#i sit before flowers & hope they will train me in the art of opening up

[quietlyblooms]

memories that linger | love and deepspace

there's always been something pushing against you. and not in the metaphorical, woe is you sort of way, but in the way that... well, you can't quite put your finger on it. there's nothing metaphorical about it, you think, but anyone else would swear it's just your luck. you believe that, too, when you aren't so displeased with the way things are going. there is something that tries to force your hand, change the choices you want to make.

you realize that sounds crazy. that's why you keep it to yourself.

you've stopped resisting the push so much these days. you feel it like a hand upon your back, urging you forward and into the hunter association's ranks despite your dream of publishing your manga. it feels simultaneously wonderfully right and terribly wrong, though the development of certain events quickly steals your attention away from that invisible hand. you want answers. you need them, and you'll march in whichever direction that leads you to them.

additional details

in this verse, i'm writing chiyo as the mc and toying with the concept of past lives like the game does, though i may also sprinkle in a little itty bitty bit of fourth wall stuff -- like chiyo having the thought, " this is like a game, and someone else is making my choices. " as a treat <3

but the focus will be more on fate bc chiyo really hates it as a concept, and that's so much fun to write in this setting :' )

when interacting with other mc's, we can decide if we'd like our characters to just so happen to be in the same boat, having grown up with grandma and caleb, etc. if not, i have no problem writing chiyo in her main verse! there's plenty to work with either way and i'm happy to adapt!

bc chiyo's parents and grandmother play such important roles in her development, they're alive and well until wanderers kill them during chiyo's freshman year of high school. this event leads to josephine taking her in. she was a friend of the family and as good as a second grandmother to chiyo.

i'll likely think to add more when i'm not sleep-deprived and as i progress in the story, but if you have any questions, just let me know <3

[ur-daily-inspiration]

I sit before flowers hoping they will train me in the art of opening up. -Shane Koyczan

[wounderful-chaos]

I sit before flowers hoping they will train me in the art of opening up. I stand on mountain tops believing that avalanches will teach me to let go I know nothing but I am here to learn.

[misslovasstuff]

“Safe, loved and found”

[Dazai x reader]

Imagine Dazai listening to you singing in a bar, his favourite bar.

The way he keeps sipping his drink but his eyes sneakily look at you, radiating under a small chandelier on top, sat on a high chair and singing your soul out.

Imagine Dazai saying that you’re his delight and that he finds serentity when he listens to you.

When he was in the Mafia, he’d ravish you with gifts and flowers after every show. He’d kiss your hand gently, giving a smirk then followed with a gentle smile as he looks at you up and down, adoring the little and cute details you put into your look.

There was a time he was absent, quite a long time. It certainly made you worried, but it also made you feel empty. The chair he used to sit on was forever not occupied now, and the compliments, hugs and kisses disappeared with him. His appreciation, support and love died as well did your song.

It didn’t feel the same. Your heart wasn’t singing anymore.

However, not too long ago he came back. You had to blink multiple times and rub your eyes in order to clearly believe what you were looking at.

Dazai had grown beautifully. He had changed in the best way possible. You could point a million things that were different but one thing you noticed were his eyes, much more bright and much more calm.

“My lady, forgive me for missing your lovely shows.”- he says as he greets you with a kiss at the back of your hand.

You thought, not so much has changed after all.

After a brief conversation between you two, it was time to start your music. However, tonight you were feeling more nervous than ever. Before, Dazai was to you just a fan and a dear friend. He’s younger than you and which made you always watch over him as a kid, although it’s just a few years difference in age.

Nonetheless, tonight Dazai was a man in your eyes, a fine one at that. He’s taller, his hair is longer, his body and posture has overtaken you, his voice has depended and there is something different now when he touches you; it sends shivers down your spine.

Clearing your throat, you watch over Dazai being served his usual drink. You close your eyes and take a deep breath, just whispering to yourself: sing for him.

It doesn’t take long for Dazai to be totally captivated by you. If he were to believe that art exists in other places rather than canvas and books, he’d be sure now when he looks at your elegant silhouette. There is a red rose you always wear in your hair; he adores it.

And he knows you do too, that’s why he used to bring you red roses every time he’d come to listen to you sing.

It’s quite interesting in a 3rd point of view because one may wonder, Dazai isn’t really that much into music. But as you might have understood now, dear reader, Dazai was very much into you.

That man gets lost every time you open your mouth and blink towards his direction. His heart finds peace whenever you smile at his jokes and his spirit gets a little bit of hope whenever you say how happy you are to see him. But tonight, he wanted more.

Dazai had missed you, and you did miss him too, a lot, so there was no denying. So he wanted to get closer, he wanted to ask you many questions which were running wild in his head. But this train of thoughts gets interrupted by applauses that make Dazai turn and look around.

The people loved you. He smiles, looking down at his drink with a sense of pride and then taking a quick sip before coming backstage to see you.

“You did great, as always, as serene and beautiful as ever. Got me hooked like the first time, love.”- Dazai says, leaning over the door frame, hands in his pockets. - Others seem to love you too, this place has grown a lot since the last time I came here.”- he continues.

“Yes, but, - you grab him by his collar, making him enter the room, then closing the door behind him. - It was not the same without you.”

“What was different?”- he asks, cupping your cheek.

“I missed you, a lot.”- you touch his hand which was caressing your face, you grab it and lend a kiss.

“I’ve missed you too. I’m sorry.”- he says, his voice lowering. You didn’t want to ask him anything about his disappearance, so you wanted to change the topic.

There is a tension in the silence between you two.

“No flowers for me tonight, huh?”- you smirk, looking at his wonderful eyes. Were they always such a bright shade of brown?

“Oh well, I thought I might offer something better tonight, - he says, scanning your from head to toe, - you know, I’ve been watching you for years, and in my eyes you’ve always been a beautiful woman.”- he explains, grabbing you chin, gently.

“How do you see me now?”- he asks whilst he looks down at you, dark brownish locks of hair falling down his eyes which were travelling all over your face, until they stop at your lips.

“Dazai, - you gulp, taking a deep breath. - no amount of flowers given tonight, or applauses in the room, would compare to what I want from you right now.”

“What is it?”- he says, leaning in and then away. - Say it, or no no even better, sing it.”

You scoff, rolling your eyes: “Oh come on, now that I was thinking what a fine man you’ve become, now you play game-

Before you finish your sentence, Dazai pulls you into a kiss, short and fierce, very flirting and yet innocent and tempting. A wave of excitement drowns your thoughts, making you jump in his arms and kiss him back, passionately, long and dangerously. Your arms revolve around his torso while his are holding you near him by your waist.

The heat, the moment, the wait and the anticipation: everything is too much, and suddenly your clothes are too much and heavy on your body.

The longing for another is no mystery; it makes you cry, fall in love, maybe regret or hope.

You both find yourself in a wonderful bliss, in each others arms, safe, loved and found.

[desertdollysdesires]

I don’t believe in them, but somewhere there are gods hiding inside of their own heads using all their might trying to stop their own eardrums from pounding out the sound of your name. You are lightning trying to tame thunder, leaving split second scars against the sky as if you were breaking the skin of something that won’t die. My first instinct is the same as my second, strongly reinforced as if by a diamond sheeting that donated its glimmer to charity so that it could look dull and tough. A shine now scuffed, as if the world left a bruise on light.

I fight my instinct long enough to realize that I won’t win. I give in, surrendering to an impulse, somewhat believing that my imprisonment will not involve torture if I confess everything I know. 

I know nothing. I bring an emptiness to your need, like a dog laying a skeleton at your feet, bone by bone. I lay stone all around you in a circle, as if at any moment you will burst into flame and warm us long enough so that I can tell you my ghost story, that a part of me still haunts my memory. It throws chairs against my mirrored mind, cracking the reflections in which I once thought I would find answers. If I reflect long enough, there will be answers, but like mail on Sunday none came.

So I sit before flowers, hoping they will train me in the art of opening up. I stand on mountain tops believing that avalanches will teach me to let go. I know nothing, but I am here to learn.

[elmundodeflor]

A letter from Hanji to Levi | post chapter 132 |

For Levi's month.

And for all of us who've ever lost someone to this world.

.

.

I'll wait for you.

Where the water meets the skies and stars dive into a deep sea of sand.

I'm okay. Here, cold doesn't burn and flowers never dry and I'm not afraid of life's own, fleeting fragility.

Now, my feet are bare and my hands hold nothing but sweet time to spend. Or is it time a mere human construction we've once hoped to tame?

Maybe, here, I just simply measure time in different dreams:

The tiny freckles that rain over your cheeks, like a million galaxies wide dotting over the nightfall. The spoons of sugar you put into your tea. The subtle glitching of your lips, when you can't help but melt into a smile; rare as it is.

I have no rush, although I miss you. Here, where the grass grows evergreen, I've learnt the art of patience.

Or maybe, my heart just froze the day it's been ripped from yours. And time stopped, then, too.

But don't you worry about me, my love. I'm still one in the same; a spirit wild and colorfully reckless, as you've always remembered me to be.

And each sunset when you whisper my name, I'm alive in another breath.

I'm not up or down. No left nor right. Here, the winds lull me with songs from places I've never dared walk, and my hair dances in the lavender breeze: tangled and rebellious and free all over again.

I've heard once, warm things are graced to those who wait. So I spy on you, every now and again, to avoid the kid in me run impatient towards your embrace.

And I play in-disguise, careful not to break the rules. And I send you signals only you and I are able to understand; for words have been forbidden eternal between us.

So I ruffle your curtains and chant with your kettle. I leave footsteps imprinted on the sea-shores, and paint your memory into the clouds that roll.

