a trophy. “I got the idea from this awesome human website called Reddit that must just be filled with puppies and rainbows and—”

(”Think we should tell her?” whispered Cherri.

“Yeah, but only after she’s made a bunch,” Angel snickered.)

“—and so it’s the PERFECT activity for a redemption sleepover! Remember: there is no wrong way to go about a creative project, so have fun with it! I’ve got glitter gel pens and stickers—those are scratch and sniff!—and decorative hole punches and more stickers and ribbons and—”

“Stickers?” Husk asked, tipping his glass her way. Charlie nodded with the speed of a bobble-head doll.

“Exactly! Does anyone have any questions?”

“Yeah, I’ve got one.”

“Great!”

“How much sugar you had, kid?”

“Sooooo much!” and the stack would have gone flying if not for Vaggie’s quick reflexes.

“Alright, I’ll take it from here.” She dropped a quick kiss onto Charlie’s rosy cheek before distributing the paper. “You can write anything you want provided it’s nice . Like, actually nice and not your fucked up perception of nice. Don’t sign your name, but you can put a little HH at the bottom to help promote the hotel. Try not to get too many stains on these and yes, everyone has to participate.”

Vaggie stopped in front of the couch where Alastor sat, the only one still dressed and removed from the chaos of their snack-infested pillow nest. He hadn’t the slightest idea why she’d be glaring at him when she said that and he ensured the sentiment was conveyed through his grin.

“But of course!” he said, selecting red with a black pen.

“Humph. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Something nice? A truly daunting task, even for someone of his talents. After today Alastor was more convinced than ever that the Princess was the most insane of them all. Oh, it served his purposes deliciously that she should trust him, particularly with so little effort on his part, and yet it was insulting how naive she could be. Even if he’d had a conscious, Alastor was sure he’d have no qualms about upsetting the power dynamic of Hell and seizing it for himself. If this was their royalty... Hell deserved better. Someone with hunger. Someone with style. Their little bearcat was funneling her passion in all the wrong, most entertainingly stupid directions.

Alastor tilted his head as Charlie finished drawing a sunflower, Niffty flitting about as she swept up the glitter falling away. It looked... domestic .

Ah, but it would be so easy to slit her throat from this angle, spilling ‘paint’ all across the project. Or remove that pretty head from her shoulders, near instantaneously. Summon up his demon pet to crush her bones. Drop her into a void. Fill her mind with so many screams that her brain leaked out her ears in chunky rivers. Hollow her out and puppet her so convincingly that even their Dumb Dora wouldn’t recognize her. He could do it .

Beside Alastor, taking up their half of the couch, Razzle and Dazzle gazed upon the festivities with vacant expressions, tongues lolling.

One—he didn’t care to know which—turned its head and gave him a happy chirp.

(A block away the growl became an all-out screech, like a thousand souls blended together in agony.)

“I could do it,” Alastor whispered to them. He tilted his staff for good measure, ensuring the microphone pointed directly at Charlie. “I doubt your little ‘intentions’ magic is as powerful as she says. Even if it is, you beasts lack in imagination. Trust me, darlings: there are many ways to hurt someone that don’t threaten their physical safety.”

The second goat-dragon had joined in now, tilting its head curiously at Alastor. The first began thumping its tail against its companion’s face, pleased as punch, and suddenly Alastor felt a surge of genuine anger—the first in a long time.

“ She is only unharmed because I wish it ,” he hissed, “because she is more entertaining to me alive than dead!”

(The six speakers blew, showering citizens in shrapnel.)

“Alastor?”

He quickly blinked away the red light that had covered his eyes, turning his attention to Charlie.

“Apologies! Merely musing over what uplifting message I should grace the denizens of Hell with.” Alastor tapped a long claw against his chin, hamming it up. Only Vaggie was sober and de-caffeinated enough to catch on. The smile Charlie graced him with was... honest.

Violent images filled his head in response: of obliterating—or better yet—permanently stitching that smile into place. All the while those creatures sat beside him, both at perfect ease. One even edged closer.

He could do it. He would do it. The only reason Alastor hadn’t was because he didn’t want to do it yet .

But that day would come.

Dazzle sniffed the edge of Alastor’s sleeve. Razzle yawned.

Until then, their Princess was clearly in need of better protection. He’d assign a few shadows to her; sharp pieces of his silhouette who could tail the girl without notice. It would only require a bit of exertion on his part and the surveillance was worth it to ensure his favorite toy didn’t go dying before he had a chance to finish playing with her.

After all , Alastor thought, more at ease with that decision than he’d been all day, better the Devil you know.

“Do you know what you're writing?” Charlie asked, nearly having to shout over the commotion of an impromptu show-and-tell. Sugar and alcohol seemed to have loosened everyone’s dignity alongside their inhibition, because suddenly they all wanted praise for their absurd little notes. Generic messages of support were shoved under Charlie’s nose, led by Vaggie in a delightfully embarrassing display. Although, was it better or worse that Sir Pentious was equally desperate for Charlie’s approval? Angel slapped his note down on the table—complete with a diagram—and Alastor deliberately did not give it a closer look. (Husker’s spluttering was information enough, thank you.) Cherri was busy rolling hers into fuzes, muttering continuously about the message she’d send in the next turf war. Niffty had just written CLEAN in shaky letters across pages and pages and pages of notes.

All the while Charlie stared across the chaos at him. Imploring.

However could Alastor deny her?

“Oh, yes indeedy, my dear,” he said. “Patience—you’ll see it soon enough.” Alastor deliberately raised a hand, ensuring she saw, tracked, and understood when he laid in atop Razzle’s head. His hand was now large enough to crush the beast’s skull, claws poised to sink into vulnerable flesh, a dark ooze sizzling like acid that crept from a crack in his wrist, edging dangerously close.

Throughout it all, Razzle purred.

***

The next morning Charlie woke to find a red note taped to her bed, delivered by shadows. Dazzle was the first to find and drop it into his mistress’ lap, producing happy yips as he caught her expression.

“We’ll win him over,” Charlie said, grinning as she re-pinned the note to her mirror.

Alastor had given her just one word of encouragement, accompanied by a sketch of two dead goat-dragons:

SMILE

[pbandjesse]

I just got done washing my hair and I am feeling the best I've felt all week. I don't have a lot of energy still but I still really had a good day.

My mouth and all lip are doing better. The double bandaging helped. I'm going to try to sleep without one tonight, as the swelling seems to have gone down. But I think I handled this pretty well and it kept my tongue and fingers away from it which I think helped keep it from getting infected which was my main concern with how painful it was.

And I slept a little more deeply last night. I fell asleep easier and slept better. But when my alarm went off I was dizzy tired. This doesn't always happen but it feels so unsafe. Like I can't get up and drive. I just remember looking up at James and saying I can't do it. And they said that was okay and shut the blinds and I went back to sleep until 830. Which was later then I planned but it was fine.

I would get dressed and felt a lot better. I was moving kind of slow but I knew there wasn't a ton to do at camp so I didn't feel to bad. I had left Alexi know and I would still get there an hour before she did.

I was happy to be at camp once I got there. I had brought a box of games we were getting rid of and it was like Christmas. Sarah and Elizabeth got to pick some and Sarah particularly likes puzzles and I was glad she was able to get one. And Elizabeth got the handheld retro video game game boy thing and she would sit and play Mario (with Sarah's help) me I was just glad I could give them something fun.

I would have my bagel and struggle with my stupid bandaid lip. I ended up just taking it off to eat. Which was painful but at least wasn't as annoying.

I would be pretty bored for a while. I was desperate for something to do. I sent some emails. I looked at some documents. But for a lot of the day I just read my book about yellow fever. I have been enjoying reading time appropriate books so I can have more background for programs. But also it makes me feel like I'm being lazy? I know I'm not but it's hard for me to not feel like I'm being productive.

When Alexi and Heather came in I finally was given a few small tasks. Some more emails. Some collecting of documents and printing and stapling and organizing. But nothing took very long.

I would go up to arts and crafts and put away the stuff I brought the other day. I collected some trash. I went for a little walk. It was not as windy today and the sun felt nice. It was a beautiful day.

Joe would request that I sweep the lodge. It didn't seem very dirty when I got over there. I would spray down the bathrooms and do a general sweeping of the main room. But I don't like I wasn't doing much but it was a task at least.

I would head back over to the office. I made a stop at my car and found the rocks I had collected with Sarah a few weeks ago. I drew on them to mark where I want to drill them out for fire making. I need to find some masonry bits. I don't think I have any but that's not a terribly hard thing to get.

I had lunch and put a new bandaid on. We had a lot of jokes and laughs today. Sarah had made strawberry oatmeal and when her and Alexi were saying what kind of oatmeal they like I just said I only like baby oatmeal and Heather practically whipped around and was like what!!! Me too!! Love having things in common with Heather she's so silly.

Alexi is starting to have returning staff interviews. And it's been nice seeing who wants to come back. I did some organizing of documents for her for that. And it was nice to feel like I was accomplishing something.

I would read for a couple more minutes. I wasn't in a rush to go. I was nervous about talking to the detectives tonight and I had come in late. But after 4 I collected my things and said goodbye to everyone.

I decided I really really wanted pasta salad from whole foods. I let James know that was my plan. And I headed there. There must have been a really bad accident on the highway because the gps took me a complete back roads way and it was actually a really fun little ride. I got to see lots of old houses and nice trees and it was all different. And I got to whole foods at like 445.

I found three different ones. An orzo with feta and olives, a tortilini, and a mozzarella. When I got home James made me a plate with all three of them and it was a fun little meal.

I was really happy to be home. I was a little stressed about when I should leave to go to the police station.

But I ended up not having to worry. Because at 530 the detective called me and said they were going to see the victims, my neighbors, at their house and they could just come to my apartment. Works for me.

So me and James tidied up the boxes and made the living room presentable and less stressful for me. James also told me that Margret at work, who is direct neighbors with the two victims, told James about it and James got to tell her I was the main witness. Since she knows them I might have James take a note from me to them.

When the detectives came I went downstairs to get them and walked them back up here. I was really nervous. It was a man and a woman. They were bother nice. The man was surprisingly short and to woman was tall and had a no nonsense aurora. They both loved Sweetp and Sweetp was being very sweet and I was proud of him.

I was nervous though and started explaining what I saw right away. He had to stop me to get his recording device set up. And then I ran through everything I remembered and tried to focus on my memories best I could. I feel bad that I didn't get an video or remember the type of suvs. I also tried very hard to remember any of the license plates but I can only remember the last digit. The detectives said I was a really good witness though and I really helped. I don't know how what I shared will help find the people who did it. But I hope they find some cameras or something and my clues I gave them can narrow it down. I told them please reach out if they need me. And they gave me the numbers of the victims because apparently they wanted to say thank you to me. The older man has been in the hospital until today under observation. That's so scary I really hope they are okay.

I think I will make them a card. That's something nice I can do tomorrow.

After the detectives left James made me a little fake chicken patty and they had a little pizza. I put some more water in the fishtanks. I looked around the apartment for things I could maybe start to pack but then I lost steam. And went to take a bath instead.

I accidently half filled the tub with just cold water. So even though I only used hot for the rest it was never exactly a hot bath. James filled two kettles but that only helped make it a little more comfortable. I put oil in the water because my skin has been so dry and itchy. I double washed my hair. And felt pretty nice.

Now we are in bed. Watching videos. Talking about the move. Being nervous about big changes. It has been good. I feel happy.

Tomorrow I am going to go paint pottery with Callie after work. I'm really looking forward to seeing her. And I hope the rest of the day is productive and fun. And I hope you all have a good night sleep. Until next time!

[iwitch-plus]

Getting to know my decks, Part 2. Casanova Tarot Edition!

I have to admit, for someone who isn't well versed in tarot, these cards are a little hard to interpret and their little handbook isn't extremely helpful. If i did a full reading with these, I'd probably have to do outer research on certain things in the cards and not just look to the book that comes with it. This deck seems to be very physical, love, and sex focused so I don't know how often I'll use this for everyday readings. It could be something to do with a partner rather than alone, but anyways lets get right into it.

I cleansed my deck first with incense smoke that was already burning, talked to it a little, told it I was interested in it but unsure about our relationship. Then I took a look at all the cards, mostly very muted in color. Some had a color that stood out more, some didn't have anything at all. Numerology wise, pretty much the same. Aside from the number on the card itself, there aren't a lot of background details to look to for numbers. That made it a little more difficult for me because I like to read based off of the art, but maybe this deck will challenge me to not be so literal in my readings.

In the interview, I'll include the card that was pulled, a number to go along with it, and if there was a corresponding color I'll include that, too. I put key words that relate to the numbers/colors/the actual card itself, and then I go on into my interpretations of those.

Here We Go!

Please introduce yourself

10 of Chalices: 10 - Red

Key words: Completion, reflection, external appearances, refers to the game of love, harmony, perfection, union, positive outcome, passion, love, sex, danger.

My interpretation: I think the deck is being somewhat self-centered here, maybe playing a little game of its own. It tells me that it literally does refer to the "game" of love, and it seems to also tell me it loves itself, thinks its perfect, passionate, and beautiful. But just as love, there is also a dangerous side to it. I think I should be careful when referring to this deck for love based readings. While I believe it could allow for some guidance, I have to also remember that when it comes to love I am not the only one involved.

2. What are your strengths?

2 of Chalices: 2 - Yellow

Key words: Duality, balance, opposing forces, passion, the couple, celebration, a toast, positivity, optimism, warmth, growth, unity, partnership, sex

My interpretation: Chalices, being in reference to the game of love again. I think it's telling me that its strengths come with love and sex. That's what leads me to think maybe this would be a good deck to read WITH a partner about our love life or sex life. It can be a voice of reason between lovers, can help you understand yourself and your lover more, and can bring the 2 of you closer in a positive and unified way.

3. What are your limitations?

Wheel of Fortune: 10 - 6

Key words: Completion, endings, reflection, cycles, seasons, cycle of events, going in a circle, passing of time, loss of direction, fairness, values, solution.

My interpretation: I think the deck is trying to tell me is that it's quite literally limited in what it is, which is a love and sex deck. At least, for me personally. It has a cycle, it knows what it is and what its value to me needs to be. I may not need to use it very often because if I do, I could potentially end up lost or more confused than I was before. The deck must be used for very specific love, sex, and relationship type readings. I can respect that.

4. What can I learn from you?

Knave of Chalices: 2 - Yellow

Key words: Duality, balance, opposing forces, positivity, optimism, warmth, growth, sincere lover, entirety, destiny, mystery, mental ability. The man depicted is noted as not wearing a mask. He is also standing by the water.

My interpretation: This makes perfect sense to me for a deck dedicated to love. It's telling me that I can learn more balance in my relationship, how to be a more sincere partner, how to not wear an emotional mask all the time and how to allow myself to be more emotional, hence the water depicted in the card. How to love myself and my partner in our entirety and how to strengthen my mental ability to be a good partner. Very straight-forward.

5. What is the best way to work with you?

7 of Pentacles: 7

Key words: Change, evaluation, patience, boredom, habit, lack of harmonious communication, insensitivity, inability to be/come enthusiastic, perseverance.

My interpretation: I think the deck is telling me the best time to work with it rather than the best way. The way I see this, it's telling me to work with it when a change in my relationship happens, when I feel myself feeling locked in the same habits with my partner, when we lack communication, when I don't understand something about my partner, or when I feel like things have become stagnant or hit a bump in my love life. So far, there have only been maybe a handful of times that I can think of when this deck may have been useful, if that's the purpose it wants me to use it for, but I can see that being very useful in the future if ever needed, now that I know.

6. What is the outcome of our relationship?

The Emperor: 4 - Purple

Key words: Stability, foundation, prophecy, dreams, high power, royalty, luxury, fecundation, masculine strength, administration, powerful protection, symbol of power, control

My interpretation: The deck is sort of telling me that I'll become like it, in a sense lol. I'll gain more confidence in what/who I am. I'll become into my strength when it comes to love and relationships, I'll be confident and start to treat myself like a queen and expect my lovers to do so as well, I'll gain my own power back. But I'll also gain stability and better foundation in my love life, and more fertility in a sense that I'll be able to better grow myself and my partner with the help of this deck.

Very insightful reading. Like I said before, sort of hard to interpret as someone who doesn't really do a lot of tarot readings but this was fun nonetheless. My suspicions about this deck seemed to have been correct. I don't know how often I'll use this deck, but maybe the first time I do use it will have to be with my partner.

[english8muffin]

Vogue morning routine

Y/N Y/N/L’s guide to effortless natural makeup

Summary: you are asked to do the Vogue Beauty Secrets video and your two boys decide to join the party

Word count: around 2000

Warning: none, just pure floof!

I apologize in advance if there are any spelling and/or grammar mistakes, English is not my first language (+ this is my very first fic)

HEADLINE Henry Cavill’s new girlfriend, designer Y/N Y/L/N reveals her everyday morning routine in recent Vogue video: Y/N Y/L/N shows off her secrets to the perfect fusion of European and Asian beauty.

You stood in the spacious bathroom of the hotel room, only wearing a big, fluffy, white robe, that was actually Henry’s. But since the man was in the gym, you took the opportunity to lend it and bathe yourself in his musky smell, that calmed your nerves. Last night you started panicking, thinking you would probably look stupid for the entire world to see, luckily Henry and Kal tried to calm you down with cuddles and kisses.

This was the first ‘interview’ you would do, being such a young, successful entrepreneur really caught the attention of the media. When you first started your small online shop, you never would have thought you would end up here. Five years later, with a steady income, the job you always wished for and the man you had a crush on since the first time you laid eyes on him. Being a creative, it really made your heart soar with happiness, seeing all your products, your babies, in new homes where they would make others happy.

You were really proud of yourself. Henry was as well, and he made sure you and everybody around you knew. You were apprehensive at first, being with such a well known actor, who was also much older than you, it made you nervous of what people would say, what the media would say. You didn’t want to tarnish Henry’s image. You knew there were people with a much bigger age gap, but still, people were ruthless. So you both decided to take it slow, being careful with going out in public and social media posts.

You stand in front of the large mirror, which had a camera attached to it and open up your makeup bag. Right before you went into the bathroom, you made yourself a nice cup of tea, trying to stay calm. “Hi! I’m Y/N and today I am going to show you my everyday makeup routine,” you say with a smile, “I am not a dermatologist so please don’t take what I say too seriously.”

You grab a small white washcloth and hold it up, so it was in the frame, “First, I am going to wash my face and put on a few drops of serum,” You dampen the cloth and wipe it over your face and neck. You put a few drops in the palm of your hand and pat them into your skin. “Now I going to use my jade roller to massage the serum into my skin. It’s quite funny seeing so many people use these nowadays. In ancient China they were mostly used by the elite to keep there skin ageless. They would call jade the Stone of Heaven. It’s really helpful for the people who wake up with a puffy face like me,” you chuckle.

Somethimes you’d wake up with puffy cheeks, which led to Henry calling you his chubby bunny in the morning.

“Just a quick tip, and this is for everybody, make sure you always use SPF. I personally use SPF 30 and this one is shine control, since I tend to get an oily skin, but you can also use a regular one or a foundation with SPF in it. Believe me when I say your skin will be thankful.”

You grab the small tube of sun cream and show the amount you’ll use. You even convinced Henry to wear SPF everyday. At first he said he didn’t think it would make such a big difference, but when he realised you were going to be the one to put it on him, he was convinced about its benefits and adamant to wear it everyday. After working the thick cream into your skin, you put on some lipbalm and rummage through the pouch in front of you. When you find the product you’re looking for, you hold it up. “Now, I am going to put on a bit of concealer, this one is from Maybelline. After this, I will use a lighter shade under my eyes and on my acne scars that I have here,” you point and circle around the small cluster of scars on the sides of your cheeks.

Before blending out the concealer, you smile at the lens and put in two bright yellow hairclips, to keep your dark locks from falling into your face. “I probably should have done this at the start,” you laugh. The nerves creeping up a little. It wasn’t that you where a shy person, but knowing thousands of people will watch this, did something to you. You were always a very easygoing person, who could talk with pretty much everybody. But knowing people were going to watch you do something so intimate in a way, and would probably comment on it, scared you a little. While you would be 100% yourself, doing something as mundane as getting ready. If they didn’t like you now, then they probably won’t like you later. And that was what made you so afraid.

The bathrobe falls a bit down your shoulder, but you ignore it, since your hair fell down your shoulders in big waves. “Okay, brows. I used to block them in really dark when I was younger, but now I try to keep a light hand. I’ll use this Got 2B Glued as a brow gel afterwards. The tails of my eyebrows tend to move if I don’t use a strong enough gel. If you’re Asian you will understand the struggle.”

You quickly finish your brows, put some bronzer on your face and eyelids and take out your liquid eyeliner. “Am I the only one that acts like I’m a beauty guru whenever I do my makeup? Like, I’m just acting as if I’m used to this, right now, but to be honest, I was really nervous to do this video for Vogue,” you admit, “they will probably regret asking me,” you chuckle. You finish your eyemakeup with curling your long lashes, thanks to your mother’s genes, and add a coat of mascara.

You take in a deep breath, excited to show everyone the product you had been waiting for. “The next thing I am really proud to show you guys, because I designed the packaging. This is the new limited edition blush and highlighter palette from Dior, which they created for Lunar New Year!” You beam with pride, holding up the elegant looking palette. It had a darker toned glossy finish and the borders were the traditional Chinese looking frames, which were 3D and were surrounded by a wild variety of peonies. In the middle of the lid was your Chinese calligraphy in big golden brush stokes that said ‘year of the Ox’, the clasp was designed so it resembled an antique Chinese coin and on the side hung a jade charm.

“You can pre-order this palette now, I think they will put a link-thingy in de description. I wish you all a happy and blessed Lunar New Year, 祝农历年新年快乐牛年大吉!”

Just as you’re about to add some blush to your cheeks, the bathroom door creaks open and a curly-headed, sweaty Henry pops his head in. Fresh from the gym, and were you thankful for his new intense workout, because he was truely a sight to behold. A cheeky smile graces his handsome face when he spots you in front of the mirror, only wearing his robe, which made his grin widen.

“what are you doing in here? Are you hiding from me? Playing hide and seek is it?” he teases and rakes his large hand through the tousled curls, but just as he’s done speaking, he sees the camera behind you, and blushes. “Oh, I didn’t know you were filming, I’m sorry darling,” he smiles and gives a small wave in the direction of the camera. You led out a giggle, cheeks turning red already, if he’d keep this up, you wouldn’t need to add blush. You couldn’t focus anymore, he looked so attractive, only wearing his black gym shorts and a tight dark blue tank top. Damn that camera, otherwise you would have jumped him. Henry, thought the exact same thing. Seeing you, only wearing his robe and your hair still a bit wild from this morning’s cardio, made him hold back a moan. Those two cute, yellow clips in your hair could have fooled him, because you were anything but innocent.

Before he’s about to close the door again, he blows you a kiss. But his actions are stopped when a big bear makes his appearance. Bolting past his dad’s legs, Kal comes into the bathroom. Henry tries to catch him but misses. The black and white akita excitedly sniffs his head around the sink, trying to see what you were up to with all the stuff lying on the marble counter.

“Kal!” Henry whisper-yelled, trying to stay hidden behind the door. But you could still see his massive body crouched down behind the wood. It was rather funny, seeing the large man so panicked about getting his dog to listen. It kind of reminded you of that one video from BBC were a professor was being interviewed and his baby and nanny showed up in the background. While Henry tried to get Kal’s attention, the dog just sat next to your legs, and smiled when you pet him behind his ear. He was your good boy.

You both knew there was no other option but to keep Kal here, once he saw you do your makeup, he wanted to watch and get his ‘makeup’ done as well.

Henry also saw the look in Kal’s eyes and let out a sigh. Might as well stay with his two loves. He stood up from his position and walked to you, wrapping his sweaty but oh so save body around your figure, and placed a prolonged kiss on the exposed skin just by your shoulder. So far for taking it slow… He pressed himself thighter against your back, hiding his face in the crook of your neck and intertwined your hands, slowly rocking you two back en forth. “You look beautiful, my love,” he whispered, so only you could hear it, at least you hoped the camera wouldn’t pick that up. You let out a little giggle, like the inner schoolgirl you were whenever he was around you.

“Kal loves when Y/N does his makeup as well, don’t you boy,” Henry explains with a smile and looks down at the bear by your bare feet. Kal gives a small ruff and sweeps his tail eagerly. “Did you show them what you made,” he asked you with a wide smile, and looked straight in to the camera, “she worked really hard on that design, so I hope you all like it,” he declared proudly.

