#it's such a fun song! happiness magic for me in the same vein as 'Shut Up and Dance' by Walk the Moon

[ereborne]

Song of the Day: May 28

“Sebona Fi” by Yws Gwynedd

[purrincess-chat]

Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH18

I commented recently after GoS aired that canon Alya was on her way up, but MDCSPR Alya was on her way down. Consider this the beginning of the end for her for a while. 

Previous     First      Next     AO3

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Chapter 18: You Are In Love

“Good evening, m’lady! You’re looking radiant as ever tonight,” Chat Noir called. His boots clanked against the roof, and he tucked his staff into his belt as he approached the love of his life.

Ladybug stood on the edge, the lights from the city reflecting in her dark hair. Her eyes sparkled when she turned to him, and his heart fluttered. There was no contest—Ladybug was the most beautiful girl in the world, and his heart would always belong to her. She flicked his bell with the playful smile that made him melt.

“When are you going to stop calling me that?” she asked.

“Only when you fall in love with me.” He grinned. “Or if you kiss me.”

She looked up at him through long, fluttery lashes. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

His heart took off into a sprint as Ladybug wrapped her arms around his neck and stretched up on her toes. He leaned down and touched his lips to hers, savoring those few moments of bliss while they lasted. Nothing else mattered—just his lips on hers. The girl of his dreams was kissing him, and he wanted to stay locked in her embrace forever.

“Adrien,” she sighed his name when they pulled away, lingering close.

Her bright blue eyes found his, soft fingertips trailing down his arms. A light breeze blew through the garden, and Marinette smiled up at him.

“Are you going to kiss me again?” she asked.

He answered by leaning in, arms wrapping tightly around her waist. Her lips were soft and warm, and they kissed him back eagerly. Their hearts beat in time together, passionately entwined. There was no one to interrupt them here. The invisible force that drew him to Marinette bound him tightly, and he wasn’t letting go. He didn’t want to.

Marinette was beautiful and kind, and Adrien wanted to stay in the garden with her forever. His Marinette. The girl he’d always protect, no matter how far he fell to do it. He’d never thought about it before, but holding her this close felt right. She felt right. Marinette had seared her name onto his heart the day they met, binding them together forever. They were always meant to be.

“I love you,” he murmured against her lips, “Marinette.”

A clap of thunder boomed, and Adrien shot upright in bed, heart pounding. What once was a small flame now blazed wildly, burning his chest, his cheeks, his head. Marinette. Marinette was…

People don’t sneak off into the garden to kiss their friends, Adrikins.

Adrien touched his lips, still tingling from his dream. It felt so real. He’d kissed Marinette, not Ladybug. It was never Ladybug. From the moment their lips touched, it was always Marinette. The pounding of his heart, the fire burning through his chest, was all from Marinette.

Kicking off the blankets, he stumbled into his bathroom and flicked on the faucet. His cheeks were bright red and hot to the touch. Everything was too hot. He splashed cold water on his face, but the flames were too big to extinguish now. His heart refused to slow the cadence ravaging his veins.

I love you.

Sparks shot up his arms, numbing his fingers. He said it to Marinette. It had all felt so right in his dream. Now his heart had been stirred so violently in the waking world that not even he could control it. He could still feel the pressure of her lips on his, the warmth of her breath on his tongue. It had all felt real…

Outside the storm raged, the downpour beating against the windows too loud for him to make sense of his racing thoughts. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to drown out the noise, but it was no use. His heart and his mind were at war, and Adrien was caught in the crossfire.

Has another lady finally stolen your heart?

He didn’t call her m’lady. When he saw Ladybug that evening, he didn’t call her cute names or tell her she was beautiful. His heart didn’t burn when she called him kitty. Not like it did now. His head was spinning.

He gripped the countertop until his knuckles turned white. The eyes staring back at him in the mirror buzzed with the electricity spreading across every inch of his skin. Lightning flashed, and the sparks vanished. His racing thoughts skidded to a halt, and the air in the room hung still and quiet. Adrien held his breath.

In the silence, his heartbeat echoed in his ears in a deafening chorus, and when the thunder finally came, all of the tension came crashing down, threatening to crush Adrien under the weight. His head had gone quiet, but his heart was loud, beating to a new rhythm. No, not new. It was old and familiar, a song that had been playing the whole time, too quietly for him to notice. Marinette’s rhythm.