I let traces of me slide onto the Earth as I sit, ever so relentless. And I wish, with an innocence brighter than sunrise, that you'll be attentive enough to notice. That my slight indiscretions will one day make you happy.

Because I'm not gone, but a flickering presence. I'm not far, but buried very deep inside you: in the kind centres of your chest. In the gentle drumbeat of your pulse. In the corners of the house your love has long before built for me, big or small.

So don't you cry, my oh so brave boy. Don't you allow yourself pray to my taunting ghost.

Don't you know I turn to ash when your nightmares call? How helpless I ache when you say you want to become invisible, like birds migrating off to spring?

I've heard once, reuiniting is softer to those who've guarded with patience. And, as I watch silver threads crown your head of jemstones, my soul is easily sure, now:

Our moment can wait, still. You can arrive late. Get on the very last train, on the very last minute. Hug and hold and squeeze life until it's been down to its weakest, final drop.

And I'll be here. Always. With both arms open and a smile like fireworks.

And you'll fade into me as you race. And I'll braid poppys in between black locks. And we'll be able to speak, for all those other nights war payed for the silence in our souls.

But I have no rush, my golden soldier, although I do miss you. Don't you see? For once, I can forsake my longing, keep it hidden in the back-pocket.

Because every time you laugh, a glimpse of fire ignites my lungs. And i can inhale back to consciousness for a while.

And every time your eyes tell me you're okay, too, my heart can lay in peace: if only a little bit longer.

So take your time, my brightest Levi. Because time does not exist where I am.

And I'm still the same.

And I want you to live long, but not fast.

Don't you recall?

Between you and I, farewells are nothing but vanishing scars; your fist on my chest, our gazes making up promises to the sun.

When we let the words collide, bleeding hopeless from our lips, we can bend the horizon between our fingers. We can be immortal, even if just for a futile, magical moment.

Because, when you look at me, and I answer in ways only you will ever read, we're accomplices to eachother. Forever partners in crime.

And so, I'll wait for you.

Because, if it's up to us, it's never goodbye.

But a "see you later".

[legendofzoodles]

*Sprays you like a houseplant*

I really appreciate you further writing smoke signal, as I really enjoy reading it (and I hope you enjoy writing it, I wouldn't want you to feel obligated to do something just bc I like it but I'm getting off topic).

I really like Time's role in the story essentially acting as a human slap to Wild's face, I found their face off really cool and while I don't think Wild is going to pay any mind to it past "oh..oh well", I think that it's really going to bite him when he eventually reunites with a very angry chain.

Speaking of chain, Twilight is gone, and seeing as though he can literally turn into a wolf I don't have to wonder if he's following Wild. What I DO wonder though, is if they meet up before Wild meets reader, and they fight and separate, or if Wild and Twilight stumble upon reader together, and if they do, how that's gonna effect the chain reunion (bc Twilights pretty protective of Wild, esp now that Wild just lost his...s/o????), maybe he'll distract the chain long enough for Wild to have a moment alone, maybe he already did and meet a hostile chain halfway back. How will it effect their dynamic? I doubt it'd stay the same, esp not since he handles their food.

Rambling over, really enjoying the story and thought I'd leave a ask/comment

Thank you for taking the time to message me dear anon, and for watering this here flower! (art by astrelle) I like writing Smoke Signal, I wouldn't write it if I didn't feel inspired. Though because people asked for a continuation I’d be lying if there wasn’t a bit of pressure, but now I’d getting off topic 😂

I love that you got those interpretations from the story, and all those story threads are really interesting. I haven’t really thought about it yet but the whole thing is either gonna force the chain to be more honest with each other, or just make them drift apart and act more like co-workers than trusted friends. That’s the only way these sorts of things can go, you either get to the root of the problem and fix it, or you don’t.

But anyway I’m really glad you enjoy the story! btw i do actually have a houseplant, it’s an orchid white :)

Wild characterisation notes here:

More on Wild, he’s basically not thinking- not that he’s stupid, just that he’s fixated on getting to s/o. There’s a small chance they’re in danger/need help, but that’s a small chance too much, he’s not gonna let anything happen to them. He won’t fail them. This is a version of Wild who’s for lack of a better term, severely emotionally constipated. 

He spent years prior to the Calamity locking away his feelings and not dealing with them in favour of training- and I suspect that’s been a coping mechanism of his even before becoming the appointed knight. Sure he got to let loose a little 100 years later, but he had to fight the Calamity all alone while picking up his lost identity, being reminded of his failure and being told about his old ‘perfect’ self by others. Then after that went back to being the appointed knight to a near stranger who secretly wants the version of him that died. 

He hasn’t given himself much time to process it all, preferring to distract himself with endless missions and quests, and thus all those problems are just kinda sitting there. S/o has tried to help and while Wild appreciates it greatly, he can’t open up or return that affection very well. 

And he’s even worse with the chain, even Twilight and Hyrule who he likes a lot. Inner insecurities drive a wedge between him and members like Warriors and Sky, who in his eyes are just superior knights. He straight up envies pretty much all of them in some way, like the child who stabbed Ganon in the head first time, while he couldn’t make even it to Hyrule castle. He hasn’t talked about any of this stuff, that would be weakness. They don’t know any of this is going on since he acts goofy and friendly save for the occasional outburst, so it all just festers out of sight.

Regarding what Wild did it’s less about a breach of trust (tho it is about that for sure, especially with Twilight and Rulie) and more about the error in their judgement. Most didn’t trust that Wild would stay put and watched him like a hawk as he prepared dinner, but they expected him to something like create a loud, possibly explosive distraction and make a run for it.

As shown when he backed away from Time’s challenge he didn’t want to hurt any of them. plus he doesn’t see it as a big deal, from experience he knows you can wake if danger finds you, and while it probably wouldn’t be pleasant for them they’re seasoned heroes, so they’ll be fine. 

[sosweetly]

i sit before flowers hoping they will train me in the art of opening up

i stand on mountain tops believing that avalanches will teach me to let go

i know nothing

but i am here to learn.

Shane Koyczan

[adelicateflvwer-blog]

tags

[quietlyblooms]

the graveyard shift | modern fantasy i

as night settles in and the streets become quiet, one shop remains open at the end of the street. it is nondescript and sports a forgettable name; indeed, one might overlook it despite being the one building that shines in the dark, but if you're curious enough to walk through those doors one evening, you'll be bombarded by the smell of herbs and oils. you'll notice shelves and tables full of books, teas, ointments, crystals, candles and trinkets -- even paintings. truly the shop appears to nearly burst with the plethora of items it holds, and in the far corner, a blonde peers at you from over her shoulder.

chiyoko hisakawa. ah, just the woman you needed to see.

if you need a spell, chiyo is the witch for the job. within reason. there are some strict rules, like no resurrecting the dead and no love spells. there are some magics that simply should not be dabbled in, but a quick spell to erase an hour of memory? a little charm to protect you from harm? all you need to do is answer a simple question.

quiet night, isn't it? yes, if the wind weren't howling.

the young witch stops reorganizing a bookshelf, beckoning you over to the front counter instead. she rifles under it for a moment, and to your surprise -- and admittedly disappointment -- she places a single sheet of paper upon the counter for you to look over. a grin spreads across her pretty face. she definitely noticed your pout.

" did you expect a spell book like in the movies? we don't always need that thing, y'know. now, " she pauses to gesture towards the list of spells, charms, and services available, watching you with kind if not laughing eyes.

" what can the hisakawa's do for you? "

additional details

chiyo mostly runs the shop at night to accommodate nocturnal and emergency customers. during the day, her father runs the shop while her mother still teaches at the local high school.

chiyo herself still writes and illustrates her manga, utilizing the slow hours at the shop to get it done. she's currently on break, even if she's still trying to work on her series. i may change this detail if it ends up feeling too busy.

the hisakawa's have a reputation for being witches, though they will laugh and deny it to the general public. only those close to them or those of the supernatural community are aware of the truth.

the hisakawa's have also been a staple of the supernatural community for years, and because of this, they're well-loved and respected. which kinda makes up for their human peers misunderstanding them over the generations :' )))

chiyo has a touch of the sight, often having visions in her sleep or as she's drawing/painting. she doesn't share this with anyone outside her family. she hates it tbh :// asdf

her familiar is jun, a japanese mastiff who can sense the intentions of people and is most always by her side. if you wish chiyo harm, he will know.

this verse is a precursor to the events of bad moon rising in which chiyo becomes a vampire.

[morningsunandnightsky]

Touch of love | Na Jaemin

slice of life au

pairing: Jaemin x reader

warnings: none

word count: 850

genre: fluff

sypnopsis: It wasn't love at first sight exactly, but it was familiarity. Something like oh, hello, it's you. It's going to be you.

Taglist: @gangsta-dragon @thelilyshope @donkey-hyuck

An: A very short one just to get back into writing, please let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy!

As the train stops, the weary expressions of the passengers in line become visible.  A few of them board. While others go sit down for the following one. You see a woman carrying a gorgeous cat with emerald eyes. A little girl approaches her and asks if she can pet it. The older woman happily nods as she crouches down next to her. You smile for the first time all day when you see how delighted the young girl is.

The conductor scans the area to ensure that everyone who wished to board has done so. All other sounds suddenly get drowned out by the rumbling of an approaching train. 

You then notice a tall man running from the opposite side of the railway station. You see him trying to get the conductor’s attention, but he doesn’t hear him. The moment you are ready to touch the window to let him know, the light bursts through the clouds and temporarily blinds you. 

