#it will be hot in the car... i've been home ~thirty minutes. long enough for it to heat up.

[dont-open-dead-inside-net]

just got home and i want to take a nap but i have go back out there in the heat and buy eggs so i have lunch :(

[suraibru]

The Walker Inheritance-Part 1

Piano

The gravel driveway leading up to Marzia’s house clicked and shuffled under Nisha's shoes. As many times as she’d been inside it still made Nin nervous. But before she could ring the bell a pink haired girl popped out. Her eyes were round with fluffy fake lashes framing the forest like hazel inside. “Heya Marz, you ready?” Nin held her hand as they walked back to the red SUV. “Girl, I've been ready since I got home. Is everyone there already?” Nin snickered. “Nah, you're the last one. I saved a seat in the back for us though.” the two girls giggled and ran up to the car door. The music inside as well as a guy’s voice rattled the SUV. Nisha slid open the door and climbed in over legs and fast food. As Marzie climbed in after Nisha, a chorus of mock Italian followed. “Ay Marzia! Da queen a da pop a music!” Kyo said from the front seat. Marzie laughed. “Ya’ll got me fucked up if u think that's what I sound like.” 

“You don't, but it's pretty damn close to your dad.”

As they pulled out of the driveway a girl with lava like orange hair peeked around the back seat and rested her chin on the headrest. “Made any new music Marzie?” Marzie buckled her seatbelt and looked up. “Well I'm working on one but I have most of the album done. I could send you the private link.” Nina, the redheaded girl’s eyes smiled. “Yes please, but don't send the unfinished one. I wanna hear the finished version.” 

Next to Nina were two others, a chinese boy with light blue hair and a japanese girl decked out in the finest gothic clothing hot topic could offer. The two kept their voices low, but you could still notice the giggles as they huddled over the girl’s phone. Kei’yn, the boy, was flush beneath his hand. Monoka, the girl, closed her phone when Nina butted in. “Aw, you like the comic.” 

“Uhh” kei trailed off. Nina smiled. “Don't be embarrassed.” Nina whispered. “I read it too.” 

Luka, the one who organized the outing, swerved around a corner too fast and sent those of his friends not wearing a seatbelt flying into each other. “Seat belt check!” 

“You dumbass we lost the undercarriage!” Kyo yelled. Luka looked out the rearview mirror at the sad plastic now laying in a ditch. “worth it,” he said with a smirk, followed by the sound of three clicks of a seatbelt. “Y'all know me well enough to wear it, I drive like a madman.”

“My dad is worse.” Kei said, looking out the window.

After about thirty minutes of driving deeper into the nearby forest, the iolite forest, they pull into a long gravel driveway. The atmosphere felt lighter, the sun was up around four o'clock in the sky, the grass was overgrown but looked freshly watered, it had been raining all week. Soon they pulled up to a house, a mansion. The garden was overgrown with rose bushes and magnolia leaves covering the ground and ivy creeping along the white concrete stairs. The house looked like it was part of a story, it felt like it was in a different world, a peaceful world. The only telling detail about how old it was, was a plaque as you entered. Walker Manor - 1902. 

“Holy fuck its big! I thought you said it's been abandoned for the last decade.” 

Luka corrected Kyo. “Last four decades. I didn’t even know it was mine until this year. I thought it was another family’s.” 

“The generational money is real dude.” Nisha said in awe. 

Luka held the key in the keyhole and twisted it, it needed a bit of force, but it clicked. “I present to you. Our new hangout.” Luka pushed open the door. A flood of still air rushed out as if it had been air locked. Before the group was a grand staircase, Luka pressed a bronze button that lit up the crystal chandelier that hung almost ten feet above their heads. 

“Why is there electricity?” Marzie said looking at the weird button. 

“Victorians had electricity too Marz, it was 1900, not 1760.'' Nisha said looking unimpressed. Marzie just nodded with a smile. “Oh.” 

“Ya, my dad had the power turned back on for us.” Luka said looking up.

Kei’yn walked along the walls looking at the art. “These paintings are amazing; they look like pictures. To think someone drew and painted them.” Luka followed Kei's gaze up to a picture of a blond man with piercing icy eyes. “Oh, that's my great granddad. He was a scientist. And my granddad told me he was weird as hell.” Luka lowered his voice “they also said he killed his wife and was never caught.” He laughed. “My dad said my granddad is crazy though, so probably just a bad joke.” Luka turned to the next picture. “That's her, my grandmother. She was a singer for James's opera house, that's how they met.” Kei smiled. “The artist did a good job, she's beautiful.”

“Nina, come look at what I found!” Nina and Monoka made their way over to the room Marzie was in. The room was filled with sewing materials, Shelves lined the walls stock with fabrics of all colors and patterns. In the center of the room was a large cutting table cluttered with thread, needles, and beads. Nina looked around excitedly and stopped. In front of the bay window was a desk with a sewing machine. “This is a 1998 singer!” Nina inspected the ornate sewing machine, gold letters read. For my lovely wife. Happy anniversary Jessica. Nina smiled. “I hope my future husband gets me a sewing room.” Nina said as she swooned. “It would be so romantic.” 

Monoka smirked at Marzie. “Nisha should get you a gold lettered microphone.” 

Marzie giggled. “I can do without the gold. I'm more of a silver girl. Gold doesn't look good with my skin. Plus, gold is basic in my opinion. I’d rather get a tarot card set of my favorite singers.” 

Monoka nodded. “Me too honestly.” 

After a while the group split up into pairs, Marzia and Nisha made their way to the ballroom, Kei and Monoka made their way up the stairs, Kyo and Nina ended up together by accident and Luka followed up the stairs to study. 

Marzie and Nisha walked down the halls. The red flowery wallpaper was peeling a bit, but it had not faded. The lighting was romantic, and the atmosphere was sweet. When the two girls finally found the ballroom, Nisha pressed another bronze-ish button and what seemed like hundreds of smokey pink lights shimmered to life. “It’s so pretty!” Marzie said. Her hazel eyes sparked under the soft light; Nisha couldn't resist. Nisha pulled her girlfriend into a kiss and held her hands. Marzia giggled. “You’re cute.” Nisha smiled and chuckled. “I'm like a foot and a half taller than you.”

Marzie rolled her eyes. “You can be both. Even if you are on top.”

Nisha blushed And kissed marzie’s forehead. “Listen-” 

Marzie pulled her to the center of the room and started dancing with her. “Marz, you know I can't dance.”

“ i can show you-”

They stopped. The room had become cold. And a sound. 

“Is that-Piano?” 

They girls hadn't noticed it before. it was soft, but it was strong. The notes felt sad.

They looked for the sound and saw a piano, it was black and covered only revealing the keys. But what made them stop was a shadowy man in a black tailcoat. The song had become haunting, was he a ghost, a trick of the light? 

“Hello?” Nisha called out.

She got a response, not the one she was expecting. 

The man started walking toward them. But the piano kept playing. It was deafening.

He had black hair and light eyes, he was pale, tall and looked angry.

“Get out.” 

[billys-princess1986]

Round and Round

Chapter 4

Billy Pov

I dropped max off at the arcade, Her dork friends were probably already there, She better not forget that I'm picking her up at four, It takes about 30 minutes to get here from school, I'm almost home now thank god Susan and Neil aren't here I can't stand my dad I rolled my eyes shit its almost two I parked my car and ran inside, I put on my favorite shirt (The red one of course), I fixed my hair I put so much shit in it it looked like I just got out of the shower I smirked at myself, I sprayed Farrah Fawcett spray, It smells nice and it attracts all the girls I laugh to myself.

Lauren Pov

Its three thirty I sigh, I go up to my room to get ready, I put on a ripped pair of mom jeans, and a Def Leopard tee shirt, I don't know what to expect, Hell I don't even know who wrote me the note in the first place I rolled my eyes, I put my black beat up converse on, my mom was at work so she wouldn't give me a lecture she wont be back till eight, my curfew is be back before the lights come on that usually means before six, I slam the front door okay Carrie lets go, radio blaring Poison, It took me five minutes to find the house, I live two houses down from here, I park in front of the house I feel like I've seen that car before, as I scan the License plate as I get out of my car, I hear a voice from the house say ain't you a sight for sore eyes, I look up to see the new asshole Billy, Well if it isn't Big Bad Billy I smirked, well that's new he chuckled, Don't push it I smiled, Listen I'm not going to do anything to you, I just wanted someone who I could trust to tell me about this shitty place he chuckled, Well I'm glad you feel like you can trust me and your right this place is a shithole there's really nothing to do besides go to the arcade, and the diner but I've heard that there going to build a big mall close to the arcade, wow I haven't been in a mall since California god I miss it He sighed, so why did you leave I said curiously, Oh babe I'll tell you later its a long story He brushed my question off, Do you want to come Inside he asked, sure I smiled, we walk inside his house so enough talk about me tell me about your self he looked at me, well my name is Lauren Nicole Smith, I'm almost 18 years old, I moved here when I was a freshman, I live with my mom I only see here before school because of her busy work schedule, I never knew my dad I sigh.

Billy Pov

You have a pretty name Lauren, I wish I would have never met my dad I looked down, that bad huh she look at me, he hits me I don't know why but I think its trauma from war I sigh that's probably why my mom left, I'm sorry she said still looking at me, would you like anything to drink I asked her trying to change the subject, Oh nothing I'm okay she said Do you want to go grab a bite before I go pick up max I ran a hand through my hair trying to calm my nerves, Well The Bad Boy wants a date with little old me she smirked, God she's so sexy as hell, I snapped back to reality, well I didn't think of it as a date that's totally rad with me I smirked, I would love to but I don't think I'm dressed properly she grinned, I think you look great I smiled at her she blushed, I'm gonna go change my shirt I'll be back in a second I changed my shirt to a plain black shirt and my Denim jacket, ready to go princess I smirked at her, ready babe she smiled damn already calling me babe I chuckled

Lauren Pov

Damn He's so hot, I'm going to try and not get attached(oh honey you will)I rolled my eyes at my thoughts, we got into his car, Billy were not together you can stop now I said sternly,( she would soon regret saying that), Maybe one day he said lowly, I felt Butterfly's music was blaring, I couldn't hear what he said for sure, he turned the music down so we could talk, Lauren I just want you to know I think your Pretty he held my hand, Feelings mutual I chuckled, He sped the rest of the way to Dee's Diner, we finally arrived in one piece, This is the best place to eat I go here a lot with my friends, yeah me and my rowdy no good friends come here sometimes he looked away, Hey its okay I moved his chin to look at me, He looked at me and smirked, I promise I wont be like them when I'm with you he responded, You better not I said to him sternly, we got out of his car, and went inside we sat at a booth in the corner, I've never took someone out on a date before he admitted, First times for everything I chuckled, We both got burgers nothing too fancy, I think your beautiful Lauren he smiled, God you love to flirt but thank you I laugh, oh your so welcome He smirked, Oh god I've flared your ego I sigh, Sorry I can't help myself he laughed, He looked at the clock on the wall, Oh shit its 3:30, I'll never be able to make it to the arcade He said in frustration, I know a shortcut Baby if you let me drive your car I smirked, Damn it just don't wreak her he handed me his keys, I'll go pay I'll meet you outside He smiled, I went outside god he's probably flirting with the cashier I rolled my eyes, He finally came out God were you sucking her face off I said annoyed, No I wasn't that's very trashy he laughed, He shut the door, I squalled tires going out of Dee's parking lot, Damn baby are we running from the police or something He grinned, You wanted to get there fast I said still pissed off *Five Minutes Later* were here I honked the horn to let max know were here, It took a few minutes for her to come out, Sorry I'm late she said confused, Dads going to be on my ass if we are late hurry up next time Billy rolled his eyes, He got out so she could get in the back, so your the girl I seen this morning your name is Lauren right she asked, Yep that's me I smiled, Back to you house babe I asked Billy I could see him smirking, Right on Babe He replied, Are you together Max suggested No were not together I just like to tease him but He does have a crush on me don't you Billy I smiled, He must like you a lot to let you drive his car she laughed, Billy put his hand on my thigh, I glared at him He just smirked god he'll be the death of me, were here kids I said pulling into there driveway, I didn't know we even left yet Max sighed, Well that's good were early for once Neil wont kill me Billy said In relief, Is it okay if I come in for awhile my curfew isn't till six, Yeah that's fine max said before Billy could answer, We all pile out of Billy's car, Billy lit a smoke before going inside, So do you skate she said looking at her skateboard, Yeah I stopped when I moved from Chicago I sighed, If you would want to start skating, I would love to skate with you, no one skates here she laughed, I would love to I might be a bit rusty, how about this Saturday at three Billy can pick me up I smiled, I'm going to go check on Billy I chuckled, I would proceed with caution He's probably upstairs in his room pumping weights or looking at his slut filled magazines max gaged, I knocked on his door I heard him say a faint come in I walked in Damn he's way hotter shirtless I felt my face get warm like what you see he smirked Damn you Billy I covered my face here look at me I looked at him he kissed me of course I smiled just coming up to say goodbye sorry I disappeared he sighed He wrapped his hands around my waist do you mind if I sneak in he laughed yeah but i've got to go or my mom's gonna be pissed my house is down the street blue house grey door you won't miss it thanks for today I love you Billy I smiled Love you too Lauren I went home today was nice...

[trashpandacraft]

i started to respond in the notes, but ran out of words, so now it's here. it's not clear what kind of bugs they are, but i'm assuming--and you probably should also assume--that they're the kind that want to eat your fibre.

first, please take a lot of photos and take or send them to the shop. tell them you just bought this and it has a bunch of bugs in it. this isn't normal, especially when you're dealing with fibre that's been processed. (it's not great with raw fleece, either, but is more common--a reliable seller will still replace a raw fleece with significant bug detritus/damage.) as a point of reference, i've been spinning on and off for twenty years, and have only once found insects, dead or otherwise, in processed fibre. don't feel bad telling the shop, either--they don't want their inventory to be eaten by bugs!

this fibre will probably be replaced, but for future reference, freezing it was a good step, but it takes longer than you think you probably think you kill the damn things. if you're doing freezing only, i'd freeze for at least two weeks--then bring it back to room temp and freeze again.

that takes a long time, though. if you want to get it over with, or want to use the fibre sooner, heat is probably a better option. the good news is it doesn't have to be super hot: thirty minutes at 50c/125f will kill moths at all stages of life. the bad news is, well, thirty minutes.

if you have a car, you can put your fibre into a black trash bag or bags, put the bags in the car, and leave the car in the sun for a day. (a couple hours is probably long enough--cars heat up fast--but better safe than sorry, especially if safe just takes a little more wait time.)

if you don't have a car, you can bake fibre (or yarn) in the oven (watch it, like just sit there and keep an eye on it), or simmer it on the stove, as long as you get it over up to temp for at least thirty minutes. if you have to treat yarn, i've also had good luck treating superwash and plant fibre yarns by throwing them until the dryer.

finally, if you want to be super sure, or if you feel like you're fighting a losing battle, i'm going to suggest something that sounds horrifying: parasitic wasps. stay with me! they're not what you think of when you hear "wasp". they're almost microscopic, and literally cannot bite or sting. when you buy them you get cards, often about the size of a thumb, that are covered in several thousand eggs. you put the cards with your fibre, and when the wasps hatch (after a couple days at room temperature), they go and lay eggs in any moth eggs that may be in your fibre. then instead of a disgusting new moth larva hatching, then, a new tiny wasp hatches. when there aren't any more moth eggs, the wasps can't reproduce and die off.

i cannot reiterate how much you don't see the wasps. they're incredibly tiny, like smaller than the period at the end of this sentence tiny. when i was doing moth battle, i ended up putting out parasitic wasps every few weeks, just to be absolutely sure there wasn't anything left. i wouldn't want to rely exclusively on them if there was a big bug problem, but if i've seen a single moth, or if i think i might've bright home something contaminated, i'll release them just to be safe, which seems to have worked for me. (knock wood.)

all of which is to say that i'm very sorry about your fibre, and i hope that the shop replaces it for you.

