#i need to go study somewhere and coffee shops are closed

[zerosbubble]

Boot to most, Kid to Tim.

Tim Bradford x Rookie!reader [PLATONIC] — ONGOING SERIES: Like Father, like Rookie.

Summary: Do you ever wonder why Tim calls you ‘kid’ and not ‘boot’ like any other normal T.O would do? Good, because the whole of Mid-Wilshire is too — And in an amusing attempt to find answers, they set out to press Tim about the nickname until he breaks.

Tim Bradford had a system. Rookies were “Boots.” No exceptions.

It kept things simple, professional. He wasn’t there to be their friend—he was there to make sure they survived long enough to do the job right. He’d trained enough rookies to know that getting too familiar was a mistake. Keep your distance, break their bad habits, toughen them up, and send them on their way.

But somewhere along the line, that system cracked.

It started small. Barely noticeable. A slip of the tongue, maybe, or a subconscious shift. But it didn’t go unnoticed for long.

“You ever notice Bradford doesn’t call his rookie ‘Boot’?” Lopez mused one day, arms crossed as she leaned against her shop.

West, mid-bite of his burrito, paused. “Wait, what? No way.” He chewed thoughtfully, brows furrowing. “You sure?”

Lopez smirked, jerking her chin toward the food trucks where you and Tim were returning from, your pace leisurely compared to his purposeful strides. “Listen.”

Sure enough, as the two of you passed, Tim’s voice rang out over the chatter of the lot.

“Hurry it up, kid. We don’t have all damn day!”

You followed closely behind, completely unbothered, still munching on a tray of curly fries like you hadn’t a care in the world.

Not “Boot.”

West blinked, glancing at Lopez. “Huh.” He tilted his head. “You’re right.”

Lopez grinned knowingly, watching Tim yank open the shop door while you casually trailed after him. “Told you.”

It spread from there. At first, just quiet observations—shared glances between officers, murmured comments by the coffee machine. Then, it became something more.

One morning at roll call, Sergeant Grey was assigning tasks to the T.Os and their rookies.

“Bradford and Y/L/N, you’ll be on standby in case we need an additional unit.” Grey ordered, flipping through his notes.

Tim nodded in response with his usual smug smirk, “Maybe this’ll teach you to stop hogging the spotlight, kid.” He teased, followed by laughter around the room by fellow officers.

“Uhhuh, whatever you say.” You mumbled under your breath, turning around to face him, only giving him a thumbs down.

But despite the normality of Tim sneaking a snide comment about his rookie, Grey glanced down at his roster, then up at Tim. His gaze was unreadable.

“Kid,” Grey repeated slowly. “Not ‘Boot’?”

Tim, sitting at his usual spot, barely looked up from the paperwork in front of him. “They act like a kid, they get called one.”

Lopez scoffed from across the room. “Oh, come on. You’ve had rookies who acted like kids before. You still called them ‘Boot.’”

Tim’s pen didn’t stop moving. “Well, maybe they weren’t this much of a pain in my ass.”

A few chuckles rippled through the room. You, standing beside Nolan, just raised a brow but said nothing.

Grey, however, wasn’t so easily distracted. He studied Tim for a long moment before nodding once. “Just make sure you remember your job, Sergeant. Rookies don’t need nicknames. They need to be trained.”

Tim’s pen finally stilled. He met Grey’s gaze evenly. “Wouldn’t have it any other way, sir.”

Grey watched him for another beat, then turned back to his notes.

As soon as roll call dismissed, Lopez elbowed Tim with a smirk. “Even Grey noticed it. You’re slipping, Bradford.”

Tim scoffed, shoving his papers into a folder. “Go away, Lopez.”

But the teasing didn’t stop there.

Later that week, Nyla Harper and Nolan were by the coffee machine when the topic resurfaced.

“You ever hear Bradford call them ‘Boot’?” Nyla asked casually, stirring her coffee, “Ever since Lopez mentioned it in roll call, I started wondering the same damn thing.” She admitted before bringing the cup to her lips.

Nolan frowned, thinking. “Now that you mention it… no, I haven’t.”

Nyla smirked, tapping her spoon against her mug. “Exactly.”

You walked in at that moment, grabbing a cup for yourself. “Should I be concerned that my nickname is a department-wide discussion?”

Nyla chuckled. “Not concerned. Just aware.” She took a sip. “Bradford doesn’t just hand out familiarity. If he calls you ‘Kid,’ it means something.”

Nolan grinned. “Probably means he actually likes you.”

You snorted in amusement at the idea, “Yeah, right. It’s no different from Harper calling you five percent!” — But the way they exchanged a knowing glance made you wonder.

And just when you thought the whole mind blowing concept of stoic Bradford having a nickname for you started to calm down—your coworkers were there to make sure it hadn’t.

Because one afternoon, while you and Tim were sorting through evidence reports at the precinct, Lopez, West, and Nolan were not-so-subtly watching from across the bullpen. Nyla, the current Mid-Wilshire reigning instigator, walked up and leaned against Tim’s desk.

“So,” she began, sipping her coffee, “is ‘Boot’ just too formal for you now, Bradford? Or is this one special?”

Tim didn’t even glance up. “You all seriously have nothing better to do?”

Lopez grinned. “Nope.”

You glanced between them, confused. “Why are we still talking about this?”

West gestured toward you with his fork. “Because it’s weird. You’re his rookie, but he doesn’t call you ‘Boot.’”

“Would you rather I did?” Tim finally looked up, pinning you with a dry stare.

You opened your mouth, then hesitated. “…I don’t know.”

Lopez pounced on that. “See? Even they don’t know what to make of it!”

Tim rolled his eyes, shutting the folder in front of him. “Alright. Since it’s apparently everyone’s business now—” He turned to you, arms crossed. “You tell me, kid. Why do you think I call you that?”

You blinked, caught off guard. “…Because you hate me?”

Nolan coughed to cover his laugh.

Tim exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. “No, dumbass.”

Lopez snickered. “Wow. Such a loving mentor.”

Tim ignored her. “I call you ‘Kid’ because that’s what you are. You’re a stubborn, reckless, pain-in-the-ass rookie who acts like they’ve been on the job for years when they’ve barely made it through probation.” He leaned forward slightly. “But you’re my rookie. And if I’m stuck with you, then you’re gonna learn how to do this job right.”

The bullpen fell into silence.

You stared at him, not sure what to say.

West was the first to break it. “…So, it’s, like, a term of endearment?”

Tim shot him a glare. “Don’t push it.”

Lopez and Nyla exchanged grins. Nolan just looked highly entertained.

You, on the other hand, found yourself suppressing a small smile. “Got it,” you muttered, nodding. “Kid it is.”

Tim gave a curt nod back, already returning to his paperwork like the conversation never happened.

But the next time he muttered “Let’s go, kid.” under his breath as you headed out for patrol, it felt just a little different.

[mrsbarnesblog]

Do you want me to help you?

masterlist ko-fi ao3

Summary: As you and Bucky spend time at your place, things get hot pretty fast.

Word count: 2k

Warnings: +18❗️smut, subby Bucky, he's jetting his first blow job, come eating.

Author's note: enjoy<3

It was another Friday night when you invited Bucky to your place so you could order some food, watch movies, and cuddle under the blankets.

You and Bucky met almost six months ago at the coffee shop. You were walking in when someone suddenly bumped into you, and you ended up lying on the ground with a large coffee stain on your pink blouse. The man who caused this mess ended up being an Avenger. Sergeant Barnes, a former Winter Soldier, was really cute when he got all nervous and couldn’t stop apologizing for the situation. He said that he really needed to be somewhere else, so he took your number with a promise to pay you for everything and ran away, leaving you with shock and excitement bubbling in your body.

You were too stunned to speak, because not only was it an Avenger, but it was Bucky fucking Barnes—the person whose whole biography you willingly studied in school. He was much taller than you imagined and definitely more attractive. His apologies seemed to be really sincere, so you were just stupidly nodding while he was speaking. Bucky asked for your phone so he could call himself and have your number until he would have time to properly make amends.

Then you didn’t know that you had just met your future boyfriend.

Soon he called you and asked you to meet him at the cafe, and you agreed without any hesitation. He was too sweet for his own good, and that minidate was one of the best experiences that you’ve ever had.

Now, you don’t know how you ended up in this situation, but you were sitting on Bucky’s lap on your couch while the two of you were too lost in the kiss.

Of course, you have already kissed, but most of the time it wasn’t too rough or desperate. You knew that Bucky had hard times trusting people, so you didn’t push him with anything. You were happy just to be with him, and if he needed time to start touching you or have sex, it was okay.

But right now, something has changed. His hands were gripping your thighs, pushing you harder on his erection in the jeans. Bucky kissed you like a starving man; his tongue was in your mouth, and he had already bit your lower lip several times. You were so lost in the pleasure that you didn’t even notice that you started moving your body against his.

At that moment, he came to his senses, stopped your hips with his hands, and pulled out of the kiss, breathing heavily.

"What happened?" You asked while trying to catch your breath. "Was it too much?"

"I don’t know." He looked you in the eyes, and you saw that his own were much darker than usual. "It was too long ago, and I'm not sure that I’m ready right now." He looked down as if he were ashamed to say this.

"That’s okay, baby, I promise. We can go at your own pace. I didn’t have sex for some time too, so that’s okay." You smiled at him while your hand found a place on his stubbled cheeks.

"It’s not just a few years." He mumbled. 

"What?" 

"I haven’t had sex since I went to war." Silence fell on you while you were trying to process his words.

"Wait… really?" He nodded. 

"You know, while I was with HYDRA, I was busy with different… things. And after that, I was just trying to get back to a normal life."

"I see, but I really thought that you at least were with someone in Bucharest or in Wakanda."

"No. In Bucharest, it was unsafe to even go out in the streets, and in Wakanda, every woman was for me like a sister, you know? You are the first one who I wanted to know as more than a fri-Oh, shit!" He suddenly gasped. You just wanted to move a little bit, but instead, you accidentally touched his erection.

"Oh my God, I’m sorry!"

"T-that’s okay, just don’t move, please. It will disappear." Bucky threw his head back on the couch and closed his eyes tightly.

"Do… do you want me to help you?" You asked almost innocently. "I mean, we don’t have to have sex, but I can do other things to help your problem."

There was another awkward silence when Bucky opened his eyes and looked at you with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You don’t have to do that. Really."

"What if I want to?" You moved closer to his face, almost touching his lips. "Would you let me take care of you?"

Bucky’s eyes were dark again, full of need and lust. Finally, he nodded slightly. You gave him another sweet kiss on the corner of his lips, and not wanting to waste any more time, you slipped from his lap onto the floor.

"Wait! You want to—you don’t have to—I mean– fuck." Bucky hid his face behind his hand from embarrassment. You act like a fucking child.

"Hey, baby. Talk to me. It’s okay." You put your hands on top of his, pulling them away. "What happened, James? You thought I meant to help you with my hands?"

"Mhm. I’ve never done this before." He mumbled something that you almost didn’t understand. Bucky's face was pink, so you put your hands on his burning cheeks to calm him down. "I’m sorry that I’m such a mess."

"You’re not a mess, Bucky. So you’ve never got a blowjob? Even before the war? I thought you were a ladies’ man." You asked gently.

"I was, but back in the day, it was hard to find a girl that would do it just because, you know? Sex was more available because blowjobs were more intimate, I guess. And I’ve never had real relationships, sooo." He just shrugged, feeling even more embarrassed.

"I understand. And that’s okay if you don't have experience in something. You don’t have to be ashamed, at least not with me. I still want to do this, if you don’t mind." Bucky nodded again before leaning closer to your face and kissing you with passion.

While you were kissing, your hands slipped from his face, running across his chest and abs, right to the bottom of his jeans. You pulled away from the kiss and pushed Bucky back onto the sofa. As soon as the pants were unbuttoned, he helped you pull his clothes lower, and you gasped.

His beautiful dick was standing right in front of your face. Hard, thick, with a vein from one side and pre-cum leacking from the tip. Honestly, you’ve never found them attractive, but it seemed like Bucky was perfect everywhere, so the sight before your eyes made your mouth water.

"Holy shit." You breathed out as your hand wrapped around him, and the fingers barely even touched each other. Your boyfriend’s body instantly tensed; he was not used to this kind of touch. You gave him a few strokes, seeing how his eyes rolled back in pleasure and a tiny moan escaped his mouth. "You know, that’s a shame that no one put this pretty cock in their mouth." You smiled as Bucky’s ears got pink from your praise. "Look at me."

As soon as he did as you told him, you looked directly into his eyes and licked him from the bottom to the top, swirling your tongue around the tip. The taste instantly filled you, and you slightly moaned, sending vibrations down Bucky’s body.

He tried to hold himself together. He really did. But the sight of you on your knees, looking him in the eyes with his cock in your mouth, He completely lost it and let out the loudest moan that he had ever made. Both metal and flesh gripped the sides of the couch, but the pleasure was too intense, and he was overwhelmed.

You started moving your head up and down, still looking Bucky in the eyes. The tip of his dick met your throat, but there were still a few inches left.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! Y/N, holy shit!" He whined and threw his head back.

You let him slip out of your mouth with a loud ‘pop’ and started stroking him with a hand, using the mixture of your saliva and Bucky’s pre-cum to make it easier.

"Put your hand on my head, baby. Do whatever you want." Bucky hesitated for a few seconds, but then his right hand fell on top of your head and made a messy ponytail. You smiled and put your lips back on his dick, gently licking and sucking the tip. The hand on your head slightly pushed you down, and you allowed Bucky to control you.

He slipped back into your mouth until his head touched the back of your throat. You started moving on your own, but Bucky’s hand was still tightly holding your hair as he was showing you the pace that he liked. Your eyes were watering, and saliva was dripping down your chin, but you didn’t care about it when your boyfriend was such a mess.

Bucky’s eyes were partly closed as he was trying to look at the beautiful view before him. Your pretty lips were wrapped around his cock, and it was probably the hottest thing that he had ever seen. He couldn’t hold back the small moans escaping his mouth because it was too good—feeling your warm and wet mouth around him. He tried not to push you too hard, but from time to time his grip tightened and his hips moved by themselves, making you choke.

"Doll." Bucky moaned. "Please, baby, I’m so close, oh my– fuck." He instantly pushed you lower, but you didn’t seem to mind. Instead, you moaned around his cock, lifting your free hand on his torso under the shirt. You felt that his body was tense, and the muscles under your fingers were trembling. You knew that Bucky was close, so you ran your nails over the hot and soft skin. "Doll– doll, you should move. I’ll cum– fuck, please." Bucky whined and tried to take you off of him, but you didn’t let him and instead swirled your tongue around him.

You felt it before it happened: Bucky’s body tensed, his cock twitched, and a loud moan filled the room. In a second, your mouth was filled with a warm, a little bit salty, and a little bit sweet seed. You moaned at the taste, still sucking his dick until you knew that he had completely finished, and only then swallowed every single drop.

Bucky’s hand fell out of your hair on the sofa near him, and he was sitting there almost senseless with heavy breathing and closed eyes. You helped Bucky put himself back into pants and then sat on his lap again.

"James?" You gently put your hand on his face.

"Mm." Bucky finally opened his eyes, and you have never seen him in this condition: sleepy, relaxed, with a tiny, lazy smile on his face. "Can’t believe that you just did it, doll. It was better than any sex that I’ve had in my life." He leaned into your touch. Bucky grabbed your face and dragged you closer until you two connected in a kiss, and he could taste himself on your tongue.

"I’m glad you liked it."

"Liked? Doll, you almost sucked my soul out." He chuckled. "Now I have to pay back." Suddenly, one warm and one cold hand were under your pajama shorts.

"Not today, baby. You’re tired. Would you stay for a night?" You bumped your nose with his, leaving light and short kisses on his lips.

"Of course, doll."

[ilovemilestellersmoustache]

I’ll Be Yours For The Weekend

WC: 2K

Summary: Highschool sweethearts Connor and Y/n reunite in their hometown for thanksgiving where their breakup after graduation happened and their reaction to seeing each other was to call each other babe for the weekend inevitably creating two different f reactions when returning to their separate lives across the country.

Warnings: None but ANGSTY ANGST ANGST

Connor Bedard stepped off the plane, the cold autumn air of Canada wrapping around him like an old, familiar blanket. It felt surreal to be back in the hometown that had shaped so much of who he was, yet everything felt heavier than he remembered. Months had passed since he was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks, and now he stood on the cusp of a new life—one filled with expectations, pressure, and a dream he had long chased. But despite the excitement, an emptiness gnawed at him.

His thoughts drifted to Y/N, the girl he had loved for three years. The one who had stood by him through countless late-night practices, who had cheered him on from the stands, and whose laughter had filled his world with joy. Breaking up before the draft had been a decision they both had agonized over, but the weight of their separate futures had felt insurmountable. Now, as he drove through familiar streets, he couldn’t escape the memories. The school they attended together, the coffee shop where they spent endless afternoons, the park where they shared secrets, her parents house—it all felt achingly close yet impossibly distant.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Y/N stared out the window of her Los Angeles dorm. The palm trees swayed lazily in the warm breeze, but she felt frozen in time. She had thrown herself into her studies, trying to push the aside the remaining gaping void Connor had left behind. She followed his journey from afar through screens, proud yet heartbroken, knowing their love was now just a bittersweet memory. Thanksgiving was approaching, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to go home, despite the ache that came with it.

When she arrived back in their hometown, Y/N felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia wash over her. Every corner of the town whispered Connor’s name, from the diner they had frequented to the bench where they’d carved their initials. It felt like a time capsule, preserving their shared moments, while the reality of their separation weighed heavily on her heart.

The day before Thanksgiving, she found herself at the local grocery store, running errands her mother sent her to do before the feast. The store buzzed with activity, filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter, but Y/N felt isolated, her mind still wandering back to Connor. Suddenly, as she turned a corner, she collided with someone. The familiar voice broke through her thoughts.

“Y/N?”