The man was gone when you opened your eyes again, and by the time you could see clearly, the doors had already closed. You feel a sense of defeat because you couldn’t do anything to help. He may have been in going to an important meeting or making a visit to see someone because they were leaving. You know how it feels to miss your train and have to wait for the next, even if he was just heading home. The thought of being able to help but having not done anything stays in the back of your mind the whole time. 

You gaze at the endless landscape for a while. With the rumbling of the train in the distance, it is rather relaxing. It provides you with a chance to unwind after a long day. When the conductor asks for your ticket, you are just about to drift off. You pull it out of your bag as you sit up straight. He gives you a nod before moving on to the next person.

While looking around you notice that only one other seat is taken. You clearly saw people board earlier, which makes you think, "Did I really fall asleep earlier?"

Your gaze is drawn to the unfamiliar person seated across from you. Jaemin is using a pencil to jot something down on a sheet of paper. You're not really sure whether he's writing or sketching because you can't see what's on the paper.  

His hand glides across the paper smoothly and effortlessly. Holding the pencil with long, slightly angled fingers. His face is being bathed in the golden beams of the setting sun. On his cheekbones, you can make out the shadow of his long eyelashes. thereby softening his angelic appearance. His eyes become as soft and luxurious as flower petals under the sun. He appeared like a real piece of art to you, and you wish you could take a picture of him. 

Before locking those same brown eyes with yours that you were enjoying just a moment earlier, you notice a smile starting to appear on his face. You hastily turn your attention to your shoes out of fear of being caught staring. But that spilt second of eye contact is enough to make you blush.

You return to observing the passing scenery, but every so often you get the impression that he is keeping an eye on you. However, when you quickly glance over, you notice that he is still working.  

You reason that since you are so tired, it must all be in your head. 

The conductor's voice reaches your ears once more, as he announces your arrival at the following stop. The train then gradually slows down and stops. In the corner of your eye, you catch Jaemin gathering his belongings and standing up. You turn your head to face him as he gets closer.  

He hands you the piece of paper and says, "Thanks for earlier and please accept this.” 

He gives you one final smile before leaving. You unfold the paper and see a drawing of yourself smiling brightly while you look outside. You notice that he has written something in the bottom corner. 

“There is no sunrise or sunset that could compare to your eyes when you smile. -Jaemin” 

After reading that, you stifle a little gasp and swiftly look to check whether he has already departed. He is already looking at you when you finally spot him through the crowd. 

You simply return the same look, unsure of what to do. not even for a split second letting go of his gaze. Though it's too late now because the train has already resumed its motion before you even realised it, you wish you had spoken to him while you still had the chance.

Because maybe your paths were supposed to cross and he wasn't just another stranger passing by...

But you could never have communicated as much with words as you do with your eyes right at this moment. Both of your eyes hold a million unspoken words of curiosity, gratitude, and perhaps a touch of love. 

[luveline]

you know, I'm coming right back [Fred Weasley x Reader]

summary: you're a lonely artist and Fred is your adoring model

word count: 2.4k

tags: reader insert, lonely reader, artist reader, seventh year, kids in love, first kiss, getting together, pining, fluff, friends-to-lovers

It was easy for you, usually, to act fine. To feel fine. Any loneliness that clouded your life was pushed firmly into the depths of your thoughts. You tried to focus on the things that mattered, essays and charms and your art.

You loved to draw. You had sketchbooks filled to the brim with sketches, some half finished, others coloured and lined. You drew everything, though you struggled to bring anything from your memory. Everything you drew had to be done right there, right then, with unsuspecting models. You sketched students eating their dinner, scribbled side profiles when you managed a spare minute in class. But you're most impressive artwork was done in the library, where nothing moved. Everyone was silent. You had pages and pages of bored, tired looking students. When exams approached, you hurriedly copied down the expressions of people on the edge of depression and panic.

You had friends, ish. You knew people. You'd had intense friendships that somehow always ended in awkward drifting aparts. Well, you thought. There must be something wrong with me. They liked me before they didn't, so the fault must've been mine.

You huffed out a sigh, pressing your face deep into the textured page of your sketch book, breathing in the smell of charcoal. You were sketching the illusive Fred Weasley, who you'd never truly drawn before. Maybe you had scraps from your second or third year when you'd still attempted to draw moving objects before getting comfortable and accepting that still life was your forte.

He was maddeningly good lucking when his eyebrows puckered in concentration. He seemed to actually be studying for once, sat at a table with his brother, George, and housemates Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet.

You were sat by yourself, and couldn't help listening to his lilting voice as he bantered with his friends. They were talking about Umbridge (the current victim of the Hogwarts' student body hate train), and quidditch, and their recent ban from quidditch. You'd never played.

"Watch out, dolly fell asleep," said one of the girls.

You bit your lip. You'd been nicknamed dolly by the girls in your dorm because of your porcelain doll you'd had since childhood. Even though this year was your last, you still hadn't felt the need to hide her away. She made you feel much less anxious and alone.

The whole school knew, naturally.

"Don't get any funny ideas," said Angelina,  to the twins.

"Come on Angie, you think so little of us?" said George.

"Yesterday I watched you trick a group of forth years into taking puking pastilles." Angelina said.

"It was hardly a trick. We told them they were multi-faceted," said George.

You could hear your heartbeat if you focused. It was in your ears. It bump, bump, bumped.

Bump bump. You flinched, a hand settled on your shoulder quickly moved.

"Wake up, dolly. Library's closing."

You squinted up into Fred's face, head halo'd by candlelight. Lifting your head from the wooden table, you stretched your neck to the left. It clicked.

"Uh..."

"Hmm?" You prompted him, smoothing your hair behind your ears.

"You have - dirt. On your face. Here-" He said, reaching forward. You closed your eyes as he gently wiped the skin above your eyebrow.

"It's charcoal."

"What?"

"It's not dirt," you said, peaking at him through your eyelashes. "It's charcoal."

He looked mildly surprised. You shifted, hoping to cover your sketch before he caught sight of it.

It didn't matter.

"It's me. My gorgeous dolly, you've created quite the masterpiece right there, haven't you? I look vexingly handsome, of course. Thought if that's a consequence of your skill or my handsomeness is anyones guess."

You were lost for words. "Uh, quite."

"Yes, yes, quite. Say, could I keep it?"

"... You want the drawing?"

"I'd love it, if that's okay."

"I," you quickly dug your thumbnail into the paper, tearing carefully at the centre. The paper came away a little ragged and smudged. "Of course. It's yours."

He handled it with care.

The librarian jingled her little bell again.

"Thank you. So, see you?"

"Yep," you agreed.

He nodded his head and bowed out with his friends. You tried not to feel paranoid at their laughter.

-

You were curled up in a hidden alcove, though it was hardly hidden. Most students knew where to seek privacy in the castle. You just so happened to get there first that evening.

You were trying to sketch Fred again. It felt weird to be missing a page from your book, and weirder still that you couldn't remember his face when he wasn't right in front of you. You tried, but it kept going wrong.

When you finally managed one you liked well enough, you had accidentally ruined it with a heavy hand and the wrong shade of brown.

He looked much too brunette.

You carefully rolled your coloured pencils back up, securing the leather ties tightly so as to keep every pencil confined.

Sighing morosely, you flipped to a new page. Things got so complicated sometimes, it made you agitated. You doodled a little sad face in the corner of your page. When the one thing that you enjoyed in life started to go wrong, it set off your whole mood.

Your birthday was coming up. It had been on your mind a lot lately. You'd spend it alone. That's what you figured. Nobody would know it was your birthday, or if they did, you weren't friends now, so...

You began with an arching circle, bisecting the lines appropriately. Feeling out the familiar lines of your own face came easy, the slight upper tilt of your brows, your hair and your pursed mouth. You always looked sad in the mirror, and it showed, dotted here and there when the only thing to draw was your own face.

The rudimentary outline of a birthday cake took form. The candles were unlit.

In a fit of unhappiness, you scratched out your mouth. It was never smiling.

"What did that piece of paper ever do to you?" said a voice.

You jumped. Fred was peering down at you curiously, wringing his hands. You put your pencil between the soft cover and smashed it flat, closed.

"Hi, dolly."

"Weasley."

"Oh, not even a first name?"

"You neglected mine first," you reasoned, rolling the words. He smiled at your joking tone.

"How rude of me. Hi, Y/N," he corrected himself.

"Hi, Weasley."

He smirked.

"Anymore of me in that blessed vessel?"

"Nah. You never stand still."

"If I pose for it?" He asked. You patted the ground in front of you.

He was a lovely model. He stayed infinitely still, more still than you imagined possible for him. He sat at a 3/4ths angle, chin up but not too far, mouth tilted and eyes open.

His eyes were the one thing he couldn't keep still. You tried not to flame in the cheeks everything you'd catch his gaze on you.

You sketched fast, choosing to hatch rather than render, big swooping lines to give the illusion of a depth that wasn't really there. You would've loved to do a full render, maybe even a colour portrait, but he was beginning to look a little antsy.

You set the book on the floor to face him and pushed it into his eyesight softlt. He turned. He looked nice like that, face bent, hair falling into his eyes.

After a moment, he began scrounging through his robe pockets. He set down a box, a lighter, a pair of gloves.

Finally, he set a galleon onto the floor close to your crossed legs.

"For you," he said, smiling at your inquisitive look. "For the drawing."

"Oh, I can't accept that. And I'd like to keep this one, if it's alright."

Fred thought for a moment. "Alright, you keep it. And the galleon, too, for the one you gave me the other day."

You bit back a smile. "I can't take your money, Fred."

"I can't keep having you draw me for free. It's as valuable a service as anything else. Plus, I'm not sure if you know, but I run a lucrative business these days."

