#if she said a single bad fucking word about harry people would go insane

[louisisalarrie]

.

[academicdisasterfic]

Career Day

so I read this post courtesy of @bixgirl1, @l0vegl0wsinthedark and @o0o-chibaken-o0o three times this morning, nearly cried laughing, and here I present to you: dumb dad Drarry on Career Day.

Albus Potter really just wanted two things: that new edition of Hogwarts: A History that Rose had been taunting him with all summer, and for his father to stop being so weird about the Career Day next week at Godric’s Hollow Primary School.

‘Dad, you’ll be fine, it’s just coming in to talk to my class for half an hour.’

Harry paced across the kitchen. ‘No - but - okay. So. You’re saying that...many people...will be coming…do you know…who…’

‘Um.’ Albus lowered his piece of toast. ‘Scorp’s dad is definitely coming. Talking about journalism.’ Harry squeaked and a glass fell off the counter. Albus sighed and put down his toast.

‘You shouldn’t be nervous, Dad, it’s awesome what you do.’

‘Oh, it’s...not that…’ Harry waved a hand in a feign of nonchalance and hurriedly Reparoed the glass. ‘I mean, I’ll bring in some of my new pieces.’

‘Cool.’ Albus raised an eyebrow as Harry bustled around the kitchen, not looking at him. He didn’t know why this was such a big deal; Harry was an amazing woodworker, combining magic and practical skill to create cribs that sung infants to sleep, or picture frames that adjusted size depending on the photo, or tables that set themselves. It was super cool and he was way happier than when he’d been an Auror.

‘I’ll ask your mums to come, too,’ Harry said, hurrying out of the kitchen. ‘Yes, that will work, that should make it fine…’

Albus shook his head, refilled his glass of orange juice, and thought about how he was going to break it to Lily and James that their father was going insane.

‘Scorp!’ Albus grinned at his best friend as he and Harry entered the crowded classroom, a swarm of parents and children. Harry trailed slightly behind Albus, clutching his box of shrunken wooden objects and making a small whimpering sound when Scorpius and his dad approached. Albus thought it was awesome that he and Scorpius were friends, as they both had the only gay parents in school. Well, Harry was bisexual, which he’d described to Albus as being able to fall in love with anyone. Albus thought it was ironic that his dad could have anyone and was still single, but when he told his parents this at their weekly family dinner, Luna and Ginny just laughed at Harry for about ten minutes straight and Albus felt a bit bad.

‘Hello, Albus,’ Draco beamed. He’d been very firm on that name - Mr Malfoy is my father, Albus, don’t be so formal - and he was always interested in chatting to Albus about history and Hogwarts and all sorts of things that Harry didn’t know much about. Harry was an excellent father, and Luna and Ginny were great mums, but none of them shared Albus’ bookishness. Draco looked at Harry then, his mouth twisted in a smile. ‘Potter.’

‘Malfoy.’ Albus looked at his Dad. Harry was blushing. God, was he that nervous?

‘Dad’s been nervous all week about today,’ Albus told Draco. Draco smirked.

‘Is that so, Albus?’

‘Yeah! But I’ve told him not to be, because he’s obviously awesome at what he does, and there’s no reason he should be nervous.’

‘Indeed. Your father is exceptionally...talented.’ Draco looked calmly at Harry, who looked about ready to pass out. ‘He’s so good with a bit of wood.’ Harry made a high pitched noise and Albus looked at him, brow furrowed.

‘Oh my god, Dad, relax.’

‘Sure,’ Harry wheezed. ‘I’m very relaxed.’ At that precise moment, Ginny and Luna arrived, and Harry almost jumped behind them.

‘Sweetheart!’ Ginny pinched Albus’ cheeks and he rolled his eyes. Luna enveloped him in a patchouli-and-vanilla hug. ‘Thanks for having us. Hi, Scorpius, Draco.’ Ginny grinned widely at Draco - who, for some weird reason - winked at her.

‘Hello, lesbians. How are you?’

‘Oh, very good,’ Luna said serenely. ‘The animal sanctuary is coming along so well, and it’s so nice being closer to Holyhead for Ginny’s practices.’

‘Yeah,’ Ginny said. ‘And the kids love it there, right?’

‘It’s really fun!’ Scorpius said, grinning. ‘I love the Kneazles, they’re so cute.’

‘Yes, I’ve always been rather partial to pussies,’ Ginny said, and Draco spluttered a laugh. Albus looked over to his dad, who looked like he wanted to die.

‘Adults are so weird,’ he said to Scorpius, who nodded in agreement. ‘Let’s go find Lily and Rose.’

…

The rest of the day passed fairly normally, although Harry huddled behind Ginny and Luna for most of it. That wasn’t too unusual - Albus knew his dad hated attention. What was unusual was the spluttering and choking sounds he seemed to be making a lot today.

‘Shh, for Godric’s sake Harry,’ Ginny scolded. ‘You’re fine.’

‘How am I supposed to be fine when he is there, looking at me like that…’

‘You’re so melodramatic. He likes you.’

‘No he doesn’t!’

‘Yes he does, Harry,’ Luna chimed in. ‘That’s why he’s flirting with you.’

‘But…’ Harry looked slightly hapless. Albus was deeply confused. He had no idea what flirting was.

‘I thought that much would be obvious after, erm, Albus’ birthday party.’

‘We said we’d never speak of that again,’ Harry hissed.

‘I’m just saying,’ Ginny held her hands up, ‘Draco only gets his co--erm, his dragon--out for men he actually likes.’

‘You think?’ Harry’s voice was very soft and Ginny snorted.

‘Yeah, you absolute fuckwit.’

‘Ginny!’ Luna scolded. ‘Children.’

‘It’s okay,’ said Albus, leaning back out of the row and whispering conspiratorially. ‘I know that fuck is a bad word. I won’t say it.’ Harry snorted in laughter and Ginny put her head in her hands.

‘We are not cut out for this,’ she moaned.

‘Agreed,’ Luna and Harry responded in unison.

…

At the end of Career Day, Ginny and Luna wandered over to collect Lily and Albus for the week. Albus was deep in a conversation with Scorpius about astronomy and was pleasantly surprised to see that Luna had his bag, too.

‘Come on, Scorp,’ Ginny grinned. ‘You’re staying with us tonight.’

‘No way!’ Scorpius looked thrilled and bowled his dad over in a hug. ‘Thanks!’

‘Behave,’ Draco smiled, and kissed his son gently on top of his head. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’ Harry was standing just next to Draco, cheeks very red and hands shoved in his old jeans.

‘I’ll see you on Sunday for family dinner,’ he told Albus and Lily, and kissed them goodbye. Luna and Ginny murmured something to Harry that made him make the weird choking noise again as they left, and Albus only heard one last sentence as Harry and Draco walked out the front of the building.

‘Now Potter, where were we?’

Read on Ao3.

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 36: Entwine

"But Harry, we just think you'd be so much happier if you-"

"Found someone to settle down with," Harry finished for Hermione. At this point he'd heard the lecture so many times he could recite it in his sleep.

She sighed, "We just worry-"

"That I'm lonely and miserable," Harry said. "I know."

"We love you, mate," Ron said, clapping him on the shoulder.

"I know," Harry said, and it was true he did know, otherwise he would have probably stopped being friends with them by this point. "I love you guys, too. But you have to stop setting me up on dates."

Hermione stared calculatingly at him, "Two weeks," she said. "I'll give you two weeks reprieve and if you've started dating someone by then we'll leave it."

-------

He was still stewing on this conundrum when he stopped in to pick up a cup of coffee and (hopefully) a pastry the following morning.

"Morning, Potter," Malfoy called over his shoulder without even looking up to see him.

"That's going to bite you in the arse someday," Harry said as he stepped up and rested his elbows on the counter.

"I've told you," Malfoy said, turning around and handing him a cup of coffee that Harry knew would be made perfectly and a pastry bag that had Harry's mouth already watering, "You have a very distinct magical aura. I know it's you."

Harry rolled his eyes, but he was secretly charmed. "When you say things like that I completely understand how you and Luna get on so well."

Malfoy rolled his eyes but there was a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

It suddenly occurred to Harry that he got on pretty well with Malfoy, too. "Hey," Harry said, opening his mouth to speak in true Griffyndor fashion without hesitating to think. "You're single aren't you?"

(Read more below the cut)

Malfoy groaned, "Not you, too. My friends are always harping on me about dating. I'm perfectly fine-"

"Right, yeah. Of course you are," Harry hastened to add, "I am, too, obviously and that's the point."

"Potter drink your coffee, you're making even less sense than usual," Malfoy said.

"No, listen. Pretend to date me. Please, Malfoy, I'm literally begging. I will do anything to get my friends to stop setting me up on horrible dates."

Malfoy stared at him for a long moment, "That's an interesting idea, Potter."

"It's a fantastic idea," Harry assured him. "I promise to be the best fake boyfriend you've ever had."

"What would it involve?" Malfoy asked, slowly.

Harry thought for a minute, "We could go on 'dates' and just, you know, hang out; we can have dinner together, go to quidditch games, whatever you want. And then when we're out with friends we'll just sit together, maybe hold hands or something? I haven't thought it through yet but what do you say?"

Malfoy tilted his head to the side, "I'd say you're in luck, Potter, because I had a really bad date last night with a bloke that Pansy tried to set me up with. So, let's do it. Merlin knows I could use a break."

"Done," Harry said, grinning widely at the other man, "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

The corner of Malfoy's, Draco's, lips tilted up, "Sure. Where did you have in mind?"

"Do you like Italian?"

Draco nodded.

"Perfect. I get off at 4:00 today, do you want to meet here?"

"Sure," Draco replied with a little grin.

Harry smiled back, "Thanks for the coffee and the pastry. And I'm looking forward to see you tonight, sweetheart."

Draco laughed, "Disgusting. Get out of here you prat."

Harry placed a hand over his heart as he backed toward the door, "You have the sweetest way with words."

The other man shook his head but he was smiling as widely as Harry.

This was clearly the best idea that Harry had ever had.

--------

This was the worst idea Harry had ever had. Not because he and Draco didn't get on, but because they did.

Within two weeks Harry was spending more of his free time in Draco's company than out of it. They'd gone out to eat together eleven times (in thirteen days!), they'd taken Teddy to the park together, and Harry stopped by the coffee shop twice a day now and arrived half an hour early so he could spend time talking to Draco before he had to leave for work.

Yes, he was getting up early just so he could have more time to spend with Draco.

He was in so much trouble.

And it was only going to get worse since they were attending pub night tonight with all of their friends and they'd agreed that holding hands, casual touching, pet names, and the like were all acceptable for the evening.

Harry was standing outside the pub, waiting for Draco and trying to get himself under control, when the other man appeared.

"Ready?" Draco asked, giving him a small but genuine smile that had Harry's stomach doing back flips.

"Yeah," Harry said, nodding once to himself.

Draco held out his hand, wiggling his fingers for Harry to take.

He reached over and slid his fingers through Draco's, their hands fit perfectly together, and Harry thought he might be having a heart attack. Holding someone's hand shouldn't feel this good.

He was absolutely, entirely fucked.

"Alright?" Draco asked.

"Yeah," he answered but his voice came out all funny and breathless, and honestly, if he could have punched himself in the face he would have. He cleared his throat, "Yeah, fine," he said. "Let's go."

And as if holding Draco's hand hadn't been enough, once they got inside the pub, Draco sat next to him and rested his hand at the top of Harry's spine, his fingers trailing lightly over Harry's neck and wrapping around the curls at the base of his skull.

It was like he was in a bubble; conversations were happening all around him, people were laughing and joking, people were probably telling all sorts of stories but he didn't process a word.

Slowly, he forced himself to relax, leaning into Draco's side and letting his hand slip over to rest on Draco's knee.

The other man gave his neck a gentle squeeze in response as he continued his discussion with Luna.

"Harry," Hermione said, waving a hand to get his attention.

"Yeah?" he asked, perking up and trying to ignore the tingles racing up and down his spine as Draco's fingernails scratched lightly at his scalp.

"You were a bit lost there, mate," Ron said.

He smiled, "Sorry, just a bit out of it."

"That's alright," Hermione said, "I was just saying that you and Draco seem to be really good together."

"Yeah," Harry said weakly, glancing over at the other man who was quite engrossed in a conversation with Pansy and Luna. "Yeah," he repeated. "He's really something."

Hermione nodded, "You seem to be good for each other."

"Yeah," he said, feeling a bit sick because they did seem good for each other, they did somehow make sense. "Sorry, could you excuse me for a minute?" he asked as he stood up and fled the table, making his way quickly to the restroom.

He all but ran into a stall and locked it behind him, barely managing to stop himself from banging his head against the wall. This wasn't supposed to have happened. He wasn't supposed to have fallen for Draco Malfoy.

"Harry?" a voice called.

He held his breath, maybe if he just didn't make any noise Draco would go away and he could finish having his crisis in peace.

"I can see your shoes," the other man said as he knocked softly on the door. "Let me in?"

Reluctantly, Harry opened the stall and made room for Draco to slip in with him.

"Do you want to tell me why you've been acting like an insane person escaped from the psychiatric ward tonight?"

He winced, tried to think about what he could say, how he could deflect, but what came out was, "I don't want to pretend."

Draco's brow furrowed, "This was your idea," he said. "And if you wanted to stop all you had to do was say so."

"No," Harry said, reaching out to stop the other man from leaving. "That's not-" he huffed and entwined his fingers with Draco's. "I mean that I don't want this to be pretend."

Draco stared at him uncomprehendingly so Harry continued, "Holding hands with someone has never felt like this. Going on dates with someone has never been this much fun. I want to be around you all the time, even when you're making me crazy."

"I don't understand."

He sighed, "I can't pretend with you because none of this is pretend for me any more."

Draco blinked once, then he leaned forward and caught Harry's lips with his own. The hand not holding Harry's came up to cup his cheek and tip he head down so he could kiss him more easily and Harry's body lit up like a firework.

He pushed Draco back a step until his back hit the wall and pressed his body against the other man's. Harry's body had been made for this. Every neuron was firing away happily, every atom of his being singing with joy at the other man's proximity.

Draco's fingers threaded through Harry's hair as his tongue flicked over Harry's bottom lip. With a soft moan, Harry opened his mouth, his tongue reaching out tentatively to touch and twist with the other man's.

They might have continued on like that all night, were it not for the outer door to the restroom slamming open as a drunk man staggered in.

Draco pulled back, cheeks flushed and lips swollen. He put a finger over Harry's lips and pressed a kiss to his nose, and Harry wasn't quite sure how he hadn't simply melted into a puddle of goo yet.

Once the man left, Draco removed his finger and pressed one more gentle kiss to Harry's lips. "This isn't pretend for me either," he murmured.

Harry smiled, "No more pretending."

"Honesty about where we're at from here on out," Draco added with a smile.

And it was a promise they kept until the day they died. They both had to wear masks for the outside world but they never hid from one another.

-----------

Day 35: Tears | Day 37: Secrets

[thelittleboyfromloveactually]

Two Shorten the Road

part 1

joel dawson x reader

warnings: cussing? idk, bad writing.....fluff, cuteness, monsters(is this a warning), mentions of death, SPOILERS

word count: 2154

prompt: when your best friend decides to leave your colony to go find the love of his life, you decide to join him on his journey even if you aren’t so happy about where this journey is going

Welp I did it, I took it into my own hands. I am writing a joel dawson series. Because we👏need 👏more👏joel👏fics👏 it’s basically the movie, almost the same script but obviously slightly different…ENJOY! <3

No one in my generation or later had a typical upbringing, I mean some of us did but then the world ended. This type of thing sounds straight out of some apocalyptic movie, but we basically live in one now. Agatha 616, an asteroid heading straight for earth, I know, so original. So we all came together and did what we do best, blow things up. Yup, we blew up teh asteroid, and humanity was saved! We thought. But here’s the thing about rockets, they are made of a bunch of chemical compounds which eventually rained back down on earth. Suddenly there were these Aileen creatures that mutated and started eating us. Ants, lizards, roaches, crocodiles, you name it. Our president was even killed by a giant moth. Ya….not so original now huh? We suddenly need tanks to kill ants, oh man I remember the good old days when a shoe would do just fine. Sometimes even the tanks didn’t work. Eventually the really big ones and our military took each other out and we lost 95% of the human population in a year! Those of us who survived hid, bunkers, caves, panic rooms, all around the world. So for the last seven years I’ve been hiding in an underground bunker. It’s really not as bad as it sounds, and it’s better than getting eaten alive. It’s a great group of people and we all love each other.

“Are you sure they’re asleep?”

“Who?”

“Y/N and joel!”

“Oh ya I’m sure”

“Joel? Y/n?”

“He’s asleep”

Actually we are both awake. Me and my best friend joel have kinda mastered faking being asleep. Our beds are right across from each other so we normally just lie there and make stupid faces at each other. We are the only two single people in our bunker. Nice huh? Joel is my best friend. I met him when I joined the colony. He’s the sweetest. It’s funny cause everyone thinks we should just have sex already because that’s literally all everyone else does. But we are way above that. Anyway, joel is in love with his girlfriend from before the colony, her name is Aimee. With one “I” and two “e”s. He loves to talk about her, he writes her letters. So in reality, I am the only one who is not in love in this bunker. I’ve never had a boyfriend, ever, even before the world ended.

We don’t really get any sleep. The moaning kinda keeps us awake. I got up and out of my bed and headed for the kitchen. I heard Joel’s bed creak and then his footsteps as he followed behind me. Another annoying thing about being down here is that to get to the kitchen from my room, you have to walk though other people’s bedrooms. Oh shit, they are busy, why would they leave their door open. Me and Joel stopped.

“Oh” joel and I said in unison

“Hey Y/N! Hey Joel!” Ava said

“Oh hey Ava” Joel said, we didn’t dare look over to our left.

“Y/N how’s it going?” Tim asked

“T-totally good tim, h-how are you doing” I asked

“Yeah, good” he responded

“I uh we couldn’t sleep” said Joel looking at the ceiling

“Ya we know the feeling” Ava said with a laugh

“Yeah probably not for the…..same reasons” joel said looking straight ahead

“Your guyses door was open, did you…did you know that?” I asked

“Yeah we know” they said

I shook my head and knitted my eyebrows together

“Okay” joel trailed off

Ever since Tim’s parents were eaten by a swarm of termites he and Ava have gotten really close, in every way.

“Okay, goodnight” joel said as we walked

Basically everyone is coupled up down here, a baby was born last winter! Welcome to the apocalypse kid. Ok if we ever get out of this, that would be an awesome story to tell your kids. “Oh ya I was born in an underground bunker doing a monster apocalypse” “yes exactly like World War Z but with bugs bigger than a 5 story building”. I mean come on.

So your probably wonder how the hell we get food, we’ll we have a cow. Gurdy. Gurdy is great. We also have a hunting party that brings back whatever they can from the surface. It’s gotten harder and harder, cause we ran out of bullets. And facing one of those things with a handmade weapon is just as hard as it sounds. It’s very very difficult. I go with them….sometimes. I still get scared. But I’ve been out quite a lot, especially compared to my man joel over here. I’ve been out maybe 30 times, he’s been out…maybe once, or not even. He’s the chef of the bunker. He makes super good Minestrone.

Me and joel like to hang out with Mavis. A robot. Yup. Not much for conversation, her batter is shot. Just like every other mavis I would imagine. When I’m not hunting we hang out with her. But sometimes I just go read. Reading and joel keep me sane. I mean sometimes joel drives me insane but I still love him. I have quite the collection of books too! I’ve got Emma by Jane Austen, a couple random ones that we found, all the hunger games and Harry Potter books, some mysteries that stopped being mysteries after a while, and then of course some smutty romance books for personal entertainment.

Joel likes to say that his thing is target practice. He has never hit the target but ya know, gotta entertain yourself. I think his thing is drawing though, he has this book that he draws in from Aimee. It’s really cool actually. He’s really good.

I sat watching Joel as he tried to hit the target, laughing a little every time he missed. It was cute how hard he tried.

“Shut up” he said shaking his laugh away

I laughed again, but then suddenly the lights started flickering. You could hear screeches and creeks echoing through the bunker. Joel turned to look at me. Worry and determination in his eyes. We both scrambled out of the room and into the kitchen where everyone was preparing.

“Hustle, hustle people we’ve gotta move”

I turned to look at Joel but then realized that he wasn’t next to me. Where did he go? Worry flooded through me. Suddenly the clanking of our weapon started behind me.

“Hey guys!” Joel said as he rammed into the railing, I shook my head. “Guys! I’ve got the weapons” he smiled at me

A few people walked over to him taking them out of his hands

“Stay” said Tim

“W-what?” Joel asked looking around in confusion

Everyone was talking and barking orders “grab what you need and let’s go! Y/N you coming?”

My eyes shot open “yes! Yup!” I jumped up and grabbed the bow and arrow from Joel.

“W-what's happening?” He asked innocently “what’s going on?”

“There’s a breach” said Tim

“What do you mean? Like inside the bunker breach?!” He asked

“Yes joel! Now come on!” I told him, patting him on the pack as I followed the others

He followed me and watched the plan get arranged

“Anna, Y/N and I will engage. Anderson and Tom plank him”

“Plank him, ya ok where do you guys need me? You want me to uh come through the rear or..?” Joel asked eagerly

“I don’t think your going to pass this joel” I told him

“Pass what? You guys need help, let me help” said clutching his crossbow

“You gonna make me say it?” said Sam

“Say what?!” God he was so adorably clueless

“You can’t handle it joel, your shook” said Sam, we all began getting into positions

“Ya ok, yes so you guys don’t get scared..ever?” He asked still getting ready to fight

“We get scared, we all get scared joel, but you get really scared” said Sam

“They are trying to make you feel bad joel” I said sweetly, trying to calm him down

“We love you joel”

“But your a liability”

“Ok why did that speech feel so rehearsed? And what about Y/N? She’s like…ya know?” He said bobbing his head

“Joel-“ suddenly the bunker shook and the lights flicked again

“Ok 30 meters out! Let’s move!” And we were off

Leaving joel and some others behind. You could hear the growling of whatever we were up against

I followed the others and listened carefully. I was freaking shaking. Don’t ask how I got sucked into becoming one the the hunters. Kinda just happened and I was just-

“OH SHIT!” I heard someone yell, it was too dark to see. Someone was gone, that thing took them. I couldn’t even see it. Oh fuck my life. Everyone began scattering, running away from the monster. I stopped running to take a breath, when I realized I was alone. Nicely done Y/N. The lights kept flickering. I heard something blow up in the distance.

“Conned? Conner?” I heard a whisper, one I knew all too well. Shit, joel. I ran toward the sound, and had no idea I was also running toward certain death. I stopped running. There it was, that thing. I’d never seen this before. I didn’t recognize it. I stayed silent, not moving at all. It slowly crawled over a shower curtain. Oh fuck. He was going toward joel! I quickly grabbed my bow and arrow and shot it. Right though the face. Next to its….eye I guess you could call it. Joel stood there, frozen.

I slowly walked over to him “Joel, hey are you ok?” I asked as I slipped my hand into his. He was trembling. Tears ran down his cheeks. He has a bad freezing problem, so I've been helping him work on it.

About an hour later I sat with Joel, still holding his hand as he stared out into space. We could hear everyone talking. How could this have happened?

“It ripped through steal”

“Anderson and I resealed the Breach point, nothings getting in that way again”

“But why did it happen?”

I tried to toon it out, and I hoped Joel did too.

“Joel, do you wanna talk about it?” I asked squeezing his hand, he looked so sad, which just crushed me

He shook his head

“Ok….” I nodded, I leaned into hug him but was interrupted by his voice

“How far away is Aimee's colony?” He asked

I pulled back, looking at him confused. The talking stopped and everyone look at him

“What?” Tim asked

“Aimee’s colony, how far away is it?” He repeated

“About 85 miles” he said as he furrowed his brows

“How long will it take to get there?”

“What do you mean joel?” I asked leaning closer to him

“Just humor me, how long?” He insisted

“7 days” said Tim

“Someone who’s armed and trained would hardly last 50miles, but you…joel” Ava said, I felt bad for him, he really didn’t deserve any of this

“Alright” Tim continued “now I need volunteers”

“I’m gonna go” joel said

No one said anything, they just stared

“It’s an impossible journey joel” said Tim, crossing his arms

Joel stood up, moving around my chair. “No im serious…I love you guys but there’s only one person in this world who ever truly made me happy and she’s only 85 miles away” he said strongly “I’m gonna go see her” I could see his mind was made up

God he was such a romantic, how could you not love this guy? Sure it hurts when your best friend tells you that you didn’t make him truly happy. Especially when you maybe sorta kinda have a crush on him.

He let out a breath “woah, that felt awesome” he said as he walked off to start packing

I stood there for a second processing and thinking, but then suddenly my mouth took over and well….

“I’m coming with you!” I said, he froze “I mean you can’t leave me here with these middle aged people, and your my best friend so” I shrugged

“I’ll come back for you I promise” he walked over to me “I can’t let you put yourself in even more danger” he said grabbing my arms

“I can’t let you put yourself in danger knowing that I could have helped protect you” I said, he stared blankly at me

I smiled “o-ohK…then I guess…” he trailed off

“Cool I’ll go pack” I skipped past him. Was I scared? Hell yes. But like I said, I needed to help joel and protect him in every way I can. And sure I wasn’t so happy that he was returning to his long lost love but if it made him happy then I would live. And anyway, two do shorten the road.

[rawdogmeharry]

anything [part 2 to everything]

or, the one where Y/N is the love of Harry's life and all he wants to do is marry her.

ask and you shall receive <3

requests go here:)

masterlist

•

Somewhere on the Amalfi coast.

Somewhere on the Amalfi coast, on some hot, grainy sand, under some soft azure skies, beside some crystal clear blue water lay Harry, and the love of his life, Y/N.

And Harry really can't keep his hands off his lovie.

Her lilac bikini, that perfectly accentuates her curves. The stretchmarks she adorns a lot more prominent on her already tanned skin. The smooth skin of her plushy thighs, wide hips and full tits. Is it even normal to get this many boners per day?, Harry thinks.

It drives him insane, really. He doesn't understand how a person can be as unearthly gorgeous as his girl is.

And to think Harry was going to ask this beautiful creature to marry him in just a few hours was undescribeable. It made Harry want to shit himself.

Of course, Harry hopes for the best. Harry knows the best. He knows she's gonna say yes, and not just to be a dick about it, but he knows his lovie. Better than anyone—better than she knows her own self.

He also knows how much she loves him. Knows it best probably from the way her touches bring electricity all the way down to his core and through every nerve ending in his body, as if the love seeping from her veins was trying to force its way into Harry. No need for force though, Harry thinks, he's capable of accepting and cherishing any and every single ounce of her love she's willing to give.

Also knows it from the way he doesn't have to say a word, and she already knows exactly what he needs. Knows him like the back of her hand, honestly, and Harry thinks that this is the actual reason they're meant to be—they really do know each other better than they know each themselves.

And Harry did end up choosing a serene spot on the Amalfi coast in Italy to propose. He figured since he'd already taken her to Paris for her birthday not even a mere month earlier, they should travel to a place they'd both never been to before.

Remember this place for the rest of their lives, make it go down in history as the place where and unseparable bond between them was made, and visit for every single anniversary. Harry's got it all planned out.

"Y'know, even with my eyes closed I can feel you staring at my boobs, Harry."

"Well why are they all up in my face for?"

"They're really not, Har. Y'could at least stop starin' at them in public. Y'watchin' them like a hawk watches his prey."

"Baby, y'know it's like some sort of magnetic pull between me 'n your tits. It's 'cause they are m'prey, lovie, gonna eat 'em all up once we get back to the hotel," Harry says and rolls over on the beach towel onto his stomach and leans his head on one hand. Fuckin' beautiful, is what she is, he thinks whilst tilting his head and staring at Y/N.

"Yeah? Y'promise?" She smiles at him.

He gives her a broad smile back, "Cross my heart, hope to die."

Y/N rolls onto her side on the small towel as well, and throws one of her thighs onto his hip, "think we should head back soon, then. Also, m'heads killin' me. Think it's from the sun. Want a nap and you kissing on my boobs."

Harry frowns, "y'heads hurtin', baby? Why didn't y'say so before? We could've went back way earlier. Um—will you be okay to still go to dinner tonight?"

She gives him a shy smile, "of course I'll be okay to go, Harry. Just gonna take an Ibuprofen or something and I'll be as good as new."

Harry lets out a sigh of relief in his head. The dinner he's been planning for almost three weeks now is happening in just a few hours, and nothing can go wrong, because if something does, he's really going to cry. He's sure he's going to cry if everything goes right, as well.

Eitherway, Harry's gonna need some tissues.

He lifts her warm thigh off his hip and gently squeezes it, stands up and puts both arms out to her, "up y'get then, lovie."

```

After a much needed two hour nap and a love making session after getting up when lovie's head wasn't hurting anymore, both Harry and Y/N are almost finished getting ready.

His darling stands in the bathroom in front of the mirror, leaning over the counter just a tiny bit so she could see a bit better and not get the soft pink lipstick all over her face.

And when Harry walks in on her in this position, his knees nearly buckle.

The slender curve of her back, the hem of her turquoise dress barely reaching mid-thigh and sitting tight on her hips.

Now is not the time to get a boner.

"Lovie, y-you look so fucking beautiful. I—I really don't have any words."

She gives him a shy smile through the mirror and he gives her one back, a light pink blush littering her cheeks from the stammering of his kind words, "thank you, baby. You look as handsome as ever." He thinks she might hear his heartbeat all the way from the doorway.

This time, his smile is so broad his teeth show and his dimple pops out, "nothin' compared to you, baby. Yeh about ready, then, gorgeous?"

"You really want some steak, huh? Let's go then, you impatient man," Y/N giggles.

If only she knew that the steak was the last thing on his mind right now, Harry thought.

```

After eating the best medium-well steak both of them had ever had, Y/N considers unzipping the zipper on the side of her dress. She literally feels like she's about to burst.

And Harry does too. Just not from the steak.

The steak was really good, Harry will admit that, and the wine was also not that bad (for six hundred dollars per bottle, it could've been better, he thinks), but these are really irrelevant things compared to the other's he's thinking right now.

And while Harry's close to having a heart attack, Y/N slowly leans back on her chair, puts her arms on the arm rests and tries to discreetly push out her stomach. She then takes one of her hands and slowly rubs it on her bloated belly, stroking it as if she was pregnant.

Petting her steak filled belly she looks around, and only then realises that just the two of them are left on the second floor of the restaurant.

The restaurant was situated outside, underneath the starry sky, and built right into a cave, with a view of the calm ocean right in front of them.

"Harry, d'you think they're about to close soon? We're literally the only people left."

Here goes nothing, Harry thinks.

"No, baby, that's how it's supposed to be."

She gives him a confused face, genuinely not understanding what he's just said, "huh? What's supposed to be?"

He slowly stands up, walks over to her chair and notices the hand stroking her little pouched out belly and immediately smiles. She's so fucking cute. Bends down to her face to face and puts his big hands on her small cheeks, "Just listen t'me, baby. No questions, just all ears for me now, yeah?"

She's even more confused now. "Yeah, okay."

He gives her a quick kiss, shortly trapping her bottom lip between his own. "Right. Here it goes."

Harry pulls away from her, and very slowly gets down onto one knee in front of her, quickly pulling out a small emerald green velvet box from his inner jacket pocket.

Y/N is in shock. She wouldn't be surprised if she went into cardiac arrest right then and there. Then it all comes together.

The way he was fidgeting with his hands all the way to the restaurant earlier in the evening, so much that she had to put her hands on his, just so he could properly hold the steering wheel. She didn't choose to question that, figured he'd tell her on his own time, when he felt comfortable about speaking of what he was so scared? of, after he gave her an appreciative, but shaky smile.

The shaking of his hands while he was cutting his steak. She really thought that was because of the steak.

The small beads of sweat gathering at the top of his forehead anytime he would make direct eye contact with her during the evening. She thought that the warm climate had taken its toll on him.

She feels stupid. That's why he's been so nervous, she thinks. Everything makes sense now.

"Y/N—I-I've literally forgotten every word I rehearsed for m'speech. Um—'m so nervous I think even m'tongues shakin' so 'm sorry, but I still want to say a few things."

He can barely hold the box in his clammy hands from the shaking.

And she already feels a few droplets of salty tears coming down her face.

Harry takes a deep breath. "Y/N Y/L/N, y'the love of m'life. Nobody comes close to the place you hold in m'heart. I know this is corny t'say, but I really did fall in love with you the first time I saw you. Fell in love with your kindness, compassion and the love you show t'the people most important to yeh. Couldn't imagine spendin' m'life with anybody else by m'side. Can't wait to marry you, bawl m'eyes out when I see you walk down the aisle and later have babies with yeh. Beautiful, beautiful babies, just like their mummy. Take you all over the world, show you places we'll remember for the rest of our lives. Make love every night and mornin', spend the days baskin' in each other's love. Um—know 'm just ramblin' anythin' and I can promise yeh my wedding vows are gonna be a million times better, but will yeh do the honors and make all m'dreams come true? Marry me and be mine, lovie?"

He starts to open the box containing the beautiful custom diamond ring he'd had made just for her but he can barely see where the opening is because of his tear-filled eyes.

And Y/N doesn't even look at the ring, doesn't really need to, even though she's extremely grateful, she knows she'd marry him if he gave her a ring with an engraved pickle on it.

She quickly shuts the little box and wraps her arms so hard around his shoulders, she nearly brings the both of them down to the wooden floor of the restaurant.

"Yes, Harry," she chokes out through her tears and feels his arms wrap tighter around her than ever, "yes. I love you so much. Of course I'll marry you."

Harry hasn't ever been happier than he is in this moment.