You ended up doing your makeup routine with your two boys in the background. Henry left for a few minutes to shower in the second bathroom your hotelroom had, and came back clad in a pair of light jogging trousers and a sweater. Even though you were inside, it was still a bit too chilly to walk around in short sleeves, being mid-winter and all. He just sat on the small wooden bench by the door, still in frame for everybody to enjoy and behold. His hair now damp. He was reading in a book and patiently waiting for you to get ready, occasionally looking up and laughing when you would wet your hands or Kal’s special makeup brush in the sink and pretend to do his makeup. The dog would bark excitedly and give you kisses. “Wow Kal, you look so pretty,” Henry told the big floof with the chuckle.

“Okay, this was my -somewhat- everyday makeup routine! Thank you guys for watching this chaotic mess, hope you laughed a bit, bye-bye, 再见!” How do those vlogger end their videos? Smash like and subscribe?

Behind you Henry looked up from the pages of his fantasy book and arched his brow, “Hey! No shout-out for your special guests? See you all next time!”

WOOHOO!! This is my very first fanfic, I really hope you enjoyed it. Liking, reposting and commenting would mean a lot to me! If you do repost this, please do not edit or copy my work. I worked really hard on this.

Much love, Nahmi xxx

Masterlist can be found HERE!

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[hwrryscherry]

The one where Harry and Model Y/N go undercover in the internet

characters: HARRYxMODELY/N

blurb: Harry and Model Y/N go undercover on the internet with fake accounts on TikTok and Instagram for an interview for GQ magazine on a video pre Grammys.

word count: 3.3K

HARRYxMODELY/N masterlist

author's note: HI GUYS! This is a request that I received a while ago but only finished it now because of school and all that stuff that I've told y'all a million times. Anyway, I tried my best on this request cause I think I lost my way of writing a little lol but anyway, I hope you like it and I hope that for the ones who misses Harry and Model Y/N this can be a great gift. Love y'all and thank you for the constant support and love on them💜 Stay Safe and Always remember to tpwk and that you're so golden💜💜💜

It was about 3 pm when you and Harry naturally came into the studio set on the building of GQ magazine with tender smiles on your faces covered by masks as you greeted everybody in the room in which there wasn’t many people in it. Harry was dressed in one of the many Gucci shirts he owned, with freshly washed hair that made you smell his pleasant scent from inches away just because he was wearing your favoured one and you'd always recognize it. You also detected the many rings on his fingers, including the one that you had bought for him as a 27th birthday present and by god, he was so thrilled about the ring and had a big smile on his face all day so he felt like he wanted to use it every day. Oh and how good his birthday was. You weren't able to have a party, obviously, but you still managed to celebrate somehow. In the morning, you gave him his favorite breakfast and then he, Gemma and Anne stayed on a zoom call for about an hour. You bought some yellow balloons to put in the living room just to give that birthday vibe and during the night, you had no more than four friends in your LA house, all properly protected and saved. You just ordered a few pizzas and watched some of Harry's favorite movies. It was simple but with an incredible energy, receiving a tiny group around while doing something y'all liked was everything Harry wanted most, mainly because he would have to wake up early the next day to go to the set of "Don't Worry Darling." as they were about to finish filming.

But today was another day. In earlier Febraury, the GQ magazine team reached out to your businessmen with the proposal that you and Harry would record a video together answering questions about your relationship to be published before the Grammys and after you consider whether it would be the best thing to do or not because of the many reactions you could get from it, you both agreed to do it. You’d always try to consider every little possibility when it comes to your and Harry’s relationship as the media can be very mean and disrepecftul.

Instead of Harry, you had a black miniskirt, long sleeve white blouse and a small black blazer with your Fendi plaid boots, which was Harry's personal choice for today as you’ve told him that he could chose an outfit for you to wear. You two spent a few minutes in the makeup chair doing touch-ups on your hair and makeup right before you were both ready to shoot. You walked from the makeup table to the center of the studio where you could see the crew behind the cameras and the big white background with a table and two black chairs right in the center. The table had a computer upon it only. After sitting down and having the microphones popped at you, you looked up when you heard the directors asking if you were ready and when you nod and the count is over, the camera started recording.

   ‘‘Hi, I'm Harry Styles!'’ You greeted the camera with a big smile on your face, eliciting a laugh from Harry about your unexpected "joke.". Honestly, today was a good day for both of you where you were both in an extremely good mood. Unlike the other days where you were quarantined, you were emotionally untired and in the mood to film and have a small social interaction, which is rare.

   ‘’And I'm Y/N Y/L/N!'’ Harry said joining in the joke with you and then looking at you as he waited for you to say the rest of the introductory phrase but only realizing you were smiling at the camera without saying anything.   '’Y/N!'’  Harry called calmly causing you to turn your head to face him and realize he wanted you to continue instead of continuing himself.

   '’Oh sorry, I thought you were going to continue'’    You whispered conspiratorially to him before taking a deep breath and resting your hands on the table when you returned your gaze to the camera.   ‘’And we’re gonna go undercover on the internet today!!’’

   ‘’Yeah, I'm scared!'’  Harry said when opening the laptop that was over the table and turning it on. You sat back in your chair so that you could see the laptop screen clearly and smirked a little when you heard your boyfriend's words.

   ‘’Hm... Let's do TikTok!'’   Harry said after a few seconds in silence while thinking. Harry's words made you chuckle his words because you knew that Harry doesn't comprehend anything about TikTok and didn't have an account but you both would usually find yourselves in bed watching tiktoks for hours. '’Which username should we put in?'’, Harry asked without taking his eyes off the screen.

   ‘’You should be! I’ll expose all of your deepest secrets in this video'’   You said while raising your eyebrows in a playful way eliciting a laugh from Harry, one by the way, that he tried hard to sound a little desperate for people watching  '’Alright, what should we do first?’’

   ‘’Put ‘’simp4harry’’ !"  You said with a smirk on your lips as Harry let out a nasal laugh but put that username either way.

   ‘’Okay, but how did you think of that username so fast? I think it’s very creative'’  Harry asked as he finished creating the account.

   ‘’It's the username I put on everything!'’  You answered as you ran your right hand through your hair.

   ‘’Oh yes? So is this your Only Fans username?'’  Harry mockingly asked making you laugh and take your eyes off the screen and look at his face.

   ‘’No, I don't even have an account on Only Fans, for God's sake Styles'’. You answered as mockingly as he did, '’Why? You have one?'’  You asked calmly.

   ‘’No, I'm a one-woman man!'’ Harry said to cause you to smile convincingly.

   '’Can someone get me a bottle of water, please?'’ You asked gently for the people who were on the set and smiled thanking the person who brought you.

   ‘’Thank you!'’   You answered sounding a little bit shy, even though you’re a public person and listen to compliments quite often, you still don’t know how to react to them. You took a deep breath and raised your eyebrows before using your finger to point to the laptop screen as he opened your tiktok account,  ‘’I mean, I don’t even know why I’d be one of the best ones to follow since all I post on tiktok is unnecessary and stupid things that goes through my mind during the day.’’

   ‘’So inconvenient!'’  Harry whispered playfully. You two had this habit of being sassy to each other, and everyone around you was used to it. This craze started because the first time you guys hang out together in Shanghai, you just talked like you’ve known each other for years and not just five hours.

   '’I didn't drink water today, do you want me to be thirsty? I thought you loved me!'’   You used a dramatic tone when speaking before drinking a sip of water.

   ‘’I did!'’   Harry replied in a low tone finishing logging in the TikTok feed.

   ‘’What do you mean ''you did''?'’   You answered in a loud tone holding the laugh with Harry.

   ‘’Okay, focus on TikTok! Focus on TikTok!'’  Harry said with a laugh as you now brought his attention to the screen as well,  ‘’Hm, let's look at my girl's account!'’, Harry said as he typed your tiktok username in the search bar. You took a sip of the water in the bottle and put it on the table,  ‘’AND by the way, do you guys know that this woman over here was listed by The Cut as one of the best tiktokers to follow today? And I’m so proud’’

   ‘’Well, I love how you appreciate your talents, love!'’  Harry replied sarcastically with a smirk on his lips making you chuckle. He didn't like it very much when you belittled something you did, even if it was something that was really bad, he didn't like it. Not just with you though, but with all the people in the world. Harry doesn't like it when people don't recognize their worth.

   ‘’Ok, here’s the first one! I’ll be reacting to it!'’   Harry spoke in a playful tone while clicking on the video as he knew very well it was not a react video but to answer questions. Harry clicked on the first video, this time you were propped up with your face close to the camera with folded arms dubbed to the sound that was in the background. You then take the transparent glasses pulled over the beige in a matter of color that was in front of you on the table and put them under your eyes never failing to dub the song. Then you move away from the camera and can see you are wearing leggings and a sweatshirt. And then you take your Louis Vuitton Coussin PM silver bag and place it on your shoulder before the video ends   ‘’Alright, so on this video you don’t do anything else than mimicking to the song.’’

   ‘’No, but like, seriously!'’   You complemented. '’We’ll watch some of them, and you’ll see how silly they are!

   ‘’I know that’s why I said that it stupid!'’   You exclaimed as you crossed your arms on the table. ‘’Let’s see the comments'’   You, yourself clicked on the comments area with your hand before Harry did and observed as comments poped up.

   ‘’Ok so the user @username1 asked ‘’How does it feel being the coolest person ever’’, tell me Y/N, how does it feel like?'’  Harry asked with a smirk to you as he turned his head to encounter your face with raised eyebrows.

   ‘’Oh, it feels so nice!'’ You responded in a playful tone causing both of you to laugh at your conviction, even though you knew it was a teasing tone and not narcissistic  ‘’Everybody knows I’m like, the coolest person alive so...'’  You convincingly said running your hand through a few strands of your hair and then take a deep breath and put a lock of hair behind your ear.   ‘’No, I’m just kidding. I’m not cool everyday, honestly there are days that I’m the most annoying person ever so I definetely have my good and bad days.’’

   ‘’Oh and those annoying moments'’   Harry said in an ironic tone, letting out a dramatic sigh causing you to frown and slightly open your mouth as an offense while holding your laughter as you exclaimed a loud '' excuse me?’‘ as an answer. Harry returned his attention to the comments on the screen again and frowned and brought his face slightly closer to the screen to read   ‘’Okay so @username2 asked ‘’new trend: are you engaged?’’. No guys are not. We’ve never been engaged.’’

   ‘’I feel like we’ve been engaged since 2017!'’   You said sarcastically remembering all the rumors about engagement, babies and dating. Since the first time you has met there were rumors, thousands of them, all the time but you and Harry chose not to comment on them as it would just be a big waste of time.

   ‘’Exactly and we weren’t even dating in 2017!'’  Harry complemented by looking away from the camera at his nodded face. '’But anyway...’’   Harry said taking a deep breath  '’I love how random your tiktok actually is!’’

"I know! I am planning a whole video to film on Grammys day because I'm in love with my outfit and i’m so excited for it!" You said changing the subject but being excited about the idea. After the announcement of nominations and with all the excitement you felt for Harry, you agreed you would attend the Grammys together; it was something important because not only was he running for three awards but also because you never attended any events side by side, except at the 2019 Met Gala. Then the pressures would increase but Harry knew it would be so much easier if he had you there with him. Because whether or not he took the awards home, he knew you were there and he would be grateful for at least being nominated for sure.

"Wait, which outfit did you pick? " Harry asked as he left the tiktok site on the laptop and entered Instagram. Harry selected searched for the hashtag of both of your names as a ship name on the explorer, so it would be easier to find what both of you wanted. "You showed me three different outfits but didn’t told me which one you chose!"

"Oh, I choose the black Prada one!"  You answered calmly. Harry stopped using the laptop and turned his head quickly to face his face causing you to look surprised and confused at him due to your reaction. It was his favorite outfit from the three that you had shown to him. "What?I wanna look great before you win your first award and I start ugly crying."

"Oh my god, you’re probably more excited than me." Harry said turning his attention back to the laptop screen.

"Of course I am, I cannot wait to walk around telling people that my boyfriend is not only a three times grammy nominated but a grammy winner!" You answered as you grabbed the water bottle that you had previously asked and drinking a sip.

"Anyway, let’s see!" Harry said as he started searching through the hashtag posts, also drawing his attention to the same screen. You then see a post that catches your eye and points it so that Harry can click. The post was a picture of Harry on the Met Gala carpet with ‘’Harry pierced his own ear for the Met Gala with a needle’’ written on it. "Ok, that’s true! But, now ask me why I had to pierce my own ear?!"  He asked ironically, as if he were playing a trick on you, because he knew very well you had a mini argument that day since you refused to pierce his ear with the fricking needle.

"I told you I wouldn’t do it! Do you even have any idea of how dangerous that was?"  You replied right after rolling your eyes, but your tone of voice remained calm and you didn't get heated when you spoke. "You know you need to sterilize, right? And what if you had caught an infection? Do you really think I was going to do that? You're an adult. I can't stop you, but I wasn't going to pierce your ear."

"Hey, hey, hey!" He said causing you to stop talking and look at him. Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at you with a smirk before speaking. "The thing is: I really wanted to pierce my ear, and we wear finishing getting ready in New York. I asked Y/N if she had a needle. Neither her and Alessandro wanted to do it. Literally no one wanted to do it but I was very much decided so I did it myself and my ear is completely fine by the way" Harry said the last part making you roll your eyes again while looking at the camera and take a deep breath.

"Anyway..." You said as you dived back into the posts. In one of them you read someone saying in a comment that you and Harry would probably never fight. "Here, this one says ‘’I feel like they’re the type of couple that never fights and when they do, the fight lasts for 30 seconds’’".

"Absolutely untrue!" Harry said almost that immidiately while you nodded agreeing with him.

"Guys, every couple in the world argues. It’s natural, it’s not because we don’t have big arguments and talk shit about each other on the internet that we don’t have conflicts or understatement" You explained. You and Harry are really compatible, but you still have your moments and it’s important to recognize it. No relationship is perfect and disagreeing on things is absolutely understandable.

"Yeah, specially ‘cause we’re different people that come from different places and had different experiences. As long as the disagreements are not causing you serious mental and emotional harm is normal" Harry complemented your thought. It’s important to notice when a relationship is not making you feel good anymore. If your unhappy for any reason is important to leave and to search for help if needed. "See, if you could change anything in our relationship, what would it be?" Harry asked making you pay attention to his words and face as you thought attentively in silence for a few seconds.

"I think I would probably change the fact that we’re usually really far away from each other!" You said calmly while looking at him. "Like, you’re always travelling and so I am, so I feel like it can get hard sometimes because of that and I’d definitely would change that if I could do it without like, changing our whole careers and lives."

"Yeah, I’d probably change that as well!" Harry agreed nodding to you as he was thinking as well. "I’m very grateful for quarantine on that point because we could spend more time together without being so long apart from each other. Of course I wish it was on different situations but I’m grateful for that" Harry said and you could understand that completely. You and Harry had been dating since 2018 and had spend months apart from each other and only you both truly knew how hard it could get sometimes, specially when you had the whole world to judge both of you.

"I fully understand it! Sometimes I think about everyone who spent this past year alone, and I’m really grateful for having you with me...LIke, you’re my best friend, you know this" You said looking at Harry’s face. He had a growing tender smile on his face that was starting to make you nervous and emotional on the same time as you remembered the past year. You felt your eyes getting wet and let out a chuckle looking away from his gaze. "I’m getting emotional! It’s all about my cancer rising today!"

"Oh sure, it’s always zodiac’s fault!" Harry said laughing and then looking at the screen and the crew on the backstage while gesturing with his hands. "That’s probably one thing about Y/N that you guys don’t know. She fully believes on zodiac signs and those stuffs. Actually, there was one time when she told me that we couldn’t be together because our signs were incompatible."

"Okay but like, Harry is an Aquarius and I’m a Taurus. We are incompatible when it comes to zodiac signs!" You said between giggles as you tried justifying your point even though Harry knew you were joking when you said that to him. He didn’t know at the time though he was very much surprised and scared when you said it.

"But anyway, I’m glad that we spend this time together. It’s been weird and funny at the same time like the spaghetti day!" Harry said holding his giggles as he watched your eyes widen because you knew exactly what he was talking about.

"NO, we're not talking about this!" You talked fastly while laughing at the same time as Harry as you both remembered that one night in quarantine when a spaghetti night went completely wrong and he came on the kitchen to see you and a kitchen with spaghetti and tomato sauce all over the floor and the walls and how you cried to convince him to clean the whole kitchen alone and failed. "Ok, let's finish the video here before things are leaked!" You said giggling.

"Alright, this was very nice. Thank you GQ for having us and I hope we weren't the worst guests you've ever had!" Harry said joking even though you both knew that it was quite hard to be very open in the media specially about your relationship but you tried your hardest.

"Don't forget to watch Harry peform on Grammys on sunday!" You said.

[all-things-fic]

Somewhere Only We Know

A/N - Hello, you lovely lot! Hope you are all keeping well in these utterly shit Covid times. Who would’ve thought that we would still be here in December?! Please see my offering for @goldenbluesuit​‘s Christmas Fic Challenge. Hope I’ve done a bit of justice with this piece.

I can remember Katie texting me telling me about the challenge, and I’ll admit I was given first dibs and now I’m absolutely shitting myself because I’ve seen all the brillaint entries so far and I’m not sure I really cut the mustard with this piece but I’m proud of myself for being able to put a solid 70% of this together in just one day (that one day being today).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Katie has done a brilliant job and I know how grateful she is towards anyone who has joined the challenge or supported by reading/sharing etc.... I need to stop rambling... Okay, thank you for sticking with me as always and happy reading! .x

***

The last thing you remembered actually reading in the group chat was “make sure you have your wellies”. You were glad that you remembered that part at the very least.

Winds whipped around you as you buried your face further into your cream roll neck cable knit jumper, all but hidden underneath your tobacco borg teddy coat that someone had already likened to Macklemore.

Nothing like being back home with your closest and oldest friends.

Mud squelched under your feet as you walked in line with two of your oldest girl friends, eyes looking over the four males in front of you as they led the way over the grassy hills.

There had been zero planning on what today’s events would bring. It was quite clear that the seven of you just wanted to be reunited with the country air and wind bitten cheeks.

It was nice. How simple it was. On the surface at the very least. That was until you zoned in on the little things. 

Like his laugh. The same laugh that always carried somehow and it seemed like the wind was making it that much more prominent than usual today.

There was no denying, he had this glow about him. Even from the back of him. You felt silly for thinking it, but it was true. It was in the way he held himself as he attacked the grassy hills with his feet clad wellies and brown trousers.

Life had changed a lot in over a decade. Christ, had it been that long? You’d all gone from baby teenagers to fully fledged adults. The age range of your friendship differing slightly, the odd person here and there slightly older than a couple of people in the group.

Nonetheless, many of the experiences had been the same. The big job offers, and the even bigger promotions. The heartbreaks, regardless of their prominence or lack of, had been the felt the same. The flirtation between some of you sparked probably a bit more so now with a finesse that didn’t have you rolling your eyes but rather leaning into it. 

Four out of seven of you were single. Jack and Jonny were virtually married off, however neither of them were with their partners this year with both deciding to spend Christmas at home and New Years with their significant others. Alice was still loved up and going strong with her fella, as was Grace who you hadn’t heard a peep from as she constantly checked her phone to see when the person she was besotted with finally arrived up North thanks to West Midlands Trains pulling into Crewe. 

So that left Will, you and Harry. Harry who had  quite publicly made it known that he was single. Well, according to your Mum he had, in several interviews. Including the one that she had described as an ‘incredibly relaxing watch and nice background noise to my Sunday evening brew and ironing session’. 

That was a strange one for you, his honesty. In earlier years of friendship, he always seemed quite aloof. Like he was keeping his options open. Guarded in a way that frustrated at least 75% of the friendship group, in the nicest way possible. You knew that was a contradiction but any annoyance came from a good place. 

You remembered one night in 2014 when he wouldn’t quite give you a straight answer over tequila shots whether he was shagging someone or not. You also remember the way he’d been pulled away from you tactfully by Alice that night when she sensed how you were about to blow up at his lackadaisical attitude. 

The same had been felt in 2016. Not so much in 2018, but you weren’t single then so maybe you just didn’t care. 

2019 was significantly different though.

See the thing was, you knew him now. Like, knew knew him. 

Some would think it was a lapse of judgment, a reading that you would agree upon given what had happened two days prior if ever prodded about it publicly.

Others would vehemently disagree. Stating how long any sort of energy between the two of you had been bubbling for a number of years. 

Looking back you couldn’t even understand why you’d attended his show. You lived in Camden and it made sense, but that’s where the sense stopped. Even the ways he had reached out had been one of the most random messages you’d received from him

There was no context, just a simple ‘I’m playing the Electric Ballroom and there’s tickets waiting for you if you want ‘em.’

And the thing was, you loved that venue. The grungy-ness of it all. The way you had stuck to the floor while trying to dance along to the likes of The Hives and Kings of Leon when seeing them playing there, basking in your sweaty happiness. 

But the stickiness of the floor and sweatiness of the room didn’t compare to the stickiness and sweatiness you later found yourself partaking in as Harry took you from behind over the side of his couch. 

A shiver rolled through you at the thought, one that you would blame on the December bitter chill because it was a secret. One that neither of you had mentioned since it happened on Thursday night, or to be technically correct the early hours of Friday morning. 

He’d been good. Of course he had been.

He had that way about him that night that pulled you under a false sense of endeared security. From his dimpled smile to gleaming eyes. He was happy. 

And the way he had shone as he found you on the balcony had warmed you like nothing you had known in the longest time.

It caused you to forget about the worry that had laden you limbs as you turned up at 9.13pm to the wooden doors of the building, wondering how many songs he was in to the set as you convinced yourself he would start at 9.00pm.

As you’d been ushered over to a clear box window and uttered your name to a dorky looking man wearing a tracksuit pull over and watched him handover a white envelope through the circle hatch. 

You stood in the dark, next to two much younger girls who enjoyed the way his glances lingered over at their side. Eyes had found Gemma in the opposite corner of the balcony, her dancing and singing with some recognisable faces mainly more so because you had seen them on social media.

You, however, kept yourself to yourself. Until you were anchored in the tightest hug from Gemma that you had ever felt from her and swayed from side to side as she made it known how pleased she was to see you once the concert was over. 

That familiarity had been nice. The vibrancy of nostalgia consuming you in your entirety. 

Watching him work a room when he finally entered the after party was a sight to behold, in his navy blue pinstripe suit and yellow ‘I’m gonna die lonely’ t-shirt. 

He wasn’t. Gonna die lonely, that is. 

He glided so smoothly from one person to the next, spilling a drink down himself in the process you’d seen (and later felt when your hand clung to the fabric of his t-shirt as you kissed), making time for everyone in his own unique way.

Big eyes followed you over Gemma’s shoulder when he had finally found himself within your circle and hugged his sister once more that evening. They were hard to read but also openly filled with a glimmer of hope as he dropped his gaze to see what you were wearing.

And when he approached you, he hugged you in a way that managed to pull you into the darkened corner of the dingy space. Spinning your body to keep your face concealed from any prying eyes. 

He revealed to you how he didn’t think you were going to turn up, scanning you with his gaze as he spoke. You did the same, a bit taken aback by just how attractive you were finding him. He had always been handsome but the aura he gave off, made your fingers itch to have him closer to you. 

Words ran away from you that night as he begged and pleaded with you to tell him what your favourite song had been. Based on first impressions, which the show has been, then Canyon Moon and Watermelon Sugar had smothered you and given you no other option but to pick them.

If he were to ask you now you’d probably say To Be So Lonely, thanks to the drive home being longer than originally thought and said album being your choice of road trip music. 

Forget Driving Home For Christmas, nothing slapped more than one of your closest friends admitting to being an arrogant son of a bitch. 

After your chat, he mingled some more but Harry was always tactile and that night had been no different. He veered conversations with people you had never seen before to take place by the zone that you all occupied.

He actively kept his back against yours, allowing the faintest of touches and brushing of arms - sometimes hands too if he dropped them down heavily enough with his arms as he spoke - to entice and create a spark. 

You were kept late enough to miss the last tube. Battery dangerously low on your phone that you didn’t know if a transaction with Uber would be worth a try. 

Jumping into the same car as him had been easy. His soft and tired eyes findings yours in the cab as he leant his head back against the headrest in the back seat and let his lips tip upwards in an expression of tenderness that had you melting in your seat. 

“‘S been a while since we’ve both been a bit pissed in the back of a taxi,” he mused, pushing his fallen locks out of his eyes to ensure his view of you wasn’t obscured. “Come an’ cuddle me like you used to do when we went out a’ home and were worse for wear.”

Falling into his side was almost second nature, eyes closing as you let your forehead rest against his jawline and let his worn in cologne fill you senses and scatter your judgment.