You picked up the coin, rubbing your thumb against the engravings thoughtfully. "It's hardly a service."

"A talent, then. A skill. You're very good."

You're neck almost snapped as you looked into his face, wanting to assess his expression for genuineness. He looked earnest, and kind. You blinked away the gathering heat behind your eyes.

"Thank you."

He waved a hand at you. "Think nothing of it."

"Really-" you cleared your throat, "-you're doing me a favour. I'm not good at drawing things that move."

"I'm sure you're better than you think," he said.

You shook your head, smiling smiling smiling.

"What's in the box?"

"Oh, this old thing?" Fred weighed the box in his hands. It was soft at the corners, like a simple jewelry box that you had in your trunk. He offered it to you. You opened it carefully, the lid sliding free with a shhhhh sound. Inside was an evil looking fruit pastille, a match stick and a dried up flower petal.

It felt like a very private thing to see, suddenly. Such an eclectic collection of items couldn't be random.

"The first puking pastille George and I made. Or rather, the second - the first was forcibly fed to Lee Jordan in our third year. The match stick is from my Uncle's matchbox. I never met him. And the flower was from Ginny, when she was 9." He sounded nervous.

"It's a memory box."

"I- yes. It is. Things are sometimes so miserable now, with Umbridge and you-know-who. Scary, even. I look at them when I feel like it won't ever end."

You took them in for a little while longer and then placed the lid onto the box with nimble fingers. You scratched the lid with a fingernail.

"It's nice. You're right. Things are so awful right now, it's good to have reminders of why we keep going."

"Exaclty. Dolly, can I interest you in a fruit pastille?"

"Not on your life."

"They're perfectly edible!"

"Sure, Fred."

-

The honest conversation you'd shared with Fred was a catalyst between you. He often came to find you, each time whining and nagging you to just sit in the library like most people do.

"What, so your housemates can throw paper balls at me?"

"They thought you were sleeping!"

A likely story, you thought. He sometimes asked you to draw him, posing with the elegance of a natural born model. It was great for you personally, you felt that you were really getting a feel for his face. Eventually, you were able to draw his face from memory, the details of his nose coming to your fingers as easily as a first year spell.

It became about capturing emotion. You could capture his likeness now without a second thought, but his emotions were much more complicated. How would you show his veiled frustration the day Umbridge kicked him off the quidditch team? Through the clenching of his jaw? The shy veins in his forehead? How did you showcase the fear when he'd come back to Hogwarts after Christmas break, through his eyes, downturned and squinting just a little?

Today, it was poorly hidden elation. "How come you're so happy?" You asked, pencil between your teeth. He grinned. You measured his face with your thumb in the air, forming an L.

"Is it a prank?"

"You're thinking too small."

"A new product?"

"Still need to go bigger!"

"Hmmm," you hummed. Measure twice, cut once. Or in your case, sketch once.

"George and I, we're gonna open a shop."

"A section at Zonko's isn't enough for you?" You asked, casually, though you were very very happy for him.

"It's going to be amazing. We're going to run it, just the two of us, and you won't catch me in these scrappy long sleeves anymore. The next time you see me, I'll be in a full suit and tie."

"The next time? Is that not tomorrow?"

Fred closed his mouth, realising his mistake. He had revealed something he hadn't intended to. "We're leaving," he confessed. "We were going to wait for our NEWTs but... Well, we won't need them. This is going to work."

"So. You're leaving today?" You asked, crestfallen.

"Hey," Fred said, rubbing a placating hand over the curve of your shoulder. "Tomorrow. During the DADA OWL. We have a plan."

"This is goodbye?"

"No! No. Not if you don't want it to be. Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something, and maybe now isn't the best time, I had this whole letter planned and I didn't want to distract you from your exams and-"

"What do you want to ask me?"

Fred straightened. "I wanted to ask - will you go out with me? Not, you don't have to be my girlfriend if it's too soon, I'd love to take you for food someplace, I was going to ask you to Hogsmeade, but when the shop officially became ours, the plans changed so fast and I didn't know if you'd still want-" you cut off his rambling.

"I'll be your girlfriend," you said.

"You will?"

"Sure, if you'll be my boyfriend," you murmured.

Fred moved the arm that had been on your shoulder to the nape of your neck. "That's a dealbreaker," he said, leaning in.

He kissed you chastely on the lips first and then pulled back to look into your face. You chased him, a moment of bravery, and opened your mouth to taste him. He was sweet, like sugar. Your sketch pad crinkled beneath you both as he pressed forward. Your chests touched, heaving.

"You're not gonna be my boyfriend?" You asked against his mouth, breathing hard.

"I'm gonna be much more than that, dolly," he said heatedly.

Your mouth was tingling. "Kiss me again?"

You gasped at the force of him, laughing. He laughed too against your lips, and the sound tickled. He gave you a multitude of short and sweet kisses before pulling away again.

He wiped the wetness from your lip with his pinky finger. "Godric, you're cute. Look how flushed you are! You're insane."

Something churned in your stomach. The butterflies had acquired a trampoline. You felt happier than you had in a very long time. "You're not half-bad yourself, Weasley."

[dreaming-about-fanfictions]

A Little Too Much II Draco Malfoy x Reader, Theodore Nott x Reader II Part 2 of 2

Summary: Draco has to watch how you fall in love with someone else. (18+)

PART 1

Words: 2.5k Pairings: Draco Malfoy x Reader, Theodore Nott x Reader, post war Warnings: none except for angst

Theodore Nott falls in love with you on a rainy sunday afternoon in his fourth year of Hogwarts.

He doesn’t see it coming, he doesn’t expect it.

He is on his way to the Great Hall when he sees you running inside the castle - completely drenched, pressing a book to your chest. You leave behind a trail of raindrops and your laughter echoes off the stone walls. He has heard it a thousand times before; in the common room after classes, during quidditch training, muffled through the palm of your hand in the library. He is familiar with the way it swells and makes you gasp for air the longer it goes on, and knows how you tear up. But this time, something’s changed. Your laughter is ringing in his ears a little too loud and his heart suddenly starts beating a little too fast. 

He is so captivated by the scene that he doesn’t see how Draco appears behind you and takes your hand. Yet, when lightning strikes behind you, Theo knows that he is lost.

***

Two months later, Theo sits next to you in Defence against the Dark Arts. For the past weeks, you haven’t left his mind. Not once. Theo doesn’t know what’s happening to him, doesn’t quite understand. He’s only fourteen, he’s never been in love, and the way you overtake his mind, body, and soul frightens him.

Now, he’s here, smelling your shampoo and he feels dizzy. He can’t stop looking at you from the side, fascinated by you. He notices the little wrinkle that appears between your brows when you concentrate, the way you play with your quill absentmindedly, how you smile at him from time to time when Moody says something remotely funny. Not that Theo is listening to him.

“Are you going to the Yule Ball?” The question leaves his mind before he can think about it.

You stop writing and look at him. “Of course.”

His heart beats a little faster.

“With Draco.”

A kick to the stomach. That’s what it feels like. Theo can’t breathe for a second and when he regains his composure, he doesn’t know what to say. He hesitates, maybe a little too long - he’s worried you’ll notice. But you don’t. There’s a spark in your eyes and your smile is warm and bright as you continue: “He asked me. I was hoping he would but you know … I thought he’d rather go with Pansy.” You lower your eyes.

Theo stares at you. Draco. His best friend. You. He swallows.

“I mean … why would he want Pansy when he can have you instead.”

***

Draco doesn’t deserve you.

For Theo, this is as clear as the fact that the sun will come up tomorrow morning.

He doesn’t deserve you and he never has. You feel like a sunny day in spring - warm and bright and colorful - and he’s a hailstorm. He fights and is loud and gets in trouble - trouble that you always end up saving him from.

But you still fall in love with him. So hard and fast that Theo can do nothing but stand aside and watch. When you kiss him at the Yule Ball, something inside of Theo cracks. A crack that only grows wider when you start dating officially.

Draco often comes to Theo, talking about you, and Theo wants to scream. Yet, he doesn’t. He listens quietly, he pretends to be happy, he swallows down his guilt. He wants to be happy for his best friend. In a way, he is happy. He simply wishes that it wouldn’t be you Draco talks about. He’s still convinced that Draco doesn’t deserve you but he makes you feel so good. Theo sees how your eyes light up when Draco comes, how you hang onto his every word. And he also sees how something changes within Draco. You make him better even though you shouldn’t be burdened with such a task.

In the end, who is Theo to judge? Who is he to end your happiness, to hurt you?

So, Theo stands aside and watches.

Watches you go on dates in Hogsmeade and drink butterbeer together. Smiles when Draco tells him, he confessed his love for you in fifth year. Looks away when the two of you drunkenly make out in the Slytherin common room after a party. Bites his tongue as Draco breaks in the sixth year and you hold him, desperately trying to fix him.

Theo dates other girls during all these years - a pathetic attempt to forget you. It works from time to time, at least for a few months. But then you come down the stairs or laugh at one of his jokes during Quidditch training and it hits him all over again.

There are occasions where he wants to tell you and confess but never pulls through. He can’t do this to you, to Draco. You’re happy together and the question of whether or not Draco deserves you, is yours and only yours to answer.

So, Theo stands aside and watches - and breaks a little more each day.

***

It happens slowly.

Theo doesn’t know when it starts but something inside of you begins to shift after the war when you all return to Hogwarts. He notices how you watch him during meals, how your eyes linger a little too long. You flinch when he accidentally brushes your hands in Potions or lean in a little too close during study sessions.

A small, tiny seed of hope begins to grow in him.