Whoops

[tragic-shadows]

Always In Love

Word Count: 903

Warnings: None

Pairing: GibbsxReader

Anon asked: If you could can you do 17 and 26 with Gibbs. You can do either or by themselves too. I love your writing so much I’m always looking to see if you wrote something new.

a/n: Hey y'all! Sorry it's been so long😅. I've missed writing sm even tho it's only been two weeks, but I'm out of my cast and can write again! I'll be working on requests as fast as I can, y'all apparently like my writing so thanks so much!!

You roll over in bed, throwing your arm gently over your fiancé. No, husband. You were married. You peaked open an eye and saw the dress thrown across the floor. A smile makes its way to your lips, remembering the wonderful day before. After a few minutes, you feel him stir.

“Morning, love.” You whisper, pressing a soft kiss to his neck.

He cracks his eyes open and smiles, his eyes lighting up the darkened room. “Hey,” he whispers. “You’re my wife.”

You laugh softly, leaning down to kiss him and laying back on the pillow. “You’re my husband,” His fingers interlock with yours and he moves closer, his body warm on yours. “Does this mean I can stop calling you Gibbs at work and start calling you Jethro?”

“Call me whatever you want, just c’mere.” Jethro pulls you in, rubbing your back in slow small circles. “I love ya.”

“I love you. I can’t believe it’s finally happened. I’m finally Y/N Gibbs. I never really thought Y/L/N fit me anyways,” you both chuckle. “You know we have work today right?” He groans, reaching over to the nightstand. “I’ll get the light.” You slip out of bed and flick on the lamp, a soft glow falling over the room.

“Can’t find my phone.” Jethro shuffled around, also trying to pull on a pair of pants.

You sort through your dress and undergarments until.. “Oh Jethro…” you groan, pulling something out from next to the dresser.

“Y/N!” Jethro exclaimed, still failing to put on a shirt or zip up his pants. Yes it was hot. “You cracked my phone!” He chucked it in the trash.

“J!” You rush over grabbing it out of the bin. “What do you mean I cracked it? You were just as… active.. as I was last night.” You bite your lip. “J I’m sorry I didn’t mean to.”

He just grunts, finding a shirt and finally zipping the pants. “We leave in thirty.” He presses a soft kiss to your temple. “I’m not mad,” he assures you.

“Okay,” you whisper. “Okay.” You say when he leaves. Your relationship had been a series of ups and downs. You had met seven years ago, started dating four years ago, and had been engaged for 3 months before you were married. It hurt like hell some days, but you fought for every moment of time. You loved that man and you knew he loved you.

After getting dressed, you made your way downstairs and grabbed toast and eggs for breakfast. “Not going to sit down?” You ask Jethro.

“No time, gotta call. Gotta body.”

You sigh as the front door slams shut, picking through your eggs. “We couldn’t just have a quiet day in? For gosh sakes we just got married!” You wanted to stay home and go back to bed, but you knew Leon would have you if you didn’t go in, so instead you grabbed your stuff and sprinted to the car, barely making it before Jethro left.

“I said I’m not mad,” he gently put his hand over yours.

“I know. But not even 24 hours we’ve been together and I already messed up.”

“Ya’ didn’t mess up, Y/N.”

“No? But I did. I can’t even do one night with you without messing it up!” You turn your head to gauge his reactions. “J.. why did you marry me?”

“Wha- what?” He pulls up to a light and looks over at you. “Y/N/N, what are you talking about?”

“Why did you marry me? Why do you even like me? I remember on my very first day at the office what you said. ‘You’re dragging down the team.’”

“Y/N I was a very different person seven years ago. I’ve told ya’ a lot it was only ‘cause I was angry. Thought you were tryna’ replace Ziver. Bishop was enough, didn’t need someone else tryna’ step on my toes. But I changed, you changed. Y/N/N, I love ya’. That’s why I married ya’.” He takes your hand as you make your way into the office. “And you’re kinda hot. Woulda much rather stayed home today, ya’ know that? You’re everything to me.”

“Hey!! There’s the newly weds!” Torres exclaims. “Have a good night last night?” He wiggles his eyebrows, then wincing when you shove his shoulder. “Oooh, Gibbs a little older than you thought?” He snickers but stops when you slump down at your desk, burying your head behind your monitors. “That bad huh?”

“McGee!” Jethro barks at the senior agent. “Broke another one.”

“That’s two this week,” McGee laughs. He abandons his work and gets up, going over to Jethro and grabbing a small something out of his hand. He then goes back over to the filing cabinet and pulls something out. “Good as new.” He tosses it and Jethro catches it as he comes over to you.

“I’m not mad,” he whispers, placing the phone down next to you. “They break all the time. Stick a new card thingy in and it’s fixed.” He placed his finger under your chin and lifted it up gently. “We can go home now if ya’ wanna? Only reason I came in was to get the phone.”

“What about the case?” You whisper.

“There’s no case, love. Let’s go home.” He kisses you gently and pulls you tight. “I will never be mad at ya’ Y/N.”

“Ok Jethro. Ok. Let’s go home, J.”

TAGS: @aleck-cross @ah-blossom @ilovemark1951 @marennnx

[arson-404]

Hello! @bubblyani inspired me to make this!

Truth | 01

Warnings: 18+, lime, blood, death, murder, suicide, depression

Fandom: Lucifer

Pronouns used for reader: she/her (reader is also AFAB)

Enjoy, loves. <3

"Please? It'll be so much fun!"

Your friend said, putting an emphasis on 'fun'.

You sighed, rubbing the bridge of your nose. "Fine, but if either of us gets kidnapped at this club, it's not my fault."

"Oh my God, you're so dramatic."

"It's my talent. When are we going? I have work to do today." You asked, fumbling with a shirt that was on the floor of your bedroom.

"Does eleven o'clock work?"

You glanced over to the clock, reading the time.

7 PM.

You'd be done with work at around eight-thirty.

Thinking for a moment, you reluctantly agreed. "Okay. LUX, right?"

"Yay! Yeah, the owner's super hot. And so is one of the bartenders. Maya? Macie? Something with an 'a' and 'm'."

"Gosh, you thirst over everyone."

"You would, too, if you saw them! Which you will. Well, I don't know if the bartender will be there, but—"

You two talked a while, until you had to do your at-home work.

You liked working at home because you didn't really like going out to work for countless hours, but sometimes it was nice to let loose.

Like at this club you were going to go to, which you were kind of nervous about.

Your mind gave you flashbacks of one night when you just turned twenty-one and went to a club with your friends, Hørizon was the name.

⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣

The sounds of booming music made it's way to your ears, your head pounding.

"Five shots of whiskey over here!"

"Um, I- I don't think I ca..." Too drunk, you couldn't even finish your sentence, as you wobbled a bit in your seat.

A minute later, a whiskey shot was in front of you — too drunk and tempted, you grabbed the small glass, gulping it down.

Delilah's friend, Tina, paid for the drinks.

The burning sensation in your throat didn't affect you much after the many shots you took before.

Your head turned to your best friend, Delilah, -which you had just met a few weeks ago at this time-, who was selecting the first contact in her phone to call, since she was a little too drunk to dial a number manually.

"Heeeeeyy, Fionaa, we're at a club." She slurred her words a bit, giggling. You could hear the faint voice from the phone.

"Oh my God, are you drunk?" Delilah only giggled in response, too drunk to make a coherent response. "Okay, I'm assuming you're at that one club you went to last week, right?" "Mmmhm!" "Are you with anyone else?" "Errr... like, my friends."

You could practically feel Delilah's friend pinch her nose. "How many?" "Uhhh... one... two... four..." She paused. "Fourth!" She said, giggling, adding a -th to the word she meant to say.

"Alright. You're lucky you're my... friend."

And then you blacked out, waking up at Delilah's apartment on the couch, others on the floor or sharing the couch with you.

You still remember that awful hangover you had afterwards.

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You chuckled at the memory, stretching a bit. After finishing an essay for your boss, revising and editing it, you glanced at the clock, checking the time.

8:51 PM.

It was definitely past 8:30, but you weren't going until eleven.

You had time to pick out your outfit, relax, and do some housework if you wanted to -which you didn't want to-.

Standing up, leaving the chair you'd been glued to for almost two hours, you sighed, making your way to the closet.

You rummaged through it, and after a little, you found an outfit you liked.

Humming, you put it on your bed, along with your extra wallet (which had less money than your normal wallet, so when you went to the club, you wouldn't lose a bunch of money from being robbed or losing it) and some water to put in Delilah's car to sober up after the club.

You checked your phone before putting it on your charger.

Footsteps padded against the floor as you made your way to the couch to watch some of your favorite show, 'The Good Doctor'.

⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣

'Some' turned into almost three hours.

And now you had eleven minutes to get ready.

You rushed to the bathroom to do your makeup — not like anyone would see it, anyway. But you liked doing your makeup, not because you were insecure, but because you just liked trying new styles.

And you really liked eyeliner.

(Reference picture, I think it's Niki Nihachu, but I'm not sure.)

After you were done, you shoved the makeup into your container in the bathroom, hastily going to your room, fumbling with the clothing to put it on.

After about five minutes, you succeeded, and grabbed your phone from the charger, opening your messaging app up.

You

Hey, you ready?

Seen at 10:57 PM.

Lilah 💖

yep. i'm already headed there.

Seen at 10:57 PM.

You

Don't text while driving.

Seen at 10:57 PM.

And don't respond to this.

Seen at 10:58 PM.

You turned off your phone, putting it in your pocket, grabbing your stuff, your wallet shoved in your other pocket, two bottles of water in the other hand.

A few minutes later, your door opened to reveal your friend in a clubbing outfit, her curly black hair mostly laying on her right shoulder.

She had a see-through black top with another top under it, the same color.

Delilah had a black bag, the actual bag part laying on her right hip, the strap on her left shoulder.

She had a black skirt-shorts with a red and black plaid flannel tied around her waist.

The beautiful woman also had long, black, high heeled boots, going up to under her knees, but short enough to walk.

Her tattoos were slightly visible on the lower thighs.

(What I based her off of. Not sure who this is!)

"If I wasn't planning on making a move on that bartender — if she's there, I would try to date you, oh my God, you're gorgeous." Her lips formed a flirtatious, but platonic joke.

"Oh my gosh, you're definitely prettier, what the hell do you mean?" You smiled, winking.

"Alright, you've convinced me, I'm prettier." She said, shrugging her shoulders. You let out a playful pout, "Damn, I'm so broken."

"Whatever, you'll get over it. Let's go!" She smiled, tugging your arm, taking the water bottles and putting it in her bag so you could lock the door.

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Soon, you both arrived at the fancy, famous club called LUX.

Excitedly, your friend, Delilah, got in line with you, figuratively jumping up and down with joy.

"Oh my God, you'll love it here, Y/n. All of the men, women, and enbys are definitely gonna hit on you, bae."

"Assuming I'd be confident enough to let them approach me."

She rolled her eyes, chuckling.

You both got closer and closer to the doors of the provocative strip club, you both paid your halves when you finally approached the doors.

Stepping into the building, you both smiled. 'This time, I won't drink as much.' You promised yourself.

Oh, how promises break.

Immediately, Delilah went to the bar — partly for the drinks, but mostly because she saw a particular bartender.

Giggling at the absurdity of her actions, you went to a couch, not drunk enough to have confidence to talk to people or dance — not that most of them would remember, considering how many had drinks in their hands.

You fiddled with a silver ring you had bought about a month ago, which laid on your index finger.

"Why, hello! I've never seen you here before! I would remember a face like yours." A velvet voice was heard, oddly close to you.

'Wait, are they talking to me?'

You whipped your head up, mouth parted a little.

There stood a tall, dark haired man with dark eyes, a black suit with a slightly visible white shirt under it, black, shiny shoes on his feet.

You swallowed. "Hello..."

You should've gotten drunk beforehand.

⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣⍣

Hello, everyone! I have no clue how drinking or hangovers work, or strip clubs, since I'm 18, but I hope it's not too far off. 🖤

Sorry it took so long to get to Lucifer, it's more of an introduction to some characters in this chapter.

Also, Delilah is bisexual, and goes by she/they.

The reader is possibly bi-curious, it depends on your view of the reader. <33

Delilah may have a lil' crush on Maze and just thinks Lucifer is hot, haha

[bangtanpromptsfics]

pyxis.

dialogue prompt #9: “Cheer up it's Christmas Eve, sweetheart”

pairing: jimin x reader

genre: christmas au, brother's best friend au, fluff, childhood friends to lovers

word count: 3,412 (oh no)

warnings: reader is a lil sad but nothing angsty tho

summary: christmas was always an eager wait. less for the tree decorations, family dinner and the fuss of toddlers. more for your childhood best friend who you kissed under a mistletoe years back.

a/n: ahhh!!! I'm not completely satisfied with how this turned out to be. the inspiration was from a few christmas themed fics I read here and the movie ‘It's Christmas, Eve’. anyway this was my attempt though it's nowhere near christmas time. one of my personal goals is to celebrate a christmas like the west, the snow, the fuss and the commotion ;-;. Also I lost sense of time and space and this turned out to be 3k ;-;

masterlist

“Cheer up it's christmas eve, sweetheart”, your mother chimes as she pours brown batter into little cupcake moulds.

You simply smile at her, the festive mood not really getting to you because of exhaustion. Uni was tough, and enjoying this Christmas when you know you have tons of essays due in a few days was hammering inside your brain every now and then.

“Is that chocolate?”, you ask, leaning your tired body on the counter where she is at work.

“And orange”, she smiles, turning around to preheat the oven.

“Where's Jin”. Though you hated the routinely flicks against your forehead, the absence of your big brother felt weird.

“He went with Jimin to get the Christmas tree”.

The mention of Jimin brings a smile to your face. His soft features and captivating grin filling your head. If there was one of the few things you enjoyed coming back to your hometown for holidays, it's chocolate cupcakes your mom bakes and Jimin.

His family are friends with yours after all. You, Jin and Jimin attended the same school until college and other priorities in life drift you apart. Though the bond must have rusted a bit, you can't deny the fact that you still have that crush which started somewhere in middle school, on a chritmas eve like this when he kissed your cheeks shyly under the mistletoe. Your friends and family, and even Jimin himself must have seen it nothing more than platonic, but you still find yourself relieving the moment in your head however crazy it may sound.

Standing up straight, you decide to fix your bed hair and complete the skincare routine before the said duo drops.

“Mrs. Y/L/n...”, Jimin softly kicks the back door. He is carrying one end of a huge fir, and your brother on the other end, grunting from the freezing snow outside.

“Oh dear place it right there”, you mother is quick to her feet helping the boys and doing her usual commentary on how well the tree looked.

Jimin looks more handsome than ever, especially with his nose and cheeks dusted in scarlet from the cold. He looks really huggable in his fluffy sweaters and red beanie. Jin is busy commanding around so you choose to sit back, a very typical sibling energy and the size of decoration boxes and the tree itself not really appetizing to your will to find any strength.

“Hey Y/n!”, Jimin stares back at your eyes in a split moment which has your lashes fluttering suddenly. You probably look like you are carrying a disease and right now you become very hyper aware of that.

“You alright? You look tired”, he comments. You feel his eyes carefully studying the black under your eyes and worrying his mind because that's what he is like. He cares about everyone and everything, has a heart so soft it hurts to even think about it.

“Jet lag...”, you say, “I'll be fine”. You shoot a little thumbs up on his way to reassure.

“Why didn't Jin get the tree earlier? It's Christmas in a few hours”, you dodge the focus around you and walk near in an attempt to closely examine the tree for no reason other than feeling Jimin’s eyes a little too long on you.

Your brother gets visibly annoyed seeing you start a very unnecessary talk. So he is completely obliged to shoot back with, “Because you were in charge of Christmas decorations this year but your lazy ass flew down here only yesterday”.