You don’t even remember how you ended up kissing that night. A mixture of confessions about missing each other and praise of how good you both were in your own ways. The sound of his whispered, “are you coming home wi’me?” against your lips an offer too good for you to refuse as you sat pressed into his side and half in his lap. 

The giggles that night, around dramatic shushes as you tripped and shuffled from the car to his front door were almost haunting in your memory as he tried to chastise you around spluttered laughter about being respectful of his neighbours. 

Getting the key in the lock proved unchallenging -  one of the better analogies aligned to your memories and latter sexual endeavours - as you slipped into the house. He enjoyed watching the way you walked ahead of him into his home, not realising how much he needed that visual of seeing how well you fit in. 

While time seemed to slow in that moment, movements desperately sought the opposite. Hands gripped and clawed like their lives depended upon it. 

Looking back now, both he and you wished it hadn’t happened the way it did. Skirt lifted and over the side of his couch. Teeth clashing and hips knocking.

It had been every inch a drunken fumble. A first meeting slightly cheapened but wanted nonetheless. Only made even cheaper by the hush-hush concealing of it ever occurring. 

But a secret it was and a secret it would remain. 

And oh how you wished you had a pillow you could press you face into right now and scream, this time for an entirely different reason. Unlike that night. 

“Not seen a sign of any deer yet, mate,” you heard a voice break you out of your indulgence of recollecting past events. Harry was the worst at wanting to get a reaction. 

“Christ, have a bit of patience would yer?”

You smiled at the bickering, just like it always was as the River Dane could be heard in the distance somewhere as you walked. If you listened really close, that is. 

Lifting your eyes, your smile lingered as you watched Harry spin his body around and let his hands get lost in the massive pockets of his parka. He walked backwards holding your gaze softly with his eyes twinkling before he gently rolled them at the overreaction and impatience of your friends.

He seemed pleased that you’d enjoyed his teasing as you once again hid you smile into your jumper. 

You’d be alright.

***

You heard giggles and screams ahead of you as your friends stumbled in the dark and messed about as you got closer to the viaduct. This place or the people didn’t change, and at times while it filled you with a warm nostalgia, it could be heavily jarring.

A soft and lazy smile pulled at your lips as you felt his heavy forearm lightly tug you closer to him, his lips finding your hair. And then there was Harry. 

“Think we should go this way m’self,” Harry mumbled, the nudge of his hips against yours had you stumbling slightly in your heels away from the direction of your friends and somewhere completely different. 

“And why’s that?” You turned your face slightly, cheeks warm and flushed thanks to the mixture of alcoholic beverages; eyes glazed as they lifted up to look at him. 

“Cause you never would’ve let me when I was sixteen,” he admitted. 

“You didn’t ask.”

“‘M askin’ now.” 

With slow blinking eyes, you looked at his own unfocused vision. A soft shine to his skin, hair blowing gently against his forehead. The softest of smiles tilted at your lips.  

“On yer go,” he nudged you forward, this time more so with his crotch and his hands, which wrapped around your hips to help steer you. Harry was met with only a small amount of resistance from you as you split off from your friends and turned in the different direction. 

You bit back your laugh, dropping your head slightly as you felt your heels started to sink into the grass as you walked. Harry was level with you when you sunk down noticing the way you legs slightly gave way, a soft chuckle omitting from his throat as he asked, “You alrigh’?”

“I’m sinking in these bloody things,” you grumbled, pulling your heel from the grass and trying to place the sole of your shoe onto the ground beneath you first. 

“So much for no’ being able to take the country out o’ the girl. London’s changed yer, swear it.”

Shaking your head, you cut your eyes to give him a harsh stare for his wind up. His amused expression lit a fire in you like no other. He really wasn’t one to talk though, was he? 

“Gi’me your hand ‘ere,” he held his out to you, quickly cupping it when you handed it over and pulled it under his bent elbow. “Remind me again who’s idea this was, eh?”

He didn’t need reminding, he had been one of the keen instigators for the whole jaunt down Twemlow Viaduct. It usually was him, or Jack. The two of them often reminiscing on times they had both raided their parents' alcohol cupboards and managed to sneak out with some dusty bottle that held a liquor that tasted out of date and stale, and if not that then, cheap. 

“‘S still fucking freezing down ‘ere, in’it?” He asked, lifting his left hand up to his mouth and blowing against it to try and get some feeling back into his fingers.

“We’re so close to the river, I don’t know why you’d expect anything different?”

“Is this why everyone was always so insistent on necking anything with over 11% alcohol in it when we came down ‘ere as kids?”

“Probably,” you softly laughed. 

“‘S a bit different now though innit?”

“Oh, I’m not so sure,” you started to correct him, shrugging your hand out from under his elbow and reaching for your bag. Quickly fumbling with the clasp, you lifted up the quilted flap and managed to pull out the stainless steel hip flask.

Harry cackled a harsh laugh, his eyes crinkling as he slowly let his laughter die down and softly let his joy wash over his features. “Impressive. Gone all proper on me.”

“You know I haven’t,” you held his eyes watching as he nervously cupped at the back of his neck for a short while, a gentle bite down of his bottom lip, as you quickly uncapped the item and held it out to him. He looked like he needed the courage.  You continued, “We’re just a bit more refined, that and we earn a good living. Some more than others, and by some I mean you.” 

He held his hand up towards you with an amused grin at your comment. “You first, ‘s yours after all.” 

Lifting the item and knocking back your head, you swallowed the whiskey with a small grimace, before offering it to Harry once more. This time he accepted, his right hand making light work of taking the item from your hands and sipping at the contents.

His face wasn’t as contorted as your’s when he swallowed, a fan of the chosen beverage if needs must. “‘S the proper stuff, tha’ is,” he commented with a quick lick of his lips before continuing, “Come a long way from sneaking the bottles of dusty Blossom Hill from the back of the cupboard.”

“Don’t know about that,” you smiled, taking the item and pushing it back into your bag. “I’d still drink if, if it were on offer.”

“‘M sure Mum’s got a bottle or two going at home?”

“Is that your way of asking me to go home with you?” You paused. “Again.”

Harry remained silent at your words. Both you and he knew it was going to happen. A mixture of sparks and lovelorn, lingering glances was enough to make anyone both want to give up, while also giving a burning confidence usually unknown. 

Neither of you expected it would be you who started the conversation, however. 

“It is, ‘f it’s gonna work. ‘M not sure I could wait any longer t’be’onest wi’yer.“

Laughing, you reached up to push at his shoulder. He always knew exactly what to say, but no way was he going to make a laughing stock of the whole thing. “Oh, give over,” you spoke, harshly swallowing when he kept your hand against the thick cable knit black jumper he had on. “You’ve made it this far, thus far just fine.” 

“‘M not playin’,” he whispered, hand gently curling around your own and lifting it up to press against his face. His cheeks were warm underneath the cooler hands, despite the cold night whipping around you both and your mind quickly wondered if he was just as embarrassed for his lack of acknowledgment as you had been. “Homes nice, you’re nicer.”

“I thought we weren’t going to talk about it,” you let your soft voice get taken by the wind.

“An’ what gave you tha’ impression?”

He did. He gave you that impression. By not mentioning it. By treating you how he always did.

“You.”

“Me?” Harry responded, indignantly, blowing out a sigh that had his cheeks puffing out underneath your hand. “‘M not doing a very good job then am I? I can’t keep m’eyes off o’you. ‘S not my fault you don’t bloody notice ‘em.”

But you had noticed them. 

His eyes, gaze following your every move, near enough. Stupid little touches. Glances of approval. Not just now, but from years before. 

Treating you how he always did.

Oh, treating you how he always did.

Bringing your eyes back to his figure, you saw the way his gaze darted and nervousness dragged at his features. A frown began to set itself between his eyebrows from worry. 

“Changes everything.”

Running his tongue along his teeth, Harry pursed his lips. “Everythin’ has changed, changed a long time ago an’all.” 

You dropped your hand down, it now massaging against the back of his neck and shoulder as you felt the tension of his body radiating through his clothes. Under the dim moonlight and the odd spotlight that had been added to the viaduct with each passing year for safety, Harry exhumed everything anyone would want in a boyfriend. He was soft, and so bloody gorgeous. Not just because he was personification of an almost six foot tall string of handsomeness, but his character did the talking for him.

He knocked the door before he walked into a room, for example. Who really did that kind of thing anymore? 

But you could also still see the heartbreak that lingered, albeit not as strong as it once was, it was still there. And that was problematic and scary. To be on the receiving end of it. Not that you would hold it against him, because you had been him at one point too. At many points in fact. 

When the two of you had shagged, because let’s face it that is exactly what it had been, while a sense of familiarity in the person was prevalent it was definitely overruled by the desire to just hit a euphoric high that if hit right could not be topped. 

Familiar overruled in other aspects, and it wasn’t to be brushed away. But was familiarity a mask that would slip sooner rather than later? Was it the start and the end?

The both of you experienced similarities in your life that could not be matched by the friends in your friendship group. London had chewed you up and spat you out, ruthlessly so. While rewarding you with long hours but fat pay cheques, careers that catapulted you to new heights and enabled you to see parts of the world that two country kids (which in one way you were) could never have imagined. 

Sure Harry’s had been on a much, much larger scale - you would not ever deny that - but you no longer fit in. 

And neither did he. 

This was a place that only the two of you knew. A place where you watched those around you fall in love and have the time to do so. A place where your friend's happiness was created a lot easier than it wasn’t and allowed a sense of success to weave its way in, through the most unexpected of happenings.

Not a place where you found happiness in your work because there was less of a space for happiness to blossom elsewhere. Not really. Not like you; both of you. 

Understanding was vital. 

This had been a place you knew like the back of your hand. A place that had you feeling the earth beneath your feet, fresh air in your lungs and had at times made it so you found yourself sitting by a river and finding yourself feeling complete. 

Yet looking over at the almost 26 year old, that just wasn’t the case anymore. 

And for once you didn’t feel alone. 

The sound of the odd piece of cobbled pavement underneath Harry shoes, buried beneath overgrown grass and plants, broke you from your thoughts, as you watched him kick at the ground and scuff his shoes.

He sighed, head tilted back before he knocked it to the side and caught your eyes. A small scoffed laugh left his lips as he shook his head and dropped his gaze to his feet.

“‘S it fucked?”

You hummed, a small frown lacing your features.

“Fucked it, haven’t I? Fuckin’- idiot-“ he breathed out a noise as he clenched his teeth, one that wasn’t quite a growl but enough to let you know he was agitated. Only strengthened by how tight his jaw became. 

Before you could even think, the back of your hand gently brushed against the pulsing hinge of his jaw. Muscles taut as you tried to soothe him in a way that your mind was screaming was far too intimate.

You didn’t want him having any internal battle about right and wrong. Not when you had both taken the same steps to get here. 

“Thought it was just meant as a one time thing,” you admitted. “Like you needed it, and I needed it. Was what it needed to be at the time. Bit rough, bit sloppy-“

You cringed are the use of the word. Wanting the ground to swallow you in a weird fashion. You should be able to talk open and honestly with someone who you had known longer than hadn’t. 

“Rough?“ Harry swallowed audibly, his face fallen. “That’s not-“ 

His eyes held an emotion similar to sorrow at the mention of the word. “That’s not the impression I wanted to give you.” 

“We were both drunk, it happens.” 

“Not with me it doesn’t. Not when it’s me, wanting to be wi’you.”

“I mean I was into it if that helps anything?” 

“Were yer?”

You looked at him from the corner of your vision, watching his lips try to fight a smile as you rolled yours into your mouth to not give yourself away. You knew what you were trying to do by speaking those words aloud but you wished you hadn’t. Awkward breathy laughs were shared by the two of you as you held his eyes. 

“Was I?”

You hummed in agreement to answer his question, letting your smile dance along your lips now and watching as Harry’s dimples started to show. His expression was youthful, slightly smug. 

“Good t’know.”

***

Finishing saying your goodbyes to your friends and ignoring their suggestive expression because ‘Harry was stopping as an extra pair of hands’, you shut the heavy wooden door and reached up to close the deadbolt lock at the top. Shortly after, you let your feet drop as you stopped standing on your tiptoes and pressed your forehead against the door. 

The silence of the pub was always a strange one to you. A place that was usually thriving, whether it was just your friends, or your parents friends. When the lights were turned out, it was actually quite a lonely place. Regardless of growing up around this sort of industry your entire life and having parents as publicans nothing was more depressing than an empty bar, lifeless and nothing like it was intended.

A suggested lock-in from Jack, who managed to interrupt both yours and Harry’s conversation earlier had not been a bad shout after all. You knew it meant that you would have to deal with the fallout with it being Christmas Eve, but it wasn’t very often that you found yourself in the setting. 

Turning to move from the door, you almost jumped out of your skin when you heard the opening of a familiar Lily Allen song start to play over the speakers. 

Harry emerged from the corner of the pub that housed the jukebox, slowly rubbing his hands together before he wordlessly picked up the scattered pint glasses that had remained on one of the tables that had been missed by the staff on the evening shift. His eyes glanced over at you, as you stood with a hand to your chest.

This wicked smile and gleam washed over his face as he paused his movement. “Did I scare yer?”

“Do you not think it’s a bit loud?”

He wrinkled his nose at you, a soft shake of his head no, to answer your question. 

“‘S your fave innit?” He asked, head nudging to where the jukebox was now hidden.

With a small smile you nodded, “Prefer the Keane version in all honesty.”

“Don’t have it in the bloody jukebox though, d’yer? Can’t like it that much.”

Your smile deepened at his exclaim and how prominent his accent sounded as he spoke, the small clink of the glasses he was holding only heard if you really zoned in. 

“Where d’yer want these?” He asked, holding up the five pint glasses he had collected. “Behind t’bar?”

Humming, you nodded and watched as he weaved his way through the tables to you. You frowned as he got closer, not understanding why he hadn’t bypassed you completely.

Once he was close enough to you, you watched as he reached for what you knew to be your own glass of wine that was almost finished. 

“Fancy the rest of this or can it go too?”

Looking at him and down to the glass, you gently wrapped your hand around it and brought the lip to your mouth. You knocked the item back quickly, swallowing the rest of your wine, before handing over the now empty glass back to Harry.

“Good girl,” he joked, light laughter lacing each word. “Sit yourself down.”

Wearing an amused and quizzical expression, you let yourself sink down into the wooden chair. Resting your chin on your hand, you spun slightly in your seat to keep your eyes on Harry as he placed the glasses down and lifted the hatch so he could step behind the bar. 

With your free hand, you started to tap the worn beer coaster labelled with the Cheshire Brewhouse logo against the table. Part of you hated how Harry had a knack for anything, including knowing his way around a bar. 

He busied himself with collating the glasses once more as you let your eyes take in the surroundings you had known, loved and even grown out of. 

Your parent’s pub was cosy and friendly. A truly 

classic and quintessential British village pub, featuring open fires, bookcases found in the very far corner or the jukebox in the other, lots of old oak and a really pleasant garden with benches for the summat and heaters for the winter. You know the kind that had its regulars that had kids who had seen each other grow up.

The bar was the centre of the pubs house, with an extensive array of whiskies amongst many other delights. A nice range of local ales and a well-balanced, great quality list of wines on offer designed (which you would be taste testing if the service hadn’t decided to take a break) to complement the food menus designed daily by a team of chefs who all have a passion for great cooking using fresh, seasonal and local ingredients.

It looked as Christmassy as Christmas could get, with a real tree which was locally sourced from one of the many surrounding farms and traditionally decorated with golds and reds. Twinkly lights shone, not only on the trees but as part of the garland that was hung above the bar each year, much to the annoyance of your Dad and the delight of your Mum.

Slowly dragging your eyes back to the bar, you watched Harry as he poured you another glass of white wine and started to recap the bottle. He must’ve felt your eyes on him, his gaze meeting yours almost immediately. 

“Service is a bit slow,” you jibed, once you knew he was with you. “Going to ruin the reputation of a fine establishment.”

His chuckle was breathy in response, but warmed you through as he turned his back and pushed his tumbler glass up against the device at the bottom of the Glenfiddich distilled malt whiskey, not once but twice going for a double. 

“Helping yourself to the stock now, as well.” 

“‘M sure your Dad won’t mind,” he responded, twisting his body back around to reach for your own glass and place it onto a tray that sat along the bar top. “In fact he’d probably make a comment about how it’d put hairs on m’chest.”

You laughed, unrestrained, knowing just how right he had been with that comment. 

Over the otherside of the room, Harry smiled and shushed you as he walked closer, easily holding the tray with your drinks upon it. “Being a bit loud,” he taunted as he slid the tray down to the oak table.

“Oh, now you’re concerned about the noise.”

With his hand against the back of the chair which was currently housing your outstretched legs, you felt him start to wobble the seat to give you a warning. 

“Hang on,” you said, “Plenty of other chairs.”

“This one’s mine,” he responded.

Wanting to roll your eyes but deciding not to, you let your legs drop down and gave the seat back to Harry. Once he was comfortable and he’d taken your drink off the tray, he gestured with his right hand.

Not entirely focused, he had to do the ‘come hither’ motion a couple of times before you finally cottoned on. He was willing to let you put your legs on his lap instead, while he may have taken the seat it didn’t mean he wanted to take away your comfort.

No sooner had your legs been raised to rest against his tan washed velvet corduroy trousers, was he fiddling with the buckle of your stiletto sandals.

“Got mud everywhere,” you commented, wiggling your toes that were painted a festive red and inspecting the little dots of dirt that were splattered against your skin, as Harry dropped the first shoe to the floor and quickly worked on the second. “Dread to think what they smell like.”

“Smell alrigh’ from ‘ere,” he mused, smirk faint but glaring obvious in his tone of voice as he threw a quick and mischievous glance at you. As you elongated your foot against his thighs, the tips of your toes were just about able to press into his thick jumper to try and jab at him for his comment. 

Before you were able to put any sort of force behind your action, Harry’s hand clamped down around the top of your foot causing your eyes to snap up away from his hand and up to his eyes.

There he sat watching you, top two teeth pressed into his bottom lip keep his smile at bay. Releasing his lips slowly, his whispered threat left his throat, “I will tickle.”

You tried to fidget away but to no avail. With a whined laugh, you frowned as Harry goaded you by slowly raising his eyebrows. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me.”

You had tried him. 

Truth be told you wanted to again.

If he wanted to.

Reaching for your wine, you took a hefty sip and let the silence swallow you both. Harry, who kept his hand on your foot and his fingers dancing gently against the top, let his head fall back awkwardly against the hardwood. His head dropped to the side taking in his surroundings and their familiarity. 

“Do you ever get tired of coming back?” 

You hummed, sure you had misheard due to the way the blood was rushing around your ears. He turned to look at you, all double chin and puffy cheeks.

“Of everything being the same, but different?”

His whispers captivated you, hushed confessions not quite meant for anyone else but his own mind yet spilling from him with such an ease that he did nothing to fight them. 

“I’ll admit, I come home for other people. Not for me.”

“People?”

“Mum, Dad,” you paused. “You.”

His smile deepened. His chin knocking down to his chest, his eyes looking up at you from underneath his curling hair from being caught in the moist winter evening just hours before.

“You can stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you did three nights ago.”

Harry breathed in deeply, his nostrils flaring and his chest expanding. A lick of his lips, before his mouth dropped to sit slightly agape. 

“What if I don’t wan’to? What if I want t’look at yer like this all the time?”

You found yourself unable to respond, nose burying itself into your wine glass as you pressed your lips against the cool outside to try and hide your burning smile. 

His lips curled lightly, before he breathed a laugh once and gently shook your foot with his hand. “Eh? Come ‘ere-“

“Harry,” you breathed.

“C’mon, c’mere. ‘S room for more than just your feet.”

If it wasn’t for the creak of your chair as you slowly started to push yourself out of it, you wouldn’t have consciously been aware of how you were making your way to him. 

His body relaxed, somehow managing to become closer to horizontal than sitting upright in his seat, as he peered as you walking the short distance over to him. 

With his legs widened, he pressed his face into your side now that you were close enough. His nose inhaled the familiar scent of your perfume which was only faint now due to the other senses and scents it had mixed with throughout the evening.

Rolling his face out of your body, he knocked his head back and pressed his chin where his face had been. The face you showed him was worn with worry, an expression he did not want to meet.

“‘S wrong?”

His ask was lazy. Not wanting to dig deep and know. What if he didn’t like what he found? 

“We know how this is going to end.”

“Do we?” He prodded. His eyes moved over your features quickly before they partly disappeared to him, thanks to your curtain of hair which slowly fell down.

His hand reached up, desperately brushing it away and cupping at the back of your head as best as he could while he remained seated. 

“How’s that? Tell me.”

“Same, but different.” 

You knew you shouldn’t use his words, not in a way that could be considered against him, but they - in the most ambiguous of ways - described everything perfectly. 

“Not if I have my way.” 

His words were almost lost against your stomach as he pressed his face against you once more and wrapped his hands around you; sweaty, nervous palms pressing to the backs of your thighs. 

“Same, but better.”

Harry guided you down to his lap, his lips somehow managing to remain pressed into stomach, or your chest, or your clavicle, as your face became level with his. 

“Different, but better.” 

He kissed against your cheek slowly, nose nudging at your skin as he willed for you to relax against him. “I don’t know how you like it, like this,” he whispered in confession. “Show me?”

A puff of air left your lips as you turned to look at him with hooded eyes. His mouth was closer to yours than you originally thought, corners of lips brushing as you slightly pulled away. 

When your lips met, it was in the softest of pecks that trembled under your nerves. Both sets of eyes looking back at each other as you innocently engaged. 

If you were to take your eyes away from him in any way, you would notice those fluffy curls of his falling over his forehead and the lightest dusting of red blush making itself known against his cheeks and the tops of his ears.

He felt like a school boy, lost and clumsy. The kid who was once again flicking paper at you in science class just so he could pull a face at you over something your teacher was saying to get you to laugh. 

Mouths hovering over each other, your breathing mixed, as Harry nodded to you slightly. You pressed your lips to his once more, feeling the way he gradually opened up to you, warmed and softened underneath the puckering of your mouth against his. 

His hands, that slightly trembled, smoothed over your hips trying to pull your body so that it was more so flush against his. You moaned softly, your hands running over his jumper covered shoulders, fingers digging and pulling at the material just below the nape of his neck. 

The chair beneath you moved lightly against the floor, not quite a scrape but a dull drag. Neither of you broke the kiss, but his hands against you allowed fingers to dig in to hold you steady to him so if you were to fall from where you were sitting, he still had you. 

His lips slowed, moving to press against your cheeks again as he panted and his warmth breath bounced off your skin. “Think I got it,” he heaved. 

“Do you?”

Harry hummed his ‘yea’, before pressing his lips so tenderly to your chin and the underside of your jaw. He felt how you swallowed heavily, throat dry from the way your mouth hung open and your neck further exposed itself as you lolled your head back. 

You were falling further and further back, finding it hard to stay upright as he devoured you and made you weaker with each pulling kiss. His groans were needy, muffled and making your ache. While yours were silent and making his desperate to pull something from you. To build is confidence in that he was doing something right, you liked it this way too. 

Hands fumbled and dragged upwards at your skirt, faintly aware now how it was similar - if not the same one - to the garment you wore to his show. 

“Gonna take this off properly,” he mumbled, feeling the way your hips moved slightly from his hands to roll over him. 

“You don’t have to-“

“No?” 

Your voices were rushed as you spoke to each other, barely audible but loud enough all the same. His head was knocked back slightly as you hovered over him and you found yourself admiring his blissed out face even only in the lead up.

This was a sight that you hadn’t received last time, and if you had your way it was one you were going to greedily enjoy in all its glory.

Like watching the way his eyes closed and he softly grinned, the left side of his teeth started to show as the one side of his face reacted first while your hands blindly moved to lift up his jumper and the white tee he had on underneath, to allow you to find the button of his corduroys.

“What ya doing?”

“Nothing,” you mused. 

He pulled a face, the kind that down turned his lips, eyebrows raised and head slightly tilted to the side. The kind that had you smiling. 

“Not trying to get m’trousers around m’ankles for a second time within a week then?”

You giggled. “No.”

“Please do.”

A low moan left you as you pressed your forehead to his jaw and dropped your eyes. Your hands slowly started to pull at the brass button and pop it open before seeking out the zip thanks to his desperate plea, encouraging you to continue. 

Hands quickly sought out the waistband of the trousers and gently pulled at the item. From the way that you were sat, you knew there was no way you were doing to make them budge.

“Stand up fo’ me,” he mumbled, quickly helping you get off his lap so that he could make light work of his clothing and pull down his trousers and underwear. 

His bare bum made easy contact with the cushion leather beneath him, eyes carefully watching you as your hands moved to underneath your skirt. 

The fabric of your underwear slipped so easily down your legs, his eyes just about caught the sight of them as they pooled against your ankles and you kicked them away. 