Time stood still as she looked up into Connor’s eyes. It was as if the universe had conspired to bring them back together. They both wore expressions of shock, disbelief washing over them like a tidal wave.

“Connor-” she managed to breathe, a mix of surprise and warmth flooding her heart.

“I didn’t think I’d see you here,” he said, a smile breaking through the initial surprise.

They stood in the aisle, surrounded by shelves filled with holiday treats, but all they could see was each other. After a brief moment of hesitation, they fell into an easy conversation, sharing updates about their lives. The chemistry between them felt electric, as if no time had passed since their last encounter.

“Do you remember that time we got lost on our way to the lake?” Connor asked, laughter bubbling up from somewhere deep inside her.

“Of course! We ended up at that diner and ordered way too many fries,” Y/N replied, her smile genuine, igniting memories that warmed her heart.

As they continued to talk, the hurt of their breakup began to fade, replaced by a sense of comfort and familiarity. It was as if the months apart had been nothing more than a fleeting dream. They spent nearly an hour wandering the aisles, the grocery store fading into the background as they rediscovered each other.

“Hey,” Y/N said softly, the words barely escaping her lips. “What if we drove around town this weekend? Like old times?”

“Like old times?” Connor replied, a playful glint in his eyes.

“Yeah,” she said, her heart racing at the prospect of reclaiming a piece of their past.

The next day, they met again, the air crisp and fresh as they set off in Connor’s car. As they drove through familiar roads, every turn brought a rush of memories—each place was a snapshot of their past, a reminder of the love they had shared. Connor played their favorite songs, and they sang along, the laughter spilling out of the windows and into the crisp autumn air.

The first stop was the park where they had spent countless afternoons. They parked and stepped out, taking a moment to breathe in the nostalgia. The leaves crunched under their feet as they walked along the path, the same path they had walked as teenagers, hand in hand.

“Remember when we used to come here every weekend after school and just sat on that swing set?” Y/N asked, pointing to the rusting swings in the distance.

Connor chuckled, “And that day you pushed me so hard I flew off!”

“Hey there was in no way that was my fault! You leaned over!” she teased, nudging him playfully.

They made their way to the swings, their laughter echoing through the park. Y/N settled onto one swing while Connor took the one beside her. They began to swing gently, the rhythmic motion stirring memories of simpler times.

“Do you ever think about us?” Y/N asked, her voice softening.

“Every day,” Connor admitted, his gaze fixed on the ground. “It’s hard not to. You were such a huge part of my life.”

“I miss you,” she confessed, the weight of her words hanging between them.

“I miss you too,” he replied, the honesty in his voice wrapping around her like a warm hug. “But what do we do about it?”

The question lingered in the air, unanswered. They swung in silence for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. The connection they shared felt as real as ever, yet the reality of their separate lives loomed large.

After leaving the park, they drove past their old high school. Connor slowed down, memories flooding back. “Can you believe we actually graduated?” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Yeah, and now look at us,” Y/N said with a hint of irony. “You’re an NHL player, and I’m… well, trying to figure out college.”

“Hey, you’re doing amazing,” he reassured her. “You’ve always been the smart one.”

As they reminisced, the hurt from their breakup felt like a distant memory. They were just two teenagers again, laughing and teasing one another. The conversation flowed easily, the comfort of their shared history creating a safe space to explore the unspoken tension.

Eventually, they found themselves at the local diner, a spot they had frequented during their high school years after discovering it instead of the lake. They settled into a booth, and as they browsed the menu, Connor glanced around, taking in the familiar sights.

“I can’t believe this place hasn’t changed at all,” he said, grinning. “Still serving the best milkshakes in town.”

Y/N laughed. “And the greasiest fries! Some things never change.”

They placed their orders and continued to chat, the conversation flowing seamlessly. With every laugh and shared memory, the walls they had built around themselves began to crumble. It felt natural, as if they were slipping back into their old rhythm.

“I’ve been thinking about what you said before,” Connor said suddenly, his tone shifting. “About driving around town. I mean, we’re here now. Why not make the most of it?”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s do everything we used to do,” he proposed, excitement sparking in his eyes. “Let’s revisit all our favorite spots.”

“Haven’t we been basically doing that?” she asked, her heart racing at the thought.

“I guess, but I mean for the whole weekend. Let’s call this weekend ours… Please?” he said, a pleading grin spreading across his face.

She couldn’t help but smile back. “Okay, but I’m in charge of the playlist!”

They left the diner, laughter bubbling between them as they jumped back into the car. Connor cranked up the music, the familiar tunes flooding their senses, and for a moment, everything felt right.

They visited the arcade where they had spent many Friday nights, laughing over games and sharing fries. They drove down the streets where they had cruised in Connor’s old car, the wind whipping through their hair as they sang along to their favorite songs. Each stop brought a rush of emotions, a mix of happiness and melancholy that only deepened their connection.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, they found themselves back at the park. The air was cooler now, but the warmth between them was undeniable. They wandered to the same bench where they had spent countless afternoons, lost in conversation.

“I can’t believe how easy this feels,” Y/N said, leaning back against the bench, looking up at the sky.

“Yeah, it’s like no time has passed,” Connor agreed, his gaze drifting to her. “It’s just us again.”

“Do you think we could… I don’t know, make this work?” she asked cautiously, the vulnerability in her voice palpable.

“I don’t know, Y/N,” he replied, the seriousness in his tone cutting through the lightness of the moment. “I want to. But everything is different now. You’re in L.A., I’m in Chicago…”

“But what if we tried?” she urged, her heart racing at the thought of losing him again.

Connor took a deep breath, the weight of her words pressing down on him. “I don’t want to hurt you again. We’ve come so far.”

“I know,” she said softly, her heart aching.

“But we’re happy now. Can’t we just enjoy this?”

She looked at him, and for a moment, it felt like the world faded away. “Yeah, let’s just enjoy this.”

As the weekend unfolded, their connection deepened

As the weekend drew to a close, the once bright spark of excitement began to dim, leaving behind a lingering sense of melancholy. Y/N and Connor spent their final hours together in quiet reflection, driving through the small town that had witnessed their shared history. It had been a weekend filled with laughter and warmth, but the uncertainty about their future remained.

The day they had to say goodbye arrived too soon. Connor was scheduled to fly back to Chicago, and Y/N had a flight back to Los Angeles the next morning. They stood in the driveway of her house, the chill of the autumn air pressing in on them.

“This feels harder than I thought it would be,” Connor said, his voice low as he looked down at Y/N.

“I know,” she replied softly, wrapping her arms around herself, as if the cold wasn’t just from the air, but from the inevitable goodbye.

Connor reached out and took her hand. “We’ve always had something special. But with you in L.A. and me in Chicago… I don’t know if I can handle the distance. I don’t want to keep dragging this out just to end up hurting each other.”

Y/N nodded, though her heart twisted painfully. She knew what he was saying was logical, but the emotions they had shared over the weekend had reignited something in her she wasn’t ready to let go of.

“I get it, Connor. But I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I wish we could try.”

His hand tightened around hers, his eyes softening with regret. “I do too. But we agreed to just enjoy the moment, right? And that’s what we did.”

She looked up at him, eyes shining with unshed tears, but she forced a smile. “Yeah, let’s leave it at that.”

They hugged for a long moment, neither one wanting to let go. But eventually, Connor pulled away, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Take care of yourself, Y/N.”

“You too, Connor.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Back in Los Angeles, Y/N threw herself into her studies again. The first few days were tough—she found herself replaying every conversation, every moment she and Connor had shared. She kept telling herself that she had made peace with their goodbye, but the quiet moments between her busy schedule reminded her otherwise.

But as time passed, she started to heal. University life picked up pace, and she found herself surrounded by friends and new experiences. Slowly, the ache of their goodbye lessened.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, Connor felt the opposite. Life in the NHL had been his dream for as long as he could remember, and playing for the Blackhawks was everything he had worked for. But the high of being in the league didn’t fill the emptiness inside him. He found himself thinking about Y/N constantly—about how she had looked at him with such hope in her eyes that weekend, and how he had let her go. He had told himself it was the right thing to do, but each day, the weight of that decision felt heavier.

Despite the distance, they hadn’t completely severed their connection. A few weeks after their goodbye, Connor followed Y/N on social media again, and she followed him back. It was a small gesture, but one that kept them tethered. Small texts started to trickle in—wishing each other good luck during games, asking how school was going, commenting on random things they saw online. It was casual, almost like two old friends who had drifted apart but still cared about each other.

For Y/N, these texts became easier as the months passed. She no longer felt the pang of loss every time she saw Connor’s name pop up on her screen. She had started dating again, nothing serious, but enough to remind her that life went on. She was healing, slowly but surely.

But for Connor, each message was a reminder of what he had walked away from. His teammates noticed he wasn’t quite himself—he was playing well, but there was a distance in his demeanor. Every time he texted Y/N, a part of him wished he could say more. He missed her, missed the way she understood him, missed the way she made him laugh. The loneliness gnawed at him, growing more unbearable with each passing day.

One night, after a particularly tough game, Connor found himself scrolling through his messages with Y/N, rereading their short exchanges. He stared at the screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. He wanted to reach out, to tell her he’d made a mistake. That he was willing to try long distance, that he didn’t care about the miles between them, that he’d wait for her—however long it took.

With a deep breath, Connor typed out a message: Hey, can we talk? I’ve been thinking a lot, and I miss you. I want us to try again, and I’m okay with long distance if you are. I just need you to know that I’ll wait for you.

Just as he was about to hit send, he hesitated. His thumb hovered over the send button, but something stopped him. Instead, he opened her Instagram, a habit he had picked up over the last few weeks. He scrolled through her recent posts, his heart aching as he saw her smiling, surrounded by friends, seemingly happy. And then he froze.

There was a new post—a picture of Y/N and a guy. They were sitting close together on a bench, the sun setting behind them, casting a warm glow over their faces. The guy had his arm around her, and though it wasn’t an overly intimate photo, the look in Y/N’s eyes as she smiled up at him said everything.

Connor’s stomach dropped. His hand clenched around his phone, his heart pounding in his chest. The words he had just typed out seemed suddenly foolish, pointless. She was moving on. She was happy. And he had no right to disrupt that, not after he had been the one to let her go.

Without another thought, he deleted the message, staring at the blank screen as the reality of his decision came crashing down on him.

Connor shut his phone off and leaned back on his couch, closing his eyes as regret washed over him. He had made a choice, and now he had to live with it. But in the back of his mind, the thought that maybe—just maybe—he had lost the one person who truly understood him, refused to go away.

[agirlwithglam]

studying for exam week! 📑🎀📚

hi loves! so i have tests & exams coming up so in case it would help anyone else, i'm gonna be talking about my study schedule including some more additional things like mindsets and other actions that keep me motivated!

routine!

i have latin, spanish, 2 math, 2 science and a geography paper coming up. for me, the priority is the math, science and spanish tests so i will be focussing more on those.

so here's how i'd make a game plan:

choose the priority subjects, so you know what you need to work on.

do practice papers/ whatever revision technique that works for that subject. then anytime you make a mistake, note it down somewhere so you know thats something you may have to touch on ex: for studying math, i do practice papers and any time i don't know how to do a question/ get something wrong, i make sure to write it down somewhere so i know what i need to remember/ work on.

if creating a rigid schedule that u must follow after school doesn't work for you, create a bare minimum of studying that you need to do daily so even if u have literally 10 mins, you can still do something. what i do is that for the very bare minimum, I do at least a certain set of practice math questions everyday. that way even if i don't have too much time to do a lot of studying, i don't just put it off and say "oh i only have 20-30 mins, i'll just do it tmrw"

a couple things i'll be doing to keep me sane & motivated: 🎆🧁

~ changing up the environment. i'll go to starbucks or a nearby boba shop, or you can stay late at the school library- that way you can't get distracted, or if you can only stay at home, JAZZ IT UPP! work on the floor, in the living room, on the dining/ coffee table, or if ur on ur table, move some things around, light up candles, play different types of music to fully just romanticise and change things up!

~ study buddies - it can be really discouraging and boring to study all day long, but remember: you're not in it alone! find a friend who you can study with and won't get distracted. sometimes this won't be ur bff or someone you're super close to but maybe the girl you sit next to in math class who's very academic will be the one who you can face time when ur at home to study together and if one of you has questions, you can ask the other!

~ during study breaks... there is so much you can do which is so satisfying and fun + will motivate you to keep going like for example;

scrolling through pinterest in a study board/ for study motivation. (i have an academic weapons pinterest board with videos, images, quotes, etc that motivate me to try harder!)

watch gilmore girls or smth

read a book you ACTUALLY like

listen to upbeat music that u love and dance (or you can just sit and chill to let urself regenerate)

take a quick video of yourself and check in with what you've done so far

~ create an aesthetic notion page! this will 10x your fun in studying, TRUST ME. you can either search up on yt 'how to make a notion for studying' or check notion's library as they have loads of options! (or ofc u can make one urself based on ur own needs and wants <3 )

the mentality & reasons to study: 💋☕️

girl these mindsets is what has and will get me fighting through the studying & wanting to reach for even more!! i KNOW that at the very least, one of them will get u fighting harder. so here are some of mindsets/ reasons to study!

aint no way i'm going to let that stupid stereotype of "men are smarter" to be true

the thought of a man saying "you're nothing without me" disgusts me SO MUCHHH

the devil couldn't reach me so now he's trying to bring me down with distractions and hard math problems. AM I GOING TO LET HIM WIN???

become everything i would ever want in someone else.

becoming everything i would ever want to be MYSELF. - an act of true self love.

i have things to do in my life. i am going to become a powerful, confident, rich woman.

because being educated and smart is so freaking attractive like to myself personally.

i want to be the top of my class.

learning! sometimes we often forget that the purpose of the tests is to ensure that we've truly learnt the information. so develop an interest in learning to things! in becoming cultured, educated, rich in knowledge because thats what makes you so powerful.

i am the beauty & brains

inspiring icons: 💬👠

1) emma watson

"Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do or achieve. Do what you want to do and be who you want to be."

i love this queen so much its unreal. she's everything i wanna be. shes a strong, confident, educated woman who is also so beautiful. also hermione granger is an amazing studying icon as well (played by emma watson). she prioritises herself & her education over anything else thats irrelevant yet still maintains that feminine aspect by being kind and empathetic (though you'll never catch her letting someone walk over or take advantage of her). she's articulate, well spoken, and confident in herself & who she is which is the type of mindset i need in the test!!

2) blair waldorf

"destiny is for losers. it's just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen." she ate with that one. oh and another one: "forget boys, keep your eyes on the prize" . she has so many iconic quotes i cold make a whole post listing them but i will leave these 2 for now.

i love blair waldorf's study ethic and determination, i think its something we all should strive for. she knows how to handle herself, she knows what she wants, and she gets it + doesn't let anyone distract her or get in her way. no matter what. thats what i admire about her! the vibe is posh, elegant, studying in a way where you get everything done <3

3) kat stratford

"you forget, i don't care what people think"

ugh i love her and her i hate men attitude lowkey. she's so confident in herself and she does not try to please anyone else but her. shes also so educated and knows what she wants & aint afraid to be herself! QUEENNN

when i'm pretending to be her/ studying like her, i feel like it gives the vibe of studying furiously, angry in a way and not letting anyone or anything get in your way because you're literally just better than that.

BMAC

[enchantedlov3r]

Coffee crush An Ellie Williams fic College Barista au CHAPTER TWO!

Summary: Young love, always the cutest thing, especially when it's on your very hot barista at your local coffee shop on campus.

Pairings: Barista!Ellie Williams x puppy!reader

Word Count: 4.5k (WOAH! never done that before<33)

Warnings: fluff, first time meeting, flustered reader, bold ellie, lots of sexual tension, shameless flirting, ellie being really hot, brief mentions of alcohol, slight debating/arguing but playful, eventual smut in later chapters, a brief kiss, lmk if I missed anything loves💓

A/N: funny story, there was this fic I read about streamer ellie by @r3starttt and she linked her pinterest below so I just wanted to give creds to her for allowing me to use these pics from her saved pinterest. Also some of it will be via text message style so ellie will be bold and reader will not. lowercase intended..

You were honestly just a girl, who happened to like other girls, no big deal. but when your parents denied it, denied you, you moved out.

you weren’t going to deal with unsupportive family members judging you at every family function.

and you sure as hell weren’t going to stand with your parents treating you completely different from everyone else.

so you moved away from that toxic life but not just because of your parents but for college as well.

you wanted to move to this small town and get to know people new and study at your dream college.

once you finally found out you got in, you made your motives known to the family that you were leaving and never coming back.

you made it to your dorm and met this awesome girl named Kansas. You guys really hit it off your first semester and ever since, you guys have been the best of friends.

constantly hanging out and going to bookstores and party’s and going on vacations and so much more.

So, now to the present day, you’re currently in your dorm studying for finals.

Kansas walks in and greets you, you greet her back and she plops on the bed with a sigh.

“what’s wrong Kansas? I know that sigh. What’s up?” you ask her while keeping your focus on your notes

“I wanna go somewhere, to meet some hot people. get screwed and fucked up” Kansas replies. You bark out a laugh while shaking your head

“I’m getting kinda tired kans, we can go to a coffee shop? Keep me awake cause I need to study for these finals. Wanna go with me?” You ask her

she shakes her head letting out a hum of disapproval, “mm-mm I’m good, I’ll probably just sleep it out. Night.” She says lying down.

“night kans.” you say closing your notebook and grabbing your red converse. They were a little beat up but they were your favorites.

you walked off campus, greeting people as they passed, some people you know, some you’ve met once, and even the strangers that were polite.

you saw the bistro and smiled walking in. There was someone in front of you, a tall blonde-haired boy.

you patiently waited while he ordered his beverage, mindlessly scrolling on your phone.

you heard someone yell next and you lifted your head walking forward. The lady was turned around so you waited until her focus was on you

once she turned around your eyes widened and you stared in awe.

she was the hottest girl you’ve ever seen. Pretty auburn hair framing her face in a cute half up half down style.

freckles littered her perfect face, beautiful green eyes staring back at you.

her lips pretty and pink, bottomed lip tucked between her teeth as she smiles at you checking you out.

