#in my defense it's because i was thinking about louis tucking his hair behind his ear

[aranostra]

my toxic trait is that this weekend i've written armand supporting louis' serial killer era, wanting to shut down all of paris so he and lestat can get nasty in the middle of the street, and breaking and entering so he can chat with the guy he's been stalking for years and i still just said aloud, and I quote "he's so baby"

[troubatrain]

i’d lie - m. tkachuk

a/n: this was the very first like super long fic i’d written for my own blog and tbh i still love it so i hope you guys do too :)

September 2019

The first time you met Matthew Tkachuk, you were running back to your apartment, mountain of textbooks in your hand. You’d run into a firm chest while trying to text your roommates back about dinner plans, your books knocking all over the floor. You apologized profusely, feeling awful for running into someone because you couldn’t get your head out of your phone. The stranger, who later introduced himself as Matthew, assured you it was fine and helped you pick up your books. You introduced yourself to him, thanking him for the help and making a light joke about how you weren’t paying attention. The two of you went your separate ways, but your mind wandered about the blue eyed stranger you’d run into that day.

The second time was definitely just a coincidence, and you were sure of that. You were grabbing a quick coffee before class, something you were in dire need of after your roommates came home well past midnight from a night out while you decided to stay in and study. You were waiting for your drink when you heard your name called from behind you. You turn around and meet Matthew’s eyes, laughing about how’d you run into each other just a couple of days later. The two of you made small talk, you explaining that you were just headed to class and him explaining he was grabbing an after practice coffee. When you asked him what sport he played, he looked at you in shock and laughed, explaining that he played for the Flames, you reluctantly admitted that you didn’t follow hockey much anymore, being just too busy. Your conversation ended quickly when you realized you had to run to class, telling Matthew you’d see him around even though you were sure you probably never would.

The third time was starting to feel like the universe was telling you something. You’d gone out with your roommates, celebrating a successful end to the fall semester. You were going to grab another drink when you felt someone grab your arm, when you turned around, ready to tell this guy to lay off, you’re met with a familiar pair of blue eyes. Matthew cracked a joke about how you’d seen him more times in the past week or so than his family and offered to buy you a drink. You took it, standing at the bar and talking to him for the rest of the night. You talked about school, your major, and your roommates. He told you about playing for the Flames, and how much he loved being in Calgary. When his teammates walked over to the two of you, chirping Matthew about talking to you, and when you roasted his teammate right back, Matthew told you that he was positive he was going to have a new best friend.

Matthew wasn’t kidding, finally getting your number at the bar that night and never leaving you since. It was slow, he started by inviting you out with his teammates after games, the boys becoming a permanent part of your life. Then you went to your first Flames game, in which Matthew scored twice and made you promise to never miss a home game after. After that, you were complaining about how loud your roommates could be when you really needed to get some work done, so Matthew gave you a key to his place so you could go there even if he was away. Matthew would send take out to your apartment if you’d had a particularly bad day or you would go over to his and cook for the both of you. He’d been there to help you study for finals, even though he didn’t have a clue about what you were talking about. You’d been there when the Flames got knocked out of the first round of the playoffs, holding Matthew while he ranted and raved about the game and how badly he wished they’d won. You went out to dinner with his parents when they came to town, you’d even made a trip to St. Louis over the summer. From an outsider’s perspective, and from the perspective of every person in your life, it seemed like you two were dating, but you felt like that ship had sailed and if it was going to happen it would’ve already.

You shake the memories of your friendship with Matthew out of your head as you turn the key to his apartment, sneaking in with the obnoxious decorations you’d bought. Yesterday, Matthew called you to let you know his contract was almost done and that he’d be back to Calgary for training camp the next day. You were excited, the contract debacle taking up more stress in your life than you’d liked. You’d sent the stuff down on his kitchen island, tying the red balloons you’d bought to one of the chairs and setting out the cake you’d bought that just says, “Congrats on getting PAID.” You hear the door creak open, and Matthew set his bag down by the door.

“Oh this is something,” Matthew chuckles, laughing at the small celebration you’d put together.

“Thought I’d welcome you back,” You laugh as he runs over to pull you into a hug.

“I really don’t deserve you,” He says, “Is that cake?”

“It is,” You smile, walking into the kitchen and pulling the groceries you’d bought to cook the both of you some dinner, “and dinner.”

“I really really don’t deserve you,” Matthew repeats, always appreciative of things you did to take care of him. Not that you minded it at all, the access to the quiet of Matthew’s apartment was enough to justify a few dinners, let alone when the two of you went out and Matthew insisted on paying the bill. While you never felt like you owed him anything, it definitely made you feel less guilty when you were doing something for him - even if it is just stopping him from eating out every night.

“You don’t, I know,” You joke, hip bumping him out of your way so you could grab a cutting board from his cabinet.

Matthew was over to the seats on the island, sitting in the one you’d decorated, “You’re going to be at our first home game right?”

“Of course, I planned my entire day around it,” You admit, knowing you’d made a silly promise to Matthew that you’d never miss a home game, “Why? Worried you’re going to bomb without me there?”

“I mean, yeah. I just-” Matthew starts, sighing, “After waiting for this deal and stuff I don’t want anyone to think it was a mistake.”

You didn’t realize your joke had actually struck a nerve. When you first became friends you didn’t think Matthew doubted his play or himself ever. He had a blind confidence, and he never let a mistake take over his whole game. It was something you actually admired, wondering if you could ever be that confident in yourself. But, when the Flames lost in the first round of the playoffs, and you’d gone to his place after the game, Matthew turned into a sad shell of a man in front of your eyes. That night you realized how much actually got to him, and while he listed off the mistakes he made in the series you’re heart broke with every word he said. The Canadian media wasn’t always easy, and it really bothered Matthew more than you think he even knew.

You turn around from the stove, “There’s not one person who doesn’t think you deserve your contract, and if they don’t I’ll personally tell them to fuck off.”

Matthew laughs, and your heart skips a beat, “I think I can do without you trying to fight anyone.” “Why? I’m absolutely terrifying,” You joke, your small frame wasn’t scary at all, but you weren’t about to let that stop you.

“You know what? You’re right,” Matthew says sarcastically.

“In all seriousness,” You start walking around the island to wrap your arms around Matthew’s shoulders, “I’ll always be proud of you.” Matthew tucks his head into your arms muttering a low thank you. The two of you spent the night together, catching up on your summers over the dinner you made. He told you about the trips he’d gone on, and his summer antics. You’d gone on about the vacation’s you’d gone on, and the time you spent with your family.

October 2019

You walked arm and arm with Brittney, Sean’s girlfriend, into the Saddledome for the Flames home opener. It was Saturday night, and you knew with the Kings coming to town on Tuesday the boys would definitely be celebrating their first win of the season if they came out on top tonight. You were excited, hoping they’d be able turn it around before it became a losing streak. You head up to your usual seats, walking into the family boxes with Brittany, all of the team’s significant others and families out for the first home game of the season. After finally grabbing a drink and sitting down you look down at the nice, spotting Matthew’s mop of hair buzzing around the ice.

“So anything change over the summer?” Brittany asks when she sees you looking at Matthew on the ice, a curious look on her face.

“Still best friends,” You say, shaking your head at her comment. You’d heard it a million times, about how Matthew needed to have you at his games, sitting with the rest of the team’s families or how you were always at his place or vice-versa but you assured everyone who asked that you were just friends - because you were.

“Okay but you can be best friends and date, you guys know that right?” Brittany says, trying to make you see it from her point of view.

“Britt, I really mean it, we’re just friends,” You shrug, not really in the mood to continue defending yourself. You ignore the knowing look she gives you, already knowing that her usual comeback would be asking you why you’re getting so defensive.

By the time the third period rolled around, the Flames were up 3-0 and you were sure this was going to end as a win. When the period was finally over, you headed down to the locker with Brittany to wait for Matthew to head out. 

He barreled out of the locker room, scanning the room to find you, running over and hugging you tightly, “We wonnn.”

You knew he was running on an adrenaline rush that he only ever got out of winning, “You did, are we going out tonight?”

“We are Y/N, Chucky can stay home,” You hear Sam Bennett’s voice behind you.

“Sam, what makes you assume I want to spend time with you?” You quip back before Matthew even has a chance to defend himself.

“You guys are really meant to be, you’re both cold as hell,” Sam says, shaking his head at the two of you.

You ignore Sam’s comment, turning to Matthew, “Ready to go?”

Matthew nods, leading the way to his car in the parking garage at the arena. You both slide in, you immediately grab his phone to change the music.

“You know it’s my car,” He says, already knowing you controlled the music in every car ride you took, despite who was driving.

“You know I don’t care,” You say back immediately, “Do you want to drop off your car?”

“No, you drink, I’ll just have a beer,” Matthew says, never wanting to let himself get too drunk if you were going to, afraid something might happen to you.

“But you guys won-” You start to protest only to be immediately cut off.

“But you had class all week, and don’t think I didn’t hear you stress crying after I went to bed the other night,” Matthew says, immediately shutting you up. You had a long week, and the idea of getting to go out with the safety net of Matthew taking care of you didn’t sound terrible.

“Fine, you win,” You say as you pull up to the bar you were meeting the rest of the team at. You walked in, immediately spotting Brittany and Sean from afar, walking over them wrapping Brittany in a hug.

“I’m really happy you guys are all back in town,” You say, still a little tipsy from the drinking you’d done at the game.

“Happy to see all of us, or just Chucky,” Sean says, giving you a look.

“Enough with that,” You snap, already having heard it from his girlfriend.

“Enough with what?” Matthew says, stepping behind you placing a drink in your hand.

“Nothing, Sean’s being a moron,” You say, leaning into his chest when he places a protective arm across your chest.

The rest of the night was an eventful one to say the least. You’d danced with the girls, Sam made you take more shots than a person should, and it was safe to say you were drunk to say the least. You finally walk back over to the table that Matthew was sitting at, talking to Noah.

“Matty, can you grab me another drink?” You ask, trying to convince him so you didn’t have to. You knew it wouldn’t take much and he nods and takes your empty glass without a second thought. 

Once Matthew was out of earshot, Noah turns to you, “You’ve really got him wrapped your finger.”

“Noah -” You start to defend yourself again.

“Don’t Noah me,” Noah immediately cuts you off, “Admit it, you have to see what everyone else sees.”

“You know what? I do and yes, it confuses the shit out of me but Noah, I like Matthew, a lot, but I don’t think he feels the same way about me,” Your drunken confession slips, your hand immediately covering your mouth that you actually admitted it.

Noah looks at you, eyes wide in surprise, “Oh my god, I was right?”

You start to give him a lecture about prying into your business before he cuts you off, “Your secret’s safe with me.”

You smile, “Thanks Noah.”

Matthew comes back and hands you a water despite you asking him for another drink, you roll your eyes, knowing he’s just decided to cut you off before you got messy.

“Ready to go?” You ask, sipping the water.

“Whenever you are, are you going home or staying by me?” Matthew asks and you notice Noah shaking his head at the two of you.

“Home, I need to spend my Sunday studying,” You say, leaning back into Matthew from the barstool you were sitting on.

Matthew nods, grabbing your hand and walking you back out to his car, opening the door for you to slide in. The drive back to your place was short, and you wished it was longer, admiring how the streetlights made Matthew look incredibly handsome. You knew the small crush that you’d been haboring since you met him only made it’s special guest appearance after you’d been drinking, and you were going to let it take over even just for the night. When Matthew stops in front of your building, he tosses his car into park so he can walk you to your door, even though you always insist nothing awful will probably happen to you between then and the minute elevator ride up to your floor. 

When you step in front of your door you wrap your arms around Matthew’s waist, tucking your head into his chest, “Thank you for always taking care of me.”

You feel him place a small kiss on your head, something he did often, “Anytime, get some sleep okay?”

You nod, “Text me when you’re home Matthew,” You say, using his full name to make yourself sound more serious. He laughs and heads back to the elevator while you walk into your apartment, walking into your bedroom and slipping one of Matthew’s old London Knights shirts on, passing out immediately.

November 2019

With November came an enormous amount of stress, the Flames weren’t playing up to their usual standards, losing five games on the road. Matthew was grouchy to say the least, you were always trying to cheer him up but there was only so much you could do while he was gone. You weren’t in the best mood either, the stress from school starting to build up. You’d spent more nights crying from stress in the comfort of Matthew’s empty apartment more than you’d admit to anyone, never quite feeling like you could catch up with all of your work. Which is why you were sitting on Matthew’s couch, head in your hands while you tried to finish the paper you had due at midnight when you hear him finally come home from his road trip, dropping his bag at the door with a bang, causing you to jump.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were here,” Matthew says, in a harsher tone he usually used. You could tell the losing streak was starting to get to him, his shoulders were tight, and the bags under his eyes were prominent.

“Do you not want me to be?” You say, while Matthew never complained when you were at his place, you did understand if he wanted to be alone.

“No you’re fine,” He says, “Are you going to come to my game tomorrow?” Your heart sunk, you wanted to, but you couldn’t justify spending a night at the Saddledome watching him play when you had so much work to finish before the chaos of finals started. You look at his sad eyes, afraid you might upset him if you said no.

“Matty, I have so much work I have to do, I don’t think I can,” You say, closing your eyes as if that would lessen the blow, you open one, seeing Matthew’s face crushed in front of you.

“It’s fine,” He says, the words not sounding like anything was okay at all, “We’ll just lose - again.”

“Don’t put that on me,” You defend, not wanting to feel guiltier than you are, “You miss shit in my life all the time because you’re gone.”

You regretted the words as soon as you said it. It didn’t matter if Matthew was there or not, anything important in your life, he made sure you knew he was proud of you. If it wasn’t a flood of texts, it was a bouquet of flowers to your door. He made sure you never felt like he forgot about you while he was gone, and you knew you were just acting out.

You hear Matthew sigh, a sign he was trying to keep his temper in check, “Maybe you should just go.” “I will,” You say, gathering your things and heading towards the door, turning back to him one more time, “For the record, you’ll be fine whether or not I’m there or not.”

--

You didn’t sleep that night - at all. Your mind replayed that stupid little argument you had gotten into with Matthew. You’d never actually fought with him, sure you bickered, but as soon as you’d call him out on his shit, he would let it go and that would be it. He looked so hurt by your words, and you knew you owed him an apology. You tried calling, texting, you even sent him an email, but he was ignoring you and you knew it. 

You lay on your bed, typing a paper for one of your classes while watching the Flames game, the Flames down against the Avs 3-2. You watched as Matthew got sent to the box, for the third time that evening, finally breaking his stick when he sat down. You knew he was frustrated, and you couldn’t help but feel like you might have had something to do with it. You turn the game off with five minutes left, not wanting to see Matthew’s face after they lost their sixth game in a row. You finally finish your paper, setting your laptop down and getting ready for bed. You slip into bed, ready to finally try and get some sleep when you hear Matthew’s voice from your living room, your roommate telling him that you were in bed. 

He opens your bedroom door, poking his head through, “Can I come in?”

You nod, watching as he steps into your room, still in his gameday suit. He lays down, immediately putting his head into your lap, while your hands move to play with his curls.

“I’m sorry,” You whisper, not wanting to break the silence in your room.

“You don’t need to be,” He says, “You were right - you always are.”

“Not always,” You smile, watching as his eyes close under your touch, “Do you want to stay here? We can watch a movie - whatever you want.” Matthew smiles and you knew you’d said the right thing, knowing that after a bad game it’s better to distract him until he finally opens up, “Can I have sweats?”

“Open my top drawer,” You say, “It’s mostly your clothes anyways.”

Matthew laughs, opening the dresser and realizing how many pairs of sweatpants and hoodies you’d actually stolen from him. It wasn’t your fault he has the comfiest hoodies known to man, and that he always offered them to you when it got cold. He steps into your bathroom to change, coming back out and climbing into your bed, pulling you closer to him so you could snuggle into his chest, grabbing your remote and throwing on a movie on Netlifx.

You don’t remember falling asleep, but somewhere halfway through the movie you finally knocked out for the first time in two days, wrapped up in Matthew’s arms. The two of you blocking out the noise from the outside world.

December 2019

With December comes the craziness of finals, but you weren’t about to let it stop you from celebrating Matthew’s birthday in the most ridiculous way you could think of. You’d set up a full on surprise party, using Noah as your partner in crime. The Flames were lucky enough to have a Sunday off, allowing you to have Noah keep Matthew out of his apartment all day so you could decorate. You went all out with decorations and invited everyone you knew was important to him - even having some of his friends from St. Louis fly up for the occasion. 

“I can’t believe you’re doing all of this for someone you’re not even dating,” You hear Brittany say, handing you the other half of the Happy Birthday banner you’d bought. 

“He literally flew me out to St. Louis over the summer for my birthday,” You say, “I think the least I could do is throw a party.”

Brittany shakes her head at you, distracted by Sean carrying in drinks before she could make a comment about how you spent your birthday with Matthew and his family. You greeted all of the guests as they arrived, waiting for Noah’s text that him and Matthew were on their way. Once you got the text, you had everyone hide out, shutting off all of the lights. You hear them come up the hallway, opening the door to Matthew’s place. You all jump out and yell surprise, promptly scaring the birthday boy. He smiles at you, knowing you were the only person who wanted to make a big deal out his birthday in the first place.

“Thank you,” He says, stepping over to you after he greets everyone at the party.

“How did you know it was me?” You joke, “It could’ve been Sam.”

“Because when I told you I didn’t want to do anything for my birthday, you proceeded to tell me that’s fine,” Matthew says, “and I know you were lying.”

You laugh, he was always able to tell whether or not you were lying from your body language alone. It made it easier to just tell him how you were feeling, even if you didn’t want to.

The party was dwindling down by the time you saw Matthew again, his body swaying indicating that he was definitely drunk. You laugh, getting the last groups of guests to head out so you could clean up and get Matthew to bed.

Once you shut the door, pushing Sam and Noah out while they made jokes about you and Matthew walking down the hallway, you turn around to see Matthew grabbing himself a water.

“Alright birthday boy, let’s get you to bed,” you say, trying to move his much larger frame into his bedroom. You’d only ever had to do it once before, a night out after the Flames clinched their playoff spot last season that ended in Matthew puking outside of the bar, and you were sore from trying to haul him to bed.

“Will you stay?” He says when you finally get him to sit on his bed.

“I mean, I planned on it,” you say, gesturing to your bag that was in it’s usual spot in his guest room.

“No in here,” He argues back, crossing his arms like a child. You knew you shouldn’t give in, and you knew climbing into bed with him was only going to make that small crush worse, the crush already growing from the last time you’d slept in the same bed as him. 

You sigh, walking over to his dresser to grab him some clothes, tossing them over to him, “I’m just going to go change.”

You walk across the hall to his guest room, slipping out of the jeans you’d been wearing and throwing on a pair of shorts and one of Matthew’s t-shirts. You tossed your hair in a bun, opening the door to Matthew’s room, seeing him in bed waiting for you. You smile, sliding into bed and cuddling yourself into Matthew’s chest as soon as you laid down.

“Thank you for the party,” Matthew whispers, hands twirling the ends of your hair.

“I told you, it wasn’t me,” You joke, finally letting sleep take over you.

January 2020

When Matthew got voted into the All Star Game, you made sure to tell him an obnoxious amount of time. You also insisted on blaring “All Star” by Smash Mouth in his apartment for an entire week before he told you he was going to take his spare key back if you didn’t stop. What you didn’t expect, was for him to insist you at least came for the actual weekend of the game. But once you found out that Brady was also playing in the game, you decided you should probably make the trip down.

You arrived Friday morning, Matthew making some time in the craziness of the weekend to pick you up from the airport, having you stay with him at his parent’s house. You arrive in the mass chaos of the Tkachuk household, his mom scrambling to get everything ready for the party they planned on having after the game on Saturday. You set your bag down, immediately running into the kitchen to see Brady and Taryn.

“Matt, you can leave now,” Brady says, wrapping you in a tight hug, “We’d much rather have Y/N here.” You laugh, missing the dynamic of seeing Matthew around his family. He was always more relaxed when he was with his family, even though he’d never admit that he actually did miss them during the season.

“Brady she’s my best friend,” Matthew says, grabbing your hand and pulling you into his chest.

“To be fair, I like Taryn more than both of you,” You mutter between the bickering boys.

You spend your Friday running around with Matthew’s mom, helping her with the party as much as you could. You enjoyed your time with her, knowing that it made Matthew happy to see how much his parents like having you around. Friday and Saturday seem like a blur, the craziness of the All Star Game taking over. You spent most of the time with Taryn and the rest of Matthew’s family that came to town, many of whom you’d met the last time the Sens came into town. You finally arrive back at the Tkachuk’s Matthew riding the high from winning the actual game.

Once the party was in full swing you were dragged around the house by Matthew, introducing you to players he’s played with in the past. You had a long conversation with Mitch Marner, who you found out Matthew actually played with when he played for the London Knights. You spent the night of some of the best athletes in the world and you couldn’t help but wonder why Matthew kept you around when he kept company like his friends who played around the league.

You step in Matthew’s bedroom, trying to take a moment for yourself. You look in the mirror, and sigh, just not sure of why you were there in the first place. It didn’t happen much anymore, but every once in a while the thoughts of not being good enough found themselves creeping in your mind. You couldn’t help it, as your hands started to shake, you heard the door open and Matthew step into his room.

“You alright?” He asks, sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Why are you friends with me?” You ask harshly.

“What’s this about Y/N?” He asks, confused at your tone.

“I mean, you just, all of the people in your life are these accomplished athletes and are insanely good at what they do, and for some reason you choose to spend all of your time with someone who cries every time they get too stressed out,” You rant out, worried about how Matthew would react to what you were saying. You’d never let him in on this part of you, the part that’s doubtful and scared that one mistake could ruin everything you’ve ever worked for.

You feel Matthew grab your hand, pulling you down to sit on the bed. He kneels in front of you, wiping away the stray tear that had fallen, “I don’t want to spend my time with anyone besides you, please don’t ever think differently. You’re funny and smart and you care about every person in your life even if they don’t deserve it. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want you to feel like this ever.” You smile, trying to hide the butterflies you feel in your stomach when Matthew’s thumb grazes your cheeks to try and calm you down.

“Do you want to stay in here and hangout for the rest of the night, just the two of us?” Matthew whispers, not wanting to break the comfortable silence between you two.

You nod, climbing into his bed and waiting for him to join you, putting on a movie and pulling you into his arms. You knew there was a giant party going on outside of those four walls of Matthew’s childhood bedroom, but nothing could be better than laying in his arms just the two of you.

February 2020

After the All Star Game, you threw yourself into your schoolwork knowing Matthew was headed on a two week road trip. You’d spent the two weeks catching up on an enormous amount of work, so you wouldn’t have to worry about it once Matthew finally got back to Calgary. You were grabbing a coffee before your class, when your phone rang in your pocket - Matthew’s caller ID appearing on the screen.

“Helllllo,” You answer, excited to hear his voice - even if it was just over the phone.

“Hey, do you have plans for Valentine’s Day?” He asks.

“I do not,” you say, knowing for a fact Matthew knew you didn’t.

“We have this Flames gala thing and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?” He asks, and you can hear Johnny and Sam chirping him in the background.

“Matthew, that’s in like two days!” You say, scolding him for not asking you sooner so you could find a dress.

“I know, I just kind of forgot about asking you, I told the team I was taking you though,” He defends, knowing he said he was bringing a date before he even bothered to ask you.

“Yes I will go, but please remember to give me some WARNING next time,” You sigh into the phone, “Now if you’ll let me go, I need to go find a dress.”

“I keep an extra card in my nightstand, use it,” Matthew says, “And before you say no, consider it a gift for not killing me for telling you last minute.”

Initially you laugh, knowing Matthew kept an extra debit card in his apartment because he lost his more frequently than a normal person should, but once his words settled in you began the usual protest you gave him when it came to money, “Matthew…” you start, ready to explain to him that you don’t need him spending ridiculous amounts of money on you.

“Y/N, just take it,” He says, “I’m really too tired for this one.”

You sigh, “Fine, but this is the last time.” “Whatever you say, I’ll tell Brittany to make sure you use it,” He says, and you knew he wasn’t kidding, “Bye.”

You mutter a goodbye back, texting Brittany that you were in dire need of an emergency shopping experience before the Gala on Friday. She laughed when you called, already having received a text from Matthew to make sure that she made you use his card.

The night of the gala you head to Matthew’s, carrying your dress and all of the things you knew you would need to get ready, tossing them in his guest room when you arrive. You head into the bathroom, promptly starting with your makeup when you heard him get in from the rink, yelling about how he was going to shower and heading into his room. You finally set your hair into loose curls and start to step into your dress. The off the shoulder black dress stopped right above your knees and fit you like a glove. Brittany didn’t even tell you how much is cost, grabbing it and paying for it on Matthew’s card before you could even look. But, the way it made you feel outweighed the guilt you felt. You slip on the nude heels you chose to wear, and call Matthew in to help clasp your necklace.

“Wow,” He says, stepping behind you, fastening the necklace to your neck, “You look beautiful.”