Legs pressed together, you slowly untucked the v-necked blouse you had chosen and pulled it over your head. Wearing nothing but a fancy black bra, and a tight little skirt you hastily snatched for your wine and took a hefty gulp.

You could feel his eyes on you, a gruff groan catching in the back of his throat and when you finally turned your eyes from where they had been looking down at your heaving chest and how great this bra made your boobs look, causing him to move his hand down to start playing with himself. 

His name left your lips in a breathy gasp, causing you to look up quite surprised at the find of his right hand gently tugging at his hard length.

“Keepin’ me waitin’,” he groaned, his left hand sloppily reached for the back of the collar of his jumper and tee, pulling the item roughly over his head.

“Fuck sake,” he mumbled under his breath, agitated that he was unable to get both items of in one go.

“Smooth.”

Harry stared up at you with a playful squint, before he gently fell back and moved the chair as he did so, the dull scrape heard once more. 

And if you didn’t know he was flushed before, when you first kissed, you were definitely aware now. His eyes were blown out and hungry as they devoured you. Hair wildly haphazard before he let go of himself with a soft slap of his skin and harshly pushed his fingers through it.

“‘S it still a couple of quid for a strip of three,” his words brought you back to him. This smugness radiated off of him as he groaned and leaned forward to push his trousers down all of the way. Over his vans and socked feet, before he toed them off as well be harshly pulled at his white sport socks. 

You didn’t even need for him to explain what he meant, staying silent as you watched his hands tug at his corduroys from the floor and retrieve his wallet. As his fingers moved around to find a couple of quid, the jangle of the coins was taunting. 

One leg crossed over the other, you swayed and found yourself blushing when he looked up at you once he’d managed to find enough money and then some. With his wallet thrown on the table, he stood proudly from the seat and closed the short gap between your both.

Leaning forward he easily took your lips with his own before pulling away. With his face still close to yours he whispered, “Promise not to look at my arse.”

He didn’t hang around long enough for your reply, instead turning away and brazenly giving you all the time you would ever need to admire him, his fantastic bum and his hairy legs before he opted for a jog-walk type of thing, suddenly conscious that he was absolutely walking around naked from the waist down in a pub owned by your parents. 

While you waited you took a quick pull from his whiskey, needing the heftier burn for Dutch courage. Nervousness returned when you heard the endings of what you believed to be Harry whistling. 

“Machine ate all m’fuckin’ change,” he grumbled, regardless of the twinkle in his eye at the strip of overpriced condoms he had managed to score from the men’s bathroom. “‘S Durex. Business must be booming, your Dad’s definitely gone up in the world.” 

“Please don’t talk about my Dad.”

He smiled brightly before he reached for your face with one hand and pulled you towards him mumbling his ‘sorry’s’ against your lips as he gave you several kisses in quick succession. 

His other arm loosely wrapped around your back and pulled you with him as he walked backwards and slowly lowered himself back onto his previous seat. The chair creaked as you joined him, slipping into his lap and feeling the way he was smiling now.

Pulling away from your kiss, he quickly tore away one of the condoms allowing the others to fall without much care to the floor. Teeth took a hold of the foil-like packaging and he tore it not so elegantly with his eagerness.

With his cock nestled in the crease of his own thigh now, the heat radiating from it matched your own agonising yearning. Scooting back to give him space, you heard him groan as he gently rolled the condom down onto himself. Eyes looking up just in time to see him knocking his head back and breathing deeply through nose. The foil-like packaging was back in between his teeth once more as his hands were otherwise preoccupied.

Slowly your hand reached up to take it from his mouth, feeling some playful resistance as Harry continued to hold it in his teeth. His eyes were open and boyishly sincere, as you tugged at the item and he finally released it when you lightly laughed. 

“Gi’me a kiss.”

Obliging him, you leant forward and slotted your mouths together a lot easier than you had done at the start of the night. A heat built easily between the two of you, as Harry gave you his tongue and you felt the flex of his jaw under your hand as he worked your mouths together.

He was eager, his hands tightening on your waist before he growled when he understood he had to grab handfuls of skirt before he could cup your backside. But when his skin met yours and you ground down onto his lap, the groan that left him was the most animalistic sound imaginable. 

The frown your face fell into showed your desire to whimper, as he kept you atop him and marvelled in the way you writhed, both from satisfaction and keenness at the pressure of his cock against you. 

“Can I have you again?” He asked, the startings of sweaty hair being pushed off your face. His eyes peered at you, searching for his answer as you seemed to be able to do nothing but pant and look back at him yearningly. “Are you letting me?”

You dragged your fingers down his t-shirt covered torso and lifted it slightly just to see the quiver of his stomach as pulled you onto him once more. 

“Like this?” you voiced, meekly.

“‘F this is what you like then, yea’”, he breathed into your mouth, hands shifting your pliant body. “Is this what you want?”

You wordlessly nod, mouth falling open in a breathy gasp when he managed to move you so he sat so enticingly at your entrance. He was teasing both yourself and him, wanting to keep you both on the edge. 

Harry blinked a few times as he looked at you, and you revelled in the way he couldn’t seem to concentrate. His hands held your flesh tightly, fingertips dipping into the skin of your bum cheeks as he gently guided you down.

An unattractive and dull, quite strangled noise, left your throat as you let your forehead fall against his temple. Eyes falling down you see the cups of your bra fall slack, you felt his hands softly gliding over your shoulder blades and shoulders. 

He rid you of your bra, hands moving to your chest to squeeze your breasts. His jaw fell slack when you found yourself sitting snugly on his lap - on him - settled and already feeling spent.

This was so different compared to the last time; if not overwhelming so because of the way you both appeared to be so present. Each movement of your hips, and the way they rolled and grinded and dragged felt too much. So much so that you had become nothing more than a mess of short, quick breathing and blushing, sweaty cheeks. 

Slack-jaw, you were unable to find it in you to return Harry’s kisses, and his joyful, breathy chuckle seemed to lead you to believe he was fine with it. In fact he was happy to keep going as you were. 

Your movements were frantic, and despite the build up, not entirely driven by lust either. Harry continued to encourage you to move as you were; slow, grinding motions on his lap that caused the filthiest of groans and dirtiest of laughs from the two of you. Laughter that was only made stronger as the chair that held you both started to creak too. 

You couldn’t do much about it though other than to breathe into each other’s mouth, and rock your hips together with more fervour each time. 

“Yea’,” he breathed against your lips, left hand at the back of your head holding you to him, while his right rested just above your bum. “‘S better. That’s better.”

It was better. Better than last time. Better than anything before. 

And while it hadn’t been frantic before, it was now as your legs that were hanging down either side of the chair started to tremble and your toes started to dig into the worn carpet beneath them. Hips knocking and your clit dragging heavenly against his public bone, you grasped his name as you buried your face into his neck and dug your nails into his nape.

Harry hissed his approval which fell to a groan as your nails pushed up into his hair and lightly pulled as you sought leverage. There were so many things you were learning this time around and his penchant for liking his hair pulled from time to time, was one of those things. 

“God, ‘m gonna come soon,” he admitted, gruntly as he forced your hips down as he anchored his legs and widened his seating position. “Are you close?”

“Yeah,” you whined. “Yes. Like this-“

And as you pressed your face to his once more, he was everywhere. Soft but hard, loving but commanding. Smelled like clean washing detergent but of country air. Inviting and alluring, allowing you your lingering kisses between grounding breaths that became staccato in unison with the movement of your hips. 

You aren’t ashamed of the whines that escaped your throat as you squeezed down on his cock, praised by indecipherable works that left Harry but were nothing more to you than lips moving against your rough and dry ones. Word that made the burning feeling of your pending orgasm spread through your entire body, warming you and setting you alight.

It was long and deep, with your toes curling into the carpet they were pressed against now. Barely able to catch your breath, sucking in harshly and shaking. 

And when you came to, thoroughly exhausted, you noticed that he was waiting for your say so. That he could let go and enjoy the pleasure brought about by your shared labour. 

“Coming-“ was all the warning that you got and was enough to encourage you to watch him as he came, his face completely void of anything other than pure pleasure. Wrinkles and frowns fade, his mouth falling open with his pink lips glinting prettily under the dim Christmas lights around you.

His forehead gleamed with sweat as he wrapped his arms around you tightly and his hips bucked up one, two and three times for good measure. “Fuck me,” he heaved gruffly.

You were suddenly desperate to feel his lips on yours despite the way you both continued to fight to get your breath back, but settled for resting them against the skin of his cheek, which was hot to the touch. 

When you felt Harry start to go soft, you reluctantly pulled away and let him slip out of you. He wasn’t so keen to let you get too far, holding you just that bit higher than before with his hand cupping gently but firmly at your hip. “Where’d you think you’re going,” he hummed, eyes still closed as he continued to heavily inhale and exhale. 

You softly smiled, taking in his soft face and responded by nuzzling close to him again. 

Nowhere. Somewhere. Anywhere with him.

A place where only the two of you knew, like the back of your hand. The same way you knew each other. Now and possibly forever.

[migilini]

Not So Secret Anymore - Charlie Gillespie

summary: It’s hard to hide a relationship from the public, particually when both work on the same show.

words: 2.5k

warnings: fluff

a/n: not my fave but i still somehow like it.

Requests are open :)

MASTERLIST

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

September

"When do we have our first interview?" you asked the boy whose head was in your lap. He looked up from his phone and your eyes locked with his green ones "Hmm, my calendar says in about 30 minutes."

You groaned at that and stopped playing with Charlie's hair which earned you a grunt and whine from him. "Sorry babe but I think I have to go, so I still have time to get ready and set up." You muttered and gave him a small kiss on his brown hair.

"Uhh fine." The weight lifted from your legs, you stood up and before you knew it you were thrown over his shoulder. Laughing, you slapped his butt and back repeatedly. "Babe! I mean it" you tried to press out between giggles, "we both decided to keep us a secret." He sat you down on the kitchen isle and cornered your body in between his arms, standing right in front of you, you're back hitting the kitchen cabinet.

"I know... come back later?" he asked and tilted his head, looking at you with big puppy eyes. "You know it." After a swift kiss, or rather a little make out session, you were on your way back to your own appartement. Just in time to change your top and put on a lip-gloss before opening your laptop and joining the interview.

"Hello everybody! I'm here with the cast of Netflix' Julie and the Phantoms that came out on Thursday. How are you guys?" the interviewer asked and smiled into the camera of his laptop. The whole cast chirped in with a good, great, or amazing.

"That's fantastic!" he clapped his hands "Now, Jeremy, how would you describe your Character and the show in general?"

"It's a show about ghosts from 1995 who come back 25 years later and join a band with Julie who didn't sing a note after her mother died. Reggie, the character that I play, is one of those ghosts and he is a loveable himbo. Did I use that word correctly Maddie?"

Maddie smiled and the interviewer changed the topic "Madison and y/n, birds have told me that this was your first ever acting job is that right?"

You nodded and signaled Maddie to speak first "Yes, and it was both amazing and traumatizing! I was so nervous, but the crew really helped to calm me down, especially y/n who just was in the same position as me, so we freaked out together most of the time." She smiled and the interviewer waited for you to answer. "Except, Maddie had a least some acting training at school, that's why she is the best. I more or less walked into the whole situation." You said laughing.

"I love this story." Jeremy exclaimed, making you slightly blush at his words.

"Would you be so kind and tell us?" the interviewer questioned and smiled at your little nod.

"Yes, yes of course. Well, I was on vacation with one of my good friends from back home..."

"She means Germany." Owen interrupted with a smile on his lips. "Yes, Owen. Thank you for adding important details. Anyways, we saw that there was an Open Audition nearby and though why not? We don't have anything to lose or to do on that particular day. And here I am, my friend sadly didn't get in."

"That really is an amazing story, I can see why Jeremy likes it so much. So, Charlie how would you describe y/n's and Luke's characters, she wasn't supposed to be in the script and was later added in right?" Charlie quirked up at the mention of your name and stated proudly. "Indeed, she impressed Kenny so much that he wrote a character just for her. He thought that Sunset Curve, the band name before we died, needed a female to handle their chaos or well... at least tries to. Y/N plays Allie, who against common speculation isn't any of the boys' love interest which is a very nice turn of events. She and Luke bud head a lot because Luke only thinks about music and the band and she tries hard to make him take breaks every now and then." 

A lovesick smile sat on your face while you listened to your boyfriend of nearly a year, once you realized your expression you quickly shook it off. Hiding this relationship was definitely going to be harder than expected.

The Interviewer asked some more questions before the last and dreaded question was thrown your way. "So, most of your fans are wondering if any of you guys are in a relationship." You and Charlie had discussed a million times before what you guys would say in such a moment, the two of you shared a look.

Jeremy's eyes switched from Charlie's box on his screen to y/n's before answering "I have a lovely wife! The rest of us are happily single, right guys?"

"100%" Maddie added, while Owen only shrugged, his dog conveniently jumping into his lap.

"How about the other two?" he eyed up the last remaining.

"Very single" Charlie laughed, and you agreed "Totally."

As time went on it was harder and harder for the two of you to hide the relationship, as you two spent nearly every day together and therefore did the same activities. Particularly after your social media accounts have gained over a million followers and people started to ship actors and tv show characters. But you two loved the little secret bubble you've created, there was no pressure to take good pictures together, or to post stories, to be asked a thousand questions about your relationship and no hate towards any of you.

December

It has been 4 months since the show released and the hype it got definitely was way more than you ever expected. It blew your mind. Currently, you are on Charlie and yours one-year anniversary / Christmas / good deeds vacation. Charlie and you found a good mix, that made you both happy, between chilling and doing adventurous things.

It was Christmas eve and Maddie wanted to do a 'guess the song Christmas Edition' with the main cast. Eagerly you agreed and hurried from the beach, where Charlie currently took the quiz at the bar you both sat on just minutes before, to your shared bedroom. You shot Maddie a quick text that you were 'out of the relationship zone' and ready when she was ready.

"Helloooo. How did the others do?"

"Not the worst but I still have faith in you to win this. ARE YOU READY?" she screamed the last part.

“I’m going to read you the lyrics of a christmas song and you have to guess the next line. There are certain cards that give one point and others give two. Whoever has the most points at the end…”

“Hopefully get your earrings” you asked with a sly smile and your shoulders raised.

Maddie laughed but shook her head “Sadly, no. I haven't figured out the price yet, but I for sure will! I like your backdrop by the way.” she added and you quickly looked behind you. You sat crisscrossed on the hotel room floor, you used the coffee table and a water bottle as a phonestand and used a white checkered wall as a background to try and hide the fact that you didn't sit in your living room.

January

“This should be the last box.” you cheered into the empty hall and shut the front door with a light push from your hip. Charlie popped his head out of the bedroom and walked over to, dropping his head on your shoulder in exhaustion. Nothing was set up, boxes stood randomly all over the apartment, the fridge stood there still empty and a lonely mattress covered the bedroom floor.

“The walls look a bit bare don't you think?” you said about a week later, standing in the middle of the now a bit furnished living room. Strong arms sneaked their way around your waist and a head dropped on your shoulder.

“Hmm… you're right. What do you have in mind?” Charlie said and turned you around so you were facing him. He smiled at the spark in your eyes “I was thinking, a yellow akzent wall with random secondhand pictures and some pictures of us, all in frames of course. So it's gonna have this homey and creative atmosphere.” You rambled on for a while longer, telling him where you think his instruments could go, the pillows you saw online and thought they worked perfect with the colour of the couch. Charlie just stared at you, a dumb smile on his lips with his arms around you.

“Do you not like it?” you noticed that he hasn't talked for a while and got worried. “I love it. We could live in a dumpster for all I care, as long as I have you by my side.” You fake gaged at his romantic words and gave him a kiss.

The first time people got really suspicious was the time you accidentally walked in on a live he had on Instagram. He sat in front of his instruments, phone propped up before him. You thought that he was already finished but you were wrong.

“Do you think this…” you walked into the room, a shirt in your hand that you just took out of the dryer and lost your words the moment you saw him sitting in front of his phone. He looked at you with wide eyes, his brain clearly searching for a good excuse. 

“Is that y/n?” he read outloud from the chat, gesturing you do sit next to him. “Yes it's her! We’re hanging out and she helped me with my washing because I somehow still don't know how to do it.” he laughed nervously, his hand grabbing yours out of the frame.

“He promised me food and I live really close by, so I thought I'll help this poor man out.”

May

Looking back at this moment now, you and Charlie weren't sure why you just didn't come clean. You didn't mean to hide the relationship this long, it just kinda happened and at one point it just got too awkward to tell. It was fairly easy to hide most of the time, you didn't most that much on instagram and Charlie only showed parts of his daily life.

The easiest was the time you filmed JATP Season 2. You were expected to hang out and live together. Back in 2019 you already lived with Owen and Charlie. This time poor Owen had to live with a couple instead of just two friends. (You were already dating for a while back then but didn't tell the cast, to not make a fuss.)

It wasn't like the fans didn't suspect a thing, especially after Owen posted a video of you two fooling around. 

Everybody sat outside, enjoying the everwarming sun on their skin. Half of the cast was already in costume just waiting for the break to end. In typical Allie (your character) fashion you wore an overall with a tight tank top underneath, your makeup stood out from the others with the heavy blush, freckles and black eyeliner. 

Charlie, in his Luke wardrobe, thought that it was funny to stand in front of you to shield you from the sun.

"Stop that" you whined and tried to shove him away, which was harder than you thought considering he stood before you and you sat on a bench.

"Make me." He flirted and stood even wider before you, puffing out his chest. Raising an unimpressed eyebrow, you stole his beany with a swift motion. His expresion quickly changed from cocky to shocked, snickering was heard from Maddie who was used to this type of behaviour.

"Ups… heavy wind blows in the shadows." You explained nonchalantly and pulled the beany on your head, sticking your tongue out at your boyfriend.

"Oh it's on my lady" he growled "I'm giving you a three second advantage. One…" your eyes widened and your heart rate picked up. "Two…" you got up and scanned the place internally making a good running line. "Th-.." you began sprinting across the lot. You heard the laughing from your castmates behind you as you and Charlie ran in circles. 

Unfortunately, he was still fitter and faster than you and about a minute into the running he had you thrown over his shoulder.

"Surrender!" he screamed as you tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"Never!" You screamed back and wiggled even harder.

"Surrender or i'll have to tickle you" he warned and those were the last words Owen was able to film before a producer yelled that the break was finished.

February

“Baby, if I would believe this News Article, you have a secret girlfriend, but it's not me.” you showed him your phone screen.

“I’m not cheating on you. I would never, i'd die rather than…” his frantic expression made you snort. “I know. Oh my god! People saw you with Lia.” you held his hands comfortably.

“Lia as in your best friend Lia?”

“The one and only. People noticed the hickeys... At least they’re getting closer now. So are we still on for the masterplan? You by instruments and I'm gonna sit in the bedroom?" He nodded and smiled at the sight of your equally plastered neck. 

Eventually, before you even were able to execute the as you'd like to say 'masterplan' your relationship got outed. I mean it was time, the two of you getting lazier with the hiding as time went by. 

Fans noticed that you wore a lot of Charlie's things and that you and him always seemed to be at the same place at the same time. It was actually one of your lives that spilled the secret. 

"That's a really nice akzent wall" you read outloud from the chat "oh thank you! It was a long process to get all the pictures but it was actually Charlie's idea to not only have pictures but also plane tickets, date memories and so on hung up on that wall. It really makes it homey. I think to get that wall this crowded it took us...what? About well since we moved in…" you didn't even realise what you said you just babbled and then it was out.

"Charlie actually is home! I could call him. Babe! Come here for a sec- oh my god!" Your hands flew up to your mouth in realizion. 

From that moment on you were public and your social media exploded once again. However the two of you were happy to finally show each other off.

[gaijinhunter]

Monster Hunter Rise: 2nd Trailer and news blowout

Hey guys this is Gaijinhunter. I am uploading this as a text post since I caught a cold and have been unable to edit a video.

There was a huge second wave of news for Monster Hunter Rise with the reveal of the 2nd trailer the other day during the Game Awards 2020 show. Keep in mind the actual full length trailer is much longer and better than the shorter edit they showed during the show so makes sure you watch it. It showcased a second map, 2 new monsters, several returning monsters, and more. They also updated their official website with a ton of information so instead of doing a trailer reaction or breakdown, I am going to give you all the info they shared but split up by category, trying to focus only on the new stuff.

New Map

Director Ichinose hinted in an interview that one of the new maps would be nostalgic and boy he wasn't kidding. The Flooded Forest from Third Generation has been massively remade and is back in MH rise. Of course given this game’s focus is verticality, there is no underwater combat sections but they really nailed it from what I can see. One of the most iconic parts of the forest was the ruins in the backgrounds, and now you can scale up it using the wirebug. How cool is that. 

With the new map we also got the reveal of 2 new monsters.

First up is the mermaid wyvern, the Somnacanth. This marks the much hyped return of the leviathan class of monsters which were missing in world and iceborne. This Monster looks so wild. It has a special breath that will put you to sleep, is super aggressive, and has this crazy taiko drum like chest in which it will grab oysters and other things and bust them against it to break them open and buff itself. The Japanese name is quite a mouthful and is called Isonemikuni. This is the monster that Ichinose teased with his cute drawing on twitter.

Next up is the tengu beast, Bishaten. This monster is really unique, it looks like a mix of a monkey, bat, and bird. It has a huge and powerful tail it uses for massive mobility and it will chuck various fruits at you as well. One of the most iconic fruits it throws are persimmons, which are very Japanese and if you haven’t had them before, they are kind of an acquired taste. It’s Japanese name is Bishutendo. 

For returning monsters we have a few. First is our favorite sponge, the Royal Ludroth. This is a fan favorite and a great early to mid game monster. It has one of the best move sets in my opinion, very telegraphed but it can still catch you off guard even if you are super used to it. Strategically figuring gout where to stand in order to cut off its tail or break the sponge has always been really fun and intersting so I’m delighted to see this monster return, also look at that texture of the sponge!

Then we got the return of the Great Wroggi, the anti-poison skill tutorial monster. This thing really messed me up back in MH3G until I spent the time to get the materials to craft anti-posion decorations and even then, like the Great Izuchi, it fights really well with its sidekick small wroggis and I cant wait to see the improved cooperative AI that they are making for the Great Izuchi applied to this monster as well. It’s armor also spots a really cool Crocodile Dundee hat and look in the trailer and you can see the palico armor as well. So cool.

Finally, we got a small scene that appears to show a snow map and a group of baggi getting hit by a Khezu lightening shot. Does this mean the Great Baggi will return? Not sure. But that scream 100% is a Khezu, and I cannot wait to see how it looks with higher resolution texturing, I bet it will be creepy as heck. So while not technically confirmed, I’d say it’s safe to say Khezu is returning in some form. The balance of all these monsters is so great, I love the selection so far.

As far as other returning monsters that might return, I think we all expect nargacuga and zinogre. These are flagship monsters from games directed by Ichinose and he even tweeted his palamute and palico both named after these two monsters. Especially given the Japanese aesthetic, I think it’s pretty much guaranteed they are returning. Then I think mizutsune is also highly likely given its Japanese design, the fox theme, the kimono armor. Plus the model for it doesn't look that far off from the new Somnacanth. Anyway I have super hyped.

Interaction with animals and endemic life

One of the huge features of Monster Hunter Rise is the focus on wild life and animals to buff your hunter or be used as tools during a hunt.

There are 4 major types of Endemic Life: Temp Buffer, Permabuffer, Hunting Helper, and environmental.

For Permabuffer, we got a new render of the Spiribirds, which will buff your hunter if you move near one, and the effects depend on the color of the pollen it is carrying. Green increases your max Health, Orange increases your defense, red increases your attack power, and yellow increases your max stamina. There is even a special rainbow colored one, which I assume will buff all 4.

Via their website, Capcom announced a new item called the Petalace, a bracelet made of a plant called a Sending Sprig that each hunter has equipped. This is what collects the pollen from the birds and buffs your hunter. There is a variety of Petalaces in the game and some may increase the amount in which an attack boost is applied from a single Spiribird, raise the max value that health can be boosted, and more. Here in the screen shot we can see the caps for each and the amount gained for each buff. Just a quick note but this is not going to be replacing charms as we know that they are giving away a talisman for pre-order.

For Temp Buffer creatures, they revealed the name of the Clothfly, a butterfly that will temporarily increase your defense once you interact with it and cause it to generate a cloud of dust. In previous videos we have seen Peepers that reduce stamina usage, birds that raise your base stats, and a dragonfly that boosts your affinity and I had calculated it out to being applied for 90 seconds but we’ll have to wait for hte final game to see if that depends on the effect or if they change it, but it sounds about right.