“What can I get for you pretty girl?” The lady in front of you asks.

it feels as if everything has stopped and you are the only ones able to move, talk and it was amazing.

“uh-uhm sorry, hi my names y/n and w-what’s yours? I’m pretty sure it’s a sexy- I mean spectacular name.” You stutter before face planting at how embarrassing you’re being.

“Ha, uh Ellie, my names Ellie. You’re funny but, what would you like to drink? Anything that makes you tick?” She says with a smile on her face as she tilts her head scratching her neck.

'you' the only word coming to your mind.

it’s only then you notice how long and slender her fingers are and the wonderful tattoo that litters her forearm.

“I would like a cappuccino please and nice tattoo, it’s beautiful, just like you. Uhm sorry I mean it’s uhm- a-a beautiful…" you sigh. "I’m gonna stop talking now.” You stutter out nervously.

“it’s fine sweetheart, thanks for the compliments.” Ellie responds with a wink. “ your cappuccino will be ready shortly. Your total is $5.95.” Ellie says smiling.

you pull out your card and pay. You look around noticing the beauty on the inside of the bistro and smile.

Ellie watches you with intent because she would be lying if she didn’t think you were extremely hot.

she wanted so badly to talk to you for longer but she had customers and a job to do. So she came up with the idea when you weren’t looking to write her number on your receipt.

“here you go. Maybe we’ll meet again sometime.” She said with a smile handing you your receipt.

“yea, maybe we will.” You say knowing damn well your coming back to this bistro everyday until you graduate college.

You walk off to go to the waiting area to wait for your name to be called for your drink. Your playing with the receipt when you catch something in the corner of your eye.

you look over and see Ellie mouthing something and making hand gestures.

you see her pointing to your hand so you look down and see numbers written down on the back of the receipt.

you look at her and smile and she smiles back before tending to the next customer that walked in.

you notice it’s a phone number, her phone number. You smile and heat rushes to your face. She also left a little note.

“text me, your cute btw, anyone ever tell you that? It was nice meeting you;)”

you smile at the note and fold the receipt and put it in your back pocket to keep for later.

you hear your name get called and grab your drink. You smile and wink at Ellie as you leave and walk out the door.

The moment you get out you jump up and down and giggle before running back to your dorm to study.

you pull out the receipt and smile at the note again. you type the number into your phone and you hesitate to text her. contemplating for an hour before finally texting her.

you: heyy:) it's me! you off work yet? (10:47pm)

ellie🤭: heyy pretty, yea I get off in 5 minutes so I'm clocking out. (10:50pm)

you: ohh ok, so how was it, your shift that is? (10:50pm)

ellie🤭: it was stressful but it got better about an hour ago when this really hot girl walked in and I gave her my number on a receipt. (10:51pm)

you: stoppp your making me nervous, thanks for the compliment btw:) (10:53pm)

ellie: ofc sweetheart, now wanna play a game? (10:53pm)

you: sure what do you have in mind els, can I call u els? (10:54pm)

ellie🤭: you can call me whatever you want love. (10:54pm)

ellie🤭: maybe 21 questions? only if your up for it? (10:55pm)

you: yea sure so do i go first or you? (10:56pm)

ellie🤭: you go ahead. (10:57pm)

you: ok, how old are you? (10:59pm)

ellie🤭: 19. same question for you. (11:00pm)

you: im 18. (11:00pm)

ellie🤭: ok, nice. (11:01pm)

you: my turn again right? ok uhm, what's your fav color? (11:03pm)

ellie🤭: I would have to say green, like my eyes.

ellie🤭: what about you? (11:04pm)

you: so far this is what 4 questions, lol ok! (11:04pm)

you: I would say my fav color is {your fav color inserted} (11:05pm)

ellie🤭: dope! that's a nice one. (11:06pm)

you: thanks! ok, i'm going to ask, what's your fav movie or show? (11:08pm)

ellie🤭: i mean i don't think I have one, there's so many to choose from yk? (11:08pm)

you: yea no I totally understand! (11:09pm)

ellie🤭: ok, my turn. how about we quit this game huh? kinda wanna hear your voice. wanna call? (11:09pm)

your eyes widened at that. ellie, wanted to call y-you. this was insane you were so lost in thought that the buzz of you phone broke you out of your trance.

ellie🤭: ? you wanna or nah, it's totally fine if not. (11:10pm)

you: no no, I wanna. you call me, go ahead!

(11:10pm)

ellie🤭: alright!

ellie🤭: btw it 11:11 make a wish! (11:11pm)

you: oh stop it ellie! (i'm so making a wish right now!) (11:11pm)

you hear the ringing and immediately pick up after the first ring. at first it's quiet and then ellie finally speaks up.

"hey." she says in a raspy voice that makes your skin tingle. you smile at the sound of her voice.

"hey ellie." you say, her name rolling of your tongue like honey. fuck she loved the way you sounded. so sweet and sexy. she just wanted you all to herself already.

"say my name again, sounds hot when you say it." ellie demands with a chuckle at your little squeak of surprise.

"w-what ellie?" you ask totally confused on what ellie was asking. you lied, you weren't entirely confused but ellie did make you very flustered and very nervous.

sure you could dominate women and be bold at times but something about ellies demeanor and the way she carried herself it made you want to be submissive.

you were a very bold and playful person, you could tease and be funny too but around ellie, nuh uh, you were silenced by her words that made down there tingle.

was it also way to late to mention that you've never "done it" with a girl before. yea sure you've had a kiss here and there but you've never done it.

you were close but then the girls parents walked in and you were utterly embarrassed. the girl ghosted you the next day.

so now you hope that same fate won't happen with ellie.

"god you were so gorgeous in the shop today, couldn't keep my fucking eyes off you." ellie admits breathlessly.

"your so kind, thank you and trust me, I was a mess talking to you." you say with a chuckle.

"I know other ways I can turn you into a mess." she says with a giggle. you giggle nervously and bite your lip.

"mmm yeah? that's something i'm looking forward to in the future." you say, ellie not even knowing how hard your gushing right now.

you guys have been on the phone for over and hour or two now and you were loving it.

she chuckled on the other end of the line. "so, are you more of a coffee girl or an alcohol girl?" you ask ellie.

theres a sigh on the line before you hear a snort, "I mean I prefer alcohol rather than coffee." ellie says.

"ellie. cmon, you literally work in a coffee shop, where you have to deal with coffee grounds and the smell, everyday." you say playfully rolling your eyes.

"woah! just cuz I work at a coffee shop doesn't mean I like coffee babe, I just needed the job, plus it was close by campus." ellie argues back playfully.

"oh yea sure because ellie loves working in a place where she doesn't even love the products in the store. If you adore alcohol, why not be a bartender?" you rebuttal.

this playful banter made ellie laugh and you laughed too. "because I don't wanna sit here and toss vodka in a cup, I wanna drink it, not serve it to others." ellie says as she turns off her room light.

"I'm working in a coffee shop cuz I wanted the money and because I don't get tempted with alcohol all around me, just caffeine." ellie says causing you to burst out laughing.

"ok, 1, that was hilarious and 2. nice point els." you say biting your lip as you kick your feet around on your bed and giggle.

you were sure as hell lucky that this campus was big enough to have two separate rooms. you didn't wanna wake up kansas.

its silent for a little before you just randomly blurt out, "you wanna meet again sometime? maybe like a date? just to hang out and talk more?" you ask.

it's silent on ellies side of the phone for a bit before you hear shuffling. "hey my roomates back but yea totally! Meet me at the water fountain in front of the campus at 7:30pm tomorrow, we can talk in the bistro if you want?" ellie asks.

"yea yea, that's perfect." you say smiling as you bite your fingernails out of excitement.

"alright great it's a date, see you tomorrow pup." she says before the line disconects.

you put your phone down, grab you pillow and scream into it. your going on a date with the ellie williams, the hottest girl you know and you couldn't wait.

it's the next day. your walking to your class with kansas. you were telling her about ellie, every single detail.

the details from last night and the bistro. "she was just like so unreal kans, she called me babe, and pretty girl and so much more but eeee! I'm meeting her tonight!" you say with excitement.

"good for you girl! glad one of us is getting excitement." kansas says rolling her eyes playfull with a dramatic sigh to which you shove her and laugh.

"what do you even mean by that kans?" you say chuckling. she stops, looks at you and lifts her hand.

she lays her palm flat right side up and sticks up her middle and ring finger and makes a fingering motion with her fingers.

you gasp and push her quickly walking away while kansas laughs and runs to catch up to you.

"your sick kansas!" you exclaim.

"it's the truth, I can tell ellie knows how to please too. especially since you described her fingers as-what was it?- long and slender?" she says before snorting and laughing.

you laugh with her but roll your eyes at her mocking. "yea yea, keep it up and i'll find a new roommate." you say before walking into class with kansas.

*tap tap tap* is the sound your feet make as you stare at the clock, counting the seconds waiting until the clock strikes 5pm.

you were in your last class for the day and you just had two hours to get ready for your date with ellie.

you were super excited and also kinda surprised you didn't like see her at all in the halls.

she did say she goes here but maybe she was in a different section. You watched as the clock stuck exactly 5:00 and you began packing your notebooks and textbooks in your bag.

"Make sure to read through pages 25 to 37, there will be some paragraphs to study for your exams." your teacher exclaims.

you nod and walk out the door meeting with kansas. "hey girl." you say as you rub your face.

"what's wrong?" she asks as she shoves the last bit of books in her bag.

"I just feel so drained right now, Professor Popovich's class was so draining. I just don't wanna be a buzzkill for my date with ellie tonight." you express with a frown on your face.

"well I mean he is like 60 years old, what'd you expect his class to be like? Energizing? Just get to the dorm, shower and clear your mind and I'll pick an outfit for you and then you'll be good to go, ok?" kansas offers with a smile.

"ha, your right there, thanks kans I really would like that I appreciate you so much!" you say smiling wrapping your arm around her shoulder as you walk to your shared dorm room.

As you guys finally make it towards the dorm, you immediate hit the shower, clicking your phones vibe playlist as you sing and dance in the shower.

you hear a ding from your phone indicating a message notification has come in. you finish rinsing off your body and making sure your nice and fresh and then turn off the water to get out.

You wrap your towel around your self and grab your phone. you look at the time it's 7:15.

You look at your notifications and see that it's ellie that texted you, you open messages and read her message.

ellie🤭: I probably will get there a little early so, see you soon! (7:13pm)

you: ok, i'm getting ready now so i'll be leaving soon! (7:16pm)

ellie🤭: 👍🏻

you smile and do your routine, you don't put any makeup on just some mascara and lipgloss.

you step out and put on the clothes that kansas picked out for you.

it was very cold outside so kansas wanted you to prepared for when your meeting her outside but still wanted you to look a little skimpy and sexy.

"hmm sexy but cute, thanks kans." you say smiling and hugging her. "but I think i'm gonna wear sneakers instead babes, heels are. a bit much." you express grabbing your red high top converse and putting them on.

"Bye Kansas! thank you again for the help babes!" you say hugging her one last time before walking towards the door.

"anytime. I'll do anything for you. also i'll be out at a party so if you and ellie need the dorm to you know..." she smirks and makes two peace signs and rub them together.

"Oh piss off kans!" you say shutting the door as you hear her laugh. you quickly make your way to the front of the campus and see the water fountain.

you see someone sitting there, a girl in a greenish flannel with a black shirt on and jeans.

you notice that the sleeves of the flannel are rolled up and you see those familiar slender fingers and that sexy tattoo.

"ellie?" you say with a smirk on your face.

the girl looks up and smiles at you. "Hey beautiful, missed me?" she exclaims opening her arms for a hug.

"I may have missed you." you say with a smirk as you hug her. you wrap your arms around her neck and she wraps her arms around your waist.

"let's go to the bistro shall we?" she says with a smile. you nod and let go of her. you both make the short walk to the bistro and ellie unlocks the door with the key.

"so what do you wanna do?" ellie asks as she hops on the counter staring at you as you walk around.

"you know, yesterday was my first time in here. I've always passed this place but kansas tired her hardest to avoid it. you wanna know why?" you say with a smile on your face as you glance at her.

she nods, "Yea sure, why?" ellie asks.

"cuz some dude named Michael that apparently works here, he cheated on her and then made her look like a total fool, so she never steps foot in here again. she said that if she does, she might just toss boiling hot coffee in his face and down his pants too." you say with a chuckle.

"I never judged her for it because she was right. she had every right too but I didn't want her getting in trouble so I just avoided this place out of love for her." you finish as you make your way next to ellie on the counter.

"kansas sounds badass and I hate to break it to you but Michael actually quit 4 weeks ago." ellie announces as she crosses her arms over her chest drawing your eyes attention.

you look back at her and bite your bottom lip, "are you serious?" you ask. she nods with a slight smirk and scrunch of her nose.

"your telling me I could have met you a long time ago?" you ask with your eyes slightly widened.

"yep, I'm always here." she says rubbing her neck. your eyes drift to the movement, to her tattooed arm.

her forearm muscle flexing at her movement's. "What's a crazy story you have els? anything that makes you tick with embarrassment?" you say with a smile.

"hey, that's my saying!" she exclaims with a laugh but answers your question.

"I do actually. I have a few but those are for another date, if you earn it." she teases leaning closer to your face.

"Test me, I bet i'll win your heart over." you say with a smirk challenging her as you lean closer.

"Ok. well..." she says as she leans away from you to fix her position. " I have this one memory in the back of my mind but uhm. you see this tattoo. so this is not an embarrassing story more of a backstory into my life ok?"

you nod with understanding and she smiles.

"Ok so when I was 14, I uhm was playing around in this abandoned like lab. I didn't know what I was doing cause I was being foolish and having fun. I was with my girlfr- my uhm friend and she dared me to climb this ladder that led to all the tall chemical tubes or containers. So uhm me being the daredevil that I am." she says pointing at herself and smiling.

you laugh at her silliness and bite your lip as you look at her lovingly and intently listening to the story.

"yea total daredevil ladies and gentlemen. don't get your panties and boxers in a bunch because don't you fear, ellie the daredevil is here!" you say welcoming her with jazz hands.

you hear her laugh and you want to record it so badly so you can have on repeat for the rest of your life.

"yea yea, I'm so cool I know. back to my story though. I climbed the ladder. now what I didn't know was that there were pipes above me filled with this chemical liquid. So one of the pipes had a hole in them and the liquid gushed on my arm, luckily I stepped back in time but half my arm got like burned or something. so, when I got outta there, my friend, she wrapped it up so I could hide it from my dad. and then when I turned 17 I got the tattoo to hide it. and that's the backstory behind my tattoo." she says with a tightlipped smile.

"wow, well a beautiful tattoo for a beautiful girl." you say scooting a bit closer to her.

she inches her hand closer to yours as she stares at your side profile. she thought you couldn't get any more beautiful, well right now, in this lighting you just did.

you inch your hand closer to her until you place your pinky on her hand. she looks down at your hands and fully grabs your hand to lift it to intertwine it with hers.

you both make eye contact with each other and smile at each other. "I really wanna kiss you right now." you admit to her.

"Then kiss me princess." she says leaning closer to your lips before looking down at your lips, smile fading as she grabs your face and kisses you.

it's sweet and light at first but slowly turns into a needy and passionate kiss. you both pawing at each other. whimpers and whines coming from your lips.

a sweet breathy whisper of her name rings in her ears that makes her skin tingle with goosebumps.

no one has ever made her feel the way you make her feel, so euphoric and so happy.

she wanted all of you and more, she never wanted to let you go from the moment she made eye contact with you yesterday.

you both break the kiss of your lives, a glistening string of saliva connecting the kiss of love that you two just shared.

"wow that was-" you start. before she kisses you again. "Please stop talking for a second and enjoy it." she says before her lips are right back on yours.

you lean back as ellie leans more into you until your laying on the counter and ellie is kind of on top of you never braking the kiss.

"els wait. wait." you say lightly pushing her off you and getting up. "As badly as I wanna do this, I feel like we should take it just a little bit slowly. maybe 3 dates in? I wanna do this just as badly as you it's just i've never done it before with a girl or in general. I want it to be special, not at your job no offense." you say shyly as you bite your lip.

she's silent for a bit before she speaks up. "I'm sorry, just eager to be your first. I completely understand though. I guess this means until next time?" she says as she hops down and stands between your thighs rubbing them.

"yea sure, I guess i'll go then, let you get back to your dorm." you say with a smile.

"hmm or I could walk you to your dorm so I know where I can find you next time." she says with an eyebrow raised with her bottom lip between her teeth.

"no... it's ok seriously I don't want you to go through all that trouble els." you say waving your hand at her.

"mama, lemme walk you to your dorm. as a mater of fact, I am walking you to your dorm. c'mon let's go." she says as she pecks a kiss at your lips before walking towards the door.

"c'mere, let's go." she says motioning her head towards the exit of the shop so she can close up.

you roll your eyes playfully and walk out the door thanking her for opening it for you.

you grab her hand and you look at her with a smile as you see a slight pink tint on her cheeks.

you finally make it to your dorm and check the time. It's currently almost 10pm.

"thank you for this ellie, I loved tonight and I want to do this again." you say with a genuine smile on your face.

"anytime, I definitely will have something better planned then just sitting in a coffee shop and talking.

"ha! ok els, get back to your dorm safe yea?" you say with a concerned look on your face.

"I will princess. goodnight." she says smiling at you. you smile back and bite your lip.

"goodnight ellie." you respond. both of you just stand there none of you moving.

you both are startled by a door opening and a voice. "oh sorry, I just heard voices and didn't know what was going on." a girl from the dorm across you said.

"no no tess your totally fine. sorry to wake you, goodnight." you say with a smile.

"night!" she smiles back at the both of you guys and then shuts her door.