“Thanks Matty,” You say, turning out to take in the suit he was wearing. When you told him you decided to get something black, he was excited having had a dark maroon suit in his closet he wanted to wear, “You look alright I guess.” “I look alright?” He asks, lightly tickling at your sides, “You’re such a brat.”

You laugh, “You look super handsome, happy?”

He nods, grabbing your hand and leading you out to his car. The Gala was in full swing when you arrived, the room filled with his teammates, fans, and other important people in the city.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” You hear Noah’s voice behind you while Matthew was over having a conversation with one of the team’s trainers who was at the event.

“What Noah?” You ask, ready for the comment about Matthew taking you as his date.

“You look like that and Chucky still won’t lock you down? He’s really dumber than I thought,” Noah says, gesturing to you.

“Don’t you have a date you should be complimenting?” You say back, knowing Noah had brought some girl to the event, even though they were never around long.

“Not one that looks as good as you,” Noah says, “So, still got that little crush.”

“Yes and I’m done talking about it,” You say, watching Noah’s hands go up in defeat as Matthew steps behind you.

“Do you want to dance?” Matthew asks, ignoring the face Noah was giving him for being so gentle with you.

You nod, grabbing his hand and following him out to the dancefloor. You place your arms around his neck while his move to your hips, swaying to the music. You look behind you, seeing Noah smirking at the two of you while dancing with his own date. You throw up your middle finger, not letting Matthew notice. The two of you spend the night with each other, dancing and having Matthew introduce you to a lot of people who were working in the front office with the team that you’d never met before. You couldn’t help but feel like something was changing between the two of you, especially when he kept his hand on your lower back while walking through the gala, or his hand gently stroking your thigh while you guys sat at your table.

March 2020

You never talked about how you spent your Valentine’s Day romantically slow dancing with your best friend at a Gala his team was throwing after that night. You couldn’t tell if thing’s had actually changed between the two of you, or if it was a result of the romantic atmosphere. Thing’s with Matthew had returned back to the normal routine, with the Flames in the middle of their playoff push, Matthew was around less, spending more and more time at the rink. You understood, taking the time to spend some time with your friends that weren’t him.

You finally both had a day off, deciding that you’d head over to his place to cook the both of you dinner. You arrive at his place before he does, placing your bags down and getting straight to cooking. You hear him come in, humming at the smells of the food.

“Hey stranger,” He says, joking about the fact that you haven’t been spending as much time together as you usually did.

“Oh please, you talked to me about your practice today on the phone for an hour, you’re hardly starved for attention,” You say, calling him out for being dramatic.

“I need all of your attention or I might actually die,” He says, wrapping you in a hug, “So what’s been up with you?” “Same old same old, this guy from my class asked me out on a date, I haven’t told him yes or no,” You shrug, moving back to cooking dinner.

“No,” He says, instantly, and you turn off the oven, turning around to face him.

“No?” You ask.

“I mean- uh- fuck,” He stutters, “You can’t go on a date with that guy I’m sure you’re too good for him.”

You roll your eyes, crossing your arms, “Matthew I know you live in a world where you don’t want me to get hurt, but I can’t not date because you don’t want me to.”

“I know, I just-” He starts before you cut him off.

“You what Matthew? Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn’t go out with this guy,” You snap back.

“Because I want you to date me,” He says quietly, “I wanted this to be better, you deserve it to be perfect, but I love you so much, and I can’t keep denying it any longer. I love when you spend all of your time here because I love spending time with you. I love that you get along with my teammates, and my family. I love when you get dressed up to go out, because I get to walk around with the most beautiful girl in the world under my arm. I was just terrified you didn’t feel the same way and that you’d hate me. Then when we were dancing at the Gala it felt different, like you were as into me as I’m into you.”

You uncross your arms, walking around the island to stand in front of him, placing your arms around his neck, “That might have been the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard in my life.” “Really? Cause I think I could do better-” Matthew starts, but you cut him off by pressing your lips to his. His hands move to cup your face, kissing you back slowly, the two of you melt into each other like you’d been made for each other all along.

“I love you too,” You mutter against his lips, feeling him smile.

“You’re not gonna go on that date right?” He whispers, leaning his forehead against yours.

You laugh, “No, there’s only person I want taking me out on a date,” you joke, placing another kiss to his lips.

“Sounds like a lucky guy,” Matthew jokes back, kissing you again, solidifying how truly right it feels to finally be together.

[mercurial-madhouse]

Anon prompted me with a Disney drabble and several plot-bunnies bounded and burrowed into my brain. This is the first that insisted on coming through my fingers and it is Sleeping Beauty inspired. I just couldn’t get the idea of Louis, Liam, and Harry as the three fairy godmothers (fathers? non-binary magical beings who aren’t parents?) out of my mind. The official prompt will come with the other drabble! Enjoy the light-hearted humour!

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*< 

Got this spell on me (’cause everything you do is magic)

Niall loves his flatmates.  Truly, there’s never a dull moment when the four of them are all home. The three Brits are oddly protective of him, something about him living in a strange land or summat.

Louis will fight the weather to make sure they’ve got a footie match to watch. Harry will create a new designer store to keep Niall in the latest fashions that work for him. And Liam pulls every delicious food Niall ever wants out of thin air. No, it’s never a dull moment when they’re around.

That insanity might have a wee bit to do with their magic.

Something whistles through the air.

“Blue.”

As Louis’s tart declaration rings behind him, Niall flops back into the sofa and makes himself comfortable. He flicks on the telly and finds the most recent match.

Harry huffs somewhere on the opposite side. Another whistle sings from his end of the room. “Pink.”

Schwip.

“He looks brilliant in blue.”

Schwip.

“He’ll stand out in pink.”

Niall probably shouldn’t have let Harry and Louis decide his outfit for the Gala Friday night.

Schwip.

“He doesn’t need to stand out. He needs to look good.”

Schwip.

“He always looks good.”

“Batter?”

Niall glances up at Liam, holding out a bowl to him. He’s got a spot of chocolate dough on his cheek and some hair falling over one eyebrow. The bowl he’s holding has mostly been emptied, but he always lets Niall lick the containers.

Niall takes the bowl, peering over Liam’s shoulder.

The dishes are washing themselves, there’s another bowl stirring itself on the worktop, and Louis’s guarding the border between kitchen and living room. Hair fluffy and torso wrapped in a loose, royal blue jumper, he’s facing Harry, who’s defending the window on the other end of the flat. The early-afternoon light filtering in glitters off Harry’s rings and the shine in his fitted lilac shirt.

True to form, they’re glaring daggers past their wands in a British standoff over a flamingo-coloured Paul Smith suit that’s floating on its own in the centre of the room.

Niall tips his head left then right, impressed. “Full sentences, proper grammar, no swearing or name-calling. Sounds like progress,” he says to Liam.

Liam screws his face up skeptically. He sticks his wand over his upper lip like a mustache and rolls it between his fingers as he thinks, which twists his features up to look even more doubtful. “Ah...”

Louis twips his wand and crosses his arms in one fluid movement. Not quite a twirl, not quite a whip, it’s what Niall has dubbed a twip. Sapphire sparks shoot out of the end of his wand as it’s being tucked under Louis’s arm. They smack into the suit and it transforms into a beautiful periwinkle.

“Blue.”

Harry scrunches his nose and swishes his wand in an understated pointing motion. Magenta sparks shoot from the end and the suit blooms a lovely pale rose. “Pink.”

Without missing a beat, Louis flicks his wand up like he’s flicking Harry off with it. More cerulean sparks. The suit reverts back. “Blue.”

Niall rolls his eyes.

Liam just shrugs and taps the side of the bowl with his wand in a nudge, completely unaffected by the madness behind him.

Niall scoops a heaping fingerful of chocolate batter onto his tongue. His eyes widen. Feet flattening on the floor, he stares between Liam and the traces of batter. “Nandoca’s Choice?”

Liam winks. “I get it right then?”

Niall loves his flat mates. He’s certain there’s no one in London who would try to recreate Nando’s for him with magic. Actually, he doesn’t know anyone else with magic, just these three eccentric misfits who it feels like Niall’s known all his life.

“Pink.”

“Blue.”

Niall swipes up another glob of perfection, sucking on his finger as he jerks a nod towards the other two. “Is this still because Haz ‘flirted’ one smile too many with that bloke at the pub last night?”

Harry had turned on his blinding charm to distract the bartender because Louis got a mite too tipsy too early. Alcohol loosens the link with their magic and Niall, in his non-magic role as damage control, hadn’t been expecting anything to happen so soon. Louis’s pint had frothed teal and spouted out like a volcano when he’d burst out laughing. Niall hadn’t covered it fast enough and the bartender saw it.

But Niall knows that’s all semantics to Louis when he’s halfway to flutered and watching his partner make googly-eyes at a stranger.

Liam shrugs a yes, scooping out a small sample himself and giving it a taste. His eyes pop in delight. “They’ll sort it tonight.”

Niall snorts. “With which wands?”

The question is rhetorical because he knows the answer, but Liam responds anyway. Liam’s got the strangest and honestly quaintest quirk of being incapable of perceiving what’s rhetorical.

“Both, I reckon.”

“Blue!”

“Pink!” The tempo increases until Louis and Harry are practically shouting overtop each other. Magic whips behind him and Liam and ruffles Niall’s hair.

“Blue!”

“Pink!”

A small implosion resounds through the flat. Liam glances up and sighs. Niall gathers the last of the glorious Nando’s batter and hands the bowl back to Liam. He takes the bowl and disappears back to the kitchen, fwipping his wand by his shoulder towards the suit without looking.

In the silence, the excitement on the telly from the announcer buzzes as though the proverbial dust is clearing.

Louis flops down next to him and twists, throwing his legs over Niall’s lap. In the far edge of his vision, Niall watches Louis’s wand twirl in a circle. A bowl of Coco Pops appears in Louis’s hand.

“Should’ve gone left. Chelsea’s defense is weaker on the left,” Louis grumbles with his mouth full.

Niall glances at Louis and tries not to laugh. With his eyes trained on the telly, Louis dings his spoon against the bottom of his bowl like his hair and eyebrows aren’t a vibrant shade of bubblegum pink that, combined with the sleep-fluff of the strands, make him into a life-size piece of cotton candy.

The sofa dips on his other side before Niall can answer Louis.

“You say that every time,” Harry mutters as he lifts Louis’s feet and drops them on his own lap. The pout on his face matches the cobalt blue his brows and curls are now dyed. With the expression and colour combination, Harry looks like a caricature of an anime character and Niall barely manages to keep a straight face.

“Because it’s still true,” Louis gruffs back. His legs dig into Niall’s thighs when he shifts. Niall glances down to see him burrowing his feet under Harry’s hands until Harry starts rubbing them.

Niall chuckles and shakes his head. The suit is now a boring grey, like a canvas waiting to be finished. Whatever colour it is the moment he walks out the door will be fine with him. His flatmates are ridiculous, but he wouldn’t give them up even for the chance to have magic too.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

(I need to create a post on Tumblr and AO3 where all my drabbles can be found. Alas, it is not this day. But I promise there’s at least one more drabble coming that is Disney inspired, beautiful Anony!)

Have something else you’d like to see me write? Go wild! Pairing, situation, feeling… Send me an ask (anon or not) completing the sentence ‘I wish you’d write a fic where…’

Superpowers Drabble 

Invisible Drabble

Only one bed (H-POV)

Only one bed (L-POV)

ABO new-omega!Louis drabble that became a fic on AO3.

Spy AU Drabble

[violetwolfraven]

Hey :)

So, I know I just left a request already but the thing is that there's definitely not enough Blush in the Newsies Fandom, and therefore I wanted to ask for 10 ("Who are you?") for Blush in the canon era. Either some getting-to-know each other, or maybe (to make it more angsty) some kind of temporary amnesia thing or that maybe Blink's other eye slowly stops working? (At this point I'm just rambling, but I hope that's something to work with; I really like your writing)

Thank you! You’re right that we need more blush in this fandom, especially since like 80% of us see them as canon. I’m gonna go the kinda flangst route with this!

Sorry this took so long, but I struggled with and scrapped like 6 different ideas before coming up with something I felt good about. This takes place about a year before the strike.

Tw: referenced parent death, implied period-typical homophobia, referenced past child abuse.

...

Mush was woken up by a loud thud, like something hitting the floor.

He was very confused about what was going on until he looked down and saw Blink on the floor.

He was just sitting there, not quite upright, like he’d fallen out of bed and was too disoriented by getting woken up suddenly to move.

“Blink?”

He didn’t respond, and Mush was starting to wonder if he was really awake at all, or if he was... what, sleepwalking?

Honestly, Mush was starting to question if he was even awake. None of the others were, and that thud of Blink hitting the ground had been pretty loud.

Dream or not, he dropped down from his bunk, careful to land quietly next to his sweetheart.

It seemed like none of the others had been disturbed, which was probably a good thing. They all needed the rest. Jack and Crutchie were up sleeping on the roof like they always did in the summers and others all were still asleep.

“Blink?” Mush whispered.

He just kept staring at the ground, dazed, like he didn’t even hear him.

“Blink, are you okay?”

Blink flinched backward, instinctively raising his arms to shield his face, and Mush froze with his hand halfway between them.

Nightmare. It had to be.

What was it that Jack did when things like this happened?

Mush didn’t know, but he knew he had to do something. He did know something that might get Blink’s attention and snap him out of it. Something none of the others knew.

“Louis.”

Blink’s good eye snapped to attention, but not in a good way.

Mush felt a chill at how he wasn’t looking at him so much as through him.

“Who are you?”

His voice was haunted. Hollow, not even a hint of recognition there.

God, if this was what always happened when he had nightmares, Mush had no idea how Jack could ever calm him down.

He was going to try, anyway.

“It’s me,” Mush said, trying to keep his voice calm, “Mush Meyers. Your... your best friend. Ya don’t know me?”

Blink shook his head rapidly, curling in on himself like he was expecting a blow, “No. No. I’m sorry. No.”

That wasn’t good. Blink never apologized. If he was sorry for something, he let you know in more tangible ways. Actions over words.

Much needed to ground him. Now. He didn’t really know how, but... if Blink didn’t remember him, he guessed he should..?

“Do ya remember when you and me first met?” he asked, “We was 9 years old. My mom and pop had just died. I was friends with Jack, Crutchie, and Specs already, so they’d told me I could come here if anythin’ ever happened. I saw ya for the first time sitting out on the fire escape when Specs was introducin’ me to everybody. He told me not to bother ya, so we didn’t talk for a while.”

Mush paused, watching Blink’s face carefully for any sign of recognition.

He was still just staring into space, but he looked more confused than blank now, so Mush kept going.

“Everybody was upset cause Jack was in the Refuge for the first time and we was all worried, but it hit you hard cause you were alone. The others were all grouped up to support each other, but they was all avoidin’ you cause ya scared ‘em. You get defensive when you’re scared, so’s nobody can hurt ya.”

Still no real recognition, but Blink was at least looking more responsive to what he was saying.

“I offered to be your sellin’ partner after a couple days, cause I didn’t see what everybody was so scared of,” Mush recalled, “Not till you a gave me this look like you were gonna gut me in an alleyway. But I sold with ya anyway, and I kept sellin’ with ya even after Jack broke out and everythin’ got normal ‘round here. Best choice I ever made, to stick it out with you.”

Blink smiled distantly, barely, but it was there.

“Yeah, Blink, I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t met you,” he continued, “I definitely wouldn’t know how to read people as well as I do. Remember when we were 12 and the Delanceys jumped me behind Jacobi’s? You seemed so angry while you patched me up, but I knew it was just cause you was worried.”

He was relaxing a little bit, his body language no longer wracked with fear.

Mush risked a glance around the room, just making sure that all the others were still asleep.

“You wouldn’t tell me I was your best friend until we were 11,” he said quietly, “Too damn stubborn. Ya don’t bury all your feelings like some people, but ya also never say it if you’re scared or sad or care about someone.”

Making sure it was clear what he was doing beforehand, Mush scooted a little closer to whisper to him.

“That’s why it was such a surprise when ya told me you had feelings for me last month. Asked to be a thing. You said—“

“You’re the only one what sees the good in everyone,” Blink mumbled, cutting him off, “Even people who hide it on purpose.”

He met Mush’s eyes, and it was obvious that Blink was now a lot more present in there.

“I’d be a fool to let that slip away.”

Mush hesitated, then held out an arm, knowing Blink wouldn’t take that offer if he wasn’t ready to be touched.

To his surprise, Blink went to him without hesitation, the tension leaving his body in one breath as he tucked his head against Mush’s shoulder and let himself be hugged.

He was covered in sweat, and Mush could practically feel the exhaustion radiating off him. Whatever that had been, whatever nightmare had triggered it, had clearly taken a lot out of him.

“Did I scare ya?” Blink asked quietly, after a minute of just sitting there on the floor in silence.

“No. Worried me a bit, though.”

He wasn’t lying. Mush had never been afraid of Blink. He’d been able to see why others were, with that fierce, cynical air he put up in self defense, but Mush didn’t really fear anyone, honestly, since he’d gotten good at understanding people. If you understood why someone was doing what they were doing, you didn’t have to fear even the people you hated or were angry with.

Blink, specifically, had never scared him because he’d been able to tell from pretty close to the beginning that Blink didn’t want to hurt anyone. He just acted like he did so that he wouldn’t get hurt himself.

He’d wondered why before. This was making him wonder again, but he wasn’t sure if it was okay to ask.

A part of him was scared of the answer, remembering how Blink had flinched when he tried to touch him before. He hoped he was wrong.

Blink seemed to guess where his thoughts were going and he sighed bitterly, moving up onto the bed and pulling Mush up with him.

“The nightmares are a nice little souvenir from Mom and Dad,” he admitted softly, “They’re... I don’t have them so much as I used to anymore, but... how did ya think I lost my eye?”

So Mush was right. He hated that he was, but... well, he couldn’t say he’d never guessed this before.

“That’s why ya got so weird whenever I brought up missin’ my folks way back when. You didn’t get it cause you didn’t miss yours.”

Blink nodded, “I ran away when I was 7. Wound up here. My folks came lookin’ for me a couple times, but Manhattan’s leader at the time turned ‘em away at the door. Good thing. I’d probably be dead if he’d let them take me.”

Mush didn’t want to think about a world where that happened, “Jack wouldn’ta let him.”

He smiled, “Probably not.”

That smile faded a little too quickly, but Mush didn’t know what to say to fix it.

He could barely see Blink in what moonlight was coming in through the window, but he reached over to push his hair off his face anyway, careful to come at him from the side with his working eye.

Blink leaned his face into the touch with a deep breath.

“Wish I hadn’t wasted so much time back then, assumin’ everyone was out to hurt me. I’da become friends with you a lot faster if I hadn’t.”

“I did think you was a bit of a dick when we first met,” Mush admitted, “But hey, whatever ya have to do to feel safe.”

Blink shrugged, “Well, you feel safest when you’re surrounded by people ya trust and it works out alright for you.”

Usually it did. Mush always tried to be as kind as he could afford to be, and that meant he had friends everywhere.

Blink had a tendency, almost an instinct, even today at age 15 to make people want to avoid him.

It was kind of funny how the few friends they’d told about their relationship hadn’t been surprised at all, despite how different they were. Sun and moon. Practically direct opposites.

“I’d rather you act like an asshole than end up dead. You mean a lot to me, Blink.”

“You mean a lot to me, too, Mush.”

Mush took the awkward silence that followed that as a signal to give him one last smile and climb up to his bunk, but Blink grabbed his wrist at the last second to stop him.

“Stay down here?”

He didn’t have to answer out loud for them to curl up together, cuddling on that bottom bunk.

[allthingsfangirl101]

The Call–Mitch Rapp

Mitch's POV

I looked around the courtyard, scanning through the faces. Families on vacation, college students studying abroad, businessmen talking on cell phones, street painters, and almost every one of them had cameras.

Hurley and I got word of a possible trade that was supposed to go down in two weeks right where I was standing.

It doesn't make sense, I noted. This is too out in the open for a nonchalant exchange. Unless. . .

My thoughts were interrupted when my phone started ringing. I sighed and reached into my jacket pocket. I smiled when I saw Y/N's name and contact picture.

"Hey, babe," I answered. My breath got stuck in my throat when I heard her struggle to breathe.

"Y/N? Are you okay? What's going on? Answer me, babe. Please." The more I begged, the more desperate I sounded, but I didn't care. I cared about making sure Y/N was okay.

"Mitch?" She said shakily.

"I'm here, babe. What is it?"

I held my breath as she started sobbing. I struggled to understand what she was saying between her sobs.

"I'm. . . Our apartment. . . Someone. . . Breaking in. . . Help me."

"I'm on my way," I said quickly. "Listen to me, Y/N. I want you to go into our bedroom. There is a small black backpack on the top shelf of our closet. Grab it. Do you remember the fake wall I put in our closet? Go to it and press on it. It'll open a big enough space for you to fit. I know this sounds crazy but I need you to crawl inside the opening, babe. Make sure you have that backpack and your phone. Turn your phone on silent and wait. If you hear anyone other than me, there is a gun in that backpack."

"Mitch," she stuttered.

"I know," I sighed. "I know you hate guns, Y/N, but this is to protect you. Please, babe. I need you to do this. For your safety. . . For me."

I waited as I heard her take a shaky breath. "Okay," she whispered.

"You remember how to use it, right?"

"I do," she whispered.

"Okay, good," I said, letting out a sigh of relief. "I'm on my way. Just hold on, babe. I'll be there soon."

"Please hurry," she said, another sob getting stuck in her throat.

"I'm coming, Y/N."

                       * * * * *

After I told Y/N where to hide, I ran through town, ignoring the looks as I weaved through the crowds. I jumped in my car and sped down the road. I pushed harder on the gas pedal as I turned onto our road. The second I got to our house, I threw the car in park and jumped out. I froze when I saw the door open.

I took a deep breath, triggering my training. I grabbed my gun and quietly pushed the door open. I instantly checked the front rooms to find things knocked over.

I sucked in a breath and hid around the corner when I saw someone walking down the hallway, towards the master bedroom.

Towards Y/N.

He had his gun tucked to his chest, his body leaning against the door with his hand on the doorknob.

"Hey!" I yelled before he could open it. When he turned around, my breath got caught in my throat.

"Mitch Rapp," my old partner Louis smirked at me. Louis used to work for the CIA until he betrayed us and started working for the other side.

"I've been looking for you," he said, not moving away from the door. "Where is that girlfriend of yours? Y/N." The way he said her name made me cringe. "You know, I've heard she is extremely beautiful and you are quite fond of her. As in willing to do anything to ensure her safety."

"You're not getting anywhere near her," I said through my teeth as I cocked my gun.

"Really?" He taunted. "Because I'm pretty sure she is in this room, hiding. Are you, Ms. Y/N? Come on out, gorgeous. Mitchy is here."

"She won't fall for that shit," I scoffed. I held my breath, praying I was right and I didn't hear the trap door opening.

"Guess you trained her well," he scoffed.

"What are you doing here, Louis?" I asked through my teeth.

"I'm working for an old friend of yours. The same old friend who you turned down as luck would have it. He sent me to pick up something that might make you change your mind."

My anger built when I realized he was talking about Y/N.

"I swear," I threatened, "if you lay one finger on her, hell if you look at her, I'll kill you."

"Try me."

I ducked around the corner as he started shooting. I got a few shots in but stopped when I heard him trying to break into our master bedroom. When his back was to me, I pulled the trigger. I shot his shoulder, him angrily turning around and aiming his gun at me.

I got off a few more shots before he got the door open. I ran down the hallway, tackling him from behind. He overpowered me, switching our positions.

I was so focused on fighting Louis that I briefly forgot about everything else going on around us. Louis and I jumped when we heard a gunshot. Instinctively, I reached for my gun and pointed it at the gunman.

"Y/N," I said her name as I instantly lowered my gun.

Her hands were shaking, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held the gun with both hands. I looked over to see Louis on the ground, clutching his side.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she dropped the gun and took a step back. "I was just. . . You said. . . I thought he was going to hurt you."

I ran over to her and pulled her into my chest. "It's alright, babe." I tried to soothe her as I ran my fingers through her hair. It took her a second before she eventually wrapped her arms around my waist, a sob escaping her lips.

I tightened my grip as I felt her shaking. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"You just saved my life, Y/N."

                       * * * * *

Y/N didn't kill Louis. I walked her back into our room and made sure she was sitting on the bed before leaving her to deal with Louis.

"You're lucky," I sneered as I walked up to him still on the floor. "If it was me, I would've aimed higher."

I handcuffed him to the radiator and called Hurley. As I waited for Hurley to come clean this up, I went back into our room. I sat next to a frozen Y/N on our bed, slowly reaching over and pulling her into my chest.

"I shot him," she said so softly I almost missed it. "Did I. . . Did I kill him?"

"No, babe," I said instantly. "You didn't kill him. You just nicked him."

"That should make me feel better," she sighed as she pulled out of my embrace, sitting back up. "But it doesn't."

"Hey," I said gently as I reached over and grabbed her chin, slowly making her look at me. "You did what you had to do to protect me and yourself. It was self-defense, babe. It's alright."