For Hunting Helper creatures, we got an adorable new render of the Stinkmink. You can carry up to 5 Hunting Helpers and use them like items. The Stinkmink can be used to cover yourself in a special pheromone that will attract large monsters to you, even allowing you to lure one monster toward another to cause a turf war. I personally can think of other applications like luring a monster toward a trap and stuff like that.

And for environmental endemic life, they didn't show it in the trailer but there are also wildlife that can be used like environmental traps. For example, use raw meat and the giganha fish will go crazy, damaging anything nearby be it a hunter or monster. I can’t wait to see someone hunt a Great Wroggi using only raw meat. I love that we finally will have more use for this item.

NPCs

In the new trailer we got to hear several of the NPC villagers talking and on the website they go into a lot more details. They have quite the star-studded cast in Japanese and the English voice actors are also very interesting picks. This really marks the first time in Monster Hunter that the main cast of villagers will all be called by name and speak, which I think adds a lot of personality to the game.

First we have Fugen the village elder of Kamura and skilled long sword user. 

Then we have Hinoa the Quest Maiden, a cheerful and optimistic girl who serves as the quest giver in the village while her twin sister runs the gathering hub. While not announced in any other language, the French and Italian language sites for the game list her sister’s name as Minoto. Hinoa’s name is Hinoe in Japnaese and for the rest of the cast their names are identical between the two languages.

One thing I am excited for is that they said that one of the ways they will help communicate the uniqueness of Kamura is through songs and they shared a sample of one of them in the full trailer. This one is sung by Izumi Kato. If you remember back in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate they featured songs by the wyverian Diva, and I am so happy they decided to do songs again, they add so much richness to the world and are just lovely to listen to.

Next up is Yomogi, our village chef. In this game you will eat meals at her Tea Shop, where her speciality is the Bunny Dango she makes along with the help of some palicoes. I love that we’ve seen her in past videos with a heavy bowgun, so the idea that all the villagers are active participants in the story is great. 

Then we have Hamon the blacksmith. He used to hunt alongside Fugen back in the day but now creates weapons for the hunters of the village. His grandson also appears in the game and is a kind-hearted youth that loves your hunting companions.

Next is Kagero the merchant. Despite his mysterious appearance he is actually very warm and kind. If there is a sale going on, not only can you buy most items for half off, but you can also participate in a lottery where you spin a wheel and it dispenses a colored ball. Get a rare color ball to win a rare prize. You can do it once per sale, but you can also scan an amiibo to spin two more times, but only once per day per amiibo you own.

Finally we have Komitsu the sweet-tooth, she sells candy apples in town. What these do is still not yet revealed.

Companions

We got an adorable render for the Cohoot, the pet owl that shows the positions of monsters on your map. You can interact with it in the town and even dress them up in fancy outfits.

Kamura Village

We got gameplay showing that the entire village is open to the 4 person multiplayer session and you can even ride around on your palamute and use your wirebug while in the village to zip around and have fun. There is still a gathering hall but the ability to see each other in the village as well as jump around and really explore it is a lovely change they are making.

Story wise we got more info about the Rampage, both a story mechanic and new quest type. For some reason the monsters will sometimes gang up and attack the village all at once and no one knows why. They call this a Rampage. There was a really bad rampage 50 years ago that nearly destroyed the village and in response the town has created a Stronghold to stop further invasions. This looks like a new quest type with multiple monsters all at once, and a slew of different artillery options at your disposal. I could see this as being a really fun type of quest to do online with other players. 

And of course the most exciting news was that there will be a demo in January with more details to come later. That is far earlier than I expected and I now have to finish up my back catalogue of games in like the next month.

And that about wraps it up. Cpacom said that they will be sharing weapon preview videos for all 14 types very soon and if they do the way they used to do it, we’ll get one new video a day for 2 weeks. I hope you enjoyed this recap of the news and please let me know down in comments what you thought about the second trailer. And until next time, happy hunting.

[themurphyzone]

Nova Ch 12

AN: I’ve been waiting to write this chapter for so long! Can you believe it’s been a year since I started this story? 

Ch 12: Mare

AO3 Link

Dear Mickey Mouse Calendar, 

It’s May 2nd, and you know what that means! Well, besides bringing May flowers of course! The flowers are going to be so beautiful this year, I can tell! Especially once they bring the butterflies and the birds and the bees! Oh dear, do you think Brain knows about the factory in the sky that produces cute little mouse babies? I hope so. 

Anyway, the beautiful, lovely, fantabulous Pharfignewton’s gonna be running in the Derby in just a little bit! She’s worked really really hard to get this far, and I’m super proud of her! She’s gonna be one step closer to the Triple Crown when she wins! 

Anyway, I’m running out of room on this page, so I just wanted to say I love you, Figgy Pudding! May the best mare win!

Love, 

Pinky 

o-o-o-o-o

Pinky added a heart by his name with a sparkly pink gel pen and blew a kiss to the image of Mickey and Minnie driving a cute little car into the sunset. Then he recapped the pen, washed his hands of extra glitter, and returned to the TV, which had been tuned into the Kentucky Derby for the past two hours. 

They were still conducting pre-race interviews with the owners, jockeys, and trainers. Though there were several saddled horses with colorful numbers in the background, none of them were Pharfignewton. 

But they were still very beautiful horses, clopping around on the dirt-covered track as they flicked their ears and tails in anticipation of the race.  

Several boxes of leftover pizza and paper plates were laid out in front of the television.. It was so nice of the scientists to throw a pizza party and let them have the leftovers! Pepperoni, mac and cheese, and pineapple pizza were all so delicious, and they tasted even better when all three were combined on a single slice! 

Pinky popped a pineapple cube in his mouth, giggling as it stung his tongue. Then he turned to his hat, which laid a short distance away from the leftover pizza so it didn’t get soiled. Lovely, glittery red and purple roses decorated the outside of the hat, and every inch was decked with colorful feathers, encouraging messages, and Pharfignewton’s name so everybody for miles around could see he was rooting for his favorite horse. 

Since the hat was too big and heavy for him to wear throughout the pre-race festivities, he decided to just put it on a few minutes before the race instead.

And it was so sweet of Gummy, Madame Daisy, Nicholas, and Mr. Button to support Pharfignewton! They were all gathered in front of the TV so they could watch the Derby too! 

Pinky’s ear twitched at a gagging noise on his left, and he turned his head just in time to see Brain spit a chunk of pineapple onto a napkin. 

“Of all things, why in Selene’s name would you ruin perfectly good cheese with battery acid?” Brain snapped. He immediately dunked his muzzle into a thimble of water. 

“Batteries aren’t a pizza topping,” Pinky said. Did batteries look like pineapples on New Selene? “And pineapple pizza tastes delicious!” 

Brain scowled as he shoved the paper plate with his barely touched pineapple pizza slice towards Pinky, then grabbed a new plate and loaded it with two slices of pepperoni. 

“I’m outlawing that vile piece of filth you call food as soon as I rule the world,” Brain declared. 

“You can’t do that!” Pinky cried. What was next? Declaring pumpkin spice illegal? He would never support such an awful law! “That’s...that’s just unconstitutional! A breach of power! I won’t stand for it, Brain!” 

Then he realized he was standing up to grab the pineapple pizza slice, so he promptly sat down and chomped on pineapple, tomato sauce, and bread to prove his point. 

Brain wrinkled his nose, but before he could reply, the TV panned to show a beautiful, gray-maned white horse prancing in circles around her jockey, nearly tying him up in her reins. 

“That’s her! That’s Pharfignewton!” Pinky yelled, spewing tomato sauce from his mouth. “Hi, Fig! It’s me, Pinky!” 

Pinky quickly set his pizza down and slipped the hat on, sitting underneath the brim while the rest of the hat was propped against the counter. He hoped Pharfignewton could see the messages he’d written. 

“The cameras aren’t two-way, Pinky,” Brain said, but Pharfignewton whinnied happily, so Pinky knew she could hear him from thousands of miles away! 

She wore a beautiful pink cloth over her back with the number fifteen emblazoned in white, with a brown saddle on top. She tossed her head back and whinnied, her reins quivering in the sunlight. Her jockey slipped a pink mask over her face, and when she turned to look at the camera, her gorgeous blue eyes stood out even more. 

“You have quite the unusual horse here, Mr. Gardner,” the reporter said to Pharfignewton’s owner, who Pinky recognized by his bushy beard. “Not much of a looker, nor was she sired from any famous line of racehorses. And only one fellow’s bet on her at all.” 

Pinky frowned. Not much of a looker? That reporter’s obviously never seen Pharfignewton with the wind flowing through her mane, or the joyful neighs whenever she galloped around a field, or how she practically glowed whenever she ran. 

Mr. Gardner leveled a glare at the reporter, who withered from the intense look. “Pharfignewton may have a different build from her fellow racehorses, but she’s a hundred times more passionate about racing than anyone else. It’s true that neither of her parents have competed on the national level, but she’s inherited her mother’s spirit and her father’s diligence, a mixture of traits which will suit her well today.” 

“Yes...I’m sure it will,” the reporter muttered. His eyes darted to a chestnut horse with a yellow cloth draped over his back. “Oh, would you look at the time? I don’t believe I’ve gotten a chance to talk with Mayoneighaise’s team yet!” 

He scurried off, the cameraman trailing behind him. 

A board flashed onscreen, showing the horses’ names and numbers before cutting to commercial. 

“Mr. Legs? Friendly Neighborhood Racehorse? Is this entire competition just an excuse to saddle these poor creatures with horrific names?” Brain asked over the noise of a car commercial. 

“You can’t saddle a name. You saddle horses, Brain,” Pinky said. Brain could be so confused sometimes. 

“And they barely gave Pharfignewton the time of day,” Brain added. “But they dedicated a full fifteen minutes to Arabian Night’s training sessions.” 

Pinky shrugged. “Well, Arabian Night worked really hard. He deserved that time. And so does Maximus and Maverick and Black Beauty and Rainbow Dash and-” 

“It’s blatant favoritism,” Brain cut in. 

The commercial break ended, and the broadcast showed a female reporter approaching an enormous, muscular black stallion with a comically small jockey leading him by the reins. He bore a royal purple cloak with number one written in a fancy golden script on his back. The horse was so dark that Pinky could barely see his eyes or mouth. 

“And here we have the clear fan-favorite, Daddy’s Little Angel,” the reporter declared as she carefully approached the horse, who huffed when she got too close to his muzzle. She pulled back, keeping her microphone close to her body. “An excellent track record locally and regionally, highest odds tonight, and a descendant of the famous Triple Crown winner Secretariat. He sure has a lot going for him, don’t you think?” 

Daddy’s Little Angel was stoic and handsome, and as his owner and trainer listed off his various accomplishments, Pinky crossed his fingers and toes for good luck. Pharfignewton had a whole lot of competition. Sure, she was the fastest racehorse around these parts, but in the Derby she was a small goldfish in a large aquarium full of other fish. 

“Zort! Nope, can’t think like that!” Pinky said, thumping his head with his fist. He didn’t want to have doubts about her talent! She was the best, the swiftest, and the fastest at eating apples and hay! There’s no way she could lose! 

“Quiet, Pinky. I’m trying to listen,” Brain said. His pink eyes gleamed with interest as a montage of Daddy’s Little Angel’s previous feats flashed across the screen. “I wouldn’t be opposed to owning a horse like that for ceremonial purposes.” 

“Parading around on Pharfignewton sounds lovely,” Pinky sighed dreamily. 

He imagined Pharfignewton in a beautiful golden outfit, bells on her reins, and prancing down the street to a cheering crowd while he rode on her back. And there were pretty parade floats and celebrities singing and giant balloons of all his favorite characters! 

He was broken out of his fantasy by the sound of a fanfare. 

“Attention, all riders and horses! Clear the track and proceed to your stalls! The race will commence shortly!” the announcer declared. 

The camera lingered on Daddy’s Little Angel for just a little longer before panning out for a wide shot of the horses and jockeys making their way to the starting point, the trainers leading the horses by the reins and securing them in the stalls. 

Fifteen horses dressed in colorful racing garb whinnied and bucked their hind legs in anticipation of the race. Daddy’s Little Angel was in the first stall, the one nearest to the fence. Next to him, a majestic, stout white horse named Maximus took the number two slot. Like Daddy’s Little Angel, he was poised, calm, and determined to win. 

Most of the other horses were far more impatient though. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t quit stomping in her stall, and Maverick gave her a warning nip when her tail flicked him one too many times. She didn’t like that at all, and both jockeys fought to get their horses under control. 

A cinnamon stallion named Spirit thrashed in his stall, nearly throwing his rider off multiple times while two other people tried to calm him down. 

Then they finally showed Pharfignewton. She was in the stall closest to the stands, and while she was penned securely, the workers were all focused on the skittish racehorses. 

Pharfignewton flashed a horsey smile to the audience, then lowered her head in anticipation for the race to begin. 

Pinky’s fingers, toes, and tail were all crossed. She had to win! This was her dream ever since she was a little filly!

“And they’re off!” the announcer declared as the bell rang and the gates opened. All fifteen horses galloped out of the stalls, kicking up dirt as their hooves thundered against the ground. “Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus off to an early lead! Horsin’ Around’s pulling ahead of Tricky Mickey and...oh! Spirit’s bucked his jockey! That’s gonna cost everyone behind ‘em some time!” 

The names and number display at the bottom of the screen shifted around as horses pulled ahead or fell behind. 

Pinky’s muscles tensed as Pharfignewton swerved to avoid a riderless Spirit, though Achilles’ Heel was unlucky enough to be caught on a back ankle by a flailing hoof. Pharfignewton fell behind Mr. Legs and Mayoneighase for a split second before increasing her speed and passing them as they reached the first turn.

Pharfignewton was truly in her element! Like a happy, gusty wind spirit! 

“YOU CAN DO IT, FIG!” Pinky screamed at the top of his lungs, and there was an angry shushing noise, followed by a parmesan packet smacking the side of his head. “Thanks for the parmesan, Brain!” 

“Onto the second turn!” the announcer continued. “Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus neck and neck! Rainbow Dash and Arabian Night fighting for third a mere two lengths away! Maverick trying to squeeze in but there’s no room! Hold onto your fancy hats, folks, this is shaping up to be a wild race!” 

Egad, he didn’t want to lose his fancy hat! Pinky clutched the edges with cheese-stained fingers. 

“Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus still leading the pack, but trailing them is Black Beauty and Grand Chawhee! Rainbow Dash and Arabian Night have fallen to fifth and sixth! Friendly Neighborhood Racehorse trying for a comeback while Maver-what’s this? Pharfignewton’s clawing her way up from tenth, ninth, eighth, seventh...now she’s passed Rainbow Dash! Ladies and gents, this could be the biggest recovery in the Derby’s history!” 

Oh, if only he remembered where he’d placed his cotton ball pom-poms! They’d come in super handy right now! 

Black Beauty and Grand Chawhee slowed down on the final turn, enabling Pharfignewton to easily overtake them for third place. Then she poured on the speed, closing in between Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus.

“NARF! GO, PHARFIGNEWTON!” Pinky screeched, his hat tumbling off as he leapt to his feet. If he screamed loud enough, Pharfignewton could hear him all the way in Kentucky! And the power of friendship always worked for last-minute wins! His cartoons were never wrong! 

“It’s a straight shot to the finish! Maximus falls back by half a length! Ladies and gents, could this be the greatest upset in horse racing history? It’s Pharfignewton! No, Daddy’s Little Angel pulls ahead! Now Pharfignewton! Daddy’s Little Angel!” 

Brain was quiet, but from the twitch of his pointed ears and the way he leaned forward, Pinky knew he was just as invested in the race. 

The camera centered on the finish line, but Pinky couldn’t tell who crossed first. Pharfignewton and Daddy’s Little Angel galloped offscreen just as the rest of the pack, led by Maximus, finished after them. 

“WHAT’S THIS? PHARFIGNEWTON AND DADDY’S LITTLE ANGEL HAVE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE AT THE SAME TIME! TURNING THE FOOTAGE OVER FOR REVIEW SO WE CAN DECLARE THE WINNER!”

Pinky quickly found that crossing his toes while standing wasn’t the best idea. He fell flat on his face, but quickly pushed himself up on his elbows as the Derby logo flashed by and replayed the last few seconds of the race in slow motion. 

Pharfignewton and Daddy’s Little Angel’s legs were just one giant blur next to the finish line, but the reel paused on a shot of Pharfignewton’s flaring nostril crossing the line before Daddy’s Little Angel’s front hooves touched it. 

Pinky sucked in his breath. 

“PHARFIGNEWTON HAS BEEN DECLARED THE WINNER! CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VICTORY OVER THE 141ST KENTUCKY DERBY!” 

“She did it! She did it! Lo hicimos, she did it!” Pinky jumped for joy, his heart soaring in excitement for Pharfignewton. She was three years old and she’d accomplished so much! He was super duper extra proud of her! 

Brain rolled his eyes, but there was a tiny quirk at the corner of his mouth. “Yes, it seems all your supportive efforts have paid off.” 

Pinky grinned and tore off a cardboard flap of the pizza box, dumped parmesan cheese all over it, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Nothing tasted better than a victory pizza box with parmesan! 

“Want some?” Pinky offered a second flap to Brain. “It’s delicious!” 

Brain made a gagging noise. “That can’t possibly be good for your digestive system, Pinky.” 

Oh well. More for him then! 

Pharfignewton’s back was draped with beautiful roses, her team of humans all rushing up and hugging her as journalists bombarded them all with questions and photographers snapped photo after photo of her horsey smile. 

Daddy’s Little Angel trotted up to her with a flower crown in his mouth and dropped it onto her head, then drummed the ground steadily with a front hoof in his version of applause. All the other horses followed his lead. Even Spirit and Achilles’ Heel, who were being restrained by a team of trainers, gave their approval. Pharfignewton whinnied in delight, tossing back her head and showing off the beautiful crown. 

She really was the best. Pinky clutched his chest, that warm gooshy feeling of love spreading throughout his body. 

He couldn’t contain it much longer, and he picked up Brain to let it all out, and he danced around in joy with a squirming Brain in his arms. 

“Pinky, I understand that this outcome is most favorable, but I demand that you cease this at once!” Brain complained. 

But Pinky barely heard him. He was more interested in what Mr. Gardner had to say. 

“Pharfignewton did an amazing job and we’re very proud of her,” Mr. Gardner said as he fed Pharfignewton an apple, which she gladly inhaled. “Running’s in her blood, and I’m sure she’s made her parents very proud in equine heaven. She’s definitely gonna take the Preakness and Belmont by storm.” 

“You think she’s capable of gaining Triple Crown status?” the reporter asked. 

Pharfignewton neighed loudly in her direction, messing up the reporter’s hair. 

As the reporter struggled to fix it, Mr. Gardner smiled. “I think she made it clear that she takes what she wants.” 

Two more races for the Triple Crown. Right. 

Pinky stopped dancing, an odd but featherlight weight in his arms. In his excitement, he’d forgotten that Pharfignewton had to win the Preakness and Belmont for her dream to come true. 

It wasn’t that she couldn’t do it. She was a swift runner and the best racehorse in the world. But she would be gone for several months. All the way on the other side of the country. 

And he wanted her to achieve her dream so bad. To rank up there with the great racehorses of old. 

“Pinky?” a voice choked. 

He was accidentally squishing one of Brain’s antennae. Oops. 

“Sorry, Brain,” Pinky quickly said, putting his friend down. 

Instead of stepping away like Pinky expected, Brain remained where he was. Brain was too good at forming unreadable expressions. His pretty pink eyes seemed concerned though. 

“This is a momentous occasion, isn’t it?” Brain asked. “Shouldn’t you be celebrating?” 

Was that Selenian speak for happy? 

Yeah, he was supposed to be happy. Pharfignewton won. He was really happy for her. He didn’t want Pharfignewton to think he was a bad friend because he was sad about not seeing her for a while. 

“Of course I’m happy for her,” Pinky said. But it was flimsy even to his own mousey ears. 

Brain didn’t seem convinced either. One hand awkwardly hovered in the space between them. 

A little touch would be nice, and he held super still so Brain wouldn’t get spooked. But a tapping at the window broke Brain’s trance, and upon the sight of a hovering black camera with the Selenian logo on its side, he quickly pulled away. 

“Correspondence from Snowball,” Brain said. His ears flattened briefly before returning to their normal position. Maybe he regretted breaking their closeness too. “I’m taking this.” 

He wiped his fingers on a wet cloth before unlatching the window. The camera darted in once the window was open, its tripod claws dropping an unmarked envelope into Brain’s hands before flying off into the brilliant evening sky. 

Well, it could’ve had pizza if it stayed just a little longer. 

Pinky moved behind Brain as he tore open the envelope and unfolded the note inside, which was written in a neat script. 

Pickup at seven pm tomorrow. Don’t be late. 

-Snowball

“Well, it’s better than nothing,” Brain sighed. “I’ll make sure we have everything required for tomorrow night, Pinky.” 

He didn’t wait for a reply. He only disappeared into a hidden drawer where all their belongings were stored. 

The masquerade ball was important. He shouldn’t keep Brain from making sure they saved the invitation so they could get in. 

And it would be nice to wear that beautiful dress Sharon picked out. 

But there was an ache in his chest. One that gnawed at his heart, and he didn’t want that icky feeling gnawing at his heart. Pinky sat in front of the TV and focused on Pharfignewton’s happiness instead. He pushed away the pizza, the box tasting like cardboard on his tongue. 

If she was happy, he was happy. And wasn’t that all he needed?

End AN: So as a little treat I snuck some fictional horse names in here. I mean, obviously you know Pharfignewton as Pinky’s equine girlfriend. Daddy’s Little Angel is the name of the horse Brain rode in the OG Animaniacs episode Jockey for Position.

Grand Chawhee’s name is a reference to All Dogs Go to Heaven. Tricky Mickey comes from the 1978 movie Casey’s Shadow, which I caught my family watching a few weeks ago and I just decided to borrow a name from the movie.

Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony, Maximus from Tangled, Black Beauty from the book of the same name, Spirit from the Dreamworks movie, and Achilles’ Heel is a reference to Phoebus’ horse in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Mr. Legs’ name provided by Boxy. Thank you, Boxy. Snuck in Pinky actually eating a pizza box for ya lol.

Final placements for the Derby are:

1. Pharfignewton 2. Daddy’s Little Angel 3. Maximus 4. Grand Chawhee 5. Black Beauty 6. Rainbow Dash 7. Arabian Night 8. Friendly Neighborhood Racehorse 9. Mr. Legs 10. Maverick 11. Horsin’ Around 12. Tricky Mickey 13. Mayoneighase 14. Achilles’ Heel (never finished) 15. Spirit (never finished)

Next chapter will finally have the Masquerade Ball and boy do I have plans. It’ll definitely be longer than this one. But this chapter at least wraps up the Derby subplot.

[justanotherpersonsuniverse]

Something I came up with for future Panthera stuff

New Ladyblog-Exclusive Release: First Interview with New Superheroine Queen Bee! (ft. Panthera Noire) [highlights]

Alya: Welcome, Queen Bee and Panthera Noire! Thanks for letting me do this interview.

Queen Bee: We're happy to be here.

Panthera: Thank you for having us.

Alya: Before we begin, I do want to remind you that you can stop a line of questioning down at any time. So, first off, how exactly did Queen Bee join the team?

Panthera: I already knew Queenie here pretty well. She was one of the people on the top of my list for potential heroes when we first needed the Bee's powers, and I got a chance to pick someone to add to the team.

QB: I know her hero persona pretty well in my civilian life, and while I didn't think I made enough of an impression to be considered for this, I'm not passing up the chance!

Panthera: Hey, no doubting yourself here. I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think it was a good idea. And if anyone says otherwise, tell me so I can bite their kneecaps off.

Alya: Tell us more about yourself, QB! How are you doing in life right now?

QB: There's not really much to tell. I'm not too proud of the person I am behind the mask, but I've been getting better. I have a better support system than I used to. Otherwise, I'm doing great! High grades, no financial issues, all that good stuff.

Alya: What kind of things do you do for fun?

QB: Most of my hobbies are more refined. Shopping and proper spa treatment have always been relaxing for me, and the friends I have make some of the more formal events I attend tolerable.

Panthera: *stage whispering* She really likes traumatizing people with anime-

QB: Hey!

Panthera: *smirking* She's a massive weeaboo and so are some of her friends. She even commissioned someone for a bo-

QB: MOVING ON! Next question.

Alya: How do you feel about your teammates?

QB: I haven't really talked with Rena Rouge and Carapace all that much, so I can't really say anything about them. They seem decently nice. As for the senior members of the team...

Panthera: She had the cutest celebrity crushes on both me and Ladybug. Watching your brain short-circuit whenever I talked to you was pretty fun.