“You know I was busy with Uni!”

“Whatever”, he shrugs, getting back to the box of tree decorations. You feel a little bad seeing yourself not being helpful during a festive season. It felt like you were procrastinating on your responsibilities as always.

“Um...is there any way I can help?”, you ask softly, earning a mischievous grin from Jin and your mom fills in the answer.

“We need more baubles. Also I missed out gifts for Aerum and June, so maybe you can get them”. Now this was already tiring and you were not lying earlier either, the jet lag was still choking you alive. You wonder if the huge pile of stars and glitters beside your foot aren't enough but then maybe it's true because this is the largest fir you ever saw for Christmas in your house. And speaking of the five year old notorious duo, your cousins-- Aerum and June, you have no other option than to step out into the butt numbing cold and get something for the sake of not getting your brains eaten.

While you stand there doing these calculations, Jimin puts a two and two and immediately suggests to tag along with you.

“That'd be great! Thanks sweetie”, your mom chimes, her fine lines of face gathering around her eyes while she does so and you catch her throwing a wink to your side and you pretend you never saw that.

“Thank you Jimin”, you smile in all honesty while he reciprocates the same.

“No problem. I'll get my car. Will you be ready in an hour? I think you just woke up”

“Uh...yeah”, you fake a laugh, “Yes I'll be ready in an hour”

Jimin still lives here in your hometown, attends a community college nearby and his house is just a few steps away from your own. You remember how you had the same analogy in your mind as well. You like living here. You like Jimin’s company. The lake Park and the annual ice skating competition in December and the bookstores and coffee shops at the outskirts of the town. And you can't seem to clearly remember when and where that feeling started to become foreign. Maybe it was a teenage quirk to explore the world that you are now a three hour flight away from all of this. It wasn't a deep regret, but seeing Jimin, it almost felt like it. It felt like you betrayed him. Because he seemed to be keeping his word to this day.

This year, it's a few degrees lower than what it usually is and you find yourself chattering your teeth together as you walk to Jimin’s house.

His footsteps rush to get the door as soon as you ring the doorbell and he greets with the same wide grin as if he hasn't just saw you an hour ago.

“Let's go?”, he asks immediately, getting house keys from his coat pocket and locking the front door before stepping out making you confused.

“There's no one home? Where are your parents?”

“Oh well didn't Mrs. Y/L/n tell you?”, he studies your features and gets his response so he continues “They went to New York this year for Christmas. It's some elder people thing I think...so I'll be spending Christmas this year with your family”

“Really!?”, you chime, and then immediately notice a very childish jump you did with tiny fists and all, feeling a little embarrassed at yourself, “Ah... uh I mean that's great”.

“Yeah”, he giggles, sounding like a twelve year old who is still waiting for his growth spurt, “Get in the car it's freezing in here”.

Since it's been six odd months you've spoken to Jimin, you figured it would would be strange and awkward to be with him, but his demeanor states otherwise. He could effortlessly begin conversations and build momentum with you and by the time you are at a thrift store, he is aware of the little gist of student life and the dramatically exaggerated history research paper still due.

“What are you getting for the twins?”, he asks, seeing you checking out the kids toys section with absolutely no idea and that's exactly what you reply to him.

“How about this puzzle?”, he brings a big jigsaw to your glance and you figure it's a great thing to have their little brains engaged and give yourself time to breathe.

“It's perfect!”, you add, immediately placing it your cart with a few decors you picked up from earlier aisles.

Jimin places an extra pack of Christmas candies in the cart, and you send him a questionable look knowing it's his way of bribing the kids coming this evening. He puts too much effort into people's happiness, something you wish you were capable of as well.

The shopping went smooth. It was therapeutic to get hot chocolate with extra marshmallows afterwards like he insisted followed by that very cliche movie scene where one of them develops a creme moustache and the other notices and dabs it off.

You want this moment to linger a little longer, but your whole family arrives in less than two hours and the decorations were due. If Jin doesn't have you in the next thirty minutes he might as well eat all the cupcakes your mom is baking as revenge.

“I had a great time”, Jimin states as he stops the car in front of your house, stealing the words from your mouth and warmth hugs your cheeks immediately.

“Me too. It's been long since we spent time with each other”

You hear a lone sigh with white fogs coming out of his plump lips while he does so, as if he were suddenly sad when you mentioned that.

“Are you okay?”

His grips tightens around the steering, “I've missed you”, he says, eyes meeting slowly. And as if he was suddenly pulled back to earth he conjures another sentence to not sound so vulnerable.

“I uh... It's just--”

“I've missed you too”

Even with the gear box painstakingly blocking the way, you throw your upper half towards his body anyways and you find him hugging you back. His hugs still feel the same from years back; safe and warm and filled with love.

If it wasn't for the constant reminder that your brother is probably plotting a murder against you, you would've stayed much longer in his embrace. Maybe the hug was a big straightforward for a bond still gradually blooming, but it didn't feel weird at all and when you pull back he is smiling down at you.

“I thought you two lovebirds flew off”, a very annoyed Jin states from above you. He is balancing himself on a chair to attach the mistletoe to the ceiling.

“Sorry hyung”, Jimin says. And somehow now you are getting super aware of the way your family is low key shipping you both. Not that it's an irritating thing of course though you seem to act like it. But you have no idea what's going on with Jimin, what if he said he missed you as your childhood friend? It's a lot difficult to segregate his priority of giving affection. He seems to be giving justice in terms of care for every living being he knows.

“The circus is on its way so I hope you both hurry with putting up everything together”, the voice above states, now lowering himself to ground after putting up the twig.

Three of you giggle at the mention of your family as a circus. Well in a way it definitely was. You have a bunch if uncles who crack awful jokes, a trait Jin himself as picked up from a tender age of ten. Then their wives and kids who share certainly the same braincells in comprehending things. You bet they'll ask you again about your major and your dating history once they walk in through that door amidst clearly stating everytime that you are a history major and yes still very single.

In the hallway there is a half decorated tree. A thread of fairly lights wrapped around the green and very few baubles hanging here and there.

“I'll put up the star and join you”, Jimin says, digging out a golden star from the carton. Though now he doesn't know why it was a good idea for him to announce that when both of you were almost the same height. He is just a few centimeters taller than you and the top of the fir is still very much way above your heads.

So with a chuckle you both figure Jin has to do it.

“This is your final year right?”, Jimin asks stepping closer to you. He seemed nervous about something. Or was it anxious?

“Yeah...you?”

“Yeah...”, his sweet tone was drawn almost like a whisper and you sense you should ask him further about what's wrong. But before you had to deal with a starter he continues,

“Are you planning to work in Chicago as well?”

“Sweetheart help me clean up the kitchen please”, your hear your mom's voice overpowering through the house. Which is good. Because you don't know what you are supposed to answer. It was as if he was almost hopeful that you'll choose your hometown all over again. But you aren't sure. So you take the opportunity to step away from the situation excusing yourself.

And while you are clearing the blobs of batter stuck on the counter, your mind is a haywire. What are you going to do? Though you know your whole family wants you to stay, it's still a foggy place to be in. Four years apart in another city as a college student has not provided much, except caffeine addiction and sleepless nights. Things were not even as fun as everyone told you.

A few steps away Jimin silently prays that you stay, because he had truly missed you. Even though you have outgrown from the eighteen year old shell as he had known, he finds himself actively choosing to be with you. Even when other things in life occupies his mind, there's an element of it which goes back to you.

“They are here!”. You groan silently, while your parents are throwing their hands in air, giggles and chatter fills in as your uncles and aunts and the taunting toddlers welcome themselves in.

“Y/n! You have grown so much!”, the older aunt comments, and you supply a manufactured smile to tag along. Other comments follow by soon, about how tired you are, gasps about not having a partner and future plans, all of which are not completely answerable at the moment but you manage to get through them all and finally excusing yourself back to the garage convincing there are more decor supplies in there.

Families are nice. They make festivals brighter and lives less lonely. But yours was just hard sometimes. Not that you completely loathed the people now fueling themselves off the cup cakes your mom bakes, you were just merely lost, still yet to come up with an answer to what your stance is after graduation.

“Hey...”. Jimin has joined you now which you notice feeling a warmth against your shoulder when he sits, with an extra scraf knowing the garage is still comparatively chilly than the house, “you okay?”.

“Yeah...I was just...thinking”

“Is this about earlier? I'm sorry if I made you anxious”, he quickly adds.

“No!...I mean yeah but, it's high time I find a ground with this. What are your plans?”

“I was thinking about teaching at Jefferson High”, he shifts rather uncomfortably. He is talking of the school in your town, your school, where you have lots of memories with Jimin, “You know...like we said during Junior year in high school?”

“I'm sorry Jimin”, you feel the guilt inside you growing, “I never kept my promises”.

“Hey...that's okay! Everyone changes. I just want you to be happy. I...I hope you are happy Y/n”, he reassures, taking your hand from your side and squeezing it between his soft palms.

“I don't know about that either...”

As much as you hated showcasing vulnerability to another person, you know Jimin is an exception. You had cried to him about everything during school days and he had never invalidated a single thing, even when you were visibly dramatic over a downpour during a family picnic when you were five.

Jimin is frozen on his seat as if he can't find the words. He was never good with words so instead he hugs you, a little longer than the last time till he is sure you have calmed down. Grateful for not ending up crying, you smile up at him and remind yourselves to get back inside to avoid suspicion, especially from the kids who take humiliating people as an important milestone to achieve.

When you enter back inside and get immediately surrounded by a million questions and chores thrown at you, you find your answer. Maybe your heart belongs back to everything your younger self had blabbered about. Not to mention, this fairly good reunion with your crush feels nice, though, he might still see it as platonic. Maybe he makes things less daunting.

By the way Jimin was owning everyone's heart in the house, it felt like he was family. Well in a way he is. But to put more clarity, he bought things together and his actions bought so much peace and love within everyone. Even the notorious twins listen carefully to him and help the uncles and aunts in the kitchen.

He is again by your side, two cupcakes rests on his palms and you take it with a silent ‘thanks’.

Seeing no signs of him beginning a talk now, you think of coming up with something. Maybe a memoir from today? Or about how absolutely handsome he looks right now? Wait.

“They are under the kissing twig!”, Aerum screams like the house caught in fire, her sibling joining by the side to provoke the habit even more.

“It's called a mistletoe Aerum”, your aunt corrects before pasting a smug across her lips.

Nothing changed. They are the same people. Hyping you and Jimin to kiss just like when you were thirteen. If the factor of time is removed, this is the exact night. Both of you cemented to the flooring as if you forgot to exist.

Both of your necks snap together to the mistletoe Jin had attached to the ceiling earlier. And when you lower your gaze back, face gawks at each other eye to eye. It's the same. He has that blush, the shyness from years ago. It's going to be platonic. Yet again. And this moment will only ever be romantic and flowery in your head.

June was the first to squeak, and Aerum shuts her eyes the moment Jimin is leaning his mouth towards your lips. It was difficult to relax under the stares of many, but when he ghosts his mouth over your again and leans in for a second kiss, you are fixated on him. Hands holding each other, the plump of his lips so soft it felt like you were biting into a fluff of cloud.

Maybe he'll have an explanation to your family for this. Not like anyone in the audience was disappointed. Your mother was almost in tears? And Jin looked hardly surprised with any of this. As if it was all swell according to his plans.

“You both are so cute”, one of the aunts awes and your mother is quick by her side, completely agreeing to it.

“Jimin...”, you return your gaze to the equally flustered man who just kissed you and he sounded almost breathless,

“I'm sorry if this was wrong it ju--”

“I like you”, you immediately snap in and his face is a void for an instant. Fully processing the words, his eyes disappear when he grins, “I like you too...a lot”.

“Are you two dating?”, the twins haven't dropped the case yet, running to your feet to help their curious brains.

“Yes...”, Jimin responds, looking up at you for a reassurance, which you quickly supply with a nod, “Yes we are dating”.

When the kids are satisfied they go away snickering to themselves.

“I decided to stay”, you say.

“Really!?”, his disbelief was comical, yet wholesome considering how much he wished for this, “I'm...I'm so happy!”.

Giggling at him, this time you lean forward and peck the corner of his lips.

“You lovebirds better get a room”, Jin announces and thankfully not loud enough to catch everyone else's attention.

Usually Jin expects a punch to his arms from his sister, but he sees how grateful you are for his mistletoe decor. He leaves the couple, satisfied that there won't be any more ranting about how much Jimin likes you.

Thank you so much for reading!! ♡♡

Original Content of ©bangtanpromptsfics

[be-the-spark-flyboy]

Meant To Be [part 1]

A/n: missed last week buT NOT THIS TIME WRITERS BLOCK😤 written for @autumnleaves1991-blog writer wednesday

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Finn (modern au)

Warnings: swearing, pining, BB8 is a snarky 4 yr old, cuteness, some thirty thots, I don’t know how toddlers speak forgive me, barely proofread, age gap (Finn is 25 and Poe is 34)

Word count: 1.4K

—-

Poe was so tired. He could feel the sweat rolling down the back of his neck, the sun beating down on him mercilessly as he slammed the trunk of his car close a tad harder than necessary. A tiny head peaked out from the passenger seat at the noise. Poe grimaced.

He was really looking forward to handing over Beebee to Han and Leia for the evening and get some much needed rest. But now he was practically stranded in the middle of a desert, sand as far as his eyes could see and a flat tire, puncture kit nowhere to be found.

Dragging his feet back to the front, he dropped heavily onto the driver's seat, huffing in frustration. The radio was playing a pop song he may have heard sometime in passing, but hey, at least the air conditioning was unaffected and they had more than enough snacks packed for the trip. The last thing he needed was a hangry kid crying from the punishing heat.

Said toddler turned to look at him and he snorted at her serious expression and his aviators looking comically large on her small face. Beebee smiled back. "Now are you going to call grampa Han?" she asked.

"Looks like I don't have a choice," he sighed, prompting a round of giggles from Bee.

"He's going to be mad,"

"Little lady, do you think it's funny when your dad gets yelled at by that old man?"

"I'm gonna tell him you called him old man," she giggled again.

"No you won't,"

"Yes, I will," she told him with conviction.

"Snitches get stitches," Poe lurched forward tickling her sides making her squeal with laughter.

"I'm gonna tell him!"

---

"You always get the same thing! Try something new," Rey groaned.

Finn smiled pleasantly at her irritation, cheerfully replying, "Nope," as Rey parked her ancient looking pick-up truck outside the ice-cream parlour. "And if you get me anything but butterscotch I'll steal your keys," he threatened.

"And then what? Walk home by yourself?" Rey laughed, slipping out before Finn could issue more stupid threats. He pouted in his seat, watching his roommate happily skip into the shop.

Fridays were Finn's favourite. Classes end early and it was his off day too. More often then not Han lets Rey off earlier at the shop so he gets to spend more time with her as well. It was just perfect.

The phone on the dashboard starts to vibrate not a minute later. Finn recognized the caller ID and picked it up. "Hello, Solo,"

"Rey not there?" came the gruff reply.

"Nice to hear from you too, I've been good, how about you?" He asked cheerfully. Maybe the fact that he wasn’t face to face with Han Solo made him a little more bold than usual. Rey swears he is a teddy bear under all that grumpy personality but Finn was yet to be convinced.

"Not in the mood, big deal," the old man huffed on other side.

"I can take a message," Finn folded. Best not to push him too far.

“My idiot godson got himself stranded out in the desert without a puncture kit. I need Rey to go help him out,”

“Aye aye, captain,”

---

Bee was adorably dancing along to the Peppa pig theme song on her god-knows-how-many episode on the iPad propped up against her knees. Exhaustion was pulling at Poe’s eyelids as he fought to keep them open.

It had been almost an hour since he made that absolutely not fun at all call to Han, who spent fifteen whole minutes lecturing him on the importance of being prepared, especially with a toddler dependent on him. Thankfully Leia had interrupted with an excuse of wanting to talk to Beebee.