He and Marinette hadn’t kissed in the garden, but Adrien wished they did. If Chloe hadn’t interrupted, then he wouldn’t have stopped. He would have kissed her again and again and again. Marinette. His first friend. The girl he’d go to hell for. The girl he couldn’t stop chasing, and now he knew why. She’d stolen his heart and run away, and this time he was going to steal hers back.

♪♫♪ willow ♪♫♪

Marinette skipped down the stairs to the bakery the next morning, lips pursed. News about Gabrielle had spread rapidly, and everyone at school knew now. Macy and Eliott texted Marinette the moment she got home from the party. Gabrielle told her not to worry, that Marinette shouldn’t care about her, and she was right. It wasn’t like they were friends, and after everything Gabrielle had done, Marinette should be happy like everyone else. But she wasn’t.

Maybe she was stupid. Or maybe she just couldn’t help herself. Tikki was right after all—Marinette couldn’t stop helping people.

“Good morning, sweetie,” her mom greeted.

“Morning.” Marinette stooped to kiss her cheek.

“Did you have fun at the movies last night with your new friends?” her dad asked.

“Yeah,” she said unconvincingly, biting her lip.

“Well, it takes time to adjust to a new school, and we’re happy you’ve already made some new friends. They’re welcome here anytime, okay?” Her mom lifted her chin, and Marinette offered her a smile.

“Thanks, Maman. I’ll see you tonight.” Marinette waved over her shoulder.

The sky was still gray from the late-night storm, casting a dreary haze over the city—a true testament to her mood. Droplets dripped from the overhang onto her blazer, and she brushed them off with a sigh.

Everything would be fine. If she tried hard enough, she could introduce Gabrielle to her group, convince her to be nicer to everyone, and they could all be friends. She’d helped Martin, Eliott, and Macy a lot since she met them. She could do the same for Gabrielle.

“Ya know.” She jumped at a familiar voice. “I think I’m starting to like the uniform.” Adrien leaned through the open window of his silver car, dreamy as ever.

“That makes one of us.” A smile curled on her lips.

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.” She gave him a look. “Okay, it’s pretty bad, but if it makes you feel better, I think you look cute in anything.”

She faltered, cheeks burning hotter than the bakery oven. Adrien thought she was cute! He’d almost kissed her. Twice. And now he was calling her cute! Dreams really did come true.

“I- well, it’s not- I mean, I’m not nearly as cute as you,” she stammered.

Nailed it.

“True, I am the cutest teen in Paris. At least, that’s what all the tabloids say.” He flashed her his best model smolder. “But if you look as cute as you did last night all the time, you might just give me a run for my money.”

He noticed! Chloe sat between them on the ride home and refused to let him walk her in, so Marinette worried that he didn’t get to see how cute she looked. Lisette needed to teach her how to work that kind of magic all the time.

“Well, after Chloe hosed us down, I had a little help getting cleaned up,” she said.

Adrien’s bodyguard cleared his throat from the driver’s seat, and Adrien flashed her an apologetic wince.

“Guess it’s time to go. I’ve got a full schedule this week, so I wanted to see you at least a little bit,” he said. “Let’s hang out when I’m free again.”

“Yeah, of course,” she said, and Adrien smiled.

“See you later, Marinette.”

“Yeah, see you.”

♪♫♪ Ain’t It Fun ♪♫♪

Things were as bad as Marinette expected at school. Everyone was elated about Gabrielle, and Marinette’s friends were no exception.

“I can’t believe she’s really broke. What did her face look like when everyone at the party found out?” Macy chattered before class.

“Yeah, how did you get invited to Lisette’s party, Marinette?” Eliott asked.

Marinette squirmed in her seat. “I-” She flicked her gaze over to Gabrielle, sitting in the back of the room. “I went with some old friends.”

“Oh! Chloe, right? I heard she helped Ladybug and Chat Noir defeat an akuma as Queen Bee again. It must be so awesome being friends with a superhero!” Macy said, and Marinette didn’t have the energy to correct her. “But more importantly, word on the street is you and Adrien came in soaking wet from the garden. Wanna explain yourself?”