[comfortwriting]

Maniac - G.W

George Weasley x Reader one shot/imagine inspired by the song ‘Maniac’ by Michael Sembello

About: George admires his crush (the reader) flourish as she discovers who she is and what she wants as she recovers from the toxic, abusive relationship she’s broken free from, her life takes a very interesting turn.

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of physical and emotional abuse, partying.

This time last year you thought you found the love of life, despite all the warnings you collected from other girls in the above years - you ignored them and followed your heart. At first, he was kind, romantic, very chivalrous, especially in front of said friends and family; but behind closed doors he became a monster. 

George Weasley, your close friend fell for you the very moment he laid eyes on you. He too warned you about the guy you were seeing, but you didn’t want to believe it “he isn’t like that” you defended him.

Within months your relationship turned sour, you weren’t the same girl anymore, your lover - this monster - had complete control over you. He picked what you could and couldn’t wear, eat and study, he chose who you could and couldn’t be friends with and if you were to go against him you would turn up to class the next morning covered in bruises. The abuse got so bad you had to wear layers under your robes, you were never around for meal times and for lack of a better word, 

George felt like he was losing you.

He tried confronting your partner but there was little to no proof that he was the one responsible - after all, the monster pulled the wool over your eyes with his lies, he could do the same with everyone else and use magic if he felt at risk of exposure. 

You were failing all of your classes, losing friends, your hair dropping out, your weight plummeting but worst of all, George didn’t look at you the same anymore; his eyes usually flickered on like Christmas lights - but when he looked at you during the worst time of your life, his eyes didn’t light up, they screamed at you, begging to break free.

Exactly one year later you gathered all the courage you had stored inside of you and it burst out like a balloon filled with too much air, you weren’t afraid of him anymore, you weren’t afraid of anyone, you wouldn’t be controlled anymore not by him or anyone, you would be living YOUR life the way YOU want; no matter what other people have to say or think.

Returning to Hogwarts without the presence of the monster, everyone's jaws dropped but not as big as the boy who always longed for you; George.

The lights that went out of those beautiful eyes of his lit up for the first time in so long but now they were as bright as the moon on a dark and cold winters night, illuminating the sky.

Cat-walking through the great hall to join the first great feast everyone turned their heads following you.

Your hair now long, thick and silky reached your lower back swaying with every move. You weren’t withering away anymore, your cheeks now filled with colour and there wasn’t a bruise in sight on your body. You smirked at the lads gaping at your skirt length but you took the compliment - you finally realised your worth and you wanted to flaunt it. You were the dove in a room full of crows.

Just a steel town girl on a Saturday night Lookin' for the fight of her life In the real-time world no one sees her at all They all say she's crazy

“Where's y/n?” George asked a few familiar faces sat at the Gryffindor table.

“Don’t know” his friend Lee Jordan replied, smirking “she went out last night to Hogsmeade all dressed up, she’s probably still partying!”

“She’s mental that one” Ron chipped in, earning a glare from George.

Speaking of the devil you strolled up to the table sitting down next to George, he could smell the booze on your breath but didn’t say anything. 

“What's up guys?” you smiled brightly fighting sleep, drinking Harry’s pumpkin juice.

Fred gave George an amusing look “Where have you been all night?” he asked.

You had got yourself dolled up for a house party in Hogsmeade someone was throwing, you didn’t know who but you wanted to go wild and have fun after being unable to mutter a word to your friends or even step foot in that area for a year, you wanted to take the bull by its horns. 

George watched you, star struck by your presence. Your long hair tied up in a high but messy pony tail, your tight fitting velvet emerald dress (more than enough to impress the most uptight Slytherins) outlining the best your body before it’s length ended at your mid thigh. You put on crimson red lipstick and blushed, spotting George taking you in through his reflection the mirror. 

Arriving to the small house in Hogsmeade you shared drinks with the strangers, dancing and having a laugh playing the most ridiculous drinking games they learnt from Muggles at a pub in London. You crashed out on the sofa and awoke just before breakfast, you took off your high heels and ran as fast as you could to freshen yourself up before class. 

“I went out” you breathed out, wiping the pumpkin juice from your lips with your sleeve “thanks Harry!” you smiled at him, putting the glass down and running off to your first class. 

George sat there speechless, amazed at your transformation and happiness. 

Locking rhythms to the beat of her heart Changing movement into light She has danced into the danger zone When the dancer becomes the dance

You took your new found freedom with you everywhere, you felt on top of the world and capable of anything. You were over achieving in all the classes you previously failed, causing Snape for the first time in his teaching career to award Gryffindor House points. 

When you weren’t in class or studying in the library being followed by a swarm of fan boys and girls, you were always in Hogsmeade; attending house parties or going to the pub with a group of eager college boys. 

George felt jealous of the attention you were giving these boys but he didn’t utter a word, no matter who you were with or what you were doing, as long as you were happy and safe that’s all that mattered to him.

You were upbeat and incredibly impulsive, professors often joking that if they poked you hard enough you would burst out into confetti stars. 

Fred and George took advantage of your new found energy when it came to pulling pranks and inventing items for their business, you had managed to upstage them and somehow even outdo them on a handful of pranks, George felt amazed that after all this time someone was so close to stealing his and Fred’s thunder.  

However, with all of this madness and adrenalin chasing you, strapped under your belt you started being followed by consequences. You were spinning out of control but you were happy, you were starting to get incredibly intoxicated on your freedom. 

It can cut you like a knife, if the gift becomes the fire On a wire between will and what will be

Minding your business on the Quidditch pitch watching George practice, sporting your blackeye from the night before you heard a familiar screech yell out from below. “There's that bitch who snogged your lad last night!”

You went to yet another house party, stupid on your part as it was a Sunday and you were itching towards your exams. You noticed that these so called ‘fan girls’ you gained had turned nasty, since your flourishing they weren’t able to get dates. 

You accidentally had everyone, both men and women wanting a piece of you; but a group of girls from Slytherin and Ravenclaw surprisingly fused together, vowing to bring you down.

You drank way too much with a college guy who had ginger hair, you thought it was George and you made a move on him - you believed he was single because that's what he told you; he lied.

His girlfriend, a Ravenclaw paid a girl in Slytherin to follow you, to see how you were able to gain such a following, she became furious when she realised no magic spell or potion had been used - people liked you for you.

Catching you kissing him gave her just what she needed to cause your fall from grace, storming into the pub she pulled you off him and punched you, you were too drunk and embarrassed to stand your ground then but now you were waiting.

“Oh fuck off will you!” You yelled down at them, you stood up from the stands and walked down, pushing past them. 

The group of girls followed you, the Ravenclaw getting closer grabbed you by your hood, smacking you around the head repeatedly. “Don’t you ever go near him again!” 

George could see the commotion and flew beside you and dismounting his broom “what the fuck is going on? Bore off!” he yelled at the girls, pulling you away from them.

“He told me he was single!” you screamed at her “and I thought he was someone else!”

“You dirty liar!” she screamed back, turning to George staring him down “she’s turned into what wrecked her in the first place, stay away from her!” 

She's a maniac, maniac on the floor And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac on the floor And she's dancing like she's never danced before

“I’m telling the truth George, I promise.” You sighed laying back on his bed, waving your wand in the air. 

George stared at you, your face now bruised more than the previous night. “I believe you but...” he sighed trying to find the best way to word what he wanted to say “you need to be careful, I don’t want you to keep getting hurt”

You closed your eyes trying to hide your tear filled eyes, the dorm rooms door swung open and Fred burst in excitedly “Y/N I need your help, wait until you see this!” 

Your mood instantly lifting you bolted up and jumped out of bed, following Fred. George stayed still and rubbed his face with his hands, having no choice but to follow the two of you. 

On the ice-blue line of insanity is a place most never see It's a hard-won place of mystery touch it, but can't hold it You work all your life for that Moment in time, it could come or pass you by It's a push-shove world, but there's always a chance If the hunger stays the night

“What do you mean I’m not right for the job?” you questioned the interviewer, his eyes focused on the paper in front of him “I want to see what that says!” 

The academic part of your life came to a close, finishing with perfect grades you were job hunting - each and every time you were able to make an outstanding first impression and you were even hired on the spot. Within days and weeks before you started your new job you received letters of regret informing you that after second thoughts you weren't suitable for the job. 

“It’s confidential information, I cannot do that.” The man replied firmly.

You shook your head at him “Not if it involves me” quickly snatching the paper from his desk, before he could retrieve it you read the recorded information about you that had been documented, breaking your heart.

You burst through the shop door and stormed upstairs to find your boyfriend George, your face red and hot, tears spilling down your tender cheeks. 

“What's the matter sweetheart?” he asked upon your arrival, his face dropping at the sight of your distress. 

“Those bitches lied!” you cried out “They’ve lied to everyone, they’ve ruined every possible chance I have at succeeding in life!”

George dropped his pen, putting a hold on his tax filing he got up out of his chair and brought you into his arms, he looked confused at your statement. 

“I can’t get hired anywhere because those girls from Slytherin and Ravenclaw lied, they managed to get Rita Skeeter to write about me, contacting everywhere in the area I applied to, telling the owners that it would be irresponsible and a irreversible mistake if they were to hire me!” you were hyperventilating beyond control, choking on your tears “they’ve painted a picture of me that doesn’t exist, George! That I’m a threat, a danger to myself and others, making it out like my past defines me for who I am now!”  

There's a cold kinetic heat, struggling, stretching for the beat Never stopping with her head against the wind

You stared at your paintings hanging on the wall at your local art show, ones of George on his broom, others of all the creatures Hagrid raised. After failing at being hireable, George encouraged you to find something you were passionate about, to run with it and earn money from it. So you took up painting and added a bit of magic to impress the muggles more than those with talent you believed you couldn’t compete against.

George smiled at you through the window and nodded as a rich muggle lady walked past, stopping in her tracks as she eyed up the painting of the Cornish pixies mid air showing off their mischievous grins. 

“How extraordinary” she beamed up at your art, the pixies beady eyes twinkling at her. “How much?” she asked “my son will love this!”

You scratched the back of your head, forgetting that muggles didn’t have the same currency and you weren’t exactly the best with pounds and pennies.

 “Uh-” you stuttered, until the lady cut you off, noticing your other paintings.

The one of George made her laugh and Buckbeak took her breath away, shaking her head in disbelief “I’ve never seen such magnificent works of art in my life... forget how much, I’ll buy them all!” 

She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before

Walking out of the art show you felt your heart skip beats, running towards George you jumped into his arms. “She bought the whole lot!” You squealed.

George spun you around in his arms, cheering for you with all his pride. “You’ve bloody done it, darling!”

The two of you celebrated with the rest of the Weasleys over family dinner at the burrow, Arthur fascinated by the rich muggles and what they spend their money on and Fred begging you to paint him for your next piece. 

After finishing the celebrations George took you out for a night stroll under the stars, the two of you swinging your laced hands with every step. He stopped under the moon, it’s bright light beaming down on the two of you as if you were in the spotlight on a large stage. 

Getting down on one knee George pulled out a small wooden box branded with Weasleys Wizard Wheezes on the front, you chuckled thinking he was going to pull out a magic ring to trap his and your fingers so you couldn’t part.

Upon opening the box George pulled out an incredibly sparkly and flawless amber ring which matched his beautiful hair, you realised that this wasn’t a new wacky invention or a perfectly plotted prank. 

“Y/N, from the moment I first saw you on the Hogwarts Express I fell for you and over the years my love for you has only bloomed all the more... will you marry me?”

It can cut you like a knife, if the gift becomes the fire On a wire between will and what will be

You scowled down at the negative pregnancy test in your hands and threw it into the bin adding to the collection of negative tests you had accumulated over the years since your wedding night. 

You fell to the floor and shook your head feeling frustrated and cheated, your husband George walked into the bathroom and frowned at you with sympathy knowing what the outcome was. 

“I’m so sorry” you cried.

George sat down next to you and held you hand, kissing it softly. “We’re in this together Y/N, okay?” 

You nodded and wiped your tears, letting out a shaky breath “yeah, we are.”

She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know (I sure know) And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before

You heard a massive thud above you, followed by a scream next door. Feeling annoyed you snapped your fingers, your paint brush and palette hovering in the air.

“Georgina, get down here right now!” You yelled at the top of your lungs, your husband George laughing behind you “don’t encourage her!” you scolded him. 

Your daughter with curly ginger hair and a cheeky grin just like her fathers thundered down the stairs, pulling out an earphone. 

“What?” she asked sheepishly, sending a look to her father causing him to laugh. 

“All because your brother has moved out it doesn’t mean his room is your magic practice room!” you told her off “this is the third time this week you’ve frightened next door, you’ll get expelled from Hogwarts before you’ve even started!”

Your youngest of four put her hands up in defence “okay, okay, I’m sorry” she smirked, giving her dad a thumbs up before running back upstairs. 

You shook your head but laughed, walking over to your husband who stood against the kitchen worktops with a brew in his hand. You hugged him and kissed his cheek. “I can’t believe this is my life” you muttered, pulling away and going back to painting your brother in law, Fred. 

Maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know (I sure know) And she's dancing like she's never danced before

[harryspet]

obedience | bucky barnes

[Warnings] dark bucky barnes x named oc, murder, and violence, non/dubcon oral and vaginal, outdoor sex, kidnapping, p/e/t play elements, bad google translate, implied agegap, mater/pet, lots of buildup, Stockholm syndrome(?)

A/N: I’ve been writing a bunch of Peter and Harry and kind of wanted to take a little break! This pretty much post endgame bucky. Sorry for any story inaccuracies! TRIGGER CONTENT AHEAD SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

In which Bucky kills her family of former Hydra members before taking her home as his pet.

Like, reblog and let me know what you think!

word count: 4.4k

Sam wanted him to let things go. Move on and focus on something else, he said. Sam thought it would be impossible to find any of them since it had been years since they were active members. The snap had given them a big enough distraction to escape. Bucky didn’t think it was fair that they could just disappear, change their names, and get to live another day after the destruction they had caused. 

Accept, they couldn’t stay hidden for long. It took months but Bucky finally tracked the small family to Manhattan. The German immigrants thought they could hide within the millions of citizens in the New York borough. They made several mistakes though only because they couldn’t get rid of the luxury they were used to. The daughter had a driver and bodyguard that took her to and from her private school. 

Bucky had cyberstalked her through her Instagram. The eighteen-year-old Senior posted a lot under the alias, Mina, that her parents had most likely given her. The Vogt family had turned into the Bradford’s of Manhattan’s elite class. The daughter didn’t go anywhere without her bodyguard, at least, that’s what her parents thought. Bucky noticed how she snuck out on Friday’s at the same time every week. 

How reckless could she be? Her parents are on the most wanted list in eight different countries. Teenage love was the only answer. Bucky saw the boy she met up with, a poor rockstar type, that gave her that rush of dopamine she desperately needed. 

Poor little rich girl.

Bucky purposely bumped into her while the couple was waiting for the subway, “Watch where you’re going, dude,” The boy spoke in a thick Queens accent. Her purse dropped and, because Bucky was dressed like a respectable man of society, the girl let him pick it up and hand it back to her. Their eyes met for a long moment and Bucky thought for a moment she was lost in his blue eyes. 

“Sorry about that, you two have a goodnight,” Bucky faked a smile as he walked away, tucking the girl’s apartment key into his coat. 

“Old creep, he was definitely checking you out,” Bucky heard as he walked away, a stoic look of determination on his face. 

+

Mina woke up frightened. She panted, looking around in the dark for the monster that was in her nightmare. Those striking blue eyes looked into the depths of her soul. Brandon had said the man was checking her out but he didn’t see what she saw. Hate. That man didn’t even know her and yet he hated her. 

Looking out the window across the room, Mina could clearly see the lights of the Manhattan Bridge. When they first moved here, her mother promised she would have an even better view than the master bedroom. They were still trying to get her to not be so upset about the move. Mina pulled back the fabric of her heavy duvet and decided she’d go downstairs to get some water. Her bare feet padded across the white carpet and she opened the doors that led into the hallway. 

As she walked down the hall, someone appeared around the corner, “What are you doing up so late, Miss Mina?” The maid asked, her hands full of towels that she was carrying to the linen closet. 

The maid looked over her, sweaty with tangled hair, clad in her polka-dotted robe and nightgown, “Just getting some water. I had a bad dream.”

The maid held out her hand, urging her to stop, “I can bring you some warm milk and cookies, you should go back to your room,” Something changed in the older woman’s eyes. If Mina wasn’t so tired, she might’ve thought the maid was warning her.

 “It’s okay,” Mina insisted, stepping forward, “You work too much-”

Before Mina could even step forward, the maid collapsed on her side. Blood splattered against the wall and Mina thought she saw pieces of her brain. A bullet had come from down the hall Mina was about to turn on to. Mina covered her mouth, backing away, as the man from the subway stepped around the corner. 

No mask. He didn’t plan on letting her leave alive.

Mina hurried backward, towards her room, but the man took off after her. As her fingers curled around the door handle, she felt metal wrap around her upper arm. She screamed loud, a piercing scream even louder than the gunshot, as she struggled against him. 

The man didn’t speak, just pressed the long tipped gun against the side of her head, “P-Please, please, don’t kill me,” She stuttered out, shutting her eyes shut tight, “Please!”

“Scream one more time and I’ll kill you,” The man jerked her away from the door. The man pulled her back towards the maid’s dead body and down the hall, he came from. Mina’s knees were so weak that she was struggling to walk beside him. She let out a whimper as she was forced to step over the maid’s body. 

“W-Why are you doing this?”

It couldn’t be because of the rude thing Brandon said, right? This was too insane for that. 

He had killed someone. Killed. 

The man dragged her into the room she knew as her father’s office. And despite the man’s order, Mina screamed again. Her mother was bleeding from her abdomen, laying flat on the old rug in front of his desk. The man let go of her arm and Mina ran to her. 

He killed her mother. 

As Mina touched her mother, she realized there was no life left in her. 

Her father was still alive, just bent over and handcuffed to his coffee table, ��sie ist tot,” She heard her father say, his thick German accent coming through, “She’s dead. Thank the Winter Soldier for that.”

Mina looked up at the man standing over them, her face covered in tears, “Papa?” Her lips trembling, “W-What’s happening?”

Her father didn’t answer as he looked down, talking to himself, “Mashina. Belyy. Doroga. Svecha. Nebo …” He was spouting off random words in Russian and her anger and frustration only grew. 

The man stepped forward, slamming her father’s head into the table, “I’m not your puppet anymore, Vogt,” Her father laughed, blood dripping down his face. 

“I like your new haircut, Winter Soldier,” Her father teased which only resulted in a punch across the face, “It suits you.” 

“Papa!” She shouted to him, wanting him to stop antagonizing. His wife was dead and his daughter was at gunpoint yet he was teasing the man?  “Please stop hurting him!”

The man finally looked at her, “Your daughter is beautiful, Frank. Is that what you get when you make them in labs?”

Frank? That was not her father’s name. 

“What is it that you want? Money? Being Captain America’s best friend not pay much?”

+

Bucky tried not to show any emotion but becoming Bucky instead of Winter Soldier had its problems. He was still getting used to showing emotion. 

“I want you dead. For every single death that you cause. For the years of my life that you stole.”

Frank shook his head, “Don’t give me the bad guy/good guy spiel. Name your price, Barnes.”

Bucky scowled, tucking away his gun, “What if I said I wanted your daughter?” The girl's eyes widened, still holding onto her dead mother. 

“Papa?” Her father didn’t answer.

“I know what you think, Barnes, but I am not monster,” Frank spoke calmly. Too calmly, “I can give you my contacts, other members who escaped.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes at the man, “Give me an example, a name, and I’ll decide if it’s worth it.”

“... Viktor Vanzin,” Bucky grinned, pulling out his pocket knife. 

“You’re lying,” Bucky had killed that man himself. That meant Frank was truly out of the loop, “I want your daughter. A life for a life.”

“She’s innocent,” Frank continued. 

“So was I,” Bucky countered, waiting for a response. 

“Okay, Barnes. Life for a life,” As Frank finally nodded yes, Bucky thought the girl might faint. She went completely still, her heart completely broken. Bucky almost felt bad but he was really doing her a favor. 

“You evil fucking bastard,” Bucky cursed, moving behind the man and wrapping his arm around the man’s neck. Frank struggled as Bucky drove the knife several times into his stomach. He wanted him to slowly bleed out, to suffer. The man slumped back over the table, coughing up blood. 

He spoke his last words to her, “I-I’m s-sorry, schatz.”

Treasure.

She fainted. 

+

Mina awoke on a thin mattress in a cold room. She reached to clutch her robe but only found her thin, blue nightgown. She wrapped her arms around herself, the sound of her heart pounding flooding her ears, before quickly sitting up. She regretted it instantly, gaining a headache quickly. 

She looked around and found now windows. The walls were a boring beige and there were absolutely no decorations. Only one wooden chair in the corner. Bucky heard the commotion and walked into the room a few moments later. He found her standing, pacing around the locked room.

He expected her to be angry, to shout at him, but instead, he watched eyes well up with tears. He much rather she is angry then have to watch her cry, “Why didn’t you kill me?”

“You want to be in the afterlife with those evil people?”

“I-I’m evil too, remember?” She choked on her sobs. She remembered how her father was willing to give her over to this man in a trade for his life. She remembered how he died anyways and she was taken by this man too. 

“I haven’t decided that.”

“I know they must’ve done something bad to you but they … t-they were my parents,” She struggled to speak, “They loved me. Doesn’t that show some kind of humanity?”

Bucky leaned back against the door,  fingers brushing through his beard as he thought, “You truly don’t know who they really were?” She was silent, “They were top scientists for Hydra. They’re responsible for thousands of deaths and you … they lied to you.”

She shook her head, “No, they work in finances. They could never do that.”

“I think your father showed you his true colors in his final moments. If that doesn’t convince you then I don’t know what will.”

“Why didn’t you kill me?”

Bucky leaned forward, “So, even in death, they can look at you from the other side and feel no peace.”

“Please … please just kill me.”

“Where’s the fun in that, my little treasure?”

+

Mina hated her parents. 

She loved them because they were her parents and hated them because they were the reason this happened to her. She would never see them again, never see Manhattan or Brandon ever again. 

When Bucky walked into the small room later that day, he had a black box as well as a tray of food. Mina held her knees to her chest, staring at the wall, “Leave me alone.”

Bucky sighed, “I think you’re gonna need your strength,” Out of the corner of her eyes she could see his shirt was short-sleeved, his metal arm fully exposed. He set down the tray by her sad excuse of a bed. 

He waited but she didn’t move. Bucky gently placed down the box before moving towards her. She flinched away from him but he grabbed her leg, pulling her flat on her back, “No, don’t! Please don’t!” His metal arm wrapped around her throat and with a swift movement, he ripped off her nightgown. She was weeping again as he did the same with her bra and panties. She grabbed at his arm which was completely useless. 

When he was done, Bucky stood up, watching as she scrambled to cover up with her arms, “You’re sick!” 

Bucky tossed the remnant to the side, “Good girls get to wear clothes. Eat and I’ll think about getting you some clothes. I’m in control here, I won’t put up with your tantrums,” Mina stared at him and Bucky was relieved that she was scowling at him instead of crying, “Eat.”

Mina flinched at the sound of his voice but moved forward. It was heated up canned soup and a plastic cup of water. She was glad that he splurged on her. Sitting on her knees, she covered her breast with one hand and moved the plastic spoon with her other hand. 

It was lukewarm and not that appetizing but she ate most of it. Bucky had pulled the wooden chair closer and taken a seat, “C-Can I have clothes now?” Her face was completely red and, now, she found it hard to even look at him. 

“I’ll think about it in a few days,” Bucky answered simply, and, as it were even possible, her face fell even more, “Considering your reaction, it seems like a good punishment.”

“Why do you want to punish me?” Mina asked, her voice timid. Was not taking her from her family enough?

“Oh, doll,” Bucky’s face softened as he leaned forward in the chair, “I don’t want to punish you but you won’t be obedient otherwise.”

To Bucky, she was a prize. A product of all that he had done and all that he had overcome to get to this point. He had survived her parents and now he owned their lives as well as their daughters. He’d spit on their graves by making her loyal and obedient to him. 

“If I promise to behave, can I have some clothes?” Bucky grinned, thinking she was smarter than she looked. 

Bucky’s eyes went to the black box and he swiftly picked it up, “I have something else for you to wear. A temporary one until you graduate.”

“Graduate?”

“I’m thinking of calling it Bucky’s Reformatory School for Troubled Little Girls,” She couldn’t tell if he was joking but he seemed very proud of the name he came up with. He opened the box, pulling out a plain black collar with a single silver loop, “Crawl over here, pet. Let me put it on you.”

“Mr. Barnes, please-”

“Call me Master.”

+ 

It took Mina two months to even earn a pair of panties. And the panties he chose for her were skimpy, to say the least. 

Mina was used to being naked now and she was almost used to Bucky. He insisted on complete order in his house. They woke up at the same time every day, ate breakfast, Bucky went off probably to murder people and came back in the afternoon to torture her.

That morning, she sat at his feet, eating her breakfast from a plate on the floor. Apparently, she wasn’t allowed the luxury of eating at the table or even sleeping in an actual bed. It was her job to make the food, the way he taught her, and she wasn’t even allowed to enjoy it. 

She wasn’t sure exactly where this rustic house was and Bucky didn’t care to answer questions like that. It wasn’t like anywhere she had lived when she was growing up. Though it wasn’t the biggest it was quite homey and somewhere she probably would’ve liked if she weren’t stuck here. The place had a big porch and there were trees surrounding most of the property except for a pond she noticed one time. 

Bucky was going through his computer, looking at codes Mina couldn’t understand. It probably had something to do with whatever mission he had to go on today. 

Mina itched at her collar, a reminder that she was not yet perfect to Bucky. 

“Mina,” She looked up quickly. Every time she heard him say her name she hoped he’d say something along the lines of giving her freedom. It made her think about what would happen if she was free. Where would she even go? She didn’t have any more family and she’d be surprised if Brandon hadn’t forgotten all about her, “Dishes.”

She gave him a solemn look, standing up with her plate in her hand. She grabbed his too and she felt his eyes over her body. He seemed to resist his urges well. Mina knew he desired to touch her and it would be a matter of time before he violated her that way. 

She walked the dirty dishes over to the sink, still feeling his eyes on her as he sat at the kitchen table, “Do you want to do something fun today, pet?”

“What do you mean, Master?”

She heard his chair creak as he rose from his seat, “We’ll go into town. We’re in dire need of groceries.”

Bucky watched her carefully, wanting to see her reaction. This was all another test, of course, to see if he could trust her out in public. 

She turned her head and Mina almost smiled for the first time in a long time. He moved behind her and Mina focused back on the dishes, “Yes, yes, that would be very nice.” He smacked her hard on her bottom and Mina winced, “I mean yes, Master.”

She felt his body heat on her skin as she turned off the water, setting the dishes into a drying rack. As she turned around, Bucky grabbed her by her neck. Luckily for her, it wasn’t the metal one, “You’d be very grateful to me, right?”

Mina nodded as best as she could, forced to look into his eyes, “What would you do to thank me?”

Mina hesitated but not for long as she felt his hand tighten, “Whatever you want, Master.”

Bucky smirked, “Hmm, and if I wanted your lips around my cock? What would you say?”

He loved this, watching her squirm. She actually thought about it and she wasn’t strong enough to defy this. Throughout this whole process, she thought she’d be stronger than this. All she knew is she’d do anything to escape this house,  “I … I-If that’s what you wanted, Master.”

The accomplished look on his face told her enough, “Let’s get dressed then.”

+

The drive from the house in Bucky’s truck was shorter than she expected. That told her that she wasn't as far away from civilization as she originally thought. She watched all the road signs but she still couldn’t quite tell where she was. It looked to be maybe that they were in the South by the type of trees. 

It seemed to be a very small town with one main street and a few more buildings. 

She was wearing a pair of regular jeans that were a little too big for her and a black hoodie that only partially hid the collar. It was another reminder that she was not a regular person anymore. Perhaps she never was.

Bucky grabbed her hand as they walked into the practically empty Piggly Wiggly. He grabbed a cart with his other hand, greeting one of the old ladies behind the cash register. 

She was not to talk to anyone unless they addressed her and Bucky would kill anyone that she tried to ask for help. Violently, he made sure to add. 

She tried her best to enjoy what little freedom she had but her mind kept wandering back to what she had “promised” Bucky she’d do in return for this outing. 

“Can we get something to eat?” She blurted out, before whispering, “Master.”

Bucky thought for a moment, pointing out the brand of Milk he wanted, waiting for her to fetch it for him. 

“Want to spend even more time in my company?” She scowled on the inside but nodded anyway. 

Bucky chose a diner on the edge of town and they seemed to get stares from everyone inside as they walked in and chose their booth. Bucky looked around as if he wasn't used to being in places like this either. 

Bucky asked her what she wanted so he could order her, avoiding as much human contact as possible, “ … and a chocolate milkshake.”

“That might cost you extra later, Mina,” Her lips pressed down into a thin line. 

“Whatever you wish, Bucky,” It was brave, saying that when he couldn’t reprimand her. Bucky smirked, knowing what she was doing. 

Bucky proceeded to order for them, including the milkshake she wanted, “Can I use the bathroom?”

Bucky raised an eyebrow, “Do you think I was born yesterday?” Quite the opposite, she thought. 

Mina slouched back in her seat. It was only recently that she looked at him and actually thought he was attractive. Maybe they would’ve worked together if he weren’t so cruel. 

“Maybe if I pee my pants, someone will notice and-”

“Mina,” He practically growled her name, “Don’t ruin this opportunity I’m giving you.”

As the waitress approached with their food, Mina slowly slid the knife on the table into her lap and then the pocket of her sweatshirt. Bucky actually smiled at the waitress and she seemed to swoon. 

Mina enjoyed her milkshake and the two sat quietly for most of the meal. Bucky watched as she devoured her food and felt a little bit better about rewarding her. It had been a long two months but she was coming along a few more months, and she wouldn’t have a single thought that didn’t involve making Bucky happy. 

He grabbed her hand as they both went up to pay the check, “You two are a lovely couple,” Mina didn’t even react and the woman only smiled awkwardly, “Have a good night.”

“What do you say?”

“Thank you, Master.”

Bucky could sense the tension between the two of them growing as they got into his car. As they traveled down the dirt road, a feeling swept over both of them. A feeling of knowing and worry. Bucky put the car in park, sighing, “You’re clever but not clever enough, Mina.”

Mina froze, “Give me the knife. I won’t ask again.” Bucky’s words were sharp, demanding. 

Mina reached into her pocket and gripped the knife. As quickly as she could and with as much force as she could muster, she shoved into him. It only entered a few centimeters into the right of his chest but the motion stunned him. Mina opened her door and jumped out. 

It was one last valiant effort at her freedom. Bucky’s chest rumbled with anger as he opened his own door, causing it to almost fall off its hinges. He chased her as she ran into the treeline. Bucky was unnaturally fast and she was only a few seconds ahead of him. 

She didn’t even make it thirty feet before a metal arm wrapped around her waist and through her small body over his shoulder. She fought with the last of the strength she had as he brought her back over to the truck. 

“You have no one,” he threw her body down, pinning her against the front side of the truck, “No one except for me. Do you understand that?”

She nodded, trying to ease his wrath. He was bleeding, she could see it seeping through the plaid of his shirt, “No one else who’s going to give a shit about whether you live or die.”

“I’m sorry,” She whimpered but it wasn’t enough. 

By her shoulder, he forced her down to the ground. She didn’t move as he began to undo his jeans. She closed her eyes but Bucky roughly grabbed her chin, “Look at me!” She did as his erection sprang from his underwear. It pressed against her closed lips, “Open.”

Whatever gentleness he was previously going to give her was gone. He shoved his erection inside her mouth, instantly making her gag with how deep it went.  

He groaned as he moved inside her with animalistic lust. Saliva dripped down her chin and her eyes filled with tears from the lack of oxygen. He even pinched her nose shut to torture her further.

She’d grab onto his thighs for some sort of balance and he’d simply push away her hands, using her mouth like a barbarian. 

Bucky didn’t want to finish in her mouth, he hadn’t waited this long for that. He pulled her up from her position on her knees only to pull the jacket over her head. Luckily, there was no one around to see what was happening in his driveway. 

He turned her around swiftly before easily yanking down her pants and panties as well, He pressed her front into the hood of the car, positioning himself at her entrance. Mina’s body had betrayed her and Bucky could feel her wetness. 

“You’d enjoy this more if you weren’t so stubborn, pet.”

He entered her slowly and Mina cried out, the pressure incredibly intense. 

Bucky held her waist, dragging her body back onto him and then pushing it forward as he moved in and out. He grunted, noting how tight she was around him. It felt like they were perfectly matched together. 

Bucky sped up his pace, his hand reaching around to rub her sensitive bulb. She flinched from the touch but he could tell it was from the sudden pleasure. She was tightening around him and he could tell she was already coming. Bucky made a note about how sensitive she was. 

The first orgasm ripped through her, completing shattering her world in the process. How could she be turned on by this? Maybe what she felt had been wrong all along. She tried to hold in her moans but that proved futile quickly. 

Bucky wasn’t done with her yet, turning her back around to face him and lifting her leg so he could slide into her again. She looked tired from the first one, tears still staining her face. Bucky held her neck in his metal hand as he slammed into her a few more times. He finished inside her with his lips on hers. As he came, he removed his hand and he felt Mina return his kiss. They moved well together, his tongues brushing hers as it became sloppier. 

Mina was crying still, not because of the gagging but because she realized what Bucky said was true.

“I’m the only one you have,” He spoke, starting to kiss her chin and then her neck. She nodded vigorously in agreement. 

“I know, I-I know,” Her eyes didn’t leave his. 

Bucky pulled away, looking her over, loving how perfect she was, “Let’s get you in the bath, doll.”

+

Hope you enjoy this! I have another Sebastian fic called plaything and a bunch of dark Peter stuff. I’m currently trying to write a Bucky/Steve/Peter related Walking Dead AU so hopefully my idea for that works out lol. 