He tries to kill it. Tells himself that he is imagining all of it - until one day, all of you sit in the common room. Pansy keeps talking about one of her embarrassing dates and he makes a comment - he can’t even recall what he says - and you laugh. Loud. Too loud. Theo turns his head, the smirk still plastered on his face, and your eyes lock - and suddenly, he knows and the seed grows into a flower.

A flower that grows a little taller each day. With each smile you send him, each touch that lingers on a little too long. It grows inside of him, its roots wrapping around his heart, and he barely notices how Draco pulls away from him. Not even after the talk in the library does he see how their friendship is slowly coming to an end.

Or maybe he simply doesn’t want to see it.

Because the guilt that washed over him from time to time when you smile at him across the classrooms, threatens to drown him. He rather pretends that everything is fine. Everything will be fine. Everything has to be fine.

So he lets the flower grow and grow and grow until the night of the party, his lips crash against yours, and the flower has turned into a garden.

***

Theo paces up and down his dorm room. His mind is restless, his thoughts keep circling back to the night before. The kiss replays in his head over and over. The way your lips felt against his, the smell of your shampoo, the way you tasted … Theo stops in the middle of the room and touches his lips with his fingers as if that will help bring the memory to life even more.

You had left abruptly, practically ran away from him while he was left in the bathroom, out of breath, confused. He had dreamed of this moment for so long and now that it actually happened it felt like just that … a dream. He stayed in the bathroom for a few more minutes until a group of Ravenclaw boys stumbled in, trying to find a nearest toilet but failing. One of them vomited right in front of Theo.

When Theo stepped outside again, his head still buzzing, he saw Draco a few meters away, looking in the direction he assumed you went. And then he turned his head and the two friends stared at each other. The bitter realization in Draco’s eyes flipped Theo’s stomach. He lost him right in that moment.

Something will change today, Theo is certain of that. He saw it in your eyes this morning and it’s the reason he is hiding out in his room. He skips class, misses lunch and then right before he starts debating whether or not he should attend dinner, there’s a knock on his door.

His heart stops.

The door opens and it’s you.

Theo gets up from his bed at lightning speed. “Hi,” he says.

“Hi,” your voice is low, almost shy. He sees how you pick at your thumb and instantly knows you feel the same way he does: nervous. In fact, his heart - which momentarily stopped - is now beating so hard, he’s scared that it might jump out of his chest any second now.

“You want to come in?” Theo opens the door a little wider.

You have been in his dorm room before. Countless times. But usually, Draco would accompany you. Sit with you on Theo’s bed as you played a round of cards or shared a bottle of stolen liquor.

You hesitate for a second but then nod. “Yes, thank you.”

Theo catches a whiff of your shampoo as you walk past him and as he inhales the familiar scent, he realizes what you must have done. Truly realizes. If you would have talked to Draco and sorted things out, you wouldn’t be standing here, in the middle of his small dorm room, looking so tiny and lost. And you certainly wouldn’t be crying.

The tears begin to fall and Theo is by your side in a millisecond. Instinctively, he puts his arms around you, pulling you into a hug. Like he had done a million times before. But this time, you lean into him a little too much. “Hey, hey, it’s alright,” he says repeatedly as holds you close.

He feels his shirt becoming wet with your hot tears and closes his eyes. His heart breaks for you. He never intended to hurt you, he never wanted to see you cry, you are the last person in this castle who deserves to be in so much pain.

“It’s over, I-I … it’s over,” you mumble against his chest, your body shaken by sobs. “I ended it. I …”

“I’m sorry,” Theo whispers. And he means it. “I’m so sorry.”

“I … he … I don’t know …”

“Shh,” Theo makes. Then he slowly guides you over to his bed. “Come sit down, it’ll be fine.” Empty words but he doesn’t know what else to say.

You cry for what feels like hours. Theo holds you the whole time, he doesn’t say anything and you are grateful for it. After a while, your breathing calms and your sobs fade away until you finally pull away from him. Your eyes are red and puffy. Theo reaches for a tissue from his nightstand.

“What happened?”, he asks when he hands it to you.

A dumb question and the look you send him, proves that. He grinds his teeth with embarrassment. “How did he take it?”, he then offers a different question. One that he means. Draco loves you and he must be shattered right now. Theo can only imagine what is happening in the dorm room down the hallway. Is Blaise with him? Theo should be with him right. His best friend. But instead he’s here with you.

Welcome back, guilt.

You sniffle again as you dry your tears. “What do you think? He’s … devastated. The last time I saw him like that …”, your breathing began to speed up again and you looked up to the ceiling, trying to gather your thoughts. Theo watched you, his face slightly distorted. “I had to end it, I …”, you continued. “I couldn’t go on pretending.” Then your eyes find his. “Am I imagining it?”

Theo blinks. “Imagining what?”

“This. Us.”

He stares at you - and although he had guessed it during all those weeks, had hoped and dreamed, you just gave him the final confirmation. A smile tugs at the corners of his lips, a little too bright, a little too happy, a little too much. “No,” he then says, trying to chasten himself. “No, you’re not imagining anything.”

“Fuck.”

He lets out a laugh. A short, breathy, relieved one. You look at him and he can’t read your expression. He can only imagine the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts that must happen inside of you right now.

“I don’t know what to do now,” you whisper.

Theo’s smile leaves as he leans forward to take your hand. “You grieve.” He pauses. “Cry, scream, whatever you need to do to cope with the loss of your relationship. Figure out if breaking up was the right thing to do.”

A part of him hates himself for saying that. Why can’t he just swoop in and kiss you like he did the night before? Because it would be wrong. He knows that. If the two of you have any chance of surviving the aftermath of your relationship, you have to be by yourself for a while.

“That’s not the answer I expected.” You frown.

Theo chuckles. “That’s not the answer I want to give,” he replies truthfully.

“What answer do you want me to give then?”

“I want to tell you that you should just forget all about him and kiss me,” he says softly and looks at your hands in his. “We can’t though. Not like this. I need you to want this. To fully want this with all your heart. Y/N, I’ve been in love with you for so many fucking years and I need you to know that this, me, is what you want.” He doesn’t look you in the eyes when he says this but he feels you flinch at the confession. So you truly never noticed. “This will blow up everything. I’m losing my best friend right now. And you … you lost your first love. You need to …” He swallows. “If some time has passed and you still … you’re still sure of this, then I’m here. I promise you. I will be here.”

When he says that, he finally looks up at you again. Your face is soft, confused, but there’s the faint shadow of a smile on your lips.

“Have you always been so wise?”, you ask him, teasingly.

He shrugs. “Hm, I have my moments.”

The shadow turns into a full smile.

Fuck, Theo thinks, fuck, you’re so beautiful. And he knows, just like he did all these years ago, that he is lost.

“Let’s go, have dinner.”

***

A/N: I hope you liked it! I appreciate any kind of feedback <3

HP Masterlist General Masterlist

If you want to be on my taglist, use the link in my bio or send me a message!

Taglist: @writerdee1701  @ladylizzieofdarbyshire   @destiels-assbutt13 @dracosathenaeum, @cherie-draco @potterhead-of-ilvermorny  @awaken-the-sirens @hesaidimcrazy @gloryekaterina @miraclesoflove @bimbelle @louweasleymalfoy  @dreamy-clousds  @ambi-doo12 @bolaurel @slutfordraco  @mei-lissa @teawiththeweasleys @ninadrabic @lillianastras @dlmmdl @mrs-hader @leydileyla @gwlvr @tvdspngirl314  @thehumanistsdiary  @kerie-prince @bellagrayson-wayne @anythings-n-everythings @disartrous  @dracosaurusrex @dracosaccount  @svturtles  @piercinghorizons @labualill @dracoswhore007 @beiahadid @coffeeandbooksaddict @cheywtf  @miso-tang @drabblingdraco @loumila-layouts @sycathorn-slush  @gaycatlord-stuff @turtletaylor98 @bby-gxrnet @beyondmultiverse @dracoscene @writeandtranslate @harpersmariano @draco-malfoys-significant-other @musicalmuffindog1410 @theanxietyqueen17 @dontpanicitsdan @i-am-scared-and-useless-bisexual @idaydreamofanotherlife @justmesadgirl @sambucky8 @turtletaylor98 @mesmerisedangel @dracomalfoyswifey @minsuuwu @krazykendraisnotinsane​ @weasleytwinswheezes​ @malfoysbiitch​ 

[rubysunnday]

your song | c.b

Summary: Being in love with Colin Bridgerton is hard when the man keeps running off to different continents for months at a time. But the letters he writes and the songs he sends keep the romance alive.

It had been six, long months since Y/N had last seen Colin Bridgerton.

He had gone off travelling again, disappearing off one night with nothing more than a kiss on the cheek goodbye and a promise to write.

The romance between Y/N and Colin had struck out of nowhere. One night they'd been dancing as nothing more than friends and the next moment, there was something more. The way his hands tightened on her waist whenever Cressida said something mean felt different. The way he wrote her notes with every bunch of flowers he sent read differently.

The way he took her hand as she stepped out a carriage, his fingers gently entwining with hers, felt different.

Y/N had fallen head over heels for a man who hated staying in the same place for more than a week. And it was annoying.

He'd written to her more than he had his own family. He wrote to her everyday, judging from the dates on his letters and they arrived in bundles from the postman, all tied with a ribbon that somehow managed to match the dress she was wearing that day.

In the dozens of letters Colin had sent her, he wrote down every detail of the place he was in from the sunsets to the colour of the postboxes. The friends he was traveling with were both music students, desperate for either a career break or to find a new purpose in life.