"ok seriously, bye ellie, goodnight," you say before leaning over to kiss her one last time.

she kisses you back with the same passion and smiles into it. "I'll text you when I get back." ellie says before breaking the kiss and walking away with a wave.

"Goodnight beautiful, until next time." she says as she walks backwards leaving you.

you walk into your dorm room and sigh with joy as you lean against the door.

until next time ellie...

Taglist: @ribbonprincess @r3starttt @dollyfl1rt @raynesbandaids @quiet-villian + anyone else who wants to join!

[kaunis-sielu]

Dangerous Places: End

It’s been almost a year. You’d moved to a new building, in a safer part of town once you’d been able to get your hands on your grandparents trust fund. One you hadn’t known existed. The money had changed your life. You were going to college, getting your business degree while you worked as an administration assistant at Nelson and Murdock.

Sometimes you swear you see Steve in a crowd. Just a quick glance and it always makes you miss him a little bit. He’d been good to you, he’d kept his promises and he’d freed you.

He gave you your life back.

Sometimes you even think about calling him but then you remember that he’s a mob boss.

You hurry into work and after getting everything ready for the day you start on a small project that Matt had given you yesterday.

“Hi Bunny.” Your gaze snaps up and you blink in astonishment. Steve is standing, hands in his pockets, in front of you with a small smile on his face.

“S-Steve?” You breathe, “what are you doing here?”

“Matt is my lawyer. I usually make him come to me but then I heard he’d gotten this pretty new administration assistant and I needed to see that she was okay.”

“I’m really good.” You tell him with a smile and he studies you.

“You look good. Healthy.”

“I am. It helps being able to have insurance and somewhere safe to live.”

“I’m glad to hear it. When Thor told me you’d quit I’d worried you were trying to avoid me.” He says moving slightly closer to your desk.

“No, no I just was finally able to make some changes and I’m really happy.” You almost tell him that you’ve missed him.

“Good.”

“Steve! Thanks for coming by.” Matt says coming out of his office. “You need any coffee or anything?”

“Coffee would be great. Black.” You stand and start to leave when Steve stops you with a gentle hand. “Get yourself something too. Then join us.” You glance at Matt who’s looking curiously at Steve.

“Mr. Murdock?”

“If Mr. Rogers wants you to join us you can.” He says so you nod then head down to the little coffee shop downstairs. When you go to order you stop and glance over your shoulder,

“Bucky? What do you want?”

“Nothin’ Doll.” He says, “Still observant as ever.” He joins you at the counter as you order a black coffee for Steve and a chai latte for Matt. When you don’t order yourself anything Bucky frowns before saying,

“And a sugar free hot chocolate.” You look up at him in confusion.

“What?” You ask, why would he order sugar free hot chocolate.

“Steve told you to get something.” He says with a little shrug.

“I don’t need it.”

“Okay.” You use your work card to pay and Bucky checks the card. When you give him a weird look he smiles, “just making sure they gave you a business card for this.”

“He’s been checking up on me hasn’t he?” You ask as the two of you step aside to wait for your drinks.

“Yes.” Bucky doesn’t bother lying. “You broke his heart, he’s still in love with you.”

“I didn’t want to hurt him but I didn’t even know who I was.”

“And you do now?”

“More than I did. I’ve been doing therapy and that’s helped.” You’d be lying if you said you didn’t miss him. You’d missed him like you’d miss a missing limb. You grab the drink caddy with the three drinks in it and then you and Bucky go back upstairs.

When you deliver the drinks you can feel Steve’s eyes on you. You go to sit in a chair away from him and Matt when he turns and looks at you.

“Bunny? Will you come sit with me?”

“Oh, okay.” You sit down next to him on the couch and he and Matt continue their conversation.

You’re not listening. How could you possibly be listening? You can feel the heat of him, you can smell his cologne, you’re quickly falling back into love with him.

“Thanks Matt. Can I borrow your admin assistant for a minute?”

“Of course.”

“And your office.” He doesn’t ask the question, Matt nods then stands and leaves the room. It’s not until the door closes that Steve turns and looks at you.

“Hi Bunny.” He says softly, your heart races, and not in a bad way.

“Hi.” He studies you before slowly reaching out and touching your hand.

“How have you been?”

“Good. But you already know that don’t you? You’ve been watching.” Steve has the good sense to look sheepish,

“I told you that you were mine to protect. Just because you didn’t want to be with me doesn’t mean that just ended.”

“I’m sorry.” He looks confused so you barrel on, “I know I hurt you. I didn’t mean to. I just needed to figure who I was without the threat of Hydra and Crossbones and away from you.”

“Why away from me?”

“Because I was falling in love with you and I needed to know it was real and not just survival.” You tell him not daring to look at him. As you expect the hand he isn’t holding yours with gently tilts your chin so he can see your eyes.

“Was it real?”

“Yea.”

“Fuck.” He breathes before colliding his mouth into yours in a desperate kiss. You melt into him, you can feel the strength in him, but you can feel the restraint too. You card your fingers through his hair, curling your hands around the back of his head and Steve groans into your mouth.

The sound is sinful.

One of his hands is wrapped around the back of your neck and the other is on the small of your back. You can’t get close enough to him and it seems that he can’t get close enough to you as he pulls you into his lap. Your skirt hikes up as you straddle his legs, Steve’s hand ghosts up your thigh. How are his hands everywhere? You can’t find it in yourself to care as long as he keeps kissing you like this. Steve pulls away and rests his forehead on yours.

“Please, please don’t make me let you go again.” He says quietly, “it almost broke me last time.”

“Steve.” You breathe, you don’t know what else to say.

“Tell me you’re mine. Please Bunny. Tell me.”

“I’m yours.”

“Thank fuck.” He says before kissing you again, “come home with me? Move in?”

“That’s awful fast Steve.” He hums softly,

“Actions right?” He asks and it warms your heart that he’s remembered that request from you all of those months ago.

“Yea.”

“Can I take you out then Bunny?” You nod and he smiles up at you. “Any requests?”

“Something with amazing dessert.” Steve laughs before kissing you again.

“Deal. 7pm?”

“Okay.” You agree and he gently eases you off of his lap then stands.

“I’ll pick you up at your apartment.” You almost ask if he needs your address before you remember. “One more kiss before I go?” He asks and you nod, tilting your chin up so he can press a soft kiss to your lips.

It’s the longest workday of your life. When you go home you shower then get ready for your date with Steve.

He knocks on your door at exactly 7pm. You’re not sure how he got into a secure building but you’re also not surprised that he did. When you pull it open you’re stunned for a moment, he’s dressed up for you. Steve is in a crisp white shirt, dark blue pants and a dark blue suit coat. You glance down at your outfit and he laughs.

“You look good.”

“I don’t though.” You laugh, “Should I go change?” You’d just thrown on a cute top and a pair of jeans. “Let me change.”

“You sure Bunny?”

“Yes. Come in.” You tell him. Steve follows you in and you go change into a cream cocktail dress. You slide on some heels and hurry back out to where Steve is waiting.

“Fucking hell Bunny.” He says reaching for you, “you look stunning.” He presses a kiss to your cheekbone.

Steve takes you to dinner and then out for a play. You don’t know how he managed to get tickets for Broadway on such short notice but you have an amazing time.

He moves at your pace, showing up for you when you need him, when you need sugar he gives it to you, he even asks if you want to get a medical alert dog.

After a year you finally agree to move in with him. He hasn’t pressured you at all but you know that the second you agree to move in with him it puts him at ease. Even if Hydra is gone that doesn’t mean it’s safe being in love with a mob boss.

And you are, so completely in love with him. The Captain, the leader of the Howlies, Mobster, and his Bunny.

Tag list:

@andahugaroundtheneck @connie326 @also-fangirlinsweden @lumar014 @loving-life-my-way @pagina16ps @emdying @dumblani @valsworldofcreativity @blackwidownat2814 @vicmc624 @abschaffer2 @patzammit @inkedaztec @sophham

[kbunzzi2oa]

I need some soft or hard thought about harua, maybe childhood best friends (she feel first and he feel harder type) ^^ ( I barely see any harua ff 😭)

❝ Always You ❞

Contains ★ Childhood Best Friends | She Fell First, He Fell Harder | Slow Burn | Soft Angst | Sweet Ending | mentions of Minato | mentions of marriage |

Synopsis ★ Your best friend harua had always had a crush on you since you first met, he thought he would never meet such a beautiful girl, so nice and you also liked him but something twisted after seeing him with girls, him seeing you push him away...

Word Count ★ up to 5'000k..

Nef notes ★ HEYYYY BABESSSS ALRIGHT SO FIRST ANNONIE IM SO SO SORRY FOR REPLYING SO LATE I HAD BEEN BUSY WITH SOME STUFF BUT UM BACK AGAIN, SECONDD I love this thought SOOOO MUCHH lemme kiss your PRITTI BREJN..I do read a lot of &team fics but I barely see any harua and I so get you but that's okay. Divider brown: “#bbyg4rl and lipstic divider from @strangergraphics. HOPE YOU LIKE THIS, as always likes, rebblogs or a comment is enough, love you alll

Harua had always been there.

That was just the way things were.

When they were six, he was the one who held her hand at the top of the jungle gym and promised to catch her if she jumped. When they were nine, he was the one who defended her when the older kids teased her for crying too easily. When they were twelve, he was the one who tied her shoelaces because she always forgot.

It was easy. It was safe. It was him.

And maybe that was the problem. Maybe it had been too easy for too long, and Harua never thought to question it.

Lately, though, things didn’t feel as easy as they used to.

Harua watched her from across the coffee shop, the ceramic mug in his hands long gone cold. She was laughing at something—some story Minato was telling her, probably something stupid—and it wasn’t like she’d never laughed before, but something about this was different.

The way her eyes crinkled, the soft flush on her cheeks.

He used to be the reason she smiled like that.

Now, he wasn’t so sure.

“Hey, earth to Harua.” Minato waved a hand in front of his face, snapping him back. “You spacing out again?”

Harua blinked. “Huh? No, I was listening.”

Minato raised an eyebrow but didn’t push. He was always like that—easygoing, friendly, painfully oblivious to the quiet storm brewing in Harua’s chest.

Across the table, she caught Harua’s gaze and offered a soft, polite smile.

It felt… distant.

And for the first time in their lives, Harua wasn’t sure if he was still holding her hand—or if he’d let go somewhere along the way.

When they were eight, Harua promised to marry her.

He didn’t remember this, of course. It had been a throwaway comment, said with a crooked grin after she helped him build a sandcastle that survived the incoming tide.

“You’re the best,” he’d said, brushing the sand off his knees. “I’ll marry you when we grow up.”

Her heart had skipped even then.

But he forgot. The years tumbled forward like waves, pulling them into school, part-time jobs, exams. And while she tucked that memory close to her heart, Harua never mentioned it again.

In middle school, she started falling. Slowly, but deeply.

The way he always shared his umbrella. The way he stayed late to help her study. The way he noticed when she was quiet and wordlessly passed her a strawberry milk—the one thing that always made her smile.

She thought, just maybe, he might have felt it too.

But Harua dated other girls. Never seriously, always brief, but enough to remind her: she was just the best friend.

So she stayed by his side, even when it hurt. Even when the ache in her chest settled like something permanent.

Until eventually, she taught herself how to let go.

Or she tried to, at least.

“Hey,” Harua said, falling into step beside her after class. “You’re free this weekend, right? We should check out the new arcade.”

She hesitated, fiddling with the strap of her bag. “Actually… I made plans.”

Harua blinked. “With who?”

“Minato.”

Something in his stomach twisted. He didn’t know why. Minato was their mutual friend—Harua had even introduced them years ago.

Still, the words sat uneasily in his chest.

“Oh. Just the two of you?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh.”

She glanced at him, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. “Is that weird?”

“No, it’s… it’s fine. Cool, actually.” He forced a grin. “I’m glad you guys are getting along.”

But he wasn’t glad. Not really.

Because Minato made her laugh in a way that Harua hadn’t seen in a long time. Because she didn’t wait for Harua after class anymore. Because maybe—just maybe—she was finally moving on.

And Harua was starting to realize that maybe he wasn’t okay with that.

It was a stupid coincidence, really.

Harua had been helping his mom clean out the storage closet when he found it—a box of old notebooks and trinkets from middle school.

Flipping through the pages, he found it.

A folded note with his name scribbled on it in soft, familiar handwriting.

I think I love you.

It was unsigned, but he knew who it was from. The shaky lettering, the way the corners were worn from being folded and refolded.

His throat tightened.

How long had she been waiting for him to notice?

How long had she been loving him in quiet spaces, in stolen moments he never thought to treasure?

And how long had he been ignoring the way his heart always, always pulled towards her?

It crashed into him all at once—the late nights walking her home, the way her eyes always found him first in a crowd, the familiar weight of her presence by his side.

He’d been in love with her this whole time.

And now, she was slipping through his fingers.

The rain started falling hard by the time Harua made it to her apartment building.

He didn’t bring an umbrella.

He didn’t bring anything, actually—just the crumpled note in his fist and the unbearable fear that maybe he was too late.

She opened the door, startled to see him standing there, drenched and out of breath.

“Harua? What—what are you doing here?”

He didn’t know where to start.

So he held out the note, hands trembling.

“You wrote this, didn’t you?”

Her eyes widened, flickering with something like heartbreak. “That was years ago.”

“I know.” His voice cracked. “I know, and I’m sorry. I didn’t see it then. I didn’t get it. I thought—” He swallowed hard. “I thought we had forever. I thought you’d always be there, and I didn’t realize how much I needed you until I started to lose you.”

Silence settled between them, thick and heavy.

“You’re always with Minato now,” he said quietly. “And I know you probably don’t—maybe you don’t feel the same anymore, but I—”

“Harua.” She cut him off, her voice soft, but firm. “Minato’s just a friend.”

His heart stuttered. “But I thought…”

“I was trying to move on,” she admitted, her gaze dropping to the floor. “You were always there, but never in the way I wanted. I thought I needed to stop waiting for you.”

Tears prickled in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

“I thought I wasn’t the one you wanted.”

He stepped forward, closing the space between them with hesitant, trembling hands.

“You’ve always been the one,” he whispered. “I just didn’t see it. I was so—so stupid. But I get it now. I get it, and I don’t want to lose you.”

Her breath hitched.

“You’re late,” she murmured, but her voice was trembling, her walls cracking.

“I know,” he whispered, forehead pressing against hers. “But I’ll catch up. I swear I will.”

She let out a soft, broken laugh, her tears falling freely now.

“You’d better.”

His hands cupped her face, thumbs brushing away the tears. “I fell so hard for you, you know.”

She smiled, closing her eyes.

“I fell first."

They didn’t call it a date at first.

Harua was too nervous to. She was too cautious to.

It was just "hanging out," like they always did. Like nothing had changed. Except everything had.

They met at the small ramen shop they used to frequent after school—somewhere familiar, somewhere safe.

When Harua arrived, she was already there, sitting by the window, idly scrolling through her phone. The sight of her, bathed in warm sunlight, sent a soft pang through his chest.

How had he gone so long without seeing her properly?

"Hey," he called out, stepping inside

She looked up, offering him a smile—small, shy, but real.

"Hey."

It was painfully awkward at first.

The waitress came by, rattling off the specials, and Harua ordered without thinking.

He only realized later that he’d asked for her usual—spicy miso with extra green onions.

She blinked at him. "You… you still remember?"

Harua flushed, scratching the back of his neck. "Of course I do. I always did."

There was a beat of silence before she laughed softly, the sound easing the tension between them.

She’s here. She’s really here.

After the meal, they wandered aimlessly through the park nearby.

It was the same park where they used to race bikes as kids, where they’d sat on the swings and made childish promises under the wide, open sky.

"Do you remember," she said, kicking a small stone along the path, "how you used to buy two ice creams because you’d always drop yours?"

He winced, embarrassed. "Don’t remind me. That was my villain origin story."

She laughed, and the sound made his heart ache—in a good way this time.

"And you’d always share yours with me, even when you pretended you didn’t want to."

He glanced at her, smile tugging at his lips. "I guess I’ve been a little greedy from the start, huh?"

Her steps slowed.

"Harua," she said quietly, "I’m still a little scared, you know? I tried really hard to stop loving you. I don’t know if I can just… switch that part of me back on like nothing happened."

He stopped too, the weight of her words settling in his chest.

"I don’t want to rush you," he said, voice soft but steady. "We don’t have to figure everything out today. Or tomorrow. I just… I want to be with you. Even if we have to start from the beginning."

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her hands twisting nervously in the sleeves of her cardigan.

"And if I fall again?"

He met her gaze, eyes steady, warm.

"Then I’ll be there to catch you this time."

It wasn’t perfect.

They stumbled through the first few weeks—hesitant text messages, awkward pauses, moments where old habits clashed with new, tentative feelings.

Harua found himself second-guessing sometimes, wondering if he was moving too fast, or not fast enough.

But every time he saw her smile, really smiled—without the walls, without the distance—he knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

One evening, as they sat side by side on the swings where they first met as kids, he finally asked:

"Would you… would you go on a proper date with me? Like… officially."

She pretended to think, tapping her chin.

"Hmm. Depends."

"On what?"

"Will you buy me two ice creams this time?"

He grinned, heart impossibly full.

"I’ll buy you ten."

She laughed, bright and carefree, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Okay then. It’s a date."

Years later, at their wedding reception, Minato clinked his glass and called out over the microphone:

"So, rumor has it Harua promised to marry her when they were eight years old. Took him a little while to catch up, huh?"

The crowd laughed.

Harua looked over at her—his wife, his best friend, his always—and found her already looking at him.

"Better late than never, right?" he said, squeezing her hand.

She smiled, eyes shining.

"You really did fall hard, huh?"

He leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Yeah. It was always you."

[mydearlybeloathed]

Can we get a pert 3 of hindsight/foresight? They were just too perfect to not ask

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: finals approach at new rome university, but the restful break turns out to be the opposite after a little... realization.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: leo valdez x erischild!fem!reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.3k

𝐚/𝐧: ask and ye shall recieve! someday im def going to go back and edit the first two parts, maybe add onto the first one, but for right now here's what comes after foresight!