[purekesseltrash]

My Fic List

Whelp, decided I should do one of these.  I have mostly written for Hockey RPF and BNHA, as you have likely already seen!

My BNHA Fics

Bury Them Deep

- “Shouji Mezou's entire life has revolved around being a goalie and playing hockey since he was five years old. After being drafted in the third round in the NHL, Shouji has two more years of college before moving on to playing professional hockey like he's always wanted. Or at least like he always thought he wanted. An injury that ends his season throws him into a tailspin, forcing him to take a look at his life and how he is going to live it, especially after meeting his fascinating new goth history tutor.”

(This bad bitch is 81k total and is chock full of my red hot hockey takes and midwestern references.  I love it very much and it is a sweet baby.)

The Rooftop Necromancy series AKA my black metal band AU:

Downhill from Here 

- “ Hizashi just wants to tour the country with his best friends with their metal band in their shitty van like they've been planning for years. He'd successfully hidden his crush on one of them for years, after all, he would definitely be able to make this work and keep things fun and uncomplicated. Until Aizawa decided to start acting weird. “

(In which I take you all on a nostalgic trip to 2006-2008 metal culture and you can see the black metal love song that my dumb ass wrote.)

The Perfect Mistake

- “ It wasn't as though Hizashi had planned on breaking up with his boyfriend while they were on tour in a tiny cargo van with no room and no peace. He would have much rather preferred to do it when they were home and he could easily go and crawl back into his mom's basement. But he didn't have a choice. “

(As relationships tend to do, theirs goes through problems.)

Rooftop Necromancy

-"He’d even ended up leaning into the crowd when someone’s elbow had connected solidly with his nose and thrown him back. They’d gone quiet as Hizashi got himself up to his feet, ripped off his now bloody ‘Within Temptations’ tshirt from 2004, whipped his hair back from his face and screamed, “That’s what I’m FUCKING talking about.” into the mic.

They went wild for it, cheering as blood ran down his nose, past his mouth and dripped onto the stage, leaving him feeling like an otherworldly monster performing an occult ritual. Metal, he thought dazedly to himself, why in the fuck had he ever stopped doing metal."

(I hyperfocused so hard at the idea of Mic as a metal head that I wrote this in seven straight hours and WROTE THROUGH THE ATTEMPTED COUP ON DEMOCRACY WITHOUT KNOWING IT.  It’s a bit rough, but it’s got some good parts and it spawned the whole damn series.)

Hands Up

- "But of course he had, they had always been able to read each other and what they meant. That had often been their problem, if he was going to be honest."

(In which they figure their shit out.  Basically it was written when I was thinking alot about how my own mental health had evolved through the years.  It’s basically the story of two people who are both very good for each other and also very bad and how they deal with that.  It’s probably the most personally meaningful thing I’ve ever written.)

The other BNHA fics:

Waking Up With Ghosts

-"Hizashi opened his eyes to a world that belonged to ghosts. His headphones were gone and the gray, grimy world that he felt more than saw was muffled and still. This was bad, he hazily thought."

In which we follow Hizashi shortly after the events of 296. How he's found, how he finds out and how he has to tell.”

(I fished this one out of the garbage of my Google Docs because I’d written most of it and forgotten about it.  I dragged it out, prettied it up a little and threw it up on AO3.  It is by far my most well read BNHA fic, go figure.)

Leave Her Johnny

-”Captain Hizashi Yamada has combed the Seven Seas looking for the elusive smuggler Eraserhead. He has spent years searching for him, tracking his movements and trying to anticipate where he would be next. But he had never considered what would happen when he finally found him. “

(I wrote a paragraph of this and was immediately like ‘I MUST CREATE THIS’.  I take some chances writing wise in this as the whole thing is done in a Victorian Era ish style of writing.  But I think it’s effective and the ending is likely one of the best that I’ve ever managed.  I’m proud of it.)

Gold Rush

-”"That earned him a laugh and Mashirao’s smile made something in his chest ache, something that made him want to hurt. Why had he ever left?

“I’m really not,” Mashirao was saying but Shinsou just shook his head and kissed him once, twice and wished he could take the sunny afternoon and make it stay forever. Make it stay forever like Mashirao somehow had, while the neighborhood had adjusted without Hitoshi’s permission.

“You are,” he said, “And I love it.”

I love you, he should have said.  But as Mashirao’s eyes softened and the blonde pushed him back against the bed, Hitoshi knew he didn’t need to say it."

(You know how sometimes you listen to a Death Cab for Cutie song about gentrification over and over until a fic comes out?  Because that’s basically what happened here.)

Black Sun

‘"But then he remembered the way that Shouji had eaten the night after, one hand curled into his hair as he hung back in the corner. Shouji hid when something was wrong, like a wounded cat trying to find a dark place to either live or die and he was being released tomorrow. Now was the time to push or he’d find Shouji right back on his bed, staring at nothing."

Something happened to Shouji on the beach. Tokoyami is sure of it.‘

(Aaaaaand Death Cab for Cutie strikes again.  But heyo, my first published ShouToko and it is SOFTTTTT)

In the Far and Mighty West

Mic came closer and despite himself, Shouta could not find it in him to feel afraid. “You won’t understand, not really. I’ll try, though. I’m like Pecos Bill or Paul Bunyan or a jackalope or that fish that your friend caught that he swears he brought in but that you’ve never seen proof of. I’m the herd of dogies moving sweet and steady in the right direction, I’m no stragglers to worry about, I’m that perfect dog that’s there to keep them in line. I’m that group of good friends that you would kill for, I’m the woman who you’re dying to come home to, I’m that promised home of milk and honey. I’m Mic.”

Shouta stared at him dazedly and licked his lips, feeling drunk and stupid as he stared at the man. “You’re… magic?”

“I suppose you could call me that.”

(Cowboy!Erasermic.  Inspired heavily by American Gods and my own love of folk heroes.)

In Your Violence

- “'Mezou frowned, eyes narrowing. “Are you trying to say that you’re scared that I’ll be killed by having faith in you?”

“It would be in your best interest to stay away from me,” Fumikage finally said, his voice falling flat and quiet. “I am destined to be a monster.”

'Mezou gets the call he fears, the one that says that Fumikage has lost control again. But this time it's different, in more ways than one.”

(I listened to Silence by Marshmello until I went insane in this is the result.  Featuring some of my super depressing headcanons about Shouji!  But it’s not awful.)

My hockey fics that I still like:

Hufflepuff Halfwit  

- ““Zhenya, the wind is coming from the west, I will not remind you again. You shut that window before the house stinks of factories!” She snapped and Geno stared at the owl as though maybe it would know what to do. But instead, it had given a little hoot and wiggled inside, only to drop it’s letter on the counter.

He turned his head very slowly back to look at his mother, who had suddenly gone very quiet. “It… just showed up, Mama. And um. It brought a letter.” He waited again, looked back at the owl who had begun to nose at the pirozhkis in interest and then looked back at his mother with the best puppy dog eyes he had ever attempted. “Can I keep it?”

(This is a part of my hockey/Harry Potter au that still legitimately haunts my dreams.  It’s basically a Sid/Geno in Hogwarts but I really love the world building I got to do with Koldovstoretz, the Russian school of wizardry.  Don’t read ‘On the Word of a Slytherin’ though, I’m not as proud of that one.)

The Prince  

- “What the fuck.” Matt breathed out, sitting back heavily onto his hotel bed as he stared at his phone.

‘This is Henrik.’ The text read. ‘I would like to meet you. I will book a room in Pittsburgh at your convenience. Let me know what time will work for you.’  - 

(Listen, it’s Henrik Lundqvist/Matt Murray smut, I feel like that is novel and interesting and worth your attention.  I wax poetic on goalies in this, as you do.)

The Zoo of Toronto 

- “No one missed it when a massive porcupine had shuffled in between the reporters with a single minded focus, pushing media away until it was able to grip onto Phil’s suit pants and try to pull itself up. He hadn’t been able to do more then besides pick the animal up before it could shred his pants to shreds and walk out of the locker room before the decision had been made with the Toronto media.

Phil Kessel was guilty.” 

(Not gonna lie, this is probably my favorite of the hockey fics I’ve written.  And it’s Phil/Carl, which is never found anymore but it was a good pairing.)

[honestlyhappyharry]

Chapter 11

Changes

Chapter 10

Sunday mornings were something you were accustomed to spending alone for many years. But now Harry lay next to you and it was the best feeling in the world.

The sun streamed through the shutters and dusted over his face. The early morning rays highlighting those sharp cheekbones people obsessed over. You noticed how his jawline slightly bulged as he clenched his teeth in his sleep. The warmth of the house left him in only boxers, showing off his tan, toned, inked chest which had stayed so similar all this time.

His skin looked flawless and you mindlessly found yourself tracing the inked shapes while he was asleep. His long, black eyelashes rested heavily under his eyes while his perfect curls sat on his forehead, looking blonder in the morning light.

As you continued to admire Harry he stirred and wriggled around so you ducked your head so he wouldn't wake up to your eyes staring at him.

"Knew you were looking at me, ya know?" His rough morning voice came from next to you and made you blush. Even through closed eyes, you could see the smirk on his perfectly pink lips. It was something he did whether you were nervous or embarrassed.

"Was not." You mumbled, voice also rough from the hours you hadn't talked for.

"You were totally checking me out." Harry teased in a sing-song tone, making your cheeks redder.

To cover yourself from the embarrassment you put your hands over your cheeks and eyes.

"S'not my fault you look so gorgeous in the morning sun." You mumbled. knowing if you said it louder his ego would inflate bigger than you were willing to let it be.

Harry placed his hand to your hands and peeled them away from your eyes. "You're not allowed to compliment me until I tell you how beautiful you look." He told you as he held your face.

His face was so close that you were sure if he had a single flaw you'd be able to see it. Still, there was no evidence of that.

"You're still beautiful." You replied before painfully slowly closing the gap and letting your lips fall onto his, slowly.

"Can we have a serious talk about something?" Harry asked after you had spent a few minutes kissing and cuddling.

Your initial reaction was to gulp and pray that he wouldn't be giving you bad news. As you nodded you felt your heart speed up and your breathing fall out of sync. There were a few silent breaths taken to calm yourself down before Harry started talking.

"I know we haven't already gone the right way but I really like where we are now and I just want to be a part of your and Lily's lives every day. You just both mean so much to me. So there are two things I want to say." You felt your nerves rising once he said that. "I don't even know what order to do this in or how to say this." He sighed and you giggled at his adorable nature. He raised a finger to his lips to think. It was honestly so cute when he did that.

"Say it, Haz, it's just me." You weren't sure how much more you could take.

"Iloveyouandwillyoumoveinwithme." He blurted out and your eyes widened but you can feel your lips pulling up into a smile.

"Harry." You say as you place your hands on his cheeks. "I love you so so much and I would love to move in with you." He just smashed his lips onto yours and pulled away while you're both in a grin.

"I'm not sure where we'll move, I only have a bachelor pad but I'll find us the best home money can buy." He promised.

One of his words stopped you. "Hey, you're not a bachelor!" You squealed and rolled his eyes, still grinning. "But I don't need to have the most expensive house, I just want somewhere we can wake up in the morning and cook chocolate chip pancakes together. Somewhere I can get annoyed at you for taking too long in the bathroom and somewhere I'm excited to come home to." You gushed, excited by how exciting the idea of moving in with Harry was.

He just laughed before his jaw dropped. "Wait, we can't move in together. I haven't even met your parents." Harry suddenly said and you had to stifle a giggle.

"Do you have amnesia? Because you have met them before." You joked remembering when you had this conversation with Harry before Lily met his parents. Once again, Harry rolled his eyes.

"Haha, you'd be very sad if I actually had amnesia." He sarcastically laughed and you nodded, in agreement. "What I meant was I haven't seen them in so long and when we saw your mum last she was asking if we'd come to visit them."

You nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure Lily would love to see them again." The last time she had seen them was a while ago. Although your mum said you should all catch up but Harry wasn't there. "Oh, I'll text her." You told Harry and reached for your phone before pulling up your mum's contact number and typing a quick message.

"Let's look for houses!" Harry yelled excitedly before quickly getting out of bed, putting on a pair of pants and going to get his charging laptop downstairs.

Now that your personal heater was gone, you got up and pulled a hoodie over your frame before you followed Harry downstairs.

He had apparently already found a perfect house. "Look at this one!" He said as he pulled up a picture of a massive white house with 9 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms.

It was insanely big and definitely a bit over the top. "Harry, that house is worth 28 million dollars." You said wearily.

"So? I want a nice house and I've got enough money. I just want where we live to be nice." He told you, sincerely and you nodded.

"Alright, but seriously price limit of 15 million." You told him and he nodded slowly, although you were pretty sure he wasn't agreeing. His efforts to find the best house were appreciated but it didn't matter. Any house you got to live in together would be perfect.

Harry continued his search while you sat beside him and checked your emails. Ding. Your text message notification sounded and Harry glanced over at you, unsure of who you could be texting at 8 in the morning.

"It's my mum." You told him and he nodded, swivelling on the kitchen island stool to face you. You briefly read the message before relaying it to Harry. "They're in Hawaii until next weekend." You sighed.

Harry looked a little defeated until his head perked up. "Best idea ever!" He announced, it made you giggle. "We could decide on a house, take a private jet to Hawaii and see them then come back and by the time we're back here they can have everything moved from here to our new house." His suggestion made you laugh. "I'm serious." Your heart dropped at how rushed out it sounded. Clearly, he wasn't used to the lifestyle you were.

Of course, you wanted to move in with Harry but it would be much more convenient if it didn't happen until Lily was on summer break.

"Harry..." How would you phrase this? "If it were just us then I would jump at the idea but we've got Lily and I can't rip her away from school and her life here." You tried to explain. Lily hadn't even been told of this yet.

"I'll drive her over to pre-K every morning." He promised. "And any time she wants to have play dates, I'll bring her." Another promise.

"That's sweet of you, H. But it's so rushed finding a house and getting moved so quickly. Can't we wait until the holidays?" You stuck to your point, maybe because you were stubborn but maybe because you thought it was stronger.

"The holidays are in 4 weeks, that's a whole month. I can have us a house by tomorrow so why wait?" He whined. "What if Lily takes the remaining 4 weeks off pre-K and then we spend some time in Hawaii, or anywhere you like." He bargained.

"I don't know, Haz." You honestly told him. "What about we look for a house and try to get moved in as soon as possible. We'll wait till my parents go home through LA and they can stay in the new place and have dinner." You told him in a tone that he knew meant it was the final plan.

It caused him to pout. "But, baby, I wanted to go on a family holiday." He continued to whine.

"Okay, let's go to Europe in the break then." You suggested and a grin quickly appeared on his face.

"Can I show Lily my hometown?" He cheered and you nodded. "I can't wait to show her where I used to live, the school I used to go to, the park that I used to play in and that one tree I used to snog all the girls under." He said as if it was his glory days.

You scrunched your nose at him. "Maybe skip the tree bit." You suggested and he nodded. "Plus, I don't want to think about you kissing other girls." You knew he had, obviously, you just didn't want to think about it.

"There was really only one girl." His smile widened and you felt bitter jealousy fill you from head to toe.

"Yuck." You rolled your eyes and you knew he could tell it was getting under your skin. "I bet she was like 20 years older than you with kids." You made your own snide comment at him, knowing his type.

"She does have a kid but I'm a little older than her." You felt sick as you talked about it but Harry looked like he was having a lot of fun.

"You kissed someone with a kid?" You asked, you wanted to guess who it was and considering you knew a lot of Harry's friends you thought you had a good chance.

"Well she didn't have one back then, she does now though." He explained and you nodded, your mind still racing as to who it could be.

"Was she with the father when you kissed her?" You asked, this had almost turned into an interrogation.

All he did was grin and the air in the room changed. "Yes."

"So she was cheating on him?"

"Nope."

A bad feeling set into your stomach, twisting it uncomfortably. "So you fathered a child?" All you could feel was shock and you couldn't even breathe.

"Do you have amnesia? Because we have a kid." He started laughing once he could see your panic and mimicked your words from earlier that morning.

Finally, you were able to get a breath back in. "Fuck, Harry. Don't freak me out like that." You managed to get out in between the breaths as it all clicked together. Harry was still cracking himself up and there was no way you could be mad at him after hearing that sound.

"You're too easy to freak out, baby." He told you before going back to his house search.

Harry didn't do anything lightly, by the time Lily was downstairs he had already been on the phone with his real estate agent and had booked some houses to see today while you made breakfast for everyone.

"Morning, Lils." You smiled as you picked her up and hugged her. Once you put her back down she went over to her breakfast stool, next to Harry.

"Hey, where's my hug?" He whined as she smiled at him before sleepily falling back into his arms.

"There." She told him once she sat up again, ready to eat.

"Lily, we have something we wanted to talk to you about." You told her and she nodded, still eating. Harry was paying more attention to her now, desperate for her reaction. "How would you feel about moving into a different house with Harry?"

Her face turned sour and she glared up at you. "No, no, no! I want to live here!" She screamed at you which confused you.

"Lily, don't yell." You warned but she was far past caring about the rules.

"I am not moving house! I like this house and I want to live here forever!" She yelled, loudly as she got out of her chair. "I do not want to move!" That was the last thing she yelled before she got off the stool and stomped away,

Only a minute later you heard a loud door slam. Wow, her teenage years were going to be fun if this is what she was like at 5

"She got your drama queen temper." You joked to Harry, but he was wearing a serious face.

"Y/n, she doesn't want to move. What are we going to do? You can't move her if she doesn't want to." He told you and you shrugged.

"She'll be fine. She's just adjusting, it happened when I asked if she wanted a big girl bed. She had a big tantrum and then begged me to get her one the next hour." You explained and he nodded but still looked concerned.

It had been a good 20 minutes of the two of you eating breakfast and looking at houses until Harry asked about Lily. "Can I go talk to her? And you come?" He asked one question quickly followed by the next. It was cute he wanted you to be there.

"If you want." You shrugged as you got up to go up the stairs. Harry followed but overtook you to get to Lily's room first.

Knock, knock. He gently tapped on the door. "Lily, can we have an adult talk?" He asked. You could tell he was anxious by his clammy hands that were shaking.

"Yes." She sighed and he breathed out before he opened the door.

Once you walked into her room she sat there, on the bed with her arms crossed. Harry sat down at the end of her bed while you hovered in the doorframe.

Harry stalled as he tried to start the conversation, twisting the rings on his fingers. "What's wrong with moving?" He asked her.

"I like this house and I liked my room and I like my school and I like my friends and I like the beach." She listed, briefly looking up at him.

"Okay, what do you like about this house?" He asked and she took a little longer to think of an answer.

She was kicking her legs back and forward. "It's got a pool, a tv, my room and it's where I have always lived." You did understand that it was hard to ask her to move from the only house she knew.

"What if I promised you a pool, tv and new bedroom in a new house?" He asked and she waited while she thought about it. "I know that you only remember this house but I really want us to all live together in a nice, big house. I promise we can make lots of new memories." He promised again but Lily still hadn't answered. "I'll even invite your grandma around." He told her and she immediately looked up.

"And grandpa?" Lily asked hopefully.

"And grandpa." He confirmed. "Maybe we can see some of these houses and then if you hate them so much that you never want to live in them, I'll find a better house for us."

"Yes, please, I want to see them." She agreed and you could feel Harry's smile radiating around the room.

"Thank you." He pulled her in for a hug and you walked over to join them.

"Wanna hear something else cool, Lils?" You asked and she nodded, looking up to break the hug. "We're going to visit your Nana and Pop in the place Harry grew up." You told her and she started grinning widely.

"Oh my gosh! Can I see Auntie Gemma!? Will we go on a plane!?" Her questions came at a million miles an hour as she jumped around on her bed. "Wait." She stopped and sat down. "Where did you grow up?" She asked him.

He stood and walked over to the world map on her wall. "This place right here called Holmes Chapel in England." He told her as he looked at the map and her face turned into a frown as she got up to see the map herself.

"Is England is this one?" She asked as she pointed to Russia.

"Look to your left and it's the islands in the sea." You told her and she ran her finger along until she ended up at England.

Lily looked very curious. "It's tiny. How will we get there?" She was very concerned.

"By plane." You told her before Harry jumped in.

"Private plane."

"We didn't discuss that." You warned but he just shrugged and you glared at him.

"What's a private plane?" She asked and you snapped out of your glaring.

"It's when it's only you and the drivers and the seats are massive and you can play around as much as you want," Harry told her and she grinned. She'd only been on a few planes and it was never in first class.

"Yes, please, can we do that, Mumma?" She asked eagerly. She started to give you the puppy eyes as Harry caught on and copied her actions.

It freaked you out how alike they looked. "Fine." It was all they needed to confirm their victory and hi-five.

The houses you were going to see that afternoon with Harry were more than beautiful. They reminded you of the types of house you and Harry used to party at together all those years ago.

"Lil, we're here." You said as you leant into the back seat to unclip her sear belt so she could get out.

Harry had already raced around to open your door, in his usual gentleman fashion. Every time you looked at him it was like you felt love bursting out of you. His basketball shorts and tank top looked anything but basic on him.

After you got out of the car he opened Lily's door for her and she hopped out, quickly gawking at the massive house in front of her.

"You like it?" Harry asked her.

Her face was quick to change from shock to absolute euphoria. "Is this the house we're moving to?!" She squealed as she ran in circles around his legs. It made both of your giggle and Harry reached his hand out to give you a hi-five.

"Maybe, depends it's right." You told her and she nodded before leading the way inside. You followed with Harry a step ahead, going to the real estate agent to shake hands.

They talked about the houses advanced features while you took Lily to look at the front garden. The real estate agent took a phone call, leaving you three to go explore the house.

Harry led you upstairs to look at the bedroom. "Lily, this could be yours." He said as he opened the door to a massive room that she would struggle to fill if you brought her everything she'd ever wanted.

"Wow!" She cheers as she walked over to the window and looked at the LA skyline. It was a nice view but you knew the master bedroom would have an even nicer one.

"I can see that pretty brain working overtime, what are you thinking?" Harry said into your ear as he snaked his arms around your waist and rest his head on your shoulder. The two of you stood there, by the doorframe, watching your daughter.

You twisted your head so you could smile up at him. "It's really nice." There was a slight pause. "Lily loves it but I think she's going to love any house so that's not really a concern. I'm excited to see what other houses we're going to see. What about you?" You told him honestly.

"I love the kitchen and lounge but I think we need more bedrooms. And the pool isn't that big." He remarked and you looked at him with raise eyebrows.

"6 bedrooms isn't enough?" You questioned and he shook his head. "Lily, you and I only need 2, plus one for visitors. So that's 3, maybe 4." You explained.

He shook his head again. "What about when we have more kids?" He asked and your mouth fell open.

The two of you had never spoken about this before, but you hadn't even spoken about having Lily. At least 5 years ago he had said he wanted a few. As soon as Harry realised what he said he shut his mouth and you could see him thinking about what to say next.

To make it better or to take it away.

Finally, you had to pluck up the courage. "You want more?" Harry was now blushing furiously as he tried to think of something to say.

"Honestly, yes. I want to be there to raise them with you." He admitted. He had spun you around now so he could look into your eyes and have an honest conversation. "But it's not a deal-breaker." He quickly clarified.

It was the best answer you could have heard. "Harry, that's exactly what I want." You watched the huge smile appear on his face and he struggled to not wrap you in his arms.

"So, what are your thoughts?" The real estate agent asked as he walked up the stairs. Lily rushed out of the hidden room she had found with a huge smile on her face.

"I love it." She told him, which made him chuckle.

"It's nice, can we give you a call later once we've seen some others and decided?" Harry asked and the real estate agent nodded before you all left the house.

The rest of the day consisted of looking at 4 other, just as grand, homes, getting lunch and Harry subtly driving past one of the top private schools in the whole country in an attempt to get Lily to see it. Luckily for you she didn't, only because there had been no prior discussion between you and Harry about where she would go.

"So, team. what house do we think?" Harry asked around the dinner table later in the evening, ready for an inaugural family meeting.

"Second one!" Lily quickly yelled. The second house was built with two wings of bedrooms and a kitchen/lounge area in the middle. It was Lily's favourite because in the kid's wing there was a massive rock climbing wall.

"But would you like to be that far away from us every night?" You asked, knowing what problem was going to occur later.

She shook her head reluctantly. "No." She confirmed and Harry crossed that one off his list.

One down, four to go.

"So that means no to the 4th one."

Two down, three to do.

"Okay, now we're going to decide what is most important for us." You said, taking charge and reading over the features of the remaining 3 houses. "Do we want a spa?" You asked and Harry nodded quickly. A bit too quickly. "Not going to ask why." You said as you sent Harry a wink.

That decision crossed another house off. Three down, two to go.

"Okay, so 8 bedrooms and 3 lounges or 7 bedrooms and 4 lounges?" You asked Harry and Lily who looked at you like they were watching an intense sports match.

"7 and 4." They both said at the same time. Four down, one winner.

[blouisparadise]

Here are some great bottom Louis fics that were posted or completed during the month of June. We really hope you enjoy this list. Happy reading!

1) Until You’re Home | Explicit | 1039 words

Louis lives in London, Harry lives in Tokyo. They make it work.

2) He Holds My Paradise | Mature | 1332 words 

“What is it that you want, baby?”

“Your dick” Louis breaths out, choking on his own words, neck still covered by his boyfriend’s hand.

“And where do you want it, baby?” the Devil asks him, a satisfied smirk painting his lips. “in my pussy, please.”

3) Morning | Explicit | 1428 words 

Harry and Louis wake up and have a 'productive' morning in the shower ;)

4) Let's Go To The Beach | General Audiences | 1489 words 

Note: This fic contains no explicit smut, but since it’s omega Louis, we’ve included it. This is a sequel. Part one of this fic is #6 on this list. 

"Louis," Harry repeated.

"Right," Louis sighed. "He tried to scent me."

or the one where Louis has a meeting with an aggressive alpha and Harry calms Louis down.

5) Sweet Relief, Pretty Please | Not Rated | 1840 words 

Louis is drunk, sad and alone, and Harry is a wanker.

6) Hey Moon, Don't You Fall Down | Mature | 2574 words 

Note: The sequel to this fic is #4 on this list. 

"Make me yours," Louis opened his eyes and put his hands on Harry's shoulders. "I'm ready, alpha, always been ready for you. Since the first day we met, I was yours. Please," Louis gasped as Harry slid his fingers out of him.

or the one where Harry and Louis finally bond.

7) Nothing Like Anything | Explicit | 2614 words 

Harry is bored of his frat parties. No one interesting comes anyway.It's always drunk people, grinding in the living room, strangers trying to catch his eye. He's about to leave, just to ease his pounding head when he sees him, sinful on the dance floor and suddenly the party isn't so bad.

8) Over Exposed - Part Two| Explicit | 2840 words

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

Harry and Louis take a quick break from Harry's tour to attend the VMAs, then have a night out at a club.

9) Sweet Vanilla Cream | Explicit | 2896 words 

Harry fights to resist his roommate's new omega boyfriend, Louis. Louis maybe doesn't want him to resist.

10) Take Off Your Glasses | Mature | 3742 words

Louis was enjoying his time, as he decided to spend his weekend clubbing, Louis knows no one in there, yet someone wanted to mess with him to know who's Louis the attractive boy in the black skirt.

"It’s Louie.. Sir."

11) Rose’s Fortune | Mature | 5055 words 

Note: This fic contains no explicit smut but since it’s a/b/o we’ve decided to include it in this monthly roundup.

Omega Louis takes one of his siblings to the doctors (check up, possible broken bone or possibly injections?) and the new Dr is Alpha Harry. Harry is great with kids and Louis is smitten. Harry is smitten too but attempts to act professionally and keep his distance whenever Louis visits the Drs with his siblings or to pick up his prescriptions. But Harry realises there is no reason for him not to make a move as Louis isn't under his care.

12) Dare You To Move | Not Rated | 6060 words 

The one where Harry falls in love with the omega who is the brain behind the omega march he joined.

13) Savage Garden’s Song Rules Sometimes (While Yours Always Reign Supreme) | Explicit | 6261 words 

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

The morning after one too many nights of isolation for Louis Tomlinson and his hot & dangerous boy.

Aka how insanely adorkable Harry Styles could be after a sulking episode. [wordplay edition]

14) I Can Feel Your Blood Pressure Rise | Explicit | 9292 words 

"Hello, your Highness," Harry heard a familiar voice coming from behind him. Chills ran down his body as he felt the coldness of something sharp poke the back of his neck, "Turn around slowly or I'll hurt you,” the voice said in a teasing tone.

Where Louis is some sort of Robin Hood and sneaks into the King's castle, only to be fucked hard.

15) You Know What They Say | Explicit | 10323 words 

Nice guys always finish last.

16) Teenage Dream | Explicit | 10333 words

Harry and Louis get reintroduced to each other by their friends. It’s an instant connection. Now they’ve just gotta get to know each other.

17) Move So Petty (You're All I See) | Explicit | 10548 words 

Harry’s pretty content with his life. He loves his job- a veterinarian at a local clinic who’s already built up a name for himself despite his young age. He loves his gorgeous flat with its wide, open space and minimalistic, yet still homey feel. He loves his family who he talks to and visits as much as possible, not bothered by the long hours of driving to Holmes Chapel from London he endures multiple times a month. He loves his friends and his coworkers and his neighbors- especially Allison, the little old lady next door who brings him and Louis cookies on holidays and who always comments on how “strong and handsome you are, Mr. Styles,” everytime he sees her.

And most importantly, he loves Louis, just- maybe in a slightly different way.

18) When Tomorrow Comes | Explicit | 11111 words 

The one where Louis is an Omega who has been keeping himself pure for his Alpha, Harry is a traditional Alpha focusing on his studies while he waits to find his bondmate, and Niall is a sneaky bastard who keeps borrowing Louis’ clothes and never returning them.

19) Smells Like Omega Spirit | Not Rated | 11769 words 

Note: This fic contains no explicit smut, but since it’s omega Louis, we’ve included it.

Louis is an omega doing a test run on neutralizers for a class project. Every time he talks to Harry he smells completely different.

Harry is an alpha who can't figure out if he's going crazy or his sense of smell is broken, but all he wants to figure out what Louis' real scent is.

Somehow they figure it out.

20) You Kill My Mind | Explicit | 13181 words 

Harry has always been ashamed to reveal his kinks to friends and partners alike. One day he meets a man who seems perfectly designed for him and they embark on a wonderful, sex-filled exploration journey.

21) In The Heat Of The Moment | Mature | 15743 words 

When Louis unexpectedly goes into heat in maths class it takes him way too long to figure out why (it might have something to do with a certain curly haired boy sitting next to him).

22) Was In No Hurry, Had No Worries | Explicit | 21485 words 

The year is 1999 and Harry can’t stop dedicating songs to Louis on the radio. Or the one where Harry hits Louis with his car.

23) You're The Smell Before Rain, You're The Blood In My Veins | Explicit | 21945 words 

“It was him you talked about, when you used to call me late at night, saying you were missing your ex? Was it him, your important five-year long story? Was it him the person you had thought about proposing, one day?” Nick asks with a low voice, almost inaudible, almost like he’s talking to himself “He’s my boyfriend…” he whispers again, without looking up.

“I know! And you shouldn’t worry, because you don’t have a single reason to do so. He’s yours now, he’s with you. I really don’t understand why you came here, honestly” Harry says defending himself out of instinct, even if he has no reason to react like that. He just- just wishes for Nick to leave his room and go back home to Louis. Because at this point Nick has Louis and fuck, why can’t he just go fuck off for once? Doesn’t he have enough shit do deal with already? Does he really need to get into this as well? Right now?

24) Like The Earth Around The Sun | Explicit | 23600 words 

The one where Harry bursts in on Louis in heat and things only get more complicated from there.

25) The Blood of Love | Explicit | 25273 words 

Harry is a nurse and Louis is a painting worth more than a thousand words. As desire and darkness encompasses him, Harry has to learn the secrets of Thorne Hills manor before he succumbs to the mystery that surrounds him.

26) Habit | Teen & Up | 27095 words 

In which Louis is a Donna who has a soft spot for alpha Harry.

27) Let Me Carry Your Weight | Explicit | 28633 words 

Louis is fresh out of a bad relationship with someone who made him feel awful about how he looked. on his journey to better himself, he meets harry - the ridiculously attractive and fit personal trainer.

28) Robbers And Cowards | Explicit | 33237 words 

A modern day Robin Hood AU where Louis and Harry (don’t really) hate each other but they hate greedy billionaires more.

29) Caves End | Explicit | 39711 words 

The one where Harry has lost his future, Louis has lost his past, but maybe together, they can find a way through the dark.

30) Soaked In The Blood Of Angels | Explicit | 40867 words 

The boy looks drugged, caught between a man who’s almost twice his size and a girl who looks like she wouldn’t even break a sweat snapping him in half despite her small stature, eyes closed and mouth open as he pants, arching up between them almost as if he’s trying to escape.

Normally, Harry would ignore it and continue on his search for someone to drink from, someone who wouldn’t mind his sharp teeth and rough hands. He’s seen plenty of boys like this one, ones who picked the wrong playmates, and if he stopped to rescue every single one of them he would have died from thirst a long time ago.

This one, though. There’s something about this one, the sheen of his bright blue eyes as he blinks slowly, looks around as though he doesn’t know where he is, the weakness of his hands as he tries to push the girl off of him and make his escape.

31) With Stars Of Brightest Gold | Explicit | 41109 words 

Louis Tomlinson is the premier courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. In his dreams, he has always wanted to be a famous stage actor. Locked into his contract, he has little means of escape until a handsome duke promises him freedom with a romantic alliance. Due to a case of mistaken identity playwright Harry Styles is thrown into the mix, compelling Louis to choose between his head or his heart.