One of them, Freddy, has been teaching me about the beauty of song writing and how all great pieces of music begin. I'm nowhere near the grandure of Mozart or the beauty of Beethoven or any musicale we've ever attended, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless.

I've found that in my writings there's always one thing I can never quite describe correctly. I search through books for the right words that could even begin to do you justice, my dear Y/N, but I find none. There's no word for describing the way you watch a musicale, or the way you talk about art and reading. There's no word on earth that could do you justice.

So, I hope this poor man's attempt at a song, written under strict guidance and a watchful eye, will begin to convey, just how much I love you.

Y/N had read the letter over and over, her eyes scouring each and every line, taking in the sloppy slant of Colin's handwriting and how he smudged the ink in his desperation to write and write and write.

She pulled out the final sheet of the letter and let out a small surprised gasp. It was a piece of music, the notes written precisely and intricately, the lyrics written messily and scrunched up underneath it. It was obvious which part Colin had been trusted with.

To Y/N

Your Song - by Colin Bridgerton

Y/N stood up from her desk and walked over to the pianoforte that sat in the corner of her room, covered in a thin layer of dust. Y/N wasn't an expert on the pianoforte, her and Colin had bonded over their failed attempts at playing. Colin could sing, though. And as Y/N read through the lyrics, tentatively playing a couple of notes on her dust keys, she could hear him singing it, his hand in her hair as they watched the sunset from the garden bench at Bridgerton House.

Their romance had been kept quiet. The ton was used to the two being openly affectionate with each other, constantly hugging or holding hands and none of them realised when it turned from friendship to romance.

Y/N and Colin had sat in the rose garden of Aubrey Hall one summer night, the sounds of the ball drifting over to them along the gentle breeze. Colin had quietly begun singing along to the song, his hands gently tracing a dance on Y/N's bare arm as she rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes shut.

Colin's singing voice was beautiful. And as Y/N played the song he'd written for her, she could imagine him sitting beside her and singing along, his hands over hers as she slowly played the notes.

Attending the opera without him felt bizarre. They'd begun a routine of sitting next to each other in the box, sharing the opera glasses and softly commenting on the music, the costumes, the lighting.

Y/N sat down in the box, scooting her chair close to the balcony. Her mother sat down next to her and sighed happily as she took in the view.

"Isn't this lovely?" She asked, picking up her opera glasses and looking through them at the stage. "I do love a concert."

Y/N said nothing, merely nodded. She kept thinking back to Colin's letter, of his promised return home in time for the concert. In time for him to sit down next to her, take her hand, and whisper about the music.

Y/N glanced up at the box the Bridgerton's sat in and tried not to let out a defeated sigh - still no Colin. Francesca caught her looking and gave her a sympathetic smile along with a shake of her head and Y/N turned back to the stage, trying not to let the disappointment sink in.

The orchestra began warming up, the music notes blending in with the quiet chatter of the audience. Y/N couldn't stop her eyes from constantly scanning the audience, the stage, the boxes, for any sign of Colin.

An excited whisper went over the audience as the lights were dimmed and the lights on the stage that illuminated the thick, red curtain were turned on.

For a minute there was silence. And then the orchestra began playing as the curtain flew up, revealing the actors on the stage.

My gift is my song, and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody

Y/N felt her heart do a bizarre skip. She recognised those words. She'd read them over and over again each night before she went to sleep. The piece of paper they had arrived on was now well worn and creased and she'd meticulously copied out the notes and the lyrics for fear of loosing them.

She scanned the audience again and felt her heart stop. The concert faded away as she focused on the man standing in the corner near the side door, a tiny smile on his face.

Colin Bridgerton stood with his hands behind his back, smiling up at her, his chin covered in the stubble of a beard. He was tanner then before and his hair had gotten lighter but it was still Colin.

Her Colin.

You see I've forgotten, if they're green or they're blue Anyway the thing is, what I really mean Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

Y/N giggled and felt a smile appear on her face as she gave Colin the smallest wave possible, not wanting to attract attention. Colin waved back and nodded to the door that led to the auditorium. Y/N nodded in return and watched Colin disappear out the side door.

"Go on, then," Y/N's mother said, tapping her daughter's knee. "Go find him."

Y/N quietly slipped from her seat and pushed open the curtain, blinking at the bright lights in the corridor.

As she made her way down to the auditorium, she could hear angry voices that were trying not to yell. She rounded the corner and saw Anthony, Violet and Benedict Bridgerton all standing in front of a bemused looking Colin.

"You said you'd be back by the concert!" Anthony hissed, clearly irritated by Colin's lateness.

"It's hardly my fault the train got stuck by a tree, is it, Anthony?" Colin asked, sighing. "I'm here now, however, am I not? Stop fussing."

Anthony went off again, flailing his limbs around as he tried to knock some sense into Colin, his mother trying to be the peace maker between the two as Benedict tried, and failed, not to laugh.

"This isn't funny, Benedict!" Anthony snapped, turning to face his other brother as he snorted.

Benedict's smirk faded as he realised he was about to be on the end of Anthony's rant. He sighed and crossed his arms, physically bracing himself as Anthony went off again.

Colin, looking both bemused and annoyed at his family, turned and spotted Y/N, hovering at the stop of the stairs. His face fell from an annoyed smirk into a stunned smile as he stared up at her.

"They're actually both," Y/N said to Colin, her voice quiet enough that the three other Bridgerton's present had yet to realise she was there.

"What are?" Colin asked, walking up to meet her, taking each step slowly.

"My eyes," Y/N replied, smiling, dropping the skirt of her dress. "They're both colours."

Colin chuckled and looked like he was blushing. "I told you I wasn't good at song writing."

"Everyone else seemed to enjoy it," she replied as she heard the audience applaud loudly.

"Because Freddy worked on it for months until tonight," Colin replied. "Even then he wasn't sure about performing it. If he'd performed the version I'd written the ton would be complaining. I'm not very good at it."

"I think you're better at it than you believe, Mr Bridgerton," Y/N said as she continued walking down until they were both on the large step that broke up the stairs. "I'm not sure about the beard, however."

"Why?" Colin asked, a hand subconsciously flying to his chin and running across the stubble.

"Well, it just means that every time I go to kiss you, I will have to be tickled and scratched by it," she replied, her hand covering the one resting on his chin. She entwined her fingers with his. "But I can live with that."

Colin laughed and leant forward, kissing Y/N with the passion and desperation of not seeing her for six months. His hand rested on the back of her head, carefully minding her hair as his thumb stroked her skin.

"I think I'm going to stay here for now," Colin said softly, breaking apart from her, resting his forehead on hers. "Stay with you."

Y/N looked up at him, feeling his breath on her cheeks. "Colin Bridgerton, are you -"

"Yes," Colin said, cutting her off. "I am. Because it took being apart from you for six months to realise what I was missing. To realise that I travel the world searching for purpose and reason, when, in reality, my reason is you. The purpose of my entire being is you.

"Without you, I'm half a man. Without you, the travelling begins to feel like running away and I don't want to run from you. I want to take your hand and run with you. Forever if we wanted. I can run until you can't run anymore. And when you can't run anymore, I'll carry you."

Y/N smiled, pressing her lips together as she savoured the taste of his kiss. "Words are your forte, Mr Bridgerton," she said softly, stroking the side of his head, threading her fingers through his curls. "I'll run with you to the end of the world and back again. I'll take your hand in mine and I will never let you go. Not again."

Colin pressed his lips to her and Y/N smiled against his lips before returning the kiss. He smelt of his cologne, the sweet caramel biscuits he loved and, somehow, the floral, homely scent of Bridgerton House

He smelt of home. He was her home. Simply being in his arms was enough.

"I've just realised something," Colin whispered in her ear.

Y/N looked up at him, staring into his eyes. "What?"

"My family is watching us."

Y/N glanced behind him and saw the three Bridgerton's pretending to occupy themselves with anything else. Benedict was investigating a painting, Anthony was admiring the ceiling and Violet had been reading the program but glanced up at them with a smile.

And despite it all, Y/N let out a snort of laughter and dropped her head on to Colin's shoulder. "Of course they are."

Colin giggled, actually giggled, and rested his head on top of hers. "Better get used to it, love, I doubt they'll ever stop staring."

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

fic title: the girl with flowers in her bones

Izumi learns she has a Quirk age six when the weird bump on her shoulder is inspected by a doctor who cuts it open to reveal a pretty flower.

Said flower quickly changed and becomes deadly, nearly killing a nurse before it’s destroyed.

No one knows how it got there but now people know about it. At first Izumi is happy. She has a Quirk.

Then she isn’t.

“It’s a useless Quirk!” Kacchan taunts her. “Perfect for a useless girl like you! Flowers under the skin! Pathetic!”

Kacchan burns her shoulder and she goes home crying.

Later a flower develops where she’s been burned and after some quiet conversation with Inko about how her husband had left because of Izumi’s Quirkless status and Izumi had heard it, they figured it out.

The flowers bloom when someone hurts her. They bloom and the doctors do a scan revealing many more flowers all over her- some were small and no one could see them. Little hurts the doctors theorized.

They still had to be removed. Izumi has been getting slower, becoming more exhausted each day. It’s the flowers.

Izumi numbly lets it happen.

But it happens again. And again.

Flowers bloom because people keep hurting her. They turn deadly when exposed to the air.

“Freak, monster, liar-“ it’s all shouted at her by her class. Kacchan leads the charge.

His flowers are always an orange lily. Hatred.

Izumi wonders if it means him or her who hates the other. When it becomes a sweet pea, she has a feeling she knows why she is receiving a goodbye.