QB: I wasn't that bad... anyway! Ladybug... cares a lot about everyone. Aggressively so. She gets mad at the team all the time for making decisions that put us in the way of harm, even if those decisions keep her protected and able to fix damage from akuma attacks. Whenever we make those types of sacrifices, it's less of a choice and more of an ultimatum.

Panthera: She means well, but she feels a bit responsible whenever we take the fall for her. Comes with the territory of being a reset button, sadly. I will say that she's absolutely the type of person who will scream positive affirmations at you and toss a water bottle and weighted blanket at you if she thinks you need it.

QB: I can at least agree with her on one thing: this stubborn cat needs proper emotional support and help!

Panthera: Queenie, I said I'm fine-

QB: I know you've got some issues you don't want to push onto us, but at least accept my offer to pay for therapy! If the team can't help you in the ways you need then at least-

*A blaring tone is heard as the screen displays a black background with yellow text reading, "Technical Difficulties, Jump-Cut in Progress"*

Alya: So Panthera, I know you've routinely denied having any sort of romantic relationship with Ladybug, but what exactly is your relationship with Queen Bee here?

Panthera: If you're implying what I think you are, I'm gonna shut that idea down before anyone else gets any ideas.

QB: Yeah, I love Panthera, but I don't think I could ever date her.

Panthera: Same. Besides, in her normal life, she's already got her eye on a special someone~

QB: Hey! Don't just go around saying things like that!

Panthera: Yeah, tsunderes aren't really my type. She's more like a daughter to me at this point.

QB: ...I am?

Panthera: Yep. I just need to file the adoption papers and get the mayor to legalize kidnapping. But in all honesty, I'm proud of how you've been doing, both in and out of the suit. Being a part of- oof!

*Queen Bee tackle-hugs Panthera Noire; Panthera freezes up for a moment before returning the hug. As the two hold each other, quiet mumbles of "thank you" can be heard from QB, who appears to be shaking a little bit.*

*A blaring tone is heard as the screen displays a black background with yellow text reading, "Technical Difficulties, Jump-Cut in Progress"*

Alya: That's all we have time for today. Any last words you want to want to give to Paris before you head out?

QB: Thanks for listening! I'll work to be the best hero I can be.

Panthera: I've only had Queenie on the team for a week and a half, but if anything happened to her, I'd kill everyone in this city and then myself.

Alya: Make sure to stay updated for when more videos drop! Ladyblogger, signing out!

I LOVE THEM

[mossyvil]

Sugawara angst week part 2!! Reading the first part isn’t required, but some references might not make sense without it. I was at a loss as to whether I should make it happy or sad, so the main story is happy, but there is an alternate ending which is angst, placed under the cut. I hope you enjoy, I’m really happy with it for once.

You catch on to the little ‘game’ of his fairly early on. After the first call on your graduation day, it became a staple of your relationship. Short voicemails left on important days to look back on in the future, you guess.

Only an hour after you had listened to the first one he left, you found yourself giving into the idea. After seeing Suga be swept away by the other third years, it gave you time to sneak away to leave your own message for him.

⚘⚘⚘⚘

“Hi, baby. You’re currently dancing with Asahi while I record this. To answer your question, I am proud of you. You’ve come so far in these years, and it makes me happy to see how much you grew. And not to mention how our relationship has grown, i’m so glad you’re in my life, even when you eat my food.”

You chuckle lightly, and imagine Sugawara feebishly laughing while taking the food from your bento, even though you offer to make him his own every day. One of the things you grew to love about him is his ability to make you laugh like it’s as easy as breathing.

“I’m glad the team was there. Without them i’m pretty sure you would have crushed me when you threw yourself at my earlier. But Tsukishima is a good kid, and he cares about the team more than he lets on, even if that means taking care of the second years. But they have Ennoshita too, so I think they’ll be okay. Though I do worry about Kageyama and Hinata. They fight so much that I'm surprised poor Yachi hasn’t had a heart attack trying to calm them down.

But I think that as long as they have each other, they should be okay. The team is like a family, you know? A weird family, but a family nonetheless.” There’s the distinct sound of your boyfriend calling for you, and you hang up the call with a laugh and a shout that you’ll be there in a second.

⚘⚘⚘⚘

The second call is made before he gets the chance to make his. Sitting in the empty apartment, it hits you that this is your home. Your home together, now. No longer are the days trying to fill any free time with one another. The boxes sit unopened in their respective rooms, but while Sugawara is out grabbing dinner at the local fast food place, you take the moment to leave a voicemail for him.

“It feels weird saying this, but we have our own space together now. A little sanctuary just for the two of us, and maybe a cat if I get you to give in. Looking around it seems so lifeless, but I know that in just a few days you’re going to be forcing me to dance in the kitchen to old cheesy music with you.

I wonder how many matching pairs of fluffy socks we’ll have by the end of the month. My bet is on at least five, but knowing you and your love of those things it will probably be more than that. Not that i’m complaining, but keep our dresser space in mind please, babe.”

Sugawara comes back with the food, and you hastily hang up the call to meet him in the living room.

⚘⚘⚘⚘

You weren’t there when he found out that he got the job. But when you get a frantic call about how the interview went amazing and that they hired him on the spot, you find yourself pulling over on the highway to respond to him. He doesn't pick up your call, and it prompts you to leave him a message.

“I’m so proud, Sugawara! All of the hard work you put in is paying off right here, right now. I knew you could do it. You gave so much to be here, and no one deserves it as much as you. How about we go out tonight to celebrate? We can even stop at the bookstore you love so much on the way home.”

It’s a short message, but it conveys the things that needed to be said. The dinner was lovely that night, and Sugawara happily walking around the bookstore was all that you needed to be happy with your decision to bring him.

⚘⚘⚘⚘

After getting off work and listening to the voicemail he left, you call him back while sitting in the parking lot. “Your students are seriously super cute. Also, by now you should know that telling a bunch of little kids about someone won’t end well. Until you spill everything they won’t be satisfied. And what was with that weird title? Are you ashamed of calling me your partner or something?”

There is no malice in your question, which is made evident by the laugh given into the phone. 

“Anyways, I'll be home in a bit, I just got off work. Love you!”

⚘⚘⚘⚘

There’s the distinct sound of a party in the background-- as to which Sugawara later got you to confess that you made the recording after sneaking away during the reception, which earned you a light hearted smack on the arm. 

“We just got married. You looked really good in your tux, i’m not gonna lie. But just seeing you there, at the end of the aisle waiting to spend the rest of our lives together was enough to make my eyes water. I’m lucky that I managed to hold it back, though. I would never forgive myself if I couldn't see your pretty face during the ceremony.”

Suddenly you go quiet, and only the far away noise of music is heard from the reception hall.

“I really am glad that I get to be with you. There’s billions of people on the planet yet I'm the lucky one to marry you. Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve you, but then you come home with another one of those damn pairs of fluffy socks and I remember that the love we hold can never be broken.

I love you, Kōshi.”

- Alternate angst ending -

The final call is made on a chilly fall morning, from a melancholy figure standing under the old yellowing tree that they seemed to visit all too frequently. If you listen closely, you can hear the whispering of the wind as it swirls, messing up their hair and the scarf wound tightly around their neck.

“Hi, Kōshi. I miss you, we all miss you. Yamaguchi called yesterday to check on me, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him how badly i’ve been doing without you.” A sad laugh, a sniffle. “I’m not sure if you’ve been watching, as much as I want to believe you are,  but Hinata and his team won nationals this weekend. Afterwards they said that they dedicated the game to you. All of the old team was there-- yes, even Tukishima came to see them.”

A gentle hand embraces them, as though trying to sooth the pain that etched itself into weary joints and made itself at home. A soft, regretful smile. A quiet “I’ll be in the car.” It’s just barely audible in the voicemail.

“I miss you, Sugawara Kōshi.”

[yandere-daydreams]

A Yandere!Mirio/Reader piece for the lovely @celestialempress, with a little NSFW and some unfortunate implications towards the end. I really enjoyed this commission, a little too much, actually... but, considering recent episodes, it’s fair to say our favorite Obsessive Boy deserves to get something he wants. 

Word Count: 3.1k

TW: Non-Con/Dub-Con, Breeding Kink, Non-Consensual Aphrodisiacs, Contraceptive Sabotage and Delusial Mindsets. 

You were heroic. Mirio loved that about you.

He adored how passionate you were, how much effort you put into every fight, every battle, every mission you were asked to go on. He was grateful for every night you came home exhausted, collapsing into his arms whenever his shift ended before yours and rambling about the nice kid you saved or the sweet man who sent your agency flowers after you rescued his wife. He admired your spirit, always the one to bet how many bad guys you could take down while you were in the same district and to ignore the negative critics of any newscaster or interviewer who tried to dampen your optimism. Even your quirk, the sickening fitting ability to form foam and bubbles strong enough to withstand the weight of a grown-man, was practically made for saving people. You were his hero, you were perfect. Mirio would never say you weren’t, even if his life depended on your dismissal. He was sure you’d do the same for him, too.

He loved that part of you. He loved every part of you.

He just wished you wouldn’t put yourself in so much danger while you were being so amazing.

It was only a scrape, he reminded himself, albeit a bad one. The paramedics had cleared you, as far as your physical safety was concerned. A henchman and a loose platform had just gotten the better of you during a roof-top fight, and you’d been too busy ensuring the security of innocent civilians to worry about cushioning your own fall. It fit your persona, it fit you, and deep down Mirio knew you’d always do the right thing, even if didn’t line-up with the smart thing. He was just as dedicated, deep down, even if he couldn’t be as showy about it anymore. Even now, you were laughing and joking around with the stone-faced healer wrapping a bandage over your forehead, not letting your dirtied costume and a possible concussion dampen your spirits. You were still giggling as he approached, your smile enough to make his heart skip a beat. Still, Mirio attempted to stay serious, even if his self-restraint was tested by every second spent in your company.

“Hey, little hero,” Mirio called, his grin widening as you perked up at the sound of his voice. The other man was forgotten instantly, left in the background as you leaned forward to hug him, nearly falling off the rear step in your eagerness. He was quick to catch you, attempting to give you a more stable seat without throwing you around like a rag-doll, even when you deserved to be strapped down and kept out of trouble. Until you were considering your own preservation, at least. 

But, he didn’t say that, opting to kiss your forehead and ruffle your hair until you were pushing him away. “Everyone’s talking about you, y’know, the reporters are trying to find today��s favorite heroine.” It wasn’t an exaggeration, he could still hear their voice from behind the police-controlled blockade. You’d be all over the newscasts in a few hours, no doubt. “They don’t seem satisfied with your charming fiancé and his lovable antics.”

“You must mean my annoying boyfriend. I still haven’t gotten a ring.” There was a light punch to his chest, more of a tap than anything, and you pulled him down to your height without a second thought. He didn’t have to be told what to do, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you into his side, letting you slot yourself against his side with all the familiarity and affection he’d coaxed out of you. Like an old married couple, rather than two Pro-Heroes in the prime of their lives.

Just the thought made Miro hold you a little tighter.

“Is someone trying to tell me that I’m s’posed to get down on one knee sometime soon?” The question was only half teasing, and you seemed to sense that, deflating ever-so-slightly in his arms. You didn’t pull away, but you only lowered your head, slumping forward and resting your elbows on your knees. You always got like that, when he tried to talk about something that might change the future. Mirio was sympathetic, but he couldn’t help but be… frustrated, at your resistance. He reacted instinctually, rubbing soft, deep circles in your back, doing his best to avoid the bruises blooming around your spine. “Babydoll, we don’t have to--”

You interrupted him swiftly, already knowing where this conversation would lead. “It’s just not something I want to talk about, we’ve been over this before. Marriage is just…” You didn’t straighten your back, but your hands moved in an incoherent, nonsensical pattern, like a micro-explosion was pushing them apart. Your quirk activated for emphasis, a tiny, frothy bubble forming between your palms and popping as you moved, leaving suds to soak into your thighs. You didn’t seem to notice, only kicking at the small bits of foam that landed on the ground. “It’s big, y’know? I’m a little scared, to be honest.”

Of course, his girlfriend was scared. He had to be reminded that you could still be timid, every now and then. “All the more reason to dive into it headfirst, right? We’ll be fine as long as we’re doin’ it together.”

“I know that,” You mumbled, your smile taking a turn towards fragile. Not weak, but vulnerable. Delicate. It only strengthened Mirio’s belief that a future with him was what you needed. A big house, a clean-cut lawn, more room than two people could ever need. And yet, it was room two people could fill, if they tried hard enough. He started to drift into his fantasy, but you drew him out of it with a laugh and a nervous scratch at the back of your neck. “You’ll always take care of me, and I appreciate that. But, I like the way we are right now. I don’t want anything to change, and… I don’t know when I’m going to be ready for anything to change.” You sighed, suddenly talking more to yourself than you were to Mirio. “I’m sorry if that isn’t what you want. I’d understand if you thought I moved too slowly, and… I’d understand if you wanted to move on without me.”

He didn’t hesitate, cupping your chin and encouraging you to look at him, moving in as you turned. The kiss was lingering, as sweet as it was drawn-out, and Mirio didn’t pull away when it was over. Rather, he kept you close, his voice muffled by the proximity. “There isn’t anyone else I’d move on with. If we’re gonna wait, we’ll do that together, too.”

You looked like you had a reply, opening your mouth and shifting, but someone called your alias’ name before you spit it out. There was a parting peck to his cheek and a fleeting embrace, but you left him without another word. The conversation would continue later, Mirio would make sure it did, but for now, he was left in silence. Left to think.

You said you didn’t think you were ready, but he knew you were. You were nourishing and tender and motherly, he just hadn’t had a chance to prove that to you yet. Your lives would be perfect, with your reliable husband working as a Hero to keep his family safe, recounting his victories over a dinner you made before sending the kids to bed so you two could have some time to cuddle and relax and talk about your days and be so happy. If you kept taking risks, getting hurt and sacrificing yourself and waiting, that might not happen. You two might not get a chance to be happy together.

And Mirio wasn’t sure what he would do if you two didn’t get to be happy together.

You’d said it yourself, he’d always take care of you. He knew what was best, regardless of how many childish ambitions and hesitations got in the way. You were his Hero, but this time, he would have to be the one to save you. He already had a plan, too.

Even if a few steps would have to come sooner than he thought they would.

~

He was thankful you never tried to hide your pills.

Mirio knew it was a terrible thing to do. It was awful, it felt awful, but the task itself was painfully easy. Your birth-control was always on the bathroom-counter, the disk-shaped container left open and unprotected in the haven of your apartment’s walls. You hadn’t even stirred when he’d gotten out of bed, sleeping so trustingly less than a room away. It helped that your prescription was on its last legs, too, only four tablets left before it’d need to be refilled. You’d probably be so worried about finding time to stop by the pharmacy, you wouldn’t even notice the slight difference in color.

Just throwing them away wouldn’t be enough, you might get suspicious and notice the discarded medicine. Instead, he waited patiently for them to dissolve in the sink, watching diligently as the yellow prophylactics dissolved, like even the smallest bits of residue would be enough to tell you that something was wrong. The sugar pills were slotted into place with an equal amount of focus, each replacement placed in the exact spot of its predecessor, even if he doubted you would notice if they were upside down or at a slightly different angle. He hesitated when it came time to close the lid, something suddenly making him feel off, guilty, wrong.

It would all be for your own good, he knew that. Mirio tried to think of how much you would love having three or four little ones running around, how you’d adore him for finally taking charge, how love the two of you would be once you got married and moved out of the city and started your lives together, rather than getting stuck on the never-ending plateau most Heroes find themselves unable to pass after retirement, but it didn’t seem to help. There was something else. Were you going to regret staying with him? Would you be mad at him for doing the right thing?

Would you hate him, after you realized what’d happened?

The question was discarded as soon as he noticed the real issue. He stopped himself right before the lid could shut, placing the plastic case back into its original spot. You never closed it. You said you had a hard time undoing the child-proof lock, when you were tired. It hurt your fingertips.

Satisfied, Mirio leaned back, admiring his work for a second or two before moving on. He already had a needle on-hand, sewing kits being a necessity in his line-of-work, but repairs weren’t what he had in mind, tonight. After those modifications were made, all he had to do was slip a little special something into your water-bottle, just to ensure that his preparations wouldn’t be in vain.

Right. Everything would be perfect, by tomorrow night. 

All he had to do was wait until then.

~

You didn’t think you’d ever been this warm before.

It was a heat that ran through your veins, making your heart feel like it was beating too fast and your brain all fuzzy, like you were on the tail-end of an all-nighter, one fueled solely by a drink with too much sugar and foods your worst mentors would’ve disapproved of. Water didn’t help, each drop only making your head throb that much more, and you’d nearly passed out during a mid-day patrol. Luckily, it’d been a slow day, villains seeming to notice your distress and rescheduling their evil-doing for a day where you weren’t feeling so shitty. Even with the lack of activity, you were stumbling by the time you got home, your door seeming to sway in front of you as you unlocked it.

You were thankful for how careful Mirio was, you really were, your boyfriend always seeming to remember the little details you forgot. But it was hard to tolerate, sometimes. It felt like there was a dead-bolt on everything when you were this tired.

You collapsed as soon as the door was closed behind you, falling onto the first couch you saw in a sweating, red-faced heap. You don’t know how much time passed, the minutes blending together with the hours, but the footsteps came by the time you’d started panting, your eyes clenched shut and your body crumpled into a fetal position, the display as desperate as it was pathetic. You didn’t hear him approach, but you were being pulled into the air nonetheless, forced to curl into yourself just to stop from writhing.

“I… I think I need a doctor,” You mumbled, your voice coming out as a breathy whisper. You felt your back touch the mattress, but your attempts to sit up only let another wave of flames wash over your skin, burning whatever they touched. “Could you call someone, everything hurts--”

His lips were on yours before you could finish, the kiss passionate and forceful, lacking any of Mirio’s trademark delicacy. Just as suddenly, the heat in your body was shifting, turning into something else, something namable. Medical assistance was shoved into the back of your mind, buried under your craving for anything but separation from his hands. You deepened the kiss willingly, nipping at his jaw as he pulled away, nearly whining when you felt his warmth leave yours. “Do you still want to go to the hospital, sweetheart?”

You thought for a second, but shook your head. “No, I… fuck me, Mirio.”

You were whining from the moment he started touching you, not bothering trying to find the clasps to your skin-tight uniform. Any other day, you would’ve stopped him while the damage was still repairable, but it was all you could do to sit up as he slipped your sports-bra over your head. You expected him to finish the job with as much fervor, and yet, he saw fit to linger as he tugged your panties downward, rubbing over your covered clit with the pad of his thumb. He didn’t try to hide the way he laughed as you bucked against him, chuckling under his breath at the stain every movement took. He didn’t seem reluctant to hold your hips down, though, after deciding you weren’t in the right state to put in that kind of work.

“You’ve never been this hot n’ bothered for me,” He admitted, finally getting rid of the offending fabric. There was no hint of resistance, his fingers sliding into your cunt and scissoring you open with a loud, embarrassingly wet sound, only contrasted by the soft mewl you let out at the slightest of stimulation. “You must want this as much as I do… Bet I don’t even need to prep’ you, either. You just wanna get to the main show, don’t you?”

He didn’t wait for an answer, leaving you to grind against nothing and beg as he reached something out of your view. A drawer opened, a plastic package following in its lead, but the tell-tale ripping of latex was what gave it away, a disappointed sigh leaving Mirio’s mouth when he saw what’d happened. “There’s a-”

“I don’t care!” His sleeve was the only thing close enough for you to grab, but you did so with a vengeance, bringing him down to your level as your free hand sloppily worked at his pants. Too stunned to react, he stared on at your flushed face, but a hitch your breath and something close to a sob snapped him out of his daze. “I jus’... I don’t know… it hurts, please, make it stop!”

You couldn’t be sure when you started, but soon enough, tears were blurring your vision and something was making it hard to breathe. Mirio only cooed, cupping your cheeks briefly before he abandoned the idea of comforting you, instead taking up your thigh in his hands. You could’ve cried as he pressed into you, your knees crushed into your chest by the time he bottomed out. It wasn’t just the pleasure, the way sparks bit at the base of your spine or how your legs fought to clamp together as Mirio began to move, no, the relief alone was incomparable. You reached up lazily, wrapping your arms around his neck and burying your face in the crook of his shoulder, just relishing in how good it all felt, in how pretty his moans were and how deep he was inside you and how much you loved him, how much he loved you.

You were so caught up in it all, you almost didn’t notice it when he started speaking.

Almost.

“I knew you’d come around, I knew it.” He was nearly inaudible, now, voice little more than a mumble. You glanced up at him blearily, but as soon as your lips hard parted, you were caught in another suffocating kiss, the gesture as messy as it was overbearing. If it was possible, his pace sped up, drawing an unabashed moan from your throat. “You’re gonna look so pretty-- such a good mommy. I--” He stopped, his hips stuttering, like whatever he was distracted by whatever was running through his head. “...need to fill you up.”

There was a shove at his shoulders, a push just strong enough to gain his attention. “Mommy… what?”

Before he answered, Mirio wrapped an arm around your waist, nearly lifting you off the bed in an attempt to hold you tighter, to keep you closer. He was primal, by now, knots of soreness already forming in your thighs. You wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow, not comfortably, at least. “Don’t worry, it’s… it’s perfect,” He gasped, but it was in vain, the panic setting in just as quickly as the realization did. “You’re going to be such a good mom.”

It came suddenly, just as you’d began to struggle, your body tensing up and something inside of you snapping before you could stop it. The heat returned in full-force, scalding and smoldering, your mouth opening but no sound coming out and your nails digging into Mirio’s back, leaving bloody gashes in their wake. Mirio couldn’t have lasted much longer, stilling inside of you at his deepest point. Warmth bubbled up in the pit of your stomach, forcing the meekest of whimpers out, his cum filling you up easily and leaking out around his cock, dripping over your thighs in a terribly sobering way.

Clarity struck you fast and it struck you hard, dread pooling in your heart and refusing to lessen. You looked towards Mirio for reassurance, for acknowledgment or any signal that he felt the same way, but the only thing the met you was a euphoric, lovestruck smile. One soon pressed against your forehead, the peck just as disillusioning at his refusal to pull out.

“I knew you would come around… We’re going to be great parents.”

[thatboomerkid]

CLEARANCE LEVEL 5 REQUIRED: IMMEDIATE POST-█████ (CLASS-███ EVENT) INTERVIEW OF Dr. [REDACTED] by [DATA EXPUNGED] CONDUCTED █ █████ ON █/██/██ WITH ████ BANANA-██D█ █████09: “DICK MEATSWEATS COLLECTIVE”

Dr. [REDACTED]: (is violently hauled into a cramped, windowless interrogation-cell with a bag over his head, handcuffed; is shoved unceremoniously into a metal chair and then immediately handcuffed an additional seven times)

(low, dull-yellow lighting flickers over a single long, scarred, heavily-reinforced steel table bolted to the cement floor; also, ██ is actively ████ SCP-███ █ of █████ with ██ and ███ ham-beast ████)

[DATA EXPUNGED] █ ████ (hereafter referr to as “Interviewer”) ██ and █ with a hot ██ and ███ twin spatula ████ Megaman ████ (see ██ ███ ███thick dong█)

Interviewer: (gestures dismissively at Dr. [REDACTED], addressing security officer) Please, remove that. It ... won’t be necessary.

Security: (raises quizzical eyebrow)

Interviewer: (gestures again, making the international sign for “pull the bag off his head”)

Security: (raises other eyebrow, even more quizzically)

Interviewer: (frowns, narrows eyes)

Security: (makes international sign for “do you mean ‘pull his head off his torso’?”)

Interviewer: THE BAG. TAKE THE FUCKING BAG OFF HIS HEAD.

Security: Oh! Okay, yeah, sure, that makes WAY more sense. (pulls bag off of Dr. [REDACTED]’s head) Sorry about that.

Dr. [REDACTED]: (blinks several times)

Interviewer: Good morning, Dr. [REDACTED].

Dr. [REDACTED]: (blinking) Oh. Fuck.

Interviewer: You know, I get that a lot? So, Dr. [REDACTED], could you — perhaps — please begin by telling me just a little bit about what it is you do here at the Foundation?

Dr. [REDACTED]: Am ... am I in trouble?

Interviewer:

Security:

Interviewer & Security: (suddenly laugh out loud)

Interviewer & Security: (continue laughing)

Dr. [REDACTED]: (frowns)

Interviewer & Security: (still laughing)

Interviewer & Security: (laughing hard enough to shed actual tears)

Interviewer & Security: (audible wheezing)

Dr. [REDACTED]: (pretty clearly offended)

Interviewer & Security: (slowly composing themselves)

Dr. [REDACTED]: uhh ... the fuck?