Marinette’s heart skipped. She’d been hoping the Gabrielle news would be enough to distract people from that detail. Remembering the warmth of his breath so close to her lips sent her mind into a tizzy. Then there was this morning…

“We went for a walk in the garden, and the sprinklers turned on,” Marinette said as if it were no big deal, even though it was probably the biggest deal of her life.

“Then why is your face so red, hmm?” Eliott smirked.

“I- we- nothing happened!” Marinette insisted, but when her friends seem unconvinced, she diverted their attention. “Want to hear something horrific that happened? After I got cleaned up from the sprinkler-incident, I ran into Thomas, and he kind of hit on me.”

“Ugh!”

“Gross!” Macy and Eliott both recoiled.

“He is such a scuzzbag. Please tell me you told him off.” Macy groaned.

“Well, I started to, but then Gabrielle interrupted, and they started arguing, then Thomas told everyone Gabrielle’s secret, and yeah,” Marinette said.

“Serves her right. If Thomas wasn’t just as awful, I’d commend him for taking interest in you. You’re definitely a step up from Gabrielle,” Eliott said.

“I dunno… Don’t you guys feel at least a little bad for her?” Marinette winced, and Eliott and Macy looked at her like she’d grown a second head.

“Absolutely not. It’s going to be a lot quieter around here without her bossing everyone around,” Macy said.

“Yeah, she got what was coming to her.” Eliott agreed.

“Well, she was terrible and mean, but maybe if we showed her a little kindness, she could change,” Marinette said. When Macy and Eliott stared at her again, she faced forward with a sigh. “Never mind.”

“Look, Marinette, we love you, and it’s super sweet that you want to help everyone. Seriously, you’re an angel, but Gabrielle is a demon. She’s run this school ever since she set foot in it, and now her kingdom has crumbled. Those of us who have been enslaved by her tyranny are enjoying our newfound freedom,” Eliott said. “I mean, if that mean girl who stole all of your friends from your old school got exposed tomorrow, wouldn’t you be happy?”

He had a point. If it were Lila, Marinette would be over the moon. She couldn’t blame them for celebrating, and even though Gabrielle tormented everyone for the past three years, Marinette couldn’t help feeling like she wasn’t all bad.

If she had learned anything since leaving her old school, it was that people could change. People she thought were trustworthy could become strangers overnight, and people she never thought possible could become her most trusted allies. But maybe they were right. Maybe Gabrielle was a lost cause, and Marinette should just let her go. Things would be easier that way.

“Yeah, I guess…” Marinette mumbled as Mr. Mercier called for everyone to find their seats.

Marinette didn’t bring Gabrielle up again for the rest of the day. Her friends weren’t going to forgive her any time soon, and truthfully, she shouldn’t have expected them to. Gabrielle Burton was their Chloe Bourgeois wrapped in Lila Rossi. The reigning queen of their nightmares was now reduced to a powerless shell of her former glory, and peace had been restored to the kingdom at last. If someone told Ladybug on her first day that she would willingly give Chloe Bourgeois a Miraculous to fight beside her, she would have thought they were crazy. Healing would take time, but just because they weren’t ready to forgive, didn’t mean Marinette couldn’t help on her own.

Gabrielle was by her locker at the end of the day, having waited until everyone left to change into her work apron. She bristled when Marinette approached.

“What do you want?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Marinette said. “Everyone else was so mean to you, and I just thought after everything that you could use a friend.”

“Of course they were mean. In case you’ve forgotten, I haven’t exactly been nice to them in the past either.” Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “I told you, I’ll be fine. Don’t risk your reputation for me.”

“You did.” Marinette nodded. “But there’s no one around now.”

Gabrielle eyed her, perplexed. “Why do you care so much?”

It was a question Marinette had been asking herself all day, and looking at Gabrielle now, she finally knew the answer.

“When I left my old school, I was afraid I’d lost all of my friends, and I felt so empty inside,” she said. “But then I met my new friends, and I knew that everything would be okay. They helped me find my footing when I felt like my world was crumbling, so I want to be that for you.”

“You’re stubborn, Marinette. I’ll give you that.” Gabrielle leaned against her locker with a smile. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Do you want to take the subway together?” Marinette offered.