Then they had waited and waited. He had already gotten out of the car to stretch his legs about three times, not more than a few minutes at a time, too scared he would melt right into the ground from the heat. One particularly long blink of his eyes later, he noticed a battered looking pickup truck approaching and thought dear lord let them be my savior.

The truck parked on the opposite side of the road and a young woman in a tank top and grease stained jeans hopped out. Must be the one Han called Rey. Poe dropped a kiss on Bee’s forehead, asking to her to stay inside. He pushed the door open and— very nearly tumbled to the ground in his gay panic.

Another person stepped out of the truck, a man maybe a few inches taller than the woman. And goddamn, he was fine. The black band tee stretched just so around his chest and Christ, those biceps.

“You must be Han’s godson,” Rey’s voice snapped him out of his gawking. God, he must have been so obvious. For all he knew, the guy could’ve been Rey’s boyfriend.

Poe slapped on a polite smile before offering his hand. “Poe Dameron. Nice to meet you,”

“I’m Beatrice Dameron, but everyone calls me Beebee,” said a voice in an adorable toddler drawl. When the hell did she get out of the car? Was he really that distracted? “Nice to meet you,” Bee offered her hand mirroring him.

Rey crouched down to take her hand. “That’s a nice name. I’m Rey,”

“I asked you to stay in the car,” Poe hissed after Rey went to get the spare tire.

“I didn’t say yes,” Beebee answered before skipping away after Rey. Are four year olds even supposed to be that sassy? An amused chuckle drew his attention back to the handsome stranger.

“Cute kid,” his smile rivaled sunshine— shut up, inner-monologue.

“You’d think that, but before you know it she would have you wrapped around her little finger and you can’t say no to her,” The handsome stranger laughed again and something fluttered in Poe’s chest at the sound.

“I’m Finn, Rey’s roommate,” Oh goodie, not boyfriend then. “You new to town?” Finn asked. God, even his name was perfect.

“Technically, yeah. But it’s fortunate I got transferred somewhere with people I know, ya know,”

“What do you do?”

“Flight instructor at the airbase,” Poe shrugged nonchalantly. It was a brag, he knew it and judging by the arch of Finn’s eyebrows, he thought it was impressive too. “What about you?”

Before he could hear Finn’s answer, Beebee came barreling into Poe, screaming, “I’m gonna be a mechanic when I grown up!”

“That’s great, honey,” Poe lifted up his kid into his arms. Rey walked up behind her.

“You’re all set,” Poe looked at her on surprise. That was fast. After thanking the her for the help, Rey and Finn departed. He sighed forlornly. If only he still had game or time to date.

“You ready to leave now?” Bee nodded her head vigorously. There’s only so much desert one can tolerate.

—-

Han failed to mention his idiot godson was hot. Quite honestly, ‘hot’ wasn’t even doing justice to the head full of dark, gravity-defying curls either. Finn groaned out loud, tipping his head back into the head rest.

“He’s a pilot, Rey,” Rey straight up laughed at his pathetic whining. But Finn paid her no mind as usual. “Do you think he has those uniforms Air Force officers wear? I bet he looks so sexy in them,”

“I don’t know, you could just ask him,” Rey stated.

“Hell no! He has a kid, what if he’s straight? Or worse, what if he’s married?”

“Don’t say you didn’t see him checking you out! Besides, he wasn’t wearing a ring,” Finn briefly wondered when Rey got so observant.

“He wasn’t checking me out!” Finn spluttered.

“Oh ho ho, yes he was,” Rey exclaimed. “Very nearly drooled, too,”

“It doesn’t matter,” he deflated, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m probably not gonna see him again after this anyways,” he lamented.

“He’s Han and Leia’s godson, of course you’re gonna see him again,” as if on queue, Rey’s phone dinged again. “See who texted?” Finn skimmed through the message Han sent and groaned again. “What?”

“Han invited us to dinner, apparently Poe’s gonna be there too,” Finn swore Rey’s answering cackle could be heard for miles.

—-

[nikanndros]

I just want you to know that I think about From Eden at least once a week and I've lost count of how many times I've reread it. If you ever wanna share what comes next amd what other ideas you had for that universe i'm here to listen op 👀

Thank you, I love you! When I first wrote that fic, I had two other parts (at least) that I wanted to go with it, and since they’re partially written I’m happy to share those bits with you:

From Eden Part 2

“It’s just unfair, you know,” the girl said. Her words were slightly slurred. To be fair, they were in a nightclub after midnight. Everyone was slurring. “I was there for him, and I paid his bills while he went through college and now! He has a real job and he dumped me for his secretary.” She started sobbing.

Damen, who was six foot three, strongly built, and also carrying a loaded weapon, took her hands and made a sympathetic noise. “Lykaios,” he said, because he --unlike Laurent-- had actually listened when she’d introduced herself. “I think the best thing for you now is to forget about him. He didn’t deserve you.”

Lykaios sniffled. “You think so?”

“Of course I do,” Damen said. “I’ve only known you for a few minutes and I already can see that you’re incredible. Right, babe?”

“Right,” Laurent deadpanned. He glanced at his watch. “It’s quarter to.”

Damen nodded. Still holding Lykaios’ hands, he turned to Laurent. “Security?”

“Just the two.”

“Great.” He looked back to Lykaois. “Listen, doll, we’ve got to get down to business, but I want you to remember what I said, okay? You’re worth a lot more than that guy gave you.  And your mascara is running a little. Maybe you should go fix it up in the bathroom and wipe your tears?”

“Okay,” Lykaois sniffed. “Thank you.” She left.

Damen gave Laurent a grin, the crooked, teeth-baring one that appeared whenever they were about to do a job. “Ready?”

“You never call me doll.”

“Do you want me to?”

“Try it sometime and see.”

Damen yanked him in by the jacket and kissed him, slowly and bordering on indecent. “Alright,” he said, after he pulled back. “Show time.”

As Damen disappeared into the crowd, Laurent grasped his --still full-- drink, turned, and threw its contents at the roughest looking guy in the place.

“Hey, what the hell?” The guy squared his shoulders; he was intimidating even covered in lemonade.

“Fuck you,” Laurent replied. 

At this point, three months of travelling and stealing and, most importantly, Damen, Laurent had become pretty efficient at inciting fights. He didn’t need to see the punch coming to know that it was, he just sidestepped and let the man stumble into the back of another patron. It took less than thirty seconds before half the clientele were involved in an all out brawl.

The two security guards rushed in, and were immediately overwhelmed enough that the only bartender -- a youngish lad with a crooked nose -- had to join in to get everything under control. Laurent punched him.

Eventually, the fight got calmed down enough for fingers to point to Laurent and the lemonade clad man as the inciters, and guards hauled them both out into the parking lot.

“Let me go!” Lemonade guy yelled. “I’ll fucking kill him.”

“You can try,” Laurent said, a lot more willing to be subdued by the guard that had him by the arms.

“Don’t make us call the police, man,” his guard complained. “The both of you can go your separate ways, come on.”

The door behind them opened. 

“Sweetheart,” Damen said, chidingly. “I step away for two minutes and you get yourself into trouble.”

---

They go back to a motel after this and Damen reveals the money he stole from the tills while Laurent was being a distraction. Sexy times ensue. Damen eventually falls asleep and Laurent stays awake with the tv on. The news comes on and an interview is shown with Lykaios being interviewed about the robbery at the bar -- she gives a completely inaccurate description of what Damen looked like, and Laurent reflects on how easy it is for Damen to charm people to taking his side.

From Eden Part 3

Their most recent car was a much older model. The aircon was busted and they had to wind down the windows themselves, but at least the radio worked. It was hot, despite it being a couple of hours past sunset. 

Damen was singing with the radio. He wasn’t going to win any awards, but his voice was deep and he had a nice enough sense of the music. He grinned at Laurent. He was always happy. It was part of what made him so magnetic. 

Laurent smiled back. After two years with Damen, the expression felt natural.

Except for them, the road was empty. Damen reached over and took Laurent’s hand in his. 

“Watch the road,” Laurent said.

Damen laughed. “But you’re my favourite view.”

“I won’t be happy if you kill us in a car wreck.”

Obediently, Damen looked back to the road. And then, because it was Damen, the car sped up.

Laurent’s hair flew about chaotically, longer than it had ever been when his uncle had been keeping a hand of Laurent’s appearance. It needed a trim, but as much as Laurent trusted Damen, he didn’t trust him to do that. Damen had offered to take him to a salon, somewhere quiet where there was no chance he’d be recognised, but Laurent wasn’t fond of the idea of being trapped in a chair like that. He was too used to freedom by now.

-

“Left here,” Laurent instructed.

They’d had to slow down once the got near the town. It was best to avoid anyone’s attention for as long as possible. (An admittedly difficult feat when traveling with someone like Damen).

They drove a little way past the house, until they found an obscure little dirt road to park down. It wouldn’t do for someone to see the car. They grabbed their things, and looped back to the house on foot.

Quietly, Damen was still singing. 

“Stop it,” Laurent said.

“You love it,” he replied. “This is your birthday present, baby, at least look like you’re having fun.”

“This is literally the worst place we could get caught.”

“No it isn’t,” Damen replied. “I checked out the police station last time I was here. Breaking out of the cells would be too easy.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“There were no lights on when we drove by. No one is home.”

That was true. And they’d timed it perfectly, assuming schedules hadn’t changed in the last two years. The house was silent when they got to it, not a light in sight as promised.

Laurent took a deep breath.

“Chin up,” Damen said. “Let’s go rob your uncle.”

-

The spare key wasn’t where uncle used to keep it, so they went around the back and Damen fucked with the lock until it opened. It was almost hard to walk into the house, full of so many bad memories, except it had never truly been Laurent’s home and he could just tell himself this was another job. 

“The study,” Laurent said, leading the way.

They crept up the stairs together, torches on their lowest settings.

The study was a formidable room with the big, mahogany desk, and the shelves of books that existed solely to make visitors feel stupid. “Look at this,” Laurent said, pulling out one of the books. “War and Peace in Russian. He doesn’t even know Russian.”

Damen reached past him, and nonchalantly, tipped a stack of books off the shelf. They clattered noisily onto the floor. “Oops,” Damen said. He turned away. “Where’s the safe?”

“Under the desk,” Laurent replied. He was busy searching through the books, finding any early editions to pilfer. They’d probably be able to sell them to an antique store for a bit of quick cash. 

Damen worked away at the safe for a bit, guessing potential codes Laurent had told him about. “None of these are working, sweetheart.” The safe made a beeping noise. “Oh, wait. Got it. Wow, he really deserves to be robbed.”

“I’m sure he thought I’d never come back here.”

Damen made a vaguely angry noise. He didn’t like reminders of what had happened to Laurent in this house. He’d even tried to convince Laurent that they could just murder his uncle while they were here. Laurent wasn’t sure he wanted to add cold-blooded murder to their repertoire just yet though. However tempting.

Damen stood up, suddenly. Hands full of Laurent’s uncle’s emergency cash. He grinned.

“Happy birthday - to - you,” he crooned.

Laurent couldn’t help it. He laughed. “I love you, you beautiful fucking bastard.” 

Abandoning the books, Laurent moved in and kissed him. Carefully, Damen put the money down on the desk so that he could cup Laurent’s face in his hands. It was always intoxicating to kiss Damen. There was something about him that made Laurent forget himself until there was only the press of their lips.

“I love you too,” Damen whispered, pulling back a little. He’d stopped smiling; it was a moment of complete genuine emotion. He did that sometimes, always out of the blue, and it always made Laurent want to clutch him tighter and maybe cry. 

“Let’s finish up here,” Laurent said, “and then we can go find somewhere nice and fuck under the stars.”

“You always know just what to say to seduce me,” Damen said.

They bagged the money, and the books Laurent had picked, and then they made their way down the stairs again.

“Wait,” Damen said.

“What?”

“I’m hungry.” He turned into the kitchen and opened the fridge. “Oh hey, chocolate.”

Actually, that was an idea. Laurent followed him into the kitchen and went straight for the pretentious temperature controlled wine fridge. “Pinot noir or Shiraz?”

“Whatever is more expensive,” Damen replied. He was adding strawberries and oranges to the bag as well. Cream?”

“It’ll go warm too fast.”

“I feel like we should unplug the fridge before we go, at least,” Damen added. “If you’re still against me putting bleach in the milk.”

“Wouldn’t that make it curdle?”

Damen shrugged. “I don’t know. I had a cement mixer in a bar once but that was lime juice.”

“You can unplug the fridge. If he dies from food poisoning, that’s on him.”

Damen started to look for the cord to the fridge.

“Wait,” Laurent whispered. “Did you hear that?”

They froze, listening.

There it was. The soft sound of the stairs creaking. Fuck. Silently, Laurent gestured towards the back door. Damen nodded. He was carefully reaching over to the knife stand.

“Renaud?” came a small voice.

A young boy, no more than thirteen, stepped into the kitchen. He was wiping at one eye sleepily in a childlike gesture. Less childlike were the bruises on his arms. Laurent knew he and Damen had matching expressions of horror.

The boy’s eyes widened as he took them in. “Who are you?” he said.

Damen’s expression was one of barely concealed fury. He looked at Laurent. “I’m not leaving until that man is in a shallow grave.”

“Don’t scare the boy,” Laurent admonished. He turned to the child and tried to look as non-intimidating as a late-night home invader could possibly look. “What’s your name?”

“Are you Renaud’s friends?” The boy asked.

“No,” Laurent said. “Definitely not. I’m Laurent.”

The boy was frowning. “You used to live here.” 

“Yes.”

“Well,” he straightened up, suddenly hostile. “You’re not allowed to come back. He doesn’t want you anymore; I’m better.”

“Where are your parents?” Damen asked.

“We’re not giving him back to parents who-”

“They’re dead,” the boy said. He didn’t sound upset.

--

The boy is obviously Nicaise. They hear a car in the driveway and Laurent locks Nicaise in the pantry. Laurent’s protective instinct rears up and he insists they kill the uncle now. Damen is fully down for it. Murder ensues. They let Nicaise out and keep him away from finding out that the uncle is dead in the next room. They tell Nicaise to pack a back and discuss what to do with him. Damen suggests dropping him off at a hospital or somewhere like that where someone can get help for him (since they can’t exactly go to the cops). 

Nicaise overhears and says that he doesn’t want to have a new foster parent; at least his current one has a big house. Laurent hearing that feels too wary to risk Nicaise getting another bad household. Damen is like, well I guess we can keep him if you want??? Laurent agrees. They go get in the car and drive away. 

-

Anyway this AU was directly inspired by the film clip for Hozier’s ‘From Eden’, you should watch it bc that’s the story I intended to write 

[imaginetrahs]

4. Is this a date or what?

Solana

This morning I woke up around nine o'clock and stayed in bed for a while. Oscar wasn't coming until 12:30 and currently it's only 10.

I got out bed with a heavy sigh, and walked to my closet looking for an outfit. I wanted to look good but not like I'm trying too hard. However, I don't want to look like I didn't try. I decided on a cropped thin strapped tank top with ripped jeans and a light flannel shirt. I looked in the mirror and paused thinking about the weather. I checked my phone and it said 85 degrees. I went to change my outfit, but took a picture first. I ended up trying on three different outfits, took pictures of them, and then sent them to the group chat before hopping in the shower.

Real Hot Girl Shit 🤪

Hot Girl Lana

Which one 😭

Read 10:15

Hot Girl Brae

The first one is really cute but so is the third one 😗

Sent 10:18

Hot Girl Ziy

Where are you going 🤔

Sent 10:20

Hot Girl Lana

Out with Oscar 😬

Read 10:50

Hot Girl Brae

Hot Girl Ziy

Hot Girl Brae

Hot Girl Lana

Ok it is not that serious 🙄

Read 10:58

Hot Girl Ziy

Actually it is

Read 11:05

Go with fit 3 bitch

Read 11:05

Hot Girl Lana

Thanks 😊

Read 11:08

I promise to tell y'all everything later

Read 11:10

After punching the air a few times I got dressed and put some mousse on my braids to lay down any flyaways. I didn't do any special makeup just my eyebrows, some lashes and some lip gloss. I walked out of my room to see Jamal sitting at the table eating cereal.