Interviewer: (wiping away tears) Oh, sweet hopping pogo-Jesus. That was goddamn hilarious. Yeah, no oh my god no, you’re not in trouble.

Security: Yeah, I would have just shot you.

Interviewer: Yeah. Definitely.

Dr. [REDACTED]: (nods at random dead guy seated in the chair next to him) Ah. So is that what happened to this guy?

Other Researcher: (also seated next to Dr. [REDACTED], also handcuffed, still with a bag over his head) Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.

Interviewer: (narrows eyes) No, that was due to a ... “miscommunication”.

Security: YOU GAVE ME THE NOD.

Interviewer: WHAT NOD!?

Security: THE NOD! THE NOD THAT MEANS TO SHOOT THE GUY IN THE HEAD! THE FUCKING ... THE NOD!

Interviewer: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ON ABOUT? WHAT “NOD”!?

Security: (shoots Other Researcher in the head)

All:

Interviewer: THE FUCK WAS THAT!?

Security: YOU JUST GAVE ME THE NOD! AGAIN! THE SAME FUCKING NOD!

Interviewer: jesus goddamn christ put your fucking firearm away

Security:

Security: okay, but it’s not my fault you keep giving me the murder-nod

Interviewer: I’M SORRY WHAT WAS THAT?

Security: Ah! Sorry, sorry, nothing, [DATA EXPUNGED]. My apologies.

Interviewer: That’s what I goddamn thought.

Dr. [REDACTED]: uhh

Interviewer: Ah. Yes. So.

Dr. [REDACTED]: ... so?

Interviewer:

Dr. [REDACTED]:

Interviewer: I am so sorry, this is really embarrassing. I have COMPLETELY lost my train of thought. Where were we?

Security: Oh! You were just asking Dr. [REDACTED] here if he could tell you a little bit about what he does at the Foundation.

Interviewer: SHUT THE FUCK UP AND STOP MURDERING STAFF-MEMBERS, ASSHOLE. I’M NOT FUCKING TALKING TO YOU.

Security:

Security: don’t have to be a dick about it

Interviewer: I’M SORRY, AGAIN, WHAT WAS THAT? YOU’RE TOTES PSYCHED ABOUT GETTING YOUR CHAPPED ASS BUSTED DOWN TO D-CLASS PERSONNEL?

Security: No, [DATA EXPUNGED]. No, I am not totes psyched about that.

Interviewer: Yeah. Keep it up, just see what happens.

Dr. [REDACTED]: um

Interviewer: Oh! Shit, yeah. So, Dr. [REDACTED], could you begin by telling me a little bit about what you do here at the Foundation?

Dr. [REDACTED]: Ah, yes! Well, I’m an [EXPUNGED], an unlicensed [ALSO EXPUNGED] and [REDACTED] practitioner, as well as an [EXPUNGED], a [SUPER-EXPUNGED], two [JESUS FUCK, SO EXPUNGED], a psychopharmacologist with a background in [DOULE EXPUNGED], anomalous and/or cognitohazardous pornography and [EXTRA HYPER-TIGER-DRAGON EDITION EXPUNGED]. Crikey, my name is ’Stralian Dan! Dingos, boomerangs, koalas, wallabies! FOSTERS! VEGEMITE! PAUL HOGAN! YAHOO SERIOUS FILM FESTIVAL! (said with German accent) {O5–1 APPROVED thumbs up}

Interviewer:

Interviewer: ... and we hired you WHY?

Dr. [Redacted]: Well, for a lot—

(knock at the door)

Interviewer: OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE. HELLO? WHAT THE SHIT DO YOU WANT?

(door cracks open just a smidge)

Interdepartmental Liaison: (pokes head in) Hey, everybody! Just popping in real quicksies to ask if everyone has their raffle tickets for th—

Security: (shoots Interdepartmental Liaison in the head)

Interviewer:

Interviewer: are you goddam kidding m—

Security: UH ARE YOU GODDAMN KIDDING *ME*!? If you don’t want me to shoot people in the head, STOP GIVING ME THE ‘SHOOT THIS GUY IN THE HEAD’ NOD.

Interviewer: for the love of hot greasy fuck THERE IS NO ‘SHOOT THIS GUY IN THE HEAD’ NOD and if there was I WOULDN’T BE FUCKING GIVING TO YOU.

Security: okay well that’s not what I was told

Interviewer: GIVE ME YOUR FIREARM YOU MURDER-HAPPY NUTBAG FUCKSTICK

Security: pfft

Interviewer: (literally audible scowling)

Security: okay well fine but I just want to be clear, for the record or whatever, that I feel like I barely murder ANYBODY around here

Interviewer: THE GUN, ASS-MUNCH.

Security: (hands over firearm, rolling eyes)

(knock at the door)

(some Guy From Accounting pops head in door)

Guy From Accounting: Hey, so real quick? We’re supposed to have this room—

Security: (shoots Guy From Accounting in the head)

Interviewer: HOW IN THE HOLY HOPPING JESUS FUCK

Security: Backup gun.

Interviewer: “BACKUP GUN”?

Security: Yeah, I’ve got like two dozen guns on me. Why? Did you think I handed you my only gun?

Interviewer: YES.

Security: okay, well that seems like YOUR goof-up

Interviewer: PUT ALL OF YOUR GUNS ON THE FLOOR

Security:

Dr. [REDACTED]:

Security: okay well this is gonna take a while

Dr. [REDACTED]: (slowly raises hand)

Interviewer: WHAT

Dr. [REDACTED]: um, I’d like to talk a little about what i do here at the Foundation? if that’s okay?

Interviewer: Oh sweet Jesus H. Tit-Cream. Yeah, sure, fuck it. Tell me all about it.

Dr. [REDACTED]: Well, I was recently assigned to a task force working on the SCP-3003 problem—

Security: Oooh, that sounds INTERESTING!

Interviewer: Oh, hey, cool! Are you done putting all of your guns on the floor?

Security:

Security: yep

Interviewer: SHUT THE FUCK UP AND KEEP PUTTING YOUR GUNS ON THE FLOOR

Security: What about stun-guns? Do those count?

Interviewer: WHY WOULD THEY NOT COUNT?

Security: Uh, ‘cuz they’re not really “firearms” per se? And you ONLY said firearms.

Interviewer: I DID NO SUCH FUCKING THING

Security: Well, okay, whatever.

Interviewer: i swear to fuck I will ██████ your ass to SPC-█ and ████ as of █/██/██ to ██████ for the foreseeable ██ in a ██████ to █ ████.

Dr. [REDACTED]: (visibly aroused)

Security: woah okay, wow? uhh, if you REALLY want, I can “divest myself” of all my stun guns, dart guns, shotguns, laser—

Interviewer: wait did you say SHOTGUNS?

Security: Yeah, of course.

Interviewer: Are you under the impression that, when I say “put all your guns on the floor,” I might NOT mean to put down however many FUCKING SHOTGUNS you happen to be carrying at the moment?

All:

Security: Well, you might not. Which is why I asked.

Interviewer: (glare)

Security: Oh well EXCUUUSE ME for seeking some goddamn clarity! Shotguns have a TOTALLY different certification process here on base, so I wasn’t sure if they were included in your new weird, dumb little “no guns” rule.

Interviewer:

Security: TOTALLY. DIFFERENT. CERTIFICATION. PROCESS. See, like, pretty much anyone on Foundation staff is allowed to carry a shotgun. Even D-class, which is totes cray-cray for shay-shay.

Interviewer: That CANNOT be correct.

Dr. [REDACTED]: Nope, that’s accurate. The rule goes all the way back to ██████ on █/██/██.

Interviewer: (closes eyes, massages forehead) oh well that fucking explains it

Dr. [REDACTED]: It does indeed!

Security: Honestly? I’m just shocked that more of the researchers don’t have a shotgun tucked under their arm at all times. Like, there are some parts of the building you’re not “supposed to go into” with a shotgun or whatever, but you can totally carry one to the bathroom or into the commissary or out to your car if you want to.

Dr. [REDACTED]: That is correct. There IS the 20-minute rule, though.

Security: Right! Like, after direct exposure to a cognitohazard you have to put your shotgun down for 20 minutes.

Interviewer:

Dr. [REDACTED]: “For 20 minutes”. WINK LOL.

Security: But, and this is VERY important, it is quite specifically AGAINST Foundation policy to use a shotgun to terminate a member of personnel. We’re supposed to use a sidearm, and getting certified to carry one of THESE bad boys requires is a full afternoon-long training course. It costs $20 to take it, too. And THEN you have to pass a written test, AND you have to re-certify every 72 months.

Interviewer:

Security: Ha! Can you even IMAGINE how much trouble I would be in if I used a SHOTGUN to terminate a member of personnel? Pfft. Jesus, we’re talking easily forty-five, fifty minutes of paperwork.

All:

All: (laugh)

Interviewer: okay but seriously ALL OF YOUR FIREARMS. ALL OF YOUR GUNS. ANYTHING WITH A TRIGGER AND / OR A FIRING MECHANISM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO HARPOON GUNS AND CROSSBOWS ON THE FLOOR NOW

Security: Okay, but I’m gonna be honest with you? I’m gonna feel PRETTY disarmed.

Interviewer: THAT IS ENTIRELY THE GODDAMN POINT. NOW DROP EVERY SINGLE GUN, OF EVERY SINGLE TYPE, THAT YOU ARE CARRYING.

Dr. [REDACTED]:

Dr. [REDACTED]: So ANYWAY, as I was SAYING, I’m putting together this whole proposal where we strap SCP-035 to SCP-096, arm him with SCP-3664, run the bitch through SCP-914 on “Very Fine,” broadcast an image of his ass on state-run media to all thirty billion inhabitants of SCP-3003, then ... well, at that point we sit back, relax, and let nature take its course.

Interviewer:

Dr. [REDACTED]: Maybe have a margarita.

Interviewer: wow holy fuck

Dr. [REDACTED]: Assuming that the resulting anomalous entity can kill 100 people per second, every second, indefinitely, we should achieve 100% planetary depopulation of SCP-3003 within 9.5129 calendar years: a result, even accounting for a 200% margin of error, well-within our 30-year estimated time-window for SCP-2317 to bust-loose & dick-whip THIS shitty planet into a smear of dog turds and punched lasagna.

Security: okay that’s badass

Dr. [REDACTED]: THANK YOU. Can you believe that the previous best proposal was aerosolizing 5.5 quadrillion tons of powdered SCP-960 & SCP-963, mass produced via SCP-038, and venting it into the upper atmosphere?

Security: PFFT. LAME.

Dr. [REDACTED]: Yeah. Like, at that point, why not just convert the whole planet to Catholicism and hope SCP-2852 just casually wanders in?

Security: (jerking-off motions)

Interviewer: Actually, that’s just a smoke-screen. The REAL plan is to ██ under a ███ ████ with SCP-█████ ████ a pigs-in-a-blanket █████ █ utilizing SCPs-1981, 1004, 2030, and 1459 to █████ fucking ███ Marshall Tucker band █ ███ ██ ██ Keter bukkake █ and █ ██████.

Security: (vomits all over the floor)

Dr. [REDACTED]: (attempts, unsuccessfully, to hide erection)

Interviewer: The only real problem is just getting the idiots on SCP-2222 to point their dicks in the right direction. But, I mean, look. It’s a really nice planet. With, like, NO FUCKING KETERS ON IT. It’s the ultimate dorm-room fantasy!

Dr. [REDACTED]: I believe it was the Buddha who said “I dream of a world that has never known war, nor hunger, nor deception, neither need nor fear nor want nor heartbreak, because god DAMN we would totally kick that world’s ASS.”

Interviewer: It’s a planet of 30 billion idiot bug-lickers, and it’s sad that they all have to die--

Dr. [REDACTED]: Is it? 

Interviewer: The Ethics Committee requires that I say “yes”.

All: (nod)

Interviewer: (reading prepared statement) Ah-hem. But, sad as it might be, that’s only 30 billion people, and who gives a shit, ‘cuz fuck it we’ve killed more people than that since last Tuesda— OH SHIT FUCK.

All:

Interviewer: (folding paper & putting it away) Yeah, no, fuck, I shouldn’t have read that to you. Fuck me Buttery Jesus. Okay, so ... goddamn it. Everybody just be sure to take a fuck-ton of Class A amnestics when we’re done here.

Dr. [REDACTED]: oh yeah you got it boss thumbs up

Interviewer: (narrows eyes)

Janitor: (pushes open door, pulling a mop bucket and whistling the theme from ‘Casino Royale‘ by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass)

Security: WOOP WOOP NINJA STARS MOTHER FUCKER YEET (throws a fistful of ninja stars into the Janitor’s face, neck, and torso)

Janitor:

Security: Those were poisoned.

Janitor: (extends middle finger, very slowly collapses to the ground dead)

Interviewer:

Security: okay before you say ANYTHING, those are standard Foundation-issue poisoned ninja stars that ANYONE INCLUDING D-CLASS PERSONNEL is allowed to carry AT ANY TIME and they most DEFINITELY do NOT have a trigger OR a firing mechanism so just handle your shit

Interviewer: (lunges at security officer) FFFUUUU—

Dr. [REDACTED]: Anyway, long story short? I’m gonna need a few thousand D-class. I wanna see if that whole “100 corpses per second” thing is feasible. Which I think it will be. Ugh ... hello?

Interviewer: (still punching security officer)

[midsummerevening]

Episode 2: Spotlight Party

Second analysis here we go!

First off, that Ferris wheel scene at the beginning? I don’t need to be a dream expert to know what it means. Like I said in my previous post, Victor, on that night, chose Mia over Benji. Thing is, if he had summoned up the courage to ask Benji, he would have. He looked at him first after all! But he went to Mia. This dream, however, reveals pretty much who his first choice was directed to. Who he wished he would have been with. Not to mention the fact Victor and Benji were about to kiss. In this scene lies Victor’s hidden desire.

But not only. As the crowd booing certifies, Victor is more than afraid to come out. And at this moment, the non-tolerance, the rejection from his own family and this new community he has just started to call home.

It’s not a dream. It’s a nightmare. A nightmare Victor does not want to live. Obviously this is far more intricate than it looks, because Victor may believe that coming out would compromise everything he ever had, for now he is only compromising himself from being who he is. As the episodes go on, we do see that he is mentally-conflicted.

That is something we witness later on at the lunch period. Victor is invited to Mia’s spotlight party and Felix says: “You have to wear yellow. Why wouldn’t you?” to which Victor makes that quizzical kinda sceptical face.

This is the same look he gave to Pilar or to Isabel in 1x01. He looks so sick and tired of continuing this whole charade, the pretending. And he will tell as much to Mia later on that night. We’ll go back to that moment later on.

As much as he is tired of this, he doesn’t confess why he wouldn’t wear green, because that would lead him to come out not only to Felix but also to Pilar. Victor has not yet come to terms with who he is exactly, so how could he?

Plus, I think there is a new added pressure now as he has become “popular” + the weight of expectations that he will go out with Mia. Now he feels like he can’t slip up. I do believe that Victor is happy that everyone seems to accept him (who would like to be outcast?), but it’s even harder to come out now that people seem to love him, and what’s more, to love him for something he’s not. That’s hard to handle.

Then the scene with Benji at Brasstown confronts him to everything he’s been trying to avoid. It clashes with the image that everyone has of him now in high school, that he, the new kid, is straight and is likely to go out with Mia. Pushes him to realize he is attracted to boys and not girls. In sum, it is a confrontation with himself and who he has been denying for so long already… which is why, as pleasant as the encounter was, he leaves, rushes to his place and puts on that horrible yellow tee-shirt. Another layer to pretend. Another masque. The face he’s making to the mirror? Sad. Defeated. It crushed me. I knew in a heart-beat that he forced himself into wearing it. He felt pressured, and now with Benji… it’s like he can’t run from reality any more (well, he did run from the coffee shop).

The only way he finds to avoid is to conform to the image everyone has made of him. The use of the mirror is interesting in that sense. Victor’s reflection in the mirror isn’t Victor. It’s only a belief that people entertain because Victor has decided to go on with the illusion that he’s straight.

His interaction with Felix only brings confirmation. He did it because that is what he ought to do. A girl is interested in you. She hosts a spotlight party. Why are you going to do? Not wear yellow? That’s non-sense! What got into you?

Ultimately choosing not to wear yellow will bring out more suspicions, more… questions. From Felix, from other people too perhaps. Better to blend in. “Like you said, why wouldn’t I?” I wonder…

Flash forward to the party. Victor arrives, goes with the guys of the basketball team and, what does he do? He jumps at the first opportunity to wear green. On one hand, that could be because he wants to be thought well by the guys. After all, he wants to be accepted more than anything. Another indicator of that is when he goes along with the banter: “Have you seen Mia yet? - What? She’s looking for me?” and everyone laughs.

On the other hand, that could be because he’s actually relieved that he doesn’t get to wear yellow after all.

Later on, as Victor receives Simon’s message, realization hit him. Is this the image you want to give? “Betray yourself”?

He no longer wears yellow but he’s playing a part nonetheless. He becomes aware that it’s not worth it. He was so happy of fitting in that he ended up losing himself in the process… That’s after that that he decides to stand up for Felix.

Then comes this amazing scene with Mia where they confide in one another. Mia says that “sometimes it’s easier to just plaster on a smile and let people see what they want” and right then, though it is not obvious either to Mia or to himself, Victor voices out loud the reason why he doesn’t/can’t come out. He’s “scared shitless of not fitting” in Creekwood. Fear. That’s the reason.

The connection that these two have is undeniable. They get each other, they get along. And clearly this is what leads (or misleads) Victor to believe that maybe he is into girls after all, maybe this could work. The heart-to-heart talk that Victor had with Mia + the story that his father told him about him and Isabel sealed the deal for Victor, if I may say so. Now Victor is convinced that Mia might be the one for him. I would even say, that after having that discussion and having realized that he actually likes her, he turns out to be happy to have wore yellow. It doesn’t feel like he’s pretending any more.

Finally. The phone call from Benji. Benji is the constant reminder of what Victor is trying to forget. His attraction to boys. That phone call, it set him straight (no pun-intended). It brought him back to reality. Victor wonders what will happen, and might be dreading working with Benji at this point, following his gay panic at the interview. He’s afraid that what he wants to deny will come back in full force. The music in the background that closes the episode is quite interesting: I want to be loved, don’t want to be hated. I’m too mixed-up. It sums up pretty well Victor at this point.

Thanks again for reading!

[missnxthingg]

𝕗𝕝𝕒𝕨𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤 • 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣

SUMMARY: (Y/N) gets offered to make her childhood dream come true, even though her mother keeps making her annoyed. Tom starts feeling some new things which he never felt before, and can’t even name it.

Based on my one-shot, Flawless.

PAIRING: Rich!Tom Holland x Rich!Reader (Best Friends to Lovers AU)

WORDS: 6.3K 

WARNINGS: Swearing, underage drinking and FLUFF

A/N: I just wanted to say that’s it’s a short one, but it’s SO CUTE. I love it! AND ITALICS ARE TOM’S THOUGHTS. 

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                               𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕣  • 𝕧𝕠𝕘𝕦𝕖

Josephine’s office on Midtown Manhattan had a great view of New York’s skyline, and it was beautiful during the afternoon when the sky was orange, almost like a golden glow covered the whole city. (Y/N)’s small office could barely fit two people at the same time, but it had the most incredible view of Central Park, glowing with the afternoon sun. Sometimes she would just pop up in her mother’s office to close her door, prepare some coffee, put on some soft music and sit there watching the park. When she had work to do, it wasn’t so bad with one of those views.

Fashion work was hard. (Y/N) would watch people go crazy every time they had a big event coming and this time it was Vogue’s cover and big interview with her mother’s brand. People were freaking out to put up with some looks, trying to contact models and makeup artists. Josephine even had her daughter back in the office to help her with reaching people and even sewing last-minute outfits. And right now she was leaning back on her chair, legs resting over the table as she sipped her coffee and tried to contact models for work.

“Everything is a disaster.” Josephine said as she came into her office, slamming the door behind her. “I just need a second of quietness.”

“Do you want some coffee? Maybe tea?”

“Chamomile, please.” Her mother breathed out, and she laughed, getting up to her small coffee station on the back of her office to prepare some tea for her mother. “Your outfit looks cute.”

“Thanks.” (Y/N) glanced down to her body and chuckled. Today she went for yellow plaid high waisted pants, a simple black shirt and heels. Josie always taught her how to dress up fancy but straightforward during office times. She approached her mother, who was now sitting on her chair, and gave her some tea.

“Thank you, sweetie. I just can’t be out there any longer. They’re driving me insane.”

For the past week, Josie was too busy to pick on everything her daughter was doing. That’s why their relationship wasn’t conflictual for the past days. She even came home for dinner more than one time, and maybe she was too tired of work to go to a restaurant and talk even more about fashion with some coworker or fashion journalist.

“I got Taylor Hill and Bella Hadid to model for us.”

“I got Naomi Campbell for cover.” She said, and (Y/N)’s eyes widened.

“Oh my God, are you serious?” 

“And then she cancelled.” (Y/N) rolled her eyes and leaned back at her desk, watching her mother dramatically drink her tea. “We have a week to find someone else to cover the spot.”

“Go with Bella Hadid.” She suggested, and Josie groaned.

“If I get Bella for cover, I have to find another model to cover her spot.” She finished her tea and glanced up to her daughter. It was like something clicked on her head. (Y/N) frowned as she watched her mother get up her seat and smirk.

“What are you thinking?”

“You could model for me.” Josie said as she pointed her index finger to her daughter, and (Y/N) chuckled.

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious. You look gorgeous wearing the collection.” Josie unlocked her phone and showed her a picture where she was wearing one of Josie’s designs. “So, what do you think?”

“Are you kidding me? Of course I want to do this. Vogue fucking Magazine.”

“Good, so I’ll need you here Friday after class so we can take pictures. Come without makeup and something simple to take off.”

“I’ll be here.”

Even though she said she wouldn’t involve herself with the fashion world, (Y/N) has been reading Vogue ever since she was a little girl. She always imagined herself as one of the girls looking all pretty and displaying beautiful clothes for the public. Now she has the opportunity to do it, and she wouldn’t let it go to waste. When she told Tom, he got very happy for her.

“It’s good to see you happy for the first time since I met you.” Tom said, and she jumped excitedly, making him chuckle. 

“Vogue, let your body move to the music.” She sang as she danced awkwardly in excitement. She has catwalked to that song with her mother’s clothes for years, and now she could listen to it while modelling for the magazine she loved for years.

“Do you want me to drive you there?” Tom asked, and she shook her head.

“Mum will send me someone to pick me up, as always.” 

Tom was happy to see her excited and getting along with her mother. The week that followed Noel’s party, she looked really down and she wanted more than anything to be alone. Tom didn’t let it happen though. He knew that she was upset about her father and now one of her friends was slut-shaming her for sleeping with Noel. As she said before, she permitted Stacie to be with Noel at that party but ended up with him instead, which resulted on Stacie screaming at her in front of the whole school and Courtney being quiet about the whole thing, deciding not to pick sides. The thing was that (Y/N) wasn’t upset about Stacie, only about the way she acted and exposed her, but she was upset with Courtney, because she meant a lot to her. 

He tried to do everything to cheer her up after what happened, but it appeared that her home life was much better than before. Her father met her for dinner one night, her mother backed down and left her alone, even had dinner at home to be with her daughter. So all he did was be there for her. The day he headed back to the city with her was one of her lowest points, and he stood by her side the whole day, even went to brunch with her. Now he was glad that she had a big smile on her face.

When (Y/N) got to her mother’s office, makeup artists attacked her and started to produce her face. She didn’t even have the time to drink some water or do anything at all. It didn’t matter, because once they finished, she could see how gorgeous she looked. Soon she was wearing a mint green suit in front of a white background, waiting for the photographer, who seemed to be late.

“Where the fuck is he?” She whispered to herself as she rechecked her Instagram, meeting with the same pictures.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry I’m late.” A man said from behind her, probably the photographer. She turned around to meet the man she was going to spend the whole afternoon with, and her smile died when she saw who it was.

“Garold?”

“You can call me Gary, sweetheart.” She groaned and rolled her eyes as he smiled at her.

“You’re a photographer?”

“Yeah, I’ve been working for Vogue over a decade now.” Her eyes widened, and she ran out of the room, directly into her mother’s office. She was too busy writing something on a bunch of paper.

“You’re fucking kidding me, right? Garold, as my photographer?”

“I thought you might feel more comfortable with someone from the family.”

“Mom, for the thousandth time. Garold is not my family. He’s the guy you’re fucking with.” Josie rolled her eyes and stood up to sit in front of her daughter. “He’s not my dad, and you know that.”

“Just give him a chance. He’s a nice guy.”