She just nodded as she leaned back into my chest. We sat like that, not moving, as we heard Hurley and a few other agents walk in.

"Rapp?" Hurley yelled from the other room.

"In here," I called out. I stayed sitting on our bed, holding Y/N into my chest instead of greeting Hurley at the door and explaining.

I looked up just in time to see Hurley standing in the doorway. He looked at Y/N in my arms and his eyes instantly softened. He walked into the room and knelt in front of her.

"You two alright?" He asked softly.

"I think so," I sighed as Y/N nodded, too scared to say anything.

"Why don't we get you guys set up in a safe house? Just to be sure," Hurley offered. I sent him an appreciative look as Y/N's arms tightened around me.

"I think that's a great idea."

[ericsonclan]

Who's The Hottest of Them All

Summary: After some time, the much-awaited second tournament begins, answering the question: who will win the title of Hottest Girl?

Read on A03:

Chapter 1

A few weeks had passed since Louis had declared that another tournament would be held. Everyone had been excited by the promise of it, but with fighting off the Bodacious Bandits and a treasure hunt that ended with finding an enchanted squid the thought of the tournament had slipped away. Until one night when Louis brought it up again, reinvigorating the fire of determination in the participants.

The following day the crew gathered around, excited for the upcoming tournament.

“I don’t see why I can’t be the one to fight for Clem.” AJ crossed his arms with a look of frustration on his face.

“Sorry, buddy.” Louis put his hand on AJ’s shoulder “But this is a couples tournament.” Louis flashed a sympathetic smile. It didn’t seem to work that well on AJ who still looked upset.

“Okay, but you better win.” AJ glared into Louis’ eyes with a serious look.

“I’ll try my best, little man.” Louis gave a thumbs up as a confident grin covered his face.

With that Louis turned around to his fellow competitors which consisted of Mitch, Aasim and Violet. Prisha had wanted to join in as well to prove that Violet was the Hottest Girl, but after the rest of the crew objected - saying it wasn’t fair since Violet had already won once - (not to mention the fact that it would give the couple an unfair advantage with two people in the tournament) Prisha stepped down. She stood with the other girls on the sidelines looking pouty.

“So, this is everyone?” Louis looked around at the other three competitors before his eyes wandered over to Marlon who was busy petting Rosie. “You want to join, Marlon? You could fight for Sophie.” Louis had a playful expression on his face. “After all, she did fight for you.”

“I didn’t fight for him. I just want to duel, thinking it would be fun.” Sophie’s voice drew their attention. She walked over to stand by Brody. Her hand traveled down to her rib cage and gently rubbed her side. “It just didn’t turn out that way for me.”

“I’m really sorry.” Prisha had a sad look on her face.

“No, it’s fine, really.” Sophie waved her hands with a reassuring smile before turning her attention back to Louis. “So he doesn’t need to fight if he doesn’t want to.”

“No. I’ll join in, but I’m fighting for my hair.” Marlon declared then proceeded to stride over to the others. The crew looked a bit confused. “If I win, you all have to admit my hair is cool.”

The crew let out a collective groan.

“Fine. It’s a deal.” Louis shook Marlon’s hand. “Now, on to the matches.” Louis’ face suddenly lit up with shock. “Wait! I forgot one more rule. Before the duel, the two opponents have to give a speech on why their person is the hottest.”

The others looked shocked and flustered by this new rule that had come to light.

“What? Why? We don’t even know if the girls gave their reasons for why we were hot.” Mitch huffed. A light pink blush had traveled all the way up to his ears.

Louis shrugged playfully with mock sadness on his face. “Oh well, if you can’t follow the rules then I guess you won’t compete.”

“Nuh uh. Fuck that! Brody is the hottest and I’m gonna prove it!” Mitch exclaimed, his face growing redder by the second.

“Please. I’m going to prove you all wrong.” Aasim smirked, a hand placed on his hip. The arguing continued for a few minutes, each competitor already ready to defend their significant other except Marlon who stood awkwardly in the corner watching the fighting go down.

After a while it calmed down and the first match was called. Louis and Violet stood side by side. Violet’s gaze didn’t leave the floor. All of her focus was on trying to summon up the courage for her speech.

Louis picked up on his friend’s behavior and decided that it would probably be for the best if he went first. He took a deep breath before smiling as he looked out at the rest of his crew. His smile immediately faltered when he realized he had to actually start his speech. He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. “What could I possibly say that would capture all the wonders of our fair Clementine? In truth, I cannot, for what could I, a mere man say that could properly express the essence of the Clemster? If I were to compare Clem to a summer’s day, then-“ He was suddenly cut off by Aasim’s annoyed groan.

“You’re not even saying anything.” Aasim glared in irritation towards the captain.

“Yes! Yes I am!” Louis pushed back his coat, placing his hands on his hips. “You're just rushing me!”

“Well, you’re so fucking slow! Vi should just say her speech.” Mitch snapped, his arms crossed.

Violet’s wide eyes shot up, looking around for a minute when her eyes caught Prisha’s. Her sight returned to the deck. Slowly Violet clenched her fists, holding them for a few seconds. With a deep breath she looked back up.

“Prisha has the most beautiful-” Violet’s voice faltered out. Turning her gaze away from the crew, she tried again. “When she smiles-” Violet felt so overwhelmed. She was barely mustering these sentences. “And that’s why Prisha is the hottest!”

“That was just as unclear.” Aasim shook his head with a tired sigh.

“Well, it was clear to me and that’s what matters.” Prisha looked over at Violet with a gentle smile on her face.

Violet glanced up at that statement, her eyes wide before looking away.

“Let’s just start the fight.” Violet mumbled and then proceeded to put on her gloves, tucking away a wooden dagger in her sheath. Placing her left foot in front and the right foot behind, she got into her usual fighting stance.

Louis stared at her with a frightened look. How was he going to win? His hands shook slightly as he picked up a wooden sword.

“It’s okay, Louis! You’ve got this!” Clementine’s voice was so warm and reassuring, just hearing it made Louis’s heart calm down.

But it didn’t last long when suddenly Violet rushed forward, lunging toward him with a punch. Her right fist was twisting into a devastating attack. Louis let out a panicked yelp, barely blocking it as he stumbled backwards. He didn’t even have time to process the first attack when the second one landed in his gut, knocking the wind out of him. Louis clutched his stomach only for Violet to place her hands on the floor and with a quick sweep of the legs he was defeated. Violet gave a confident smirk before taking off her gloves and helping Louis up. Prisha cheered loudly, proud of Violet’s skills. Violet’s blush grew as she rubbed the back of her neck.

“You won fair and square.” Louis smiled before walking over to a barrel filled with water. Without warning, he shoved his face in it, causing a large splash. Clementine ran over.

“Louis! Are you okay?” Clementine placed a hand of his back, a look of worry on her face.

After a few seconds Louis shot his face up, sputtering out a lot of water and shaking his head, causing water droplets to fly off his dreadlocks.

“Who, me?” Louis had his usually bright tone in his voice “Yep! I’m totally not thinking about how I’ve already lost and it was just the first round!” He forced a smile, his hands on his hips. Before Clementine could comment, Louis spoke up again. “Alright! It’s time for round two! Marlon and Mitch, get ready!” His voice boomed with excitement even though his eyes looked a bit sad.

Marlon was up the first for speeches. “I’m just here to prove that my hair is good. That’s it.” he stated in a matter of fact tone.

The crew looked at him, unimpressed by his speech.

Marlon’s frown deepened on his face. “Just wait till I win! Then you all will have to admit that my hair is cool!” Marlon looked over at Sophie who shook her head in disagreement, a happy smirk on her face. With Marlon’s less than exciting speech done, it was Mitch’s turn.

“The day has finally come where I can talk and no one can say shit about it.” Mitch gave a smug smirk. “Brody‘s ankles are so hot-”

“Ugh, stop with the ankle talk. It’s weird.” Prisha gave a frustrated groan. The others nodded in agreement.

“Fine. Brody is the hottest because...” Mitch’s face was heating up again. “I mean.. have you seen her?!? She’s fucking hot! Everything about her is hot!” Mitch’s voice cracked at the end of his declaration.

Brody’s eyes widened at Mitch’s words before covering her face. A deep red blush threatened to overtake it.

The two contestants got ready and within the next two minutes were already clashing swords. It was a close match as Mitch’s speed kept Marlon on his toes. Marlon was no pushover though. His blade gave Mitch some close calls. It was thanks to Marlon's balance of offense and defense that after some very frustrating minutes of intense combat he finally found an opening. With a swift right swing upward, Marlon knocked Mitch’s dagger away.

“Yes!” Marlon exclaimed, his hands shooting up in the air. “One step closer to having all of you admit the truth!”

Mitch let out a frustrated groan, throwing his wooden dagger against the weapons barrel which ricocheted and nearly hit Garbage. She let out an angry hiss before running into the safety of Willy’s arms. Mitch stomped over and stood by Brody’s side.

“I think you did great!” She placed her hand on his arm with a warm smile. Mitch looked over. His grumpy expression soon melted away and he returned the smile even though he was still sad he lost.

Before the semifinal there was a duel between Aasim and the two who had lost the previous matches for a chance to get into the finals.

Aasim cleared his throat, his hand in front of his mouth.

“Ruby, my treasure, is the hottest because of her soul. Her kindness radiates through and shows what true beauty is.” His voice was gentle, a light blush covering his face while a loving smile played on his lips.

Ruby looked back at him lovingly, her cheeks rosy red.

“Well, this should be easy.” Mitch smirked as he tossed the dagger in the air, performing a few of his signature knife tricks. “I’ve seen you fight, Aasim.”

Aasim gave a smirk back, picking up his weapon. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

Neither felt it was even necessary to diss Louis since he would be the first to get out anyway.

Soon the three of them fought. Mitch was the first to get out. Aasim immediately charged him, quickly disarming him in one swift move that made Mitch look like a novice. The crew looked on in utter shock; Aasim never fought like that during practice. He only ever got serious during real fights.

Louis backstepped and tried to psych himself up after what he had just witnessed. He held his own fairly well but was also soon taken out. Aasim had dashed forward, causing Louis to hold out his sword in a defensive block only for Aasim to slide around back and get Louis out. Aasim stood there, proud of his accomplishment.

“Great job, Aasim!” Ruby called out. Aasim gave a pleased smile. With two well-timed attacks, he had made it into the finals.There was just one more match before then.

Violet and Marlon stood in the center of the deck, ready to start the semifinal.

“Good luck.” Marlon got into his fighting stance.

“You too.” Violet mumbled before rushing in to attack. Marlon cursed internally; he always forgot how fast Violet was. The best chance he had to win was to wear her out. Marlon wasn’t an easy opponent to face. His defense was good, some of the best on the crew. It wouldn’t stop Violet from trying to break through though. Violet kept hitting him with fast attacks to one side before switching up her position. Her feet danced on the deck while she moved from side to side, punching before changing her speed to throw him off. He was never sure if she would attack in an instant or wait a few seconds to strike.

Marlon started to panic. The attacks were getting too hard to block and before he knew it he had lost. His butt fell hard on the ground while his sword had flown over and landed in the sea. After the fight, Marlon walked over to sit next to Sophie who gave him a pat on the back while his face fell in defeat.

“Maybe one day,” Sophie’s words caused Marlon to smile.

“Yes! Just watch, Violet’s going to win this whole thing!” Prisha exclaimed, looking proudly at her lover.

“We’ll just have to wait and see.” Ruby placed her hands on her hips while she stared at Prisha with a competitive smile. “Aasim is strong too.”

The crew took a quick break to give the two finalists a chance to catch their breath and prepare. Prisha tried to give Violet tips for what she figured Aasim’s weaknesses were while Ruby encouraged Aasim, building up his confidence in himself. After fifteen minutes the final match was about to begin.

Violet and Aasim walked forward, staring at each other for a few seconds with serious expressions. Both were determined to win this. The two shook hands before making their way back to their spots and getting into their stances.

Violet went on the offense once again, knowing that the only way she would win was speed. If she could listen to Prisha’s advice and get the upper hand early on in the match, she could beat Aasim.

Aasim blocked her attack with ease and backstepped before getting in a defensive position for Violet’s next strike. After a few punches were thrown, nothing had changed. They had all been blocked and the match seemed to be at a standstill. Aasim let out a breath then looked up at Violet with a confident expression. “There’s something you should know,”

Violet tried to study Aasim’s face to get a read on it and predict his next move.

“Speed can’t win everything.” With those words, he instantly disappeared from Violet’s sight. Violet froze in place, her panic rising as she tried to find him. She turned left and right, shaking from fear of being unable to find her opponent.

Before she could find him, Aasim had attacked, knocking her over. Violet fell hard on her back and looked shocked at what had happened before the realization hit her. Aasim went into her blind spot, causing him to become invisible and giving him free rein to move around without fear of Violet finding him. Not only that, but he had done it with such mastery to the point where she couldn’t find him in time even when she was looking around.

Aasim offered his hand to Violet.

She accepted it with a scowl before sulking over to Prisha. “I’m such a failure.” Violet’s words were muffled as Prisha comforted her.

“No, that’s not true.” Prisha said with a comforting voice, her arm wrapped around Violet’s back. Prisha's expression turned sour when she glared at Aasim. “That was a dirty move.”

“It’s called basic strategy.” Aasim stated simply. “Find your opponent’s weakness and exploit it.” Aasim looked over at Violet, his face falling slightly. He didn’t think it would affect her this much. “I didn’t mean any harm by it.”

“It’s not a big deal right now. But in real battles, if I...” Violet’s voice faded out.

“We can work on it together, figure out ways to master your blind spot.” Aasim offered.

Before the conversation could continue, Louis walked over with a dazzling smile. “With that this year’s tournaments are over! Let it be written down in Aasim’s diary-”

“It’s a journal!” Aasim snapped.

Louis didn’t seem to take note of what Aasim had said, continuing his announcement, “That Violet is the Hottest Guy and Ruby is the Hottest Girl!” Louis gestured dramatically at the two of them who both seemed embarrassed yet proud of their titles. Louis looked over at the many upset faces in the crowd.“If you’re upset about the results, there will always be next year!”

The crew seemed shocked by the statement. No one had even given it any thought that there could be more tournaments in the future.

They looked around at each other with excitement, chatting animatedly. They couldn’t wait for next year’s tournaments.

[yellowsugarwords]

Walking Dead Game FanFiction - “Bet Gone Right”

Title: Bet Gone Right Characters: Clementine, Louis, Marlon, Violet, Ruby, Mitch, Aasim, AJ, Willy Summary: Both in an argument over who Clementine "obviously" likes more, Marlon and Louis both bet they can get a kiss from her by the end of the week, but are shocked when Violet ends up taking it. Author's Note: Honestly, this turned out better than I thought it would omg bless Requested By: Anonymous support me with ko-fi ♡ ---------♥️♥️♥️----------

“Dude,” Louis scoffed. “Be realistic.”

“I am.”

“That’s just sad, then.”

Marlon rolled his eyes and fought the urge to sock his best friend in the shoulder. He was always a pain when it came to girls, but especially when it came to one in particular. The girl who’d caught both of their eyes since the day she’d been carried into Ericson: Clementine. “I think I have a chance with her,” he said.

“Yeah, a fat one.” Louis tossed back. “I don’t think you’re her type, dude.”

“And you are?”

“I’m everyone’s type.”

Louis smirked. “Bet.”

“Bet?”

“Yeah,” he said, shrugging, as if the point he was making was obvious. “I bet that out of the two of us, Clementine would date me over you.”

“You’re not seriously going to pin an entire relationship on a bet, are you?” Marlon asked, arms crossed over his chest. “Because that’s just cruel.”

“Not a relationship,” he said, arms crossing defensively. “I’m not a monster. Something smaller than that.” Then, he smirked, his tense shoulders relaxing. “A kiss.” Marlon raised a brow but said nothing, waiting for Louis to elaborate on the plan he’d already formulated. “The first one of the two of us to get a kiss from Clem wins.”

Marlon scoffed. “Wins what?”

Louis smirked cheekily. “Her heart?” Marlon stared at him. “Okay, fine, they win the right to go after her without interference.”

Marlon shifted his weight to his other leg, studying Louis as he considered it. First and foremost, he debated whether Clem would be mad if she found out. Probably not — if anything she’d think it was funny and lame — though, he also hoped she didn’t feel as if she was an object they were fighting over. She was more precious than that, they just needed help deciding who “deserved” to be hers.

Finally, Marlon sighed. “Fine. You have a deal.”

And they shook on it.

“We begin tomorrow,” Louis said, turning from the front yard and starting for Ericson’s front doors. “Start making your battle plans now!”

All Marlon did was smirk, cross his arms, and chuckle. Louis was really something else, especially when he set his mind to something. Sure enough, the next morning when Marlon trotted out after a peaceful night’s rest, he spotted Louis already putting on the moves.

“So, Clem,” he was leaning in closer from where he was seated beside her. Clementine was facing inward, having a conversation with Violet across the table, while Louis faced outward, elbows propped on the table behind him, legs crossed, and smirk-wide. “What are your plans for the day?”

Clem raised a brow. Across the table, Violet smirked and leaned into one of her palms to get more comfortable. “Probably wood collecting with Vi,”

Louis scoffed, arms folding. “You’re not gonna come hunting with me?”

“I’ve gone hunting with you every day for the past week,” Clem said, scoffing playfully, a laugh laced in it. “I want to chop some wood today.”

Louis smirked. “Lame.”

“Says you,” Clem teased, turning to him, laughing at his strange demeanour. As she did, she caught the sight of Marlon by the doorway, leaning against one of Ericson’s front pillars, watching the conversation. “Morning Marlon,”

Louis turned, smirking as he waved to his friend. All Marlon could do was wave back. “Morning Clem,” he said, starting down the stairs and heading in the opposite direction — down toward the greenhouse. He needed some quiet to try to make a ‘plan’ like Louis had suggested.

Where Louis’ plan was more so playful teasing, gentle touches, and flirtatious looks, Marlon wanted to make his plan more meaningful. He wanted to prove to Clementine as subtly as possible that he was a worthy partner. That he could be sweet and gentle, but could put his foot down and provide guidance.

He was able to prove that when Clementine fumbled into Ericson the next morning with a twisted ankle. Luckily for Marlon, Louis was out fishing with Violet, so he had a chance to show Clementine without interference.

“Clem?” His question was met with a groan when she fumbled to her knees, Aasim darting up beside her after locking the gate. Marlon dropped his clipboard, darting to her side. In response, Clementine only let out a whimper. “Aasim, what the hell happened?”

“She fell,” he said, backing away, giving Marlon the space he clearly wanted. “We came back after she said she had trouble walking.”

Marlon planted his hands on Clem’s shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. He tapped at her chin, trying to get her to look at him. She didn’t. “Go get Ruby,” he told Aasim who darted off immediately. “Clem, I’m gonna take you inside now, okay?”

“Ugh,” Clem managed. “God, it hurts so bad.”

“Hey, hey,” Marlon took hold of her chin again, titling it up, finally meeting her gaze. He could see in how she was squinting how deep her pain was. It ripped through his heart. “It’s okay, okay? I’ll get you inside, Ruby will patch you up, and you’ll be just fine.”

The soft way Clementine’s gaze brushed his just about set his heart on fire. She seemed so cute, so sweet, so Clementine. That one stare captured everything he loved so much about her: resilience, power, and at times, weakness. It was what made her the strongest person Marlon knew. “Really?” She asked.

Marlon gulped and nodded, taking a moment to brush loose hairs away from her face and tuck them into her hat. “Promise,”

Then, he took her arms and wrapped them around his neck. His arms swept under her and hoisted her into his grasp, lifting her off the ground. “Let’s get you resting, okay?”

“Clem?”

“Clementine oh my God,”

“What happened?”

The swarming voices of other Ericson kids started toward them, and Marlon tensed realizing he’d need to wade his way through all of them. “Hunting accident,” he said, turning and giving a daring stare to Willy, Mitch, and AJ. “Give her some space, okay? Ruby’s going to patch her up.”

The trio relaxed only partially as they watched Marlon start up the stairs with her as Ruby, from the inside, opening the door for the two to enter. As they entered her room, Ruby scurried to the desk to open her medical supplies kit. In the meantime, Marlon gently laid Clementine down on the bed, gathering a pillow to elevate the swollen limb.

Ruby got to work right away and Marlon stayed the entire time, brushing hair out of her face and letting her squeeze his hand as Ruby wrapped and iced her injury.

Needless to say, when Violet and Louis returned, they were horrified when Marlon filled them in.

“What?” Violet gawked.

“Oh God,” Louis started for Ericson’s front doors, wanting to check on her, but Marlon jetted out a hand. “She’s resting,” he said, the stare that settled on Louis one daring Louis to cross him. “She needs it. Ruby gave her some painkillers that were gonna knock her out.”

Violet nodded, her arms squeezing each other anxiously. Louis, his stare hesitant and nervous, backed down from Marlon’s. He stepped back until Marlon’s hand slipped off his chest.

Clementine didn’t come to dinner. Ruby filled everyone in on her condition and assured them that she was sleeping and that she would be back to normal in a week or two. Louis and Marlon stared at each other anxiously across the table, but said nothing.

Not until dinner had ended, anyway.

“I’m gonna bring her some dinner,”

Louis scoffed, crossing his arms, watching as Marlon went to make his way to the front of the school. The two had gone around back to gather up some more firewood when Marlon mentioned it. “Why can’t I?”

“You know why.”

Louis smirked. “Because you know she likes me most.”

Marlon groaned as he flipped around, his stare challenging. “Where were you today when she needed help, again?” Louis’ stare collapsed. “Oh yeah, right, you weren’t here. But you know who was? Me.” Before Louis responded, Marlon swivelled around again.

Louis huffed and trotted after him. “Marlon, come on. I was doing the chores you assigned.”

“I know,” he said. “Doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m right.”

Louis could feel his shoulders tense. Their competition was starting to get out of control. Now, it was actively tearing them apart, but he worried they were too far gone to end it. The only way out was for one of them to win.

Or maybe, for neither of them too.

As the two reached the front of the school, they heard familiar voices. Two familiar voices — Clementine and Violet. Immediately, they tensed. Clementine shouldn’t be awake. She should be resting.

“Still sleepy?” Violet asked before the two could see them.

Clem chuckled. “Not around you.”

“Really?”

The two finally managed to bring the two into view. They were sitting by the fire - the only ones doing so - everyone else had either slipped inside for the night or was scattered around the front yard doing other tasks.

Marlon’s brows pressed. “What are they doing?” Louis didn’t say it, but he was wondering the same thing.

“No,” Clem continued. They had a better view of her than Violet and could see the cheeky grin she wore as she spoke. “Around you I feel wide-awake.”

It was Violet’s turn to chuckle. “Really,” she repeated.

“Really,” Clem said with a nod. “I’m just always excited to see you.”

Violet smiled. The two boys could tell by the way her next words escaped. “Good thing I feel the same way about you,”

Before Clementine had the chance to cheekily reply, Violet dipped in, smiles plastered to both of them as their lips pressed to and intertwined with the other’s.

Marlon and Louis’ jaws dropped, as did the logs they were holding. Luckily for them, Violet and Clementine were too lost to hear or care.

Violet’s hand worked its way up to the girl’s cheek, as Clementine’s brushed against Violet’s shirt, clinging to it, pulling her closer.

Violet took their girl. Violet won a competition she didn’t even know was happening, and neither of the two could believe it.

When the girls pulled away, Marlon and Louis watched both of them smile, but watched the flustered giggle that fluttered through Clementine as she reached up, clasping the hand that had settled against her cheek.

The two boys deflated, their shoulders sagging.

“Well, shit.” Marlon scoffed, eyes closing, defeat building into a rock in his stomach.

Louis sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets and closing his eyes. “And to think, I agreed to be Violet’s wing man.”

Marlon opened his eyes and turned to Louis, horrified.

It had never been them. It was never going to be. It had always been Violet for Clem, and it seemed like it had always been Clem for Violet.

But maybe it was for the best. After all, now that their competition had a winner, maybe they could get back to being best friends. They could be on the same team instead of opposing ones. ---------♥️♥️♥️----------

[aalissy]

The Press

Chapter 23 is done! I really enjoyed writing this one hee! Lemme know what you guys think <3!

AO3

“Ladybug! Ladybug! Is it true that you and Chat Noir are dating!?”

“Ladybug! Over here! Can you give your opinion on what people are deeming Ladynoir!?”

“How do you feel about Marichat?!”

“Wh-what?!” she sputtered as thousands of questions and microphones were shoved into her face. Cameras flashed at her as she blinked wildly against the bright lights.

“Are you or are you not secretly dating Chat Noir?!”

“Secretly dating?! With Chat Noir?! Are you insane?!” Ladybug choked.

“Then why have you been spotted making out with the superhero several times?!” a loud voice from the back shouted at her, causing a large uproar from the audience in front of her.

“It wasn’t several times!” she tugged at her pigtails in frustration, “It was twice! Once to stop him from attacking me and the second I don’t even remember!”

“So why does he keep calling you those adorable pet names then?” someone chuckled.

“I don’t know! That’s just Chat being Chat!” Ladybug groaned, “Besides, I can’t be dating him when I’m already dating someone else!”