"Where are you going? Did you put sunscreen on because last time you didn't you got burned and then you cried and had me rub aloe all over you and I don't want to do that again." He got up to put his bowl in the sick and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Yes Jamal, damn." I walked around him to the fridge to grab a water.

"Where are you going?" He continued watching me from the counter.

"Out." I sat on the couch and turned the tv on. Reruns of love and hip hop were on so I decided to just watched that until it was time to go.

"Where?" I sighed and threw my head back on the couch.

"What is this? And interrogation?" I tossed the remote on the coffee table in front of me. "You're not my dad! You always tryna hear something."

Jamal gave me a straight face and I couldn't help but bust out laughing. He did this to himself asking all these damn questions.

"Chill out J." I giggled to myself. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

He rolled his eyes and walked down the hall to his room. I stayed on the couch watching tv for the next hour. I was hungry but decided not eat because I'm pretty sure I'll eat with Oscar.

~

12:30 came and went, Oscar still wasn't here. I waited until 1 o'clock to text him, it's only been thirty minutes but Oscar is very punctual it's sickening. I checked my phone again and seen that my message was left on read.

I twisted my face up and locked my phone. I sunk into the couch thinking that maybe he's busy right now and him leaving me on read is his way of telling me he's still coming.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case, I've sat here for another two hours. I laid down on the couch still watching tv, upset. I heard Jamal come out of his room and into the living room.

"I thought you were going out." He came and sat on my back.

"Yeah me too." I groaned out from under him. "Do you wanna go out? Like to eat or something?"

"Really?" His whole face lit up at my question.

"Yeah," I giggled at him, "why wouldn't I be serious?"

He shrugged his shoulders and got up to put his shoes on. I squint my eyes not believing him then got up myself to put my sandals on.

Before leaving I made Jamal take a picture with me for Snapchat. I captioned it with a red heart and posted it. I grabbed my keys from the key hook and left with Jamal behind me. I waited in the car while he locked the front door and pulled out when he got in the passenger seat.

"Where to brother?" I glanced at him but still kept my eyes on the road. Safety first.

"Let's go to the state fair." I stopped at a red light and looked at him surprised.

"Are you sure because last time you told mom and dad you were going to sue them for child endangerment." I laughed and pulled off to get on the freeway.

"I'm a new man now. I'm stronger," he flexed his arms to show his nonexistent muscles, "I'm taller."

"Right." I nodded at him slowly. "We'll see how much of a 'new man' you are when it's time to get on rides."

For the rest of the drive we sung most of the songs that came on Spotify together. Moments like these are my favorite because as we get older we started to drift apart doing our own thing.

About 45 minutes later we parked and hopped out to get to the ticket booth. It was almost 4 o'clock and the park didn't close until 8 so we had some time. For Christmas last year we were gifted membership passes so we didn't have to pay as much and I'm so thankful for our rich family members.

Looking around the park we tried to decide what we wanted to do first. I haven't eaten yet and I was super hungry, like hungry hungry. I looked around for the food truck that I wanted. They served these really, really good buffalo chicken calzones and then I would just get a bucket of fries from another truck and fried Oreos from another. Be honest, who comes to fairs to ride rides because I don't, I come to eat.

Jamal and I sat at one of the free tables and he watched me eat with a disgusted face.

"You know none of that is good for you and with the pace you're eating at, you're bound to choke." He stopped talking abruptly. "I'm not CPR certified." He whispered to himself.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh come on J, chill out. It's like I have to constantly tell you this. Enjoy and indulge in this while you can because once we go back to school it's back to eating prison food."

"I'm pretty sure school food is better than prison food." I huffed and stopped eating.

"That's not the point." I wiped my mouth with the napkins I grabbed. "My point is, enjoy yourself. You're too uptight to be only 14, that's not good. It gives you grey hair early."

"Fine." He sighed and went to reach for my food but I moved it out of his reach.

"What are you doing? All of these vendors and food trucks, and you want my food?" I looked at him like he had two heads. "Go get your own, loser."

~

We've been at the fair for almost four hours and we've ate and played more games than we can count. So far we've won a huge unicorn, big enough for me to sit on, a huge pillow pet and just a bunch of small and medium sized stuffed animals. Since we weren't ready to go yet, I put all of the prizes in a storage locker until we left.

"You ready to go yet?" I looked at Jamal and he looked like he was ready to pass out, truth be told me too. We've been walking around for hours, bumping into people and vice versa, quite frankly I'm tired of it.

"Yeah, you?" He looked back at me and I nodded back at him.

"Let's get a funnel cake before we go?" We both stood up and walked to find the booth that sold funnel cakes. Eventually we found it and stood in line waiting for the few people in front of us.

From the corner of my eye I could see Jamal fidgeting like he wanted to say something. I could feel him glancing at me but not saying anything so I thought I should say something first.

"What is it J?" I turned to him a little, it was enough to let him know he had my full attention.

"What — I don't — what?" He stuttered out.

I pursed my lips and rocked on the heels of my feet waiting for him to tell me. "I don't believe you. So just tell me or rather, I don't know, ask me like a normal person."

He took a minute and finally asked me. "Who were you going out with today?"

I stared at him in disbelief, "that's what you wanted to ask me?" I snorted out a laugh. "I thought you were gonna ask for money 'cause you're in trouble or something. Jeez, J."

He huffed and moved up ordering the funnel cakes for us. I had a feeling he already knew the answer so I didn't bother answering it.

"Are you gonna answer me?" He handed me my cake and we started walking to the front of the fair to grab our things and leave.

"No." I led some guys willing to carry all of the prizes to my car. "I'm pretty sure you already know the answer so...you tell me." I put one hand on my hip while the other held the rest of my cake.

Once the guys were done I tipped them and got in the car. We had a long drive back home because of traffic and it's dark out and people don't know how to fucking drive.

"How did that even happen? Why him of all people?"

To be honest I don't even know myself. Yeah I had a crush on him and yeah he's attractive, very attractive whew. But, the lifestyle he lives is very dangerous, he's older than me, which isn't really a problem I'm eighteen, and he's not really someone my dad would want me to bring home.

"I don't know." I pulled onto the freeway. "It's a long story I guess."

"We got time."

~

We finally arrived home after I spilled my guts about my feelings for Oscar. Surprisingly Jamal didn't say anything about how I felt, because we all know he always has something smart to say.

"I know you're older and you're supposed to look out for me but, you're my only sibling," he took my hand in his, "and I just want you to be safe."

I nodded and squeezed his hand. "Of course. Always."

He nodded back at me and got out the car making his way into the house. My parents were home, I could see their bedroom light on.

I sat in the car for a little while longer not ready to get out yet. My phone went off in the cup holder telling me I had a text message. I looked at it and seen a picture from Braelyn. In the picture it was Oscar, who looked way too high to function, and a girl sitting on his lap. The picture was screenshot from Instagram and it was captioned "Mine 🤪".

I couldn't help but laugh, out of both humor and stupidity. I text back the group chat, "Lmfaooooooo. Bet.", and got out of the car and went inside. I'd get the stuffed animals tomorrow or something, right now I just want to go lay down.

"Hey babygirl." My dad hugged me as I walked in the house. "Jamal told me y'all went to fair. That was nice of you."

"Yeah I thought we should hang before school starts." I kicked my sandals off at the door and grabbed a water from the kitchen. "I'm gonna go to bed, I'm tired.

"Ok, I love you." I repeated it back and went to my room. Today has been a long day.

~

I changed my clothes and then got in bed. I put on Netflix for background noise and check my socials. There wasn't anything special but I watched Jamal's snap and noticed he posted a few pictures of us from the fair.

One picture stood out the most though. It was a picture of me playing the basketball game, I was mid shot with a big smile on my face. It was about 6:30 when it was taken because the sky was a pink-ish orange color and I looked like I was literally glowing. I screenshot it and posted it to my story and locked my phone.

I got another text and seen it was from Oscar. I rolled my eyes and opened it to leave him on read and went back to watching tv. I didn't have time for the tomfoolery, if he didn't want to hang today that's all he had to say instead he stood me up.

"Can I watch tv with you?" I looked up and seen Jamal standing at the door with a disgusted look on his face. "Mom and Dad are...busy and your room is the farthest."

I chuckled and made a space for him on the bed. He climbed in and we watched tv for the next 2 ½ hours. When Jamal got up to leave to his room I laid my head on his shoulder.

"You're my favorite brother."

"I'm you're only brother, Solana."

[xxisxxisxxis]

Gateway Drug | Part Thirty-Five

Table of Content or Part Thirty-Four

View chapter on wattpad here

Word Count: 4k

A/N: Happy birthday to Nikki Sixx who is aging like wine. I'm so proud of how far he has come and here's to another 61 years and an eternity more🖤

Warning(s): Explicit language, Mentions of drug abuse, Abuse

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"Alright, assholes, shut up and listen for two minutes." Doc tells us in the airport we wait in line at customs. "We're gonna be here in Japan for a week. Japan is not like it is back home. You can't act like you don't have any sense. They will lock your asses up in a heart beat. Do you understand?" He warns Tommy, Nikki, Vince and Mick. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Daddy." Nikki sarcastically lets out, smacking his gum.

"Hey, wise ass, I don't need your comments, alright? I'm being serious, guys." Doc tells them.

"We got it, Doc. You don't have to worry about anything, bud." Tommy assures him, sincerely.

It was our first time in Japan and I've got to say, it's personally my favorite place ever.

The fans were extremely polite, and all of them had enthusiastic, wide smiles...my favorite part was that the girls actually respected the fact that Nikki's wife was with him, and didn't try to screw him in front of me like audacious rats in other places tried to.

They would just smile shyly and introduce themselves to us, and then get a picture with the guys.

If I had a dime for every time Fred has had to keep me from assaulting someone for grabbing Nikki's crotch in front of me, trying to shove their tongues down his throat, give them hotel room numbers to meet them in, etc. I would have been rich enough to afford Nikki's $3,500 a day on heroin.

Groupies were insane.

And I don't mean I saw these girls attempt this stuff from a distance.

I mean, I'd be standing right next to him, the girls would introduce themselves to me, then go on to grope Nikki before he could say a word about how it was nice to meet them.

In the midst of trying to get me on the ground before I could throw a punch, the girls would run off, and Nikki would always say "sorry, babe" and mean it.

He stopped apologizing when he stopped caring.

"...And we need blow." Tommy says to Sparkie, who's about to go on the hunt for a drug dealer in town for the guys, and I roll my eyes.

"Doc told you guys to behave because they don't tolerate bull crap here." I remind him and he and Sparkie look at me, and Nikki's grabbing at my waist and pulling me to sit on his leg before taking a swig of Jack, his striped outfit and bright, over the top makeup is the complete opposite of their Shout at the Devil era.

"What Doc doesn't know won't hurt him, Viv." Tommy says it like it's common sense. "Hey, Vinny, what do you want from a dealer?" Tommy asks him, a sharpness to his voice, and Nikki laughs.

I don't find their bullshit funny.

Vince just rolls his eyes and drinks his water with no reply.

Vince was on court mandated sobriety. And was being tortured by Nikki and even Tommy. They would offer him things they knew he couldn't have and then would play it off like they forgot.

They would have him pass them their drugs, pour them their drinks and count out how many pills they had left.

It ticked me off seeing Tommy go that fucking low all because he and Nikki were so close.

He even started being a little disrespectful to me whenever Nikki was.

Nikki's leg is shaking a little, despite him throwing back alcohol and I look over my shoulder at him.

"Are you okay?" I mouth so the others won't hear it, and Nikki nods, but I know he's full of it.

"On in five, guys, c'mon!" Doc calls out from the other side of the door and I pat Nikki's other leg and stand up, grabbing his hand and pulling him up.

We step out and head to the stage, and Nikki's turning to give me one last kiss before going on.

When he pulls away, my hands are quickly taking my crucifix off and reaching up to fasten it around his neck and it ironically overlaps with his pentagram necklace.

"For good luck." I explain and he gives me a little closed mouth smile and gives me a quick peck on the lips before following Tommy, Vince and Mick.

By the time they got off stage, Nikki was growing pale, and sweating, and not just because he was running around on stage.

Nikki had gone over 48 hours without heroin. Alcohol could keep his tremors to mere, barely noticeable shakes, but didn't do very much for his sweating and sickness.

The guys didn't know he was that deep into heroin, yet, so he didn't want to tell them it was making him that ill without it or they would realize he was further down the hole than they expected.

So, what did I do? I covered for him.

"He thinks he might have food poisoning." I explain to Tommy and Vince as they stand outside of mine and Nikki's room.

"Well, is he alright?" Tommy asks me.

"He'll be okay. He just doesn't feel like going out." I assure him.

"Alright, we gotta go." Vince nudges him.

"Tell him I hope he feels better." Tommy says.

"I will. You guys be careful."

"We will, goodnight."

"Goodnight." I reply and shut the door, hearing Nikki groaning in the bathroom.

The door's locked, and I sigh out in frustration.

"Nikki, open the door." I tell him calmly.

"Fuck off, Viv." He tells me for the hundredth time tonight.

"Open the door or I'm telling Doc." I threaten him, even though it's a complete lie.

"Tell him I want a divorce while you're at it." He snaps.

I don't say anything for a moment, and hear him sigh out, before he unlocks the door.

I step in, seeing him soaked in sweat, pale, the smell of vomit is potent and I try to keep a calm demeanor as he grips the side of the tub to help himself stand up. 

He nearly falls, tremors spazzing through his body, but I'm quick to nestle under his arm and help him stay up.

"I just need some Jack." He tells me. "It'll help."

He doesn't sound like Nikki.

He sounds like a defeated child.

"Nikki, I don't think—"

"Okay, Viv, now isn't the time for your bullshit. Get me some Jack." He orders desperately, nearly pleading.

I get him on the bed, starting to tug his boots off, before pulling his shirt over his head, and unbuckling his belt.

"Never thought...I'd ever say this...but the last thing...on my mind right...now is...fucking around." He takes heavy breaths, squeezing his eyes closed and groaning when I get his pants off.

"Yes, because seeing my husband in so much pain really turns me on." I sarcastically let out.

"I'm cold." He tells me, his hand gripping mine.

I pull the bed covers over his naked body, glancing at my necklace he's still wearing.

"I'll get you some Jack." I say, stepping to the phone on the bedside table and ordering his necessity.

I turn back to face him once I'm done, and he's curled up and shivering, and he's kicked the blankets off of him.

"Nikki?" I ask, furrowing my brows.

"I'm hot." He cracks out, shot eyes looking at me, teeth chattering together despite his tight jaw and wet, black hair clings to his soaked skin that seems to be turning transparent.

That moment I realized I was married to a junkie, and Nikki realized he had become the very thing he had been in denial of becoming.

Neither of us said a word to one another about our revelations.

The alcohol and pills they managed to score kept Nikki's roaring withdrawals at bay and allowed him to play his illness off as the flu throughout the rest of the Japan tour, and the second we got home, he was phoning every dealer he could get a hold of.

One I had never met before, Jason, was the first one to come to his aid and it didn't take me long to come to the conclusion I would inevitably have to kill that motherfucker to keep him away from my husband.

He just wanted our money, laying out an elaborate display of everything from cheap tar to clean China White, cocaine, and a pharmacy of prescription pills.

I always left to "go to the store" anytime Jason came over.

Once I was practically having a full on emotional affair, I would go find Duff but before any feelings for him emerged, I would just drive my car around the corner of the street going by the house, pull into the driveway of a half-way burnt down house, and cry. 

My husband, my Nikki, was destroying himself from the inside out, and the more I tried to do help him get better, the worse he got.