The baristas at the local coffeeshop had grown used your presence, and took to ignoring your frantic study sessions spent in the corner of the little shop. You hadn’t had to stand to order more coffee in weeks—they felt your stare and happily brought you more, leaving you to your notes.

You were so grateful for their encouragement as finals closed in, although Reyna couldn’t say the same.

She closed in like a hawk on a studious little mouse, disapproval written all over her face as she came up to your table and pushed your mug away from your reaching hand. You straightened up and shot her a glare, already knowing exactly who dared to disturb you. 

“Reyna,” you grunted, as if you were facing some long-term enemy. She rolled her eyes and sat down acrosf from you.

“Y/N.” She parted the sea of notes to better face you. “You know I respect you.”

“Ah, yes, here’s the but.”

Reyna emphasized, “But you’re worrying several of your friends—me included.”

You attempted to avert your eyes by fiddling with your pencil. “I need to keep studying.”

“Then change your scenery. Drink some water. Or, dare I say it, take a break.” In all her coolness, Reyna was pleading with you now, genuinely concerned with how exhausted you were.

“You know I can’t,” you murmured as you met her gaze head on. “I need to pass, or this was all for nothing.”

If you couldn’t pass finals, then all the grit and bearing would be for nothing. All your doubts would be right. You couldn’t let that happen, no matter how much sleep it cost. New Rome University was your last chance at making something of yourself, and by the gods you would not let it slip through.

“Thank you for your concern,” you said sincerely. “But I’ll be fine. Just need to get through next week.”

She pressed her tongue to her cheek whilst you proceeded to ignore her and go back to studying. Reyna was never one to give up so easily, especially not with your health on the line. Luckily, she had one more card up her sleeve.

“Leo said the same thing, you know.” Your eyes darted up from your notes, and Reyna knew she had you in her trap. “Honestly, he looked worse off than you. I didn’t know somebody could have eyebags as bad as his. Of course, he was chugging energy drinks, not coffee.”

Your hands stilled at your sides, thoughtful now. A few more moments passed like that, with Reyna fighting off a smirk and you rolling the image of a suffering Leo around your mind. “Where is he?”

“Somewhere in his dorm,” she replied, standing. “I’m sure he wouldn’t be opposed to a distraction. Not if its you.”

Somewhere between realizing her trick and wodnering just what she meant by that, you started packing up your things, much to the baristas’ shock. Reyna shock them a smirk as she slipped outside.

Minutes later you were trudging through New Rome, eyes on the ground as you took the practices route to the University, right up to the familiar boys dormitory built up on the far side of campus. You shoved open the doors and came face to face with a few students hanging around the lobby. Venus kids, if you remembered right.

“You seen Leo?” you asked, noting how your tone was deeper than usual. Maybe you did need sleep.

One of the girls among them hummed. “I think I saw him out on the patio.”

Thanking them quickly, you beelined back out the door, rounding the building and laying eyes on the marble octagon situated in the distance, surrounded by cool green grass. And on the picnic table at its center was a boy hunched over a series of books, just as you had been in the coffeeshop.

You slung your backpack to one shoulder as you approached, hopping up onto the marble and grinning when Leo startled. He blinked up at you, trying so very hard to seem awake, but you saw right through it. 

“You look like shit,” you teased as you slid into the seat across from him, tossing your bag aside.

He scoffed with a roll of his eyes even as he forced down a yawn. “Yeah, yeah. Back at you.”

You tilted your head, still smiling, and lazily reached to tug his books away. Leo huffed and tried to claw them back, letting them slip in the end. You caught his eye then. “Wanna head inside? We can watch a movie.”

Leo sat back and passed a hand over his curls. “Did Reyna send you?”

“She all but kicked me out of the coffeeshop,” you mused. 

“Out of Ambrosas?” he exclaimed, brows vaulted. “How will you ever survive?”

You took a moment to examine the many red bull cans scattered around. “Says the man who’s heart is bound to explode.”

“Touche.” Leo tried to return to his books, but he took a look around and felt his eyes crossing from overuse. “What movie?”

“The Hobbit?” you offered. Leo lit up slightly, his hands itching to toss all his things in his bag. 

“... Okay, but just the first one.”

As expected, you didn’t stop at just the first one, and as the credits rolled on the third movie, you glanced over at the window of Leo’s dorm to find the moon strung up in the sky. The pair of you were alone, wrapped up in blankets atop Leo’s bed. His roommate, some Apollo legacy called Sam, ahd taken one stpe inside before he scoffed and headed right back out. It was very weird.

It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that you and Leo were not only bundled in blankets, but also wrapped around one another, his head rested on your collarbone as his arms hugged your middle. 

On that thought…

You peered down at him, swiping away some of his curls to find his eyes fallen shut, soft breathes leaving him. A smile graced your lips as you settled further down under the covers. His roommate’s behavior really was odd, but at least it left you and Leo alone.

In his room.

In his bed.

Together.

The thought left you all warm and you found yourself curling around him as the threat of sleep grew larger by the second. Sam was just being weird, you dismissed.

Just a minute had gone by when Leo rustled slightly, his hand grazing your skin as your shirt rode up and—oh.

Oh.

That’s probably why Sam left in a hurry. Heat creeped up your face and it had nothing to do with the human heater at your side. But why would Sam ever think that? You and Leo were only just friends, nothing more, nothing less than good ol’ buddies—

Your face was flaming at this point. Oh. Oh no no no. 

Leo sleeped soundly and awoke pleasantly, ready to begin a day of studying hopefully by your side, only to find you ducking your head into the covers of his bed with a prolonged groan. You flopped around a bit longer, avoiding his eye and touch, and mumbled something about getting breakfast. He followed you out of bed, watching as you stumbled for his bathroom where you kept a spare toothbrush handy.

“Weird,” he murmured, not noticing how you squeaked when he shut the bathroom door behind him and joined you at the sink.

You were clinging to sanity. This was just what you needed. Finals just a week away, and you still had feelings for Leo Valdez! Running hand over your face, you glanced up to find him offering you your toothbrush, his own stuck out of his mouth. You took it wordlessly, ignoring how wonderfully cute he was.

You needed to make some calls, preferably before you combusted into flames.

[blooming-violets]

How does their conversation go 👁️__👁️. Would she be completely closed off? Would she be understanding but tell him off for how he treated her?

It might be hard because we (aka me) don't really know too much about this girl since it was all from Peter's POV so her character and her motives aren't as fully fleshed out as I would like but I will give it my best go!

He walked into the coffee shop early. He hadn't slept the night before. He'd spent his night getting stoned then tossing and turning until he finally gave up and got ready. For the first time in a few days, he actually showered, though, he had no clean clothes to change into afterwards which felt like it defeated the purpose.

He ordered them each their own coffee. Some how, through the fog in his mind, he still remembered her favorite drink.

Peter took a seat outside under the shaded umbrella of a table set in the back. He tapped his fingers anxiously against the cool metal. What was he supposed to say when he saw her? Did he jump straight into his rehearsed speech or let things unravel slowly? Did he offer to hug her as a greeting when she arrived?

No, no. That was too much.

Did he stand up? That seemed like the gentlemanly thing to do. Did he try to pull out her chair for her for was that a step too far?

Shit. She was here.

His heart rate spiked and his breath caught in his throat.

Peter jumped to his feet. It just felt like the natural thing to do. He felt like he needed to stand in her presence.

"Hi!" Too enthusiastic. Tone it down. "...Hi. Hey."

She gave him a stiff smile, eying the second drink at the table, "For me?"

He nodded, "Of course."

Peter slid the drink across the table, afraid to pick it up and hand it to her in case their fingers touched. He didn't want to cross any boundaries with her. He half expected for it to be thrown back in his face but, instead, she took it and sat down opposite him. He quickly scrambled into his chair after her.

Awkward silence settled around them.

He watched her sip her drink and desperately wished he had a cigarette to busy himself with. He didn't actually want the coffee sitting in front him. It was just something for him to fidget with.

"Your-"

"I'm-"

They both tried to break the silence at the same time.

Peter gave a half hearted laugh and shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "You go first."

"You're hair looks like shit," she spoke.

He let her comment sink in before a smile grew across his lips.

She wasn't wrong.

At least it was washed.

"Yeah, well, I said some really shitty things to my favorite hair dresser and treated her like shit so she rightfully left me to rot in my own filth."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You never thought to find another hair dresser to deal with your hair problem?"

Peter shook his head, his voice softened, "There would never be anyone as good as her."

Now it was her turn to crack a smile.

She leaned back in her chair and he felt a sense of ease wash over him.

"You're an asshole, you know," she quipped.

Peter gave a sad grin and nodded, "I know. Trust me. I know."

She studied him carefully, watching his every micro expression, and finally licked her lips, coming up with a silent conclusion to her thoughts, "Come on." She stood up and started to walk away, turning over her shoulder to shout. "Hurry up! Follow me, dickhead."

He quickly did as he was told and hurried after her, abandoning his coffee on the table, "Where are we going? Are you bringing me somewhere to kill me? Because I'd let you if that's what you want."

He fell in step beside her, keeping her in his peripheral. She looked determined but calm.

"I'm going to cut that horrid mop on top of your head. I'll decide if I want to Sweeny Todd you when I'm through. You'll have to wait and see."

Peter looked down at his feet with a smile.

He was forgiven. Sort of. Almost. True forgiveness takes time but this was a start. She understood him better than anyone. She could read him with just a look. He had no doubt that she got everything she needed from him the moment she sat down and looked him over. She knew he was sorry. She knew he felt bad. She knew he regretted everything. She knew he was broken and hurting and grieving and lost.

She didn't need words to know the real him.

He wore his sorrow on his sleeve.

I wasn't really sure where I was going to take this when I started so I just let the vibes take over. I think this is more realistic between friends than some big speeches or giant confessions of apologies tbh. When I think back to fights I've had with my friends in past, we always "make up" by just being like "eh forget it i love you anyway even if youre a dick wanna come over and eat pizza with me??" and let things go. Esp with this particular story, it's not like he did anything too crazy besides take her for granted and publicly yell at her. I've screamed at a friend in middle of my high school parking lot before and we were besties again like the next week. I think that's just how real friendships go.

"You're an asshole." "I know." "Great, let's go hang out."

Sometimes it can just be that simple! Insult each other, laugh about it, and then move on. If you're close enough with someone, you should be able to read them without words and know exactly what they're thinking just from a look. If someone is sorry, they show it through body language and how they act. Sometimes words are just extra fluff.

[doahaesunshine]

Chapter 16

Chapter WC: 2665

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August 1st

Seungcheol had compiled a list of questions that he wanted to ask Minghao. It wasn’t a lot but it was enough. Six questions in the span of sixteen days, it didn’t seem like much but Seungcheol was content. He may end up asking more in the moment, Minghao did say he would have more time. Apparently a full moon gave him the ability to speak longer, Seungcheol didn’t understand.

What he did understand was that there were very real forces at play like his friend’s father had mentioned. Seungcheol did not want to admit it, he honestly wanted to laugh at himself for believing anything that he had seen or heard in the past sixteen days.

Working at his own father’s hardware shop had turned into him idling behind the counter and occasionally going on his laptop in search for any record of a Minghao on the internet. There were various social media profiles, none of the people on the screen looked like him though. All the profiles were too normal to be him. 

He was told Minghao wasn’t a ghost, which meant he had to be a real person, he had to exist somewhere. Everywhere he searched resulted in a dead end, Facebook, Insta profiles, public databases, nothing, it didn’t help that he didn’t have a surname to aid in his search. The rest of his shift was spent figuratively – and literally – smashing his head against the counter until his father told him to go home.

After work he drove to the plaza near the bridge. He wanted to buy some coffee before talking to Minghao again. Since he was going to be here for a while, he ordered the coffee and took it outside with him. He decided to sit and relax at the plaza fountain for a while, as he still had an hour to wait. Pulling his notebook out from his bag, he turned to the page that had all of his questions written down. With a stern look he reviewed the pages, thinking of every possible answer to each one as he read down the list.

“These sound ridiculous…” Seungcheol muttered to himself.

“I think they’re fine.”

Seungcheol snapped his head to the source of the voice. Right next to him was Minghao, but he looked solid, not see through at all, and he was wearing street clothes. He looked casual with a pair black skinny jeans and a loose band t-shirt that he french tucked into his belt. Even the shoes he wore were pedestrian, a pair of red converse. He looked completely different from the ethereal, white-cloaked persona Seungcheol first saw.

Seungcheol’s eyes went wide. “You’re actually here?” He lit up the screen of his phone: 11:15 . “There’s still forty five minutes til’ midnight.”

Minghao tilted his head upward to gaze at the moon. Seungcheol looked up as well, the moon was full and nearly at its maximum height. 

“It’s close enough… Besides, I’m not actually here.” Minghao was speaking out loud now, lips moving and all. 

“What do you mean?”

“Give me your hand.”

Seungcheol held out his hand, palm facing upward. Minghao gingerly placed his right hand on top of Seungcheol’s. The round-eyed man watched as Minghao’s tattooed hand was on top of his, but the embellished sun tattoo disappeared as his hand went through him. 

“The moon’s energy just makes it easier to blend in.” Minghao relaxed and sighed as he enjoyed the night air.

“And your clothes?”

Minghao giggled. “What about them?”

“They’re… normal.”

Another small giggle sang out from Minghao. “I’ve appeared here many times for a long time. A change in wardrobe is needed if I don’t want another internet article about me.”

Seungcheol smirked as he addressed his company. “It’s a little late for that… I was on that bridge because I read a forum post.”

The two shared a laugh as they took a moment to enjoy themselves rather than go straight to business. When the laughter died down, Seungcheol took another look at his notepad. Minghao noticed this and studied the other man with an inquisitive eye.

“Which one do you want to start with?” 

Seungcheol pointed to the first one.

“Where are you from?” Minghao read the question out loud and smiled. “I’m from the Seventeenth Realm within the Great Wheel.”

Seungcheol blinked in confusion. “I’m sorry?” 

“Next question?”

“Uh-” Seungcheol stuttered as he looked back at the list. “Do you know Y/N?”

“Yes.”

Seungcheol’s eyes widened as hope filled them. “What- Are they alive? Are they safe?”

Minghao smiled softly. “Yes to both. The last time I saw them, they had recovered very well.”

“This is going to be weird.” Pausing, Seungcheol took a deep breath. “Do you know Seokmin Lee?”

“Yes. And before you ask, he is also doing great. He misses you…” 

There was a long moment of silence, Seungcheol struggled to control his breathing. This was everything that he ever dreamed of. Both of his friends, alive and well but not with him.

“Will they be able to return?” He asked expectantly.

Minghao sighed, thinking of the least painful answer. “If they decide to.”

“Can I go to them?”

Another pause. Minghao made eye contact with Seungcheol as he tried to place a comforting hand on him. “Maybe- Hm…” 

Seungcheol watched the Diviner with big eyes, hoping to hear the answer he wanted.

“You’re not going to like this…” Minghao sighed. “Every two years, there is an event that my people call The Joining . You would have to wait until next Christmas Eve before you could travel to my realm and even then, it’s not a guarantee.”

“No, that makes sense…” During Seungcheol’s research he connected some of the dots.

The pattern was there, he remembered the names Joshua and Vernon, two people from Earth that went missing on the same day two years apart. There were more too, the missing persons reports dated back to 1990 and that’s not including the cases before they were made public.

“What do I have to do?” Seungcheol asked, determined.

Minghao smiled and chuckled softly. “Don’t you have more questions for me?” 

Seungcheol returned the laugh. “I do-” He was confused about the situation, but sure of himself. “But I’ll do anything to see my friends again.”

Something light filled Minghao’s eyes, the deep blue sparkling as he admired the human’s enthusiasm. “You do sound just like them, Cheolie.”

Seungcheol smiled to himself, it had been so long since someone used his nickname and the endearment filled him with joy. Happiness had become a stranger over the last six months and Minghao had given him so much hope that he was almost scared of how he would feel if this plan failed.

“Don’t worry, Cheolie, I won’t lead you astray. Just meet me here on Christmas Eve 2025 and I’ll be here.”

Smiling bright, Seungcheol laughed in relief. “I don’t know how to thank you. You’ve done so much just by talking with me. Thank you, Minghao.”

“You’re welcome. If I couldn’t do this, what kind of Diviner would I be-”

Minghao stood from the fountain, his expression frazzled. Seungcheol matched his movement, he reached out to grab Minghao’s wrist for support but his hand went through.

“Is everything alright?” Seungcheol asked, clearly worried.

“I-” Minghao stuttered while looking around aimlessly. “I have to go- If you need anything, come to the bridge!”

Before Seungcheol could respond, Minghao's form disappeared. He was left alone at the plaza, confused once again. At least he could say that he had answers now and something to look forward to, even if it was nearly two years away.

Minghao gasped as he rose from his divining table, startling his snowy owl familiar. The smell of Frankincense filling his nostrils from this incense. He groaned as a ringing headache shot through him, struggling to focus as he searched for his salts.

Recklessly he opened the door to his component cabinet and dug around for anything to help with the premonition that was trying to reach him. He found purchase on a small vial of crystal blue salts, he popped the cork and inhaled the fumes.

With a strangled shout of pain he slouched over, grabbing his face. A surge of electric pain shot through him, sending him recoiling backward. His neck snapped back as his eyes transformed into a pure white.

Water filled his lungs. Brackish and burning. 

He struggled to breath as he was held beneath the dark water. 

There was a face staring down at him, smiling, sadistic. It frightened him…

He searched for a name, a face, anything.

Suddenly the water entering his lungs ceased and instead the aroma of fresh sage filled his nose. 

“Sage!” Minghao yelled as he was torn from his vision.

Swiftly he scrambled back to the cabinet, grabbing ingredients left and right. He retrieved a vial of yarrow, star-anise, and a polished disc of obsidian. Using his chalks, he hastily drew a ritual circle on the ground and placed the components in their respective positions.