What is wrong with me?! I’m not dating anyone else... Shut up!! Her mouth slammed closed as even more questions began firing off from the crowd.

“Who are you dating?!”

“Is it Queen Bee?!”

“No way! Guys, she’s totally dating Marinette! That’s why they’re never seen together! Right, Ladybug?”

Ok, that was it. Ladybug’s temper flared as she defensively snapped at the crowd, “No! It is not Marinette! Or Queen Bee!! I’m dating Adrien Agreste!” Her mouth clamped shut again as her eyes bulged out of her head.

Time to leave...

Her yo-yo immediately wrapped around a ledge as an onslaught of questions poured out of the press. Wincing, she flew to her room as fast as she could, making it there in record time. With a groan of misery and two hands covering her entire face in shame, Marinette flopped down inelegantly onto her bed.

“Marinette?” Tikki poked her uncertainly, “Are you alright?”

“No,” she moaned into her pillow, “I’m going to die.”

“Come on now,” she patted her shoulder, “It wasn’t that bad.”

“I said I was dating Adrien Agreste. If the shame doesn’t kill me first he definitely will,” Marinette mumbled before flipping over onto her back, “Well, Tikki, it was a good run. I really enjoyed being Ladybug.”

“Marinette! Stop! You are not going to die!” the kwami rolled her eyes, “Though I do think an apology is in order.”

“An apology to whom?” the designer said dryly, “All the designs I never got to finish,” she shot a forlorn look over to the latest dress she had been working on, mouthing an I’m sorry to the piece.

“No, silly,” Tikki giggled, “I meant to Adrien.”

“What?!” Marinette scrambled backwards, placing a pillow in front of her for protection, “Are you insane?! I just told you he was going to kill me and you want me to face my death now! No thanks, I’ll let the shame get me first,” she buried her face in the pillow and let out a loud scream.

“Marinette, you know he’s going to be confused. You have to explain.”

“No I don’t,” she shook her head furiously, “If I explain Adrien will hate me for life and then I’ll never see what our three kids, Hugo, Emma, and Louis will look like and the-”

Tikki cut her off by swatting the pillow off of her face, “Marinette, go apologize!”

The girl whimpered, “Tikki, please!”

“Unless you want to apologize tomorrow in class as Marinette, you had better go now!” she gave her a small glare.

“B-but what if he hasn’t even seen the press release yet?” the designer asked hopefully before Tikki’s glare grew even harsher, “Alright, alright! I’ll go!” she surrendered, before calling on her transformation.

Ladybug nervously swung her way over to Adrien’s mansion. Her movements were slow and hesitant, unlike the quick pace she had set when she had raced over to her own home. She chewed her lip nervously as she tapped the window tentatively. Closing her eyes, she counted to five before turning around, certain that the boy wasn’t home. Just as her yo-yo wrapped around a building and she was about to swing away, the window hurriedly open.

“Ladybug,” Adrien’s voice called from behind her, “Were you um, going somewhere?”

The heroine turned around slowly, scanning his face for any sign that he had seen the press release she had just given. Finding none, she breathed out a sigh of relief, “No, I was just um, never mind. Can I come in?” Ladybug gave him a confident smile.

“Sure,” he opened the window wider before a small smirk twitched at his lips. She stepped forward gratefully before Adrien leaned in close to her, tucking a stray strand of hair back into her ponytail.

“Uh, I-I, hi,” Ladybug breathed out nervously, her blue eyes widening as his own green ones flickered back at her mischievously.

“Hi,” he whispered back before his smirk grew wider, “I missed you today. After all, it’s not every day that your secret, superhero girlfriend informs the world that you’re dating before you even realized you were dating yourself.”

Her heart sank, as she shut her eyes closed tightly. She breathed in a deep breath through her nose in an attempt to calm herself.

Ok, so he knows about the press report. I can’t believe I thought he didn’t... It’s time for damage control.

“About that,” her two index fingers tapped together nervously, “That’s kinda the reason I came here. I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize for what?” Adrien asked with a crooked smile, “For not telling me we were dating sooner?”

Ladybug nodded her head, “Yes! Exactly! I mean... wait, what? I meant that I was apologizing for telling the world that we were dating when we weren’t.”

“I figured,” he sighed, almost disappointedly? And what was that about? They weren’t actually dating... But it was cleared up by another bright smile, “So, why me?” Adrien plopped down on his couch.

“What do you mean?” she frowned down at him.

“Why out of everybody, did you pick me to be in a secret relationship with?”

“I, um, well, you see,” Ladybug chuckled nervously, “They were firing off these questions at me and I just kept getting more and more frustrated. And the next thing I knew, I was saying I was dating someone, when I wasn’t, and then after that, I was saying I was dating you.”

“Uh-huh,” Adrien nodded, “That still doesn’t answer my question of why me, though.”

She gulped nervously. I can’t very well say that it’s because I have a crazy crush on you, now can I, her eyes darted around the room. “You were just the first name that popped into my head, I guess.”

“I see,” he seemed to pout at the floor and before she could ponder on what that meant, he pushed up off the couch and walked over to her.

“I promise as soon as I see another reporter I’ll clear this whole thing up!” Ladybug said determinedly, “I honestly didn’t mean to drag you into this whole mess!”

“Ladybug,” Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder delicately, “It’s alright! I really don’t mind. I was more shocked than anything,” he scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably.

“Y-you don’t mind?” her blue eyes blinked at him, “B-but why not?”

“Well, um,” he cleared his throat, “I don’t know. I guess I just figured you might have said my name for some reason other than random chance and it got my hopes up,”  he peered down at her through his long lashes.

“W-what?” Ladybug stuttered.

“Nevermind, it’s stupid,” Adrien chuckled nervously, “I suppose you’re leaving now, though. I’ll open the window for you.”

She grabbed onto his arm, pulling him back to her and frowned, “Adrien? Why would me saying that we were dating give you hope?”

“I don’t know, it was just a weird feeling I guess,” he ran a hand through his blonde hair, messing up its neat look.

“Don’t lie to me. Just tell me the truth.”

 Adrien sighed before glancing away from her, “It may be because, well, I might have just a tiny celebrity crush on you,” he winced as he flicked his eyes back to hers.

Ladybug gaped at him as she stared at him in shock. The superheroine attempted to form words but her lips didn’t seem to function as they flapped open and closed repeatedly, “I, you, huh, wuh?”

“And I’ve made things totally awkward, haven’t I?” he flinched before shutting his eyes closed, “I’m so sorry. You can just go now and completely forget what I just said.”

Shutting her lips together firmly, she ignored using words and instead pulled him down to her. Her lips connected with his slowly as his eyes popped wide open. Adrien scrambled off of her, letting out a startled yelp as he hit the wall, “I, you, huh, wuh?”

A smirk twitched at her lips by his lack of vocabulary, “I lied. It wasn’t random at all. I said your name because I have a giant crush on you. Is that alright?” Ladybug bit into her lower lip gently.

“Y-you’re not making fun of me?”

“No,” she giggled, “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I hadn’t felt the same way.”

“Can I kiss you again, then?” Adrien came forward slowly, his hand making contact with her cheek as he caressed it gently.

Ladybug leaned into his hand with a soft smile, “Yeah.”

He pulled her closer, gently brushing his lips against her own. They continued to explore the other’s mouth before Adrien leaned back, “Does this mean the world really did know we were dating before we did?”

“Shut up and just kiss me,” she laughed before his lips connected with her own once again.

[lovlieziam]

Hey it's same anon from before! And yeah particularly the first prompt that would be amazing. I asked you because I love your style of writing x thanks in advance

I should be writing my final essays. I told myself I was going to finish my essays before I wrote any of these…needless to say it did not work. I hope you guys enjoy this lol. Also, this ended up being a little over 4k, so if you prefer reading on Ao3 it has also been posted here

Liam stared at his alarm clock, thebright letters glaring back at him. It was five in the morning and he’d barelyslept a wink. He hadn’t been able to sleep through the night for a month, andthough he knew why he was still unwilling to admit it to himself.

He’d sooner overdose on caffeinethan admit he couldn’t sleep without someone curled around him. And okay, maybenot just someone because he’d alreadytried that. He’d begged Louis to cuddle with him those first couple ofnights—thought maybe just having someone there would ease some of the pain inhis chest enough to pass out. But Louis wasn’t the person Liam needed next tohim, and Liam had still tossed and turned as Louis grumbled behind him,slurring out half coherent words about Liam just holding still for fiveminutes. Liam hadn’t, and Louis had eventually gotten tired of the restlessnights as well.

Not that Liam had blamed him. Louiswas just being a good friend, agreeing to a cuddle in order to try and ease thepain he knew Liam was feeling. It had worked a little—just knowing Louis wasthere, that Liam had a friend like him was enough to keep him sane those firstcouple of weeks. Now, however, it had been a little over a month and Liam stillwasn’t sleeping. He couldn’t sleep with someone next to him, and he sure asshit couldn’t sleep by himself.

As reluctant as he was to admit itto himself, he fucking missed Zayn. Liam knew it was Zayn who could allow himto sleep again, even if it was sheer stubbornness that was keeping him away.How pathetic would he look if he went crawling back to the man for a cuddleafter they’d broken up? Especially when he knew he still had feelings for Zayn,and Liam didn’t think they’d go away anytime soon—Liam didn’t think they’d goaway ever. Liam was miserable and he longed for Zayn next to him again, even ifit was just for one last peaceful night.

Liam had been watching digitalnumbers of his clock slowly tick upward for a half an hour when he heard aknock on the door that immediately brought him out of his Zayn induced thoughtsand made his heart speed up a couple beats. Who could possibly be knocking onhis door at five in the morning? The sun hadn’t even started to rise.

Liam slowly drug himself out ofbed, his steps hesitant and his entire body tense as he crept towards the frontdoor. He was wary and just plane exhaustedand maybe that’s why his brain wasn’t able to process what he was looking atwhen he swung the door open. At least, that’s what Liam was going to use as anexcuse when he just stood there in the open doorway, his jaw slack and eyeswide as he just stared at the manstood in front of him.

“Um, hi?” Zayn said, his own nervespresent in the way he was fidgeting on Liam’s porch. Liam, again, didn’t sayanything. He just stood there staring at Zayn—who was still in his pajama’s,the old Looney Tunes one Liam had gotten for him on their first Christmas as acouple, and fuck didn’t that make his heart beat a little faster—like an idiot.In Liam’s defense, Zayn really was one of the last people Liam was expecting tosee, even if he was the only person Liam wanted to see.

“Liam?” Zayn whispered, and helooked so unsure and lost that it took all of Liam’s will power to not rushforward and wrap himself around the man. God, but he missed Zayn a lot.

“W-what are you do-ing here?”Liam’s voice was hoarse when he spoke, and he wanted to blame that, too, on thelack of sleep, but he knew better. The crack in his voice was caused purely bythe emotions he was struggling to hold back.

Zayn ducked his head down, his handcoming up to rub the back of his neck in obvious embarrassment. Liam’s handtwitched by his side, and he had to force back the urge to tuck his hand underZayn’s chin and bring Zayn’s eyes up like he used to do. He wasn’t entirelysure the gesture would be well received, even if it was Zayn who had turned upon his doorstep.

“I, um. Well…” Zayn trailed off, astammer in his voice that Liam knew well. Zayn knew exactly what he wanted—andLiam was sure he wanted something, otherwise he wouldn’t be here—but he had noidea how to say what he wanted. Liam felt a small, bittersweet smile pull atthe corners of his mouth. Zayn really had no reason to be nervous, Liam knewhe’d give the man anything he asked for.

Liam watched as Zayn seemed tosteel himself, squaring his shoulders before bringing his eyes to meet Liam’sin almost a challenge. “I can’t sleep, Liam.”

Liam felt his own eyes blink acouple times, surprise no doubt written in the lines of his face. He was just…alittle confused? Out of all the things he expected Zayn to say, that was one ofthe last things.

“Uh, I’m…sorry?” Liam said. He wasstill very much processing—he wasn’t entirely sure why Zayn showed up at fivein the morning to tell him he couldn’t sleep, and the very little sleep he’dreceived himself over the last month really isn’t doing him any favors.

“It’s getting old, Liam. I’mfucking tired all the time.”

Liam nodded, still at a completeloss for what to do. He was just so hopelessly confused. Zayn obviously had apoint, but sometimes he talked in circles that Liam couldn’t understand on afull night’s sleep, let alone when he had slept a grand total of possiblytwenty minutes last night. It wasn’t until Zayn had just stared at him for afull minute that Liam realized Zayn wanted more than just a head nod inresponse.

Liam still didn’t know what to say,so he settled for, “I-I, uh, I c-can’t really sleep, either.” He dropped hiseyes to Zayn’s scuffed sneakers before finishing with, “’aven’t been able tosince, well, since…” Liam trailed off, the words since we broke up hanging unsaid in between them. The way Zaynshifted in front of him suggested that he knew exactly what Liam was referringto, even if he hadn’t said it. Liam heard Zayn let out a heavy sigh, causingLiam to raise his gaze back up to Zayn’s.

“It’s, um, I think it’s because I’mso used to you sleeping next to me?” Liam looked away again as he spoke. Hecouldn’t exactly look at Zayn while he admitted this. “It just…it’s not thesame. It’s harder to fall asleep when ‘m not. Well. Y’know.” Liam shrugged,bringing his arms up to wrap around himself. He hated feeling this vulnerablein front of Zayn. It was different when they were still together—then he hadevery confidence that Zayn wouldn’t think him weak for showing a softer side,but now he wasn’t sure. After their break up, everything had been so different. It was all unchartedterritory, and Liam was drowning in the unknown.

Zayn breathed out a soft Li in front of him, and Liam felt hisheart constrict in his chest. He missed Zayn so fucking much and hearing his name whispered like that only madehim ache for the man more. Liam still refused to look up, afraid of what Zaynmight discover in his expression if he did.

“Me, too, Li, and I just want tofucking sleep.” Zayn took a smallstep forward, and Liam finally looked up to meet his eyes. “D’you think wecould, um, maybe…” Zayn broke eye contact for a beat, swallowing harshly beforelooking back to Liam. “Maybe we could just nap together one more time? Just sowe can both finally get some sleep, of course.”

It was Liam’s turn to swallowaround the lump in his throat. He should say no, every instinct in him wastelling him to deny Zayn and close the door—this could only lead to Liam’sheart being broken even further—but he was so desperate for it. He missed Zayn so fucking much and one last nightwith the boy wrapped around him was all he wanted. He wanted to be selfish,even if it would end up being his downfall. Plus, Zayn was looking at him withthose big, sad eyes and Liam had never been able to deny him anything.

“Yeah,” Liam breathed out becausehe was weak when it came to Zayn, even if he had had the last month to try andbuild up a tolerance. And Liam was tired. He was so fucking tired. He would doalmost anything to get a few hours of restful sleep, even if it meant putting afew more fractures in his already shattered heart. “Yeah, that sounds great.”

Zayn sagged with relief in front ofhim, stepping forward to enter Liam’s house as Liam stepped back to let him in.Zayn was quick to remove his shoes and jacket, already heading towards Liam’sbedroom with a determined gait. Liam trailed behind him, his hesitance seemingto leave him with every step nearer to their destination.

When Liam entered his bedroom afterZayn he was terrified it was going to be awkward, but it took one look at Zaynperched on his bed—his hair a mess and his lips turned up in a wobbly, hopefulsmile—for Liam to relax, once and for all throwing caution to the wind. Thiswas Zayn, and even if they had brokenup he was still the one person Liam trusted more than anything—he was still theman Liam had fallen so hopelessly in love with in the first place, and Liamfigured he probably always would love him.

So, he did the only thing hefigured was logical in that moment and crawled in the bed with Zayn. Zayn madea space for him, opening his arms and allowing Liam to settle into his chestbefore tucking his face into the curve of Zayn’s neck. Zayn wrapped his armsaround Liam’s back, settling his chin over Liam’s head and lifting a leg overLiam’s hip just like he used to. Liam found himself melting into Zayn’s arms,the familiar sense of safety and belonging overtaking him.

This was the reason that Liam neverfound himself able to sleep, even with Louis’ presence. It wasn’t just thephysical company Liam needed, but the feeling of being completely surroundedthat Zayn always seemed to give him. In Zayn’s arms, Liam always felt andoverwhelming surge of love and security—like all Liam needed to make it througheven the most difficult of days was Zayn’s bright smile and the warmth heradiated at all times. The lads had always made fun of Liam’s habit of tuckinghimself into Zayn no matter where they were, but the feeling of Zaynsurrounding Liam had always felt a little like home. He missed it so fuckingmuch.

Zayn let out a content little sighfrom above Liam, and Liam found himself relaxing even further into theirembrace. It was almost too easy to forget about their breakup—about the reasonsthey had broken up in the first place. Liam could feel sleep quickly creepingup on him, and he knew he’d be out cold in the next few moments. Liam heardZayn whisper out a quick and barely thereI still love you, Li. So fucking much before he was pulled into unconsciousness.

__

Liam woke up feeling thoroughlywarm, and perfectly content. He was more well rested than he had been inmonths, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had been so reluctant toleave his own bed. The reality of why he was feeling this way came back to himslowly, but when it did he had to force himself to stay still where he lay. Hewas already panicking and waking Zayn up would only cause him to panic further.

Liam had no idea what he wassupposed to do. He was too well rested to go back to sleep—and he was choosingto ignore why he was so well rested;he knew, thanks, and he didn’t fancy increasing his own anxiety by dwelling onthat fact—but he was also quite literally crushed in Zayn’s arms. Liam hadalways jokingly compared Zayn to an octopus when they’d been dating, but forgood reason. Zayn was all arms and legs when they cuddled—not that Liam hadever minded, he liked beingcompletely surrounded by Zayn. Now, however, it was an issue. A big one. Itmade Liam’s brain kick into overthinking mode.

What was going to happen when Zaynwoke up? A curt ‘thanks’ and then he’d be on his way? A drawn-out conversationabout the thoughtless cuddle they’d both so readily agreed to? Liam doubtedeither would happen, but he feared both. Where were they even supposed to gofrom here? They’d been rather successful in avoiding each other since thebreakup, but now Zayn had purposefully sought Liam out, and Liam had all butjumped on the opportunity to spend one last night with Zayn. Liam knew thereasoning behind his own actions—he was still so ridiculously gone for the boy,of course he’d take any chance to beclose to him again—but what were Zayn’s? Had he actually just sought Liam outso he could finally get some sleep, or was there something more? And furthermore,did Liam actually hear Zayn talking to him before he fell asleep, or was hisdrowsy brain already conjuring up fantasies?

Liam was so fucking confused. Heknew he needed to get out of there, and he needed to do it now. But hecouldn’t—if he tried to extract himself, he would no doubt wake Zayn up. Liamfelt his panic slowly start crawling its way up his chest; his throatconstricting painfully as he tried to swallow it down. Liam knew this was a badidea that would no doubt have very bad consequences, but he hadn’t cared in hissleep deprived state. Now that he was no longer completely shattered, he wasbeing faced with those very really, very troubling consequences. He was socompletely fucked.

Just as Liam had started to shiftto at least attempt his escape, Zayn’s arms tightened around him as he archedhis back in a sleepy stretch, effectively pushing himself even closer to Liam.Liam felt himself tense in Zayn’s arms as the man stirred. Liam wasn’t ready todeal with reality, not yet. He just wanted Zayn to go back to sleep so he couldfigure his own shit out first.

“G’mornin’, Li. Sleep well?” Zaynmurmured as he nuzzled his face into Liam’s hair. He let out a sleepy sigh ashis movements came to a slow stop, but Liam still felt it as Zayn ghosted asoft kiss to the top of his head, which only made Liam even more confusedbecause what the fuck? What was goingon? Zayn was acting like they weren’tbroken up and Liam didn’t know what to do with that.

Liam didn’t have to dwell on it formuch longer because just as he’d opened his mouth to respond, Zayn jerked backwith a muttered fuck, almost rollingoff the bed in his haste to get away from Liam. Liam pretended like the loss ofcontact and frantic movement didn’t upset him.

“Shit, Liam. I’m sorry, I—” Zayncut himself off as he sat up properly and ran a worried hand through his hair.He looked entirely distressed, and Liam couldn’t really blame him. The feelingwas sitting high in Liam’s own throat.

“’S okay, yeah?” Liam mumbled outbefore Zayn could say anything else. Liam was terrified whatever Zayn was aboutto say would only break his heart, and he wanted to save them both the trouble.Liam sat up himself, refusing to make eye contact. It was already terriblyawkward—just like he knew it would be, fuck—andhe doubted looking at the regret that was probably filling Zayn’s eyes wouldhelp.

Zayn didn’t say anything for amoment, instead letting the uncomfortable atmosphere linger for longer thanLiam would have liked. Couldn’t he just make his excuses and go already? Liamwould very much like to lick his newly formed wounds in private, thanks.

Only, Zayn didn’t get up to leave.Instead, he scooted forward on the bed, lessening some of the distance betweenhim and Liam. Liam looked up sharply, unsure why Zayn was moving in closerinstead of further away.

“Liam?” Zayn murmured. Liam gulped,the intense look Zayn was directing at him only making his nerves spike. Liamknew that look intimately—Zayn was on the hunt for something, and he wouldn’tstop until he got it.

“Liam,” Zayn began again. “What areyou thinking right now?”

Liam felt himself flinch inresponse to Zayn’s question. How was he supposed to answer that withoutsounding completely daft and still stupidly gone over Zayn? Liam crossed hisarms over his chest, trying to school his features into a collected mask. Hedoubted it worked, but he hoped Zayn would still take pity on him and just dropit.

Zayn let out a huff, closing theremaining distance until he was sat right in front of Liam, practically in hislap. Liam really should complain, put some distance between them so he couldthink with a level head, but who was he kidding? He was never level headed whenit came to Zayn.

“C’mon, Li. Talk to me. Tell mewhat you’re thinking about right now. I know it’s about us sleeping together.”Liam couldn’t help the snort that escaped him at Zayn’s words. They had slepttogether in the literal sense, but Zayn’s phrasing made it sound like it wasmuch more than just a cuddle. Zayn rolled his eyes in response, a smiletwitching its way onto his lips. “You know what I mean. C’mon, out with it.”

Zayn reached forward to nudge Liamwith his hand, and Liam batted it away. He was still fighting to think clearlywith Zayn sitting so close, he didn’t need the man actually touching him. Liambit his lip as he thought about Zayn’s question, still not sure how articulatehis thoughts without sounding completely inane.

“I-I just…I,” Liam shrugged,breaking eye contact again. There was no way he’d be able to look at Zayn whenhe admitted this. “I really miss you,” he finished on a whisper. He squeezedhis eyes shut, trying to push back the wave of emotion that threatened to overtake him at the admission.

“Fuck, Li,” Liam heard Zayn breath out before the breath was beingforced out of his lungs by the iron grip of Zayn’s arms around him. Liam wasn’tsure how to react, but he eventually pulled his thoughts together enough toreturn the embrace. He circled his own arms around Zayn, burying his head inZayn’s neck and just breathed. He hadthought about this so much—just fucking existing in Zayn’s presence; spendinghours wrapped up in each other just because they could.

Liam was feeling a lot overwhelmed rightnow, especially since he wasn’t sure what any of this meant. Zayn was stillvery much here and wrapped around Liam while he was completely conscious. Therewasn’t even the pretense of sleep since they had literally just woken up. Liamwas pulled from his thoughts when he heard a soft sniffle come from the man inhis arms.

“Zayn?” Liam asked, keeping hisvoice soft so he wouldn’t spook the man. Zayn only responded by letting out a smallwhimper, pressing himself more firmly into Liam. Liam’s heart clenched painfully,and his hands fisted in the back of Zayn’s t-shirt at the sound. He tightenedhis own arms around Zayn’s waist. “Zayn, baby, are you crying?” Zayn let outanother muffled sob at Liam’s question, and Liam had to shut his eyes as painonce again blossomed in his chest. He hated when Zayn cried; all Liam everwanted was for him to be happy and seeing the man cry never failed to make Liam’sheart sink.

“Please don’t cry, Zed. It’s gonnabe okay, I promise. It’ll all be okay.” Liam kept murmuring soothing words,starting up a rocking motion to try and comfort Zayn. Liam didn’t know why hewas crying, but he’d do almost anything to get him to stop—to bring that smileback, even if it wasn’t being directed at Liam.

“But it won’,” Zayn muttered out, hisvoice still muffled by Liam’s shoulder. Liam unclenched his hands from the backof Zayn’s shirt, instead choosing to run them up and down Zayn’s back in asoothing gesture.

“You don’t know that,” Liam said.He had no idea what Zayn was referring to, but Liam knew he would singlehandedly make it better if it meant that Zayn would stop being so upset.

Zayn abruptly pulled back, his tearstreaked face on full display. Liam heart jolted painfully at the site, his owntears immediately threatening to break free at the site.

“But I do,” Zayn croaked. “I do know‘cause we broke up and nothing’s been fine since. Everything’s fucking awfuland I miss you and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Liam felt his heart jump into histhroat at Zayn’s words, his pulse beating out an erratic rhythm as hope—the traitorousbastard—filled the place his heart had just been.