“Fine.” Gabrielle shut her locker, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

She averted her gaze as they walked, cheeks pink, but a small smile tugged the corners of her lips. Gabrielle may have a complicated past, but maybe with the right influence, she could learn to be nice after all. Sometimes all a person needed was the right friend and to know that they weren’t alone.

♪♫♪ crushcrushcrush ♪♫♪

Alya descended the stairs to the courtyard slowly, her stomach churning in knots. When Malin showed up, Alya thought Ladybug picked new allies for all of the Miraculouses. After all, she and Nino knew each other’s identities, and everyone knew Chloe’s identity. So why did Queen Bee get to fight by Ladybug’s side again? What had Alya done to deserve being replaced that Chloe hadn’t? None of it made any sense.

Lila and Ladybug had never met before, and truthfully, I don’t think they really even like each other.

Was it all because of Lila? If Adrien and Marinette’s stories were true, then Ladybug would know if she was a liar. Had Alya ruined her chances of wearing a Miraculous by aligning herself with Lila? It was the only thing that made sense, but Alya couldn’t bring herself to believe it. She needed answers.

Alya vaguely remembered Adrien’s fencing schedule from helping Marinette with her hopeless confession schemes. She almost missed those days. Things were a lot simpler back then. If she remembered correctly, Adrien should have been finishing his private lessons, which would put him in the locker room.

Alya hurried to the double doors across the courtyard. At first she thought she’d missed him, but voices mumbled several rows down. Alya crept in quietly to get a better listen.

“Are you sure these questions will get her to spill the tea?” Chloe.

“Yeah, all we have to do is get her to agree to it,” Adrien said.

What were they up to? Sure, everyone knew that Chloe and Adrien were friends since childhood, but on most days ‘friends’ was a generous exaggeration. As far as Alya knew, Adrien could hardly stand Chloe, so why were they talking now? Ducking behind the next row up from theirs, Alya held her breath and listened.

“Lila isn’t going to know what hit her after our interview with Ladybug goes live. She is so done for,” Chloe said darkly.

“I’m not doing this to ruin Lila’s reputation-”

“I know, I know.” Chloe groaned. “I can’t believe you’re going through all this effort to trick a superhero into exposing Lila for Little Miss Nobody.”

What?

“Her name is Marinette, and I know you miss her too, Chloe,” Adrien said.

“Ugh, don’t tell me you’ve actually got feelings for her—I might barf. It’s bad enough I had to chase you two out of the garden last night,” Chloe groaned. “Let’s just get rid of Lila, then you can go play the hero for Dupain-Cheng, and I can get back to being the reigning queen at this school.”

“We’ll try to signal Ladybug tomorrow afternoon. After that, no one will ever trust Lila again,” Adrien said.

“You and I make such a good team, Adrikins. We should ruin lives together more often,” Chloe said.

“I don’t plan to make a habit of it.”

The locker door slammed, and Alya scrambled to the end of the row, diving behind a cart of basketballs. Her heart hammered, blood pounding in her ears. She waited until the courtyard doors shut and the room fell quiet to move.

Chloe and Adrien were working together to get back at Lila for Marinette! She’d been right not to trust him. All this time she thought Adrien was a good guy, but she should have known better. No nice person could be friends with Chloe Bourgeois for so long. Ugh, that girl made Alya so sick! How could anyone be that cruel? And Ladybug actually trusted her over Rena Rouge? After everything Alya had done to prove herself. Chloe was the most selfish, bratty, conniving person Alya had ever met! Why did Ladybug ever trust her? Unless…

Unless she didn’t.

What if Chloe was manipulating Ladybug too? She said they were going to trick her into exposing Lila, so what if she tricked her into giving her back her Miraculous? Chloe was very good at getting what she wanted, and it wasn’t beneath her to ruin someone’s life just for stealing attention away from her. But why would Adrien and Marinette help her?

Alya’s head was spinning. What was the truth? Was all of this a long con set up by Marinette, and Adrien and Chloe were just the pawns? Why would she do that? None of it made sense. Why did they all hate Lila so much?

One thing was for sure: she needed to warn Ladybug about that interview. If Chloe was manipulating her, then Alya needed to put a stop to it. Maybe then she could prove to Ladybug that she was still worthy of being a hero. But she needed to hurry.