“He literally flirted with me when I found him half-naked in our kitchen.” She groaned, a little disgusted to remember that situation. “Fuck this. I’m out of here. Call me when you get a new photographer.” 

(...)

“Wow, that was really good.” Tom congratulated his father after he got his ball inside the hole on the floor, and he had a big smirk coming his son’s way. “I’m impressed.”

“Thank you, son. Better watch your back, because I’m coming for you.” Dom winked, and Tom chuckled.

His family finally found a good golf club in New York and decided to have a day off to hang out together. Nikki and Paddy were being taught by Harry, messing up their moves every time, getting Harry angry and Sam laughing in the background. Tom, Harrison and Dom were playing by themselves until Harrison got tired and went back to sit with Sam and eat something. The only thing they were missing was the beer. Being an 18-year-old British guy in America was hard, but at least the chips were good.

“Mom, you’re doing great.” Tom shouted and received a death glare from Harry, and a big smile from Nikki.

“Thank you, love. Harry doesn’t think so.” Nikki looked back to her son, and he rolled his eyes.

“Let’s just take a break. I need to calm down.” Harry rubbed his face and made everyone laugh. He sat next to Sam and tapped the back of his head so he could stop laughing.

“Totally worth it.” Sam laughed, and now all the boys were gathered together to watch Dom helping Nikki and Paddy since Harry was too pissed to do so.

“Short temper.” Harrison mocked.

“Dickhead.” Harry replied, making Harrison shrug. “So, you never told us about your party on Long Island.”

“Well, we both got very drunk. Oh, and (Y/N) set us both with some girls.” Harrison started. “Yeah, I got luckier than Tom, I spent the whole day after with the girl back in her room. Only headed back to the city at the end of the afternoon.”

“What happened Tom?” 

“Uhm, mine went away when we woke up, and I headed back to the city with (Y/N).” He took a sip of his coke and shrugged. “She was, uhm…” He cleared his throat. ”Not okay, so I spent the whole day with her at Central Park.”

“Yeah, you’re definitely going to date.” Sam said, and all the boys agreed. 

“Shut up, can I continue?” Tom asked, and all the boys nodded. “I was upset too. She slept with that idiot just because she was feeling lonely. She could’ve come to me so we could talk, but she prefered to run into his arms.”

“Have you talked to her about it?” Sam asked, and Tom shook his head no. “You need to talk about it.”

“We have nothing to talk about. Plus, we’re good. And she seems happy.” The twin glanced at Harrison, and the boy shrugged.

“She seems cool.” He shoved some chips in his mouth. “(Y/N) is cool, you know? I think we’re getting closer and I really like her.”

And there it was - the smallest, single tingle of jealousy inside Tom’s chest. He never felt it before, so he frowned when these feelings surfaced and took a grip of his heart. He clenched his jaw and looked down to hide his face. Was he jealous that Harrison was getting closer to (Y/N)? It couldn’t be. Why would he be jealous anyway, it’s not like he’s in love with her. Maybe he’s just jealous because he finally found someone so dear and close to his heart, that the thought of sharing it with someone else was too much for him.

“Yeah, but she is Tom’s girl. Right?” Harrison finished, and the boys started teasing Tom again.

“For fuck’s sake…” Tom groaned and quickly shot up to get away from them. Also, he didn’t want them to see the small smile that formed on his lips.

He couldn’t help but wonder how things would be if she joined them for a golf day. Would she know how to play, or would he have to teach her?  Would she get along with his mother? Would she be so close to Harrison that it made his heart strangely tingle again? There were so many possibilities of what could have happened, but over everything, he wishes she was here. But he knew that she was very happy wherever she was right now because it was something she dreamed for a very long time.

It was strange because he never thought about any of those things before. He doesn’t stick around girls long enough to even feel anything. So why he was holding on to her like that and why the hell he couldn’t wait to see her again? Was it love? Tom wouldn’t know. The only kind of love he ever felt was towards his family and friends. But the romantic kind of love, he never even slightly felt it. No, that couldn’t be it - he thought, still not trusting his own words.

And just like magic, his phone rang. It was like his mind called for her and she only made the dial. ‘Maybe we’re more connected than I thought’. He walked away from his family to answer the phone privately. Why the hell was she calling him when she was supposed to be busy with the photo shoot?

“Hello?” Tom asked when he answered, and she sighed in relief.

“Tom. Thank God!” Her voice echoed through the phone.

“Are you okay?” He asked. Her breathing changed again like she was infuriated.

“I fucking hate my mother.” She admitted.

“Don’t say that.” 

“Anyway, I’m at my apartment, packing to leave for my dad’s. But I was wondering if we could meet later; I need a drink.”

“Sure, you wanna go to Vertigo’s?” He asked and she groaned.

“I don’t wanna leave the apartment. Just come over, my dad will be out. And bring Harrison.” Why did he need to bring Harrison? Did you actually want to see Haz, using him only as an excuse to bring his best friend over? Would he be the third wheel? “I need as many people as possible to distract me. But I’m pissed at Courtney, so he will do.”

“Oh, okay.” A small smile crept on his lips, and he made sure it was unnoticed by anyone else. “I’ll be there. Text me the address.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Bye.”

(...)

(Y/N) waited for her father in the lobby as she frenetically tapped her fingernails on her suitcase, ignoring the stares as people passed through her. After all, people on her building were very curious, especially about her family. She prayed that her dad would get there before her mother, so when she saw him coming through the front door, she sighed in relief.

“Sweetheart. You called me?”

“Dad. Oh, thank God.” (Y/N) rushed to his embrace, and he hugged her very tightly. “Mom’s crazy.”

“Oh, I know that.” He chuckled. She leaned back and he pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Let me take you home and you can tell me everything about it. Okay?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

(Y/N) told everything to her dad on their way home. She told him how loud her mother was on the first night she brought her new boyfriend home, how she was constantly pushing that strange man into her life and the boundaries they didn’t respect, like Garold standing half-naked on their kitchen. She finished with what happened earlier that day by the time they arrived at his building.

“Your mother makes me laugh until this very day.” He chuckled, making his daughter roll her eyes. “She’s really crazy. I’ll talk to her about it, tell her to back off.”

“I don’t think she’ll listen.” She admitted defeat and threw herself on the couch. “I’m just…” She sighed. “Tired of her bullshit. I don’t think she even cares about how I feel.”

“(Y/N/N), you know that’s not true.” He sat next to her, pulling her into a side hug, rubbing his hand on her arm. Vincent’s hugs always made her calm and feeling like she’s home. “You don’t remember that because you were too little, but I worked a lot, even more than I do now. Your mother was the one who was always home, even dropped work for a while, to take care of our little girl.”

“I thought she never wanted me. At least that’s what she says to me.”

“At first, she really did it because I wanted kids. But Josie couldn’t let go of her little girl. She loved you more than anything else and you were so precious. The first time you got sick, we had to take you to the hospital, she cried the whole time we were there and I needed to comfort her to stop crying. That night, you slept in her arms and she stayed up, holding you.”

“It’s hard to believe.” She chuckled, leaning back in her seat. She rubbed her eyes and sighed. “I wonder what happened to Josephine (Y/L/N).”

“Well, she stopped being Josie Rhodes to become Josephine (Y/L/N). The spotlight, runaway and fashionista Josephine.” She nodded and cuddle into her dad.

“I just wish we could get along.”

“Me too, sweetie.” He pressed a kiss on her temple. “But your mother is trying. I know our divorce was tough for her because I went through the same thing. We loved each other very much when we were teenagers, we still do. But we grew apart with time and unfortunately, things end; things change. Doesn’t mean there’s no love involved. She loves you very much, I promise you.”

“I just wish she could act like a real mother sometimes. And I miss our family.”

“I know you do, sweetie. But you have to be strong.” She nodded. “Things will never get back to what they used to be. I found someone who makes me feel loved again, doesn’t your mother deserve that?”

“I just don’t see honesty in Garold. He looks like he’s taking advantage of her. I think that’s why I don’t like him. I just wanna protect what’s left of our family.”

“Just give him a chance. Maybe he turns to be a decent guy. And if you still don’t feel comfortable with him around, you can always come to me.”

“You’re never home, dad.” She glanced down to the rings on her fingers and sighed as she played with them. Vincent’s heart crumbled and he pressed her even tighter against him. 

“I know, and I’m so sorry. I can try to stay here more often, but work is hard.” She nodded. “Hey, you know what might cheer you up? Hot cocoa and helping me find an outfit for my date.”

“Yeah, you know how to cheer me up. I love you, daddy.”

“I love you too, sweetie.”

(...)

Later that day, Tom headed to (Y/N)’s dad apartment in Tribeca, humming to a song on the radio with Harrison. They had a long day at the golfing club, went home to shower and were now driving to meet the girl who called earlier for them. Tom spent the whole day thinking about her because she seemed angry and upset. But them again, when wasn’t she like that? It was tiring him, but he cared too much about her, so here he was, rushing to her apartment.

Also, he was still wondering what was that tingle on his gut when Harrison started to talk about his friendship with her. And the fact that she also wanted to see Haz tonight, instead of him alone. But Tom would be a fucking great actor because no one even noticed him distance during the rest of the day. Although, there was a moment he was pretty sure his mom knew, considering she came to hug him out of nowhere. It eased him though; she always knew how to ease him.

(Y/N) said they didn’t need to dress up when she texted to tell them the address. Harrison decided to go with joggers and a t-shirt, pretty basic. And Tom got the first sweats he saw on his closet but remembered to apply perfume - just because she said he always smelled nice when he was wearing that perfume - and rushed to get out of that apartment. 

When she opened the door, the boys have never seen her so… raw. No makeup, hair tied up, barefoot and wearing a pajama with little avocados on the bottom, and a shirt that said: “Let’s avo-cuddle”. Tom found it adorable and a genuine smile crept on his lips. She was holding her phone between her shoulders and ear, a glass of whiskey on her hands. She signed the boys to follow her inside while she wasn’t finished.

“Sorry, boys. I was ordering pizza. Just make yourself comfortable.” She signed the couch and went to the kitchen.

Vincent’s apartment was pretty impressive and well decorated, with big windows and a great view of Manhattan’s skyline. Maybe too big for a single man who only had his daughter over once in a while. It wasn’t bigger than his old apartment from back when he was married, but it was big enough for the number of people that lived there. The boys sat and (Y/N) sat between them, handing both glasses of whiskey.

“I’m driving darling. Sorry.” Tom said and she nodded, pouring the liquid into her glass. “Wow, don’t you think that’s too much?”

“Don’t care.” She gulped her drink down. “I had a horrible day…”

She filled them in with all the details, starting with Garold, and ending up with her father’s confession. For Tom, it was just the two of them there, like he was the only one supposed to know what was happened. Reality crashed whenever Harrison spoke up, but he would ease every time her drunk hands rested on his legs. He wanted her to just rest her head on his chest and - No, stop it! Keep it together, Tom.

“To be honest, I don’t know why you’re so mad. He’s a photographer, so what?” Harrison started once she finished. “I know you don’t like him, but don’t let this opportunity go because of him. Being in Vogue is everyone’s dream, even mine.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.” He smirked as he nodded.

“I always wanted to be a model, appear in a big magazine.” He shrugged. “Just don’t waste your turn, darling.”

“Do you wanna do it with me? I’ll tell my mom I’ll only do it with you.” And there it was again, the tingle on Tom’s gut, the clench on his jaw.

“Are you serious?” Harrison’s eyes lighted up, making him sit on the edge of the couch.

“Yeah, of course! We can do it together, it will be fun.” She sounded excited, which only made Tom want to groan.

“Okay. I’ll not complain about it.” He shrugged. They kept talking about it and Tom just remained silent, trying to calm down and understand what was happening to him. They only ended the talk when the pizza arrived. “I’ll go get it. My treat.”

“Sure you don’t need help?”

“I got it, darling.” He said before slamming the door closed. 

(Y/N) turned to Tom and smirked. He spaced out and wasn’t paying attention to their conversation by now. She giggled and pulled him into a side hug, pressing a big kiss on his cheek, which only made him smile. He melted into her again, like he always did. She had him on the palm of her hand, and she knew how to make him cave.

“You’ve been strangely quiet today.” She said, and he shrugged. “What’s up with you?”

“I’m just tired, that’s all.” She smiled softly, leaning back to show him her shirt.

“Can you read it out loud for me?” She pointed out the shirt, and he giggled.

“Let’s avo-cuddle.” He said, making her hug his middle in seconds.

“I thought you’d never ask.” She rested her head on his chest, and there it was, what he wanted to happen all night. Just the two of them, together, silently. He learned to enjoy that ever since she slept on his embrace during their trip back to Manhattan. Sometimes he would think about her snoring on his chest to help him fall asleep. A different tingle appeared for him, like billions of little butterflies flying on his stomach, which only made him smile wider. As an instinct, he pressed a kiss on top of her head, making her shift and bury her head on the crook of his neck. “Feeling better?”

“Much better.” She looked up to him and smiled. She got what she wanted; to make him happy. And he looked so damn cute with a grin on his face. She could stare at it for the rest of her life and never get tired of it.

Only when Harrison came back, she let go of him so they could eat and watch a movie together. But Tom didn’t feel the strange tingle on his guts. (Y/N) sat far away from Harrison, closer to Tom, and eventually, she’d brush her feet on his. The only thing the could feel was the billions of butterflies. He didn’t know what they meant, but he was liking it.

By the end of the movie, Harrison was asleep on the couch. (Y/N) didn’t have the heart to wake him up and just covered him with a blanket and lowered the lights. Tom cleaned their mess and started to wash the dishes for her, trying not to care about how nicely she was treating Harrison right now. But when she came to him in the kitchen and tiredly smiled at him, he forgot everything.

“Thank you for helping out. It really meant a lot to me that you were here to distract me.”

“Whenever you want, darling.”

“Do you think I’m overreacting with this situation?” She asked as she started to dry the dishes and put them away.

“A little, but it’s okay.” He shrugged. “You should give Garold a chance. I know he doesn’t look good, but your mother is a grown woman and knows what she’s doing. You need to stop getting those small things in your way of happiness.”

“Tom, to be honest, you’re the only thing that brings me joy now.”

“Don’t say that…” He shook his head.

“But you are!”

“I shouldn’t be, (Y/N).” He stopped washing the dishes and sighed. “I’m really glad that I can bring you joy because you bring it to me too. But I can’t be your only source of happiness, and it makes me really upset when I see you upset.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“Well, I do. Now you know.” She pulled him into a tight hug, with her hands softly resting on his hair. It took him a couple of seconds to understand what was going on, but soon he melted into the hug, pulling her by the waist. “It’s getting late, (Y/N).”

“Stay.” She whispered in his ear.

“What?”

“Please, stay. I don’t want you gone yet.” He nodded and she pressed a kiss on his neck, making electricity curse through his whole body. “C’mere, I’ll show you my room.”

“What about Harrison?”

“He’s gonna be fine. My dad won’t be back home tonight and the couch is pretty comfortable. I don’t wanna wake him.”

He nodded and quickly texted his mom about staying over. She entwined their fingers and pulled him to the bedroom, which was surprisingly simple, but he imagined it would be since she doesn’t spend much time there. She prepared the bed and lied under the covers. Tom stood there, waiting for her to invite him.

“Why are you standing there? Come lie with me.”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“You won’t. Only if you are uncomfortable.”

“N-no, I’m okay.” He sat in bed next to her and removed his shoes. Once he lied down, she found her way between his arms. His stomach pressed on her back and nose so close to her ears. The only thing he could hear was her soothing breathing while she was falling asleep in his arms again. He wishes he could hear her heart, though. Was it beating just as fast as his did? He couldn’t believe they were about to sleep in the same bed, especially in the position they were found right now.

“Good night, Tommy.”

“Good night, (Y/N).”

(...)

“Let me recap this. You’ll only do it if it’s with him?” Josephine pointed Harrison, who was standing next to Tom, right behind her.

(Y/N) knew her mother was desperate for new models. Ever since she gave up on the photoshoot, Josie had to spend full time at the office looking for new replacements and it’s been really hard for her to find last minute models to fill the blank. So it was the perfect opportunity to make her mother give in to her propose. That’s why they marched to her office to confront her after lunch on Saturday.

Tom had to say, he was fucking terrified of meeting her mother for the first time. He wanted her to like him, because his daughter was important to him, so it was a big deal. The night before that was amazing, especially the part after Harrison went to sleep and she involved him with her arms so they could sleep together. He spent the minutes before he fell asleep thinking how much he appreciated that single moment - and the girl holding him.

“Yes, mother. Take it or leave it.” 

Josie stood up and marched her way to Harrison, who gulped loudly and started to shake, too nervous to have such an important person to the fashion world judging him. Whatever she would say next would define if he had even the slightest chance in the fashion world. With her glasses on the tip of her nose, she took a closer look at Harrison.

“You’re cute. Your eyes are pretty and we can actually work out with that.” She fixed her glasses and looked behind him. “Marcus, get him to make up and tell the dressing department to put him in the stripped leather jacket.” Her assistant nodded and (Y/N) encouraged Haz to follow the guy with a nod.

Josie watched him go away and glanced at Tom, who was quiet and wanting to throw up, only standing there to support his best friends. When her eyes fixated on him, he could just explode right there. Yeah, she’s judging me.

“And who are you?”

“I’m T-Tom. Tom Holland.” He replied, too nervous not to stutter.

“He’s my best friend, mom.” (Y/N) said and Josie nodded.

“And what are you doing here? Go get dressed, (Y/N/N)!” Josie said and her daughter nodded, disappearing through the door in the blink of an eye. Now he was alone with her mother. Great. “So, you’re my daughter’s best friend. You’re new in St. Jude?”

“Yes, ma’am. I just moved here from London and got an exchange scholarship.”

“Oh really?” She nodded, sitting back at her desk. “And you’re planning on using this opportunity to get into an Ivy League school, right? Or are you thinking about Cambridge and Oxford?”

“Actually, I want to be an actor. So I was thinking NYU or UCLA.” He said and her mouth fell agape.

“So, you think you can be friends with my daughter if you’re not planning to make something out of your life?”

“Excuse me?” Tom frowned, and Josie shrugged.

“I didn’t like your face from the moment you walked through that door. But I’m getting along with my daughter again, so I won’t say anything about it. Just be sure that I don’t approve your friendship.”

“I’m sorry, but are you only saying that because I don’t want to go to an Ivy League school and become a lawyer or something?”

“I’m only saying that because I don’t like your face.” She smiled, cynically. Tom rolled his eyes and shrugged.

“I can’t do anything about that. But I assure you that I’m a good person and I’ll always do whatever I can to make your daughter happy. I hope you realise that someday.” That was the last thing he said before waving goodbye and walking away from the office. “Fucking bitch.” He hissed. No wonder (Y/N) was getting into messed up fights with her mother.

He wanted to tell her everything, but when she walked out of the dressing room with a turtle neck red blouse, a leather jacket and light washed jeans, he got lost in his own words. She looked beautiful, even with that weird star make up they did on her. He blushed when she noticed him mesmerized by her.

“So, how do I look?”

“Flawless.” He replied, making her smile. 

“Where’s Harrison?”

“I’m right here, darling.” Harrison was wearing almost the same outfit. The stripes on his leather jacket were the same colour as her makeup, her jeans were dark washed and he was wearing a simple white t-shirt. They looked like a couple matching outfits. Fucking great.

“Well, someone looks hot.” She winked at Harrison, making him chuckle. 

“You think so?” He opened his jacket and turned around so they could have a full look. “I do look hot.”

“Come on, let’s kick some ass.”

(Y/N) went a few steps ahead and Harrison stood behind to talk to Tom for a little. His best friends said all the horrible things Josie said to him, making Haz curse the woman more than once. Tom asked him not to tell (Y/N) though, he didn’t want to ruin this opportunity again, which Harrison agreed. When they followed her into the studio, they found (Y/N) having a conversation with Garold.

“I know I was childish and selfish when I ran out of the studio that day. I’m gonna give you one chance Garold, that doesn’t mean you can cross the boundaries. So no naked walking around the apartment and try keeping it low in bed. Okay?” He gave her a nod. “I’m doing this for my mother, not because of you.”

“I know. Thank you, though.” He said and she nodded, getting into position for the photo shoot.

“Come on, Harrison. I’m gonna start without you.” She said as she fixed her hair for the camera. Harrison chuckled and joined her in front of the camera.

Tom sat in the back and watched his best mate take pictures with the girl. They seemed to be having a lot of fun and they had quite a way to modelling. They knew good positions and how to interact with the camera, and with each other. Tom couldn’t help but feel the tingles again. He didn’t want to feel it, he fought not to feel it, but they were there. When Harrison pulled her closer by the waist and she rested her head on the crook of his neck, he almost snapped.

This is stupid, he’s your best friend for fuck sake - Tom thought, and he wanted to cry for feeling that way. He shouldn’t feel it, there was nothing wrong going on. He was the one acting off and he needed to calm himself down. Luckily, someone served him some champagne and he had a couple of glasses, which did not help him. The only thing that helped was having the two models done with their photoshoot, after many changes of clothes and compromising pictures.

“And… we’re done.” Garold finished and (Y/N) groaned.

“Thank God! The heels are killing me.” She sat next to Tom and ripped them off in seconds. She was wearing the prettiest pink outfit, Tom’s favourite so far, which made him not want to tear his eyes away from her even for a second. Her heels were so big that her feet were screaming for freedom.  “Uhm… I’m starving.”

“We can go get something to eat.”

“I was thinking Vertigo. They have burgers and booze.”

“Perfect.” He smiled and helped her get up to go change. She got back into her regular clothes and was waiting for Harrison to come back so they could all leave together when her mother called her from the end of the hall.

“Yes?” (Y/N) replied.

“I’ll see you back in the apartment tonight?” Josie asked, hope filling her chest.

“Tomorrow, I promise.” (Y/N) softly smiled at her, making Josie nod.

“We could have dinner together.”

“Can Tom come along?” (Y/N) asked, making both Josie and Tom stiffen. She still didn’t know what her mother thought about him. They shared looks and Tom silently waited for her response, which she only took a deep breath and forcedly smiled.

“Of course.” Josie practically vomited the words against her will. Tom was surprised but nodded in agreement. Maybe she was just trying to get along with her daughter.

“Thank you.” (Y/N) replied before pulling Tom to join Harrison at the lift. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

(...)

Harrison and Tom laughed at (Y/N)’s expression as she tried a Long Island Iced Tea for the first time. It was such a strong drink they all agreed to order and see if they liked it. The mixture of alcohol could be good or horrible for the one drinking it. Harrison liked it, Tom declined after two sips, but (Y/N) was having a hard time recovering from the small sip she took, her throat burning like hell.

“Yeah, fuck it!” She cursed. “Oliver, please bring me white wine. I’m done with this strong shit.”

“Weak.” Harrison mocked.

“You can finish it.” She passed it on to him, which he accepted. 

“I’m gonna talk to the pretty girl over the bar. Don’t wait up.” Harrison winked and they waved him goodbye.

Tom was strangely quiet after the photoshoot, still thinking about her mother and what she said to him. Also, her proximity with Harrison was getting the best of him. He still hasn’t figured out why he was feeling that way, and it was wrong. (Y/N) noticed he was slightly off and nudged his shoulder before hugging his side. She gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek, which made him sincerely smile at the gesture, turning to kiss hers too.

“You’re very quiet. Something wrong?”

“Uhm, no… I’m just moody, I guess.”

“I know what can cheer you up.” She said and pulled his phone from over the table. “Let’s find you a pretty girl.”

“(Y/N)...”

“Shut up, I’m working.” She giggled as she went through his Instagram DMs. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re talking to Valentina Gonzales. We used to have play dates when our parents were close. She’s really pretty.”

“She’s not that into me, I guess.” Tom shrugged, and she chuckled.

“Liar. She even sent you sexy pictures.” She showed him some lingerie photos she sent him, making him laugh.

“Okay. Do your magic.”

She started to go through his DMs, talking to Valentina with her unique way to get people set up. As Tom glanced at her, he could only think that nothing else mattered. What her mother said, her proximity with Harrison, the fact that she’s setting him up with some random girl. The only thing that mattered was her, and she looked perfect under that light - or any light at all- and Tom couldn’t help but smile.

That week he discovered two feelings he had never felt before, not even once in his life. The first was jealousy, and he definitely didn’t enjoy what it felt like, but he couldn’t help it. The second one, well… He was still trying to figure out what it meant, maybe it was adoration or something similar. But one thing was sure, he only felt it when she was with him; like right now, when she leaned over to play with his fingers. Or the previous night when her soft hands held him to sleep. And this morning when she had a whole breakfast prepared for him. He wasn’t sure what it is, but he definitely likes it.

Fuck, what is happening to me?

❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁❁

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