“Zayn,” Liam breathed, toooverwhelmed by maybes to say much else.Zayn must have taken it the wrong way, though, because the next thing Liam knewZayn’s face was crumpling and he was throwing himself out of Liam’s bed andpractically running for the door.

“I’m sorry, fuck. I should’ve knownbetter. I’m so fucking sorry, Liam,” Zayn babbled as he made his was to thedoor. He had reached the doorway and was just about to cross out into thehallway before Liam realized what was happening. In a second, he was launchinghimself out of the bed and out of the door after Zayn. He caught up to him inthe hallway, reaching out a hand to grasp Zayn’s wrist.

“Zayn, wait,” Liam said. He tuggedon Zayn’s wrist to spin him around but ended up pulling too hard. Zayn stumbledtowards Liam, unable to stop himself before he collided into Liam’s chest. Liamtook advantage of the—admittedly convenient—circumstances and wrapped his armsaround Zayn’s waist so he couldn’t escape. When he was face to face with Zayn,he was at a loss for what to say. Liam was staring into those scared brown eyesand all he could think about was how much he loved Zayn. He knew he needed tosay something to reassure Zayn, to somehow tell him that he didn’t want Zayn toleave again—not ever—but all that came out was, “I’m still in love with you.”

Zayn’s eyes widened, his lipsparting in his surprise. His eyes searched Liam’s face, looking for any sign ofdishonesty. Liam knew he wouldn’t find any.

“Liam,” Zayn breathed. He broughthis own arms up to settle his hands on Liam’s shoulders, still keeping a littledistance between them while they talked this through. “W-what does this mean?”Zayn’s face was carefully crafted into a mask that didn’t give too much emotionaway, but Liam had always been able to see under the corners of that façade.Zayn’s expression showed the begging furls of hope—the same strands windingtheir way through Liam’s chest.

“It means breaking up was stupid.It means we were completely daft to think it was anything but a mistake. We can’teven get a proper night’s sleep without each other, for fucks sake.” Liamleaned forward, settling his forehead to Zayn’s as he let out a harsh breath. “Fuck,Zayn. I can’t think of a single thing I want more than for you to just come home.”

Zayn let out another sob as hesurged forward in Liam’s arms. Liam was concerned for all of two seconds beforehe felt Zayn’s lips press to his. Liam immediately relaxed into the kiss, pressinghimself forward to return the kiss. He’d missed this, too. He missed everythingabout Zayn. Just as Liam was preparing to deepen the kiss, Zayn pulled his headback. Liam tried really hard not to pout about it, but he wasn’t entirely surehe succeeded.

“We still need to talk,” Zayn said.“Our break up might have been rash and stupid, but it was founded on legitimatereasons that we need to talk through, Liam.”

Liam let out a subdued sigh,sending a soft smile towards Zayn. “You’re right. I completely agreed.” Liamgave Zayn his best serious face as he spoke the words, but he soon dropped itwhen he followed with, “But right now, I just want to make out a little. Ifucking missed you.”

Zayn let out a couple giggled, stretchingon his toes to place an easy kiss to Liam’s lips. “I think I can get behindthat idea.”

[theprodigypenguin]

Moon Sick

Ao3 Link

Pairings: Teddy Lupin/James Sirius Potter

Summary: James is in his final year at Hogwarts, seventeen and thriving, but no matter how long he'd spent in Slughorn's class over the past few years, he still didn't much see the point of potions, and he was running out of time to finally get motivated about it. His seventeenth Christmas at The Burrow, however, proves a better teacher and motivator than Slughorn or his father ever were, as a dear friend becomes ill, where the only method of healing and relief is through the brewing of a special tonic. Though James has little to no interest in such things, if it's to help relieve the pain of someone he truly cares for, he would do just about anything.

Words: 9511

Warnings: fluff!

Notes: MY VERY FIRST JEDDY FIC! Quick background: in this fic Teddy and James 100% like each other but 100% don't realize it. Teddy and Victoire DID date for a bit, but broke up mutually and are still extremely close friends, because I don't believe in adding toxic exes where toxic exes don't need to be. Victoire is an amazing character and deserves respect, so I hope I don't see any hate on the fact she dated Teddy in this fic. Featuring the entire spectrum of Weasley cousins, because I got two requests in the comments of "Thicker Than Water" to add more of the family! I AGREE THEY ALL NEED TO BE LOVED! I had to take some creative liberties about their personalities, but I hope everyone likes how I characterized them! I've grown especially fond of Fred Junior! Also featuring one of my favorite personal Teddy Lupin headcanons, where he gets sick during the full moon! He's not a werewolf, but surely being a hybrid would have some unforeseen effects.I think that's it, so please read and enjoy!

~#~#~#~#~#~#~

James never really cared for his Potions class, from his first year at Hogwarts and onward. The Professor was interesting, and so were the tonics and potions that they read and created while in class, but James never saw much point in it. Charms and Transfiguration, now those were two skills he wanted to know more about and perfect, because using magic was what they were at school to learn after all. They were wizards, not druids.

What was the point of something physical like Potions when it would be better in the end to perfect spell casting and magical wand defense? Of course, James would never say that aloud, especially in front of his teacher or father. He mentioned only once that he wasn't entirely fond of the class, and Harry had just smiled at him.

"I didn't care for it in the beginning either, I was never very good at making potions, and the Professor I had most of my time there was... difficult. When Slughorn took over the position, though, I really started to have fun."

James tried to accept that without bugging his father about his first Potions Professor being difficult ("Didn't you name Albus after him?"), but it was certainly a trial. Harry said potion making had come in handy many times during his life, both as a student and as an Auror, and James had smiled and agreed, but it still wasn't very interesting to him.

He was good enough at it, he read the text and did his homework, fine, but he just never felt much excitement or passion for the class. What was he supposed to do about that? Fake it? For six years of school he just didn't care about Potions. He excelled because he had too, but every class, every exam, just made him sigh in boredom.

It was over Christmas break in his seventh year that he started to gain some form of interest towards potion making. He was hanging tinsel and garlands around The Burrow with Lily, throwing bits of the metallic silver shavings into Albus' hair whenever they crossed paths and giggling until his brother had realized it and started cursing from behind him.

James and his family had arrived at The Burrow just that morning, though Christmas was still a day away, so they were fixing up some last minute details in and out of the house before the rest of the family arrived. Throughout the day, Hermione, Ron, Hugo, and Rose had come home, greeting Arthur and Molly with a kiss on the cheek and excited hugs. Around noon, Percy and his family came alongside George and his. Charlie had been there for days already. The family was slowly filling into the old Weasley home, helping with decorations and cooking, some of the younger kids running through the house with bags and rolls of wrapping paper yelling at the adults not to look as they finished last minute present wrapping.

It was James' favorite holiday, because though he got to see his cousins all the time at Hogwarts, this was one of the only times that all of those from the Potter-Weasley clan got together under one roof in one area. Even Charlie had made it a new promise, that even if he couldn't get away from work during the rest of the year, he would always be there for Christmas to see all his nieces and nephews (and absolutely spoil them rotten because, according to him, since he had no children of his own, that gave him the divine right to hype the children up with snacks and cackle madly as they shot through the house in a sugar rush).

So far the only ones who hadn't arrived were Bill and his family, and Andromeda with Teddy. They always came for Christmas, always. Ever since James could remember, Andromeda Tonks would be sitting in that hastily patched armchair next to the fireplace, while her grandson, sporting a blend of ginger and black hair, would bounce around the house enjoying every Weasley and Potter that would let him hug them (and the ones that wouldn't; they really didn't have a choice).

James was hoping they wouldn't be too late. It was already getting dark out, he could smell the scent of dinner wafting through the entire house, Lily was starting to fidget and pace, bounce on her heels as her stomach growled and she whined under her breath, trying to concentrate on the ornaments she was adding to the tree. Albus had a broken stick of peppermint hanging out of his lips as he set out hand knitted doilies on the coffee tables and took presents from Fred to tuck safely under the tree, their cousin sneaking small cubes of toffee from the candy dish on the table whenever Albus turned his back. Everyone was starving, but they wouldn't start before the others arrived.

James was hanging stockings at the mantle when Bill's family finally arrived, bustling through the door covered in a dusting of snow. Louis went right for Fred, who was closest, and pounced on him in a hug, while his older sisters opted to remove their coats and cloaks so they wouldn't get the floors wet. He overheard Victoire asking if Teddy had arrived yet, frowning at his Uncle George's old stocking at the taste the question put in his mouth (dusty, sour), and hanging it before pulling the next from the box under his arm.

It was Teddy's, made special by Molly with knitting of a dozen colors, something to represent his uniqueness and the way his hair changed according to his emotions. There was a T right in the middle, stitched there in gold. His Uncle Ron used to joke about it, saying Molly had spent days lamenting over what name to use for Teddy's stocking and sweaters. His name was Edward, but he went by Teddy? E or T? In the end she settled on using the T, because it just looked right.

James was about to hang it up next to his own when the fireplace started to make a sputtering noise, shaking a bit, and it only occurred to him that someone was using the floo before they appeared in a spit of green flame, so close to James that all he saw was a flash of pale blue and gray before they had collided against him, sending them both crashing onto the floor, the box of stockings falling from his arm and skidding across the floor spilling socks.

James could only grunt as he hit the ground, his head smacking against it, a heavy body landing none too gently on top of him, practically dead weight that groaned in pain and muttered curses as Harry and Molly hurried into the room and the floo roared to life again. Andromeda Tonks was the one to step out of the fireplace, dusting a few specks of ash from her shoulder and carrying a bag, pausing and staring down at her grandson, who, James was finally realizing, had been the one to fly out of the floo and knock him to the ground.

"Teddy, honestly," she chided him, but she looked incredibly worried.

James lifted a hand in greeting, "'Ello, GrAndy!"

"Owe," Teddy's voice was muffled against the floor, finally shifting to push himself up and shuffle away from James, who felt winded and somewhat flushed as he sat up grinning, hoping he didn't look as exhilarated as he felt.

"Quite the entrance, Ted!" he said, rubbing the back of his head as Teddy pushed himself, somewhat heavily, to his feet, laughing like he hadn't caught his breath yet.

"My humblest apologies, James," he said, holding his hand down for James to take and hoisting him up to his feet before turning to meet his grandmother, who was patting away the specks of ash caught on Teddy's shirt and muttering about him being unsafe while he grinned.

Harry went directly to hug his godson as Molly picked up the box of stockings, which James took from her so she could hug Teddy next, pulling back and squeezing his cheeks between her hands.

"Looking peaky, aren't you Teddy? Staying over at the office?"

"Course not, ma'am," Teddy said through a grin, but even Harry looked a little concerned, waiting until Molly had moved away to greet Andromeda before he reached out to Teddy's face, "I'm fine, Harry, really."

Harry didn't look very convinced, and frankly, James didn't feel convinced either. Teddy did look washed out. His hair, while blue, looked very dull and almost pasty, and his face was pale and somewhat flushed, but not from the cold. His eyes were currently a steely blue and glazed. Maybe he was feeling unwell? Had he gotten sick in the weather? Or maybe he was overworking himself like Molly had hinted?

"What are you doing standing, James?!" Molly asked, and James stared at her in puzzlement.

"Well gran, I was putting stockings up like you told me too before Teddy came crashing in."

"Oh!" Molly exclaimed and looked at the mantle before walking over and sifting through the box, "Just need Percy's now, Percy and Lily, where's hers; there we go," she pulled out two before patting James' cheek, "Now take the rest upstairs and find your brother to help."

"What's he need help with now?"

"It's Albus, he's probably done something," Molly said, and James heard Albus yell from the other room.

"I BLOODY HEARD THAT!"

"I'll help with that," Teddy offered, taking the box from James, "I did knock him down. You hit your head?"

"Teddy I hit my head daily. It's a problem. Al says it's why I'm so dumb."

"You're not dumb, James," Harry said, then turned to Teddy, "Don't worry about helping with boxes or decorations, have a seat. Mum, can you get some tea?"

Molly had her hands at her chest, "Course I can, dear. Andy, would you like to help?"

"I'd love to."

"And you sit," Harry pointed at Teddy as the older women went from the room.

"Harry I'm fine," Teddy said on another laugh, "I think I can carry a box, see? Besides, James is the one who hit his head."

He started for the stairs and James gave his father a puzzled look, but Harry was still watching after Teddy with a severe light of worry in his eyes. Figuring he'd get no answers from him, James just followed Teddy, hiking up the steps two at a time before reaching Teddy and slowing down. He looked over his shoulder to watch Harry leave the room before turning to Teddy.

"You okay? What's riled everyone up? Did something happen?"

"Don't think so," Teddy said, but he looked distinctly uncomfortable with the question, which made James a bit more uneasy.

"Your gran seemed worried too."

"She worries over everything, James, don't you know?" Teddy laughed, but it sounded wrong.

Forced, airy. James narrowed his eyes and watched Teddy as they continued up the steps. There was definitely something wrong. Teddy's laughs sounded wrong, he was moving slower than he usually did, he was pale and seemed unfocused, continually looking down at his feet and once or twice almost tripping on the steps.

It wasn't until they were at the top and Teddy had stowed the box into a broom closet that James said something, standing in the narrow hall with his arms out and hands against either side of the wall, blocking Teddy from moving. Teddy just set a hand on his hip.

"James you know I can just apparate around you, right?"

"Something's wrong," James said, staring directly into Teddy's eyes, "You're gonna tell me what."

"C'mon, Jamie."

"Are you sick? Is the ministry overworking you? Have you been sleeping enough? Or eating?"

"James," Teddy rolled his head from one side to the other, "My gran's been getting on me all day with this, not you too, I am fine."

"Teddy your hair is turning gray!" James snapped, and Teddy looked at him blankly before lifting a hand to his hair, as if touching it would make it easier to see.

He sighed after a minute of James glaring at him, burying a hand into his hair, which had indeed paled from a frosty blue to a dull blue tinged gray.

"Look, it's just a bit of a headache. I get them all the time. Way more than you probably think."

"Headache?"

"Yea, I get them sometimes."

"Like, recently enough for everyone to worry over you?" Teddy nodded and shrugged, "Wait, why don't I know about this? How long have you been getting them?"

"I don't know... they started when I was five or six maybe?" Teddy was rubbing his neck, and James just gaped at him.

"I've never heard you complain over a headache..."

"Well they're not all bad. Sometimes they're easy to ignore, you know?"

"And when they are bad?" James asked, and Teddy stared at him again before forcing a smile onto his lips.

"Hey don't worry so much, Jamie. It'll go away in a bit."

"You sure? You don't need anything?"

"I'm sure," Teddy paced over to him and turned him around, putting an arm around his shoulders and leading him down the hall, "I appreciate that you're worried, James, really. Just... don't mention it to Lily? Or Victoire? I don't want any of them to worry."

"Vic doesn't know?" James asked in surprise.

"Well, I didn't think it was something she needed to know..."

James felt a swell of pride at that, at the fact Teddy didn't take much prodding before he told James what was wrong, while he hadn't told Victoire. The entire family seemed to think she and Teddy were soul mates, meant for each other, so they would probably be stunned that Teddy hadn't told her anything of his chronic headaches. It wasn't like they were dating, though. They didn't need to tell each other everything, and they wouldn't have needed to even if they had still been dating. Come to think of it, it was likely no one else in the family knew about their breakup either. Teddy had been blasé about it, still smiling with Victoire beside him.

"It was mutual," he said, an arm propped against Victoire's shoulder, "Snogging her is very fun, but-."

"But I want to date someone more available," Victoire had interrupted, arms folded, while Teddy's face darkened and the tips of his hair got pink, "He's just going to get busier now that he's an Auror, and I have my own ambitions. Not to mention, I think both our eyes have been turned towards other people."

"Merlin, what?!" Dominique had gaped, standing beside James and Fred, who were both just as dumbstruck.

"Teddy likes someone else?" Fred asked, pointing at the older man.

"So do you?" Dominique pointed at her sister, who rolled her eyes.

"So you're breaking up?" James asked, and Victoire shrugged.

"Well, yes. I'll still snog him if I'm bored though."

Teddy just laughed, the pink in his hair disappearing, and James tried to ignore the excitement he felt at their breakup while also wondering why he'd be happy at all.

Teddy leaned against him as they descended the stairs, and James got the sense it wasn't to be funny. He could feel Teddy shaking a bit, trying to hide it, or thinking he could from the way they swayed while walking, but even his voice held a tremor as he talked about his work and prodded James into talking about school, his steps faltering more on the way down than they had on the way up. The last few steps, James put an arm around Teddy to help him down, then helped him back into the currently vacant living room, where he sank down onto one of the couches.

"Pretty bright in here, isn't it?" Teddy asked, and James glanced around.

The Christmas lights in the tree were on, but the rest of the room was rather dark, there wasn't even a fire in the fireplace. He looked back at Teddy, who was squinting at the tree, a clear wince on his face.

"Maybe you should lie down," James offered, and Teddy blinked at him before shaking his head.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jamie, we haven't even had supper!"

"Yea, but-."

"Don't worry about me, James," Teddy insisted, "Really, I'll be fine."

James wanted to believe him, and he did admit Teddy hid his pain way better than James expected when Molly called for dinner. Teddy sat across the table from James, smiling and laughing with everyone else, he seemed to be having a great time. When he caught James watching him, he just smiled, and James smiled back, but he still felt worried.

If Teddy having a headache made Harry as worried as he was acting, then James got the feeling it was a lot more serious than Teddy made it out to be. Of course, that just made James more uneasy, eating only because it was an automatic response, eyes down as he scooped casserole onto his fork and pushed it into his mouth while going through a long list of both muggle and magical possibilities for Teddy's headache.

Sleep deprivation, fumes from potions he was making (because Teddy made potions quite often as it was a huge part of his job; and because he had a habit of making Wolfsbane potion just for kicks. He called it a hobby, for some reason, and always carried at least seven bottles with him "just in case"). Maybe the headaches were from overwork, or not eating enough, dehydration, casting a spell too advanced for him and leaving him with physical side effects, maybe he got cursed on his last mission. Honestly, it could be anything.

"You're being unusually quiet this evening," Albus noted from beside him, working on his dessert, which James hadn't realized had been set out.

His slice of pie was already almost entirely gone and he was feeling pleasantly full from food.

"Got a lot on my mind, that's all," James tried to counter, finishing that last bit of pie as Albus stared at him.

"How much could you even fit in that head? Isn't 80% of your brain Quidditch wired?"

"Al don't be ridiculous, Quidditch takes up no more than 50%."

James heard Teddy snicker, and met his bemused eyes as the Auror continued to laugh at him, but James just grinned back. Albus looked between them before something seemed to dawn on him and he turned away, nose wrinkled.

"Ugh."

Dinner finished and half of the family moved to help Molly clean up, Percy and Ginny worked to get the youngest kids to bed, Lucy was the only one who went without a fuss, Fred and Roxanne complained with Louis about wanting to stay up later to wait for Santa to come, Dominique muttered about Santa not being real and there was a short uproar of adults scolding her and Hugo shrieking that she was a liar. James, still seated at the table enjoying a cup of tea, saw Teddy wince at the noise, his face paling a few more shades. James was tempted to leap up and tell everyone to just shut up already, his fingers biting into the porcelain of his mug and eyes glaring until the youngest of his cousins had finally left the kitchen.

Molly brought Teddy a new cup of tea before his first had even been finished, simply because she decided he'd let it get too cold and that was unacceptable. Andromeda left with a promise of returning the next morning, and tried to get Teddy to come with her, but he insisted he stay.

"I'm still drinking my tea, gran."

"Don't worry, Andy, we'll take care of him," Molly assured, and Andromeda nodded, squeezing her hands before kissing Teddy's cheek and leaving through the floo.

"Bedtime, James," Ginny called, and James gaped at her.

"What for? I'm not a kid, can't I stay up?"

"No, James," Ginny chided, and Teddy grinned as he groaned and pushed himself up.

"I'm seventeen, this is dumb."

"Nighty night, Jamie," Teddy sang, and James stuck out his tongue defiantly.

He passed Ginny in the doorway, accepting the kiss she placed to his forehead, "Sleep well, darling."

But he didn't go straight to bed, and hovered just around the corner as Ginny joined Harry, who was talking in a low voice. James inched closer to hear better.

"Did you take something?"

"Yes, just before I came," Teddy was the one to answer, "I really am fine."

"You should sleep," Harry said to him, clearly not caring for his words, "Tonight will probably be the worst for you."

"I just didn't want to disappoint Lily or the others by not coming," Teddy admitted, sounding tired, "I'll be okay."

"Do you want a bed, darling?" Molly asked.

"That's okay, gran, I can take the couch. I think that would be best."

James scrambled up the stairs before they walked out of the kitchen and ducked into the first bedroom he came to. All the boys had been set up in one bedroom, the girls were in another, Christmas was always set up like that, and James normally loved it. Accept, Teddy usually took the room with the rest of them, but now he would be downstairs. Because he was sick with a bad headache and didn't want to worry any of the younger kids.

James would be sharing the room with Fred, Louis, Albus, and Hugo. Victoire, Dominique, Rose, Roxanne, Lily, Lucy, and Molly were all in the room just next door. Fred was bugging Albus when James walked into the room and shut the door, all of them curled up in sleeping bags on the floor, or the little bed that Louis and Hugo had commandeered as theirs. Albus was curled up on the couch trying to ignore Fred, holding a pillow over his head.

"Come on, Al, one game."

"Sod off, I'm tired."

"Why are you so moody all the time?" Louis asked, smiling at James but frowning immediately, "Where'd Ted go?"

"Uh, he's staying downstairs tonight."

"Too good for us small kids?" Fred asked, abandoning his quest to get Albus to play wizards chess in favor of sitting on his sleeping bag.

James just laughed and made sure the door was shut before walking over and taking the sleeping bag next to Fred, between he and the couch where Albus was laying.

"It's nothing like that. He's just, you know, talking with the adults right now, and doesn't want to wake us up later by sneaking in to sleep, so decided to just take the couch."

"That's a lie!" Hugo said, then leaned down to whisper, "He's in the living room. He's trying to catch Santa. I know Dom was lying, he is real, and Teddy's gonna catch him tonight!"

Louis rolled his eyes and flopped onto his back as Fred grinned, biting back a joke as James nodded fervently.

"You got that right, Hugo, but we better be quiet, otherwise Santa won't ever come."

"You're thirteen, Hu," Louis noted, "How has Uncle Ron kept you believing this nonsense?"

"I've seen him Lou, with my own eyes!" Hugo argued, and there was a knock on the door.

"Sleep well, boys," Harry's voice came through, and the five boys waited and listened for his footsteps to lead away before James pointed his wand at the lamps on the table to flick them off without having to get up.

"Let's go to sleep now."

"I'm not sleeping," Hugo said wisely, "I'm staying up all night to help Teddy catch Santa."

James laid down with a sigh, "Hugo, you're the light of my life, but if you bother Teddy tonight, I'll hang you out the attic window by your ankles and bind you there with spelotape until you apologize."

"And I, will help," Fred added, and Hugo mumbled something before the sound of rustling sheets and comforters filled the room.

James stayed on his back, staring up at the pitch ceiling with his wand in his hand as he waited for the sounds of his cousin's finally sleeping. It seemed to take forever before Hugo's soft snores began to rise from the bed, Fred's slightly louder snorts coming from beside James, and the occasional mumble in Louis' sleep, in French (an absolute phenomenon, because while awake, Louis had trouble speaking more than a few basic words, but while sleeping he appeared fluent in his mother's language).

James almost jumped when Albus spoke in a whisper under his breath, "Is Teddy okay?"

"Merlin- I thought you were asleep."

"I'm not."

"I noticed."

"He didn't look too good today."

"He's just overworked," James lied, "He needs sleep, that's what dad said."

"... fine," Albus decided, blankets shifting as he turned, "Try not to worry too much."

"I'm not worried."

"Sure, James."

James didn't know if he or Albus fell asleep first, but the next thing he knew he was waking up sometime during the night, tangled up in his sleeping bag with Fred partway on top of him, having rolled closer in his sleep and deciding James would make a nice cushion. It was pitch black, but he was pretty confident that what had woken him was his brother's hand dangling in his face, which he pushed back onto the couch before grumbling and sitting up, rubbing his hands into his eyes before squinting around the room.

There was no way to know what time it was without leaving the room, so he slipped away from Fred's grasp and slowly rose to his feet, picking up his wand and shuffling over to the door before cracking it open and slipping out, shutting it and whispering "lumos" to dimly light the tip of his wand.

The clock hanging on the wall just in front of him ticked with a dozen hands, but the two largest were at 2:23 a.m., so James turned to return to bed, but paused when he noticed a dim orange glow from the stairs. His thoughts on Teddy, he crept to the steps and began descending them, shaking the light in his wand dark and stopping halfway to the first floor, crouching to peer between the bars of the staircase railing into the living room.