32) We Both Got Nothing To Hide | Explicit | 43811 words 

Omega Louis has a secret nest. Alpha Harry keeps losing his clothes.

33) In A World Alone | Explicit | 50787 words 

Harry’s breath catches as the glow grows bigger and bigger until he’s squinting his eyes and blinking at the sudden intense brightness. He closes his eyes, rubbing at them helplessly. When his eyes open again- he gasps, grip loosening on his bow as he gawks at the sight before him.

Because the swan is gone.

And in its place is the prettiest omega Harry has ever seen.

A Swan Lake AU.

34) Hunting Ground | Not Rated | 583658 words 

Note: This fic is the third part of a series. Part two is #38 in this list.

Louis Tomlinson didn’t know how complicated life could be until he became a werewolf. And until he was mated to Harry Styles, the son — and enforcer — of Liam, the leader of the North American werewolves, he didn’t know how dangerous it could be either...

Louis and Harry have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Liam's controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan — and it seems like someone else might be too. When Louis is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Harry and Louis must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all — or risk losing everything.

35) The Wrath of the Emerald Eyes | Mature | 85205 words 

His chin is grabbed harshly, facing the two deep green eyes that have been getting on his nerves for the past ten minutes. The smirk on the man's face does not vanish. The grip of his hand on Louis' chin does not soften, his thumb at the side of his lower lip.

His smile widens as he answers Louis' question, ''My name is Styles, but you will call me Captain."

Pirate AU.

36) Cry Wolf | Not Rated | 85205 words 

Note: This fic is the second part of a series. Part three is #36 in this list.

Louis never knew werewolves existed, until the night he survived a violent attack... and became one himself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, he'd learned to keep his head down and never, ever trust dominant wolves. Then Harry Styles, the enforcer—and son—of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into his life.

Harry insists that not only is Louis his mate, but he is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Louis' inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as he and Harry go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf—a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

You can find other monthly roundup fic rec lists here.

[hailbop1701]

25 Days of FicMas

December 17th prompt: Christmas shopping with a stranger (Modern AU)

Word Count: 2,154

Toy Shop Terror

Okay so this one is much lighter and fluffier than yesterday's prompt! They're not really together when shopping but this is what I came up with! I hope y'all like it!

-H❤🖖

Leonard McCoy ran a hand through his hair frantically; he was in the corner of a crowded toy store on Christmas eve looking for the “Harry Potter” section. Leonard marveled at how people were going completely insane over something their child will most likely play with for a week or two. Shaking his head he bobbed and weaved through the mass of angry, hurried customers keeping an eye for the isle he needed. Spotting the large sign Leonard ducked into the aisle to find it torn apart, “oh these poor workers,” he muttered eyes wide. Toys and merchandise lay scattered over the almost barren shelves and littered the floor. Stepping over large cardboard boxes that once held said merchandise Leonard groaned in frustration, “damnit!” he cursed, voice a deep growl. A loud shriek made him quickly lookup; he saw a pretty young woman stumble into the aisle clutching onto a stuffed panda bear like it was a lifeline, “same to you pal!” you shouted flipping off the man that shoved you out of the way. The gesture was reciprocated. Scowling you examined the bear carefully, searching for rips or tears. When you felt it was in okay condition you finally looked up to see him there with an amused expression on his face. “Some people,” you chuckled nervously, waving the bear around. You took note of the shelves Leonard was standing in front of and winced sympathetically. “Oh, Harry Potter that's tough, I’m sorry,” you grimaced at the state of things; Leonard huffed in agreement, “my daughter has been begging for the books for a while and I’ve been looking everywhere for the box set,” he muttered hand going through his already messed up hair again. 

“Well I wish you the best of luck, god knows you’re gonna need it,” you said with a dry laugh. You looked around, clearing your throat you bit your lip, “have uh you seen the electronic section?” Leonard raised an eyebrow and pointed a thumb toward the back of the store, his own look of sympathy crossing his face. “Fuck, okay. Stupid drone is gonna be the death of me. Good luck and may the odds ever be in your favor, wait wrong series…” you trailed off scrunching up your face in thought. Leonard couldn’t help but chuckle at your antics; giving him a cheeky smile you gave him a two-fingered salute and dove back into the crowd.  ‘What a strange woman,’ he thought with a crooked smile.

Sighing Leonard looked back at the barren shelves with slumped shoulders, “Maybe I should look for something else,” he murmured almost missing the sound of his phone ringing. Pulling the object Leonard looked at the caller ID, “I can’t talk now Jim,” he answered pressing a finger to his opposite ear. A faint voice whined from the other end of the call, “no I haven’t found it yet and I honestly don’t think I will. I knew I should have just ordered it off of-no, and no you can’t, that’s-I don’t care. Jim as your best friend I advise you that hitting on my sister is bad for your health," Leonard hung up the call and swiftly inserted himself into the crowd of shoppers. 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

You bit your lip as you precariously balanced on some empty shelves hoping to peek over the throng of people. Your hunt for the drone your nephew had been begging for all year was nowhere to be found. Scanning over the crowd with a deep scowl on your face something caught your eye, a much older looking woman clutched three distinct green boxes to her chest. “Oh not today Brenda,” you growled the image of the cute forlorn father popping into your mind. You smirked at the thought of the guy, ‘I’m allowed. He had no ring…' your mind wandered as you pushed and shoved your way through shoppers. Scooping up an opened ‘Nerf Gun’ you cocked it and fired. The foam bullets bounced off of the woman’s head causing her to turn every which way. She screamed startled when one stuck itself to her coke bottle glasses. While she was distracted you slipped past sneakily grabbing one of the boxes from her stack. “Manager!” you heard her howl, glancing over your shoulder you grinned as no one bothered to give her a second glance. Whistling you tossed the plastic gun into a bin and held the box of books to your chest with the panda bear for your baby niece hanging from your fingers. “Now where is Mr. cute butt at…” you hummed thoughtfully. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the store, McCoy stared at a mass of stuffed animals and to his complete amazement, a pristine box holding a remote control drone sat amongst the bears, unicorns, and oddly enough poop pillows. Blinking he picked up the box, his mind drifting back to you. “Hold on to that tight man, last one!” an employee called to him as he passed. Holding the box closer Leonard eyed the people watching with envy as he walked by, “Alright darlin’ maybe I didn’t get what I came here for but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer,” he drawled searching for you in every aisle. Not looking where he was going he slammed into something small, it squeaked indignantly and he quickly grabbed the person steadying them. “Hey!” you both exclaimed with wide smiles. 

You held up the Harry Potter box set proudly and Leonard practically sagged in relief, “did you-how-” he laughed in shock. You chuckled looking mildly guilty, “don’t ask and you won’t be implicated,” you whispered which made Leonard raise a single eyebrow. Instead of commenting, he held up the drone you were searching for, making you squeal in delight. You bounced on your feet as you exchanged items, “Thank you!” you gasped looking at the drone eyes sparkling, “My nephew is gonna die!” thinking for a second you held out your hand, “I’m (Y/N) (Y/L/N),” 

Leonard couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he grasped your tiny hand in his much bigger one, “Leonard McCoy, at your service ma’am.” he replied smoothly. Happening to glance over Leonard’s shoulder you spotted the ‘Harry Potter’ hoarder from earlier nerf bullet still stuck to her glasses. Blanching you clutched onto Leonards’s hand tighter before turning around and running off pulling the confused man behind you, “move it McCoy unless you want to give up the books!” you yelped shoving people out of the way. Leonard was suddenly ahead of you now pulling you easily through the hoard of people toward the check out area. You stumbled a few times with him being a bit taller and faster than you, “whoa cowboy!” 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“I can’t believe you did that to get this,” Leonard barked out laughing, his shoulders shook as he sat across from you. You snickered munching on a french fry, “she had like three. I did her a favor those books were like a hundred and fifty a pop,” you muttered picking up your soda glass. Leonard smirked, “believe me darlin’ I know,” he huffed with a shake of his head. “Your daughter is lucky to have a dad like you,” you beamed at him picking up another fry from the basket you both were sharing. “I mean not many parents would be in a toy store on Christmas eve,” you said with a smirk. Leonard looked out the window of the little diner you had ducked into. Red tinted his cheeks and the tops of his ears, he shrugged after a minute, “She’s my world, there isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for her,” he said looking back at you. He grabbed a french fry, “You visiting Georgia for the Holidays?” he inquired popping the potato into his mouth. Taking a sip of soda you nodded, “Yeah though not for long. I’ll be moving here pretty soon,” you grinned. “Oh really, where are you comin’ from?” Leonard asked eyes lighting up thrilled at the prospect of you living in Georgia, “Seattle, I’m a paramedic,” you said with a smile. 

The conversation flowed easily; jumping from topic to topic. Leonard talked about how he was a doctor at Atlanta General and then you told him about the adventures from your profession. It would have flowed endlessly but the waitress walked over to your table saying that they were closing up soon; she smiled prettily at Leonard hoping he would take notice but he simply gave her a polite smile and paid for the meal. 

Once the bill was paid and a generous tip was left Leonard helped you into your jacket. He grabbed both your bags and he shot down your protests. Walking to the door you were about to open it when he beat you to it. “And they said chivalry is dead,” you murmured with a crooked smile. “Sweetheart my momma would kill me if I didn’t treat you like a lady,” McCoy flirted as he walked you to your car. "Your mom is a smart woman," you chuckled. You took the shopping bags from Leonard and stowed them away into the trunk of your rental, turning you held out your hand “Lemme see your phone,” you giggled when he gave a confused look. He wordlessly handed it to you and watched as you added your number to his contact information. Taking a picture of yourself you saved it as one of his favorites before giving it back. “There now you can get ahold of me, you know in case you need help getting the Hunger Games or something. Though I don’t think the Brenda's of the world would appreciate it,” you grinned. Leonard snorted a laugh as he pocketed his phone again, “Okay Katniss,” he sassed opening your car door. Your grin grew bigger, “Doctor I am impressed,” you gasped placing a hand over your heart dramatically. McCoy’s laugh echoed across the almost empty parking lot; getting in the car you shut the door and started the engine quickly so you could roll down the window. “Well my girl likes books so I’ve been kept up to date on her latest favorites,” he said leaning down resting his forearm just above the window. “She sounds like an amazing girl,” you whispered with a soft smile, Leonard’s dark hazel eyes twinkled in the street light you were parked under. “She truly is,” he murmured back. The air became thick and full of something you couldn’t place, Leonard cleared his throat leaning back. “You should get going, your family is going to worry,” he sighed not wanting to see you go. Your smile turned sad, “Yeah my brother will have a fit,” you agreed, glaring at the car's dash clock. You said your "Goodbyes" and you were soon on your way back to your brother’s home with a lot of things on your mind; a handsome doctor being one of them. 

The very next day you sat on your bedroom floor with a slew of presents waiting to be wrapped. Grumbling to yourself you struggled and fought with the wrapping paper, “Fold damnit!” you growled, voice muffled by the disposable tape dispenser in between your teeth. Your phone began to vibrate on the floor causing it to skitter in place, cursing you held the paper in place with one hand while the other grabbed the device. “H’lo,” your voice was muffled again. Rolling your eyes at your own stupidity you spat out the tape and tried again, “hello?” there was a deep chuckle from the other end. “(Y/N) it’s Leonard,” you sat up straighter a smile spreading across your face. “Len hey!” you greeted voice light, “I was wondering what your plans are for New Year’s Eve?” Leonard asked sounding nervous. ‘My god he’s adorable,’ you thought dreamily, “I’m not doing much just packing to head back to Seattle so I can then pack again to head back here,” you chuckled and facepalmed due to your ‘lameness,’ 

“I was uh- wonderin’ if you’d like to spend the day with me?” he asked making you scream internally, “Yeah I would love to,” you said hoping to not sound desperate. You heard a whispered voice in the background, “awesome Bones!” it said encouragingly. You bit your lip to keep from snickering. “I- uh that’s great! I’ll message you the details in a little bit!” Leonard said clearly smiling. “Daddy, can you help me with my braid?” the voice of a little girl hit your ear.  ‘That must be Joanna,’ your heart warmed, “I have to go but I’ll talk to you soon,” Leonard promised lowly making you chuckle. “Okay Len, talk to you then,” you set your phone down and took a deep breath. “I think I’m going to really like it here,” you murmured to the butterflies fluttering around in your chest and stomach. 

Tags:

@thottiewithashotgun

@lauraaan182

@writerdee1701

@dw-writes

@marvelouslytrekking

@spenceneedsahug

[noonachronicles]

The End of the F**king World - Prologue

Byun Baekhyun X Reader

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: Language. Violent imagery if you squint. 

Genre: Apocalyptic/Alien Invasion AU. Slow Burn (ish?). One pining pup and one idiot in denial to eventual lovers.

A/N: Here goes nothing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The atmosphere that morning when you stepped out of your apartment was strange. You could feel it immediately, before you’d even pulled the hood of your jacket over your head to avoid getting the light drizzle of rain on your hair and outfit. It wasn’t a bad feeling but it wasn’t good either, mostly it left you uneasy. As you made your way down the street towards the subway you tried not to think too much about it. It was probably just the gray overcast clouds and the rain. It wasn’t like an off vibe was uncommon for a rainy day.

You’d already made it a couple of blocks when you finally saw your train buddy, Taemin. He was leaning against a light pole rubbing his hands over his thick jacket to warm himself as he waited for you. After casual greeting the two of you made quick work of the next couple of blocks. As a distraction from the freezing cold drizzle you listened to him tell you all about how his weekend went. Finally reaching the subway entrance you headed down to the train platform. It took a few minutes of waiting for you to realize that there were only two other people standing down there with you. You thought to mention it.

“Something feels weird today.” Taemin said before you had the chance, eyeing the empty platform. “Or is it just me?”

“You’re weird everyday.” you joked, “But you’re right. Something’s definitely off today. Probably just the weather?”

“No.” he sighed, too distracted by thoughts to even appreciate your dig. “It’s something else.”

“Is it a holiday? There’s like no one here. Do I even need to be going to work today?” you asked, seriously curious about whether or not you’d even had to get out of your warm bed this morning.

“No birds.” he said under his breath.

“What?”

“On the street, there were no birds. Did you notice?” he asked as the train came to its screeching, metallic halt.  

You hadn’t noticed, but by the time you’d settled in the car Taemin had moved on. He pointed out an ad poster for the musical running at the theatre in midtown. Apparently his friend Jongin was a performer in the show and he was going to see it in the coming weeks. He asked if you wanted to accompany him and you told him you’d have to get back to him on it. By the time you’d reached your stop at midtown the conversation had moved on to something else entirely, as it often did. When you reached the top of the stairs you found it was raining harder than before so your goodbyes were brief, both of you promising to see the other for the same trip tomorrow. Then he headed towards downtown and you headed up.

There weren’t any birds, you realized on your walk. There were none of the usual noises of the city actually. No birds or other animals. Barely any traffic, which was incredibly strange even for how early in the day it was. In fact, the  streets were usually packed with cars whose drivers were trying to inch their way to work. And the trains should have been full of people attempting to do the same. The thought just made you uneasy all over again so you dropped it from your mind and just assumed the sound of the rain could have distracted anyone enough that they wouldn’t even notice the silence. Mostly because you didn’t want to believe you were that unobservant. Honestly, if Taemin hadn’t put the thought in your head in the first place you would have never realized it yourself.

It was just before six in the morning when you reached work. The doors were still locked when you’d arrived since the store didn’t open for another hour. You tapped incessantly on the glass as your exhausted best friend made her way over to let you in.

“Morning.” Seulgi muttered as she pulled the door open, she looked as tired as you felt.

“Good morning, beautiful.” You smiled as you pulled off your soaked coat and unraveled your scarf from your neck.

She groaned at your subtle sarcasm, “Coffee hasn’t set in yet. So kindly table any witty commentary.”

“Yes, darling.” You laughed and your eyes brightened as you found the coffee she’d brought for you.

“How was your date last night?” She asked, following you into the back where you’d gone to put your things away.

You shrugged as you locked your wooden locker, “I don’t know. We’ve been together five years now, at this point they’re all the same. Marco not coming in today?”

“No, he said his wife didn’t want him coming in today, whatever that meant. It’s just us all day.” then she waved off your attempt to distract her, “Siwon didn’t ask you anything...specific?”

“Was he supposed to?” you laughed before sipping your coffee. Seulgi just shrugged innocently, which you knew meant something, “What do you know?”

“You know me, I rarely knowing anything, especially what the fuck I’m talking about.” She shrugged again and hurried back out onto the main floor.

“Seulgi!” you shouted after her, “What do you know? You have to tell me! No secrets, it’s in the best friend's handbook!”

She bit her lip as she contemplated her options, of which she had none. She had to tell you. You watched her move over to the folder with the newest paid receipts. After rifling through for a minute she pulled one out and held it against her chest, “Tell nobody that I showed you this. Especially Siwon.”

You held out your hand, palm up, and she slapped the paper down onto it. After flipping the paper over you read over the order form and your eyes went wide and filled with tears. It was a receipt for an incredibly pricey diamond ring that just happened to be your size. On the signature line, in your boyfriend’s curve and swirl was his signature.  “Oh my god.”

“I know!” she said, grabbing your shoulders excitedly, “You’re totally getting engaged!”

-

Armenia was an upscale jewelry store, slated to be the next Harry Winstons. Seulgi had gotten a job there while the two of you were still in school and had helped you get a position afterwards. Though a career in the diamond trade had never been your dream, the money you made was far and beyond what other people you’d known in school were making. It got you invited to extravagant events, introduced you to the rich and famous, and was the perfect chance to spend everyday with your best friend playing with jewelry. It was similar to the way you played as a child except where all of your old jewelry was fake back then, there wasn’t a single ounce of plastic on the entire floor. For aesthetic purposes it was actually a strict company rule, even cleaning products had to be in glass or metal containers.  

After the thrill of your morning realization, it had been an uncharacteristically quiet day. Which you blamed once more on the rain. You weren’t complaining. Not entirely. It was just a little boring as the day would often drag when you had nothing to do. Between the two of you every square inch of glass casing had been wiped spotless, and every displayed piece of jewelry was cleaned to perfection. Finally, a little after noon, the door opened. You’d been slumped over one of the counters doodling on the back of a piece of receipt paper, but quickly perked up at the sound. Though your customer service smile dropped from your face when you caught sight of your guests.

“Oh, it’s just you two.” you said leaning back over the counter and went back to your doodles.

The Beagle Brothers. You weren’t sure why people called them the beagle brothers when you’d first heard the nickname. They weren’t even brothers. However they could have been conjoined the way they were always glued together, which is where you assumed the nickname came from. Chanyeol, tall and wiry, was one of the sweetest men you’d ever met in your life. He was incredibly funny, outrageously smart and insanely talented at anything he put the slightest effort into. He was Seulgi’s roommate and though she hadn’t confirmed with you yet, you were pretty sure they were hooking up. Though the way he spent time with his counterpart it could have been safe to assume they were the ones hooking up too.

Baekhyun was Chanyeol’s tag along best friend. Maybe that wasn’t entirely fair, he was more than that. Baekhyun was average in build and height. Though next to Chanyeol he always ended up looking like his little brother. He was cute, you guessed, like a puppy. It was possible that he had actual beagle DNA coursing through his veins with his constant need for attention and endless energy. He’d always been sweet and kind to you, though you’d watched him around other women and knew he could also be a horrible tease when he wanted to be.

He was a good friend to you, both of them were. They both worked about a block away at a prominent electronics company. As he did every afternoon Chanyeol had brought Seulgi her refresher coffee and lunch, which they took into the backroom. With the feel of lurking eyes on you, you looked up unsurprised to see two big, brown eyes staring back at you. Accompanied by an absurdly charming smile.

“Hey, Baek.”

Somehow his smile grew even larger at the greeting and he placed an iced coffee on the counter in front of you. “Hi.”

“You know just because he brings her coffee doesn’t mean you’re required to bring me anything.” you said even as you took your first sip. “Especially since she’s probably repaying him…”

“I do it because I want to.” he said and brought his other hand from behind his back to place a brown bag in front of you as well. You tried not to but you smiled as you opened the bag to the sandwich he’d brought too. “How has your day been?”

It always surprised you, how genuinely he asked you about your day. “Slow, long… a little weird honestly.”

“Totally agreed. It’s been weird all morning. The vibe is off.” he sighed, “I can’t figure it out.”

“No birds.” you said offhandedly, thinking about Taemin before taking a bite of your sandwich.

He gave a small thoughtful hum. “Or all that stuff on the news is freaking people out.”

“What stuff on the news?” you asked.

“We’ve been watching it at work all day.” he shrugged, “I’m sure Yeol is in there making Seulgi watch clips on youtube, he won’t shut up about it. He has all these theories.”

“What stuff, Baek? What happened?” You were half annoyed by his vagueness. Of course they’d been watching it all day, they had a hundred televisions set up over there, you had none. You weren’t even supposed to be on your phones at work.  

He pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed around for a minute before a female newcaster’s voice came through and he handed you the device.

“Major and sudden changes in atmospheric levels over twelve major cities around the world have left scientists scrambling for the last eighteen hours or so. It’s even said that air force units from the United States, Russia, Egypt, and Korea have been in heavy communication over the last few hours as more and more strange pictures are being uploaded to social media from those twelve cities.”

On the screen they were showing a montage of videos from snapchat and instagram, photographs from users on facebook and twitter. One was a group of what looked like high schoolers speaking Japanese, it was captioned as being at the Tokyo Skytree. The camera panned over the ground below. For a moment it just looked like it was overcast there as well, nothing strange, but as it moved back, showing more it was clear the shadow was only covering part of the city. It seemed like maybe there was something large in the sky blocking the sun from the ground. Whatever it was, it had to have been massive in size. As the camera moved up to the sky you waited expectantly to see what was there, but there was nothing. It was clear. Not even a single cloud was visible.      

“What the hell is that?” you whispered as it flashed to pictures from Paris, New York, Moscow, Seoul, and Cairo where the same thing seemed to be happening. Long, narrow shadows all leaving the same shape covering miles worth of city in darkness.

“They don’t know. All morning they were talking about it like it was some global warming effect, but as more of these videos and stuff kept coming in they’ve been talking about it like it’s an invasion.”

“What like aliens? Shut up, that’s insane.” you kept your eyes on his phone, shaking your head as another picture flashed, “Shit, that’s us, Baek...that’s our city.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I think that’s why the city is so dead compared to normal. People are in their buildings, people are at work. But anyone who doesn’t have to be in the city for some specific reason is avoiding it.” he said as he moved over to the window.

“Marco’s wife didn’t want him to come in today.”

He hummed as if in agreement, “A ton of people called out at our work too. It’s crazy.”

Leaving his phone on the counter you moved around and stood beside him at the window as you looked out. He was right. Normally you would look outside of the shop and see a swarm of bodies pushing each other around all trying to get somewhere. There were more people than you saw that morning, but not a lot. There were still people coming in and out of buildings, smoking cigarettes on the sidewalk, going for lunch at the bistro across the street.

However it was missing the horns honking from taxis frustrated about being stuck in traffic. The loud chatter of groups of friends just shopping around. There were no family’s snapping pictures for vacation photo albums. Looking to the sky you could see the rain clouds had dispersed and the sun was shining above but the ground still looked dark like it was covered by overcast. If you hadn’t just clearly seen the sun in the sky you might have thought it was near dusk.

As the two of you stood there you could hear a humming start in your ear. It was the kind of subtle buzz that people say means someone is thinking about you so of course you figured it was just your ears at first. As it grew louder, uncomfortably so, you looked over at Baekhyun. He was rubbing his own ears in discomfort. The sound became worse, almost piercing. You turned around to see Chanyeol and Seulgi come out of the back covering their ears.

“What’s happening?” Chanyeol shouted over the noise.

Shaking your head unknowingly, you turned to look back outside when a low rumble shook the ground beneath you. It felt like there had been a huge explosion and the blast moved through the city like a wave. When it reached you you’d been blown backwards to the floor. The glass in all of the jewelry cases trembled and  started to shatter around you. You could hear Seulgi screaming and you watched as Baekhyun threw himself over you. The glass windows of the shop were shaking but they were made of much thicker, tempered glass, and held through it. It took several minutes for everything to settle. Baekhyun stood up and helped you to your feet.

Chanyeol walked over to the window and looked out. “Oh... fuck me.”

The rest of you followed suit and went to look outside. Hoards of people were sprinting out of their office buildings, broken glass from skyscraper windows rained down on the street below, and the worst part was what was in the sky. Where there had been nothing just minutes ago was now what you’d could only describe as a spaceship. It was absolutely massive and hovering just over the city. You were honestly surprised it wasn’t hitting any of the taller buildings, it was so low to the earth. Baekhyun ran over to the counter and grabbed his phone and walked it back over to the three of you.

“- over every city that has been under discussion today, have revealed themselves it seems. It remains unclear whether or not these ships are here with any sort of malicious intent. Military specialists have been trying to contact the ships but have received no return communication. We ask that viewers remain patient and cautious as we await further information and instruction from - Oh god, oh what are those?”

Looking over at the screen on his phone you could see where the news camera was zooming in on objects falling from the ship over one of the cities. Creatures, long creatures with gangly, scaly arms and legs. They had bulbous heads, four eyes, and teeth long and sharp that matched the claws on their hands and feet. Quickly you looked outside, whatever they were, they were falling out of the ship over your city as well. After several minutes of staring in shock you could hear the deafening sound of military aircraft speeding overhead and watched as they launched missiles towards the ship and shot bullets at the falling creatures.

“What do we do?” Seulgi asked in a clear panic, “Do we run?”

“Fuck that!” You screeched, “I’m not going out there with those things!”

“Y/n is right.” Baekhyun agreed, “We don’t know what we're dealing with, if we start running where would we even run to? Just-oh shit.”

All of you turned to look at what caught his attention. One of the fallen creatures had rounded the corner down the block and was attacking any and every human in its path. You let out a terrified cry as you watched the creature tear the head straight off a man like he was opening a bottle of soda. As fast as you could you ran towards the door and opened the panel with the emergency security switch. In an instant thick steel bars were dropping down in front of the windows. You could still see out to the street where three more creatures had gathered. Two of them had made their way to the front of the store and were clawing at the glass clicking and hissing as they tried to get in.

“Is there somewhere we can barricade ourselves?” Chanyeol asked, grabbing you by the sleeve, dragging your shocked and frozen form back and away from the window.

“T-the safe room.” Seulgi stuttered. “We can lock it from the inside. There’s screens for the security cameras so we can see what’s happening out here.”

Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun by the shoulders, “What do we need? We don’t know how long we’ll be inside there. Quick! What would you put in your bunker?”

“Seriously?” you asked returning yourself to the conversation, “Are you talking about video games right now.”

“Uhh.” Baekhyun shook his head, “No, he’s right...this is good. Water, weapons, lights. Like flashlights, fire, whatever works. Something to connect us to the outside world so we know when it’s safe, the cameras should work for that.”

“We’re not going to have all of that!” you yelled, frustrated and terrified as several other creatures had joined the ones trying to get inside and the glass started to crack under the pressure.

“Water jugs by the back door. They use them for the machine in the breakroom.” Seulgi said and looked over at you, “Come on, think, you can do this.”

“Ohh, god....Marco keeps a gun in the office...and flashlights! There are flashlights in the desk drawer. Gina! Gina keeps food in her locker.” You said, your brain finally starting to process things again.

“Alright go! GO!” Chanyeol shouted and you all made your way to the back.

You took the office where you got the gun, flashlights and batteries. You even found an old battery operated radio on the back of the shelf before you went for the safe. Chanyeol and Baekhyun had carried the water jugs and Seulgi had raided every cabinet for food and other things you might need. She had just made her way into the safe room when you heard the shattering of the windows in the showroom. Seulgi wrapped her arms around you and both of you sat together on the ground as Chanyeol secured the door. When he turned around he looked over at Baekhyun.

“Does your phone have service?

Looking down at the screen he shook his head no. “Door’s probably too thick.”

“What do we do now?” you whispered as Seulgi trembled in your arms.

Chanyeol sat down and sighed, “I...have no fucking idea. I think all we can do now is wait.”

[captainscanadian]

Hope | Bucky Barnes x Reader (Part 2)

My Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Summary: Confrontations. 

Word Count: 3000+

Pairing: (Eventual) Doctor!Bucky Barnes x Patient!Reader, Rebecca Barnes x OFC Rosie Bender

Warnings: Heartbreak, Bullying, Alcohol 

A/N: This fic was my entry for @wkemeup​‘s 4K Writing Challenge. I DON’T DO TAGLISTS!

Old man Nick had been kind enough to let you borrow his truck so that you could head into town and run some errands, which you had certainly been grateful for. Despite the fact that you used to despise your hometown for the horrible memories it came with, you could not deny that there were some good people here - like Nick Fury, and Thor from the hardware store who had given you a discount on the hammer that you bought from him. 

Running into Rebecca Barnes while you were picking out the paint for your bedroom wall had not been a part of your plan. If you could have had it your way, you would have made yourself invisible the moment you saw her. But as a wise man named Harry Nelson once said, superpowers were unrealistic for a reason and real people must face real consequences in their stories. 

You knew that some people could certainly not be avoided, considering that most people you knew as a kid still remained in Shelbyville. Some people remembered you, some people didn’t, and it was meant to be that way. You hadn’t come back here to reconnect with old friends or make new ones for that matter. Your goal was to finish the book, and home improvement was just a bonus project that you had taken up while you were here. 

Once you finished this novel of yours, you could just head back to your life in LA and figure out what was next for you. Hopefully, if the fourth book is just as successful as it’s three predecessors, you could finally sign off the movie rights to Harry and work together on the adapted screenplay. Friends with benefits or not, you could not deny that the two of you worked very well together as creative partners. 

As for your childhood bedroom, you had taken down the old bulletin board and the outdated posters of the Jonas Brothers from the walls. You found yourself draping the remaining furniture in the drop cloth that you had picked up from the hardware store yesterday. Not that you cared all that much about ruining the old single bed and oakwood desk with all of that paint; you could certainly afford to buy some new furniture for the house once you finished with your little renovation. 

But a part of you was still a sentimental idiot who hoped to cherish the memories of your countless study dates in this room with a certain someone. As much as you hated the thought of him, you could not deny that he was still a significant part of your childhood. Cherish the good memories, but hold a grudge against him for the bad ones. It was not the best way to live, but it was still your way. 

Besides, if Hope Anderson was covering up her furniture when she was painting her house, then so were you. 

“Bucky, I’m really starting to feel like you’re thinking way too much about this.” Rosie called out to her girlfriend’s brother, who was pacing back and forth in his childhood friend’s front lawn. 

Her goal had been to stop by the caterer’s that morning to start figuring out the menu for the high school reunion that she was meant to plan. But when Bucky had asked her to give him a ride to your place on their way back, she found herself parked in front of your house for way longer than she would have wanted. With her windows rolled down, she stared out at her friend in utter disappointment. 

 “You’ve come this far, you idiot. What’s stopping you from going up to her door?” 

“But what if she just slams the door in my face?” 

“Then you fucking deserved it for what you did!” She groaned, clearly growing irritated by the way he had been acting ever since Becca had informed the two of them that she had run into you at the hardware store. 

She knew that he had history with you, but she had never asked to be caught up in it. Not back then, and certainly not now. With the way that Bucky was handling himself to the news of your return, all she could do is hope and pray that things did not escalate when he eventually grows a pair and faces you again.

Bucky stopped in his tracks as he looked over at her. “I know, I fucked up. You don’t have to keep saying what I did, okay? I know what I did and I’m not fucking proud of it.”

“You were an idiot, yes. We’ve been through that.” She pointed out with a shrug of her shoulders. “But it’s been ten years, Bucky. We’re adults now and… maybe she’s moved on. Maybe she would let you in.” Truth be told, she doubted that you would. But she had to say it for the sake of comforting her friend. One more minute of watching him pace back and forth would probably drive her insane. 

He let out a sigh as he walked up to her car and leaned against her car window. “Rosie, I just want to fix things between us. She hasn’t been in town in ten years and… I don’t know if I would ever have the chance to see her again. I want to do the right thing now.” 

“I hate to be the one to say it.” She admitted, sighing. “But did you ever think that… maybe it was what you did that might have been the reason why she never came home?” 

It may have crossed his mind a few times that he was the reason why you left. Not that you had ever been subtle about it either; you made it known. It may have crossed his mind when you had left Shelbyville without a goodbye. It may have crossed his mind when your mother had handed him a cardboard box full of the presents he had given you throughout the years, the ones that you had purposely left behind when you moved out. It may have crossed his mind when he had left you several voicemails throughout that summer, checking up on you as he always did, only for you to change your number before you started college.

But he had been so full of hope that you would return one day, and that he could finally recite the apology that he had been rehearsing since you left town. He hoped that you would hear him out, and forgive him for what he had done. He had hoped that you would come home for Thanksgiving that year, and join him and his sisters in making their famous pumpkin pie together. He had hoped that you would come home for Christmas, and that the two of you could build snowmen in his front lawn and put up the tree as you always did. By the time spring break came around, all of his hope had been lost, and he had realized that you weren’t actually coming back. 

Letting out another sigh, Bucky Barnes shook his head. “Oh what was I thinking?” He scolded himself as he got into the car. “Fuck… I can’t do it. I can’t face her.”

“Bucky, come on… what the fuck is wrong with you?!” 

To think that this guy really had her parked out in front of your house for a whole hour, only for him to chicken out like this!

“Just drop me off at The Tavern, please?” He asked her as he leaned back in his seat. “I could use a drink… or two.” 

“It’s only 2 pm, Dr. Barnes.” She reminded him, her eyebrow raised. 

“Bender, please.” 

Rosie let out a sigh of defeat as she started her car. “Oh who am I kidding? Dealing with your stupid ass has really got me needing a drink before 5 pm anyways.” 