Her fingers dialed quickly, and Lila answered on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, I just overheard Adrien and Chloe talking. We don’t have a lot of time. We need to call Ladybug. Now.”

[mrsbrookegillespie]

Line Without A Hook Alive!Luke x Reader (Part Two)

Based Of The Song Line Without A Hook 

Description: Now that everyone knows your's and Luke's feelings towards each other, it's obvious Luke is having some doubts about himself, and his crush, but a friendly push goes a long way. Alive!Luke x Reader.

Warnings: Mild swearings, a smidge of suggestive dialogue, but mostly fluff.

=Line Without a Hook Part Two=

"Soooo...?" Julie sits down next to Y/N on the couch.

"Soooo...?" Y/N mimics her, furrowing her eyebrows. "What's up?" she asks.

Julie whacks Y/N in the arm. "Are you serious?!" Y/N nods slowly. "Luke? You?" She intertwines her fingers. "Together?"

Y/N laughs loudly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What?!" Julie's voice squeaks. "So, you're telling me you two aren't dating?"

"No! Why would you think Luke and I are together? He doesn't even like me like that. What's with you and Alex and Reggie lately?"

"I'll be right back." Julie walks out of her house, stomping over to the studio. "You didn't tell her?!" She tries slamming the door, but with her strength, and the size of the door it didn't give any extra effect.

Luke looks at her confused. "What?" he laughs.

"You didn't tell Y/N you like her?"

His smile drops. "Oh." He looks down at his guitar, continuing to tune it. "About that... I sorta--chickened out."

Everyone gasps. "But, you never back out of things," Reggie claims.

"Are you saying you don't actually like her? Because if you don't I'm going to be furious." Alex stands up, joining Julie.

"No! No, I like her, but I'm just a little scared."

"Why?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, we all know she likes you too, and you like her, so what's holding you back?" Julie crosses her arms.

"M-Maybe Alex was right the other day about me being whatever he said. Like I-I don't know what I'm doing, I've never been in a real relationship before," Luke murmurs, like it's some big secret.

"She hasn't either, so you guys can learn together."

"But, that's the point, what if we grow tired of each other?" Luke worries.

"You're overthinking it," Julie eases.

"Yeah, and you're just freaking me out!" Alex cries out. "Where's Reggie?" Alex asks, going back to normal.

They all look around before piecing it together. "Y/N!"

They run back into the house to see Reggie and Y/N drawing together. "Look at my cat," Reggie brags, showing Y/N.

"It's so cute!" she compliments. "You're the true artist here."

Reggie blushes, continuing to draw animals on the paper. "What are you guys talking about?" Luke asks. He goes to sit down next to Y/N, who he can't help but stare at the way she focuses on her drawing.

She bites her lip, looking up at him. "Oh, nothing really, just chilling," she answers. "How was band practice? Any new songs?"

He nods. "Yeah, I'm always writing," he says.

"Don't I know it," she jokes. "I swear you always have your cute little nose in your songbook." She feels the heat rush up to her cheeks after she blurts out the sentence.

"Oh, so you think my nose is cute, do you?" Luke teases.

"It's way better than mine." She runs her finger down the dorsum part of her nose before tapping the bone below the bridge. "I've thought about getting a nose job," she admits.

"Don't," Luke asserts.

Y/N turns her head to look at him. "Anything you'd like to share?"

"It's just... I think it's fine," he reveals. "And besides you can't trust plastic surgeons these days." He nudges her.

"Thank you for the concern about my nose, Luke." She boops the tip of his nose, allowing him to now be the tomato.

Julie and Alex quietly groan to each other. "It's like torture," she whispers to him.

"I know! I wasn't, you know, okay with it in the beginning, but now, honestly, watching this play out hurts," Alex agrees

"If only we can get them alone in a room with each other, and just force them to say their feelings," Julie thinks out loud.

"That's--" Alex turns towards her, "--a great idea." He looks up stairs. "Keep Reggie down here, I have an idea." He lets out a mischievous smirk. "Hey, I'm just going to use the bathroom, I'll be right back." He runs up.

"Why didn't he just use the one down here?" Y/N asks, confused.

"He's a weirdo, what'd you expect?" Julie says, her voice getting higher.

"Okay..." Y/N scrunches her face up, a clear sign she's getting suspicious.