Teddy was sitting up on the couch, clearly awake, the blankets still folded beside him with an untouched pillow sitting on top. Sitting on the coffee table in front of him, for some reason, was a case that held, from what James could see at the distance he crouched, potion ingredients and other oddities. The fireplace was crackling with orange light that send oddly colored shadows across the room, the lit up Christmas tree adding to the coloration, and Teddy was slumped forward, his face in his hands, his hair a color of pitch and tar that seemed even blacker than normal black hair.

James stowed his wand in the pocket of his sweatpants and snuck the rest of the way down the stairs, rounding the wall to reach the living area and slowly coming up to Teddy from the side, not wanting to startle him so calling out softly.

"Teddy? Pst! Hey, you okay?"

Teddy moved sluggishly, pulling his hands away from his face and cringing, pushing them back up and grinding the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"Jame... Jamie, yea, I'm... what are you doing awake?"

"Fred rolled on top of me, I was suffocating and needed to check the time. It's almost 2:30."

"Is it?"

"Have you slept?" Teddy just laughed and James drew his brow as he stepped closer, lowering himself to sit next to Teddy, as close as he could, "Is it your head?"

"I just... need a minute."

He sounded breathless and in pain, and James felt something like panic spark through him as he put a hand in Teddy's shoulder, rubbing small circles into his back as Teddy continued to cling to his face, fingers digging into his hairline and his body trembling.

"I'm okay."

"You're not okay, Teddy, Merlin. Let me help, how do I help?" Teddy shook his head, "I'll get my dad, he'll know what to do."

"Don't wake him up for this, James, I just need a minute," he winced, "Owe..."

James had his hand on the back of Teddy's head now, stroking his unusually dark hair and turned towards him, his other hand curled around Teddy's wrist.

"Teddy I can't help you unless you let me. You're used to these headaches, right? So tell me what to do to help."

Teddy was still for a moment, shadows from the Christmas lights and the fireplace casting across him, and James rubbed his back as he started to pull his hands from his eyes.

His face seemed even whiter than before, if that was possible. The flush in his cheeks had gone green, and the white had tinged gray, he almost looked seasick, or like a ghost, his black eyes blank and glassy like he couldn't see straight. What really made James panic, though, was the blood.

A single fine line of scarlet that dripped from Teddy's nose, across his lips and down his chin, stark against the pale white of the rest of his face. James felt himself choke and reach out, instinctively pressing the sleeve of his shirt under Teddy's nose, the light gray staining quickly as Teddy tried to pry him away.

"Stop, you'll make a mess."

"Teddy you're bleeding!"

"Shhh!" Teddy cringed, pulling James' hand away, the blood smeared and dry edges if the line flaked across his lips and chin, nodding to the table.

James was reluctant to look away, but did so anyway, to see that Teddy had set up a few potion ingredients, a small cauldron sitting next to them, but he seemed to have stopped in the middle of weighing strands of hair-thin willow bark.

"What's that?"

"Tonic... for my head. Kingsley Shacklelbolt developed it with a bit of help from Slughorn when I first started getting my migraines. It... it helps. The first potion I learned how to make, because I needed it. I ran out, though, too embarrassed to tell Harry. I've been so busy I didn't have time to make more before coming, so I figured I'd just whip up a small bit while I was here. But my... my head got really bad... it's pounding, it hurts so bad, my hands are shaking too much."

"I'll do it!" James offered immediately, snatching the paper sitting on the table that held the directions for the potion, "Just lie down, okay? Close your eyes."

He scrambled around, pushing the pillow against the arm of the couch on the other side of Teddy, then taking his shoulder and urging him to slowly lie down, wincing as he went and rolling onto his side, taking the handkerchief James gave him with shaking fingers and holding it against his nose to keep the blood from getting on Molly's furniture.

"Just lie there, okay?" James said, rounding the table and kneeling down, going down the list and repeating everything at least eight times in his head, "I'll take care of it."

It was, unfortunately, a very complicated potion. After lighting a small magical fire under the cauldron that wouldn't smolder the wood of the coffee table, he began weighing ingredients and adding them; willow bark and heavily diluted dittany, an eighth of an ounce of powdered silver, exactly two drops of Salamander tears, and a handful of other ingredients that made the tonic bubble a strange orange.

James was absolutely silent the entire time, concentrating harder than he'd ever done before for any potion or tonic, even during an exam. He just wanted to get this right, so Teddy could stop hurting. After adding in another few ingredients, he stared in awe as the potion turned an odd silvery color that took the appearance of mercury, added Flobberworm slime to thicken it, mixed it exactly sixteen times counterclockwise, and nudged Teddy.

"Teds, I'm done. Did I do it right?"

Teddy opened his unfocused eyes and sat up, shaking worse than before, James noticed the ring of white in the middle of either iris, and he stared at the tonic, nodding slowly.

"Yea... yea, it has the right consistency, the right color."

"Right, good," James carefully ladled the tonic into a cup that had been waiting nearby, sitting on the couch next to Teddy and waiting for the Auror to wrap his hands around it.

Still shaking, so James kept a hold on the cup as well, helping to lift it so Teddy could drink it, his face twisting in dislike but drinking all of it and turning away to cough into his arm.

"Did it taste right? Did I do it right? Are you okay?"

"You did fine, James, I trust you," Teddy promised, but James felt wary as he set the cup back down, taking the handkerchief from Teddy's weakly clenched fist and cleaning away the blood on his chin.

"I thought from the silver... does this have to do with your dad?"

Teddy winced at that, "I'm not a werewolf."

"Yea I know, but-."

"I get migraines when the moon is full," Teddy mumbled, "No one picked up on it immediately, took a few years for my grandma to realize the headaches came so frequently around the same cycle of the moon filling out. There's never been a case of a werewolf having a child before, not like me, so no one really knew what would happen. I guess... even if I'm not a full werewolf, even if I don't transform, something in me still reacts to the full moon. My head feels like it's shrinking in on my brain, like my skull is shattering open. It's horrible. It can get so bad that I black out, I get nauseous, have nightmares."

"I'm sorry," James said it softly, still trying the wipe away the blood from Teddy's nose, "Do you... get nose bleeds a lot?"

Teddy nodded, "If my nose starts bleeding it's a pretty clear sign my headache is getting too severe. Normally I'm supposed to take that tonic before it happens. After it bleeds, then I start feeling nauseous, and by then it's too late to take my tonic, and I usually black out."

"Did you take it too late now?"

"No, I think I got it in time...," he managed to smile at James, taking the handkerchief from him, "Thank you. I don't think I would've been able to finish preparing it had you not come along to help. I'm sorry, though, that you have to see me like this."

"I don't care about that, Ted," James assured, keeping a hand on his shoulder, "You don't have to hide anything from me just to keep me from worrying. If you need help with this again in the future, let me know, okay?" he waited eagerly for Teddy to nod, then pulled away his hand, "Good then. Lie down again since you've taken the tonic. I'll put all this away."

"You go back to sleep too," Teddy insisted, watching James put all the potion supplies back into the small case.

"I will, I promise, just let me do this much more for you."

Teddy didn't complain, either he was too exhausted to or was genuinely fine with James doing more. He sat quietly on the couch and finished cleaning up his face as James finished putting everything away, filling a few vials with what was left of the tonic and stowing them in the box as well, shutting and securing it before sitting back on the couch next to Teddy.

"Aren't you going to bed?" he asked, James was pleased to see his eyes were lightening from the pitch black.

"Um, duh?" James pulled at the blanket that was hanging over the back of the couch, "I'm getting settled now."

"You should go back upstairs."

"Fred and Hugo keep snoring, Louis talks too much in his sleep, and I woke up with Al's hand in my face. I'd probably sleep better down here anyway," James decided, wrapping the blanket around himself, throwing the other side around Teddy, who seemed like he wanted to protest.

James didn't give him time to, just took the second blanket that Molly had left there for Teddy and wrapped that one around them both before curling up, feeling the weight of his worry mix with the early morning hour and yawning through the crackle of the fire.

"You can use me as a pillow," he said to Teddy, but he didn't really expect him to take the offer, so when he did, slumping and lying his head on James' shoulder, he tensed up in surprise, wide eyes staring at the mantle.

"Thank you," Teddy mumbled, he sounded truly exhausted, and James looked down at him, eyes closed and face still too pale.

His hair, luckily, had changed from that tar black, and the shade it had taken made James blink a few times in surprise. Pale, powdery pink, like crushed peppermint.

Teddy fell asleep within moments, and James curled closer to him, ensuring the blanket was securely around them and shutting his eyes, lying his cheek in Teddy's hair. He smelt like peppermint, too...

It didn't take James long to fall asleep either, and by the time he woke up, it was already nine in the morning, which was much later than he'd expected. Though he did stay awake with Teddy for pretty long, at least an hour. At first he didn't understand what had woken him, peeling his eyes open a crack just to stare at the fireplace, the stockings all stuffed and the fire newly stoked.

Then he heard it, the condescending sound of someone sipping tea, and blinked his eyes open, rolling his head to see both Albus and Lily sitting in armchairs across from the couch against the wall, holding cups and wearing matching red and green rimmed Christmas themed sunglasses that twinkled at the edges, the lenses a flashing gold and silver; gifts from Ron no doubt. The two of them were watching him with simple expressions, their eyes hidden by the glasses, but when they seemed to catch him looking at them in bewilderment, they lifted their tea cups from their saucers and brought them to their lips in a ridiculously well rehearsed and simultaneous movement, taking slow, very loud, very condescending sips.

"What... the devil... are you two doing?" James managed to ask through his tumble of confused emotions, and Lily slowly lowered her teacup back into the saucer held in her other hand.

"That, Mister Potter, is what we should be asking."

"How long have you been sitting there?" James asked, shifting, pausing when he felt Teddy's weight still rested against him, head against his shoulder.

"What time is it, Miss Potter?" Albus asked, and Lily answered without looking away from James.

"It's 9:23, Mister Potter."

"Then we've been sitting here for thirty minutes maybe."

"Why do you sound so proud of that?" James asked, still so entirely confused, "You two are freaking me out."

"When did you come downstairs last night?" Lily asked, and James gaped at her.

"I don't know, two o'clock I think?"

"And why did you come down so early, Mister Potter?" Albus asked, "Surely you don't believe in Santa, do you?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous."

Both of them stood up at the same time, setting their saucers and teacups on the table as Lily whipped out a muggle flashlight and flipped it on, shining it into James' face.

"So you admit you came down here to see Teddy?"

"What? I mean, yea? Where did you get that?"

"And what were you doing?" Albus asked, and James squinted against the light to see him.

"I was sleeping, what the bloody else would I be doing?"

His younger siblings crowded closer, "I don't know, James, what would you be doing at 2 a.m. Christmas Eve, sneaking downstairs to visit Teddy?"

"Sleeping, I just told you!"

"Kids, I said not to wake them up," James looked to the side where their father was standing, arms folded and one eyebrow raised, still in his sleepwear and his hair tangled in a bedhead.

Albus and Lily backed away, and Lily shut off her flashlight before picking up her teacup, "He woke up on his own, we didn't do anything, right Al?"

"Yea, dad."

Harry looked at James, who just blanked at him, "I don't even know what's going on, dad."

"Oh both of you!" Ginny snapped as she walked up beside Harry, and Lily and Albus scrambled to grab their cups and leave the room with their mother following, scolding them about bothering their brother, let Teddy rest, blah blah.

"How's he doing?" Harry asked, stepping further into the room and glancing at the closed potion kit before looking at Teddy, whose hair had changed to it's natural tawny brown color in sleep.

It was the best way to know he was really sleeping and not faking. Teddy always kept his hair blue, or other wild colors, only allowing it to change back to the shade he was born with, his father's hair, when he was truly relaxed, not paying attention. Usually when he was sleeping. James loved how fun Teddy's hair could be, but he loved it when he showed his true colors even more. He just wished he could see Teddy's blue-green eyes more often.

"I dunno... he wasn't doing too good last night," James said, looking at his father, "Why did you never tell me about his migraines?"

Harry paused beside the couch, one corner of his lips twitching in a controlled smile before looking down at Teddy, "Well, it wasn't entirely relevant, and would have just worried you."

"His nose was bleeding, too," James said, looking down at where the stained handkerchief was clutched in Teddy's loose fist, "He was hurting pretty bad."

"So he didn't take his medicine after all," Harry looked again to the potion kit, and James shook his head.

"He said he ran out and didn't have time to make more because he's been so busy with work."

"He knows I would have helped," Harry said, looking both guilty and indignant, like he was upset he hadn't realized Teddy was lying and mad that Teddy had lied in the first place, "Honestly."

"I made it up for him," James assured, "Last night. He was starting it but couldn't finish, so I did it for him and made sure he drank it."

"He still looks pretty ill," Harry sighed, "I'm going to let your grandmother know, she and I will make something to put color back in his face," he paused while turning, smiling at James, "Good job looking after him. You must have fixed the potion quickly if he slept so easily."

"Think so?" James asked, "I was worried I may have gotten something wrong. That probably would have made him sicker, I don't want that."

"James, you did fine," Harry chuckled, "Just keep doing what you're doing, okay?"

Still feeling worried, but grateful, James nodded, watching his father leave the room before settling back, looking over at the tree. There were still presents sitting there, so James had a feeling everyone had been waiting for he and Teddy to wake up before tearing into them. That was nice of them, though James felt a bit guilty about making the kids wait.

They wouldn't have to wait much longer, though, as Teddy shifted and lifted a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes and blinking them open, keeping a hand on his head as James reached over to him.

"Teds. You feeling better?"

"Yea," Teddy said blearily, sitting up and detaching himself from the blankets wrapped around him, stretching his arms up until his spine cracked a few times and rubbing his eyes again, "Wow, yea I feel much better. Headaches almost completely gone."

He smiled at James, who had to grin back, because his eyes were that shade of pale blue and icy green that he'd inherited from his father. He must not realize what he looked like yet, still sleepy and not paying attention. James rarely if ever got to see Teddy like this, with his guard completely down; he really did look like his father.

The shade of his eyes flashed to a darker green as blue rapidly colored in his hair and footsteps pounded on the floor, the back door opening and most of the Weasley kids crowding back into the house covered in snow, Lily prancing back into the living room and brightening when she saw Teddy awake.

"Happy Christmas, Teddy!"

Teddy laughed and caught her in a hug that she threw at him, "Happy Christmas, Lils. What time is it?"

"Like 9:30," Albus answered, his Christmas sunglasses pushed onto his head, nestled in his dark hair, "Dad said we weren't allowed to wake you up."

"You should've," Teddy said, eyes wide and looking guilty for some reason, "I don't want to make anyone wait to celebrate."

"It's not a celebration without you though!" Lily argued, pulling away from Teddy and bouncing on her feet, "Dad! Dad! Mummy! Everyone's awake! Daddy! Gran! C'mon! Auntie!" she darted from the room and Teddy laughed loudly.

He stood up and picked up his potions kit, stuffing it into the bag he'd brought along and stowing it back behind the couch before anyone realized what it was and started asking why he'd have it out in the first place. A few of the family were eating or drinking tea and coffee in the kitchen when James and Teddy walked in, but the kids were flitting about in excitement over the presents under the tree.

Molly had Teddy sit, despite his swears that he was fine, and set a plate of breakfast in front of him, ordering him to eat and not move a muscle until he'd finished. James sat with him to eat his own breakfast, not caring that it was a little different than Teddy's.

"Join us when you finish," Molly said, hurrying around the kitchen to tidy up a bit before leaving to join everyone else in the living room.

Teddy and James just laughed about it and finished their food. Like Harry had hoped, there was a lot more color to Teddy's face once he'd finished eating, balancing a mug of cider in his hand as he followed James back into the living room. Teddy seemed to be feeling better, but James kept one eye on him the rest of the morning, even when Andromeda came back, this time through the front door.

Wrapping paper was thrown everywhere, little Molly couldn't decide what she liked better, the bow that had been tied around her present or the thick sweater her grandmother had wrapped it around, everyone was wearing their new Weasley sweater, even Teddy, while eating the candy and looking through books or toys. The adults had gone into the kitchen to cook and talk, half the kids were outside playing in the snow. Teddy tried to join them, but Harry asked him to stay inside ("Just for now, rest."). James was silently pleased about it and stayed inside with him despite how Hugo and Lucy tried to get him outside for a snowball fight.

"The last thing I want to do is ruin your Christmas, James," Teddy muttered, and James just stared at him.

"Name one legitimate way you've ruined my Christmas at all," he dared, and Teddy frowned.

"You had to take care of me last night, I made you wake up late-."

"Teddy I said a legitimate way. Taking care of you didn't ruin anything," James said it with a smile, and after a moment it had the effect he wanted as Teddy smiled back, the ends of his hair paling into that same powder pink that it had been before he'd fallen asleep just the night before.

The pink changed back to blue after a moment, but through the rest of the day it kept popping back up at times. Sometimes just the tips, sometimes whole streaks would flow into existence before changing back to blue, and Victoire was becoming increasingly fascinated by it, looking far too amused and absolutely beaming whenever the pink would show up again.

The more Teddy noticed her grinning, the more frustrated he seemed to get with her, but that just seemed to amuse her even more, and the entire time James just smiled at their interaction, innocently oblivious to whatever silent conversation they were having.

"Stop smirking at me," he heard Teddy whisper at one point when he was focused on something else, and Victoire whispered back.

"You're being very conspicuous, you know?"

"Shut up."

"Do you want a hat?"

"I swear to Merlin..."

"Just be happy he's a complete idiot."

"What are you two whispering about?" Albus asked, from behind them, making them jump in their seats.

"Nothing, Al," Teddy assured quickly, "Grown up stuff."

"Sure," Albus said, reaching up to slide down the red and green sunglasses and lifting up a bottle of Butterbeer with a straw sticking out of it, "but keep in mind, Teds. I, am not a complete idiot," Teddy actually looked a little frightened at that, while Victoire just grinned more, and Albus lifted his drink, "Cheers," and walked away.

"Sometimes I love that boy," Victoire revealed, and Teddy sunk down in his armchair, taking hold of the neck of his sweater and lifting it over his face to hide in it.

By supper time, Teddy seemed to be back to normal, though a bit tired. Sections of his blue hair kept changing to pink, and he'd mutter under his breath in annoyance after realizing it, but he was in much higher spirits, and despite how worried James had been for him, he felt that Christmas had been a success, and was eager to get back to school. It was his last year after all, he wanted to make the most of his Potions class.

"I think I might want to look into being an Auror," James said nonchalantly to Teddy, having taken the seat beside him for dinner that night, and Teddy glanced at him in surprise.

"Really?" he asked for clarity, leaning closer so they could hear each other over the roar of voices passing around the long table, "What brought that up?"

James shrugged, one elbow against the table and his chin in his hand, "Dunno. Guess it seems like a good career."

"You shouldn't pick a job just because it sounds good. You've gotta be passionate about something or you might start slacking, and a Ministry job isn't something you can slack on."

"I know that already," James said in annoyance, "I just wanna learn more about Potions and Tonics, and Aurors use them a lot, don't they?"

Teddy stared at him for a moment, assessing his words, not realizing his blue hair was quickly changing back to that powdery peppermint pink color. Not just strands this time, but entirely.

"Yea, they do," Teddy agreed as James slid his fingertip around the edge of his glass, "You know, there are other careers where you can research Potions. You could go into medicine and work at St Mungos, that could be nice."

"Yea, but you're not at St Mungos, you're at the Ministry," James said, holding up his hand in a "blah" way as if he figured his reasoning was already obvious.

"I thought you weren't that interested in potions?" Teddy asked, dragging his water goblet closer and hiding his face in it as he tried to fix his hair back before more people noticed it.

Already Victoire was snickering again, Albus and Lily had slowly lowered their matching Christmas themed sunglasses over their eyes (where had they even gotten those?), and Harry was glancing between he and his oldest niece with a look of confusion. He could only take bits of comfort from the fact they couldn't hear his conversation with James over the table.

"Well, I wasn't really," James folded his arms over the edge of the table, "They seemed kind of pointless, you know? If I can cast Charms and Spells, why do I need something as physical as Potions? But... I think I get it now, after last night."

"Last night?"

"Well, yea," James gave Teddy an innocent look, one eyebrow raised, "I can't imagine there's a spell I could've cast to make your migraine go away, right?" Teddy choked on his water, "Potions have their uses, they're important; I get it now," James smiled at his plate as he went back to his food, not noticing the way Teddy tried to drown himself in his goblet.

"You're sure you can't stay?" Molly was asking Andromeda at the door later in the night.

The kids were back in the living room trying to clean up, but constantly distracted by the tinsel, toys, and wrapping bows. Harry, Molly, and Ginny were at the door seeing off Andromeda and Teddy, who'd finally managed to fix his hair right and was playing with the strap of his bag.

"We would, but you know how I like spending some alone time with him," Andromeda smiled over at Teddy, who was saying goodbye to Harry, "Besides, we still need to visit Cissy and Draco."

"Yes, of course," Molly looked towards Andromeda's bag, where she'd placed three more wrapped presents, sweaters Molly had made for the three Malfoy's.

While Molly Weasley had found common ground with Narcissa and Draco, and liked Scorpius, she'd conveniently forgotten about Lucius; but she was sure he wouldn't mind; and she didn't care even if he did.

"You'll be apparating there?"

"That's right."

"Well go quick, it's supposed to snow again soon," Molly hugged the other woman before hustling Teddy into her arms, then patting his cheeks and praising him for looking much healthier than he had before.

The two of them stepped into the snow beyond, and Molly shut the door to keep out the cold, moving to the window instead to wave them off. James was at the other window across the room, opened and leaning out to wave at Teddy.

"Happy Christmas! I'll see you soon!"

"Yea?" Teddy grinned and trudged through the snow to reach the window, "See you at the Ministry?"

"Absolutely! And you have to come meet me once I'm home from Hogwarts! Meet me at King's Cross and see me off! It's my last year remember!"

"I couldn't forget if I tried," Teddy promised, digging in his bag for a moment, "One thing, Jamie, but would you watch something for me?"

"Hm?" James frowned, watching Teddy pull out a glass vial of his tonic, and a familiar folded piece of paper, both of which he handed to James, who cradled the vial before unfolding the paper, "Your tonic?"

"Yea, keep it," Teddy said, "I've got it memorized already. Keep that bit just in case I forget again, and keep the recipe too, just in case."

James gaped at him, "Are you sure? This is your health you're giving me, it's no small gift."

"No, I know," Teddy smiled, cheeks flushed from cold, "It's a metaphor, Jamie."

"I'm not that great with those."

"I figured," Teddy started backing up, snow crunching under his boots, "If I trust anyone with my health, it's you," James felt his face warm, and Teddy laughed a little, like he'd made a funny joke, "Happy Christmas, James."

"Yea," James smiled again, lifting his empty hand in a wave, "Happy Christmas."

Teddy and Andromeda apparated seconds later, and snow started drifting down from the dark sky. James leaned back into the house and shut the window, reading over the recipe again before stowing it and the spare vial of tonic into the pocket of his jeans, turning around and jumping in place when he found himself face to face with Lily and Albus.

"Bloody fuck!" he gasped, grabbing his chest and leaning against the wall, "Why have you two started doing this? What pleasure do you gain from giving me these heart attacks?"

"What did Teddy give you?" Lily asked, and James frowned, folding his arms.

"A potion recipe, why?"

"Why'd he give you that?" Albus asked next.

"To practice. I'm going into the Ministry as an Auror after graduating."

Lily and Albus exchanged a look before slowly sliding their sunglasses onto their faces.

"Sure, James, we believe you."

"Where did you even get those?!"

Gleeful laughter and carols sung off key continued to lift from the Burrow into the night as the snow continued to fall and blanket the ground, the sky cloudy, but near midnight when the snow finally paused, there was a break in the clouds, letting a newly waxing moon shine light over the field of white.

[maybemitch]

WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE [2/3]

Description: “The love between a mother and daughter is forever”

Warning: brief events of episode 1&2. (I changed up the timing for episode one events. Clementine and AJ were at Ericson for around 2 weeks before Y/N and Beth showed up and the events played out from then) and swearing.

Word Count: 3,493

————

“the love between...”

The new location which the duo now held a residence had almost instantaneously became a sort of home to them. Neither of the two didn’t really mind the fact that the other students didn’t exactly trust them 100%, they both knew - Y/N more than Beth - if it was them in this situation, they would be feeling the same exact way. The main reason the other teenagers were taking a long time adjusting to the two of them was because they were practically strangers, who could potentially kill them in their sleeps.

Yet, Marlon was very persuasive when it come to reasoning with the rest of the group. He had used the examples about if it was one of them out there with the child, they would want to be let in. Therefore, everyone eventually came to terms with it and just got on with their horror filled lives.

On the night of their arrival, Brody had been the one to guide them to their room which would now be their’s permanently, after dinner. As soon as the brunette approached the door and swung it open, revealing the two bunk beds, she swivelled on her heels and left the two, though Y/N and Beth didn’t really care.

The main reason they didn’t really care, was because before they stepped inside, AJ came sprinting around the corner and into the door besides them, notifying the two new comers that they were one of their neighbouring rooms, the other still unknown. Though, with this information of them being neighbours, Clementine smiled while Y/N mirrored it, the same thought in their heads; the two children can play in the hallway until late.