You might have stocked your fridge with enough food to last you for the next two weeks, but the lack of alcohol at the house was reason enough for you to step out that evening. Leaving the bright pink paint on the walls of your childhood bedroom to dry, you found yourself hopping back in Nick’s truck and driving towards The Tavern. 

Being back in Shelbyville, Indiana still felt quite surreal to you. There was a certain sense of familiarity that came with being back in your hometown. The house was the same. The neighborhood was the same. The feeling of being home was just the same. 

But you could not deny that things were different too. The city had changed to keep up with the time that had flown by, and the lack of your mother’s presence at the house just didn't feel right. You missed her so much now. Perhaps a part of you would always regret leaving her all alone. But you did fly her out to LA for the holidays and spent as much time with her while she was still alive. All you could do is be grateful for the time that you got to spend with her, even if you hadn’t visited home as much as she would have wanted you to. 

Hope Anderson’s grief was no different from yours, which was probably why her attempt at drinking away her regrets had been crashed by a certain Jason Prescott - her childhood best friend, her first love, her first heartbreak, and her mother’s doctor who had been burdened with giving her the news that her mother was dying. 

Her love for him was the reason why she had broken up with Reid Melendez back in college. The pain that he had caused her was the reason why she realized that the pain that Ethan Sharpe had caused her was nothing in comparison. Even Jake Winston knew that he would never be able to have a place in her heart as her first love. 

As it turns out, having to spend many nights by her dying mother’s bedside had forced her to spend much more time with her former best friend than she had intended. It had allowed her to come to terms with the pain that she had buried deep. It had only been a matter of time before she realized how much she missed her best friend, and she never dared to push him away after that. 

Unbeknownst to you, your story and Hope’s story were much more entwined than you could have ever imagined. Not that you had been expecting to run into James Buchanan Barnes of all people when you entered The Tavern. But the sight of a grown man spitting out his whiskey upon your entrance sure made heads turn. 

You felt your heart pattering against your chest as you came face to face with him, and you could not deny that the years had been kind to him. His chubby cheeks had hollowed and his crooked teeth now straightened; while his hair had grown slightly in length, his bright blue eyes were just the same. 

He looked a decade older, and wiser with age, you hoped. The Bucky Barnes you knew was a seventeen year old bully, who had cared more about being a part of Brock Rumlow’s inner circle than your friendship. But was he still an absolute dickhead? You had no clue. 

You blinked for a moment, wondering if this unfamiliar image of him would fade and be replaced with the plump fifteen year old boy whom you knew as a kid. As though the last ten years had never passed and that your friendship had stood frozen in time. 

As much as you would hate to admit it, you missed him. You missed the guy who had been your best friend. You missed the guy who walked into your home every morning with a cheeky ‘honey, I’m home’ and helped himself to your mother’s famous pancakes while you got dressed. You missed the guy who walked to school with you, skipping through the cracks on the sidewalk and holding each other for balance. You missed the guy who always packed an extra lunch whenever his mother made him these salted caramel spread sandwiches, just because they were your favourite. You missed the guy he used to be, before he had ditched you and began hanging out to Brock Rumlow. 

A part of you wanted to turn away and leave the bar, while another part of you had urged you to step over to his booth and greet him. You could not avoid confronting the past for much longer. A decade has passed, so you might as well put an end to it. 

If not, you were pretty sure that Hope Anderson herself would call you a hypocrite for making her face her past while you walked away from yours. As fictional as she was, you respected her perception of you too much to do anything that she would not approve of. 

Bucky Barnes found himself trembling as he struggled to find the right words to describe how beautiful you looked. You looked a decade older than he remembered, no doubt about that. The way you dressed, it looked rather expensive. A designer peacoat straight out of the movies, and red-bottom heels that seemed way too inappropriate for this cold weather. He could not help but wonder if you were the same Y/N he knew back in high school, even though you did not look the same. 

You looked around The Tavern, greeting a few familiar faces with a smile that seemed rather forced. Not that being a New York Times Best-selling author meant that you got recognized every now and then, but these people seemed to know your mother more than they knew you, and the people of Shelbyville certainly took pride in one of their own making a name for herself in the world of literature. 

As much as Bucky wished to rise from his seat and dash out of The Tavern instead of facing you, he probably had his sister and her girlfriend  to thank for grabbing onto his wrists so that he wouldn’t try to leave. “Becca!” He whined as he looked over at her, his lips curling into a pout. 

“Oh fuck off, James!” She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her beer. “For how long do you think you are going to avoid her when she’s finally back in town for God knows how long?” 

“Come on, Buck.” Rosie gave him a rather stern look, her hand clutched around her beer as she watched you heading towards the bar. “Whether you like it or not, she’s here and I’m pretty sure she just saw that you’re here too. Just get over yourself and talk to her like the grown ass man you are. You’re not seventeen anymore.”

“What if she doesn’t want to talk to me? What if she just throws her drink at me?”

“As I said earlier, then you probably fucking deserve it!”

“I swear to fucking God…” Becca shook her head at her brother. “Just go and fucking talk to her, you idiot!” 

You wanted to avoid making eye contact with him, but you could not help but feel his eyes on you from the moment you had even set foot into this bar. You knew that he was staring at you as though he had seen a ghost, which you probably were, considering your past. But you did not want to return your gaze, for you knew that staring into his eyes for a moment too long would only dig up the emotions you had buried long ago. 

Stalling the confrontation that you knew would come inevitably, you decided that you needed some alcohol in your system in order to prepare for the emotions that would resurface in a matter of time. You watched as the lemon twist swirled around in your drink, and the condensation trickling down the cold glass. 

Looking back at the years when you had been so madly in love with Bucky, you could not deny how stupid you had been back then. Seventeen years old and fucking hormonal, all you had cared for back then was some validation - the ‘I love you too’s and the ‘you’re beautiful’s that girls your age had been desperate to hear from a stupid teenage boy. 

Falling in love with Bucky Barnes had been your biggest regret, not because he had humiliated you when he had found out about your feelings. It was because you had realized that you had been proven wrong about your perception of who he was. You had loved him because you had believed that he would treat you how every girl your age would have dreamt to be treated, only to realize that he was the complete opposite. You were ashamed of your judgement, and that made you fear having to confront him more than anything. You were not willing to admit that you had been wrong about him, even though he was the one who hand treated you wrongly. 

“I’m dreaming, right? I must be.” 

His unfamiliar voice sounded more manly and hoarse, a lot deeper than you remembered. He wasn’t seventeen anymore. But there was still a certain sense of familiarity to it; it was still his voice and you somehow knew that with the way he spoke. 

You took a sip of your drink, taking a moment too long to respond. Your heart continued to pound against your chest as you found yourself turning your head to look at him, finally taking in his sapphire-like eyes; they felt like coming home. 

“You’re full of shit, Barnes.” You remarked, rather coldly. “I know that your sister would have told you that I was back in town.” 

As you said that, you tilted your head to give the younger Barnes a wave. You had nothing against her. 

“I guess I was just not expecting to run into you like this.”

“That makes two of us.” You shrugged, setting down your glass. 

“It’s good to see you though.” 

“Can’t say the same…” 

[theasstour]

𝓞𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓼𝓶 𝓫𝔂 𝓟𝓪𝓾𝓵𝓪 𝓐𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪 𝓟𝔂𝓵𝓮

𝓯𝓲𝓬 𝓹𝓪𝓰𝓮 | 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽: 16.3k 𝓝𝓑: 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓽 𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓾𝓪𝓰𝓮, 𝓼𝓮𝔁𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽

A/N: biggest thanks to @shepherald for being bb’s italian auntie! ilysm!

Friday, 2 August 2019

Y/N was just about to start cleaning up her dinner when three knocks sounded from her front door. She looked over at Viola who slept peacefully in their bed, not even opening an eye to look in the direction of the taps. Her mind instantly went to who could possibly be knocking on her door. It wouldn’t be Salvatore after last night, Y/N had a suspicion he might not want to confront the situation, only let it slide by till it was irrelevant and gone. Neither would it be Rin or Meo, they were mates with Salvatore but Y/N knew they were their own people and would probably have gone to check on her if they actually knew where she lived. It wouldn’t be Gioele, neither Jamie. And just like that, she was running out of people it could be.

She walked to the door, opening it so her head could stop spinning with possible outcomes to what was about to happen. But she started dizzying even more when she saw who stood there.

“Harry.”

He was wearing his dungarees again, another one of his white tank tops, and pink Converse. When she opened the door and said his name, he looked up from the ground. The alcohol from last night had worn off, the lack of sleep he’d gotten and a slight headache showed in the small circles under his eyes and tired irises. He ran a hand through his hair, getting a curl away from before his eyes. Y/N hadn’t thought Harry would show up, even after what happened the night before. She herself didn’t quite understand the whole situation; why it had been hard to sleep last night because she couldn’t get the feeling of Harry’s lips against her skin out of her head. She remembered everything so incredibly clearly, every little detail. And now Harry was here. Out of free will. Knocking at her door. The day after he’d stood up for her in that pub and kissed her hand.

“What’re you doing?” he asked, voice weak as he probably hadn’t spoken till now today. Quickly, he cleared his throat.

Y/N looked over at her kitchen, but Viola stroking her back against her leg stopped her from answering. A small meow and a flick of her tail later, and Harry was hunched down, petting her. Y/N just watched as Viola closed her eyes and moved closer to Harry, purring her approval of him being there. Swiftly, he picked her up, hugging her to his chest while scratching Viola behind her ears. Harry looked from Viola and at Y/N, encouraging her to answer his previous question. However, it was hard when someone who had all her emotions kind of confused and her stomach doing funny things, stood right before you cuddling your cat, looking all adorable and insanely sexy at the same time. She scratched at her neck, keeping her eyes on Viola.

“About to make some dinner.” She said.

“And how is it?”

Her eyes met his, a little taken aback by his interest in something as simple as what her dinner was going to be. “Good.” She simply replied, not really knowing what else he wanted her to say.

“So you’re doing okay? After last night?”

She felt herself take a huge inhale of air along with the tingles that ran up her spine, all the way out to her fingertips. Something about Harry needing to know she was alright got to her; something about the urgency in his voice made her entire body sing with a feeling she couldn’t quite put a word to. Biting her lips together, she tried to calm her goosebumps before speaking again.

“Depends on which part you’re referring to.”

“All of it.” He said, Viola stroking her forehead against his jawline. “The bar…” he trailed off, swallowing hard as his jaw tensed for a single second. “Fucking Salvatore touchin-“ he stopped himself, taking a deep breath. “Me coming back to your flat, us talking…” she could tell he was going to say more, but thought better of it.

“Okay with everything.” She answered and she could just see the sigh of relief that left Harry. “Besides the Salvatore bit, of course. But… he acted like that before you came into the pub anyway-“

“-He what?”

Her mouth fell open and she looked into his eyes again. “He was drunk-“

“-That’s no excuse, Y/N. Did he make you uncomfortable?”

He’d never acted like this before. The only other time he had showed that he didn’t stand for people mistreating her was the night before, other than that he hadn’t been particularly nice to her either. But, somewhere along the line, that must’ve changed. And she supposed it must’ve changed for her as well. That still didn’t make this whole situation less surreal. Harry truly did care about her, in his own way. It was all a lot.

“Well?” he asked, still petting Viola, though the movements of his hand were a little hasty.

“Yes.”

Harry inhaled sharply through his nose, looking about him as anger visibly clouded his eyes and appeared in every single one of his limbs. She could tell he wanted to find Salvatore and say or do God knows what. He was about to walk down the stairs, but then seemed to remember he was holding Viola. Desperately looking around for something, she started snickering a little to herself. He looked ridiculous. But it was somehow a little… cute.

“I’m gonna fucking…” he didn’t finish his sentence, but Y/N could kind of guess where it was going.

“Harry, it’s okay-“

“-I swear to God, Y/N, if you excuse his behaviour one more time I’m gonna go fucking berserk.”

Viola started moving around in Harry’s hands, getting restless, and the look on Harry’s face made Y/N chuckle again.

“What’re you laughing at? I’m serious.” He asked, trying to calm the little cat down by scratching her again.

“Nothing.” Y/N said, holding a hand in front of her mouth as she laughed again.

Just then, the right side of his lips tipped upward again as he watched her. Viola restless in his hands and a curl hanging before his eyes. He quickly looked away, though the smile he was trying to fight didn’t go completely away. Seeing him like that, all angry yet soft, made a slight heat rise to her cheeks, making her entire body react with it.

“If I ever see him again, I’m gonna bloody knock his teeth out.” Harry mumbled, hunching down and putting Viola down on the floor so she could walk back into the flat.

Y/N leaned against the doorframe. “Why?”

“Because… ‘cause…” he stammered, watching as Viola strolled into the flat safely before rising up into a straightened position. As their eyes met, Y/N could swear her heart skipped a little beat. Something about him in the bad lighting of the staircase made him look beautiful in another way than he did normally. It was the darkness of night, the promise that darkness held. The uncertainty and possibilities a night held, like everything that was possible during the day could happen, only more intense and out of control; just the way you wanted it to happen, yet not how you imagined in the slightest.

“’Cause he made you uncomfortable.” He said finally.

She gave him a little smile. “And you don’t think I can tell him myself? That he stepped over a line?”

“Not that,” Harry shook his head a few times. “I believe you’re capable of whatever you put your stubborn fucking mind to.”

This made Y/N throw her head back a little to laugh. When she looked back at him, he was watching her with that tiny smile of his on his lips.

“Gonna stand behind you and let you tell him to fuck off and eat some bad mozzarella, and then-“

“-Random.”

Harry giggled. “Then I’m gonna step in and give him a nice punch straight to the nose.”

Y/N laughed again, shaking her head at him.

“I’ve done gymnastics for a reason, now I can throw a punch to his skull and break it if you’d like me to.”

She laughed, holding a hand to her chest. Their eyes met.

“Wanna go to the bakery now? Bet we’re just able to make it before they close.”

Chuckling, she said, “You’re mental.”

Harry shrugged his shoulders. “It’s what needs to be done.”

“And as much as I would love to see you flatten Salvatore to the ground,” Harry snickered at her choice of words. “I don’t think violence is the way to go.”

He inhaled hugely, nodding his head as he let his eyes linger on her face, taking in her features for a few long seconds. “Fine, yeah. You’re right.”

She smiled at him. “Why’re you here anyway? To just stand there in my doorway?”

“Session.”

She frowned. “What, now?”

“Yes, so get dressed, we’re going for a drive.” He said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dungarees. He turned, beginning on his walk down the stairs to the ground floor. “10 minutes.” He simply shouted over his shoulder, not giving her anything else before he disappeared, giving her no choice but to do as he asked.

Quickly, she got ready as she always did. Found a pair of knee socks, her doc Martens, the dress, and everything else she might need for their session. Harry always gave her a day or so notice before they had a session, but he’d never done this before. She didn’t know what she thought he was doing at her door now anyway, but maybe she’d forgotten about a mail he’d sent her? Maybe he’d told her days ago and she’d just forgotten? This wasn’t like him at all. However, she wasn’t about to tell him that. She was very spontaneous herself, so seeing Harry – someone that was usually her opposite in that sense – be spontaneous as well, not go according to his usual plans, made her feel something she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt before. She gave Viola a quick kiss to the forehead before she ran outside, locked the door, and then went downstairs to catch Harry.

He was standing there with his yellow moped, all his equipment and bag on the ground beside him. She huffed a little.

“We’re taking your moped?”

“Yes,” Harry said. “Now hop the fuck on.”

“Y/N!”

They both looked further up the road where a figure was moving toward them in the dark of the evening, waving an arm and laughing a familiar laughter. She recognised him instantly, smiling back at him.

“Marco!” She stepped away from the door into her building, closing it firmly behind her. “How are you?”

“Good,” he answered, stopping as he reached them. “Just closed the Panetteria.”

Y/N chanced a look at Harry who was already staring at her. They both undoubtedly thought of the same thing; their conversation earlier, and how if they were quick enough, they could make the bakery before it closed so Harry could give Salvatore a black eye. She bit her lip a little before looking back at Marco, who looked at her just as happily as before.

“You’re coming to the wedding 9th August, yes?” Marco asked, adjusting his glasses a little.

“We haven’t gotten the invitations yet.” Y/N pointed out, shrugging her shoulders a little.

“10am, 9th, the church in town. Signor Styles knows where it is.” Marco said, smiling at Harry standing beside Y/N. Harry gave the baker a little wave, stunning Marco so that he took a small step back. It was obvious the old man hadn’t initially expected a reaction from the painter. Marco laughed a little before looking back at Y/N. “La Serenata is the 8th.”

She furrowed her brows. “La what?”

“La Serenata.” Harry repeated, making Y/N glance his way again. “It’s this old Italian tradition, it’s fallen out of fashion in recent years, but people still tend to do it in Fosdinovo. Old village with old traditions and all that.” He shrugged. “The night before the wedding, the groom serenades the bride from outside her window in celebration of their impending union. Sometimes the bride will lower a basket of gifts such as prosciutto, bread, and cheese. It all symbolises her acceptance of the proposal a second time around.”

“That’s so cute!” Y/N grinned, looking at Marco again. “Where’d that be? The bride’s house?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” the baker nodded “On Via Papiriana. Come, come!”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Y/N sighed. “We don’t even know the couple.”

“You need to experience La Serenata! It’s Fosdinovo tradition!” Marco encouraged, using his arms enthusiastically as he spoke, and Y/N couldn’t help herself, she had to chuckle a little.

“Fine, I’ll be there.”

“Signor Styles too?”

Y/N and Marco both looked at Harry, who suddenly seemed uncomfortable with the attention they were giving him. He cleared his throat. “I’ll have a think about it.”

“He’ll be there, Marco. Thanks for inviting us.”

Marco gave them both a little bow, saying his goodbye and telling Y/N he’d see her soon. With that, the old baker started making his way up the road again, on his way home to relax after a day at work.

“What if I don’t wanna go?” Harry asked her, obviously annoyed she’d taken his spare time and plans into her own hands.

“You’ll have to show me to the bloody street, won’t you?” She looked at him, taking the helmet he was reaching out for her. “Let’s go, Signor Styles.”

“Don’t say that.”

She giggled, motioning for him to get on first as she took his bag on her back. He did, watching her as she got the rucksack on, making sure she was okay before he turned to put his hands on the handles. Unlike the time before, she wasn’t reluctant to be close to Harry now. She thought they might’ve stepped over that line last night when he kissed her hand, or when he chose for them to take his moped instead of letting Gioele drive them.

Getting on, she slid down the seat until her front was flush against Harry’s back, her exposed skin against his. Every single millimetre where her body met his, she was ultra-aware. It was like she’d grown some sort of new power; feeling the shifting of his cells against hers, feeling them intermingle and get familiar with one another. She bit her lip a little, wrapping her arms around his waist while he got the ignition going. As he placed his arm back against his form, the soft skin of the underside of his upper arm meeting hers, her entire body went up in flames. He was so soft, so opposite to what he’d shown her before last night, and she was starting to realise that she needed to take a much closer look at this man to get a better grasp of him. Taking a small glance over his shoulder to make sure she was comfortable and safe, Harry revved the engine, and they drove off again.

It didn’t take long for Y/N to recognise the road to Lerici. The night around them had made it hard for her to make it out at first, but she saw the sign welcoming them and then the little coastal town rose up around them. The familiar smell of salt in the air was refreshing, and she closed her eyes as she let it become everything she knew for a few moments. This time around, Harry didn’t drive them up the road to the cliff, but rather down a very small gravel path Y/N was sure was mainly made for pedestrians. Soon enough, they were by the tiny beach she’d seen from the cliff last time. There was no sign of anyone having ever been there, though she supposed the path made it evident that someone had. It seemed untouched and ancient, the kind of place you dreamed of and saw pictures of but never thought you’d actually see. But here she was.

Harry stopped the moped, cutting the engine and looking over his shoulder for Y/N to step off first. She took the helmet off first, before placing her hands on Harry’s shoulders, and – not so gracefully – stepping off. Harry tried getting off a little too early, causing Y/N, who was putting her weight on him, to stumble. The skirt of her dress rode up, exposing part of her upper thigh, some of her bum, and most definitely a small view of her knickers. She squealed, quickly straightening it all out before daring to look at Harry. He was watching her, clearly having stopped in the middle of his own process of getting off when he saw the whole scene unfold before him. As their eyes met, he quickly looked away. She thought she could just about make out a slight redness to his cheekbones that usually wasn’t there.

She gave him the helmet and he put it under the seat of the moped, biting his lips together. Instead of thinking about what had just happened, Y/N turned her attention back on the beach before her. She hadn’t noticed the full moon till now, how it was a little bigger tonight, how it shone in the dark ocean. If she didn’t know better, she thought this might’ve been Harry’s intention all along.

“Right,” Harry said, walking down toward the street. Y/N followed suit. “I need you to stand in the ocean.”

She frowned, giving the rucksack with all his equipment to him. He raised his eyebrows.

“What?”

“Then I’ll have to take my knee socks off.”

Harry’s eyes fell to her white knee socks where they lingered for a few seconds before he gave her a short nod and looked away. Y/N felt herself swallow quite hard, the effect of Harry’s stare running through her body like a wave of tickles. However, quickly recovering and not wanting Harry to know him looking at her like that had an effect on her, Y/N let out a laugh.

“What now?” he asked, refusing to look at her.

She was genuinely laughing now.

“Is this a piss take?”

She snorted. “They’re just my legs, Harry.”

“Yeah?”

She raised her eyebrows, finding it amusing how he busied himself with his rucksack and everything else instead of looking at her. “You can look at me while I take them off.”

“Are you encouraging me to watch you undress?”

Y/N put her hand before her mouth as she laughed, not being able to help herself. She snorted, as she often did when she laughed hard enough, and though she remembered a time long ago when she used to be embarrassed of that sound, she wasn’t anymore. Opening her eyes, she saw Harry watching her now. Both his dimples showing along with small crinkles by his eyes, teeth bright in the moonlight. His shoulders and chest moved with laughter as well, and the sound sent shivers up Y/N’s spine.

She recovered, trying to calm herself down a little bit. Harry might be fit, but he was not allowed to have that kind of effect on her. She bent down, untying her docs, and stepping out into the sand with her socks on. Hooking her thumb and index finger on the inside of one of her knee socks, she slid it down her leg putting it in her shoes when it was off. Discreetly, she looked in Harry’s direction, only to notice him watching her. As soon as he saw her eyes on him, he looked away, clearing his throat before directing his attention at the positioning he wanted for the painting. She bit her bottom lip from smiling.

Now barefoot, Y/N started walking into the ocean, stopping when the water just reached her knees. She looked over her shoulder, waiting for Harry to redirect her as he hadn’t given her any clear directions as to how he wanted her to be standing for this one. However, he didn’t even acknowledge her looking at him. Instead, he was sat in the sand, the canvas propped on a small easel before him, and the paint palette in his hand. Cocking his head to the side, he started painting. Y/N looked ahead, taking in the yellow state of the moon that night.

“You know,” she started, listening to the waves softly hitting the shore around her. “You’ve never told me what this collection is about, like what you’re trying to tell. I’m assuming it’s a kind of story, innit?”

“You’ve never asked.” He replied, as if it was the most obvious answer.

“I need to ask?”

“You think I’m just gonna tell you?”

She bent down a bit, running her hand through the moving sea beneath her. “People who are passionate about stuff they’re doing tend to talk about it, and it’s also very fun to listen to them. Nice to listen to someone being happy. When people talk about something that keeps them living, you find a new reason to yourself.”

“Find a new reason to live in seeing someone else talk about something they’re passionate about?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Makes you see that there’s a reason for everyone out there. Though you might not have found your own yet, you will eventually, you know?”

Harry fell silent for a moment before, “I’m still not telling you.”

Y/N groaned, standing up straight again. “Why?”

“I just…” he shrugged. “Don’t wanna.”

She sighed. “You know, in order to properly make a connection with someone, you gotta open up to people.”

Waves crashed around them, filling the silence since Harry’s response didn’t. She dared to look over her shoulder at him, finding him already staring at her, pencil held up against the canvas, paused mid stroke. When their eyes met, Y/N had to concentrate on standing upright. It was hard to remain balanced when two intense eyes were unashamedly glancing at her, mulling over her words.

“That’s a heavy subject to be discussing on the beach at night.” Harry said before he went back to painting again.

Y/N smiled. “Isn’t that something we should be discussing on the beach at night? Seems like the right setting, doesn’t it? Poetic and all that.” She looked ahead again, staring at the big full and yellow moon before her. “Sorry, I won’t push you. I take it all back.”

“Thank you.” He said.

Y/N resorted to studying the landscape around her. She glanced up at the cliff where she had found Viola, where she had first seen Harry smile, and remembering all the times she’d seen him smile since. With all that, she realised how far they had come. Harry, who was so set on her following his rules he’d put for the summer and for her to follow his orders, that same bloke hadn’t told her how to stand for his painting today; he smiled at her; he showed up on her doorstep when he’d been the one to say he didn’t want a relationship with her outside work. Look at them now, she thought, feeling something in her chest warm up.

“You went quiet.” Harry said suddenly.

“Isn’t that good?” she asked, inhaling. “Remember you said you didn’t want me to talk to you while you were painting. It was one of the set rules for the summer.”

“That was then.”

Y/N bit her lip, eyes falling to the dark water beneath her. “Oh?”

“It’s… it’s…” he started, searching for the right words. “I don’t mind now.”

Her heart was hammering, the smile on her face ridiculous. God, was she happy Harry couldn’t see her face now. “Don’t mind me talking?”

“No.”

Her smile widened; her chest felt warmer. “Good to hear, because I like to talk.”

“That you do.”

She giggled. “Do you like it when I talk, Harry?”

The question was an obvious piss take. She wasn’t expecting a response, at least not a proper one. The two of them had grown into a nice habit of taking the mick out of one another every once in a while, so she was waiting for Harry to follow her lead. Instead, he left her breathless. All joking about gone.

“Yes.”

Her mouth fell open and her eyes stared blankly at the moon. He… he liked it when she talked? Had she heard him right? Was he joking along, but she just hadn’t understood what he was trying to do? She blinked to herself, trying to find some sort of explanation, but there didn’t seem to properly be one unless he was serious.

“Got you speechless?” Harry asked, huffing a little to himself. “Gotta pat myself on the back for that.”

Y/N furrowed her brows, opening her mouth a few times before, “I thought you liked silence, when you get to think and can listen to the quiet.”

There was a slight pause when the only thing she heard was the beating of her own heart in her ears. “I like listening to you more.”

How could one person make another feel like this? Like the whole sun resided inside their chest, threatening to explode at any second to reveal a crater created purely out of star dust and fondness? How was it possible to feel this much at once and not go up into flames? So much was happening inside Y/N’s body she felt a tingling in her fingers. Was this what it felt like to fall in love, she asked herself, not knowing for sure till years later when she was able to give herself a proper and positive answer to her own question. That was what it was. Falling into the endless cavity of emotion and devotion, a pit it was impossible to ever wholly find your way out of.

Harry cleared his throat, making Y/N jump a little. “But shut up now, because I need to get the moon right. Can’t have distractions.”

So she was quiet, the small smile on her face impossible to wipe off. She couldn’t hear Harry behind her, the soft sounds of nature made sure of that, but she felt him. Like her cells knew his was there, desperately, longingly reaching for him. She wondered if he could feel it, too.

Before long, Harry sighed heavily, and said, “Done. Just need it to dry a bit and we can leave.”

Finally, she turned around, looking at him properly for the first time in around two hours. She walked backward, feeling the cold water reaching further and further up her bare thighs.

“Come.”

He watched her for a few seconds, stunned. “Come?”

“Yeah, come.”

“But I’m not hard.”

Y/N burst out laughing, leaning her hands on her knees as she snorted. She heard him laughing as well, and she suddenly wished to mute herself completely so all she could ever hear for the rest of her life was Harry’s laughter. She opened her eyes, smiling broadly at him.

“Just come here, the water’s actually not cold at all.” She said, raising up into a proper position.

He looked at the ocean around her before looking back at her walking further into the deep. “But you can’t see the bottom, it’s too dark.”

“So?” she shrugged. “Do you see your future?”

Harry frowned, not catching on, but nevertheless, he answered earnestly. “No.”

“But you still keep on living, don’t you? Even though you can’t see your future properly? Even though you can’t see the bottom? Where it ends?” she smiled at him, stopping. “Live a little, you don’t have to see everything clearly.”

She raised her arms above her head, gave him a little wink, and then fell back into the sea behind her. She heard Harry shout something before she went under. The crisp evening ocean enveloped her, swaying her lightly from side to side, sounding of eternity. She smiled, opening her eyes, only to see the white moon above her, lighting up the dark night. After a few seconds she brought herself back up to the surface, wiping water away from her face. Harry now stood with water till about his ankles, watching her, so she gave him a grin.

“Now you’re all bloody wet.” He said, frowning as he took her in. The dress clung to her, something she was very aware of the longer Harry stared at her form and not her eyes.

“That’s supposed to be a good thing, innit?”

Harry shook his head, not being able to help his chuckles, and Y/N suddenly felt very proud she was able to make the painter laugh. She giggled as well.

“Right, quit the sexual references.” Harry said.

“You started.”

Harry just smiled, looking down at his feet in the water.

“Come have a swim.”

She saw him shake his head, not moving his eyes from the spot just beneath him. “I don’t like the dark.”

“So, you decided to drive to the beach, in the middle of the night, to paint in the dark?” She wasn’t trying to take the piss, it was a genuine question, because she saw he was very much not joking about right now.

“Doesn’t make sense to you?” he asked, looking over at her.

“I mean,” she shrugged, running her hands through the water. “I’m trying to, but can’t make much sense.”

With that, Harry leaned down, folding the bottom of his dungarees till they were further up his calves, that way he could walk closer to her. Though he didn’t get much further before she saw he mentally hit a wall. She walked a bit closer to him as well, feeling a breeze brush past them that was a little colder now that she was wet.

“When I was 10, I had a nightmare.” Harry started, running his hand along his jaw. “I don’t remember much of it, but I remember thinking there was a monster in my room. When I woke up, I couldn’t move.”

Y/N felt her heart sink a little, hating where this was going. “Sleep paralysis.”

“Yeah.” Harry nodded.

“At 10?”

“Yeah.”

“Must’ve been traumatising.”

Harry inhaled sharply, staring off into the distance. “And I couldn’t stop staring at the corner of my room, thought I saw something there. And then I started hearing all these sounds outside my room, thought more monsters were coming, but it was just my sister who heard me crying, so she came to check on me.”

Suddenly feeling very bad and in huge need to hug him, Y/N wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks,” he nodded a little. “But it’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“Yes, it is,” she corrected. “Sorry you had to go through that.”

He nodded again, eyes meeting hers. “Scarred me, and now I don’t like the dark.”

She gave him a little smile, silently telling him that she understood, and he didn’t have to go on unless he felt he wanted to. Though he had just admitted he liked her talking, there simply are moments when talking is not necessary.

“Though,” he went on, wetting his lips quickly. “I liked what you said about the dark, how not seeing doesn’t necessarily mean what you’re moving toward is scary or is hiding something that could potentially hurt you.”

She gave him a little smile, watching him take in the moon mirrored in the moving waters. “Your fears are your fears for a reason, it’s hard to get rid of them.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, looking at her again. “But I’m not scared of the sea. Don’t know why I’m hesitating.”

“Well, ‘cause it’s dark, innit? Don’t be hard on yourself.”

He inhaled, eyes lingering on her face for a few. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“I often am.”

“Don’t get cocky.”

Y/N laughed, walking closer to him and shore. “Should we leave? Has your painting dried a bit?”

“Think so, yeah.”

“Good, because I’m getting sleepy.” She walked up to the beach, wringing the end of her dress to get as much water as possible out of it. A slight gust of wind hit her, immediately sending a wave of shivers up her spine. She gasped a little, body shaking slightly as it went through her body, but she quickly recovered, turning her attention to the other side of her dress. When she looked up, wanting to see how far Harry had gotten in packing all his things together, she met his eyes. Obviously having seen her discomfort with the scant cold, he walked up to his moped and opened the seat again. He came back with a towel, and she quickly remembered how he kept one on him. That’s how she picked Viola up when she first found her. This was a different towel, though.

He unfolded it as he came closer, holding it in one hand as he stopped before her. Leaning closer, he got the other side of the towel from behind her. She felt his breath against her nose, the droplets that were still on her face suddenly turning very hot along with the rest of her. His eyes moved to hers, and he suddenly stopped his movements. No one moved. For a few heavenly seconds they just stood there looking at each other, taking in every second they could be close like this when the intention could be explained, when they had a reason. It took everything in Y/N not to look down at his lips. Those soft lips he had pressed against her hand and palm the night before; those pink lips that had been her entire world for a few long, celestial moments. How she longed to unfold her own against those lips.

Harry took a grip of the other side of the towel without breaking eye contact, getting so close that she swore she could make out each one of the freckles across the bridge of his nose. As he stepped back a little, he wrapped the towel around her, making sure it was placed nicely across her shoulders. Gingerly, he placed his hands on her shoulders. First, she felt his pinky finger, then his ring finger, middle, index, and then his thumb right by her neck. With each tap of his finger, she felt like an earthquake of blissful tingles shocked her entire body. She felt like she was vibrating with the hundreds of butterfly wings that beat inside her tummy.

He ran his hands down her upper arms, then took a step back, snapping them both harshly out of whatever had just gone down between them.

“Dry yourself off a bit.” He mumbled, walking back to his stuff and packing everything.

Y/N just stood there for a few seconds, regaining her composure before drying herself. Once she was done, she folded the towel and gave it back to him and he handed her the rucksack. She watched him put the towel back in its place as she got the rucksack on. Soon they were on their way again, Harry driving fast down the road and Y/N holding onto him. She couldn’t take her eyes off the soft skin of his neck; the feeling of his curls blowing in the wind, right into her face. It was as if now that she knew what he looked like up close, now that she had the time to take him in like this without interruption, she couldn’t help herself.