Every time I prayed for him, his demons would hold tighter to his legs and keep him shackled in place with a needle and lies that weighed him down and made him feel the need to do the only thing that made him happy, even if only temporarily.

By the end of '87, I was exhausted. I had been screaming, crying, pleading, for years for someone to do something, for someone to threaten the band, threaten them individually, get them off the road, at least try to start a conversation addressing their obvious addictions...

But they were making everyone above them money. That's all that mattered.

I was screaming into a void, and nobody could hear me. Well, they could...they were just ignoring me which was even worse.

I don't know how the hell I managed to face the same thing with Duff and his band years later.

I step into the house once Jason is gone, seeing Nikki by the fireplace, laying on the carpet, and I go to lay beside him.

We've been back from Japan a few days, and they're suppose to be preparing for their U.S. tour starting in a couple weeks.

Nikki's been in heroin land ever since we have gotten home.

And I've been in my own personal hell, being that I just added a third picture to my dead baby drawer as of yesterday.

I would go to a doctor to see if there's something wrong with me to prompt not ever making it past week twelve, but Nikki would find out somehow, someway. I've already risked enough as it is by going to the obstetrician.

"Babe," I nudge him and he opens his eyes just enough to show his pinpointed pupils, and he hums a little. "I gotta go get Tansy from the airport."

"Mmkay." He mumbles, and I force myself not to cry, remembering how miserable he was in Japan, and now we've gotten back and he's back to square one. 

Was it really square one if he never wanted to move to square two in the first place?

Tansy gets into my car, wearing what I'm assuming she wore when they taped her interview with David Letterman hours ago, while a security guard puts her stuff in the trunk.

"Well." I say, looking at her as she lays her head against the back of her seat and looks at me from behind her sunglasses. "How did the interview go?" I ask and she tugs off her heels.

"I don't know." She tells me and I furrow my brows. "The bits and pieces I remember were great." She sounds like she's about to cry.

"Were you...?" I trail off and she moves her fingers under the blacked out lenses and sniffles. "Babe, it's not anything to cry about."

I grab at her hand as she starts crying even more.

"I bombed it, Viv." She says with certainty.

"Tansy, if you don't even remember it, how do you know for sure you did a bad job?"

"You know how I act when I'm fucked up."

"I also know, by the grace of God, somehow, someway, you manage to differentiate between a setting you need to be more composed in, and a setting you can be wild in. Even when you are stoned out of your mind. I have seen you do it." I assure her. "It's really freaking creepy."

My comment has her chuckling a little and she wipes at her tears again. 

"It will be okay. I am sure you did great. And if you didn't you can just do what I do when I'm not acting normal and blame it on Mötley Crüe." 

None of us, not even Tansy herself, knew why or how she scored an interview with David Letterman, but we were all proud of her nonetheless, even if she couldn't remember much of it.

"Sparkie said Japan went good." Tansy says after we're driving for a couple minutes.

"Yeah."

"Thank you for letting him go. I know you aren't the biggest fan of him." She adds.

"I didn't let him go. The guys insisted he went because they needed someone to find them drugs." I state.

"Point is, he went. And he had fun. So thank you." She replies.

"I only tolerate him because I love you." I tell her.

"I know, and I—" she presses a quick kiss to the back of my hand. "—love you, too."

I rub my lips together and get an idea.

"Would you be up for a girl's night?" I ask.

"What do you have in mind?" She asks and I raise my brows. 

In hindsight, it was probably a bad decision to introduce Tansy to Guns N' Roses while she was still addicted to drugs and alcohol, because all it did was create toxic friendships that thrived on the struggles of everyone involved.

Tansy was very easily influenced by other people, but I figured if she had survived that long being friends with Nikki, Tommy and Vince, she would be just fine around Duff, Axl, Izzy, Steven and Slash.

Tansy and I make our way through the crowd, hand in hand, lacing through people and eager groupies.

She's heard me talk about them every now and then but now she has the opportunity to see what the hype is about.

The Troubadour is packed out, and a sense of pride swells in my chest.

"They must be good." Tansy comments, glancing around. 

Normally at least one person would have already asked for her autograph or a picture of her, but everyone is too distracted by the anticipation of the band that's been tearing up and down the strip ever since Nikki, Tommy, Vince and Mick set the bar so high. 

They're not even onstage yet, before all lights in the place shut down, and  Axl let's out one of his infamous screams that somehow mimics a melodic siren. 

The crowd goes quiet for a split second before realizing it's him, then they start screaming, clapping, stomping their feet. 

The lights come back on to reveal Axl, Duff, Izzy, Slash and Steven, picking up into the fast paced rhythm of "Anything Goes." 

With teased hair, heavy glam-rock influenced outfits and makeup, mixed with their sound, it's safe to say there isn't one dry vagina around...including Tansy, who's eyes don't leave the singing red head for the rest of the night.

Back stage is crowded, but Tansy and I manage to be the first females in their dressing room by the time their set is completely finished.

She's already broken into their Jack and Vodka stash, guzzling from both bottles simultaneously, and I look at her like she's crazy because I know it's got to hurt her throat.

"What?" She asks me, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You are a crazy person." I state just as the door opens, revealing Slash and Steven first, girls under each arm.

"Hey, Viv!" Steven pipes, smiling widely and Slash looks confused for a moment before realizing the blur standing before him is indeed Vivian.

"Hey, Viv." He repeats what Steven said.

Steven does a double-take really quick, seeing Tansy, his hand patting at Slash as he stands, starstruck. It's a domino effect.

First Steven, second Slash, third Duff, then Izzy and lastly, Axl.

Except Steven, Slash, Duff and Axl are frozen because Tansy Lyn is standing before them. I'm sure Izzy appreciates her beauty and participation in Playboy for the last four years, but he's more worried about her breaking into their alcohol. 

"Man, that's Tansy Lyn." Steven states.

"Drinking our booze." Izzy adds and Tansy guiltily puts it back where she got it, smiling.

"Hi." She says to them, and they immediately pretend they weren't just remembering what her naked body looks like.

Steven, as always, is the first to make himself known to a beautiful girl, extending his hand to her. 

"I'm Steven." He tells her.

Slash is shyly hiding behind his curly hair the best he can as Steven puts an arm around him.

"This is Slash." He adds. 

"The grubby fingered alcoholic is Izzy." I tell her as he lights a cigarette. 

"Read this grubby finger, Viv." Izzy states blankly, flipping me off and I hold back a laugh.

"I'm Duff." Duff introduces himself next, and Tansy has to look up so high, her head is tipped completely back before shaking his hand.

Axl doesn't introduce himself, he just stands and stares at her for a moment, black sunglasses blocking our eyes from his.

"Axl." Is all he says before grabbing the bottle of Jack, grabbing one of the girls Steven and Slash walked in with, and leaving.

"He's not an asshole seventy-five percent of the time." I try to defend him against her as she looks like her feelings have been hurt slightly. 

"But when he is an asshole, just avoid him for a few hours and stay out of his way." Duff scoffs out, grabbing the bottle of vodka.

They all knew that piece of advice too well.

Not entirely sure how we ended up back at mine and Nikki's house, but Nikki wasn't home, and probably wasn't going to be home until early morning, so Duff, Steven and Tansy were all in my house.

"If you break a mirror, you buy it!" I call out to Steven and Tansy as Duff and I have our legs dangling in the pool water, hearing something breaking inside the house through the open french doors that lead into the kitchen.

Duff blows smoke out of his nose, laughing at Tansy and Steven calling back, "We didn't!" 

"Jesus." I mumble, grinning to myself and Duff joins in with me, laughing harder at me as "Get Down Tonight" starts blaring through the speakers in the house.

Tansy has officially met her match. 

"I'm glad they get along." Duff says smoothly.

"They both like weed and the same music taste. Seems like a beautiful friendship to me." I shrug and he smiles. 

There's a pause in the air, and he keeps looking at me. 

"What?"

"There's dancing trophies in your house." He tells me and I raise my brows, remembering the day Nikki had demanded my hard earned proof of years dedicated to such a difficult art form, be put on display on a shelf right next to his awards for Gold and Platinum records.

"Yeah? I told you I use to be a dancer." I reply.

"I thought you meant you were a stripper." He confesses and I widen my eyes, elbowing him gently.

"No!" 

"Well, I'm sorry! You're married to a rock guy, you said you use to be a dancer, rockers and strippers go hand-in-hand. It's, like, written in stone or whatever." He tells me. 

"Oh my gosh, Duff." I rub my face and he finishes his cigarette before pulling out another one. 

"So, why don't you do it anymore?" He asks and I think for a second and lick my lips.

"It just wasn't really..." I trail off and he furrows his brows. "...I guess after over a decade of dancing, after graduating, it just  wasn't my thing anymore. I just moved onto bigger and better stuff." 

"What's your thing now, then?" It's obvious he doesn't buy my explanation.

"Being Nikki Sixx's wife." I admit and an odd silence falls over us. 

"You gave up school--Julliard--and dance, only to be known as somebody's wife?" 

"Well, damn, Duff, when you say it like that..." I try not to be hurt because I know he doesn't mean any ill will from it and he immediately starts apologizing. 

"I didn't mean it like that." He tells me. "It's just a waste of talent if you never utilize it anymore. You can't just be dependent on being Nikki's wife, Viv. You need your own thing." 

I wanted to tell him I couldn't afford to be anything but Nikki's wife, or else I'd lose everything.

Nikki's home sooner than I expect as I get ready for bed.

Steven, Tansy and Duff are all asleep on the living room floor, and Nikki comes into our bathroom to splash water on his face.

"The fuck is in our house?" He asks me and I raise my brows.

"Why're you home this early?"

"Jason's coming over." He tells me. "And he's bringing his girlfriend."

"Umm, baby, it would be nice for my friends not to wake up and be met with a drug dealer naming off poisons like an auctioneer."

"Tell them to fuck off." He mumbles, digging through his pockets of the clothes he was wearing yesterday. "Have you seen the check?" He asks me and I raise my brows.

"The check from the label for the Japan tour?" I ask and he nods. "You asked me to cash it yesterday and I did."

"Okay, so where did you put it?"

I step to my top drawer and hand him the stack of cash and he starts thumbing through it, his brows furrowing when he stops halfway through.

"The check was for $150,000, Viv. Where's the rest?" He snaps and I cross my arms.

"You said put 20% in savings and told me I could give 10% to tithes." I remind him, and he looks like he is going to murder me.

"You gave fifteen fucking thousand dollars to a church?! Are you out of your fucking mind?!" He seeths, his face twisting angrily.

"You told me I could Nikki." I try not to get upset. "I asked you and you said—"

"—I said 'yes' because I was fucked up and wasn't thinking, Viv!" He yells, throwing the pile of cash across the room, causing bills to fly everywhere. "And that's exactly why you waited until you knew I couldn't pay attention to care enough about what you were saying because you knew I would laugh in your face if I were sober!" He accuses me.

"Is it so bad if your money goes to something other than drugs?" I stupidly ask him.

He's lunging at me, grabbing my wrists, and pinning me to the bed while screaming in my face.

"That's my fucking money! Mine! How I want to spend it is my fucking business, Vivian!" He shakes me, and I can no longer hold back tears. "You're gonna go tomorrow to that fucking shit hole and tell those fallacious bastards you need that $15,000 back!"

"Nikki, I already told them it was their's." I try to explain, shaking my head a little, sobbing so thickly I'm not even sure he can understand me.

"You'll get my fucking money back or I'll give you something to fucking whine about." He threatens darkly.

He shoves himself off of me and storms out of the house, slamming the front door.

I go to make sure he didn't wake Tans, Stevie, or Duff up, but to my horror, Tansy and Steven are sound asleep while I hear the door slam a second time and realize Duff followed Nikki out.

[estrxlar]

The Ghost Of You

08 - Confession

This chapter's songs:

Off and On; SALES

Heaven; Clairo

A Pearl; Mitski

- Y.L. Perspective

   "Hey."

   The word is distant yet close, making me gasp awake. When my eyes open, I'm in sight of the foggy wet window causing pitter-patter in front of me. 'It rained.' I thought, looking out to the concrete that was soaked. Not that it bothered me; rain was one of the many things that I enjoyed.

  Coming back to reality, I notice that the scenery outside is too familiar, and not long after do I realize we're parked right outside of my house, waiting for me to awake. At first, I'm completely tripped out that I had teleported from the skate park to here, but it was just a generous favor from Sugawara.

  And suddenly, everything from last night comes to mind.

  After Suga had kissed first me, we'd spent more than enough time on each other's faces. But the last thing I remember is sopping down on my seat and falling asleep, worn out, instead of coming up with an excuse of why I made the stupid decision of making out with him. There was not one thing fair about me knocked out in his passenger seat while he reflected on my behalf as well.

But thankfully it appeared Koushi didn't care all that much. Getting me home was one of his priorities this morning.

  "What time is it?" I yawn, stretching out my limbs as far as they can go, but that's only to where the seat's leg space ends.

   "It's ten AM. But it's a Saturday, so you should probably get some rest today. You went to sleep pretty late last night, and you didn't look very comfortable." He describes, leaning on the door window, staring at the pouring rain. It enlightened me that Suga cares about my rest, but what about him? From what I understand, he stayed up just as long as I did. If not, longer.

  So, I decided I should offer something that I was hoping wouldn't make him uncomfortable or jump to conclusions. "Uhm...if you're tired then you can come in too, and we can just stay here for the day until you wanna go home, " I tell him, mirroring his action, and resting both my head and arm on the window.

  The invitation seemed to surprise him, for he had quickly whirled his head towards me, asking, "Wait, are you sure? Y-your mom won't be mad that I'm over? Cause– you know..." he trails off, anxiously pressing his palms together, and looking downwards. It came off that he felt almost ashamed that we shared an intimate moment, which wasn't something that he should be responsible for. But even so, I still wanted to spend more time with him. If I'm being completely honest, I wasn't sure if it was because I liked him, or because he was such a refreshing person to be around, but he made me feel better than I had felt in a long time.

   "Suga, I'm sure. Look, if you don't wanna hang out that's fine. I was just asking because you seemed tired and said you don't wanna be home right now." My eyes snake from his chest to his eyes, hoping it would give him an understanding that I really wanted him to come inside. "So, do you wanna?"

  Sugawara gulps in nervousness, clearing his throat before speaking. "Uh, yeah. Sure. But we better hurry up, or we'll get soaked."

- K. S. Perspective

   I wait behind her light brown painted door, running my hands through my damp hair. Small noises of clatter are heard, while I uncomfortably stand outside of her room, waiting for her to open up. To be honest, I wasn't sure about being casually invited into her house after last night. All that ran through my head was, 'did she even like it? Does she feel uncomfortable? What if she wants to go further?

Should I confess right now?'

Finally, her door pops open, revealing her in a change of comfortable clothing and the room behind her. "Uhm, come in," she says, pulling the door wider for me to come in. The room consisted of regular decorations I thought she'd have: anime and music artist posters, a random guitar, a few color-changing lights, and a bean bag chair. "I know it's weird and all. I guess I just haven't gotten the chance to redo my room."

"No, it's—it's fun," I tell her, sticking my hands in my pants pocket. I had to say, it'd been quite a while since I'd been in a girl's room so casually. Not that I was jumping to conclusions, but I was hoping she'd want to discuss things over what had happened. That way I could make it clear to her that I wasn't playing around with her feelings.

  She shuffled towards her messy bed, turning towards me, before falling backward onto it. Her loud yawn and stretch echo throughout the room, as well as the low music that she had playing on a home speaker on her dresser. As much as I wanted to feel relaxed, I hardly could. I felt almost scared to stand in her room alone right after we had made out. All I could think of was running my hand against her skin, and rubbing my lips against her hot neck. Now she was casually laying on her bed, looking back at me with absolutely no expression.