She stops growing flowers for him. Because she knows she will only get pain from him, because he is no longer one she believes to be a friend.

“The flowers are signs of betrayal,” she changes the classification. “I can only be hurt by those I do not think would hurt me, those I trust. Once I stop trusting or believing they will not hurt me the flowers stop.”

Her mother sobs upon hearing it. Inko then goes and terrifies the Bakugou family, promising that unless Kacchan leaves her alone Inko would go after them.

Kacchan doesn’t listen.

So Inko slaps them with a lawsuit she wins. It’s enough for Izumi to go to a new school where she sits quietly and doesn’t talk.

There people whisper still but it’s sad whispers.

“Her Quirk hurts her.”

“No, it’s people hurting her which sets off her Quirk.”

“She’s so quiet.”

Izumi just works. The only one she trusts is her mother. Inko who tries so hard not to hurt her, who is honest and open. Who gives her books on flowers and smiles.

When Inko hurts Izumi she leaves violets and lavender. And they’re always small, so small. Small hurts, being too honest with her daughter.

Izumi loves her mother for it.

Izumi grows and soon she finds herself applying for UA. She wants to be a hero and her mother frets and admits she isn’t sure if Izumi can do but the two have researched and researched and well, they think they can figure a way out. Sports festival- she just needs to beat all the other students.

She thinks she can. The money they won from the lawsuit had helped Izumi not only get into a new school but also got her into a martial arts studio. Her mother insisted.

Probably was upset with how many flowers Izumi grew from cuts and burns and bruises. Those were the bigger ones, when they were left on purpose. They pushed against the skin, looked strange.

Funny, Izumi noticed that she didn’t gain flowers sparring.

“It’s probably based on intention. When you gain flowers from bruises or cuts and they’re from people doing it to hurt you and betray you, they come as flowers. But when it’s done as a fight or a spar it’s on purpose still but it’s not a betrayal of yourself.” Her Quirk therapist theorizes.

It makes sense.

Izumi goes to UA after failing the entrance exam and ends up in 1C where she finds herself meeting a boy who is like her. Sharp and broken and hurt.

Shinsou is a friend and she finds herself chuckling at his comments.

Their friendship only blooms truly though when she meets Kacchan again. He sees her and attacks, screaming. She fights back. Shinsou speaks and stops Kacchan and Izumi looks at him, seeing something similar back.

The situation ends with Izumi in the principal’s office telling her story. She looks him in the eyes tiredly.

Kacchan is removed from UA- apparently, the lawsuit hadn’t been included in his application.

“It was when he was ten!” His mother tries.

“It still happened and you lied,” Nezu tells her. Izumi isn’t supposed to be there but she went to the office to pick up some papers.

She thinks her homeroom teacher arranged it.

“The papers are supposed to show us if we need to watch out students for anything. You lied on the application.”

Izumi doesn’t know what to think as she slides away. She hasn’t seen Kacchan in years. Hasn’t spoken to him.

Yet he still tried to attack her. He hasn’t learned anything.

Izumi has left him behind. The pain he caused ended any relationship between them.

He is a child. He can learn, if he wishes.

She feels as if she is choking when she runs into someone.

“Ah,” the person says and she blinks at a girl with red and white hair. It’s long and in a braid as she stares at Izumi. There’s a burn scar on her face and as Izumi looks into her eyes she sees the same sort of pain Izumi has.

The girl nods and leaves and Izumi stares after her in confusion.

Then she has to head to class and Shinsou and it’s a mess.

A flower blooms under her cheek as she speaks and she wonders if it’s from the shock someone attacked her at UA or it’s because she always hoped Kacchan would change the longer she left him.

“It’s not the same.” She tells Shinsou. “I was in hell until I was ten and then just isolated after.”

“It’s close,” Shinsou tells her. He touches her cheek and she closes her eyes. “It’s growing?”

“Yeah. It used to be orange lilies. It might be the same now.”

It is. It’s removed by Recovery Girl and Izumi breathes and doesn’t try to think.

She doesn’t know what to think about anything.

She thinks in a way that expelling him was to much. She understands that they lied, that they removed the evidence of the trial. But did they truly know that it counted?

Kacchan is a child and needs to learn things.

At the same time, he tried to attack her.

Her mind feels muddled and confused and Shinsou tries to help but it’s different for him. His bullies were cruel and never stopped and yet he never expected it either to stop.

You can only be betrayed by a friend.

He tries but they fight and eventually he yells that she’s worthless if she wishes to let a boy who hurts her back into UA.

She flinches and he does too.

Shinsou reaches for her but she leaves, feeling sick.

Izumi wanders UA campus after that- a week after the Kacchan incident- a week after the USJ got invaded. With Kacchan in the office the class hadn’t gone to USJ, something all of them expresses relief about.

Izumi wanders and then runs into the red and white girl again. She’s training in the gym that all students are allowed to Izumi wandered to it out of habit. Usually she and Shinsou train- Shinsou finally accepting that he needs to train his body.

He’s not with her though, and she feels her shoulder ache.

Shinsou didn’t mean it, he was angry and didn’t understand. Izumi gets it.

But it still was a hurt.

“... are you okay?” The girl asks and Izumi blinks, realizing she’s been standing in the gym staring off into space.

“I’m fine.” She says. “I got into a fight with my friend.” The girl looks at her and Izumi sighs.

“My Quirk lets me know when I’ve been hurt,” Izumi explains. “The hurts become flowers under my skin. Ever hurt, physical, emotional, mental, minor or major.” Izumi sighs.

“... you were the one Bakugou attacked, the reason we did not go to the USJ.,” The girl says calmly.

“We were friends once. He hurt me badly, and we stopped. He tried again, my mom sued him and his family and they didn’t put the trial in his transcripts. So he’s been expelled and I just… I feel bad for him. He’s hurt me but I cared for him once and is it fair that he was a child when this happened and he’s still himself a child?” Izumi sighs. “Sorry. I-“

“I have similar feelings to my brother and mother.” The girl offers. Her face is slightly blank. She looks at Izumi, cocking her head slightly. “My father is not a nice man and he’s only stopped hurting us due to blackmail my eldest brother has given. I’m under the custody of my second eldest brother. My other siblings were deemed unsuited and my mother is in a mental health institute.”

“Oh!” Izumi blinks. “You didn’t-“

“You told me.” The girl shrugs. “I’m Todoroki Shouto.”

“Midoriya Izumi.”

It’s the start of something.

From the hurt Shinsou dealt jasmine is dug from Izumi’s skin and he apologizes over and over again. She tells him it’s not okay but she understands he didn’t truly mean it.

It makes her sad still.

She and Todoroki meet from time to time in the gym, speaking. Sometimes Shinsou joins them, sometimes not. He wishes to keep his Quirk private, wishing to get into the hero course like Izumi wishes.

Todoroki is kind, Izumi finds. She’s standoffish and blunt but she’s kind.

Her story is a sad one, told over gym meetings. Her father is Endeavour and he wished to overcome All Might. He had children to force it, and the abuse he placed his family through broke her mother.

Todoroki loves her mother. She loves her dearly but cannot face her.

“I used to blame myself, thinking it might be my fault she burned me. Natsuo, my brother, he got me into therapy and I’ve learned it wasn’t. I was a child, it was not on me. And yet my mother is ill.” Todoroki explains. “I care deeply for her but… I can’t face her right now. Because I have learned it is not my fault what she did and I have to adjust.”

Her brother, her eldest brother Touya, is a different story.

“He blamed me for the abuse. Said it was all my fault, hated the fact I was a girl too. Kept going on I was a screw-up, that I was disgusting. He’s in therapy to now but… I don’t talk to him. Ever if I can help it. Natsuo says he’s getting better but he won’t make me do anything. My sister keeps trying to get us to forgive our dad. We don’t want to.” Todoroki tells her. “It’s a mess.”

Todoroki doesn’t know what to do herself. Her brother was young when he became angry, and her mother ill. Neither were fully at fault, and yet she struggles.

It’s nice to talk to someone who understands.

Their friendship grows and Izumi wonders why it feels different then from her and Shinsou.

Yet as she watches Todoroki smile, she thinks she knows.

At the sports festival, Izumi and Shinsou manage to get to the tournament. They manage to claw their way to the semi-finals, determining who will go on to compete for first.

Shinsou insults her, curses her. And then he confesses.

Izumi keeps her mouth shut and shoved him out, even as she feels the flowers begin to bloom.

She does tell him she doesn’t feel the same.

“I know,” Shinsou tells her. “It’s Todoroki. You two smile all the time around each other, you laugh and have fun.” He shrugs sadly. “I just wanted to be honest.

Izumi accepts it, and later she finds the flowers to be yellow tulips.

One-sided love.

Yet first comes the finals, where Izumi screams at Todoroki to use her fire, even as the girl refuses to use it.

“I won’t use his power!” She yells.

“It’s not his! It’s yours!” Izumi cries back.

It’s chaos and destruction and in the end, Izumi has a silver medal.

And she has a smile she treasures.

It’s not love, not yet. But it has a chance to be.

A chance they cultivate, a chance they find becoming stronger and stronger as time goes on. As she and Shinsou enter the hero course, as she fights to protect a boy she barely knows on the streets of Hosu, protecting her hero mentor as well.

It’s a chance she takes, kissing Todoroki after the final exams. Todoroki accidentally burns her in shock and feels horrible.

Izumi treasures the fact a red rose blooms under her skin.