“Praevideo. Monitus.”

As he spoke the incantation, the flowers started to wilt and the obsidian mirror began to swirl. The entirety of Minghao’s eyes turned inky black as the spell took hold.

“I have foreseen. Sage is the subject and they are in danger. The vision showed them drowning. Please, I implore you, find Sage. Ensure their safety.”

Minghao reached out to every Arcanist in the area, alarming them to the danger to come. He could feel that he had reached Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Dokyeom, as well as Sage’s roommates. Minghao exited his room, rushing down the tower to help in the search. It had been so long since his visions had hit him with such force, he had to prevent this.

As he ran down the road that led to the lake, he ran into Mingyu and Dokyeom. The two Vitaes looked concerned and wrecked with anxiety. Minghao gave a nod and the three of them sprinted to the lake together.

“Which lake are we going to?” Dokyeom asked with a slight shake to his voice.

“The Songweaver.” Minghao answered, calm and even. “It’s the only salt water lake.”

The lake was not particularly far but there was so much area to search. It was the largest body of water on land and the evergreen forest that surrounded it was thick. The three Arcanists searched while Ophelia, Minghao’s owl, searched from above to get a better view and Muse, a yellow songbird, wove through the trees. Mingyu and Yucca stuck close together, searching the shore.

“Hey!” A loud voice called out, Soonyoung.

The ash haired man jumped and waved his arms to signal that he had found something. Minghao, Mingyu, and Dokyeom, along with their familiars, rushed over. Wonwoo and Jihoon were crouched over something and as the three got closer, gray fur and a long tail came into vision.

It was Eris, lying on the sandy shore, unconscious. She was breathing, but it was labored. Wonwoo gently examined her with an analytical eye.

“A Sopor spell. A strong one too. I can’t break it now. I need Black Tourmaline to dispel the charm.” Wonwoo explained. “Joshua would be able to dispel it… Where is he?”

Dokyeom knelt down beside Eris and placed his hand over her heart. He focused on her breathing and the strength of her pulse.

“She’s getting weaker. That means Sage is fading.” He said, trying to remain level headed.

“Fuck it-” Mingyu exclaimed as he threw off his shoes and ran into the lake.

Minghao walked up to the lake and submerged his hand into the cool water. “Requaero Sage.” His eyes flashed white and a beam of light shot from the tips of his fingers.

Mingyu understood the spell and followed the glowing trail. He dove under the surface, the water was clear enough to see through and the spell acted as a torch in the darkness. Following the light, he saw something floating deep within the water. Strength surged through him as he swam toward the object, upon closer inspection it was his friend, Sage. 

They were still as a few bubbles of air escaped their lungs. Mingyu hurried and grabbed Sage around the waist, using the rest of his strength to reach the surface. 

Jihoon was pacing along the shore, Vernon was sitting in the sand with Shadow trying his best to soothe his Arcanist. Soonyoung watched the water, hopeful as Minghao concentrated on his spell, and Dokyeom monitored Eris’s condition. Wonwoo searched the water looking for any sign of Mingyu’s return. 

A ripple rose from below the surface as Mingyu breached and inhaled a deep breath. Wonwoo sighed in relief and with an outstretched arm he made a pulling motion. Mingyu held onto Sage as he was pulled forward by Wonwoo’s telekinesis. 

The two reached the shore and Mingyu immediately placed Sage down to focus on their core. With a steady hand, Mingyu held his palm over Sage’s sternum, concentrating on the water in their lungs. Using his Hydromancy, he controlled the water out of them, the water was no longer inside, but they remained unresponsive.

“Jihoon, heat- I need heat.” Mingyu called out.

The Evoker immediately joined Mingyu on the ground. The taller man guided Jihoon’s scarred hands to Sage’s torso.

“Keep them warm. I’ll try to heal them-” 

“-No.” Wonwoo interrupted. “You’re still mending from last time. Dokyeom, revive them.”

Mingyu retreated with his head hung low and Dokyeom took his place. The orange haired man glared at the Archivist as he placed one hand on Sage’s crown and the other over their heart. A golden glow emanated from his palms and using his energy, he focused on Sage’s Psyche. It was weak, trying to repair itself, but failing. Dokyeom took a deep breath and used his magic to heal the younger mage.

Sage startled awake, coughing loudly. “Get away from me!” They screamed, voice hoarse as they tried to shuffle away.

“Sage- Calm down.” Dokyeom said as he reached out to comfort them.

They slapped his hand away. “Don’t fucking touch me!” 

“Sage-” Mingyu tried to calm them.

“No- Stay away!” With a weak burst of energy, Sage scrambled to their feet and started to run back toward the lake.

Wonwoo sprinted forward and grabbed Sage by their arm. Sage whipped their head back in response, trying and failing to pull their arm free. 

The Archivist held his hand to their forehead. “Quies .” As the spell was casted, Sage’s eyes rolled back as they fell unconscious.

“Wonwoo-”

“Do not worry.” He said as he caught Sage’s limp form. “It is not the same as the charm on their familiar. They will return to consciousness in the morning.” Wonwoo lifted Sage’s legs, carrying them in his arms. “Everyone here did splendid work, please, go home and rest.”

“Where are you taking them?” Dokyeom asked weakly.

“To my office.” Wonwoo addressed the fatigued Vitae. “Sage can recover in the safety of Diamond Hall Proper. I will contact Dino in the morning.”

Dokyeom stood slowly, Mingyu helping him to his feet. “Why not let them recover in the water of the Vitae Springs?” 

“I understand your concern, Dokyeom, but you know the magic of those waters will have no effect on them.” Wonwoo sighed. “I know you wish to take care of them, but keeping your distance is the only thing I ask of you. Prolonged exposure could harm them.”

“Prolonged exposure?” Dokyeom spat. “What am I? Some kind of disease?”

“Considering what happens to their Psyche when they think for too long while staring at your face? Yes, I’d say that is an accurate assumption.” Wonwoo did not stick around to listen to anyone else.

“You son of a bitch!” Dokyeom yelled behind him.

His voice carried as Wonwoo walked away, but the Archivist continued to disregard the group. He wasn’t going to stop until Sage was safe and far away from the lake.

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@reiofsuns2001 @shinwonderful @starstrawb

[autisticlenaluthor]

Lena

a continuation of 'music'

-

Lacy, oh Lacy, skin like puff pastry Aren't you the sweetest thing on this side of Hell? Dear angel Lacy, eyes white as daisies Did I ever tell you that I’m not doin' well?

-

Lena’s existence is split into a series of moments. Like clips of a film, cut up and taped together— the footnotes of her life. 

There’s before Lex. There’s during him. But at fifteen years old, when the entire world knows and despises his name, she isn’t sure if there will ever be an after.  

All she knows is she wants to be more than who she is. More than this subpar, doormat of a girl. 

And when the mental cuts start to run too deep and it feels like the walls are closing in; like her brother has stolen all the oxygen in the world and the only way to breathe again would be in his absence, Lena tries to imagine what that might look like. Tries to picture a world where she’s on her own— without any of the Luthors. She’d be somewhere in the city — in an apartment, a brownstone, a hotel, on the street, it doesn’t matter where. So long as she’s by herself. 

But as Lillian never fails to remind her, her dreams are just dreams. And while Lena’s used to the cracks in the sidewalks– she’s getting pretty sick and tired of waiting for flowers to grow between them. 

Some days, it feels like Lena's the one splitting into two. 

She isn’t crass enough, isn’t smart enough, isn’t confident enough to properly carry the Luthor name. She isn’t fast enough, isn’t savvy enough, isn’t sharp enough. She’s a prodigy, sure, but where does that get you once you’re no longer a child? Intellect is impressive at seven but at twenty, expected.

At fifteen, Lena’s a circus animal who’s been paraded a year past their prime. 

But in the real world– the world that isn’t run by her parents (although, it’s debatable that anything isn’t) Lena is all too much a Luthor. She has their dark hair and stoic, statue-like stares. She has the education, the upbringing, and the double L name to prove it. It doesn’t matter that she’s adopted, it doesn’t matter that she’ll never be enough– she’s already too much. 

So maybe she shouldn’t be surprised when Kara leaves her alone in Glacier Park to finish picking up trash. She shouldn’t be surprised that Kara finds her just as repulsive as the rest of the world and just as disappointing as her parents do. That part should’ve been predictable. 

But the part where Kara didn’t recognize her name… where she seemed excited, almost, to work with her– that was where Lena should’ve known it was too good to be true. 

She’s a Luthor after all. Poisonous and weak. 

So Lena does what she’s supposed to (just as she always does) and cleans the park on her own. She finishes the paper which she submits with Karas’s name ahead of hers and tells herself at least she never has to see her again. They’ll both get the extra credit that Lena doesn’t need and maybe when Kara sees those five points tacked onto her midterm, she’ll hate her 5% less than she does now. 

But of course, things never go as planned.

Only a week goes by before they see each other again. 

It happens at a coffee shop three blocks from Lena’s school. She’s walking through the doors, arms overstuffed with textbooks and as she focuses her thoughts on how she’s going to balance the AP World History DBQ with studying for her AP chemistry final, Kara crashes into her. 

In a second, the books topple out of Lena’s arms and a whir of blonde hair whips down in front of her as the culprit scrambles to pick them all up. 

“Golly– I’m so sorry, I–” she stammers. Arms move faster than should be humanly possible to grab them.  “That was all my fault.”

Frozen, Lena watches as the girl pops back up. And when she does– the apologetic expression Kara’s wearing goes from concerned to confused.

“Lena…” 

Lena’s lips purse into a line. It’s a fake. An uncomfortable, half-smile as Lena carefully takes the first book from Kara’s hand. She nods slightly but doesn’t say anything.

The sight of her– the glasses and ponytail and her ridiculous Superman symbol necklace, is just too much. The paper is done, the project is done, which means they were never supposed to see each other again. This isn’t in the rules– this isn’t any part of it. 

“I…” Kara stops and starts. Her mouth hangs open ever so slightly. Like she’s waiting for words that won’t come. 

After a second, she adjusts her backpack straps and shifts her weight between her heels, slowly looking Lena up and down. It doesn’t seem judgemental but then again, Lena can never tell.

In her Spence crewneck and skirt, she’s never felt so exposed. 

So she reaches out, takes the rest of the books, and walks right back out the door. It might be rude but she doesn’t care. She’ll get coffee someplace else. She’ll find a new spot and this time, when she says she’ll never see this girl again, it’ll be for real. 

But they find each other again at a museum five days later. 

It’s for a school trip. Toward the middle of October, they all shut down to the public, allowing Metropolis’ various high schools to occupy them for the day. Spence takes all the sophomores to the history museum where they’re split into groups of five- each assigned different sections of the museum to visit and exhibits to take notes on. They’re supposed to connect it back to what they’ve been learning in class and maybe prove that ‘advanced placement’ courses serve a real purpose other than the prestigious name. 

Lena’s group is given various historical leaders to study. The other girls joke about how she better not get any ideas, then conveniently forget to tell her when they’re moving from the exhibit on the Zhou Dynasty to the Egyptian wing.

That’s where Kara finds her half an hour later. 

Lena’s sitting on one of the benches towards the center of the room, bent over her notebook, lazily scribbling onto her worksheet. The room is dark and quiet, with dim lights gently illuminating the art and artifacts. Other than a few students from other schools scattered about, they’re completely alone. 

At first, Lena doesn’t notice her presence. 

She’s too focused. She’s caught back up in her runaway fantasy, wondering, if she didn’t leave with the rest of the kids– would anyone notice she’d disappeared? She knows that kind of thinking isn’t productive. She shouldn’t be fantasizing when she has work to do, but the city’s so packed she’d be just another drop in the ocean. And oh how tempting it is– to feel what it would be like to finally blend in with the crowd. 

After a moment, Lena lifts her head. 

Kara is sitting on the other end of the bench, leaning all her weight into her hands as she stares ahead of her. 

Lena can’t help but look at her. Even though she knows she shouldn’t, even though she knows Kara doesn’t want to see her. In the warm-lit room, surrounded by artifacts from hundreds of years ago, it’s the only thing Lena knows how to do. 

She doesn’t pull herself back to her notebook until Kara notices returns her gaze.

Lena pretends to be fascinated with her work, only dropping the act when she runs out of space on her paper to write. She sighs, defeated, and sets her pen down beside her.

That’s when Kara finally speaks.

“Why aren’t you with your school?” she asks, her voice so much quieter than Lena expects. 

She looks up again, away from her paper and straight ahead, then shrugs. 

“Why aren’t you with yours?” 

“We just… got separated.” 

Lena nods. 

“Yeah. Me too.” 

“Oh.” Kara pauses, glancing over at Lena’s worksheet. “What are you working on?”

“AP World notes.” 

She tilts her paper so Kara can see– the page entirely filled with bulleted annotations. 

“Your handwriting is so pretty.” 

Lena smiles. “Thank you.” 

After that, she stays quiet. She needs to see where Kara’s going to take this– even if inside, she’s whirring with things to say.

“I um… I’m sorry for leaving you.” 

The statement seem to come out of nowhere. Confused, Lena furrows her brow. 

“What?” She asks. 

“At the park,” Kara clarifies. “That was just– it wasn’t a nice thing to do. I- I mean, I know you said I could… but still.” 

“Oh… right.” 

Ducking her head, Lena picks at the skin around her nails. 

“And thank you for finishing the paper,” Kara adds. “It was really good.”

Lena doesn’t know what to say to that. She doesn’t know what to do with any of it, really. 

When it comes to her and her family– the rest of the world tends to be incredibly black and white. There are the people who call Lex a terrorist and her mother a vicious traitor. The ones who say her father was so corrupt with capitalist greed that his untimley death could evoke no symptahy because someone like him deserved nothing more.

There are the girls who hide the dead animals kept in the science lab for disection in Lenas locker. The ones who say she deserves it– after all, she’s just like the rest of them. 

And then there are the people who’d follow her brother off the ends of the Earth if they could. The people who really did die in their attempts to help him on his tirade across so called ‘Earth traitors’. 

Those were the ones who hid behind bushes to take photos of her as she left school because they couldn’t wait to brag about how they’d seen the Lex Luthor’s sister in the flesh. 

But Kara seems to fall somewhere between those two groups. And while Lena can handle the two extremes, she doesn’t have any real experience with someone in the middle. 

“Yeah…” she breathes. “Of course.” 

Before she can say anything else, or even gather her thoughts, Kara has stood up. 

“I um, I should get back to my class,” she says. “It was nice to see you again.”

"Yeah... nice to see you too."

[writingquestionsanswered]

Any advice on finding a good routine to write while in school. I can't seem to catch a break and even when I do I want to melt into the floor and never leave. Not the ideal time to write. But I really do want to finish my writing goals for these next few months. Any ideas?

Struggling with Writing Goals During School

Here are some things you can try:

1 - Write First Thing - Try to go to bed an hour or so early, then you can get up an hour early and write first thing. This is something that works really well for some people, so it's definitely worth a try. It can actually become a really peaceful, quite, fulfilling moment of time to yourself, which turns it as much into a moment of self-care as a time to reach your writing goals.

2 - Go to School Early or Stay Late - If you're able to, try going to school early and do your writing in the school library or academic center. You could also stay late to do this if it's possible. Sometimes, having a special place to go and write, where you won't be disturbed, is all you need to make that time to write.

3 - Write Between Classes - If you're in college and have a long enough gap between classes, go to the library or find a quiet table somewhere and write. If you're in middle school or high school, while this won't help for this semester, talk to a teacher or adviser about whether or not there's a class period you could utilize next semester for writing. When I was in high school, we had an actual class you could take for credit that was essentially a study hall, so it's possible your school might offer something like that. Another option we had was teacher's aide, so it's possible a teacher would work with you and let you be their teacher aide, but really let you work on your writing during that time.

4 - Write After School, Before Going Home - If you're able to, find someplace to go after school where you can write for an hour or so before going home. This could be the library, a coffee shop, a supportive friend's house, or a nearby park. This way, you don't have the option of melting into the floor. It becomes part of your day, but you have to be good about not just spending your time scrolling through Instagram.

5 - Make It "Working from Home" - One last option to try is to treat it like working from home for an hour or two. Schedule your hours each day according to your reasonable availability, but also as close to when you get home from school as possible. Choose someplace quiet in your home where you can write free from distraction. Ask your family/housemates not to disturb you during that time. Put your cell phone on silent, keep the TV off, etc. Stay in whatever outfit you wore to school. You can take off your shoes, but keep your socks on. Treat it with the same seriousness you would if you were working remotely for a little while and expected to be on meetings at some point during the session. This can potentially prevent your brain from turning into goo and saying "okay, time to check out."

You may have to try a bunch of different things to see what works, and different things may work at different times. The key is to make sure you try, every day, even if only for a few minutes. That will help to build up the habit.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[pleasingsalmon]

"Between Frames"

Synopsis:

they met in silence, and found each other again the same way. she met him once, on a rainy evening, in a half-forgotten café. no promises—just a bench, a photo, and a feeling that lingered. years later, in a city that isn’t hers, she finds him again. or maybe, he finds her.

—between frames, something waited to be finished.

Word Count: 4,147 words

Kim Minji x Male OC

I forgot how to rest a long time ago.

Not in the dramatic, poetic way people say when they're trying to sound interesting. I mean literally. My body doesn't know what to do when it's not typing, coding, compiling, or rereading some stack overflow thread at 3 a.m. My meals live and die by food delivery apps. I fall asleep with my laptop open more often than I close it. I even haven't heard my own voice in days.

Remote work sounds dreamy until you realize your whole world exists inside a glowing rectangle.

The only reason I still go outside is because my wi-fi keeps dropping in the afternoons.

That's how I found the café-this half-forgotten corner shop wedged between a secondhand bookstore and a closed-down barbershop. The kind of place that smells faintly like cinnamon, wood polish, and loneliness. One outlet per wall. No background music. Just the clink of mugs, the hum of the fridge, and the occasional cough from the old man who owns the place.