Over the course of the next few days, the girls dormitory began to look more homey, from the decorations hanging around; all down to Y/N. Beth did help with them, she sorted out the desk which was in the room and covered it with stickers which she found in one of the abandoned rooms, which Marlon let them go too for a few things.

Y/N was the happiest she had been in a long while, she could have a break from being a parental figure all day long. She could either watch Beth draw on the courtyard steps or benches with Tenn and AJ, with a small smile on her lips or help Omar with cooking the meals, when he wanted help.

Yet, paradise doesn’t stay paradise for long, because everything has a downfall. No matter how you try for it not to happen.

On the night of Marlon and Brody’s murder, Y/N and Beth had only been at Ericson for a week. They had been woken up alongside Clementine and AJ, the two older girls meeting in the hallway, yet the girl in the ‘D’ hat advised her to stay in her room. So she listened.

However, things were taking too long for her liking. Therefore, she grabbed ahold of her gun, tucking it behind her in the waist band and pulled her shirt down over it. Y/N held out her hand, Beth timidly taking it while she held tightly to the small blanket she held onto ever since she was a baby.

The two walked into the courtyard together, Beth hiding behind her mother figure. The group of Ericson teenagers stood in the rain, listening back and forth between Clementine and Marlon who were equally bloody. Y/N tightened her hand which was holding Beth’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

The moment Marlon backed down, Beth rounded her mother figure and stood besides her. Y/N took the opportunity to kneel down, pulling her daughter into a side hug, but froze the moment a gun echoed around the area.

Beth gasped, pointing out at the sight before her. Y/N’s hand flew up, shielding her eyes, while whispering reassurance in her ears.

That was the night that Ericson changed.

————

A FEW WEEK LATER

“a mother and daughter...”

Y/N tapped her foot against the floor, nervous, cold, bored. She constantly rubbed her hands together, trying to use the flames from the fire to warm it. She shivered, Omar - the chef - passing a cardigan which was draped across the back of a chair.

Omar stirred the contents in the bowl, shaking his head as he witnessed the girl wrap the overly big cardigan around her small figure in his peripheral vision. His mouth twitched up into a smile, “You know, if you’re just going to stand there and shiver, is much rather have Louis here. Least he says words rather than mumbles and chatters his teeth”

Y/N chuckled, Omar was only joking, he would always seemed annoyed when she would accompany him cooking; it was their unique friendship. “Oh, we all know how you would love to hear more jokes about stew with Lou”

The sound of the front gate creaked open, Y/N peering over her shoulder seeking the noise. She smiled widely when she saw the supply runners slip into the premises; Mitch, Louis, Clementine, AJ and Beth.

Louis ruffled the young girls hair, making her frown and pout her lip out. She shoved his legs slightly, Louis acting as if it was hard enough to topple him over as he took a step back. Y/N giggled at the interaction, until she saw Louis crouch down and point into her direction. The dreadlocked boy laughed the moment Beth bounced up and down in her place and than ran leaving Louis with nothing but a daisy she pulled out her hair.

Beth reached the two which were cooking, Omar holding out an arm to protect the girl from running into the hot cooking material. Beth apologised but Omar let it side, as he pinched her cheeks.

“What’s for dinner, mar?” Beth asked using the nickname she had for the chef. The male looking around the court yard, before fishing out a small spoon for her and took the contents of the pot onto it and cooled it down before handing it over. Beth hastily took the spoon, spilling a small bit before putting the rest into her mouth and smiled, “Whats this? It’s nice”

Y/N bit her lip awaiting his response. Omar also ruffled her hair, pinching out one of the daisies which was slipping from her head, “That little lady was rabbit stew. And you said you didn’t like that”

Beth coughed, acting as if she didn’t like it. She stuck out her tongue, pointing at it and pulled down on Y/N’s sleeve. “Water. It’s taste vile”

“You’re contradicting yourself,” Omar pointed out, resulting in a baffled look from the small girl, “It means you said something but then said something else. So you said you liked it and then you didn’t. You’re contradicting yourself”

“Con-tra... contra... what?” Beth asked as she laced her hands with Y/N.

The older girl squeeze her daughters hand, “Omar is just being an nerd. Saying fancy words to confuse you. Okay?” Beth nodded before cuddling into Y/N legs so the cardigan wrapped around her slightly, “So you gonna tell me what happen outside and who put these daisies in your hair?”

“Louis did them,” Beth said instantly, picking at the fray edges of the cardigan, “We did our area, so i wondered around. I held onto his belt on that coat”.

“What’s he say to that?” Omar questioned, causing Beth to glare at him, “Only asking. He hates people touching his jacket”

Beth continued to glare at him until Y/N nudged her causing her to continue, “He was alright with it, thank you very much” she sassed to Omar, causing him to hold up his spoon in defensive, “I found a patch of daisies and begged him to put them in hair. He enjoyed doing it but Clem told us off”

“Why?” Omar asked and Y/N nodded wanting an answer.

“I think she’s stressed. With everything happening. The preparation?” Beth ended her turn of speech with a question. The older two teenagers hiding their head in shame, “Preparation for what?”

“You know Beth, ive told you” Y/N muttered, showing a small smile to Omar and took her daughter for a small walk to the benches located by the dorm. “When Clementine left almost two weeks ago she ran into people which wanted the school. They’re coming, so she wants to keep us safe”

Beth slumped down a bit, her shoulders shaking slightly, she was crying. Not because she didn’t like being told something but because she was scared. Everyone was, heck, Y/N was scared. She knew how to fight, but against people which didn’t know she was there or the dead.

Y/N pulled Beth into a close hug but removed her arm so she could tugged off the cardigan from her shoulders and drape it over the younger girls shoulders, “Bethany, are you okay?”

“I’m scared Y/N,” Beth muttered, lifting up her head showing the tears which stained her pale face, “What if something happens?”

“Like what?”

“Like you leave me. Something happens to you,” Beth cried harder. Y/N’s heart was breaking piece by piece. Y/N’s eyes brushed upon the courtyard, Omar locked eyes with her, pointing to the small girl but she shook her head not wanting him to worry. Omar had been the one which looked after Beth a lot of the time, he had been the one which taught her things which Y/N couldn’t, the older girl had been really thankful for him. Beth looked up to Y/N once again, her lip wobbling, “What if something happens to you like my Dad?”

Y/N held back a sob, her throat aching as she held it, “Nothing is going to me. I promise alright. I’m not leaving you, we’ve made it this far together haven’t we?”

“I’d miss you if you weren’t with me,” Beth mumbled. Her hand clicking lacing with Y/N’s, “I love you Y/N”

“And I love you too, Beth”

————

“is forever”

The night finally came of the next downfall of Ericson. They had been playing cards earlier, asking questions which were suitable for all ages. Y/N had never laughed as much as she did at that game, she totally had forgotten about the raiders which were coming to attack the school. She felt like a normal teenager for a split moment.

However, that all came to an end the moment Clementine and AJ jumped down from the watch tower, meeting up Louis to walk with the rest of the group. Y/N was nervous her nails were bleeding with the constant picking at them. Her hands were shaking and that was noticeable when she was putting up Beth’s hair into pigtails to prevent it from being grabbed. Beth held onto Y/N’s hand, preventing her from joining the rest of the group. Beth opened her mouth to speak, “What shall i do?”

“You. Stay with me. Alright.” Y/N demanded, Beth smiling with a small nod, “Good now let’s join the oth-“

Omar was shot. He fell back, cradling her leg in the process. Beth gasped, her little feet trying to take her to Omar but Y/N instantaneous grabbed ahold of Beth’s hand. She shot Omar a painful glance but the male nodded and the two female went to cover. Y/N placed Beth in the corner away from the action. Y/N was greeted by Violet and Louis who were joining her at the side. Her hands were shaking around the bow, the arrows lay besides Beth, her small hands holding them in place.

Violet almost noticed her heavy breathing straight away, giving her a side eye, “You okay?” she whispered, Louis also looking at her while Lilly and Clementine were shouting at one another.

“I’m fine. It’s just,” Y/N discreetly jagged her thumb backwards, indicating Beth, “She’s a kid”

Louis held out his hand, gently pushing Y/N, “Listen, when they run to the admin building, hop over the wall and follow. Vi and I will have your back alright? Clem will understand”

“Alright”.

Then everything happened slowly in the world. Mitch and Willy had placed the bomb which soon exploded, Mitch being the good friend ran to protect Tenn which lead to him being slashed in the throat. Y/N gasped the sight was something she knew she wouldn’t be able to get out of her head now. Eventually, Clementine shot an arrow, as a group of people fled to the admin building. Y/N hopped over the wall, lifting Beth up over also and ran. Bullets were being shot at the pair but Louis kept his promise and protected them, shooting arrows — even if they missed most of the time. Y/N shoved open the door, Clementine quickly rushing them up the stairs to the very top.

“Come on,” Beth guided her into a room which was not in use anymore. They pushed the door open revealing a small office which had a small desk which a broken computer monitor and a swivel chair.

The girls hid behind the desk in time for the door to be swung open, causing the pictures in the walls to dance slightly. Y/N clamped a hand over the young girls mouth, the person didn’t miss it though. They stalked over to the desk, sliding everything off the desk in one angry motion. There dirt hands gripped in the part where the gap was, Y/N trying to hide more into the corner with Beth close in her chest.

The unknown person yanked the desk backwards, Y/N’s back hitting the floor at the sudden loss of support. Beth screamed loud the moment she was torn from her mother’s grasp. A gun place to her temple, the unknown person smirked.

“You,” the barked, the gun pushed to Beth’s head, the cold metal making the small girl shiver, “Whats your name?”

“Beth,” she cried out. The gun making her uncomfortable. The person pointed down to Y/N which was starting to push herself up, “She’s Y/N”

The person shoved back Beth, the girls back hitting the wall at an impact causing her to sink down to the floor. Y/N witnessed it all, a yell admitting from her lips as her foot connected with the person knee, causing them to sink to the floor, losing the grip of their gun.

Y/N pushed herself up, her feet slipping in the floor as she rushed over to Beth’s side. She placed her fingers where her pulse should be, sighing in relief when she felt it. The unknown person got back up, holding the gun in their hands pointing it to the two somewhat defeated girls.

“Hand Beth over,” the person ordered, finger twitching on the gun. Y/N raised an eyebrow but did nothing, “Now”

Y/N removed Beth from her body and stood up slowly using the wall as support. The person took a step back letting a gap between them. Y/N’s lip twitched up, “Don’t touch my fucking daughter, you bitch”

The person was startled at the sudden outburst, the gun lowering for a split second. Y/N took the opportunity to lunge herself forwards, knocking the gun from the persons hand and onto the floor near the door. Y/N ripped out her knife from her boot, an pushing it up against the raiders throat. The raider squirmed underneath the the blade, causing it to cut themselves slightly.

“You don’t have the guts,” the raider spat, their hands patting down the floor in urge to find something to defend themselves. Y/N pushed the blade closer, the raider chuckling, “Do it. Lilly will take you before you could say shit”

Y/N grunted, her hand flying up to grab the hand the raider through and slammed it down to the floor, “Don’t you underestimate me. I’ll do it you know”

The raider struggled, the blade now becoming a pain to them. Coughing they spoke, “Lilly will take either of you. She doesn’t care about the fucking age. It’s you or the toddler”

Y/N pushed the blade again, this time blood started to puss it from the neck at a dribble. The raider closed their eyes at the pain and Y/N just smiled and laugh, “Hurts doesn’t it?” she pushed it closer, a cry of pain emitting from the raiders lips, “You’re not taking my daughter and your not taki-“

The sentence didn’t get finished because the door swung open, Y/N peered over her shoulder, another raider - male - stood with their gun held high. The raider beneath Y/N once again, lifted up their hand and collided it with the girls jaw, sending her down to the ground in pain. The male raider held out his hand, helping the other up and turned to receive the small girl.

“Wait,” the original raider ordered. The males did as told and turned facing them, his eyes locked onto the blood which acted like a necklace around their neck and the cut on their eyebrow which resembled an eyebrow piercing, they were going to speak up but didn’t want to face the consequences of it. The original raider pointed down to the unconscious Y/N, “She’s a fighter. She would do anything to get back to her. Its obviously she loves her dearly”

The male scoop up the girl, throwing her over his shoulder as he handed his gun to the other. The other held the gun high, shooting the silhouettes of the other teenagers running.

“How’d you know?” The male raider asked as he tightened his grip on Y/N.

The original raider peeked out the door, noticing everyone in a battle and dipped out the door, running to the cage which already had in 2 teenagers. Their lips curled, “She risked her life for her. Y/N loved her so much, she did what we more a less wanted. To give herself up willingly”

The raiders walked out of the gates, meeting up with the others which were hanging back while the rest fought the Ericson. The male pulled out a cigar from his pocket, handed it over to the other and lit it up, “Wouldn’t really call it willingly, would ya?”

Sniggering the other raider shrugged, “Willingly, forced. Sounds the same to me”.

Eventually, Lilly ordered everyone out. The horse with the cage running away down the woodland path. Lilly threw a molotov, fire engulfing the front of the school, preventing the remainders from following them.

Beth came stumbling out of the admin building, dropping to her knees. A hand placed itself on her shoulder, the sound of knees clicking made her shiver but the familiar scent made her relax; Louis.

“You okay, Kiddo?” He asked, his eyes glancing down to her and then out to look for Y/N or Clementine. Beth shook her head, her pigtails wobbling at the base of her hair. Louis gave her a squeeze and pulled her close, “Talk to me, Beth”

“They took her,” Beth cried. Louis held as she cried into his shoulder. He didn’t mind the that this would stain his jacket for a moment, the small girl was hurt, he knows how it is to lose someone, someone close to him. Beth sniffed as she pulled back. The look on her face made Louis heart break, the tear ran down her face, her eyes were puff and nose runny. Louis ran his thumb pad over a tear, as he pulled a face to make the girl chuckle slightly, “Is she going to die?”

“What?” Louis instantly replied his face twisted in confusion. Then it soften as he processed what she asked and shook his head, dreadlocks shaking, “No. Y/N won’t die. We’ll get them back. Vi, Aasim, Omar and Y/N. Especially Y/N for your sake, okay?”

Beth stuck out her lip and then pushed her pinkie out, “Promise?”

Louis hooked his pinkie with the girl, nodding “Promise”.

Louis knew that Beth loved Y/N and Y/N loved Beth. And that their love was strong, like anyone else’s love. Louis knew that Y/N would do anything to get back to her daughter, he knew that Y/N would rebel - even in the short time they knew one another - he knew that Y/N wouldn’t give in and convert herself to a member of Delta.

Beth also knew that Y/N would do anything to get back. Beth understood that Y/N went through hell to get them to where they were, to a place which they could call home, a place which could be their safety blanket. Beth knew that Y/N would go to them ends of the earths to make her way back to her, because at the end of the day, that’s what it means to love.

————

i’m not saying that i prefer the clouis route over the violetine. the reason i allowed violet to be captured is because this way no one is harmed (you guys know what i mean if you’ve played/watched epsiode 3)

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ALIVE (this can be read separately, but if you want more backstory with this Y/N then read it and if you want more Beth content, read this)

[immovingawaytonorway]

Larry Fanfic Reading List

Or Brûlant 

Or the one where Harry is the new ballet teacher, despite him being younger than everyone in his class, and Louis is less than impressed by his inescapable talent. They sort themselves out eventually.

6 Weeks

When Harry takes the afternoon shift at the cafe, he meets a boy who drinks a lot of tea and never remembers his umbrella.

Carried Away Like Butterflies

It was probably a huge mistake for Louis to let his former One Night Stand move into his spare room, especially when said One Night Stand doesn't seem to remember him.

Now You Know Me ( For Your Eyes Only)

au where harry and Louis are solo artists and they’re not exactly friends per se but they’re friendly, know each other from industry parties and things like that and there’s always been this weird unspoken sexual tension between them and Louis’ always kinda confused bc isn’t harry the biggest ladies’ man in the industry?? and one day harry asks Louis to collab with him and of course Louis says yes even tho he’s kinda surprised and harry plays the song for him and Louis is completely blown away by how beautiful it is and it’s a love song and he’s like damn whoever this is about is lucky as fuck bc it’s clearly written from personal experience so they spend all this time together recording and it’s super bittersweet bc they click right away and it takes Louis about three seconds to realize he has a huge fucking crush on harry but on the other hand harry clearly had someone in mind when he wrote the song so the last day of recording comes and Louis’ like “thanks for having me on the song” and harry just shrugs and is like “well it just seemed fitting bc the song is about you”

Looking Through You

Just as Louis and Liam were starting out in the music industry, writing and producing for up and coming artists, a fateful meeting with new pop singer Harry Styles changes everything. Four years later, just as Harry is set to embark on his next world tour, a drunken confession causes a rift between once inseparable friends. As Harry tries to make sense of his feelings for Louis, he begins writing his next album to express them as it may be the only way to break through the walls that Louis has built between them.

Chasing Empty Seats

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

When It’s Late At Night

Louis has zero interest in an ex-boybander turned solo artist when his appearance on the show gets announced, but that's exactly who he gets stuck with when Harry Styles shows up at the Late Late show to promote the release of his debut album. For an entire fucking week.

Heaven’s Just Begun 

Harry is wholly convinced he's quite literally a sad excuse for a young adult, but this doesn't seem to stop the "boy next door" from developing the world's biggest crush on him.

Do Not Go Gentle

A Grey’s Anatomy AU where tensions are high, Harry and Louis are hooking up in secret, and no one has time for love. Or do they?

Galileo

Louis was captain of the state championship high school soccer team. Harry was that gorgeous, scarf-wearing, long-limbed British kid in his art class. They weren't supposed to be friends.

But somewhere along the line, Louis Tomlinson opened the locked mystery that was Harry Styles.

Freeze This Moment in a Frame and Stay Like This

Harry (not so) secretly crushes on the cute footie player and fills pages with sketches of him.

Nothing Please Me More Than You

Or...the one where Louis is a barista and Harry is the hot dude that comes in every day and does nothing except sit in the corner, writing in his notebook, all day long. But what Louis learns when he sneaks a peek inside the notebook changes everything.

Little White Lies

"I lied when I got my job.

I told them I had a kid so I could leave early 'to pick him up from day care', to take him to doctors appointments and occasionally miss a day 'when he's sick'. Long story short – I'm in too deep. I didn't think this through.

Looking to rent a kid for bring your child to work day. Must be a boy aged 4 to 6 with curly hair who plays soccer, essentially he has to look like the stock photo in the frame on my desk. Also must be artistic as the macaroni noodle drawings I made seem a little advanced for someone his age. He also needs to respond to 'my Little Picasso' as that's what my spouse and I call him. Also I will pay extra for someone willing to play the role of my spouse when dropping him off. His name is James, he's named after his grandpa and he's a defense attorney who often brings his work home.

You know what, just message me for the details, serious inquiries only. H."

Yell “Penis” For Password

Harry moves in to a new flat, and upon checking the wifi access, happens to find one demanding a very peculiar set of instructions. He makes the decision to follow them, which leads to a very interesting series of events.

There was a Reason I Collided With You

AU where Louis and Harry are neighbors who meet in the elevator of their apartment one morning and it becomes a routine for them. Louis pines a lot. Then one day, Harry doesn't show up at the elevator like he usually does, and well, Louis might panic.

You Lost Your Shoes as it Started to Rain

harry works in an american bakery but he doesn't know what scones are and he somehow meets a British boy named Louis.

Sugar

“I hope our paths will ‘croissant’ again.”

There’s a little smiley face drawn next to the words, and it’s ridiculous, Louis knows, but he can’t help the swell of butterflies that he feels as he reads over the words once more. An odd fellow indeed, he thinks.

A moment later he shakes his head and collects himself, because he really does need to get home; he’s sure that Harry is probably watching him from behind the counter, all sweet, smug smiles and pink cheeks. And if he’s being honest, he’s not entirely sure he won’t toss his groceries into the trash and walk straight back into the bakery if he doesn’t leave now, so… he really does need to get going.

Before he goes on his way, though, he plucks the note from the top of the container and carefully tucks it inside of his wallet to protect it from the rain.

That’s how it begins.

Hearts Don’t Break Around Here

Or: the one in which Harry's having his big movie debut and Louis sings on it's soundtrack.

The Boys of Summer

Harry is in love with Louis and would have given anything to be his partner for the end of term literature assignment. Louis is the only kid in the class who can get away with anything, and all he wants is the attention of the pretty boy with the curls across the room. Featuring lots of banter, pining, flirting, and Fionn as an unwilling Cupid.

The Pink Album

Or, a love seven years in the making, inspired by Harry's debut album.

If its Me You’re Looking For

Louis has a bad habit of getting drunk before he confesses--or maybe it's the other way around. AU. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

A collection of Larry Fanfics the I plan on reading lol.

updated: 08/27/2017

[crazyinthebestway]

Magic Born #4

:::MidCin - AU FANFIC:::

Characters: Princess, Sid, Leo, Louis, Alyn, Giles

📣Long-arcing storyline with chapters

📣Characters have been pulled from the MidCin Universe

📣Modern-day world with magic

📣NSFW Content will occur eventually, you’ve been warned

📣If you are concerned that Sid may not be acting like “Sid” at the beginning, don’t fret. There’s a reason for that…

FOUR

Sid takes deep breath when the three of them make it outside the apartment. He closes his eyes as if he’s been without fresh air for years. The cool night air breezes over him delicately. As he inhales, a familiar scent fills his nose. When he opens his eyes, he sees Pria standing in front of him; her long brown hair flowing in the breeze ever-so-slightly. She tucks her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and has her back to him currently. Wisps of her wavy hair float into the air and he nearly reaches out to touch it – nearly. He restrains himself by tugging his leather duster tighter around his body.

“This way,” Leo descends the stairs to his building, grabs Pria’s hand, and waves for Sid to follow him. He walks briskly towards the destination indicated by his contact. He didn’t fully explain what was to happen when he received his phone call earlier, and that set both Pria and Sid on edge.

“So, what’s the plan here?” Sid catches up to them.

“We need to meet my contact at the Dive. Then he’ll tell us where to go from there,” Leo abruptly stops. Pria doesn’t realize this in time and ends up walking past him, only to be yanked back by his tight grip.

“Leo, what the hell?” Pria finally wrenches her hand from his.

Leo turns to face Sid, “You’ll need to make yourself scarce.”

Sid raises an eyebrow at his use of words and his tone. He studies Leo’s face carefully; his fists clenching at his sides. He can see that the platinum-haired kid is nervous, so he lets the attitude slide, “I know how to be inconspicuous.”

Leo doesn’t really like Sid’s answer, but he nods nonetheless.

“What’s the Dive?” Pria asks; still massaging her hand.

“A nightclub. One of the only ones in the Trenches that hasn’t been shut down for one reason or another. It’s a popular spot, especially on Friday nights.”

“Does it have food?”

Leo flashes her a smirk that crinkles his eyes a bit, “Yes, though it’s not the best.”

“At this point, I could eat just about anything.”

He laughs lightly at the woman in front of him and turns back to Sid – only to find out he’s no longer there, “What the-

“Like he said: he knows how to be inconspicuous.”

The Dive isn’t too far away from Leo’s apartment and it appears that he’s well-known by most of the employees and the customers. He waves at several people as the two of them enter the nightclub. The music is ear-shatteringly loud and there are more bodies crammed into the small space than there really should be. Leo keeps a firm arm wrapped around Pria’s waist. She’s not really sure if it’s due to their cover as boyfriend-girlfriend or if it’s because he’s afraid she’ll get swept away in the sea of bodies. Either could be true at this point.

“Leo!” A tall, very busty brunette bounces her way through the dance floor to greet him with a hug. The hug throws Leo off-guard a bit and he has to release Pria to steady the woman and himself. Pria leans against the bar; placing her elbows on the counter, and watches with a smirk.

“Hi Callie,” Leo manages to squeeze the words out and slowly pulls her arms from around his neck, “How are you?”

Callie playfully slaps Leo’s chest and bats her eyelashes, “Oh Leo, you know exactly how I am.”

Pria watches the woman, who wastes no time in piling on the overly-sexual flirting. She’s wearing a sparkling purple mini-dress that barely covers her breasts…or her ass. She clasps her hands together in front of her; prompting her breasts to stand at attention even more than they already were. If it wasn’t so damn pathetic, Pria might actually feel threatened by the girl.

“Dance with me, Leo,” Callie whines and trails a finger down his chest, “I have missed you so much!” She pouts.

Pria rolls her eyes and lets out a laugh before she realizes she’s even doing so. The laugh causes Callie to snap her head in Pria’s direction; her blue eyes narrowing and a disgusted curl of her lip forming. Pria raises one eyebrow at her. Honestly, she’d could take her if she needed to.

“Callie,” Leo steps closer to Pria and smiles his perfect smile at her, “This is Pria,” he pauses briefly to wrap one of his arms around Pria’s waist; pulling her off of the bar, “My girlfriend.”

Callie’s eyes flick between the two of them several times before she speaks. A flash of surprise crosses her face, but it is quickly masked by false sentiment, “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware Leo was off the market.”