  "Come, come, " she says, holding out a hand towards me, which makes my anxiety advance to an entirely new level. But following her orders, I hesitantly take it, quickly being pulled to where she laid. The sudden action has me wide-eyed and rested on my side, facing only Y/n. Though I tried hiding my uneasiness, she eventually broke my cover with a simple sentence. "I feel so tired. Don't you?"

I nod, before gulping almost too loudly. However, Y/n keeps her gaze on me, gradually making her eye rests longer. Feeling the dirtiest in the room, I begin to distance myself from her stature, removing the dark paid cover-up that spread over my shoulders, as well as a few accessories I had and tossed them on a small desk at the side of her bed. Then, I took out my phone, deciding it was best to talk to Daichi about everything; I was hoping my friends weren't angry I had ditched them so suddenly.

—

Daichi

How was the party?

Weren't you there?

I left earlier than expected

Around what time?

12:00 AM

That's not that early

Anyways, it was fine I guess

Everyone was being stupid and drunk

I know, good thing I didn't stay so long

Miya said you left with Y/n-?

Yeah, but I just took her out cause she wasn't having a good time

Well, I just took her to some park where we spent the night in my car and I drove her home today

Now we're just napping in her room

I thought you said you wanted to see how things went with her :(

Don't worry we didn't do anything

At least not something extreme

What'd you do??

Uh

We just kind of made out for a few minutes

But it wasn't bad or anything

It was nice

Pls don't tell anybody because I'm not sure how to tell her yet

That you're in love with her?? Ahh ok-.-

I'm not in love with her,

Koushi, you told me you've never wanted to want to make somebody feel loved the way you did Y/n.

Well

Uh

Whatever

Are you coming to the practice game today?

Oh yeah

What time

In like thirty minutes

Are you serious

But I needed to talk to y/n

I was gonna wait till she woke up

Sorry man

Just leave her a note you'll be back?

Yeah, ok

----

As Daichi had told me to, I decided to find the nearest paper and pen that sat lazily on Y/n's desk. But instead of tossing a few words to excise my absence, I thought of doing something very stupid and risky.

I left a love letter.

At first, I felt as if I was being nothing but a coward for not telling her personally. What would she think if I had just run off and left a confession for her to run through my herself? But after realizing that I could let her think things through, I thought it was the best idea I had that entire year.

And so, I wrote my feelings down quicker than ever imagined, fitting in what I could to convince Y/n of my love for her.

To y/n,

This is one of the most idiotic things I could have done to tell you, but I have a practice game and I can't afford to miss practice right now. As you know, I'm on the edge of having my position taken.

Y/n, after about a week of knowing you I realized that you make me feel like a better person. When I hear your voice or get the benefit of making you smile, it feels like I'm on a high off of you. You're the most beautiful, talented girl have ever met in my life. Without you, I don't think I could have lasted this first week.

I remember the feeling you gave me when we were younger. Even if you didn't talk to me, or didn't acknowledge my existence very much, I still wanted to discover every corner of you. I thought I wouldn't have ever met someone that I was so passionate about like I was for you. And when our first year of high school ended, I felt heartbroken by the fact that I didn't get to tell you how I felt about you. How your essence made my heart warm, how your skin makes me crave touching you, how much space you filled up in my small brain.

When I had seen you on the bus that one morning, I couldn't believe how much you've grown. I know this is personal for you, but you were in a bad state, and it caused me pain to see that you felt alone, and you didn't know how much I cared for you. So when I saw how much you were taking care of yourself, it brought me to hope that I could do the same. If you didn't already know, after my mom had died, I started creating bad habits and ruined my self-portrait. I felt like there was no way out, and that I was useless. But then I met you, again. You brought me to become a better person for myself, Y/n.

I don't want to rush you into anything, but I feel like I should confess to you that I'm in love with you. I've never had the feelings I have for you. Every day I find myself thinking of how lovely you are. And after what had happened last night, I realized, why wait? Why wait to tell you this the way I did in my first year? If I did, then I'm gonna run out of time. I want you more than I've ever wanted anything, Y/n. I think I'm scared that you won't look at me the same, or that you think I'm a burden to you. But at this point, I think I've run out of space to store what I feel for you.

Overall, I love you, Y/n. Please, do me the honor of being with me.

Love, Koushi.

—

I'M SO SORRY FOR SUCH A SHORT CHAPTER YOU GUYS<\3. But I hope you appreciate it. Please comment and note bc it really helps

As always, I love you guys

- estrxlar

[d-noona]

MAKE OVER

Chapter 8: Saturday Night

Jung Hoseok x Reader

Reader as Kang Hyeonji

SUMMARY: When Kang Hyeonji transformed herself into a striking redhead, the entire male population of Seoul stood up and took notice. But her make over was for Jung Hoseok’s benefit alone. He began to show interest in the new look but not in the way she wanted. Suddenly he was over-protective, perhaps a little jealous. It seemed that the idea of having a relationship with her couldn’t be further from his mind. The girl however wants more. So it was time for an ultimatum. If Hoseok didn’t want Hyeonji to lose her virginity to another admirer, he had no option but to make love to her himself.

Hyeonji could not concentrate on her work. How could she, with Choon Hee besieging her with suggestions from the moment she arrived at work on Monday morning and spied the newly made-over Hyeonji.

Choon Hee's main advice was directed at Hyeonji's choice of clothing for the big night. The trouble was, she changed her mind every day. On Monday she insisted Hyeonji buy black. Lace, preferably. Black lace was so-o-o sexy!

Hyeonji didn't think she could carry off black lace and told Choon Hee as much. So on Tuesday Han Byeol came to the office and butted heads with Choon Hee, they now moved into getting Hyeonji a red satin...before they realised red would clash horribly with Hyeonji's new hair color.

From Wednesday to Friday the girls went through every possible color in the rainbow, plus every possible style from strapless and sexy to tight and slinky, then finally to white and virginal.

This last, desperate idea was an attempt at reverse psychology, since Tinashe would never dress in such fashion. Hyeonji was glad to leave work on Friday afternoon, having informed her avid friends thay she would simply buy something that suited and flattered her. Choon Hee had pulled a face before pressing the solemn promise from Hyeonji that she would finally wear the perfume she and Han Byeol got for her on her birthday.

"And buy yourself some drop earrings," had been Han Byeol's last hurrah. "I was watching this body language expert on television the other day and he said dangling earrings projected highly sexual messages on some subtly primitive basis. Apparently there's this tribe in Africa where women stretch their earlobes with heavy rings and weights. The ones with the longest earlobes are considered the sexiest, so the longer the earrings the better."

Choon Hee laughed out loud yet nodded to have Hyeonji wear some drop earrings for more appeal. Hyeonji had sighed and agreed to wear long, dangling earrings as well as the perfume.

Saturday dawned slightly overcast but the sun came out during Hyeonji's short train trip up to the shopping center. The forecast that morning had predicted twenty-eight degrees, average for their small little town in March. Fortunately, the humidity was low so Hyeonji would mot have to worry about perspiration ruining whatever dress she bought.

She arrived just as the shops opened, her mother's gift of five hundred and forty-five dollars tucked safely in her purse. Four hours later her mission was finally accomplished, and her purse was pretty empty. Hyeonji could hardly contain her excitement on the train ride home, hugging the parcels on her lap.

She would never have thought she could look so good, or sexy. Of course, it was to be seen what Hoseok would think of her, but she could never reproach herself for not pulling out all the stops. She hurried home from the station, puffing a little as she struggled up hill with her bags. It was one thirty and Hoseok's car was nowhere in sight. His mother was, though, Mrs Jung waving from where she was attending to her pot-plants on the front porch.

"Been shopping for tonight dear?" She called out, her smile bright just like her son. Hyeonji was grateful to stop for a minute. "Yes, Mrs Jung. I've been very extravagant," she confessed rather breathlessly. "New dress. New shoes. New everything, actually."

"Oh you must come in and show me. I'd love to see them," says Mrs Jung. Hyeonji hesitated, then glanced back down the hill. She didn't want to be caught by Hoseok coming home. She didn't want him to see her today until she was ready.

"Don't worry," Mrs Jung said "Hobi's not due. He has to work all day today. He just rang to say he'd get ready down and arrive straight to your place. Come in. You can have a cool drink while you're at it. You look hot."

Hyeonji was hot, but it wan't from the shopping. Suddenly, tonight was all too real. It was also her last chance. If nothing came tonight with Hoseok then she would give up all hope. Total failure was less than a few hours away.

"What lovely dress!" Mrs Jung exclaimed when Hyeonji drew the silk bit of nothing out of the bag. Mrs Jung held up the clothing "Oh yes, that's just the thing." She chuckled delightedly.

"You're certainly going to make that boy of mine sit up and take notice in that dress, aren't you my dear?" Hyeonji's eyes rounded at Hoseok's mother, who gave her a softly knowing smile in return. "You think I haven't guessed all these years that you're in love with my son?"

"I...I..."

"You don't have to say a thing. Just listen. Hoseok does not love Tinashe. She is, however, a beautiful and clever girl who panders to his not inconsiderable ego and knows exactly how to handle him." Hyeonji was all ears as Hoseok's mother went on. She'd been riveted from the moment Mrs Jung had said Hoseok didn't love Tinashe.

"I know my son very well, Hyeonji. I know his strengths and weaknesses. Basically, he is a good, kind, loving boy, but he has an obsessive workaholic personality with a one-track mind. I'm sure you've seen evidence of this yourself. I used to have to set an alarm clock next to his computer to get him to school reasonably on time. When he becomes absorbed in a project nothing can distract him, not even his male needs, which I might add are as strong as any other normal red-blooded man's."

This wasn't any news to Hyeonji. She'd seen the trail of girlfriends, all of them not exactly the types you just talked to on a date.

"You think Hoseok has only ever been attracted to the most beautiful girls," his mother went on. "That he's like a moth drawn only to the brightest of flames."

"Well, his girlfriends have all been stunners, Mrs Jung." Hyeonji pointed out.

"True. So I suppose if I said it was their personalities which won him you would be sceptical?" Mrs Jung chuckled.

Hyeonji laughed.

"I understand your cynicism. Nevertheless, what I am saying is true. The only girls who've attracted Hobi have been the ones who had enough confidence in themselves to break through his absent-minded nature and force him to notice them. I have no doubt most of them approached him first, made none too subtle passes and flirted with him outrageously in order to win him away from his other, all-consuming passion."

"Naturally, the only girls who have such a degree of confidence are usually very beautiful ones which gives them that added edge. Once they have Hoseok's attention, they have the equipment to ensnare his sexual desire as well. Even so, he usually tires of them rather quickly. Either that or they themselves become frustrated with his tendency to forget dates, and they leave the relationship of their own accord."

Hyeonji intensely listening and nodding to every word Mrs Jung had to tell her, felt like having a fairy god mother by her side.

"Tinashe, however, has hung in there. I think she must be very good in bed. I also think she knows Hoseok's net worth and wants to hitch her wagon to a star. I suspect this so-called trial separation is suppose to frustrate Hoseok enough for him to agree to marry her. I don't know if it will work. I sincerely hope not, because she does not love my son and it will make him miserable in the end. He doesn't believe in divorce, you see. Hoseok needs someone who truly loves and understands him. In short , Hyeonji, he needs you."

Hyeonji was speechless.

"You have the perfect opportunity to put a spanner in Tinashe's work tonight, my dear," Mrs Jung continued in a conspiratorial voice. "But you must be bold. And daring. Make him notice you, in more ways than one. Flirt with him. Let him know you want him. You do want him don't you?"

All Hyeonji could do was nod.

"Then go after him, with as much cunning and ruthless as Tinashe did. In short SEDUCE him."

Seduce him?

Hyeonji went home with those daunting words ringing in her ears. How did an inexperienced virgin seduce a man like Jung Hoseok? According to his own mother, he'd had coubtless sexy, beautiful women do just that and do it superbly! What chance did she, Kang Hyeonji, have?

Made-over she might be, but that was only a skin-deep transformation. Inside, she was still a quiet, reserved kind of girl. Basically, she was not bold. Or daring.

Okay, so she'd spoken up for herself a few times recently, but only in private and with people she knew well. The thought of openly flirting with Hobi in a very public place at a well-attended formal dinner sent frenetic butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

At six-thirty she still found those butterflies still in full flight. Yet her reflection in the dressing-table mirror went some way boosting that confidence Hoseok's mother had insisted she find. Outrageously long, the green crystal drops hung nearly to her shoulders, swaying seductively whenever she moved. They've been worth every cent of the fifty dollars they'd cost.

"Oh Hyeonji, you look gorgeous."

Hyeonji swung around at her mother's voice, the A-line skirt of her dark green silk dress flaring out before settling into more discreet folds against her thighs. Not that a skirt that short could ever be discreet. It ended a good five inches above her knees. When combined with the four-inch heels of her strappy, bronze-colored Jimmy Choo's shoes she looked all leg.

"Do you think so, Mom?" Hyeonji was desperate of reassurance, her own eyes not to be trusted. Zil's admiring gaze traveled from her daughter's shimmering hair, down to her perfectly made-up face, past the flamboyant earrings and finally to the little sexy dress which showed off Hyeonji's recently reshaped curves to perfection.

The low, scooped neckline hinted at a very adequate and perfectly natural cleavage, the tight bodice nipped-in waistline showing that Hyeonji could rival Scarlett Johanssen in the hourglass figure department, and with out the help of a corset.

"Turn around," her mother said. "Let me see the back again."

Hyeonji did so a little tentatively. She knew the lace-up back was daring, exposing a deep section of creamy flesh right down her back to her waist. This was part of the style of course, but it precluded the wearing of bra, even a strapless one. The only underwear Hyeonji had on, in fact, was an expensive set of lace silk panties.

Hyeonji turned back to find her mother frowning slightly. "What's wrong?" She asked, panicking. "Do you think the neckline is too bare? Should I wear a necklace instead of these earrings?"

Zil smiled reassuringly. "Not at all. Those earrings are perfect. No. I was just hoping everything turns out right for you tonight."

Hyeonji scooped in a steadying breath. "I do too..."

Zil came forward to take her daughter's hands in hers. "Whatever happens, you look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you Mom." Hyeonji smiled at her mother fondly.

"You smell lovely too. What's that perfume you're wearing?" Zil tilts her head in curiosity. "It's the one Choon Hee and Han Byeol have me for my birthday. It's called....SEDUCTRESS."

Zil's eyebrows shot up. Mother and daughter looked at each other, then laughed. "Let's hope it has a secret ingredient," Hyeonji said, shaking her head ruefully, "because I think I'm going to need it."

"You'll do fine my love. Just be your sweet lovely self and Hoseok will be enchanted." Now Hyeonji felt confused. She had Hoseok's mother telling her to be a vamp, her own advising the natural approach she had an awful feeling neither would work. The only time she'd had a real response from Hobi was when he'd been jealous of Mr X.

Maybe that was the way to go. Mr X had been very useful so far...Hyeonji had been speculating on how shw could use Mr X to further advantage tonight when the doorbell rang. Her stomach immediately crampedm oh, dear heaven.

"That will be Hoseok," her mother whispered. "I won't come to the door. Say I'm in the bath or something. If he has those papers for me, just put them on the hall table. Oh and don't worry about how late ypu get home. I won't. In fact i won't worry too much if you don't come home at all."

Hyeonji's hazel brown eyes rounded at this amazingly broad-minded mother she'd suddenly acquired. "Mum," she said. "I'm shocked but I love you for being so understabding. Still, I think you'll find I'll be home soon after midnight like a good little Cinderella."

"I don't know about that," Zil said wryly with another glance at her striking-looking daughter. "Now off you go," she added when the doorbell rang the second time.

Hyeonji picked up the bronze clutch purse which matched her shoes and made her way carefully downstairs, taking her time lest she trip over in her new high heels. Be confident, she kept telling herself as she approached the front door. And bold. And daring.

Schooling her face into a cool smile, she swung open the door, prepare to accept Hoseok's surprised admiration as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Unfortunately, she hadn't prepared herself for being confronted with Hoseok standing there looking blistering handsome in a superbly tailored black dinner suit.