They arrived in Fosdinovo not long after, Harry stopping his moped outside his house before asking if Y/N was okay to walk home, which she very much was. As she got off the bike, she saw two circles and a bigger splotch on Harry’s back after her tits and tummy. Her cheeks heated up instantly and she hoped he didn’t feel the wet spots himself. She got the helmet off, trying not to let it show that she was freezing, and handed it back to Harry to put it under his seat.

As she handed him his rucksack back, their hands touched. Their eyes met right after, both seemed to stop. Quickly, Harry took the rucksack by the other strap and hand, hoisting it onto his shoulder, all the while not letting go of Y/N’s fingers. They stood there, in the complete darkness of the night, the rest of the small village fast asleep around them. The crickets sang for them; the moon watched them; knowing what the two of them knew in their hearts but were too afraid to voice.

Harry gave her fingers a little squeeze, and it was then Y/N noticed he was holding her left hand, the same hand he had kissed the night before.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

She inhaled slowly, afraid that any rash movements would ruin the moment. “Goodnight, Harry.”

He gave her hand another squeeze before letting it go and taking a small step back. She smiled at him, turning around, beginning her walk back to her flat. Looking over her shoulder when she was about to turn up the small street to her own, she caught Harry watching her still, and when their eyes met, neither broke eye contact till Y/N rounded the corner.

Sunday, 4 August 2019

Viola knew the way to the bakery now. She walked ahead of Y/N, looking back at her every once in a while when she wanted to walk a little faster but the lead prevented her. It was a cloudy day; the swirl of white interrupted every here and there with dark clouds that threatened with rain. Y/N didn’t have much on the agenda today anyway, so she wasn’t too bothered. In fact, it was rather nice to get a small break from the Italian summer sun for a single day.

Before walking through the door of the Panetteria, Y/N looked through the windows on either side to make sure Salvatore wasn’t working that day. When she couldn’t see him, she let Viola enter the bakery before her, announcing their arrival with a small meow.

“Y/N!”

She jumped a little, looking to her right to see Meo sitting at one of the tables. She hadn’t seen him till now, which was very weird as he had been seated right by the big window. Guess she was just going bloody blind. He grinned, folding his newspaper before resting it in his lap.

“How are you?” he asked, taking a little look at Viola before exclaiming, “And who is this beauty?”

“That’s Viola, and I’m good, how about you?”

Just then, Rin walked out from the door behind the counter, giving Y/N a friendly smile. “Hi.”

“Hiya.” Y/N smiled right back at her. “Could I get a croissant to go, please?”

“Yes, you can.” Rin gave her a little wink, moving to put a croissant into a paper bag for Y/N. “How have you been since Thursday?”

Meo, who was bending down to pet Viola, stopped and looked up at the two ladies. “What happened Thursday?”

“Salvatore acted like an idiot and made Y/N visibly uncomfortable.” Rin answered, standing by the cashier waiting for Y/N.

“You got her, Meo?” Y/N asked, referring to the cat he was petting again.

“Yeah.” He nodded, picking her up and putting her on top of the newspaper in his lap. Y/N walked over to Rin to pay. “Have you spoken to him since, Y/N?”

She shook her head, handing Rin a few euros. “I’d like for him to apologise, but don’t feel like he’s the type to admit he was in the wrong.”

Rin was quick to back Y/N’s theory, “He won’t.”

Meo sighed. “Rin-“

“-No.” She shot Meo a look. “Don’t stand up for him. He’s a good friend of yours but he’s an idiot most of the time.”

Meo looked down at Viola, running his fingers through her fur. “You’re right.”

“I am.” Rin glanced back at Y/N, sighing heavily. “I’m sorry that happened.”

“What’s even weirder is how Harry acted, though.” Meo said, following the statement with a little breathy chuckle. “It seemed to really bother him.”

Rin frowned. “Yeah, when someone sexually harasses someone else, it bothers people.”

Meo groaned. “I didn’t mean it-“

“-Excuse Meo, Y/N, he seems to have left his brain at home today.”

Y/N smiled. “Don’t worry, it’s all good. But,” she glanced over at Meo who was leaning down, booping his nose against Viola’s – who seemed very unsure of what to do. “Harry’s been acting strange lately. Wouldn’t have stood up for me before.”

“Oh?” Rin raised her eyebrows. “You don’t think?”

“Well,” Y/N shrugged her shoulders. “He wasn’t particularly nice to me in the beginning, so I don’t think he would’ve.”

“He’s not a bad person.” Rin said, making Y/N wonder how she knew that. “Just been through… a lot.”

But before Y/N got to ask Rin how she knew this, Meo started talking again. “Speaking of Harry,” he started. “Saw him yesterday.”

“Congrats,” Rin said. “You have eyes and a memory of other people.”

“Fanculo.” Meo rolled his eyes. “No, I saw him in that small alleyway off Via Roma. He was talking to this old man and he seemed very angry.”

Rin crossed her arms. “Angry in what way?”

“Is there more than one way to be angry?” Meo asked back, giving them a quick shrug. “Don’t know, he seemed annoyed, upset, and very angry.”

“Did you recognise who he was talking to?” Y/N surprised herself by asking, but neither Meo nor Rin seemed to bat an eyelash at the question. They were just as curious as she was.

“No, just know he’s Mattia’s father.” Meo explained. “But that’s irrelevant.”

“Mattia’s father is a police officer, Meo. It’s not irrelevant.” Rin brought two fingers up to her temple, clearly thinking hard. “Why would H. Styles be talking to the police?”

“Who is Mattia?” Y/N asked, looking between the two.

Rin waved her hand, dismissing Mattia entirely. “Just a guy about our age, his dad always used to come to our school to give talks on drugs and other crimes.”

“Drugs?” Y/N raised her eyebrows.

“I’m not saying Harry’s involved in some drug deal thing.” Rin clarified. “That’s just what Mattia’s dad did.”

Meo gasped a little. “Imagine if he’s like a drug lord.”

“In Fosdinovo? In the middle of nowhere Tuscany? Unlikely.” Rin leaned her hip against the counter, scrunching up her face as she started thinking. “None of that makes sense. I mean, if he was involved in something with the police, surely the Tuscan and Italian newspapers would know of it by now, right?”

“Unless it was a secret investigation.” Meo said, making both Rin and Y/N whip their heads in his direction. “Seems most likely, doesn’t it?”

Y/N was racking her brain for what that could mean, why Harry would need the police to look into something, and why he was talking to the police at all.

“Unless the police are corrupt, and the drug lord is bribing them to shut up about something.” Meo shrugged. “Or the police are working with him.”

“You’ve been watching too much of that Peaky Blinders and all the other gang shows you like to annoy me with.” Rin sighed, giving Y/N a little smile. “Guess it’s just going to remain a mystery.”

“Guess it is.” Y/N agreed, smiling back at Rin before she walked over to Meo and Viola. With all this new information, Y/N could simply not be around people. She needed to sit alone and think for a bit. Which was weird, because Y/N never wanted to be alone. She wanted to be around people, but this had her in need for a think. “I better be off. We have a busy day ahead of doing absolutely nothing.”

Meo chuckled, handing Viola’s lead back to Y/N. “Have fun.”

“Thanks.” She waved at them both. “See you around.”

“See ya!”

And then Y/N and Viola walked out, on their way back to the flat, and the entire way, Y/N could not stop thinking about what her, Rin, and Meo had just been discussing. What was going on? What was Harry hiding? Did it have something to do with Salvatore and their feud? Or was it completely separate from that? And why was he talking to the police? Y/N’s head was spinning so fast she felt dizzy. Good thing she had her croissant to keep her sane for a little while.

Tuesday, 6 August 2019

Y/N and Rin had hung out all day. They had bumped into one another once Rin was done with her shift at the bakery, and the first thing Rin had said was “He’s working.” She then asked Y/N if she wanted to try another café for breakfast, something Y/N said she’d love to. With Viola, they strolled into the city centre where Rin showed Y/N her favourite café.

The two had a big brunch filled with delicious pasta, schiacciata, ribollita, and multiple glasses of iced coffee. They had an amazing time together, sitting there till the sun started to go down again. It was so nice to talk rubbish with someone who was just as eager to be in everyone else’s business as Y/N was. Though it was a bad trait to have – being nosey – it was so fun to meet someone just as curious about other people and their business. Rin told Y/N all the village gossip, and all the big goss that had been throughout the years. Turns out, even a small mountain town like Fosdinovo has had a few scandals through the years. The two made plans to do brunch together again another time before Y/N had to leave the following week.

On her way back to the flat, Y/N stopped by a supermarket, getting some Ritz and a Brie, figuring she didn’t need much for dinner as she’d already had a massive brunch. Viola was relaxing in her arms by the time she got home, exhausted from a day of doing nothing but walking around and eating. But walking up the staircase to her flat, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a figure leaning against the railing opposite to her front door.

She could recognise him anywhere by this point. His brown trousers, pink Converse, the tight white tee shirt, now matched with an open pale pink silk shirt, tucked loosely into his trousers along with his tee shirt. He looked over at her, and as he registered who it was, he straightened, turning his body in her direction. They both blinked for a few seconds before Y/N walked up the last flight of stairs and over to her door.

“You again.” She said, turning the keys and letting them all in. She got Viola out of her lead, putting her down on the floor.

“And the enthusiasm is out of this world.”

“Shocked really,” Y/N continued, putting the tote bag with groceries on the kitchen table before turning around again. “Thought you’d be tired of me by now.”

He just looked at her, mouth shut. He pushed away from the railing, clearing his throat some. “Put the dress on, meet me downstairs.”

Just then, a small whimper could be heard, and then a loud meow. Viola jogged in Harry’s direction, just having noticed him being there. Straight past Y/N who had made her way back over to the door, right to Harry who was now hunched down, petting her. Her purring was deep, clearly enjoying Harry’s attention very much.

“Tell me,” Harry started, smiling at Viola when she jumped up, leaning her two front paws on his knee. “Do you ever give her any attention at all? ‘Cause she seems to be my biggest fan because I give it to her.”

Y/N huffed, trying to hide the smile on her face at seeing Viola and Harry bonding like this. “For your information, we cuddle every night before we go to sleep.”

“In bed?”

She couldn’t help her smile now. “You jealous?”

It was meant as a joke, but judging by the silence that followed, Y/N was afraid he might not have gotten it. Which made the whole situation very weird. Of course he wasn’t bloody jealous of a cat cuddling her in bed. What the fuck kind of question was that anyway? Her neck heated up, feeling a slight wave of embarrassment come on.

In movement so swift Y/N didn’t quite catch it, Harry picked Viola up and held her tight to his chest. His eyes met Y/N’s, mouth hanging open as he searched for the words he’d wanted to say. He nodded behind her at her flat.

“May I?”

She wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do or what he meant, but she still said, “Of course.”

Stepping aside, she watched as Harry walked past her and into her flat, straight for her bed. Gently, he put Viola down in Y/N’s bed, running a hand over her back to settle her in. His other hand was pressed into her duvet, fingers spread out. The veins on the back of his hand were defined, leading up to his wrist, where other veins were visible all the way up to his elbow. Her eyes travelled further, taking in his bicep, the way his hair hung before his eyes when he stood bent like this. His hips, how round his bum looked when he wore those trousers. The way his thighs had looked when he’d been petting Viola out in the hallway. Get a fucking grip, Y/N. She shook her head, looking away from him just as he pushed away from the bed.

“I’ll leave you to get changed.” He said, motioning with his thumb over his shoulder, telling her he’d be waiting outside.

Y/N just watched him leave, closing the door behind him, leaving her and Viola confused. Y/N looked back at the cat, raising her eyebrows as Viola’s eyes were still on the door, obviously missing Harry.

“Yeah,” Y/N said, Viola looking up at her companion. “I’m confused, too.”

Viola meowed.

“Okay, not confused, just…” Y/N shrugged. “Dunno. He’s changed.”

Viola just looked at Y/N, obviously not bothering to take part in a conversation she didn’t see the point of. How Y/N and Harry were feeling was as clear to her as the difference between the first and the last chapter of a book.

Y/N changed into her dress, not bothering to put her knee socks on as she knew they were going back to Lerici to finish the painting Harry started last time. She gave Viola a quick kiss to the forehead as she always did, and then she walked downstairs. As the two times they’d ridden the moped together previous, Harry handed Y/N the helmet as soon as she stepped out of the door and into the already dark night. He got on and started the engine as she put the helmet and his rucksack on, and as soon as she was comfortable on the seat behind him, they were off.

They made it to the same beach, and though the moon wasn’t as full as she had been two nights earlier, Y/N guessed it didn’t really matter. What Harry needed was to get the colours right, he already had the outline of everything by now. It was weird, Y/N thought, how she knew Harry’s methods and ways of working by this point. She knew he did outline first and colours second, often visiting a place two or three times after their first visit to get everything right. But he hadn’t needed her present in the beginning when he was colouring…

They didn’t talk. Y/N knew she was going to go stand in the sea and Harry knew where he was putting his easel. They moved with one another, knowing what the other one wanted and doing everything they could to keep the other satisfied. Y/N listened to Harry moving around behind her, mixing colours and adjusting his canvas, huffing and shuffling in the sand. The time before when she joined him on the colour-filling session, they hadn’t talked at all. Gioele came along that time, and kept the air lively with either song or conversation, trying to talk to Harry about something Harry never really seemed interested in. But now they were alone, and silence stretched out between them. Neither were in a hurry to say something. So, when Harry suddenly cleared his throat, Y/N almost jumped a little.

“I thought about what you said the other day.” He admitted.

Y/N blinked a few times, looking to the rocks on her left as she spoke. “What was that?”

“In order to properly make a connection with someone I’ve gotta open up to people.”

She nodded, encouraging him to go on. “Yeah?”

“And uhh…” he trailed off, clearly struggling to find the right words to say next. “I don’t… I don’t know how to say this.”

This made her look over her shoulder at him, needing to know that he was alright. He seemed to be, painting with a slight wrinkle between his brows. “Saying anything at all is good, it doesn’t have to be perfect.”

“I know, but…” He met her eyes, mouth hanging open for a few moments. He looked back at the painting. “My parents always favoured my sister. They didn’t have to say the word, I always knew they liked her better than me. Maybe because she was the firstborn, maybe because she’s always been amazing at everything she’s ever done.” He took a deep breath. “I never hated them for it, I kind of got used to it… being their second choice. My nannies were better parents than them.”

It hurt hearing Harry say that; that he had been his parents’ second choice all his life. Reminded Y/N of how she’d felt growing up as well; Portia being in the spotlight all the time, Y/N always in second place. It got to the point where she just had to get used to it. Not that she wanted to be the second one in line, but it just simply was that way and there was nothing she could do about it. Her father left and since then, her mother had leaned on Portia for support and Y/N to carry them both. Harry knew how that felt.

“When I started getting bigger as a painter, when I could do this and only this, I decided that living in Manchester wasn’t it.” Harry ran a hand through his hair, studying the painting. “It reminded me of a life I didn’t feel good enough. And I didn’t want that. I wanted to feel like I was enough. ‘Cause I am. Took me some time to realise that I was. I knew I could only become the best version of myself if I was away from Manchester for a little while.”

A gust of wind blew past Y/N, she had to hold the dress in place, still watching Harry. He was quiet for a few seconds as he looked at her, but he quickly looked away and started painting again.

“Moved here… and…” he stood still, the topic at hand evoked so many emotions in him that it seemed he had a hard time using his words right. “And I… I wasn’t enough here either. But…” he cleared his throat. “I need to finish this collection here and everything. Can’t move before I have.”

Y/N thought back to the time Harry said he didn’t want to move, that he liked living here. He clearly did not. And her entire chest hurt at the revelation.

“The collection’s what’s keeping me here,” he admitted. “Not free will.”

Y/N looked at the reflection of the moon in the water, aching for the hurt Harry felt. She could still hear it in his voice.

“So, not only am I everyone’s second choice, but I have to stay here for another month without-“ he abruptly stopped himself, eyes falling to the sand underneath his bare feet. For a few seconds, no one moved, and when Harry’s eyes met hers, nothing else mattered. Y/N felt dizzy, her chest tingling; almost like she was drunk. “Without a friend.”

She felt herself panic, the realisation that she was leaving the following week hit her like a ton of bricks. For some reason, she had to talk; had to keep the conversation going. Harry didn’t look away from her as Y/N’s mouth opened and closed, not knowing that she was getting dizzy trying to find something to say.

“You’ll always have the moon.” Brill, you’ve done it now, she thought to herself.

Harry raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“The moon’s always gonna be there. You can talk to her all you need.”

He huffed, blinking twice before saying, “That right?”

Y/N nodded, not having thought she’d get into this today, but seemingly, she had to now. “My mum’s obsessed with space. The reason why she named me and my sister after planets and all that, you know this.” She waved her hands around, dismissing going into detail about that exact subject. “Anyway, she always used to tell us that if we were ever in need to talk to someone and no one we knew could help, the moon would always listen. There were often times when I was little when I knew my mum couldn’t help, so I’d sit by my open window in the middle of cold winter and pour my heart out to the moon.”

The hint of a joke that had been in Harry’s eyes when Y/N started her talk of the moon, was gone. He seemed to know where this was going.

“My mum…” Y/N’s eyes fell to a spot in the sand beside Harry’s feet. “She was never able to help. And if she was, I could tell her heart wasn’t really in it.”

Harry’s arm fell to his side.

“It’s not that mum doesn’t love me, because she really does, I know she does, but…” she shrugged. “I’ve just always been able to tell that she liked my little sister more. Thought she had more potential, and all that.”

Y/N looked up at Harry again, seeing the head of his brow upturned.

“People have no control over their emotions, so I don’t blame mum, but I wish she’d paid more attention to me.” Y/N admitted, turning back to the moon. “That way the moon wouldn’t know all my secrets.”

She could feel Harry’s eyes on her back as she walked further out, laying her palms flat against the surface of the sea, the hem of her skirt floating in the ocean.

“But I can’t have been the only one spilling all my troubles to her, right?” Y/N tried to reason, not wanting Harry to think she was insane. “Think about how many secrets she’s gotta hold, and not just ones told to her like mine, but others as well. All those untold ones people hold close until night when they spill their hearts to the moon, all the truths, lost opportunities, the endless sea of chances. She’s gotta know everything, more than the sun could ever hope to. Forbidden acts all happen at night, don’t they?”

Y/N turned around, meeting Harry’s eyes. His lips were parted, blinking a few times as he stumbled out of his reverie when he saw her turning around.

“I’m truly sorry about your family. You’re no one’s second choice.”

Harry shook his had some, placing a hand on his tummy, hooking his thumb at the top of his trousers. “You haven’t met my family, though.”

“They don’t deserve you if they’ve made you feel that way.” Y/N said. “You’ve got other people who you’re never going to be second choice to.”

Harry just looked at her, speechless.

“And aren’t Jamie going to stay here till the end of summer? Right before you’re leaving for your little tour? Your friend’s gonna stay here the whole time with you.”

Harry blinked. “My… my friend?”

Y/N nodded, cocking her head ever so slightly to the side before looking ahead at the moon again. “Yeah, you said you’d stay here for another month without a friend.”

Harry looked away, eyes falling to the palette in his hand before he tipped his brush in it. A small, “Yeah, you’re right,” left his lips.

“You’re never as alone as your head makes you believe.”

“’Cause the moon is always there.”

Y/N smiled. “Exactly,” she said. “She’ll always listen.”

There was a small pause. “What about you?”

Y/N frowned. “What about me?”

The waves crashed softly against shore, there didn’t seem to be another sound in the entire world but that just then.

“Harry?”

He was quiet. And though Y/N didn’t want to interrupt him in case a sudden creative urge had hit him, he had still asked her a question she hadn’t understood, and she therefore wanted an answer.

“You alright?”

But he still didn’t say anything. Just as she was about to look over her shoulder at him to make sure he was alright; she heard the splashing of water and then felt a lot of it on her face. She yelped, jumping a bit, unsure what had just happened till she saw it. Harry rose from the dark ocean, shaking his head to get most of the water out of his curls. Harry had come out into the sea with her. Fully clothed. Y/N couldn’t help her laughter, too caught off guard to do anything else.

“What the fuck?”

“’What the fuck’?” Harry said, turning around to face her, whipping some of his curls out of his face. “You told me to come out into the water a few days ago, and now you’re shocked?”

Y/N smiled at him, raising her eyebrows a tad, realising she was holding both hands to her chest and feeling her heart hammering fast against her ribcage. “You also said you didn’t like the dark, and that the water was too dark for you to take a swim in.”

“But you said to live a little and that not seeing the bottom ‘cause it’s too dark wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

He… he remembered what she’d told him? He’d taken her words to heart? Every single part of Y/N was tingling to the point of tickling her a bit. “And now you’re in the water.”

Harry huffed, water to just below his shoulders. Y/N walked a bit closer to him, finding the ocean a little too cold to be comfortable. “Don’t get used to me trying out the things you suggest I do.”

She bit her lips together. “Of course.”

He just stared at her, noticing her piss take but not bothering to point it out or tell her to fuck off for it. Instead, he took a step further back, letting more of the sea envelope him. “Well,” he said, nodding toward Y/N. “If I’m gonna be swimming, you’re going to as well.”

“Jesus Christ.” She mumbled, balling her hands together into fists and as fast as she could, walked further out into the sea. The cold water hurt against her warm skin, but she did her best not to let it show. When the water reached her shoulders, standing a metre or two away from Harry still, she looked at him. “Happy?”

“Get your hair wet.”

She clicked her tongue, raising her eyebrows. “Why are you so bossy?”

“Why do you suddenly care if your hair is wet or not? You didn’t last time.” He pointed out, raising his eyebrows back at her. “Besides, my hair is wet so yours needs to be too.”

Y/N only rolled her eyes but did as he wished. Getting her entire head under water, she made sure all of her hair was wet, opening her eyes to see if she could see Harry underwater. But when she opened them, she saw him taking a few steps closer till he was just in front of her. Immediately, her heart started racing. She stood, getting the water out of her eyes before looking at him. He was right there, right in front of her. The white light of the moon washed over half of his face, and though she couldn’t make out all his features, he looked so incredibly beautiful in that moment. She was afraid to look away; afraid what would happen if she did.

“What about you?” he asked again, voice low like a mumble.

Y/N hoped he couldn’t tell how fast her heart was hammering, how every nerve in her entire body was on high alert, how every cell was screaming for him to get closer. “What about me?”

“You’re never as alone as your head makes you believe. The moon is always there.” He said, eyes searching her face. “What about you?”

She took a little breath. “I…” she stopped, able to feel the tip of his shoes against her bare feet as he took a small step forward. She could smell him. Neroli and rose mixed with incense and musk. “Will I always be there?”

He just looked at her, clearly thinking that his look was answer enough. And it was. Because in the small way he cocked his head, how his eyes fell so quickly to her lips and back up to her eyes again, the way she saw him take a hug inhale. She saw his answer in all of it.

“I’m… I’m leaving.”

“But if you could?” he urged, sounding desperate.

“But I can’t.”

“But if you could…”

Though the water moved around them, the world seemed to be completely still as they stood there. It would always be night, it would always be them, it would always be this. The uncertainty laced with a kind of certainty neither had the vocabulary to word correctly. She couldn’t take a step closer to Harry as they were already standing so close, but she needed to take a step closer to be closer. She needed to be close to him. Needed to melt into him.

“What are you trying to say?” she asked, heart hammering so fast and so hard that it was weird her voice wasn’t shaking with it. He opened his mouth slowly; inhaling, exhaling.

“The planet Venus…” he mumbled, letting the three words hang in the air around them. She barely noticed how his eyes fell to her lips for a split second before they looked up into hers again. Fires ran up her spine. “Is the second brightest  natural object in the sky, right after the sun. Referred to as ‘the morning star’ or ‘the evening star’. Visible for a little while, only hours before or after sunrise or sunset. You have to really be looking for her to find her.”

“What are you-“

“-In 2019, she was only visible in the mornings until July, then she disappeared behind the sun. She’s going to reappear in September, then she’s going to be visible in the mornings again.” He paused, a shaky breath leaving his slightly parted lips. “She’s the brightest star in the solar system.”

Y/N didn’t know how she was still standing, neither did she know what any of that meant, why he chose to tell her this. He must’ve known that her mother had told her everything about the planet she was named after, but here he was… And she didn’t mind him saying this at all. But it did raise the question-

“How do you know all this?” she asked, blinking a few times to get a droplet from the sea off her eyelashes. “Why do you know all this?”

He bit his bottom lip, eyes shifting between her two, not knowing where to focus. “Because…” his voice was barely audible, but all of Y/N’s senses were tuned in on him. She could’ve heard him if his voice was merely a whisper and the world was collapsing around them. He stilled, fixating on her and nothing else. “I’d stay up only to get a small glimpse of you.”

And just like that, the entirety of the universe stopped turning; like a painting, a superlative moment in time, the perfect depiction of the perfect moment in what had been till now a mediocre lifetime. Everything had conspired and waited for this exact moment, lit up by the moon that knew all of their secrets and most hidden desires. Just then, the colours around got a little brighter, hearing a little better, and it was easier to breathe. Everything had led to this.

She saw Harry daring a look at her lips again, and she couldn’t help but stare at his as well. So pink, so pretty. She saw his lips part, felt his breath against her wet skin, and when she looked up, she realised he’d been waiting for her to make eye contact. He was waiting for a response. But what was she supposed to say? That she found herself dreaming of him most nights and it was hard to act normal around him the next day? That the dreams were vivid and she felt him touch her, kiss her hand, her arm, her jaw, her cheek? That she’d had a small crush on him for weeks now, even when he’d treated her like shit, because somewhere deep down, she’d known he was different? How did she tell him she’d been right, and she didn’t know how? That she admired him for a ton of reasons, but mostly for his willingness to change when he was wrong? How did she tell him that she thought he’d never be interested in her, but now that he admitted to it, her feelings had blossomed to life like a field of flowers after a shower of rain in summer?

Something took over and she reached forward, taking a light grip of his neck, bringing him toward her. They kissed. It was soft, positioning a little off, but the impact was like a meteor striking earth. Harry didn’t hesitate, he placed a gentle hand to her cheek and another one on her shoulder, slowly sliding it up to rest at her neck. Her entire body seemed to change in a way as her skin made contact with his again. Their cells intermingled; bodies connected in a way they’d never felt before. Something inside urged them to feel more, do more, melt into one another. Gently, Harry guided her lips wider open, carefully asking permission for his tongue to enter her mouth. She opened up to him, exhaling against his cheek as she felt his tongue along hers.

She did a small jump, hooking her legs around his waist so they didn’t need to bend awkwardly to be with one another. He didn’t seem taken off guard at all, rather welcoming her embrace by letting one his hands rest at her thigh and the other at her neck. It seemed to never end, like they could stand there kissing in the water, in the light of the white moon, till everything ceased to exist anymore. The kissing didn’t grow hungry or lustful, they just wanted to be close, wanted to feel the other there and know they were together. They wanted to be connected, wanted to melt together and never leave.

Out of breath, Y/N pulled away slightly, needing to breathe properly for a few moments. Opening her eyes, she saw Harry staring right back at her. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get over how beautiful he was, how good he tasted, how good he smelled, felt, was. He leaned forward, kissing her temple before leaning his forehead against hers. She breathed him in before seeking his lips again. And it was like Harry told her; you fall in love, and it’s the beginning and the end of everything.

Thursday, 8 August 2019

Y/N looked at herself in the body-length mirror in her flat, taking in her outfit for La Serenata. A midi wrap dress with volume sleeves, flowers in white, mustard, red, green, and black covering all of it. She put on a pair of small hoop earrings, a light layer of make-up, and thinking herself ready after. Viola was on her bed, watching all of it, giving her small meows or pointed stares of approval or disapproval if Y/N ever asked her opinion on something.

She made sure Viola had enough to eat, that a window was open, and that everything else was ready for the little child to be home alone. Though Viola rarely did anything stupid, Y/N was aware that one time would have to be the first, and she didn’t want anything to happen in the last week she was spending with the wee cat. Giving Viola a kiss to the forehead as she always did, Y/N got her small purse with everything she needed, and headed out.

It was getting dark, the sun was about to set, the orange and dotted purple sky above about to paint itself a vibrant pink before covering itself in the blanket of night. Y/N could make out a few others on their way to the La Serenata, dressed nicely for the occasion and talking loudly amongst themselves. She smiled a little, finding it adorable how the entire village was gathering in order to be part of this. She walked up the hill, along the streets she remembered from two nights before when Harry had showed her where to walk. Before driving her home, he’d driven her all the way to Via Papiriana, which wasn’t too far away from her flat. Not that anything within the borders of Fosdinovo was far from one another. She walked the exact way, holding onto the strap of her purse and urging her the heels of her shoes not to get stuck in between any cobblestones. She didn’t want to be late.

She saw Via Papiriana as she rounded a corner, and immediately recognised the figure standing there leaning against the brick out. A smile graced her lips instantly. He was wearing a white jacquard shirt with ruffled front, tucked into a pair of charcoal grey heritage check trousers, and a jacket to match. He looked as amazing as he always did, but the ruffles on his shirt made him look almost royal. Like there was no doubt he was better than everyone else.

He looked up as she came closer, as if he sensed her there, and his eyes quickly scanned her figure. Pushing off the wall, he turned his body in her direction, giving her the tiniest of smiles. One it was evident he couldn’t help.

“Hi.” She said, grinning at him.

“Hi.” He answered, smile widening a tad.

After the session two days prior, they hadn’t met one another. Harry had been busy the day before, and Y/N had done absolutely nothing. She knew she needed to do stuff now that she only had one week left in Italy, but she couldn’t bring herself to. All she thought about was Harry; she wanted to be with him every single second of every single day. Harry drove her home after their session in Lerici, apologised for not being able to see her the following day, and promised to meet her at Via Papiriana for the Serenata. After that kiss in the ocean, she hadn’t been able to think about anything else. He was all her mind was able to focus on it seemed. And though she didn’t mind, she knew she shouldn’t. They lived two completely different lives and outside this chance situation they found themselves in this summer, they could never be together.

She couldn’t think about that now, though. Instead she nodded her head at Via Papiriana and Harry nodded back, showing her the way. There was a crowd of people further down the road, loud voices and laughter filling the tiny street. People who lived on the street were watching through their opened windows, a group stood on a balcony not far off, others stood in their open doorways, handing out glasses of what Y/N could only assume to be alcohol of some kind. They made a little party out of the La Serenata, and Y/N loved it. The Italian culture she had been lucky enough to experience this summer had blown her away and she was beyond sad she had to leave it all behind soon. She had no idea when she would next visit this breath-taking country in southern Europe that she had grown so immensely fond of.

As Y/N and Harry got close, people started hushing one another, all attention pointed at the middle of the crowd. Someone started playing a few chords on a guitar, and it sounded so beautiful already that Y/N felt herself press a hand to her beating heart.

“Al di la; del bene piu prezioso, ci sei tu.” Someone sang, voice dark and smooth.

And just as the song started, a huge mess of curls poked its head out of the window the crowd stood before. Y/N instantly recognised the woman as Carina, Rin, Meo, and Salvatore’s friend who had left the pub the week before. She looked so beautiful smiling down at her fiancé, admiring her future husband. Y/N was suddenly so happy for Carina, not having known she was the one getting married. The thought of someone so kind marrying the love of her life, made Y/N look forward to the following day when she would be attending her first and only Italian wedding.

“Al di la; ci sei tu per me, per me, soltanto per me.”

Y/N could swear she recognised that voice, though. Walking closer to the crowd, she stood on her tiptoes, trying to get a glimpse of the man serenading Carina. She felt Harry following her, seeming a little hesitant as if he already knew what was happening before them. And as Y/N’s eyes fell on the serenader, she stopped completely. It couldn’t be… But it was…

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” She whispered to herself, feeling Harry glance down at her, having seen what she’d just seen.

With his dark hair drawn back, dressed in a dark blue suit and looking up at Carina with those charming brown eyes of his, Salvatore stood holding the guitar and singing in the middle of the crowd. He was smiling, completely oblivious to Y/N and Harry attending the Serenata. Even if he had known they would be there, he’d probably be smirking either way, probably loving the dramatics of it all. He was quite theatrical.

Despite everything, Y/N felt tears press on. She hadn’t liked Salvatore much after what happened, but regardless, he had made her feel special. He had taken her on walks along Fosdinovo, made her look forward to her trip to the bakery every morning so she’d see him, made her summer in some way. And all this time, he was engaged. All the flirting, all the touching, all the promises, had been while he was waiting to get married. All those times when he hadn’t been at work, he must’ve been busy with Carina preparing their wedding. Had he used her? Why had he tried to make her fall in love with him? Why had it worked to an extent? Her entire body ached. She was so dumb. So fucking dumb for falling for his stupid, charming act.

She heard Harry breathing heavily through his nose, saw him glaring at both Salvatore and Carina. There was so much hatred in that look that it made Y/N take a small step back. Something had gone down before she arrived, but in that moment, Y/N couldn’t bring herself to care too much about that. Because the guy she’d had a crush on at the beginning of the summer had flirted and asked her out while he was engaged; while he was in a relationship with another.

The song was done and the crowd cheered. Y/N didn’t care to see Carina lowering the basket or to see what happened after that, didn’t care to be part of the festivities; she didn’t care about any of that. All she wanted, all she needed, was to get away from that fucking street and the bloody twat singing on it.

Rounding the corner onto the main road, she heard a set of footsteps behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know they were Harry’s. She had to put the entire La Serenata behind her, had to forget about Salvatore, had to forget about bigger parts of her summer spent here. It all hit a little too close to home, made her think of a time before that she tried to suppress. Certain memories were better left forgotten, or so washed away that they didn’t make you feel anything anymore. But memories were there for a reason, and some made you feel so much that it numbed you; it stole your senses and occupied all of you till it tore you apart anew. No one knew how badly it hurt. No one but you.