[animeomegas]

Omega!Naruto getting married

Anon: Omg omg bro I just saw the amazing and wonderful art of naruto in a white dress and it just got me thinking. Could you do naruto and his alpha getting married pllleeeaaassssee🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺I also wanna show you the picture soo badd he's so beautifullllllll

(Omg tag me in this 🥺I want to see!!! Naruto is so so beautiful you’re absolutely right and I love him and this was so far down my writing list but I just really wanted to write it anyway. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. <3)

I wrote for a Western wedding because I have no idea how Japanese weddings work (although I’m taking a degree in Japanese rip)

Warnings: Alcohol mention.

This boy will never admit it, but he always dreamt of getting married when he was a child.

When he was really young, he asked the Sandaime why people get married and the Hokage told him that marriage is what two people did when they loved each other more than anyone else.

Naruto always wanted someone to love him and so he clung to this in a similar (but less extreme) way, to how he clung to his dream of becoming Hokage. 

He always imagined his future self as the most badass ninja/Hokage with  a beautiful mate/spouse and some little prankster pups who would love him and who he would love unconditionally in return. 

And so when his alpha finally proposes to him.

This man goes a bit crazy.

As soon as the shock wears off, you suddenly get bombarded with him shouting about a thousand different things he wants at the wedding, and what food there should be, and “Do you think they sell orange wedding cakes?”.

He wants an insanely big and extravagant wedding.

It’s probably best to just humour him.

Proposal:

You were already mated to Naruto when you proposed.

Naruto lowkey believes in soulmates and when you had been courting for about a year he knew you were his. 

His very next heat came around, and boom, you were mated. 

You proposed about a year and a half after that, spurred on by Naruto’s less than subtle hints about it.

Naruto loved being around his friends and he also loved positive attention, so the idea for your proposal came naturally. 

You threw a get together for him and his closest friends. Good food, plenty of drinks and board games.

Naruto was laughing and smiling all night. He teamed up with you for the games, sitting on your lap the entire time. 

He used this vantage point to demand congratulatory and commiserative  kisses everytime something happened in the game. You could feel him smiling into the kiss each time.

The plan was working perfectly so far. 

As the evening began to wind down, you stood up, immediately garnering the attention of everyone in the room.

You cleared your throat awkwardly as all the eyes in the room settled on you. Sakura gave you a thumbs up behind Naruto’s shoulder.

‘You got this!’ She mouthed, eyes twinkling with excitement. With her encouragement in mind, you took one final deep breath before beginning.

“Sorry to interrupt you all, but there’s one more thing I have to do before everyone goes home.” You started, successfully avoiding any unfortunate stutters or out of control nervous scents.

Naruto furrowed his brows at you, confused. You only smiled, silently telling him to wait. 

“I have an... announcement of sorts to make.” 

“Then get on with it.” Drawled Shikamaru, smirking at you from the corner. You glared at him for teasing you, but he was too busy dodging a ‘shut up’ punch from Sakura to notice.

“As you all know, I’ve had the honour of being mated for Naruto for almost two years now,” You focused your gaze onto your mate, watching him perk up at the mention of his name. “and I have been madly in love for every minute of it.” You paused thoughtfully. “Even the minute when he drank out of date milk and threw up all over my bed.” 

Naruto went red as his friends giggled at him. He let out an embarrassed whine as you joined in the laughter. 

“You didn’t have to tell them that!” He groaned, voice muffled from the cushion he had temporarily buried his face in. 

“What I’m trying to say, is that when I met Naruto my life changed forever, for the better. I can no longer fathom a life where I could live without him.”

You turned to address Naruto directly. He was watching you closely. Maybe he was starting to guess where this was going.

“When I wake up next to you, when we invent terrible ramen flavours together, when I bandage you after training because you tried to show off and hurt yourself,” You laughed breathily. “Those are the moments when I am the happiest. The common denominator is you, Naruto, my beloved mate.”

No one else in the room mattered now apart from you and Naruto. You took one final breath to steel yourself, before dropping on one knee. Naruto gasped, his hands coming up to cover his mouth. 

“Which is why I want to be with you for the rest of our lives.” You pulled the ring box out of your pocket, opening it to reveal a simple golden band. 

“Will you marry me, Naruto?”

Naruto nodded furiously, his bottom lip wobbling as his eyes filled up with tears.

“YES! YES! YES! A thousand times yes!!” 

Naruto threw himself into your arms as his friends applauded and whooped in the background. You caught him with a happy laugh, leaning to kiss him. Naruto reciprocated enthusiastically, earning a few wolf whistles from his friends.

Naruto’s scent was that of pure sugar and you revelled in it, certain that your own was the same. Eventually you pulled away from the kiss, wiping a tear from Naruto’s eye, cradling his face gently in your hands.

“A toast,” Chouji’s voice called out, interrupting your thoughts. “To the newly engaged couple!” 

All your friends cheered, raising their glasses in a toast to your engagement. 

“May their love last forever!”

You laughed gleefully. Forever indeed.

Planning:

Naruto has a lot of ideas and a lot of passion, but not so much in the planning skills department. 

I hate to say it, but Naruto is a little bit of a Bridezilla type. A cute one though, so that’s better?

He really really wants a lot of random specific stuff that he dreamt about as a child, but he’s not good at organising it so you get a lot of:

“Alphaaaaa, can you book [insert incredibly specific wedding thing]?”

“Alpha, alpha, alpha, can you find a [insert incredibly specific wedding thing] for me, please???”

Here is a list of some, not all, of the things Naruto wants for his wedding. Bolded are ‘no compromises allowed’.

A traditional, white wedding dress (He knows he can wear whatever he wants, but his life has only ever been atypical and he just really wants a traditional white male omega wedding dress.)

An orange wedding cake (Naruto wants an orange wedding cake, but he can be persuaded to settle for orange detailing instead of the solid orange monstrosity he originally wants.)

A ramen course ( he wants one of the courses to be ramen of course! The idea of a really expensive, fancy ramen course just makes him melt with excitement. Nobody is surprised when they see ramen on the menu.)

A big wedding (He will invite the whole village if you allow him to. Ultimately though, as long as there’s room for every friend he’s ever had, he’s happy.)

Double barrelling your surnames (He really wants to take your name. Now that you’re married and mated, you’re a team for life and he wants that reflected in your names, but he also spent most of his life without family, and his name is one of the only connections he has to his mother. As such, he would never be able to lose it completely.)

A stag do/bachelor party (He just thinks it would be fun to get together with his other omega friends. He wants to hang out with his friends and wedding party for a night without anyone being away on missions for once.)

A honeymoon in Konoha (Naruto doesn’t want to travel for his honeymoon. Konoha is his home and his favourite place to be, so he wants to be there. If you desperately want to travel, you could probably organise a half-and-half style honeymoon. Half in Konoha, half wherever you want.)

Two empty chairs for his parents during the service (He has lost so many people, he could never leave empty chairs for them all. He keeps everyone he’s lost in his mind on his wedding day, but his parents are the ones he misses the most on his special day. When he looks at the empty chairs, he likes to think that they would be proud watching him get married.

The Wedding:

Naruto is fully bouncing off the walls.

He’s so excited. And nervous. But excited.

He gets ready and when he gazes at himself in the mirror, he feels amazing. As a child, he always thought he would cover his whiskers with make up, thinking they were on of the reasons people treated him differently. But now, as he stares at his reflection, he wears his whisker marks proudly.

Everyone pitched in to make the wedding perfect. Ino with the flowers, Chouji with the food, etc.

The wedding was kind of a bizarre mix. Some parts were strictly traditional and other parts were... orange. 

Naruto had plenty of fireworks set up to go off in the evening, and this ended up being one of his favourite parts of the day.

Naruto asked Iruka to walk him down the aisle about a month befpre the wedding. Iruka 100% cried when that happened. And then Naruto cried because Iruka was crying, it was an adorable mess. 

You got married outside. The sun was so bright, and the weather was warm but with a slight breeze. 

Naruto and Iruka wait just out of everyone’s view. When they send the signal, everybody stands.

You watched in awe as your mate turned the corner, grasping tightly at Iruka sensei’s arm.

He was stunning.

The sunlight reflected off his blond hair like light off of water, his white dress adding to the blinding effect. Naruto had refused to tell you what he would be wearing today, but this was more beautiful than you could have ever imagined. 

As he reached the end of the aisle, your mate gave up on being graceful, running the last few steps and throwing himself into your embrace. You caught him easily, twirling him around. Laughter rang through the hall.

“You look stunning.” You whispered in his ear, gently stroking up and down his arms.

“So do you.” He grinned in return.

The ceremony flew by. You had tried your hardest to listen, but you couldn’t stop staring at your mate instead. His eyes were always one of your favourite of his physical features, but they had looked especially magical today. 

Before you knew it, it was time for your first dance.

You hadn’t planned anything and you certainly didn’t take any lessons, so it was just you and him, in each others’ arms, swaying together to the music. 

Naruto felt warm in your arms as you swayed. You took a moment to nuzzle your face into his scent glands, pressing a firm kiss to his mating mark while you were there. Naruto hummed in delight, holding onto you even tighter.

“My omega. My mate. My husband.” You breathed into his ear, knowing how much he loved his new title.

Naruto shivered and purred in response. “I love the sound of that, you know.”

“I’m aware.” You laughed, using the distraction to twirl him. Naruto completed his twirl before trying to twirl you as well. 

Other couples soon began to join you on the dance floor, but you and Naruto only had eyes for each other. 

“I love you, more than anything else in this world Naruto, never forget that.”

“I love you, too. Forever, I promise.”

“Do you love me more than ramen?”

“What? Can’t you just be happy with second place?”

“Narutoooo.”

“Fine... Joint first.”

“I hate you.”

Naruto barked out a laugh at the look on your face.

“No, you don’t.”