Perfect for working. Or pretending to.

And that's where I first saw her.

Well-noticed her, actually.

She sat by the window. Always. Hoodie pulled up like armor. Camera on the table in front of her. Sometimes a small notebook, sometimes just her phone. She always ordered something sweet like matcha latte, or iced coffee. But today's just americano, black, no sugar, the way someone drinks it when they need it, not when they want it.

I never stared. But she was... present. Like a ghost with a lens. She didn't talk to anyone, not even the barista. Just watched the light shift through the smudged glass like it was the most important thing happening that day.

We shared that silence for a week. Maybe more.

Some days, I came in later than usual and she'd already be there, legs curled up on the seat, camera in hand, body still but eyes sharp. Other times, I caught her walking in a few steps behind me, camera slung across her back like it weighed more than it should.

We never spoke.

But I noticed things.

Her nails were chipped, not bitten. There was always a small bandaid somewhere on her hand, probably from fumbling with zippers or rushing some batteries reload. She didn't wear makeup, but sometimes she had smudges of eyeshadow near her wrist, like she'd wiped her face on instinct without realizing it was still there.

I thought maybe she was studying me too.

Or maybe not. Maybe she didn't see me at all.

Until one Thursday, when my brain had already melted from a broken AI pathing issue, and I'd been running on two hours of sleep and a half protein bar. I was staring blankly at my code, wondering if I could fake a power outage just to buy time, when I noticed it again-

*click*

That camera shutter. Not loud, but present. Like punctuation at the end of a breath.

She had taken a photo.

I glanced up-not at her, but past her, through the window.

Nothing.

No birds. No passing people. Just the same cracked sidewalk and a tree stubbornly holding onto the last of its golden leaves.

"You always shoot the same spot," I muttered, more to myself than to her.

Silence.

I figured she didn't hear me. Or she'd ignore it, like most people would.

But then she said, quietly "No. I shoot the same light. It just happens to fall here a lot."

I looked up.

Really looked.

She didn't meet my gaze. Still adjusting something on her camera, as if she hadn't just peeled the air open with that line.

There was a pause.

Like the pause between breaths before you realize you're alive.

"Photography student?" I guessed.

She finally met my eyes, expression unreadable.

"Senior year. Last project. You?"

I gave a half-shrug, lips twitching.

"Game developer. Remote work. And probably, no sleep."

She chuckled and her eyes softened just a bit. The edge in her posture dipped-not much, but enough that I noticed.

That was it.

That was our first real conversation.

But it stuck with me.

Because sometimes, it's not the words. It's the fact that someone answered.

---

After that first exchange, we didn't talk again for a while.

Not because it was awkward-but because that one thread, however thin, had already connected us. That was enough to let silence become something shared instead of something avoided.

We started nodding at each other. Little acknowledgments. Barely-there smiles when we crossed paths at the café entrance. She'd show up with damp hair some mornings, eyes puffy from lack of sleep, and I'd slide a napkin toward her when she accidentally spilled a bit of coffee on her notebook.

Nothing major. Just... proximity. Familiarity.

Two people orbiting the same quiet place.

Then, one afternoon, the rain came.

Not the soft, aesthetic drizzle people post on social media. This was the kind of rain that made umbrellas useless. The kind that punched puddles into the pavement and rattled the café windows like it was trying to get in.

I had just slammed my laptop shut after a build crashed again-third time in two hours-and muttered a curse under my breath.

She looked up from across the room.

I must've looked wrecked. I felt wrecked.

She reached into her bag, pulled something out, and slid it across the table toward me as she passed.

A small chocolate bar.

She didn't say anything. Didn't even wait for a thank-you. Just went back to her window seat, curled her knees up, and resumed staring outside like she was waiting for the storm to say something back.

I stared at the chocolate.

Then at her.

Then I stood up, slowly.

Coffee cup in hand, nerves crawling under my skin like I was about to do something reckless.

I walked over to her table.

"Can I sit?" I asked.

She blinked. Looked at the empty chair across from her.

Then back at me.

A moment. A hesitation.

Then a quiet nod.

I sat.

We didn't speak right away. I opened the chocolate, broke off a piece, and handed it back across the table.

She accepted it wordlessly.

We ate in silence. Chewing. Listening to the storm.

Eventually, she turned her camera around and placed it on the table between us. The display screen was on, a single image filling the frame.

An empty bench. Rain-spattered. Slightly crooked. Set beneath a tree that was halfway bare, its leaves darkened by the weather.

"I took this last night," she said. Her voice was low, not tired exactly-but... worn. Like she was being honest on purpose. "I waited an hour for someone to sit on it. Anyone. But no one came. I almost deleted it."

I leaned closer, studying the photo.

"No subject?" I said quietly.

She shook her head. "No person. Doesn't mean it has no subject."

"What is it, then?"

She looked at me.

Really looked.

"The waiting."

That word hung between us. Not in a cheesy, romantic way. But like she had cracked something open without meaning to.

I glanced out the window, watching the rain blur the world into grayscale.

I understood it.

That feeling of setting a frame and hoping something shows up. Waiting for meaning to walk into view.

"Do you usually shoot people?" I asked.

"Only when they forget I'm there," she replied. "Otherwise, they perform. It's not real."

She picked at the cuff of her hoodie. A nervous tic, maybe. Or just a habit.

"And you?" she asked. "What do you make?"

"Games," I said. "Code. Interfaces. Logic loops."

"No, I mean-what do you make that actually means something to you?"

That stung a little.

But I liked it.

I leaned back in the chair and exhaled. "I don't know. I used to care. Now I just... fix what breaks."

"Maybe that's something," she murmured.

We let the rain fill the gaps for a while.

Then, almost shyly, I offered, "I'm Junwoo, by the way."

She tilted her head a bit, then gave a soft, blink smile.

"Minji."

She said it like it wasn't important. Like it wasn't the first real piece of her she'd handed me.

I said it back, gently. Like I was folding it into memory, "Minji..."

The bench photo stayed on the screen between us.

And in that moment, we were both the subject.

Waiting.

But not alone anymore.

---

Minji's pov

The rain had stopped by the time we left the café.

It didn't feel sudden-more like the storm had finally exhaled and decided to let the world breathe again. The streets were still damp, glistening under the faint gold of the streetlights, the kind that made everything feel like an old film.

Junwoo walked beside me.

Not too close. Not too far.

He didn't ask where I was headed, and I didn't ask if he needed to go the other way. We just... walked.

There was something about the silence that felt less like a lack of conversation and more like space-as if neither of us needed to fill the air just to prove we were comfortable.

I liked that.

I wasn't sure when I stopped liking silence with people. Maybe somewhere between deadlines and critiques and nights spent in my bedroom editing photograph essay until I feel numb on my fingers. Most of my conversations lately were about contrast ratios or lens choices or "why isn't your subject centered?" from professors who didn't really care about the stories I was trying to tell.

But he hadn't asked to see the photo. And when I showed him, he didn't try to interpret it. He just listened.

That empty bench had felt so heavy to me-like it carried everything I'd been trying to say in my final project without ever saying a word. Waiting. Stillness. Absence.

And he saw it.

That mattered more than I expected.

As we walked, I kept sneaking glances at him from the corner of my eye.

Junwoo had this look to him-kind of like he was always halfway between sleep and focus. The kind of person who probably forgot to eat when he was deep in a project. His clothes were practical but worn in a way that said he had a few favorites and stuck to them. His hands were in his coat pockets, shoulders slightly hunched-not from shyness, but exhaustion that had become part of his posture.

He didn't look like someone who smiled easily. But he had smiled-just a little-when I told him my name.

Minji.

It sounded different when he said it. Like it was something worth remembering.

I don't know how many blocks we walked before I realized we were still on the same route. He didn't turn. Neither did I.

"You live this way too?" I finally asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Just past the second convenience store."

I blinked. "I live near there. Dorms at the uni."

His brows lifted slightly, a surprised hum in the back of his throat. "We've probably passed each other before."

"Maybe," I said. "But we didn't see each other."

That earned me a glance. One of those sideways looks, thoughtful and slow.

"Guess we're both better at noticing empty things than full ones," he said.

I didn't reply. Not because I didn't want to-but because the sentence settled in too deep to touch right away.

We passed the first convenience store. The windows were fogged up from inside. Some students sat on crates drinking canned coffee, talking too loud.

I realized I didn't want this walk to end yet.

"I'm working on my final submission," I said, surprising myself by speaking. "Photo series. It's... supposed to be about stillness. But I think I made it about loneliness without meaning to."

He didn't say anything for a few steps. Then- "That's not a mistake."

I looked at him.

He kept his eyes ahead. "Stillness and loneliness look the same sometimes. Especially when you're the one behind the lens."

"Is it the same for code?" I asked. "When you build things?"

He gave a small, lopsided smile. "I think I hide in it, mostly. Fix problems I know how to fix. Pretend it makes me feel useful."

I let that sit. The same way he had let my words sit earlier.

We reached the corner where our paths finally split.

I slowed. So did he.

"I'm here," I said, nodding toward the narrow road leading to the dorms.

He turned slightly, hands still in his pockets.

"Right. You've got your bench to catch," he said quietly.

I smiled. "And you've got your bugs to debug."

He chuckled, just under his breath. I liked the sound. Unpolished.

For a second, we just stood there. Neither moving.

Then- "Same café tomorrow?" he asked.

That wasn't a question I expected.

But I nodded. "Same window."

He nodded back.

I watched him walk away until he disappeared around the corner.

And only when I was alone again did I feel the quiet come back differently.

Not heavier. Not lonelier.

Just... full.

Like maybe the next time I waited for someone to sit on that bench, they just might.

---

Junwoo's POV

The next morning, sunlight replaces yesterday's rain. The sky over Seoul is brushed in soft strokes of blue, like a fresh canvas. Junwoo wakes up with a rare sense of stillness in his chest.

He thinks of her quiet laugh, the way she tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear last night, the click of her camera, the way her eyes seemed to see through everything and still linger on him.

"She said she might be back there. Maybe she'd show me her other photos." He said to himself, then doing his routine inside the digital world.

Then it's noon already when Junwoo arrives at the café. Same spot by the window, the one where sunlight filters in gently-right where she sat. He orders the same iced latté, like muscle memory, even though he'd rather drink something warm.

His email notification chimes through his phone.

"Subject: Transfer Approval - Relocation Notice

Dear Han Junwoo,

We're excited to confirm your transition to our Seoul-branch lead developer role is approved... Travel itinerary is attached below. Your reporting date at the HQ in Berlin is..."

The message stares back at him from the screen like a sealed door.

Junwoo closes the email without finishing it. He doesn't want to think about Berlin. Not yet.

Not while there's still a chance she'll walk through that door.

He remembers how she smiled-not wide, not showy, but soft. Honest. He'd replayed the way she described the photo: "Sometimes, I think I take pictures of things I wish someone else could understand."

He sits for an hour.

Then two.

He tells himself he isn't waiting, that it's just a nice café, that he likes the seat.

But every time the door swings open, his eyes flick up too fast.

By sunset, the coffee's gone watery. He stares at the bottom of the cup, at the faint ring it leaves on the saucer.

Maybe she got busy.

Maybe she forgot.

Or maybe I was wrong about the way she looked at me...

---

Minji's POV

It had been raining again, light droplets tapping against the pavement like a ticking clock.

Minji slipped into the café just past noon just as usual in past couple weeks, a few strands of damp hair clinging to her cheeks. She looked around the room instinctively, eyes trailing over the tables, the window seat-

Empty.

Of course it was.

She let out a breath and sat in the same chair anyway. She didn't even need to order-the barista nodded gently and brought her the usual.

Hot. Bittersweet, americano

She stared at the cup for a moment before sipping it, the warmth doing little to dissolve the weight in her chest.

Three days. Three long, sleepless, breathless days.

Three days of cameras she didn't want to hold, project proposals that read like sand slipping through her fingers, and quiet apologies whispered into the dark with no one to hear.

She could have come sooner.

Should have.

She touched the camera strap around her neck and sighed.

"I told him I'd come back," she murmured softly, the words only for herself.

Outside, the world continued as usual-students rushing to class, an elderly couple walking arm-in-arm, a boy carrying a bunch of sunflowers.

But the chair across from her stayed empty. He wasn't just late, he was gone.

Minji didn't even realize how long she sat there, not until the coffee had cooled and her fingers had gone still around the ceramic. She reached for her bag, ready to stand, when a voice gently stopped her.

"Excuse me-miss Minji, right?"

She turned. It was the barista. Same one from last time. Kind eyes. Worn apron.

"There's something I probably shouldn't give you," she said carefully, "but..."

Minji blinked.

The barista glanced down, then held up a small folded piece of paper. Its edges were worn like it had been handled, hesitated over.

"He left a note for you," the woman explained, her voice low. "Actually, he told me not to give it to you unless you asked. Unless you said something about him. But... I think I must. Just in case you're wondering too."

Minji felt her breath catch in her throat.

She took the note slowly, fingers trembling just slightly. She could already recognize the handwriting on the front. It wasn't her name. It wasn't a title. Just:

If you come back.

She sat back down, the same seat, the same view. Her heart drummed too loud against her ribs as she unfolded the note.

If you come back: I've been here.

Not every hour, but enough to believe in it.

I didn't know if it was real-what we felt-but I know I wanted to know you more.

I wanted to stay.

But life...

Sometimes it pulls before we're ready.

If this note finds you, maybe it means something still lingers.

-J-

Minji stared at it.

Her vision blurred.

The sounds around her dulled, even the soft jazz humming from the speakers. She folded the note back carefully, holding it in both hands like something delicate. Like something rare.

She didn't cry. Not quite.

But she sat for a long time, not sipping her coffee, not watching the door-just listening to the echo of what could've been.

And the strange, aching hope that it wasn't quite over.

Not yet.

---

Years had passed by before I realized...

And I've always thought milestones would feel louder.

You know-more triumphant. Maybe music would play in my head, or the world would blur around the edges in cinematic timing. Something dramatic. Something... earned.

Seeing my name on the wall, printed in serif letters beneath spotlights and white space-Kim Minji, South Korea. I imagined something loud. Maybe a spark inside me. The kind of feeling that makes your chest warm and your hands shake.

But all I felt tonight was quiet.

Not the comforting kind. The kind that settles on your shoulders like fog. The kind that makes even applause sound far away.

This is my first abroad event I attended and I was part of twelve international participants invited to exhibit. A recognition I used to dream about during all-nighters in my cramped dorm room. And yet, standing here now, I felt almost... misplaced. Like I was looking at someone else's life from a distance.

I suppose that's the price of getting what you want after too long. You change too much along the way to recognize the version of yourself who asked for it in the first place.

I stood near the back of the gallery, arms folded loosely, watching strangers drift in and out. Some leaned in to read the artist bios. Some tilted their heads at photos like they were decoding a secret language. A few even stopped to look at mine, murmuring things like "elegant" or "subtle, nostalgic lighting." No one asked what the bench meant.

I didn't expect them to.

I tried to enjoy it, of course. I sipped the wine, nodded politely at the compliments, and I smiled at all the right moments-except one.

Except when someone pointed at the bench photo and said it reminded them of longing. Like they could almost feel the ghost of someone who had just left.

They didn't know how close they were.

They didn't know that I took that photo just a few days before he left me a note.

That damn note.

"If you ever come back, just know that I've been here..."

I still remember reading it in the quiet of that cafe. Same window seat. Same bitter coffee. Everything was unchanged-except he was gone. And I hadn't even told him my full name. He left not knowing if I'd ever think about him again.

But I did. Every time I picked up my camera. Every time I framed something fleeting. Every time it rained.

I don't know why I submitted that photo to this exhibition. It doesn't match the others. It doesn't showcase technical excellence or innovation. It's just a moment. Empty. Damp. Still.

But it's the only one that ever felt unfinished.

And now-tonight-I kept catching myself glancing toward the doors. As if he might walk in. As if the universe still owed us one more rerun.

It's foolish, I know. I don't even know where he is now-he could be anywhere on earth, far beyond my reach.

Also, years have passed. People should move on. I moved on... or at least, I pretended to.

Still, I kept looking.

By the time the final hour rolled around, the air had changed. Softer. Quieter. The wine ran out. The laughter faded into coats rustling against arms and doors swinging closed. One by one, they all left.

And when I finally turned away, surrendering to the thought that maybe he truly belonged to a different chapter of my life-

-there he was.

Leaning against a blank wall in the corner like he'd always been part of this place. Like he'd been waiting for the last guest to leave, the noise to die down, and my heart to soften just enough to hear his voice again.

It's really him...

He hadn't changed much. A little older, maybe. More tired around the eyes. But it was still him.

I didn't speak. I couldn't. My breath lodged somewhere in my chest, and my thoughts scattered like spilled photographs.

He took a few steps in, quiet, slow. Not intruding. Just... arriving.

"It took me a minute," he said, voice low, almost a whisper between us.

"I thought it was someone else. But your name was on the flyer." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded brochure. A crease ran across the middle, like it'd been carried around for days.

"I found it pinned on the wall at work. Right next to the printer, actually. Didn't even know I was looking for you until I saw your face. "He held the flyer up like proof. I didn't need it. He was here.

I laughed-shaky, sudden, soft. "You came all the way here because of a flyer?"

"No," he said. "I came because of a bench. Years ago. In the rain."

My heart clenched.

He stepped closer, gaze flicking toward the photo behind me. The one with the empty bench.

"You really kept it," he said. "I thought maybe it was just... a passing thing."

"I couldn't delete it," I said quietly. "Even when I tried."

Silence stretched between us.

I wanted to say more. I wanted to ask why he never wrote again, why he vanished from that café. But the answer was already there. We didn't exchange numbers. We never made promises. We only had a moment. One perfect, unfinished moment.

And maybe that was why it still hurt.

He finally exhaled. A breath he'd been holding for years.

"I missed you," he said, and it wasn't loud, or rehearsed. Just the kind of truth you only say when there's no one else around to hear it.

And I-

I just smile, hearing that word came out of his mouth.