Something about the way Callie looks at Pria makes her blood boil. She wraps her own arms around Leo’s torso and looks up into Leo’s scarlet eyes, “Yeah, he kinda swept me off my feet with a single glance.” Pria returns her green eyes to Callie’s and bats her own eyelashes.

“Huh,” Callie crosses her arms and attempt to remain cordial, but Pria can tell the girl wants to throttle her, “Well, don’t get too comfortable. Leo’s not really a one-woman kind of guy.”

Pria’s fake smile drops into a scowl and she releases Leo. Before he can stop her, she steps right into Callie’s face, “Maybe you just weren’t,” Pria’s purposefully scans Callie’s body from head to toe, before returning her gaze to Callie’s eyes, “the right kind of woman for him.”

Callie gasps; her fake fingernails digging into her arms.

“Babe,” Leo wraps his arms around Pria’s waist from behind and bends to kiss her cheek, “Let’s dance.” Pria doesn’t answer him and Callie is still fuming as Leo pulls Pria onto the dance floor.

Leo spins Pria around to face him as the music pumps so loudly that it rattles her bones. She has absolutely no idea why Callie got under her skin back there. She’s not really dating Leo and could honestly care less who he does anything with.

“Hey,” Leo tips her chin up so that her eyes meet his, “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Pria shakes her head at him and looks at him incredulously, “Are we really gonna dance?”

“I think we should,” Leo smirks, “My contact will be here any time. If we’re not acting normal, they might get suspicious.”

Pria rolls her eyes.

Leo moves his hips and hands to the music and wiggles his eyebrows at her. She can’t help but let out an amused laugh. Then he grabs her hands and pulls them up around his neck. His hands move to the small of her back and he tugs her body close to his. He works one of his legs in between hers and an unusual spark ignites in her stomach. She feels her face flush and quickly looks away from him. He continues to move to the pulsating beat and she finds herself moving with him. She takes a deep breath and resigns herself to the music and what it’s doing to everyone else in the club. Most people are practically fornicating to it.

She looks back up at Leo, whose face now looks serious. He’s staring into her eyes and she can see something behind them that she hadn’t since they were half-naked on his couch – desire. She tightens her arms around his neck; bringing their faces closer together. His breath is hot and wet on her mouth as they both work up a sweat. Before they can actually kiss, though, Pria spins herself around so that her back is to him. The sudden flush of heat has now moved from her chest to her back. She hopes this will stifle the unusual feelings this whole dancing thing is invoking within her. It doesn’t work. Leo’s grip on her waist only tightens and she’s pressed up against him completely. He bends his head to the crook of her neck; breathing heavily and ghosting his lips across her skin. She finds herself reaching up and running her fingers through his hair; her heart racing. She closes her eyes momentarily, and when she opens them, she sees a familiar face across the dance floor.

Sid leans against the far wall; his blue eyes fixed on her and Leo. Her heart skips a beat for a moment, but something about how intently he stares at her excites her. She locks eyes with him as she moves against Leo; gripping Leo’s hair and pulling his head closer. Leo makes contact with her neck and plants a wet, hot kiss to her skin. She lets out an involuntary moan, but never moves her eyes away from Sid’s.

Sid watches the two of them from a distance. At first, his interest is piqued when he sees Pria getting defensive over a busty brunette. A smirk grows on his face when he sees her step to the woman. She obviously whispers something that shuts the girl up, but Leo yanks her onto the dance floor. He lets out a sigh as he scans the room for anyone who seems out of the ordinary. Everyone seems to be either drunk or lusting after another – or both – and nothing seems off. No one is wandering the room by themselves. Well, except for him. His eyes move slowly over the dance floor and he spots Leo and Pria easily enough. She’s no longer facing the white-haired Black Hawk. Now, she’s got her back pressed up against the guy and he’s basically sucking on her neck. A warmth of annoyances surges through his gut. He’s not one to fall for anyone, but something about the way she’s letting a perfect stranger manhandle her sets his emotions on fire. She closes her eyes as if she’s experiencing ecstasy at his touch. Sid clenches his fists and starts to step forward, when she opens her eyes abruptly. He stops. They lock eyes. What is she doing? Sid leans back against the wall; unable to take his eyes off of Pria’s. Those liquid green pools are filling with primal desire and it’s honestly the most intense thing he’s witnessed in a very long time. She reaches her hand up and before he can blink, Leo’s mouth is latched onto her neck. He can’t watch anymore. He quickly turns his head, taking several deep breaths. He hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath the whole time he watched her. Then he forces himself to take a few steps out of her line of sight. He needs fresh air.

[usagijimin]

Parlez-vous français?-Narry

Niall hates French. Well…he doesn’t hate it per say. He still thinks it’s a beautiful language and all; it’s just that he’s not very good at it. No matter how much time he spends making flash cards or staring at verb conjugations, he just can’t make anything stick. The only reason he hasn’t dropped the class yet is because of Harry, the grad student who’s been assigned to teach the two sections of Elementary French 1. He’d shown up to the very first day of the semester with a beret perched atop his long brown, curly hair, a box of fresh croissants tucked under his arm, and a widewide grin. Niall had liked him immediately. He was energetic despite their class’ early start time and the seeming lack of enthusiasm from his students, always moving quickly and constantly around the classroom in his painted on black skinny jeans. He was also unfailingly patient with Niall, no matter how embarrassingly slow he was at grasping certain concepts. More than once Harry had offered extra help for those who needed it, but Niall’s been too nervous to take him up on the offer yet.

’It’s the fourth week of the semester when Harry begins class with a brief announcement about the university’s French club. “I’m in charge of the club this year,” Harry announced, sat on the edge of his desk at the front of the room. “We meet once a week on Thursday nights in this room to watch movies, talk, and eat French food. It’s a lot of fun! This week we will be watching Les Choristes and making crepes, so you all should come and feel free to bring some friends! All are welcome!” The blonde girl next to Niall raises her hand. “If we go do we get extra credit?” “Peut-être…ou peut-être pas. You’ll just have to go to the meeting and find out, Amanda,” Harry replied, his smile turning slightly mischievous. “Now, let’s talk about la famille!” Niall already spends way too much of his time thinking about French class, so he’s not so sure why he finds himself standing outside the door to his classroom on Thursday night instead of out at the bars with Louis or Liam. He takes a deep breath and opens the door. There are about fifteen other people there. He doesn’t recognize a single one of them from class or from around campus. Harry’s at the front of the room, a griddle and his supplies all set up on his desk. He’s wearing a maroon sweater, the sleeves rolled up to reveal a series of tattoos. “Niall!” Harry calls out and their eyes meet. Harry’s green eyes are so warm it makes Niall insides suddenly feel like melted butter. He can’t help the smile that makes its way onto his face. “Come tell me what you want in your crepe!” Niall can’t look away from Harry’s long bony fingers as he pours some of the batter onto the griddle. He’s always wearing at least two rings on his fingers, never the same ones two days in a row. Harry starts adding in ingredients at Niall’s request. Caramel sauce. Sliced banana. Chocolate chips. When it begins to brown, Harry folds the crepe delicately and with his spatula slides it onto Niall’s plate. Niall’s not surprised to find that Harry is a good cook. The crepe is warm and soft in his mouth and he finds himself finishing it before Harry’s managed to even start the film. The film is about a music teacher who goes to work at a school for troubled youth and ends up forming a chorus. It’s better than Niall thought it would be. The moment it’s over, the room fills with the soft buzz of voices as everyone rises from their seats, pulls their coats on, and begin to quickly disperse, leaving Harry behind to clean up and pack up all his supplies. Niall stays behind to help him, earning two dimples in the process. “Thank you for coming, Niall. You were my only student who did.” Niall scratches at the side of his neck, feeling his skin grow a bit warm. “S'no problem. Was a good movie.” Harry’s face lights up at this. “I’m glad you liked it! I think it’s one of my favorite movies of all time.” “Really?” Harry nods, wrapping the long chord of the griddle around and around it and tucking it back in the box where it belongs. “Yeah. I’m a big fan of music and I think the music is really good. Also…I’m just a sucker for a good old fashioned redemption narratives.” Niall snorts and watches Harry struggle to juggle six plastic bags full of supplies, the griddle, and his own satchel in his two hands for a few seconds before he reaches forward and takes the griddle into his hands. “I’ll help you carry this.” “Thanks, I appreciate it. I promise my car’s parked close by.” They take the elevator down to the first floor of the old, dusty language building and they step out into the cool February night. Harry leads him two blocks to his red town and country mini van. “What?” Harry asks defensively when he sees Niall’s reaction. “It’s a hand-me-down.” “Sure,” Niall replies, biting his lip to hide his smile. Harry opens the side door and dumps all the plastic bags on one of the seats before he takes the griddle from Niall’s hands. “How far away do you live? Do you need a ride? "I’m alright. It’s only about a fifteen minute walk.” “Come on, get in. I insist. It’s the least I can do after you helped me out.” “Fine,” Niall says, walking around the passenger seat and climbing in. The car smells like the evergreen air-freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. Harry turns on the ignition and pulls onto the street. The two sit in silence for a solid minute after he gives Harry directions. Finally, Niall clears his throat and asks, “so, why French?” Harry laughs and uses his pinky finger to switch on his turn signal and Niall’s not sure why he finds that so cute. “I’m afraid the story’s not all that interesting. I took French in high school and really liked it so I kept taking French classes in college, thinking I might minor in it. I didn’t decide to major in it until my Sophomore year because of this great class I had on French Romanticism. And now four years later I’m here, doing research, working towards a Masters. What about you?” “What’s my major or why I’m taking French?” “Either really,” Harry says lightly, sparing Niall a brief glance before looking back at the road. “Well…I study astronomy and physics.” “Oh?” “I guess I like space. Always have. Had these glow-in the dark stars in my room growing up and I always liked to arrange them to form constellations.” “So I’m guessing French is just a ged ed requirement?” “Yeah.” Niall pauses. “Look…I’ve been meaning to say this, but I’m sorry I’m so bad at it all. French I mean.” “Why are you apologizing to me? You have nothing to be sorry for, Niall. Learning a new language is difficult and sometimes French is unnecessarily difficult.” “But not as difficult as I make it out to be. The other students aren’t having as hard a time as I am.” “The other students don’t even pay attention to what I’m saying most of the time and they’re not interested in what they’re learning. You listen and you try, and that’s all I care about.” Harry pauses and looks at Niall longer than he should while sitting in the driver’s seat, his expression soft. “And you came tonight which helps validates me a bit as a teacher.” Niall wants to tell Harry that it’s not the French that makes him pay attention to Harry or why he made the decision to come tonight, but he remains quiet. In the absence of sound Harry turns the radio up and the two nod their heads along to The Eagles. Harry pulls up to Niall’s small, red brick apartment building and shifts into Park. Niall reaches for the door before he can say something stupid, only to be stopped by Harry’s large hand on his shoulder. Niall’s theorist feels tight all of a sudden. “And I know I’ve said it before. If you feel overwhelmed or need help, I have office hours. Feel free to come. I usually spend the entire time on my computer watching Netflix. ” “Alright,” Niall says. “I’ll stop by.” “Good,” Harry replies, giving his shoulder a little squeeze. “Have a good night, Niall.” “You too.” Louis and Liam are sitting in the living room playing Mario Kart when Niall comes in. “Why are you so red?” Louis asks. Niall rushes to his room before they can ask him anymore.

Niall spends five whole minutes in front of the bathroom mirror, running his fingers through his hair, toying with different strands of his dark hair, before he calms himself enough to go knock on the door to Harry’s office. “Come in!” Harry yells. Niall takes a deep breath and pushes open the door. Harry’s sat reclining on his desk chair, his feet propped up on his desk, a laptop haphazardly propped up on his knees. “Morning Niall,” he grins. Unlike usual, his hair’s pulled back into a tight bun and he’s wearing a Green Bay Packers sweatshirt. “You’re going to break the chair and your back,” Niall says in lieu of a greeting. He sets his backpack down on the ground and makes himself at home in the black, plastic chair in front of him. “None of that,” Harry replies, his eyebrows furrowed and his lower lip jutted out in his best attempt at a serious expression. “You’re the one that came to me for wisdom and guidance, remember?” “Which is why I want you to live long enough for you to actually help me.” “Fair point.” He grabs the laptop and swings his legs down from the desk. “How are you doing today? Your classes all going well?” “Midterms,” Niall answers solemnly. Harry nods understandingly. “It’s a rough time for everybody.” “I’m running on no sleep and two Red Bull’s right now.” “That’s so unhealthy for you!” Harry scoffs. “Says the man who has a coffee cup on his desk right now.” “It’s tea!” “Yeah sure. Let me be the judge of that,” Niall says, leaning forward to take the cup in his hand. Harry grabs Niall’s wrist abruptly to stop. “It’s tea! I swear on my life!” “You sound a little defensive there. Afraid of being called a hypocrite?” Niall shakes Harry’s grip and grabs the cup. Once again Harry grabs Niall’s wrist and the two struggle to gain control. It’s not until Niall’s got complete control and their laughing subsides, that Niall realizes how close their faces are to one another. Harry’s breath fans across his face, the tip of his nose just brushing Harry’s. He can see the small mole on Harry’s cheek up close and personal, and he wants more than anything to kiss it. He quickly looks down at the cup in his hand and pulls back the lid just the smallest amount to reveal a cup of coffee. “I knew-” He’s interrupted by Harry’s mouth pressing hard against his. Niall lets the cup fall to the floor in favor of reaching out and cradling Harry’s face. His lips are warm and wet, and his breath is shaky when he pulls back for a moment, his eyes still closed. He lets Harry kiss him again, this time with slow sweeps of his tongue, leaving the bitter taste off coffee behind in his mouth. When Harry pulls back a moment later his lips look so plump and pink. His eyes widen. “Shit.”

[trishbsblog]

It is never too late to be what you might have been ̴ George Eliot Reasons for and against giving up the glitzy, glamorous world of flying: Pros: 1. No more cleaning up other people’s sick. 2. No more 2 a.m. wake-up calls, jet lag, swollen feet/ stomach or shrivelled-up skin. 3. No more tedious questions like, ‘What’s that lake/ mountain down there?’ and ‘Does the mile high club really exist?’ 4. No more serving kippers and poached eggs at 4 a.m. to passengers with dog-breath and smelly socks. 5. No more risk of dying from deep vein thrombosis, malaria or yellow fever. 6. No more battles with passengers who insist that their flat-pack gazebo will fit into the overhead locker. 7. No more wearing a permanent smile and a name badge. 8. No danger of bumping into ex-boyfriend and his latest ‘I’m-Debbie-come-fly-me’. Cons: 1. No more fake Prada, Louis Vuitton or Gucci. 2. No more lazing by the pool in winter. 3. No more ten-hour retail therapy sessions in shopping malls the size of a small island — and getting paid for it. 4. No more posh hotel freebies (toiletries, slippers, fluffy bathrobes etc.). 5. Holidays (if any) now to be taken in Costa del Cheapo, as opposed to Barbados or Bora Bora. 6. No more horse riding around the pyramids, imagining I’m a desert queen. 7. No more ice skating in Central Park, imagining I’m Ali MacGraw in Love Story. 8. Having to swap my riverside apartment for a shoebox, and my Mazda convertible for a pushbike. ‘Cabin crew, ten minutes to landing. Ten minutes, please,’ comes the captain’s olive-oil-smooth voice over the intercom. This is it. No going back. I’m past the point of no return. The galley curtain swishes open — it’s showtime! I switch on my full-beam smile and enter upstage left, pushing my trolley for the very last time ... ‘Anyheadsetsanyrubbishlandingcard? Anyheadsetsanyrubbishlandingcard? ...’ Have I taken leave of my senses? The notion of an actress living in a garret, sacrificing everything for the sake of her art, seemed so romantic when I gaily handed in my notice three months ago, but now I’m not so sure … Be positive! Just think, a couple of years from now, you could be sipping coffee with Phil and Holly on the This Morning sofa … Yes, Phil, the rumours are true … I have been asked to appear on Strictly Come Dancing. God only knows how I’ll fit it around my filming commitments though. Who are you kidding? A couple of years from now, the only place you’ll be appearing is the job centre, playing Woman On Income Support. This follow-your-dreams stuff is all very well when you’re in your twenties, or thirties even, but I’m a forty-year-old woman with no rich husband (or any husband for that matter) to bail me out if it all goes pear-shaped. Just as everyone around me is having a loft extension or a late baby, I’m downsizing my whole lifestyle to enter a profession that boasts a ninety-two percent unemployment rate. Why in God’s name, in this wobbly economic climate, am I putting myself through all this angst and upheaval, when I could be pushing my trolley until I’m sixty, then retire comfortably on an ample pension and one free flight a year? Something happened, out of the blue, that catapulted me from my ordered, happy-go-lucky existence and forced me down a different road … ‘It’s not your fault. It’s me. I’m confused,’ Nigel had said. ‘I don’t understand,’ I said, almost choking on my Marmite soldier. ‘What’s brought this on? Have you met someone else?’ ‘No-ho!’ he spluttered, averting my gaze, handsome face flushed. ‘But you always said we were so perfect together …’ ‘That’s exactly why we have to split. It’s too bloody perfect.’ ‘What? Don’t talk nonsense …’ ‘I don’t expect you to understand, but it’s like I’ve pushed a self-destruct button and there’s no going back.’ ‘Self-destruct button? What are you talking about? Darling, you’re not well. Perhaps you should get some help …’ ‘Look, don’t make this harder for me than it already is. It’s time for us both to move on. And please don’t cry, Em,’ he groaned, eyes looking heavenward. ‘You know how I hate it when you cry.’ I grovelled, begged him not to go, vowing I’d find myself a nine-to-five job so we could have more together time, swearing that I would never again talk during Match of the Day — anything as long as he stayed with me. Firmly removing my hands from around his neck and straightening his epaulettes, he glanced at his watch, swigged the dregs of his espresso, and said blankly, ‘Good Lord, is that the time? I’ve got to check in in an hour. We’ll talk more when I get back from LA.’ ‘NO!’ I wailed. ‘You know very well that I’ll be in Jeddah by then. We’ve got to talk about this now. Nigel … Nigel …!’ For three days I sat huddled on the sofa in semi-darkness, clutching the Minnie Mouse he’d bought me on our first trip to Disneyland, as if she were a life raft. I played Gabrielle’s ‘You Used to Love Me’ over and over. I wondered if Gabrielle’s boyfriend had dumped her without warning, leaving her heartbroken and bewildered, and the pain of it all had inspired her. If only I had a talent for song writing, but I don’t, so I channelled my pain into demolishing a family-sized tin of Celebrations chocolates instead. Cue Wendy, my best friend, my angel on earth. We formed an instant friendship on our cabin crew training course. This was cemented when she saved me from drowning during a ditching drill. (I’d stupidly lied on the application form, assuming that it didn’t really matter if I couldn’t swim, because if I were ever unfortunate enough to crash-land in the sea, there would surely be enough lifejackets to go round.) ‘Look, hon, this has got to stop,’ she said in an uncharacteristically stern tone, a look of frustration on her porcelain, freckled face. (As a redhead, Wendy has been religiously applying sunscreen since she first set foot on Middle Eastern soil as a junior hostess twenty years ago; whereas I would roast myself like a pig on a spit in my quest to look like a Californian beach babe.) ‘Okay, so it’s not a crime to scrub the toilet with his toothbrush, but who knows where that could lead? You’ve got to stop playing the victim before we have a Fatal-Attraction scenario on our hands.’ ‘Eight years, eight years of my life spent waiting for him to pop the question, and now he’s moving out to “find himself”. I think I’m entitled to be a little upset, Wendy.’ Prising Minnie out of my hands and hurling her against the wall, she straightened my shoulders and looked deep into my puffy eyes. ‘I promise you that, in time, you will see you’re better off without that moody, selfish, arrogant …’ ‘I know you never thought he was right for me, but there is another side to him,’ I said defensively. ‘He can be the most caring and sweet man in the world when he wants to — and I can’t bear the thought that we won’t grow old together,’ I sobbed, running my damp sleeve across my stinging cheeks. ‘Come on now; take off that bobbly old cardie. I’m running you a Molton Brown bath, and you’re going to wash your hair, put on your uniform and high heels, slap on some make-up and your best air hostess smile, d’you hear?’ she said, pulling back the curtains. ‘And while you’re in Jeddah, I want you to seriously think about where you go from here.’ ‘But I want to be home when Nigel …’ ‘You always said you didn’t want to be pushing a trolley in your forties, and how you wished you’d had a go at acting. Well, maybe this is a sign,’ she said gently, tucking a strand of greasy hair behind my ear. ‘It’s high time you did something for you. You’ve spent far too long fitting in with what Nigel wants.’ ‘It’s too late to be chasing dreams,’ I sniffed, shielding my eyes from the watery sunlight. ‘And anyway, I just want things to go back to how they were. Where did I go wrong, Wendy? I should have made more effort. After all, he’s a good-looking guy, and every time he goes to work there are gorgeous women half my age fluttering their eyelashes at him, falling at his feet. He can take his pick — and maybe he did,’ I whimpered, another torrent of tears splashing onto my saggy, grey jogging bottoms. ‘Get this down you.’ Wendy sighed, shoving a mug of steaming tea into my hands as she frogmarched me into the bathroom. ‘And don’t you dare call him!’ she yelled through the door. Perhaps she was right; she usually was. She may be a big kid at heart, but when the chips are down, Wendy is the one you’d want on your flight if you were struck by lightning or appendicitis at thirty-two thousand feet. For the last year or so, hadn’t I likened myself to an aeroplane in a holding pattern, waiting until I was clear to land? Waiting for Nigel to call, waiting for Nigel to come home, waiting for Nigel to propose, waiting until Nigel felt ready to start a family? Yes, deep down I knew she was right, but I was scared of being on my own. Did this make me a love addict? If so, could I be cured? Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ‘Hayyaa’ala-s-salah, hayya ’ala-l-falah …’ came the haunting call from the mosque across the square, summoning worshippers to evening prayer. It was almost time to meet up with the crew to mosey around the souk — again. Too hot to sunbathe, room service menu exhausted, library book finished, alcohol forbidden, and no decent telly (only heavily edited re-runs of The Good Life, where Tom goes to kiss Barbara, and next minute it cuts to Margo shooing a goat off her herbaceous border), the gold market had become the highlight of my day. Donning my abaya (a little black number that is a must-have for ladies in this part of the world), I scrutinised myself in the full-length mirror. No wonder Nigel was leaving me; far from looking like a mysterious, exotic, desert queen, full of eastern promise, it made me resemble a walking bin liner. I read the fire evacuation drill on the back of the door and checked my mobile for the umpteenth time, then cast my eyes downwards, studying my toes. I know, I thought, giving them a wee wiggle, I’ll paint my nails. It’s amazing what a coat of Blue Ice lacquer can do to make a girl feel a little more glamorous, and less like Ugly Betty’s granny. As I rummaged in my crew bag for my nail varnish, there, stuffed in between Hello! and Procedures To Be Followed in the Event of a Hijack, was an old copy of The Stage (with another DO NOT PHONE HIM!! Post-it note stuck to it). Idly flicking through the pages, my eyes lit up at the headline: DREAMS REALLY CAN COME TRUE. Former computer programmer, Kevin Wilcox, 40, went for broke when he gave up his 50k-a-year job to become a professional opera singer. ‘My advice to anyone contemplating giving up their job to follow their dream, is to go for it,’ said Kevin, taking a break from rehearsals of La Traviata at La Scala. That was my life-changing moment; an affirmation that there were other people out there — perfectly sane people, who were not in the first flush of youth either, but were taking a chance. That’s what I’d do. I’d become an actress, and Nigel would see my name in lights as he walked along Shaftesbury Avenue, or when he sat down to watch Holby City, there I’d be, shooting a doe-eyed look over a green surgical mask. ‘What a fool I was,’ he’d tell his friends ruefully, ‘to have ever let her go.’ Hah! But revenge wasn’t my only motive. Faux designer bags and expensive makeovers were no longer important to me. I wanted the things that money can’t buy: like self-fulfilment, like the buzz you get on opening night, stepping out on stage in front of a live audience. Appearing through the galley curtains, proclaiming that well-rehearsed line, ‘Would you like chicken or beef?’ just wouldn’t do any more. Inspired, I grabbed the telephone pad and pen from the bedside table, and started to scribble furiously. 1. Apply to RADA/CENTRAL any drama school that will have me. 2. Hand in notice. 3. Sign up with temping agencies and find part-time job. 4. Sell flat, shred Visa, store cards, cancel gym membership, and Vogue subscription (ouch!). From: academy@ads.ac.uk To: m.mouse@gmail.com Subject: Audition Dear Emily, Following your recent audition, we of The Academy Drama School are pleased to offer you a place on our one-year, full-time evening course. We look forward to meeting you again at the start of the autumn term, details of which are attached. Sincerely, Edward Tudor-Barnes Principal Whey hey! It was reckless, irresponsible and utterly mad, but I was tired of being sensible or doing things simply to please others. Ever since I’d played the undertaker in a school production of Oliver! I’d wanted to act. Okay, so I may be running twenty-five years late, but now nothing and no one was going to hold me back. * * *