Most men looked good when dressed in a tux.

Hoseok however was breath taking.

She stood there in speechless admiration of his beauty and missed his initial reaction to her own appearance by the time she recovered sufficiently to look into his eyes he was shaking his head at her with a mildly rueful reproach.

"I can see this is going to be a long and difficult night."

Hyeonji was taken aback. Did he like the way she looked or not? "What do you mean?"

"You know very well what I meant you minx, my God, are you wearing any underwear at all under that excuse of a dress?" Hoseok says.

Hyeonji blushed and bristled at the same time "I'm only following your suggestions. You told me you don't like women who wear pants."

His shocked brown eyes zoomed to where the hem of her skirt ended at mid-thigh. Hyeonji rolled her own eyes. "That's not what I meant. I do have pantyhose on with built in panties," she said dryly. "I was talking about my wearing a dress and not pants suit."

"Oh, that's a dress you're almost wearing, is it? I thought it was a left-over from a lingerie party." Hoseok added furiously.

"Very funny. Truly, Hobi, you're acting like some over-protective big brother, though I don't know why. You never have before." Hyeonji getting all frustrated as Hoseok answers back. "Well you've never looked like THIS before."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" She replied. "It could be a damned problem." Says Hoseok.

"I don't see how," she said airily. But she wasn't as thick as she was making out, and the reality of Hoseok's brooding reactions thrilled her to bits. He was perturbed by how she looked. And really jealous of any other man she might attract tonight.

His own mother's words popped into her mind. "Go after him, with as much cunning and ruthless as Tinashe did..."

"So," Hyeonji went on, twirling around and mercilessly pretending she had no idea of the effect the back of the dress would have on him. "Will I knock 'em dead at dinner?"

"I don't know about the others," he growled, grabbing her wrist to stop her from twirling around again "but I'm in my grave already."

She feigned a flustered frown. "But I'm not talking about you, Hobi. I was thinking of all those successful and possibly available businessmen at this dinner night."

Hoseok glared at her. "So that's why you changed your mind about partnering me tonight? Because you want to parade yourself for other men's eyes, like you're in some kind of meat market?"

"Well...I wouldn't put it quite crudely. And I'm really only interested in ONE man's eyes." Hyeonji only meant she wasn't the sort of girl who played the field, but immediately Hoseok took it the wrong way.

"One man?" He frowned, then scowled. "Oh my God. Don't tell me your infernal Mr X is going to be in this bloody dinner tonight!" He bit out.

Hyeonji tried not to color guiltily, but failed. For the first, the use of Mr X had backfired on her. "Damn it Hyeonji!" Hoseok exploded. "You should have told me."

"Why? Would you have refused to take me if I'd said he was going to be there?" She asked, even while her mind raced Mr X simply had to be disposed of once and for all, she decided he'd been very useful up till now, but suddenly he was beginning to get in the way.

Hoseok opened his mouth to say something, then snapped it shut again. "It's and irrelevant question anyway," Hyeonji went on swiftly. "Because Mr X is NOT going to be there. Mr X has been wiped from the planet from this moment onward. I've decided to take your advice Hobi, and move on. This is me moving on. Now, do you think WE might move on and get going? Or do you want to be late and make a grand entrance?"

"With moving-on-Hyeonji by my side?" He mocked. "Heck, no. I'd prefer to slink in the back door."

"There's no pleasing you tonight, is there?" She snapped as she stepped outside and banged the door shut behind her. "I only did everything you told me to do. I happen to think I look very nice."

Hoseok gripped her nearest elbow and began urging her along the path. It set her crystal earrings swinging, along with her unfettered breasts. She kept her eyes straight ahead but had a feeling Hobi was staring daggers at her highly mobile bust. She hadn't realized till that moment what substantial movement did to bra less breasts. Ones of her size, that was.

"Nice is a very ineffectual word to describe how you look tonight" Hoseok muttered. Hyeonji extracted her arm from his grip once they reached the passenger door of his car. "So how would you describe how I look?" She challenged.

His brown eyes blazed as he yanked open the door and waved her inside. Not a word passed his lips while she lowered herself into the seat, but his eyes spoke volumes when they dropped to take note of the way her skirt rode up dangerously high when she sat down.

"Provocative" he snarled at last, then banged the door shut.

"Good" she snapped back, once he'd settle himself behind the wheel. "That's exactly the look i was looking for tonight."

Hyeonji dropped her purse into her lap, noting with some dismay that the smallish bag covered almost half of the minuscule skirt. Had she gone too far with the dress? She wanted to attract Hoseok, not revolt him. She'd had no idea he could be such a prude. He certainly wasn't around Tinashe. Good God, some of the gear that girl wore was downright disgusting.

Still...at least she did have his attention that was something. Pulling the seat belt out, she was in the process of buckling herself into place when Hoseok's hand shot out and gripped her chin she gasped when he wrenched her face around this way, then gasped again when his mouth was suddenly covering hers.

His lips pressed down hard, insistent in their demand for surrender she yielded more from shock than any immediate passion. Her lips fell apart again his tongue plunged deep into her mouth. Her whimpering moan seemed to snap him back to the reality pf his quite savage kiss, for his head whipped back abruptly, his eyes widening. She just stared at him, the back of her left hand coming up to cover her still stunned mouth.

He groaned and shook his head, clearly appalled at himself. "I'm sorry Hyeonji. I don't know what got into me." Hyeonji didn't believe him. He knew darned well why he'd done what he'd done. By adopting ignorance of his very male actions he was throwing the ball in her court. How she acted now would set the tone for the whole evening.

Her hand trembling slightly, she removed it from her mouth and reached out towards him, letting it come to a shaky rest against his cheek. She twisted and leaned towards him till her mouth was only inches away from his. "I'm not," she whispered, and made the momentous decision to close those inches.

His shock was even greater than hers had been. For a few excruciating moments his mouth froze under kiss. Hyeonji hesitated herself. Good God, if he wrenched his mouth away, what would she do? Impossible to laugh it off. She would utterly be crushed.

Don't be tentative, came the voice of desperation. Be bold! Be daring!

She lifted her mouth from his and smiled. "What's the matter, Hobi? Haven't you been kissed back by a girl before?"

He didn't say a word, just kept staring at her as if she were a stranger. Sighing, she dropped her hand away from his face and settled herself back in the passenger seat. If nothing else, she'd taken the initiative and salvaged her pride.

"It's not that," he growled as he fired the engine. "Let's be honest, Hyeonji. It's not me you really want to be kissing anyway is it? Look I won't say you're not a temptation, looking as you look tonight. But might I also remind you that I'm supposed to be getting back with my girlfriend tomorrow? I don't like complications in my life, and if I don't watch you might become a complication. So let's just keep our old status quo going, if you don't mind. We're good friends. Nothing more. I'm sorry I kissed you just now. I promise you it won't happen again."

Hyeonji bit her bottom lip and turned her face away to stare through the passenger window. Her immediate response to Hoseok's words was to sink back into herself and oblivion. Underneath, she'd expected failure, hadn't she? Game, set and match to Tinashe.

But is seemed her new appearance had imbued her with more confidence in herself that she would ever have believed. Or maybe it was everyone else's confidence in her. Whatever, her mind gradually turned more positive, clinging to the fact that Hoseok hadn't mentioned Tinashe as his first excuse for backing away. His initial withdrawal had been because he thought she didn't really want to be kissing him. He mistakenly thought he was just a substitute for Mr X.

Hyeonji's frustration was acute. She heartily wished she'd never invented Hoseok's mysterious alter ego. She toyed with telling Hoseok the truth during the tensely silent drive down to the event. That he was Mr X, that she was crazy about him and would do anything for him.

But by the time Hoseok turned into the club car park ten short minutes later she'd abandoned that idea. It smacked too much desperation and would send any man running the opposite direction. No, her mission tonight was to seduce Hoseok, not openly declare her undying devotion.

Tomorrow several hours away and she aimed to make the most of them. Now, what worked best for her this past week or so?

Jealousy...

Not over Mr X this time, she decided. Over some other man. Hyeonji hoped and prayed there would be a suitable candidate at this dinner tonight, and that he would find her as provocative as Hoseok had...

Chapter 09

Masterlist

[pedroscurls]

Title: Love At First Sight? (Part 1.)

Character(s): Denny and Jess (fictional). Summary: Jess bumps into an unlikely stranger. Word Count: 1,723 Warning: This is my first story with Denny, so bear with me! Also doing first POV for this story, but I also wanted to give the OC a name. :) 

Finally, a day off. I needed it, especially with finals coming up. It wasn't helping that I had just run out of cookies and crème ice cream. How else was I supposed to get through the night? I pull on a coat, because living in Seattle, it was always known to rain even if the sun was bright in the sky during the day.

I was simply expecting to stay in, eat a tub of ice cream, and watch movies. It was what I considered "me time." Many of my friends always told me that I studied too hard, worked too hard, that I deserved to relax. Though, my use of relaxing didn't exactly meet their standards.

I step into the grocery store, instantly making a beeline towards the frozen foods aisle. The endless amounts of ice cream make me wonder if I should step out of my shell and try a new flavor.

Nope. Don't do it. You're going to regret it.

My inner conscience tells me to settle for what I was used to and of course, I listened. I grab a tub of cookies and crème, holding it securely to my chest. I couldn't wait to get back home, change into my pajamas, and turn on some good ol' Netflix.

Aside from the ice cream, I end up grabbing two bags of chips and a few bars of chocolates. If anyone were to look at what I was purchasing, one would assume that it was my "time of the month." I had a poor diet. I rarely ate and when I did, it was junk food. I didn't know how I kept my figure for this long.

It's because you're always on your feet, stupid.

I roll my eyes at the thoughts in my head, placing my items onto the conveyor belt. I tap my foot impatiently on the floor, waiting for the person in front of me to finish paying so it could be my turn.

"Hi, how are you?" The young man says, beginning to scan my items. I just nod and flash a polite smile. I didn't want to make small talk. I just wanted to get home, eat my ice cream and relax.

"Alright. You're all set. Will you need any help for carryout, miss?"

I shake my head. "I've got it. Thanks!" Grabbing the two bags of junk food, I speedily make my exit. As I step outside to welcome the night air of the beautiful city of Seattle, I am distracted when the bag I was holding onto breaks and soon enough, my items fall to the dirty pavement.

Including my ice cream.

"Damn it. I just want to go home," I mutter under my breath. Suddenly, I hear a few footsteps following a quiet chuckle. Just as I was going to look up, the man kneels down to help me pick up my things.

Huh. What a gentleman.

"You in a hurry to get somewhere?" The man says, his voice gravelly deep. I look up at him, only now realizing how handsome this man was. His hair was a bit shaggy and he had a bit of grown-in stubble, but when he smiled… I didn't think it could get any better, until I saw his dimples.

"Yeah, I'm late for a date with my couch and that tub of ice cream. Thank you." I take the tub of ice cream from his hands, biting my lower lip. I can feel him staring at me, and when he stands upright, the height difference was noticeable.

He's hot, and he's tall? I'd say this is your dream man.

Once again, I shake my head at the thoughts in my mine. It was true though. He was a tall, handsome man and I would be lying if I said I didn't think he was cute.

He laughs, looking at me with an amused look in his hazel green-like eyes. God, this man was beautiful.

"Sounds like you're a woman who needs to learn to be on time, then," he teases.

I couldn't help but narrow my eyes, but my lip is still sucked in between my teeth.

He's cute and now he's funny? Get his number. You have to.

Clearing my throat, I hold the tub of ice cream to my chest despite the chilling feeling it felt against the thin fabric of my shirt.

"Are you always this charming to strangers?" I ask him.

"Only to the pretty ones," he grins.

I try to hide my blush, but from the way he's staring at me, I can tell that he noticed it. He looks… Proud of himself. Then again, if a man made a woman blush it must mean they were doing something right.

"Well, I better take your advice and get home. Wouldn't want to be late especially since a stranger gave me some wise advice. I think I'm going to turn over a new leaf," I smile.

Just as I was going to walk away, the man catches up to me with his long strides. "I'd like to give you more advice. Seems like you'll need a wise man in your life." He grins, grabbing his phone from his pocket and handing it to me.

I bite my lower lip once more – must have been a habit when I was nervous or something – and I stare down at the phone in my hands.

Oh, come on. Put your number in. What is there to lose? You're busy all the time anyway. Plus, need I remind you? He's smoking hot.

With a shut of my eyes to try and gather my thoughts, I finally input my number. I hand him his phone back and he looks it over, smiling to himself.

"So, Jess, huh?"

I nod.

"Well, Jess, I'm Denny. Have fun on your date," he flashes a wink and turns on his heel to enter the grocery store.

I walk back to my car, grinning like a schoolgirl. It had been a long time since I even thought about dating and even when I wasn't looking, a man like him shows up and proves to me that maybe being patient was all it took.

I drive back home, my mind hovering on Denny but I also remembered that today was my day to relax. Being a full-time bartender and a full-time student definitely took its toll on me, but it helps pay the bills and then some.

Once in the comfort of my own home, I prop my feet onto the coffee table with the new tub of ice cream on my lap and play the movie that I had been wanting to watch for quite some time now: Spotlight.

As I relax into the cushions of my couch, I hear my phone go off and I absently reach for it. It was an unknown number, but my eyes took notice of the name through the message itself.

Unknown Number: Hey. It’s Denny. How’s that date going?

I grin, biting my lower lip. I register his number into my contacts list before pressing the pause on the movie. I needed to reply to him.

Me: The date's going well. The ice cream is delicious. My pajamas are comfy and the movie I'm currently watching will make me cry in about thirty minutes, I can see it happening.

Denny: Oh no. Do you need a shoulder to cry on because I think I'm free.

Me: We just met and already you're trying to come over to my place? You're going to have to buy me dinner first, Denny.

Denny: Tomorrow night? I can pick you up at seven.

Not only was he charming, but he sure was persistent. I bite my lower lip, the movie and ice cream long gone from my thoughts as I try to remember what was happening tomorrow. When the realization that I had work hit me, I frowned. I had to find another way to go out with him.

Me: Well, I've got work. How about lunch?

Denny: Work? At seven? Don't tell me that you're a…

Me: Hold your horses. I'm a bartender. So, is lunch okay or not?

Denny: Lunch sounds great. I'll pick you up at noon.

Me: See you then, Denny.

Denny: Offer still stands for that shoulder to cry on. Would hate for you to waste tissues…

Me: I'll see you tomorrow.

I send him a smiley face before setting my phone aside. I play the movie, taking the tub of ice cream back onto my lap. I feel it vibrate once more, but I was too intrigued by the movie that I didn't bother to check it.

Just like clockwork, I feel tears brim at my eyes once the movie ended. I grab a few tissues, wiping the tears from my eyes before I pick my phone up.

Two new messages.

Denny: I'll see you tomorrow.

Denny: You crying yet?

I couldn't help but laugh. It was sent almost forty-five minutes ago, but without hesitation, I simply send him a sad face. I wait a couple of minutes before realizing that he must have fallen asleep – it was almost eleven o'clock.

I set the ice cream in the freezer, cleaning up around my living room. I needed to get to bed.

Once I was getting ready to sleep, I hear my phone vibrate on the bedside table. I lie in bed and reach for it, letting my finger hover on the home button for it to unlock. I see Denny's name light up on screen and I couldn't help but smile. How was it that I met this man a few hours ago and already, I was smiling just at the mere thought of him.

Denny: Just figured I'd say good night. My shoulder will be available to you tomorrow, so feel free to snuggle then.

Me: You sure love the idea of getting close to me, don't you?

Denny: You're pretty. I'm attracted to that. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Jess.

I smile, setting my phone aside. Maybe going to the grocery store late at night was worth it after all. Maybe dropping my things on the pavement was worth it. It definitely attracted the attention of a man that you were going to go out on a date with tomorrow.