Harry didn’t try to stop her or talk to her. He understood that she didn’t need that. He understood that what she needed right now was to know that someone was there, that if she desired, he was there for her. Though she wasn’t a big fan of silence, she appreciated how quiet Harry was just then. Truly admired his ability to save his words for occasions when he needed to use them, and not just using them to fill a silence that did fine on its own.

They reached Y/N’s building, where both stopped outside her door. Slowly, she opened her purse and got her keys out, staring off into nothing. She wasn’t sure what she was meant to feel; and what she was feeling, she felt stupid for.

“Do you wanna be alone?”

His voice felt like a warm embrace; like someone understood her for the first time in what must’ve been her entire existence. She looked at him, seeing genuine concern in his eyes. Though she had mates back home that would be worried for her, a sister that would as well, no one had ever looked at her like this before. She felt seen; cared for.

A single tear ran down her cheek as she gave him a tiny smile, shaking her head. “No.”

The hurt in Harry’s eyes worsened. She could tell he wanted to take a step toward her and comfort her, but stopped himself, not knowing what would be too much.

“I never want to be,” she said, not able to hold back. “I just am.”

“You’re not.”

She bit her bottom lip as she felt it start to wobble, feeling so many warm and lovely emotions run through her entire body. It was such a contrast to what she’d just felt after the Serenata that it made her hurt in the best way possible. Noticing this, Harry took her hand in his, carefully taking the key and unlocking the door. He held it open for her, watching her walk inside before he gave her the keys back. She walked first up and through the door to her flat, leaving the door open for Harry to follow.

Viola was sleeping on a kitchen chair, one of the windows were open, the sheer curtains swaying with the wind blowing. Y/N took her shoes off, putting her purse on the kitchen table before she went to open the other window on the other side of the bed. In the darkness of the night, Y/N leaned both her hands on the window frame, looking out over the countryside. She would leave this soon. And though that thought made her happy after what had just happened, it almost made her sad because she would be leaving the person who had followed her all the way home to make sure she was alright.

“When I was around 19, I met Noah.” Y/N started, not taking her eyes off the landscape before her. “He was the first person I ever fell in love with. Made me feel things no one had ever done before, and it was just… it was all I had ever wanted. I didn’t think anyone would ever fancy me like that, in a romantic or sexual way.”

She heard Harry moving behind her, taking his suit jacket off.

“I could tell he fancied me, but… he was embarrassed to.” She said, trying not to let her voice break. “He didn’t want to introduce me to his family or to his friends, didn’t want to be seen with me in public.”

Harry took his shoes off, not taking his eyes off her when she paused for a few seconds. Silent tears rolled down her face.

“No one ever says anything about the emotional struggles of being fat,” she said. “They only highlight the physical part of it, but never the emotional one. How no one’s ever going to want you because of your body. You’re aware your personality’s fine, but your body’s gross so you hide behind your humour, big clothes, and try to fake your confidence in order for people to go ‘she’s so confident, so cool, it’s so inspiring to see someone like her be so confident’.” She swallowed a lump in her throat. “And the need to hide your body because everyone who sees you have already got this designed and premeditated idea of what your life is like. Eating tons of unhealthy foods, being lazy, or having health problems. So whenever anyone even looks at you, you know what they’re thinking already. You’re this walking, talking joke and everyone who isn’t in on it is having a laugh, but you’re not. You have to get used to the fact that people are gonna want to give you advice on your health, and it won’t fucking work ‘cause you’ve heard them hundreds of times before, and it’s all just an endless spiral of ‘will I ever be pretty if I’m fat?’ and ‘what’s the fucking point if I’m just going to be fat and judged for the rest of my life?’.”

She took a shaky breath, feeling Harry behind her.

“But when you just have to get used to the fact that you’re never going to be as skinny or as pretty as you want to be. You’re always going to want more. So, for your own mental and physical and spiritual health, you have to tell yourself you’re good enough. Because you are. You need to be. What good is life going to be if you’re never good enough? You’re never going to be happy. You need to be happy ‘cause the only way you can be is if you yourself change it for yourself only. You’re going to be stuck with yourself your whole life. You’re your own soulmate before you’re anyone else’s.”

Y/N took a deep breath before she looked over her shoulder at Harry. He stood beside the end of her bed, looking at her like everything she was saying was the most important piece of information he’d ever hear.

“Salvatore did the same, didn’t he? Wanted to see how hard he could make the fat person fall in love with him?”

Harry shook his head, walking over to her. “No.”

She frowned.

He took her hand, looking down on it. “That wasn’t it.”

“What was it then?”

Harry met her eyes. “Not tonight.”

“Then when?

“Tomorrow morning.”

Y/N frowned.

“Tonight I want to show you that no matter what you felt for Noah, no matter what you felt for Salvatore, it doesn’t matter.” Harry rested a hand at her cheek and she instantly leaned into him. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I thought so the moment I first saw you standing beneath my balcony in early July, and you further proved that as summer went on.”

Y/N couldn’t help the tears forming in her eyes.

“The fact that people has ever made you feel like you’re not makes me angrier than I think you’ll ever know.”

She huffed.

“What?”

“You’re always angry.”

Harry smiled. “Because you piss me off.”

She smiled back, a tear falling from her eye and onto his hand. Harry ran his thumb over her bottom lip, looking at it as he did.

“You’re the brightest star in the solar system, Y/N.” Harry said, voice sounding like a whisper. “That’s not just me saying that, it’s actual facts. It’s on the Internet and everything.”

She laughed, and Harry smiled down at her.

“No one could outshine you.”

She looked at him for a few seconds before she leaned forward and kissed him again. This time around, it wasn’t as soft; it was urgent. She wanted to taste him, wanted to show him how much she appreciated him. Their tongues tangled, hungry for one another in a way they had never been hungry for anyone ever before. His grip on her tightened and he pressed her to him, wanting to feel every curve of her body. To feel the soft skin and the soft spots no one else got to see.

He walked her to her bed, letting her lay down comfortably before he followed her. Making his way up, he ran each hand up her legs, dragging her dress with him till it was at her waist. He nestled between her thighs, urging her to spread her legs a little wider for him as he lowered himself. She watched him, not able to believe that he was really here, in her bed, with a promise to make her understand that whatever she’d ever felt for someone else than him didn’t matter. When he kissed her again, she tasted the entire universe on his tongue and felt it between her thighs. He ran both hands over her cheeks, thumb caressing her tenderly, promising to never mistreat her.

The kisses deepened and Y/N hooked her legs with his, not wanting to ever let him go. It felt too good being like this with him; felt so incredibly right. Her hands roamed his body, wanting to get a good feel of all of him. She wanted to remember every single little piece of him, wanted to feel and smell him on her hands. The excitement of feeling Harry against her centre, of tasting him like this, feeling his hands on her body, it all got to her. A heat started gathering between her legs, aching and begging to be touched by him. She started moving in desperation, feeling Harry breathe harshly against her cheek as she did. He clearly felt her movements just as well as she felt his.

His right hand slid down, over her tits, tummy, and down to that spot between her legs that was waiting for him. He put his middle finger just above her hole, and so excruciatingly slowly as he possibly could, ran it up along her knickers. She gripped his hair a little harder, kissing him a little fiercer, the need for him too great to handle gracefully. With two fingers this time and a little more pressure, he dragged them above her, halting a little when he got a small moan out of her. He pulled away ever so slightly, looking down on her.

“Foreplay,” Harry said, lips moving against hers as they both panted. “How do you feel about it?”

“With my zero patience?” she raised her eyebrows a little, butterflies in her tummy fluttering their wings wildly as Harry smiled down at her. “Overrated.”

“Good.” He said, hooking his fingers through the band of her underwear. “I’m not a fan either.”

She bit her lip, looking at him as he adjusted himself between her legs.

“’Cause I’ve thought about eating you out for quite a while now. So I say fuck foreplay,” he pushed off, sitting up on his knees. “And if you’ll allow me,” he hooked his other hand through the other side of her knickers. “I’d like to make you feel really fucking good.”

“Ambitious.”

He smiled a little, tugging at her underwear. She lifted her hips, letting him take it off her, something he did gracefully. She lifted the skirt of her dress, letting him get better access. Harry looked at her centre, then up at her again, and something in the way he glanced at her made ever single cell in her body sing. She could make out the outline of his erection against his trousers, but he didn’t seem to care much about himself. All he wanted and cared about was for her to feel good. He got the ruffles of his shirt out of the way and positioned himself before her. They didn’t look away from each other as Harry kissed the inside of her thigh, leaving a trail of wet spots all the way down to her centre. He kissed her folds, and her eyes fluttered shut.

“Watch me.” He mumbled, wrapping his arms around her thighs. “Don’t look away.”

She opened her eyes just in time to see him run his tongue over her. His tongue traced a deliciously wet line between her already wet folds. Y/N bit her lip, loving the feeling of Harry’s hot tongue on her like this. Just there to make her feel – as he’d put it himself – really fucking good. The immediate pleasure of Harry eating her out took over her entire being right away. She didn’t know if her toes were freezing cold or if her back was itching. All that mattered, all she could focus on, was Harry and his delicious tongue exactly where they needed to be. She took tight grips of the duvet beneath her, needing something to hold onto, telling herself not to shut her eyes, no matter how good he made her feel. With elegant movements, Harry let his tongue glide up and down, swirling blissfully around her clit while laying some extra pressure there, seeing what got a reaction out of her and what didn’t. His right arm came to lay on her stomach, holding her still in case she started moving with her oncoming climax. A shaky breath left her lips, and then a soft moan, the overwhelming feeling of Harry’s tongue on her cunt took over everything she knew bit by bit.

The entire night before this was gone. Nothing but this mattered. Harry was here, admitting to having wanted to eat her out for a while, which made her feel so much all at once. How long had he? And he said he thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, ever since the day he first saw her. So he’d always thought so? He’d always found her beautiful? The mere thought of Harry, the most stunning man she’d ever met, finding her beautiful, sent a whole lot of tingles through her entire body. All of this was too good to be true.

Harry buried his tongue in Y/N’s cunt in his eagerness to please her, running his tongue flat and hard against her, teasing her with an extra flick as he reached her bud. A louder moan escaped her, and her nail scraped against the material of the duvet. Mimicking the same movement to get the same reaction out of her, he watched her eagerly, not breaking eye contact once. It was hard to see straight, think straight, or act at all with grace when Harry made her feel like this. The heat between her thighs was building and she knew she’d come soon.

“Harry.” She moaned, blinking a few times as the pleasure rose.

Tilting his head to the left, Harry started focusing mainly on her clit. With quick deliberate movements, Harry’s tongue flicked dangerously fast over her hyper-sensitive spot. One of her hands immediately came to rest in his hair. She needed to hold onto him, needed to feel him bobbing his head along with his movements. Harry moaned into her as she did, causing her to gasp with the vibrations. The burn that was building up in her core was starting to get so intense she felt like she was about to burn up entirely.

Harry shifted, moving his hand to rest between her folds with his tongue. He pushed two fingers into her, moving them along with tongue. She gasped, the bubble of pleasure that had built up so intense she knew it would burst soon. Harry started sucking on her bud, pounding his fingers in and out of her, looking at her still, silently telling her not to look away from him. The filthy sounds of Harry’s sucking and the wet sounds of her cunt were too much. He moaned into her, and it sent her over the edge. A string of whimpers and moans that sounded like his name and ‘yes’ and ‘fuck’ and ‘don’t stop’. Her thighs twitched and the hold on Harry’s hair tightened as the bubble of pleasure burst, lashing through her like a whip of intense bliss, showering her in the most heavenly of sensations a human can ever think of experiencing. Her back arched, and Harry did everything he could to keep her still, moving her through her orgasm. Her legs were shaking and she was moaning his name and Harry was moaning against her cunt, sending waves of pleasure throughout her entire body that made her jump a little at the notion.

Breathing heavily, she fell back against her pillows. Harry moved up to her, booping his nose against hers. She smiled.

“Don’t leave.” She whispered, and he didn’t.

NEXT UPDATE: 19 January 2020, 9PM GMT

a thanks to my lovely betas!

💙 @aileenacoustic​ 💙 @emotionally-imbruised​ 💙 @fromyourstrulyh​ 💙 @toolazymyguy​ 💙 @tasteslikestrawberriesharry​  💙

[bopbopstyles]

Temptation (pt. 1)

RATING: M/smut

WORD COUNT: 9.4k

CATEGORIES: fratboy!harry

“Can I ask you something?”

She turned back and looked at him. “Sure.”

“Why haven’t I seen you before?”

She shrugged at his question. “Dunno. I’ve never been to parties here before. We’ve got different majors. It’s a big school.”

“Not that big.”

“Big enough.”

“Too big if I missed out on meeting you until now.”

Her breath caught. The words fell from his mouth with such ease, such nonchalance, as if his words didn’t shake the ground she stood on.

or

Harry’s a fratboy and Nora (might) be in love with him. (part 1)

PART TWO | PART THREE

After a semester abroad, the last thing Nora felt like doing was going to an American frat party.

She had spent the semester in Germany going to clubs and house parties, weird bars and day drinking at festivals. All she wanted was a pint of good beer, a cute boy to flirt with in her horrifically bad German, and go home and curl up in her double bed. Now she was back home going to a beginning of semester frat party where there would be shit beer, she wouldn’t be “the cute American girl,” and she was back to the Twin-XL life. It was the weekend before school started, so she knew it would be crazy—no one had work to do, no one was stressed, and everyone was desperate to be back at school and away from their families.

But Maddy wanted her to go, and so she was going.

“You’re going to drink these boys under the table!” Maddy called to her from their bathroom where she was curling her hair. “We’re going to play rage cage, I’ve already decided.”

“I hate rage cage,” Nora lied. She loved it and she knew it. “Abroad changed me!”

A bootie came flying in her direction, and Nora caught it before tossing it back to Maddy. “You’re a shit liar.”

She took another sip of the drink she had mixed, some decent vodka and Fresca, her secret weapon of a mixer. “Who are you going after tonight again?”

Since Nora had left Maddy had decided she was in love with the boys of Delta Sigma. They were mostly the international boys who didn’t seem like they’d be the frat type and were so hot you couldn’t tear your eyes away from them. Also, apparently their parties were insane. “His name’s Liam,” she said, “and he was quite possibly the most gorgeous boy on earth.”

“What’s his instagram again?”

She read out a handle from memory, and Nora typed the handle into her phone as she took another sip. She scrolled through the photos, most of which appeared to be from frat parties, with the occasional more artsy photo of him and friends. They appeared to be on actual film, which was interesting for frat boy. “Is he a photographer?”

“No, why?”

“These photos looked like they’re on actual film," she replied. Nora clicked on one and it’s a photo of him, but she noticed he had tagged someone. Someone with the handle @harry_styles. She clicked on the name and was immediately entranced. Based on his bio, he was their year at school, but she had never heard of the kid before. He also appeared to be British. She scrolled through his photos, all taken on film, and gorgeous. Some were of landscapes, but most were portraits of people doing simple and mundane things. He was incredibly talented. “Some kid named Harry takes them,” Nora told her.

“Oh, I think he was friends with Liam. I’ve seen them before.” Maddy strutted out of the bathroom and striked a pose, perfectly curled hair bouncing behind her head as she shook it. “Like?”

“Love.” Maddy was wearing a snakeskin bodysuit, ripped black jeans, and heeled booties, and she looked incredible as usual. “Now what the fuck am I going to wear?”

“Good lord, you will be the death of me someday, Nora Tate.”

The party was in full swing when they arrive. They weaved their way through the crowds on the front lawn, Maddy jabbering in her ear about how hot this Liam kid is. Nora simply nodded along, thankful for the vodka coursing through her veins, because the amount she did not want to be there was pretty high.

The lights were low and the music was loud when they opened the door, the smell of sweat and cheap beer hitting her immediately. Ah yes, this was why she left America.

“Rage cage," she reminded Maddy, and Maddy squeezed her hand before pulling her deep into the crowd. They  weaved their way through the throngs of people to the kitchen, where they poured themselves drinks, and then Maddy dragged her to the basement.

There were four pong tables set up, three of which currently had games going—all simple games of pong, and a bunch of people loitering around the tables waiting for a turn. “We’re going to have to start the game,” Maddy told her quietly.

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“I’m scared!”

Good lord. “Who do I talk to about starting a game of rage cage?” Nora yelled into the loud room.

Everyone stopped talking and looked in one direction.

Harry was leaning against a table in the back where a computer is set up, most likely controlling the music. “Me,” he yelled in reply, standing up. “Let’s play.”

“You’re fucking insane,” Maddy told her, laughing, “and I love you.”

Harry was fucking gorgeous in person. Like, he was gorgeous on social media, but in person he was effortlessly beautiful. Cropped hair with a wave to it, high cheekbones, and the swagger of someone who truly didn’t give a fuck about what people think of him. She suddenly decided that Maddy was not alone in her love of this fraternity.

A bunch of boys, freshman pledges from the looked of it, finished filling cups with beer and setting up the table. Nora grabbed Maddy’s hand and led her over to the table. She set them up right in the middle, the best place to be, and placed their cups in a safe zone of the table. “Remember, controlled bounces," she reminded Maddy, who was notoriously horrible at this game, “and I’ll help you drink if you need it.”

“My savior,” she replied, and Nora snorts in response.

“Want to start?” She looked up and Harry was standing next to her, holding a ping pong ball out to her. His accent was like butter and she honestly wanted nothing more than to hear it constantly on a loop.

“Sure.”

Some pledge had the other ball and positioned himself across the table from her, and everyone scrunched together around the table. Bodies pressed closer and she tried to ignore the feeling of Harry’s arm flush against hers.

“Good at this game?” Harry asked her, leaning his head over so she could hear him.

“Actually, yes,” she replied.

“Let’s see,” he said, and she thought she caught a wink before she bounced the ball and made her first cup.

Maddy was drunk, despite the fact that Nora had been avoiding giving her a cup the whole game. The problem wasn’t Maddy though, it was the other people at the table. Upon discovering Maddy was a) still quite sober and b) horrible at the game, they took it upon themselves to single her out, sending all their cups her way. Meanwhile, Nora was in her happy drunk phase, one that could be sustained by sipping a drink every hour, but became messy if she went too hard.

Next to her, Harry was flushed and laughing, the alcohol and the game having loosened him up. They kept bumping into each other, their fingers brushing when he passed her the pong ball, and it messed up her breathing every time.

There’s only three cups yet, and she was just praying that Maddy didn’t end up with the bitch cup. But as the ball and the cups worked their way around the table, some pledge drinking one and a girl drinking the other, there was only one left. And the ball was coming straight for them.

“Fuck,” Nora said under her breath.

Harry looked down at her, somehow having heard her. “You good?”

“I just don’t want my friend to have the bitch cup.”

Harry glanced over at Maddy. “looked like it would do her in.” “Harry, pay attention mate!” His head whipped back and the tall stack of cups was right in front of him. He took the ball and Nora watched him, knowing he was going to make a perfect shot in, just like he had all night.

Except he didn’t. He missed.

And he missed again.

“C’mon Harry!” Someone yelled, and her eyes focused on the boy standing before Harry, who was desperately trying to make it into the single cup he has in front of him, but the slick beer-covered surface of the table meant the cup was sliding around and he kept missing.

Harry missed another shot.

And the boy before him made his.

“HARRYYY!!!!!” The table screamed, and everyone started chanting his name as he reached for the bitch cup.

He caught Nora’s eye right before he started chugging the beer, some of it spilling down the front of his barely buttoned shirt.

And it hit her—he missed on purpose.

He was trying to make sure Maddy didn’t have to drink it and instead made sure he drank it.

Harry slammed the empty solo cup down on the table and cheers erupted, a grinning Harry the triumphant loser.

“Another game?” Some kid asked, and everyone agrees, but Nora just shook her head.

“We’re good,” she said, taking her and Maddy’s drinks from earlier.

Harry stepped away from the table. “Same,” he said, and no one questioned that.

“I wanna find Liam,” Maddy said to her as they stepped away from the table.

“Okie doke, Tiger,” she told her, and Maddy giggled in response.

She looked up at Harry who was standing right in front of her, blocking their exit. “Thanks for that," she told him, their eyes catching.

“Anytime,” he replied. “I’m Harry, by the way.”

As if she didn’t already know his name. “Nora.”

“I’m Maddy!” Maddy piped up from behind her. “Now we’re on the hunt for more alcohol and some dancing, so could you scooch out of our way?”

Harry chuckled, and Nora just rolled her eyes. “Have fun,” he said, and she tugged Maddy away from the table.

“he was soooo hot,” Maddy said as they climbed the stairs. “Like literally, could-melt-polar-ice-caps hot.”

“You’re so fucking weird.”

“And you love me for it!” She said, throwing her arm around Nora’s shoulders. “Now let’s find us some dancing.”

Maddy hadn’t been able to capture Liam’s attention despite all of her efforts, but she had captured the attention of another DSig boy, who she was now dancing with in the middle of the dance floor. Nora made her promise to tell her if she was going to leave without her, and with that Nora left her to her own devices.

She wandered outside, seeking fresh air, and sat down on the edge of the deck that extended into the backyard. It was quieter out here, the thud of the bass faint and the cold air welcome on her sweaty skin.

“Fancy seeing you here,” a smooth British accent said to her.

She turned and saw Harry sitting a few feet away from her, leaning back on his hands, a beer next to him. His thin white button-down was unbuttoned low, exposing tattoos littering his torso, and thanks to the porch lights and soft glow of the moon she could see the many rings adorning the fingers of hands and the pendant necklace lying on a butterfly tattoo just on his abdomen. She caught sight of a trace of stubble on his chin and perhaps an earring in his ear.

Nora had never been this entranced by another human being. “Tired of your party?”

“Bloody hate these things after a while.” He took a swig of his beer and sighed. “You said it was Nora, right?”

She nodded. “Without an H.”

He cracked a smile. “Harry, with an H.”

“What would it be, sans an H?”

“Arry.”

“That isn’t a name.”

“Most people call me something that,” he said.

“‘Arry?”

“Yeah.”

“Most people call me Nor," she replied.

“But your name is already so short, why do you need a nickname?” She shrugged in response. Just what people did. “You’re taking the thunder of everyone with names that aren’t nickname-able.”

She leaned back on her hands, copying his pose. “Your name is nickname-able.”

“Try.”

Names rolled over in her head. “I’d probably just said ‘H’.”

He was quiet for a beat. “Never heard that one before.”

“Well, I’m happy that I could introduce it to you.”

They were both quiet for a second, and then she heard the scrape of fabric. Harry had scooted closer to her, his position changed so he was facing her, one leg still dangling off of the porch, the other bent in front of him. “What do you study, Nora without an H?”

“History," she replied without a beat. “Mainly German history.”

“Why?” His tone was genuinely inquisitive, as if this was a completely intriguing fact that he simply must know more about.

“I guess…I’ve always liked stories," she told him, finding her words as they come. “And history is really just a bunch of stories that they can learn from and use to make sense of the world around us.”

He considered her answer. “I like that.”

“And you? What do you study, Harry with an H?”

“Comparative literature,” he replied. “Focusing on Italian.”

“Why?”

He grinned. “I’ve always loved languages and reading, and it just seemed like the right fit. You have a better answers than me for this question.”

“You like comp lit?”

“Love it,” he said immediately.

It was rare to find a fratboy who genuinely enjoys what he studies, so Harry was an outlier. “And you speak Italian, I assume?”

“Sì.”

She knew no Italian, but she gathered that that’s a yes. “How long?”

“Most of my life.” He took another sip of his beer, and someone opened the sliding door behind them, music and voices swirling around them. “My grandparents bought a house in Italy before they had my mum and it’s stayed in the family. I’ve spent all my summers and holidays there.”

“You were there for Christmas, then, I assume?” He nodded. “I’m jealous.”

“Best place on earth.”

“Where in Italy?”

“Lucca. It’s not too far from Florence.” He scooted a hair closer to her as he swung his other leg onto the porch, winding his long legs into a comfortable position. “You ever been?”

“To Italy?” He nodded. “Nope. Didn’t make it there while I was abroad.”

“Shame. Where’d you go?”

“Berlin for the fall semester," she replied, and he perked up. “Traveled a bunch, but stuck to central and northern Europe mainly. Copenhagen, Prague, Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Warsaw, and then around Germany. Spent a week in London during Thanksgiving and my mom met me there.”

He ran a hand through his hair absentmindedly, and she watched his bicep flex with the movement. “That sounds incredible. My parents told me being here was my study abroad, so I’m missing out.”

“That’s a shame," she told him. “I needed the break from all this," she waved her hand around them, attempting to capture the absurdity of college and the pressure and the exhaustion in a single motion. “Felt nice to be given the opportunity to slow down a bit.”

“I can imagine.”

Their conversation slowed a bit. The sliding door opened again and a group of girls started talking loudly near them, their discussion circling around some boy they’re all in love with, but they thankfully made their way to the fire pit on the other side of the yard.

“Can I ask you something?”

She turned back and looked at him. “Sure.”

“Why haven’t I seen you before?”

She shrugged at his question. “Dunno. I’ve never been to parties here before. We’ve got different majors. It’s a big school.”

“Not that big.”

“Big enough.”

“Too big if I missed out on meeting you until now.”

Her breath caught. The words fell from his mouth with such ease, such nonchalance, as if his words didn’t shake the ground she stood on.

“Nor!”

She looked up and Maddy was standing in the doorway and she was thankful for the distraction. “You okay?”

“I wanna go homeeee,” Maddy said, her words slightly slurred. “I’m tired.”

“Let’s go home then, babes.” She downed the rest of her beer and then turned to Harry. “See you around, H.”

Before he had the chance to reply, Nora walked inside, the door shutting behind her.

Maddy and Nora spent the rest of the weekend decorating their apartment and analyzing Harry’s sentence to her. Maddy was convinced that he had a crush on her, but Nora begged to differ. Nora thought he was just a poetic guy who had a bit too much to drink. Maddy rolled her eyes at her but let it drop finally and began describing Niall, the adorable Irish boy who she had been dancing with. He was sweet and funny and a good kisser, and didn’t try to get her to come home with him. Just got her number and told her to find Nora so she could go home since she was drunk and tired. (Sometimes, Nora thinks, it’s a bit sad how low the bar was set.) She seemed to have forgotten all about Liam, who she said was just too unattainable that it wasn’t worth trying.

By Monday, Nora was anxious to get into the classroom. After a semester of operating at half intelligence because all her classes were in German, she was excited to be able to actually communicate her full thoughts on a topic. She wanted to write papers and read things that intrigued her.

She'd put a lot of thought into crafting her schedule, leaving time for her shifts at the coffeeshop on campus, while also balancing her schedule between History, German, and Gen Ed requirements. She'd chosen to takes an Urban Studies class for her technology requirements, since it required use of something classed GIS. Maddy was an Urban Studies major, so Nora decided that it was safe to assume she’d help her pass if she needed it.

She chose a safe seat—middle of the room, middle of the row, able to see the screen but not too close that she looked too eager. She unpacked her notebook, already labelled for the class and her pencil bag with her favorite pens. She was ready to be back at school.

She was not ready for Harry Styles to slide into the seat next to her.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he said, and she just about jumped out of her skin.

“Fucking hell.” The words fell from her mouth without pause. “You scared me.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re not," she said, catching her breath. “What are you doing here?”

“Fulfilling a Gen Ed,” he replied. “This seemed interesting and easy enough. You?”

Embarrassingly, the same reason. “Me too.”

He smiled. “Was nice to see a familiar face when I walked in.”

Before she could reply, the lecture started, and her mind tuned out everything else in the room. Their professor went over the syllabus, which seemed decent, and then started in on the first lecture. Nora was quickly engrossed, scribbling notes about different city planning techniques and histories, making notes of things she wanted to look up more on. The professor had a good lecture style—succinct, engaging, and a bit funny. He had some memes throughout his presentation that got the class laughing, and she tried to ignore how Harry’s soft chuckle made her stomach flip.

In fact, she spent the whole class trying to ignore Harry.

She tried to ignore the way he bit his lip while he wrote notes, the wrinkle in his eyebrows when he was trying to understand something, the way he pulled on his lip when he was reading intently. How his handwriting was messy but clear, how he said “fuck” lightly under his breath when he smudged ink, how his leg bounced up and down when he was trying to focus.

But most of all she tried to ignore the fact that he kept glancing over at her.

Because the thing was, Nora was not in the market to have feelings for someone. She didn’t want to have a crush. She wants to have aimless sex with cute boys and go about her life as she wanted. After the fall, she'd decided that boys were confusing and a waste of time.

Jonas. She'd met him at a house party and it had been a fling—they’d hooked up a couple of times, he’d make her tea and breakfast in the morning, they’d drunk text each other, and he’d act like her boyfriend if they were out together. Sometimes the things he’d say and the way he’d look at her would make her wonder if it was more for him. If he cared. But then, before she knew it the semester was over and it was time to go and their didn’t even have a proper goodbye. It was weird and confusing and when she left she didn’t know what to make of it, because if they’d had more time she probably would’ve dated him. And now, sometimes she'd remember the way he’d back her up against a wall and wonder if she'd find someone who would kiss her the way Jonas did.

So when Nora looked at Harry, she couldn’t help but wonder how he would kiss. And that was when she knew that even though she had only known him for two days, she was developing a crush.

And that was the opposite of how she wanted to start her semester.

When class ended, Harry turned to her and said, “Want to go pick up their course books?”

She didn’t have a class next, so she had no excuse. So she just said yes.

“What did you think?” He asked, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder as they exited the lecture hall.

“The professor was great," she replied. “Really engaging and seems like he was not going to be harsh of a grader since it’s an intro class.”

“Yeah definitely. And I liked how he explained all of the different city plans with such detail but also clarity. He seems to know what he was doing.”

They turned to exit onto the campus green, and she pulled her coat a little tighter around her. It was January and she had forgotten how cold it could get in Massachusetts. “Which section do you think you’re going to do?” The professor had mentioned at the end of class that they would have weekly discussion sections with their TAs to go over material and readings, and had listed out the different time options. She was leaning towards Wednesdays at 11, just after their class was over.

“Probably Wednesday at 11,” he replied. “Fits best into my schedule.”

Fuck. “I was thinking of doing the same one," she told him. This was not good. More time around Harry was not going to be good for her.

“Really?” Nora couldn’t help but take joy in the smile that spread across his face. “Thank god. I hate going into those sections and not knowing where to sit.”

They turned into the building with the campus bookstore, and Nora unwound her scarf from around her neck. “Well, you won’t have to worry about that.”

“Do you have other books you need to pick up?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. I’m going to hold off and go after my other classes so I can figure out what I can get at the library first.”

“Good idea.” He pulled out the syllabus from his backpack and studied the instructions their professor had written down for the books their need. “I think they’re over this way,” he said, leading the way to the back corner.

“Spend a lot of time here?” She asked, shocked he knew where to find the books without even asking for help.

“I worked here during freshman and sophomore year,” he replied. “They never change up the organization of this place.” He scanned the shelves with his finger, mumbling the names of the authors they were looking for under his breath. Nora stood behind him and couldn’t help but smile. “Here,” he said, pulling two copies of one out. “Hold them?”

“‘Course.” She took the books and held them in her arms while he continued his search for the second and third titles they need. He quickly tracked them down, snatching them off the shelf and adding them to the pile in her arms. “That it?”

“Yes.” They weaved their way to the front register and she followed Harry, watching how his long brown coat whips around his ankles when he walked.

After they paid, they walked back out to the campus green and stood on the edge of the sidewalk facing each other. “Do you have another class?” He asked her.

She nodded. “Later. Think I’m going to go home and drop these off first, though.” She lifted the stack of books in her arms and he smiled.

“Bit too heavy for you?”

“Shove off," she said, and a smile sneaked onto her face when he chuckled.

“Well, I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

She took a step back and shouldered her bag. “Bye, H.”

“Bye, Nora.”

She tried to ignore the beauty of the way he said her name. But she failed.

~

Maddy and Nora had been in the library for most of Saturday doing their readings for the next week, and by seven o’clock Nora wanted to bash her head into a wall. She kept re-reading the same sentence about the layout of Vienna’s old city and couldn’t process any of the words.

“Maddy," she whispered, poking her in the arm with the cap of her highlighter. “I want to go.”

“Stop poking me, you ass.” Maddy looked up from her readings. “Let’s get out of here—I feel like I smell like library at this point.”

We packed up their stuff quietly, ignoring the death stares from a girl with a problem set spread out on the table in front of her. “It’s like they don’t realize that people naturally make noise when they move," she said, and Maddy snorted, earning them more glares. “Come on, we should go before we’re killed in here.”

She followed Maddy out of the room they were in and made their way down the hall, the sound of Nora’s sneakers squeaking on the tile floor earning us yet more glares from people. It was literally the first week back at school, Nora thought, how are people already so stressed about work?

Maddy suddenly slowed her walk and matched her pace with Nora’s, leaning in close to her. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that Harry walking towards us?”

Nora looked up and realize that it was Harry. He was wearing an oversized black sweatshirt and a pair of houndstooth pants that he somehow makes looked both comfortable and stylish, along with a pair of glasses. She simply does not understand this boy’s ability to looked so good constantly. “I cannot talk to him right now," she told Maddy. “I looked like complete shit and he looked like…a Greek god.”

“Shut up. You’re going to talk to him because he was basically beelining over here.”

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck," she said under her breath.

“Nora.” Harry’s voice was soft because of the library, and she loved the way it sounded. “Maddy, right? I’m Harry.”

Maddy nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

Harry’s gaze turned back to her, and she decided then and there that she loves him in glasses. He was not just a Greek god, he was a studious Greek god. Tortoise shell, peak book nerd. “How are you?”

“Good," she replied. “Was just doing the reading for their class.”