I wanted to tell him everything.

But instead, I stepped back, toward the photo.

"You want to see it properly?"

He looked at me, then nodded.

We stood side by side, both of us staring at a framed memory. That photo meant everything and nothing. To others, it was an aesthetic shot. A quiet mood. To me, it was the last breath before everything changed.

And here we were again.

Breathing the same air....

.

.

.

[bobalegsanji]

Nico Robin HC + Moodboard

Based on my modern magic AU ♡

Clairvoyant. Even though it's an unpredictable ability, her tarot cards are her best friends, and she's quite good at it as well

I see her doing a little tarot reading on her friends when she's worried about them. Obviously she doesn't tell them, it's just to give herself some peace of mind (and maybe to check whether she needs to follow them somewhere and keep them safe. Just in case)

Dark academia aesthetic without trying!

She's intimidating to look at, especially when she's always alone with her nose in some old, stuffy book - but she's the sweetest person if she decides you're worth her time

One of her favourite things to do is go to the library or a coffee shop. Secretly she also visits the cat cafe near her university, but that's kept under wraps

I just KNOW she has one of those old typewriter machines, just for the fun of it

Studies archeology & is so so passionate about it, but it's a quiet kind of passionate. She doesn't really talk about it, but her part of the bedroom is filled from top to bottom with books, posters, tools, anything you can imagine about the topic and more

Likes to drink coffee in the communal spaces, just to feel close to whoever is at home. Sanji coming to live with them has been an absolute blessing, because this means there's always someone tinkering in the kitchen

Easily one of the kindest people in the house. Immediately jumps at any chance to help people, but it's hard to notice at first because she's so reserved

Isn't just knowledgeable about her own abilities, she studies so much and has tipped her toes into so many different kinds of magic - No one but her really knows how powerful she is

UMMNWD Masterlist

[vettelsbitch]

Hellooo, hope you're doing alright!! I wanted to check in and ask if you think Bez and Cele in the kidfic universe would go to a Christmas market?

Either pre relationship with Bez's hands being cold and Cele warming them up? Or post getting together when Matteo is walking with both of them holding one of his hands? Or mix it all together and Teo is the one with cold hands and needs both of them close to him and each other?

Thanks in advance, and don't feel pressured!!! <3

Bestie, babe, I HAVE thought about this, I think Xmas time can have such potential for a kidfic AU. And of course this is no different.

At first I was going to answer this with a series of thoughts and ideas about what could happen, but then it started growing and growing. So I went for a blurb... that also grew and ended up being 2.5k words.

But, merry christmas and happy holidays, there you go, enjoy this unbetaed mess (and as always thanks to @dobbiamo-capire for helping me keep it italian enough)

....

Marco stops for a second in his walk down the building stairs, Matteo in his arms, his eyes drifting to Cele's closed door a little ways down the hallway. They haven't seen each other quite as much, and Matteo has started asking about him. Well, more than usual. He wonders if they should walk up to the door and knock, but what would he say? 'Hey, Teo has been asking about you, and I also miss you a lot'. So instead he just keeps walking down, Cele is probably studying for his exams. 

Marco had asked for the day off at work so they could go walk around the Christmas market a week ago. But the mechanic shop was very busy with people wanting to make sure their car was ready for long trips home or up the mountains for the holidays. So it took a bit, but finally, they are on their way to spend a whole day walking around. 

When they get to the street, Marco lowers Teo to the ground. He readjusts the backpack on his shoulders, full of juice packs, sandwiches, and some of Teo's favorite snacks, and drops to one knee in front of his kid. 

"You have to put on your hat, Teo," he says, reaching for the lump of knit fabric in Matteo's hands. 

"I don't like it, papà!" 

"It's cold, and your ears will fall off if you don't use it," he says, tugging one of his small ears, prompting a giggle out of Teo. Then he brushes Teo's curls back to make sure they don't get in his eyes when he puts the hat on, tying the little ear covers under his chin and fluffing his scarf so his cheeks get some coverage from the chilly wind too. "How excited are you for the market?" 

Matteo throws his arm open and his hands as far apart as he can stretch them. "This much!" 

"Wow, that's a lot."

Marco stands up again, offering his hand for Matteo to grab onto, and they start walking slowly towards the city center. His little gloved hand in Marco's big one makes him smile, excited to see him enjoy the holiday spirit that covers the city.

…………………

They reach the market twenty minutes and a juice pack later. It's filled with people chatting and laughing, looking at the stands offering anything from sweets to Christmas decorations, and Matteo seems to fill back up with energy at the sight of it all, pulling on Marco's hand to go to the closest stall and look at the wooden toys in it.

Every vendor is nice, and the whole square smells of wood and spices. An old man with gray hair, big round glasses, and an apron with a chocolate bar printed on it gives Matteo a little chocolate candy for free, and that makes sure his smile stays firmly in his face while they walk between wooden stalls.

Marco recognizes one of the girls tending the coffee stand, she had brought her car to his job to get a bump fixed not long ago, and she strikes up a conversation while still helping customers, which is quite impressive if you ask him. She's telling him how she can't go back home this year when he feels Matteo pulling his hand insistently. He looks down to see him pointing somewhere in the distance, throwing an apologetic smile at the girl.

"Papà, look, 'ele!"

Marco's eyes snap up immediately, looking towards where Teo is pointing. Between the rows of people having a good time, he can see the archway that serves as an entry to the ice rink, and next to it, in another of the wooden winter stalls, there's Cele. If Matteo hadn't pointed him out, it could have taken Marco a second to realize it was him, his long black curls hidden by his hat. But it's clearly him. Matteo tugs at his hand again.

"C'mon, papà, let's go see 'ele."

Marco smiles at him again, letting himself get dragged away from the coffee stall. He turns around to wave to the girl, and she just smiles back at him quickly before turning around to the next person in line. Teo walks in a straight line, his little hand tight around Marco's fingers. He can see people entering the rink, but Cele seems to not be busy when they get to him, he's talking to another young man next to him. Both of them have the same jacket on, with the university logo on the chest. Marco goes to clear his throat to catch his attention when Teo beats him to it.

"Hi 'ele!"

Marco feels his heart skip a beat when Cele turns around, his nose and his cheeks are flushed red. He's smiling immediately, looking down at Teo and then glancing at Marco. His eyes are crinkling, and his irises are so dark that they reflect the light hanging around him.

"Hey guys! What brings you here?" He says, dropping to his elbows on the stall to look down at Teo more comfortably.

Marco pats Matteo's head, the hat warm against his cold hands. "I promised to take him to the market some time ago, and we finally managed."

Matteo steps closer, rising on his tiptoes to put his hands on the edge of the wooden table. "Look, Cele! I've got Spiderman gloves!"

Cele bends over further, getting close to Teo, and Marco feels like his lungs are on fire for a second, seeing him smiling at his kid, his face soft and open, immediately praising his gloves. He puts his hands in his pocket before he does something dumb, like caressing Cele's cheek. 

"Do you guys want to try the rink? Skating is pretty fun," Cele says, pointing at the archway.

Marco looks at the mass of people skating around and then at the list of prices for the rented skates, feeling Teo turn around. Cele must notice because he speaks up. "Friends and family discount, of course," he says with a wink. Marco almost chokes on his own breath.

 "Can we papà?"

Bez looks down, patting his head again. "There's too many people, Teo, and you're small, it can be dangerous."

Matteo pouts, his bottom lip pushing forward and his big eyes looking up at him, and Marco knows he's doomed. He can never say no to his kid when he pulls the puppy eyes; even at three years old, he knows it. He looks up to Cele, looking for help, only to be faced with his crooked smile and big eyes filled with twinkling lights. And before Cele can fully open his mouth to speak, he is really doomed. 

"I get my break at around 13, in less than an hour, if you guys wait until then, we can all go in, and then there are fewer people since it's lunchtime," he says, tilting his head a little for the full puppy eyes effect.

Marco sighs, shaking his head, the curls poking out under his beanie bouncing with the movement. "Okay, we'll keep looking around and come back then. Thank you, Cele." 

"Thank you, 'ele!"

…………………………………

After another walk around the market, a sandwich, two juice packs, and a trip to the bathroom in the mall next to the market, they make their way back to the rink. Cele is no longer standing behind the wooden table, a blonde girl is in his place. Marco is about to walk up and ask when he feels a hand on his shoulder.

"You're here, guys, just in time," he says, dropping to one knee to talk with Matteo. "Are you ready to skate?"

Matteo nods quickly, his smile a little tight with equal parts excitement and nerves. Marco feels nervous himself, butterflies causing a ruckus in his stomach when Cele looks up at him.

"Okay, I need your shoe sizes for the skates," Cele starts walking towards the wooden stall as soon as Marco stumbles through telling him the two numbers.

When they reach him, he's struggling to carry three pairs of skates to the bench next to the archway into the rink. It's cute, how excited he also looks to be skating with them, and the butterflies in Marco's stomach start dive-bombing once again.

"Wait, I haven't paid yet," Marco says, helping Teo onto the bench, his legs a bit too short to jump by himself.

Cele shakes a hand in front of his face. "Don't worry about it, friends and family discount, remember," he says as he turns back towards Matteo, kneeling in front of him to help him get his shoes off and the skates on. When he tickles his little socked toes and they both giggle, Marco feels his chest burst with affection. 

He's still standing, his skates waiting for him next to Cele's, so he sits down to put them on before he says something dumb. Or incriminating. Like how pretty Cele looks with his cheeks pink from the cold.

Once they're all skated up, their shoes safely back in the hands of the blonde girl, Cele gives them some quick pointers with the ease of someone who's probably been doing it for some days already. When he's done and asks if they have any questions, Matteo raises his hand. Marco can see Cele's mouth tighten to contain a giggle.

"Cele, papà doesn't have gloves!"

Marco feels his cheeks heat up under Cele's gaze. He shakes his head, opens his jacket, and starts digging around in the pockets of the hoodie he has on underneath.

"Well, that can't be, right, Teo? The good news is I always carry extra because I also forget them all the time," he says, pulling another pair of gloves, dark gray like the ones he's wearing, from his pocket. "So I can lend them to your papà while we skate."

Marco grabs the gloves, immediately putting them on under the focused gaze of his kid. They're slightly warm to the touch, probably from Cele's body heat, and feel like heaven going over his freezing-cold fingers. He wiggles his fingers, they're a little big for him, and they look snug on Cele, but he has a bit of extra room at the tips of his fingers. His brain floods with the realization that Cele has bigger hands than him. He's never cared about that, and now his eyes keep glancing at the other's hands.

When they're fully ready, Cele guides them through the archway carefully, Matteo gripping their hands tight to stay upright on the suddenly much more slick surface. The rink is much emptier than before, some couples and one group of teens are the only ones skating around. They start slowly, Cele giving pointers to their form, and quickly enough they're skating around, Matteo grabbing their hands with a huge smile on his face.

Marco looks over at Cele, on the other side of his kid, and mouths his thanks. He swears he sees Cele's cheeks flush darker, but that's probably from the ice underneath their feet.

"So, Teo, have you written your letter to Babbo Natale already?"

Matteo nods, sliding a bit with the momentum but catching himself easily with Cele's help. "Yes, papà is helping me, writing is a bit hard."

"It is, you're right there, Teo."

Matteo starts going on about what he's asking for, and what he's sure he will get because everyone says he's a good boy. Marco feels warm all over—the swirling lights around them, his kid's hand in his, soft gloves, and softer eyes across the ice.

"Cele," he says in a lull of their conversation. "How is it that you're working here? Don't you have exams?"

Cele nods, smiling. "I do, but I can revise here easily, that's why I asked to be at the front instead of in here. Also, the extra cash is nice, I'm not going home until New Year's Eve, so I had the time."

"So you're here for Christmas?"

"Yes, this year is a bit complicated with scheduling, so I can't get up there until afterwards. But it's okay."

Marco knows what he's going to say before he can reel it in and stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth. "We're going to Rimini for Christmas, you could come with us and spend the day together," he says. "If you want, I don't want you to be alone."

He can see it hit Cele, the moment the words sink into both of them, at the same time as he loses his footing on the ice, sliding backwards. He lets go of Matteo's hand, not wanting to bring his kid down with him, but it's too late for himself, his limbs flying, trying to catch himself, and Cele moving towards him to try to help.

One second later, he's flat on his back, his ass sore from the fall, the warm, solid weight of Cele on top of him, and his dark eyes worried. "Are you okay, Marco?"

He wants to bury himself in the ice, let the embarrassment pass, he wants to pull Cele closer, he wants to run away. He's stalling until Matteo's laughter next to him brings him back. Teo's sitting down on the ice, giggling up a storm at his dad's fall.

Cele moves back, getting up, and Marco has to stop himself from tugging on his sleeve, so he lays on top of him again. The cold is starting to seep into his back, so he should get up too.

With the help of Cele, they all get back on their feet and skate slowly back to the entrance. There was nothing other than a sore butt and a dent in his cool persona to cry about. When they get their shoes back, Matteo's legs are a bit wiggly from the change back to solid ground, and he starts imitating his dad falling on his ass and laughing loudly.

"Yes, yes, I fell. Very funny," he says.

Cele has been a bit quiet since the fall, so he turns towards him, grabbing his arm and squeezing. "Hey, the offer stands, I think Matteo would really like to have you there, and you shouldn't be alone for Christmas."

He sees him stutter, looking down at Teo, before nodding with a shy smile on his face. "Okay, if you insist, thank you, Marco."

The blonde girl at the stall calls Cele's name, his break is up.

"I had a great time with you guys, I need to go back now."

"Oh, right," says Marco. "Thank you, Cele, we had a lot of fun."

Matteo hugs his legs, thanking him too. Cele's hand comes down to ruffle his head through his hat. Marco finds himself unable to shut up again. "We're going to walk around until they turn on the lights if you want to go see them with us later. When do you get out?"

Cele's smile widens. "My shift ends at 17, and I'd love to go with you guys," he says, walking backward towards the stall.

"We'll be here," Marco says, letting Matteo tug him back to the market.

He squeezes his kid's hand, his chest feeling raw with emotion, and his brain is busy thinking about how he's going to tell his mom that she needs to add another plate to Christmas lunch. He's still wearing Cele's gloves.

[afteriwake]

Rainy Day Conversations (A "Love Is The Best Medicine" Story)

So @strangedreamings gave me Doctor who as a fandom to write for my last post of the evening before i hit my post limit, and I decided to add some more to this Rory Williams/Molly Hooper crossover series. Enjoy!

Rainy Day Conversations - Molly and Rory go to a local coffee shop on a rainy day to study for exams, and end up making plans for their summer break after Molly reveals why she and her mother had a rift in the first place.

READ @ AO3 | SERIES PAGE

They huddled together under the umbrella to get to the coffee shop. It was raining cats and dogs and the coffee machine in her flat had broken, so they’d braved the elements under the only umbrella she had to get coffee down the street from her flat. Their textbooks were in their bags so they were safe, but bits and pieces of their clothing had gotten soaked by the time they got inside. If it hadn’t been for finals and studying and a need for coffee, they wouldn’t have bothered.

Rory lowered the umbrella and closed it once they got inside while Molly went to the counter to place their orders. He still had two more years of university left before he got his degree and her degree was going to take two more years because, while it was normally a five year course, Molly was adding an optional intercalated degree, which added another year for her studies. So they’d finish at the same time, which boded well for the both of them.

Once they were settled at a table with their study materials in front of them and hot coffees to warm them, he relaxed. He wasn’t particularly worried about his exams, as he hadn’t let his relationship or his social life interfere with his studies, but he was worried for molly. He mother had reached out to her with the news she had cancer, the same type that had killed her father, and she’d been more introspective ever since she got the news.

He studied her for a moment before she looked up at him, reading specs perched at the end of her nose and her topknot coming undone, strands of hair spilling all over. “What is it?” she asked.

“What do we want to do when uni is over this term?” he asked. They hadn’t made plans yet, and with her mother making contact, there were complications.

“I want to go to Leadworth for a bit. Your mum promised to teach me how to make some of your favorite meals the way she does in exchange for a day of baking cookies,” she said with a smile. Then her smile faltered. “Maybe we could go to Bozeat and see my mum, if she wants.”

“Are you ready for that?” he asked, reaching over for her hand and squeezing it.

“She started the breach, she’s trying to mend it before...in case she passes,” she said. “If you’re there with me, I can bear it.”

“What happened, anyway?”

“My father left me the family home and I rented it out,” she said. “She’d moved out months earlier because she said she couldn’t bear the memories, and I was here in London. There’s a lovely family with three young children living there now, but she thinks once I get done with uni I should go back to Bozeat and settle there. But honestly, I love London, and I’m hoping to get accepted to a teaching school here when uni is over.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“It’s alright. To be honest, the family has made an offer to buy the house from me so they can expand it and make other changes to it, and I’m tempted to sell it. I just...with Mum reaching out to me, I want to wait. I don’t want her to go back to hating me.”

“Why don’t we go see your mum first, then spend a few weeks in Leadworth with my family, and then go somewhere else?” Rory suggested. “We could go to Hawaii for a vacation.”

“You just want to see me in a skimpy bathing costume,” Molly said, a small smile forming on her face.

“The thought had crossed my mind.” He shifted the hold on her hand and kissed the back of her hand. “I just want you to have a good break. We have two more years of uni ahead of us, and since I fully intend to spend the foreseeable future with you, we should make it a good time where we’re both happy. I’m moving in permanently when the term is over, so we can start with that, but...I want a future with you, Molly. A long one, if I’m lucky.”

“I want a long future with you too, Rory,” she said, squeezing his hand. “A vacation in Hawaii sounds lovely. Maybe a long one.”

“Perfect.” He let go of her hand and smiled at her. “Do you want a scone? We should get back to studying but I’m hungry.”

“A scone would be lovely, than you. And some more coffee?”

“You’ve got it,” Rory said, getting up. He watched her go back to studying and he relaxed. He’d do his best to make her happy as long as she would let him, he vowed to himself. Always.