He groaned. “I haven’t even started it. How bad is it?”

She shrugged. “A bit dry, but not horrible.”

“Great,” he said. “I have that to look forward to doing. What are you two up to tonight?”

She looked at Maddy, who shrugged. “Unsure at this point.”

“We’re having another party if you want to come.”

“We’ll be there,” Maddy said before Nora had the chance to reply. She shot Maddy a death stare, which Maddy just ignored.

Harry grinned and it was utterly adorable. “I’ve got to keep working, but I’ll see you guys later.”

“Bye H.” The nickname fell from her mouth with ease, and he smiled in response.

“Bye Nora.”

He walked away and she turned to Maddy, who was grinning ear to ear. “What?”

Maddy shook her head and gave her a knowing smile. “You’re fucked.”

She looked back to Harry’s receding figure. Maddy was right. Nora was completely fucked.

They had been at the party for an hour and Nora had yet to see Harry. She didn’t know if he was hiding or something, but no matter which room she went into or how hard she looked, she still couldn’t manage to spot him in the crowd. The party was bigger than last weekend as everyone was now on campus, and Maddy and Nora kept running into people they knew, so now they’ve developed a little crew to hang out with. Their friends Taylor and Lauren arrived shortly after Maddy and Nora did, and they brought with them a girl who was in the same sorority as Lauren and was dating a DSig. As a result, they all end up trashed and dancing without much time passing.

Nora threw her arms around Maddy and screamed the lyrics to a Post Malone song, and Nora felt utterly, blissfully happy. She had forgotten about this side of frat parties while she was gone—how happy she was when she was dancing and there was alcohol coursing through her veins. Some girl must have gotten hold of the music, because the song changed to an old Taylor Swift song and the girls lost it, jumping up and down in the crowd and screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs.

“I need a drink!” Nora said when the song was over, her throat hoarse and her hair sticking to the back of her neck. The song switches, and the Maddy screamed—it was her favorite song and she had to be on the dance floor for it. Nora could see the torn look in her best friend’s eyes, and she shook her head. “I’m good—I’ll be back in a second.”

She pushed through the crowd, apologizing as she dug her elbows into people to make a path to the kitchen. She grabbed a beer, needing something cold and not too strong, and leaned against the countertop, letting the cooler air wash over her skin.

“Hello.”

The words tingled down her spine, and she turned her head to see Harry standing in the door jamb. The kitchen had mostly cleared out, so it was just the two of them and a set of girls who looked like freshman trying to decide which mixer was less disgusting with their bad vodka. “Hi, H.”

“Having fun?” He was wearing a black t-shirt and it was tight in all the right places and Nora had to force herself to not consider what it would be like to take it off of him.

She nodded. “Couldn’t find you, though.” The words tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them and Nora wanted to shrink into the counter. She sounded desperate and psychotic—she had barely known this boy and now she was complaining about now being able to find him?

But Harry just smiled. “I was upstairs,” he explained. “Was trying to finish a bit of work before I started drinking.”

If he was doing work here, Nora assumed he lived in the house. “You live here?”

“Unfortunately.” He moved towards her, grabbing a beer from the fridge next to her, and Nora caught a flash of light blue on his fingers. Harry painted his nails, she realized.

This fraternity boy painted his goddamned nails light blue.

Who was this boy?

What planet was he from?

And more importantly, where had he been all of her life?

“I like your nails,” she said. “What color is that?”

He glanced down at them. “Dunno. Stole it from my sister over winter break. I can check and text it to you later, though.”

“I’d like that.” Nora took another sip of her beer, the cold drink feeling good in her body. “Where are all your friends?”

Harry shrugged. Nora got the sense that he didn’t really care about all the fraternity stuff and she liked that. Frat boys had always annoyed with their “bro energy” as Maddy called it and she’d met some real assholes during her time in college. Harry seemed like an outlier though. “You want to dance?” He asked her, breaking her out of her trance.

She straightened up. “Sure.” She tried not to think about the fact that she cannot, for the life of her, dance sexily. Maddy had made fun of her for it since freshman year, and despite her efforts Nora had not been able to master the art of looking hot and dancing. She was more of a whip-your-arms-around-and-scream dancer.

When they reached the crowded living room, Harry grabbed her hand and Nora loved his callused hand in her hers, the way he held it tightly so he didn’t lose her in the crowd. He didn’t go too deep into the crowd, wanting to make sure they had space to breathe and it was not too hot. When he stopped moving he tried to create space for them, wanting to make sure they could actually move, not just stand there like idiots and battle for oxygen on the dance floor. Nora took a long swig of her beer, and then she started to sway her hips, deciding to throw caution to the wind.

She liked this boy. She had a massive crush on Harry and his soft words and the way he called her by her full name and smiled at her. She had a crush on the way he was dancing—awkwardly and with a goofy grin on his face, screaming the lyrics to the Top 40s hit along with her. She liked that he didn’t seem to care what people thought of him, that he painted his nails baby blue and knew how to dress himself. She even liked his tattoos, which she usually secretly judged people for, but on Harry they fit him. She wanted to trace the outlines of them and ask him about the stories behind them, to know everything about him. She liked that he took the hit during rage cage for Maddy. She liked that when they were dancing he gives her a thumbs up to check in and make sure she was doing okay.

She really liked him, she realized as she dances with him. She wanted to impress him, but not in a way that’s uncomfortable—more in a way where she just wanted him to see the best parts of her. But she also wanted him to know her, she realized. She wanted him to know things about her and like being around her as much as she did. Because he put her on edge, but not because he made her uncomfortable, but because of how much she liked him. She wanted to know him, even if it was just to be friends, because he seemed interesting. She felt like he has layers to him, and every time she snatches another piece of information she only has more questions.

Even if they were just friends, Nora wanted to know him, she decided.

So she decided, fuck it all, and danced like she didn’t have a care in the world, because she wanted him to see the real her. She wanted him to see her awkward dancing and to accidentally hit him in the face with her hair so that he knew her and could bail if he didn’t like her. She wanted to give him and out and see if he took it.

And he didn’t.

They dance for what feels like forever, their beers long gone. He grabbed her hand at one point when people were becoming pushy and pulled her closer to him, their sweaty bodies touching each other practically every time they move. They sang their favorite songs, and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I fucking love this song,” when Mamma Mia came on, and Nora decided that it’s the cutest thing she had ever found out about someone. She told him about her obsession with Drake when In My Feelings comes on, and he admitted that he listened to this song on repeat for three hours one time. They had these snippets of conversation on the dance floor, their faces close and voices loud enough to be heard over the music.

SexyBack came on and they both devolve into seventh graders, obsessed with this song and not really caring about the meaning. Nora danced, throwing her hands up and dropping her hips lower than she had before.

And then someone slammed into her back, throwing her straight into Harry’s chest.

The feeling of him close to her set her skin on fire.

She had kept just enough distance during the evening to make sure they weren’t this close, but it had not taken much for them to be fully flush against each other. And now they were and Nora could feel everything. One of her hands was on his pecs and she could feel the smooth muscle across his chest, and the other hand landed on his side, the palm of her hand on his abs and she felt the outline of abs there. Her fingers dug into his skin, grappling for balance as she tried to find her footing.

Harry’s hands immediately found her waist, holding her steady. His fingers felt like they were searing on her lower back, the contact sending Nora into outer space. And she didn’t know if it was from the alcohol or from him, but either way her head was spinning a bit.

“You okay?” He asked, his accent smooth as butter in her ear. His lips were close enough that they brush softly against her hair and the edge of her ear. Nora was trying not to hyperventilate, but also maintain her footing, and not press all of her weight onto Harry.

She was about to answer that yes, she was fine, so sorry, when someone bumped into her again, pushing her back into Harry. He stumbles this time and wrapped his arms around Nora fully to try and keep them both upright. He was essentially hugging her at this point and Nora thought her heart might have stopped the second she felt him tug her close to him.

“Someone’s really trying to push you over, aren’t they?” He said with a chuckle into your ear.

“I’m so sorry,” Nora apologized, finding her footing and straightening. She didn’t push away from Harry though, and he didn’t let go of her. “I didn’t mean to fall onto you—or into you, I guess?”

He shook his head. “No matter. You okay, love?”

Love. The word reverberated through Nora’s head and she tried to keep her wits about her. She knew she was feeling mushy tonight—all these thoughts of Harry and how adorable he was and sweet and kind had got her melting for him, but maybe that was the alcohol? She couldn’t keep it straight. And when he called her love, all of the efforts to keep it together just fall apart.

“I’m okay,” she answered softly. “Are you?” She looked up and into his eyes, and even though the room was dark, she could still make out his eyes in the strobing lights, the flashes of his beautiful hair and his high cheekbones. She could see his eyes meet hers and Nora felt this pull in her chest to kiss him. He didn’t break eye contact with her and Nora was just searching his eyes, begging for an answer, an explanation, some hint to tell her what to do and what he bloody wanted.

Because she knew what she wanted. She wanted to kiss him.

“‘M fine.” His voice was like sandpaper and she wondered if his mouth was as dry as hers was. He hadn’t moved his hands from her back, only loosened them slightly so he was not holding her quite so close.

She inched her fingers upwards, one landing on his shoulder, the other on his elbow. Nora wondered if she was imagining the way his breathing had quickened. Did she kiss him? She wanted to. She wanted to kiss him so bad. She wanted to know what his lips feel like on hers, if they were as soft as they felt when they bushed her ear. She wanted to know what he tasted like and how he would kiss her. Did she just do it? She searched his eyes one last time, the seconds stretching into what feels like hours. “Can I kiss you?”

He blinked.

Nora held her breath.

Then, his lips were on hers and suddenly Nora knew exactly what his lips feel like on hers. They were soft like velvet and he smelled like heaven.

He kissed her like it was his last breath, desperate to know if she breathed the same air as him. Deep and wanting, the intensity building with every press of his lips to hers. It was urgent, yet soft—he didn’t lick into her mouth, just stays on her lips. And man, can the boy kiss.

Her hand moved from his shoulder to his neck and wound through the hair there, a breathless moan leaving his mouth, and she wondered if he liked it when she pulled his hair.

So when he finally did lick his tongue against the seam of her lips and she widened them, she pulled, ever so softly.

And he moaned deeply, his grip on her waist tightening.

Nora wanted to kiss him for the rest of time.

Her other hand moved from his elbow to his back, fingers finding the material of his shirt and pulling him closer to her. Her fingers curled into the cotton, the sweat from them dancing on her palm but she didn’t care because she wanted him closer. She could feel every inch of his body flush with hers and she loved it—the way he felt against her, the way her skin was lit on fire, the way she wanted to drink purely Harry until the end of time.

“Nora,” he said, pulling back, allowing both of them to catch their breath, “do you want to come upstairs?”

She hesitated. It’s not that she didn’t want to—she’d love to fuck this boy until the dawn of time—but she had no idea where her friends were, and she would rather not let them think she’d been kidnapped. And if she thought about it, she knew she probably shouldn’t. She barely knew Harry and she had class twice a week with him, and most likely a discussion section on top of it. If it didn’t work out, she had to see him constantly for the rest of the semester, which was not ideal.

His finger raised her chin slightly so she had to look into his eyes. “I’m not trying to get you to sleep with me, by the way. I just want to get out of this fuckin’ sweaty crowd so I can kiss you properly and not worry if I’m going to be kicked in the back. And if you don’t want to, that’s totally fine too. I’ll stay here if you’d rather that. Or we don’t have to kiss at all—I don’t want you to do anything you have to.” He was rambling, unsure of his standing. Her hesitation had thrown him for a loop and Harry wasn’t sure if she even wanted to kiss him at all anymore. Was she into it? He thought she was from the way she pulled him towards her, but from the hesitation he wasn’t sure and he wanted to be sure.

“No, it’s not that,” she said, and his fears were immediately pushed aside. “I just want to let my friends know where I am first.”

“Oh,” Harry said. “Where are they?”

Nora looked around the crowd, but couldn’t catch sight of them anywhere. “When I left they were here. Lemme try texting them.” She pulled out her phone and found a string of texts from the group chat with Maddy, Taylor and Lauren discussing the fact that she was making out with Harry Styles and that they were fine and to do whatever she wanted, that they’d find her when they were going to go and check in. Truly the best friends of all time. She quickly texted them that she was going upstairs to Harry’s room and then she looked back up at him, his lips quirked in a smile. Nora wondered if he saw the texts, but then decided there’s no reason to freak out—he was making out with her, after all. “Upstairs?”

“Upstairs.” His fingers wound through hers and he led the way out of the crowd, dodging groups of frantic dancers and couples making out just as they had been. He navigated the crowd with ease, his tall frame putting him a head above most other people, and Nora just held onto his hand and let him lead her out of the crowd and up the stairs.

It was quieter on the second floor, a row of doors to bedrooms shut and soft music drifting out of some, the loud thud of the bass from the main floor less intense. Nora stayed close to Harry, her body magnetic to his. He led her down the hall, telling her who lives in all the other rooms, pointing to the bathroom as they passed it, just in case she needed it. Then, they were standing outside a room with his name on the door and he turned to her.

“You sure you’re okay with this?” He asked her, searching for confirmation, which he found when Nora nodded.

He pushed open the door, a soft light from his bedside table lamp illuminating bits of the room. Nora saw posters of bands, a minimalist map of Milan, and stacks upon stacks of books lining the walls. She stepped inside and he shut the door behind her, and she continued to investigate the room, taking stock of the various pieces of information she could collect from its decoration. A guitar leaned against the wall, sheets of paper next to it with scribblings on them—he was a musician—and a basket of cleanly folded laundry lies in the corner so she knew he was clean and tidy. He had photos of his family on his dresser, which warmed her heart, and a stereo in the corner with a stack of records next to it.

“What do you think?”

She turned to him. He was leaning against his door, a look of curiosity and a hint of fear on his face. They were still learning about each other, and he had exposed a huge part of who he is to her by letting her in here. “I think you like music and books.”

Harry just laughed. “Well, you’re right about that.”

He didn’t move from the door, so Nora decided to take the lead. She wanted to kiss this boy again, not have a conversation about his favorite book he read or the musician that transformed his understanding of music. She sat on the edge of his bed, leaned back on her hands, and gave Harry a look that screamed, “Come.”

And he does, a quirk in his brow. He stood between her widened legs, brushed a thumb across her jawline, and then leand down to reconnect their lips. Nora softened immediately, her hands begging for purchase on his skin, and pulled him towards her. Harry kicked off his boots and then gently pushed Nora up on the bed, following her, the desire written all over his face. He was about to lean down to kiss her again when Nora said, “Wait. Shirt?”

He pulled it over his head without a second thought, and Nora relished in the sight of his tattoos. The butterfly on his abdomen she’d seen before, the swallows on his pecs, the ship on his arm that she hadn’t. The small musings up and down his arms that she would look closer at later, she decided. In the mean time, she pulled him in by his neck and he collapsed into her, his weight a welcome feeling against her body. Nora widened her knees and hooked her ankles around him, resting them on his lower back. The pressure pushed him closer to her core and she gasped at the feeling—she couldn’t help it. He was big. Bigger than she expected.

Harry stopped his assault on her neck and looked up at her. “This okay?”

“God yes,” she replied. “Keep going.”

He smiled, and returned his lips to her neck, pulling and prodding at her skin with his lips and his teeth, sucking what would be a hickey later onto the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Usually Nora despised hickeys, but she couldn’t find the reason to care right now. Her hands scrabbled at his skin, trying to find purchase, the feeling of him grinding slowly into her and his lips on her neck almost too much.

“Harry,” she said, gasping for air as he tugged at the neck of her shirt to gain more access, “roll over.”

She unhooked her ankles and he rolled, pliant to her words. She straddled him immediately, loving the view of Harry Styles spread out beneath her. His hair was tousled from her fingers, lips swollen from her kisses, chest rising fast from her. She felt him beneath where she sat on his abdomen and it made her smile. Then, she pulled her shirt off and she watched him look at her.

Nora hadn’t always loved her body. She remembered the first time she ever took off her shirt, the boy looking at her didn’t know what to say or do with her breasts, and she hated it. She wondered if they were too big—girls in films have breasts, but never ones that were like hers. The size that hurt when she ran and gave her back aches. The size her friends didn’t really understand—the size Nora hated as a teenager. But in the past two years she decided to stop giving a fuck. She thought she was beautiful and she was done letting what other people think of her change that. And when she let Harry look at her, she was wondering what he was thinking. Did he think she was as beautiful as she does?

And then he told her. “Good lord,” he said, voice hoarse, “you’re gorgeous.” He leaned up and kissed her cleavage that’s exposed, Nora’s fingers finding a home in his curls.

“Fuck, H,” she whined at the feeling of his lips on her tender skin. She bent down and captures his lips with her own, pressing him back onto his back, loving their bare skin on one another. They were battling for both air and dominance, and when Nora’s lips started traveling down his neck and onto his chest, Harry thought he stopped breathing for a second. She sucks a hickey on his pec, right above the swallow, and then blew on it and he practically shivered from the sensitivity.

He could feel her traveling southward and even though he wanted her to suck him off—good lord did he want her too—he stopped her. He tugged her up, reattaching their lips, a “C’mere,” whispered between them. He wanted to kiss her for longer, he wanted to drag this out as long as possible. And also, quite honestly, if she kept occasionally rolling her hips like she was doing he might come from that alone. She was gorgeous, yes in the way she looked, but also the confidence she exuded and the way she told him what she wantd and the way she was tracing up and down his arms and sides with her fingers leaving goosebumps in their wake.

He was fucked, because this girl had managed to turn him into putty after knowing him for just one week.

And then she started really moving her hips back and forth. Nora knew what it wa doing to him and she loved it—loved the knowledge that she was the one making him feel this way and she wanted to see how far it would go, how far she could take it. So as she kissed him, their lips moving in sync, she rolled her hips on his, grinding down every once and a while, drinking up every breathless moan leaving Harry’s lips, savoring each grunt, and when he let out a low, “Nora, please, fuck,” she knew she had him in her hand.

She smiled against his mouth and turned her head, leaning down to his ear, and whispered, “Tell me what you want, H.” He grunted and she rolled her hips again, the seam of his jeans rubbing against her clit in a way that sent shivers down her spine. “What do you want?” She asked, her voice low and dripping with desire.

“You,” he said finally. “Fuck, Nora, I want you.”

Nora kisses his cheek and then makes her way down his chest, making a path right to his dick. Harry had given up any contemplation of waiting, he couldn’t wait anymore. He wanted her so bad it genuinely physically hurt. He needed to come and he needed to come now. Nora popped the button on his jeans and Harry lifted his hips to let her pull them down.

Then, a series of knocks came from the door.

Nora’s head whipped up and so did Harry’s. No one knocked on his door usually. They knew he was private, that he didn’t like people in his space unless he invited them.

“Nora?” Maddy’s voice could be heard over the dull throbbing of the bass from downstairs, and Nora let out a sigh. “We’re heading out babes.”

Nora looked between Harry and the door. “Give me one second,” she called back to Maddy, her eyes not leaving Harry. “I’m going to go,” she told him. She had shit to do tomorrow. But also, she wanted to make sure she was not making a mistake by hooking up with Harry, since she was going to be seeing him all the time for the rest of the semester. She wanted to think about this, because she wasn’t expecting this to happen and needed to take a moment to consider the repercussions of her actions. She barely knew Harry—what would he do if they fuck? Would he ignore her for the rest of the semester? He might be nice, but he was still a fratboy, and Nora had enough experience in that department to know the norm wasn’t to bring a girl flowers after.

“Everything okay?” He asked, sitting up as she snatched her shirt from the other side of the bed where had she discarded it.

She nodded. “I just need a second to…think.”

Harry considered this. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing he is—that they have class together for the rest of the semester and it was probably not the best idea to fuck your classmate the first weekend of the semester. “Okay,” he replied. “No worries. I’ll, uh, see you in class, I guess?”

Nora was tugging on her booties and she looked at him with a small smile on her face. “Bright and early Monday morning.”

Harry got up, rebuttoning his pants. As Nora was about to open the door, he grabbed her wrist, acting on pure instinct, and pressed a kiss against her lips. It was softer than the ones before, a simple kiss that was a goodbye, but also a question. A question begging, “What’s next?” Nora broke the kiss, and with a touch to the hickey left behind above the swallow, she was out the door and gone.

Harry stumbled to his bed, his body hitting the mattress with a sigh.

He was so, so royally fucked.

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i hope you guys enjoyed this! this is my first fic and i’m super excited about her. :) let me know what you think of my lil frat boy harry. there is more coming soon. xoxo

ask me about fratboy!harry here | masterlist here

[mfingenius]

I kind of love how you casually mention Harry’s parents in some fics 😭 So here’s a prompt: Harry and Draco start dating in Hogwarts and it gets serious and they catch feelings super quickly and Harry brings Draco home one weekend, sneaking out of the castle so that Draco can meet his parents proper 🥺❤️

Babe I took so long to reply to this I’m so so sorry

To make up for it,,,, here’s a roughly 2.4k fanfic :D

21.11.2019

“Potter,” Snape drawls, managing to sound unimpressed even in the middle of the night. “What are you doing here?” 

Harry glares at the professor while rubbing Draco’s back soothingly. It’s the day before the start of the winter Holidays - they’re both in a boarding school called Hogwarts - and they’re going home tomorrow. Draco’s having an anxiety attack - he has them worryingly often - over meeting Harry’s parents over the break; it’s the third time, and Harry has told him multiple times that he doesn’t have to meet his parents yet, if he doesn’t want to, but Draco refuses to cancel now.

And Harry refuses not to be there for his boyfriend.

“I’m helping,” he says, much less aggressively than he wants to. He wishes he could punch Snape - he hates��him - but Draco’s anxiety attacks don’t do well with harsh voices, and the last thing Harry wants to do is make things worse.

“These are the Slytherin dorms.” Snape says, as if one of his students isn’t retching right in front of him. “You’re not a Slytherin. You can’t be here.”

“Are you going to physically throw me out?” Harry asks in return. “Because if you’re not, you can get out now. I’m not coming with you.”

Draco retches again, and Harry grimaces and moves closer to his side, touching the back of Draco’s hand lightly. As soon as he does, Draco’s hand latches onto his with a death grip, ashen and sweaty, and Harry squeezes tightly.

“Twenty five points from Gryffindor, Potter.” Snape says disapprovingly.

Harry doesn’t give a fuck.

Draco rests his head against Harry’s shoulder, shuddering, and Harry presses his lips against his hair, wrapping an arm around Draco and holding him tightly.

“It’s alright,” he murmurs. “It’s alright. Everything’s okay, love.” Draco lets out a shaky breath and wraps a hand around Harry’s jumper weakly. Harry places his hand over Draco’s and kisses his hair again. “Think about the road trip, alright? At the beginning of the school year? We had fun, right? It was fun.”

“Yes,” Draco says, trembling. “Yeah.”

*

13.09.19

“Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.” Sprout calls out.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Harry groans.

“What did you expect, Potty?” Malfoy sneers next to him. The corners of his lips are pulled down, and he looks just as unhappy as Harry is about being paired together.

Honestly, Harry doesn’t know. They always end up as partners for anything Elective-related - it’s Botany this year, an elective Harry isn’t really interested in. He only chose it because Malfoy and him have ended up not only in the same elective every single year they’ve been at Hogwarts, but also paired together in them.

He’d thought Botany would surely be Malfoy’s last choice.

Apparently, Malfoy had thought the same thing.

Still, he was hoping that this time, by some miracle, he’d be paired with Ron, or Hermione, or even Ernie McMillan. Anyone but Malfoy.

They’re going on a school trip to the mountains, so being paired together not only means working together to identify plants and cultivate them when they come back, it means sharing a room while they’re in the cabins.

Harry honestly doubts he’ll survive an entire two weeks staying in the mountains with Malfoy. He doesn’t think he’ll survive the first night sharing a room with Malfoy. Getting stabbed in the stomach with a fork and bleeding out would be a quicker, less painful death.

Still, it looks like Harry will have to suffer through Malfoy instead of the fork.

Oh the joy.

“I’m not doing our work by myself.” Malfoy informs him snidely as everyone goes to find their partners. Ron gives him an empathetic pat on the back and makes a face at Malfoy before he walks off. 

“Have you ever done our work all by yourself?” Harry asks, annoyed even though Malfoy has barely said a dozen words to him. It’s a special ability that only Malfoy seems to have, of pissing Harry off without even opening his mouth.

“I don’t know,” Malfoy says. “Calculus? Geography? Fucking Christ, Physics?”

“Bite me.” Harry tells him.

*

21.11.19

“I was an arse.” Draco says in a low voice, damp eyelashes fluttering gently against Harry’s shoulder. Snape left some time ago, Harry thinks, but he doesn’t know how long. He’s too focused on Draco to notice anything else. “We hated each other.”

“I don’t know if that’s what it was.” Harry shrugs lightly. He’d thought he hated Malfoy at the moment, obviously, but, now that they’re dating, Harry sees it differently. “We were always awfully invested in each other’s business. We could’ve just avoided each other.”

Draco snorts tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face. “Awfully invested sounds about right. Pansy had the theory that all of our problems would just be solved if we fucked. She postulated it in fifth year.”

Harry snickers. “And was she right?”

“Well,” Draco says with a light smirk. “We fucked. And now here we are.”

Harry laughs.

*

17.09.19

“Potter I fucking swear to god,” Malfoy groans, glaring at Harry tightly.

It’s only the second day, and Harry’s already been driven half insane by Malfoy. The room they’re sharing is tiny, and it has quickly become evident that they’re very different people; Malfoy hasn’t left a single belonging in the room, and half of Harry’s clothes are already thrown about. 

It seems to annoy Malfoy, so Harry hasn’t picked them up.

“What?” Harry asks, rolling his eyes as he picks plant samples. “I’m doing my part of the work, aren’t I?”

“You’re supposed to wear gloves you moronic git.” Malfoy snaps, tossing a pair of gardening gloves to Harry. “Some of the plants are poisonous.”

“As if you care if I get poisoned.” He says.

Malfoy doesn’t answer.

*

21.11.19

“You should thank me,” Draco says, teasingly, before he begins brushing his teeth. The vomiting is over, finally, as is the anxiety attacked. Harry can’t imagine what Draco feels like; his anxiety attacks leave Harry feeling drained and not quiet like himself, and he’s not even the one to go through them. He imagines it’s much worse for Draco. “I saved your arse by carrying extra gardening gloves.”

“Don’t act like that was for my sake,” Harry responds, amused. Because he can read Draco quite well now and knows every sign of exhaustion and worry that there is to look for, he has his hands on Draco’s hips, half out of the need for comfort and half because he’s not entirely sure Draco doesn’t need his actual support. “You didn’t carry extra for me.”

When his anxiety attacks are particularly bad, he can’t quite move afterwards, and this one was Bad, capital B. He’s almost sure he’s the only thing holding Draco on his feet. 

“Saved your arse anyway,” Draco says around his toothbrush.

“Yeah?” Harry asks, squeezing his boyfriend’s hips lightly. “Well, I saved your arse the next day.”

Draco scowls at him through the mirror.

*

17.09.19

“Get out of my way.” Malfoy snaps.

“You’re sick,” Harry says, unimpressed. This camping trip has been surprisingly fun for Harry. Mostly because it hasn’t been fun for Malfoy. Turns out his skin burns easily, and he’s had red cheeks and a red nose for the last three days. He’s also been sick for two of them, but Harry had thought it was none of his business.

It still isn’t, really, but it’s harder to ignore when it’s pouring rain and Malfoy still wants to go outside instead of staying in the bloody cabin like Harry is telling him to.

“So?” Malfoy snaps. “Thirty percent of our grade depends on how this goes.”

“I’ll pick the samples today.” Harry rolls his eyes “And I’ll take notes, and pictures, and do the work. I’m not an idiot, you know?” Malfoy shifts uncertainly, looking back towards the empty cabin, eyes focusing on the flickering candle. The cabins are old, and, because of the rain, the light isn’t working. All they have is the candle, and neither of them know how much longer that’ll last. Harry raises an eyebrow. “What? Scared to stay here alone?”

“No!” Malfoy snaps, much too quickly.

“Then stay,” Harry says, and slams the door closed behind him, pulling on his raincoat.

*

21.11.19

“You don’t have to do this,” Draco says, but his hand tightens around Harry’s when he turns the bathroom light off. They’re both seventeen, and, in Draco’s opinion, too old to be afraid of silly things, like the dark. 

He’s fine, most of the time. Whenever he’s stressed or particularly anxious, though, he gets terrified of the dark, though. Harry doesn’t mind grabbing his hand and reassuring him things are alright. He needs reassurance in other things that other people might think are silly, and he never wants to make Draco afraid that he’ll laugh at him.

“I know.” Harry pulls him towards the bed - honestly, he doesn’t know what he’d do if Snape had actually kicked him out - and gets in first, waiting for Draco to snuggle against him comfortably before pulling the covers over them. Draco’s roommate and best friend, Blaise Zabini, is in the other bed, still soundly asleep. Harry pulls the drapes around the bed closed.

“Better?” He asks, and Draco nods against his chest, moving closer. Harry wraps an arm around him while Draco throws a leg over his waist.

“Do you remember our first kiss?” Draco whispers, and Harry smiles softly.

“Obviously,” he says. He can’t believe it was only two months ago; it seems like much longer. He looks at the clock Draco keeps against his headboard and smiles. “It’s already after midnight. Our first kiss was officially two months ago. Happy anniversary.”

Draco shakes his head and grins. “Sap.”

“Only for you, love.” Harry vows.

*

21.09.19

“Malfoy,” Harry says hesitantly.

He’d had a great time during the day. Since Malfoy was sick, he’d been able to be with Ron and Hermione the entire day, but he’d come back from picking samples to find Malfoy in a full blown anxiety attack. It had been hell calming him down. It had taken almost half the night, and now they’re both lying in their respective beds, Malfoy shivering and with a slightly distant look on his face, and Harry feeling immensely uncomfortable.

“Hmm?” Malfoy hums lightly.

“I didn’t know you had anxiety attacks.” He says.

He doesn’t think he’d want to talk about it, if it were him, but Malfoy hasn’t told him to shut up yet, and Harry’s a nervous talker.

“Oh,” Malfoy says lightly.

“Don’t you… take meds?” He asks cautiously.

Malfoy blinks at him - Harry can see his wide eyes in the pale moonlight, looking almost transparent with how light they are - and his voice sounds oddly unguarded when he answers.

“No,” He says. 

“Why?” Harry asks.

“My mom doesn’t know,” He says. “I can’t tell her.”

Harry knows very little of Narcissa Black - because she’s Sirius’s cousin, he knows that she got pregnant with Malfoy when she was seventeen - four years younger than Lily, Harry’s mother, and pregnant at the same time - and that she was disowned for it. Sirius told him that she’d married Malfoy’s father - Lucius Malfoy - briefly, but she’d divorced him when she was nineteen, when Draco was barely a year and a half. 

“Why not?” he asks.

“I can’t worry her.” Malfoy says.

Lightning cracks outside, and Malfoy flinches, sitting up in bed quickly. Harry sits up too.

“I - I need to get out of here,” He says, voice trembling. Harry throws back the covers and stands quickly as Malfoy begins to scramble off the bed desperately. “I - I can’t-”

“Stop,” Harry says, softly but firmly, grabbing Malfoy’s arms. “Stop.It’s alright. It’s okay. Let’s sit down, okay?”

He leads Malfoy to the bed again, sitting him down and sitting beside him. He doesn’t know much about panic attacks, if he’s honest, but Lavender Brown had one, once, in the middle of the common Room. He remembers how Parvati Patil calmed her down.

“Tell me something,” Harry says. “Five things you can hear. Five things, come on Draco.”

Malfoy doesn’t seem to notice that Harry called him by his first name, and he flinches again when lightning cracks again. Harry squeezes his arm.

“Five, come on. I’ll start.” He says. “Lightning.”

“Lightning,” Draco repeats shakily. “R - rain. I - I can - the wind outside. I-”

“That’s three,” Harry tells him. “You’re doing good. Two more, come on. Two more.”

“I - wood creaking. Your voice.” 

“Good,” Harry says immediately. “That’s good.”

They get through four things you can see - Harry’s shoes by the door, the trees outside, the blanket on the bed, the suitcases under the bed - three things you can smell - rain, dirt, and mint, which is Harry’s shampoo - and two you can taste - blood, because he’d bit his lip too hard, and toothpaste.

“One you can feel.” Harry tells him. “Just one.”

The wind howls outside, and there’s a loud sound outside the window, which makes Malfoy nearly jump off the bed.

“I - I can’t - Harry-”

And Harry can see that everything they’ve done isn’t working, so he does the only thing he can think of. 

He kisses Draco.

*

22.11.19

“Mr. and Mrs. Potter, it’s nice to meet you.” Draco says. He’s smiling uncertainly, and for all that Harry enjoys his dad’s and his godfather’s pranks, he prays they won’t say anything weird now. Draco’s anxious enough without them doing something, and though Harry made them promise to behave, he’s still anxious himself.

“Call me Lily, sweetheart,” Harry’s mom says immediately, smiling and shaking his hand. Draco shakes James’s hand, after. Harry can hear Sirius singing from the kitchen, deafeningly loud, Remus laughing and telling him to shut up at the same time.

“I, err-” Draco begins, and Lily immediately wraps an arm around his shoulders. 

“Are you hungry? You’re terribly thin, sweetheart, are you sure you’re eating enough?” And she leads him inside, Draco sending a slightly panicked look back at Harry a moment before turning the corner towards the kitchen.

“So,” James says, after a bit, grinning brightly. “Draco Malfoy, then? No chance of someone else?”

Harry snorts and shakes his head. “No dad, no one else.”

James sighs, seemingly long-suffering, but then he laughs and claps Harry in the back. “Oh well,” he says. “If it can’t be helped, it can’t be helped. Come on. Let’s go save him from your mother.”

Harry laughs.

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

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