"OW!" Alex shouts from the second floor. "Uh, guys can someone help me?!"

Y/N and Luke stand up immediately. "Are you okay?!" Y/N replies.

"Yeah, I just need some help!"

"How about you two go up?" Julie suggests to Y/N and Luke. "You two are way stronger than Reggie and I. Just in case Alex is stuck or something, I don't know!"

"Okay..." Y/N says again, trying to solve this equation. "We'll be back then. C'mon." She grabs Luke's hands, dragging him upstairs. "Alex?" She looks in the bathroom, but nothing. "Alex?" They both jog into Julie's room, but nothing.

"Where is...?" They hear the door slam shut behind them. "Oh no," Y/N mumbles, already feeling her palms get clammy. "Alex! This isn't funny!" She tries to turn the knob but it won't budge.

"I'm sorry, but Julie and I agree that you two need to work it out."

"There's nothing to work out!" Luke shouts. "We...Uh..." He looks at me. "Just let us out." His hand replaces Y/N's, trying to open the door like they will magically obey. "No, you either work your feelings out, or you're not coming out," Alex declares.

"What?!" Julie's voice suddenly comes through. "But, I have school tomorrow, and I am not sleeping on the couch."

"Okay! You either work your feelings out, or you're not coming out until Julie needs to go to bed, and we need to get Y/N home, which I forgot about," Alex corrects, realizing his plan isn't that well-organized.

Y/N, already given up, sits on Julie's bed. "I don't know what they're talking about," Luke lies. He smiles at Y/N, who seems to be in her own thoughts. "I mean we don't have any feelings to work out." His smile fades. "Right?"

"I don't think we do, do we?" she asks back.

They gaze at each other. "Do we?" Confusion, and exhaustion fills their veins. "I," he starts. "I li--"

"I like you," Y/N cuts him off as if it's a competition.

"Dammit! Now I have to tell everyone you confessed first," he complains.

"Not the response I was looking for, but okay," she jokes, standing up.

"No!" Panic rises. "I like you too, I really like you." His chest starts to heave from anxiety. "So, you actually like me?" He takes a step towards her.

"Why wouldn't I?" She nudges him. "You're talented, and adorable," she compliments. "And you're sweet, and kind, sometimes a little egotistical, with a slight case of cockiness but--" He pushes her so that she stumbles onto the bed. "Rude," she mumbles.

She's about to get up, but Luke's weight appears on top of her, pinning her down.

"So, you actually like me?" she mocks his voice.

"Yeah," he whispers. The intense eye contact is enough to make Y/N blush.

"Your pupils are very big," she taunts. "If you didn't know... In psychology it says that when you're attracted to someone your pupils get larger," she explains in a 'matter of fact' tone.

He shakes his head with a low chuckle. "Always with the random facts. I'm surprised you didn't know I liked you right when you shook my hand for the first time," he pauses. "Because I did."

She looks at him, in shock. "You liked me when you first met me?"

He nods. "I did," he admits.

"I guess it would be a lie if I said I felt differently. But, I was definitely careful, due to your reputation." She raises an eyebrow at him before letting out a giggle.

"Can I kiss you?" he asks with such urgency, and desperation.

"What?" Her eyes widen.

Taking that as a yes Luke gently presses his lips on hers. Her eyes remain open for a moment, but after that moment she's gone. She deepens the kiss by placing her hand on his jaw to get a better angle. "Now we're even," he mumbles.

"We wouldn't be if I hadn't told you first." She flashes a proud smile.

"I think our order is messed up, it's supposed to be confess, go on a date, then kiss, then--"

"No need to go further," she ridicules

Silence takes over the room. They lean in at the same time, having their movements match a certain rhythm. I guess both being musicians help them find the right beat. "They're not talking." They both take notice of Julie's voice growing aware of the noise level. "That's it!" She bursts into the room. "Oh my God!"

Alex runs in after her. "Well, at least they're now together."

Luke and Y/N rush up onto their feet. "It's your fault, you guys did choose this room," Luke snickers.

"It's not like we would've gone any further," Y/N adds.

"What?" Luke gives her a pair of puppy dog eyes.

"Luke!" She hits him in the stomach, making him grunt a little.

"Sorry!" He puts his hands up in defense. "That I'm--"

"LALALALALA!" Alex covers his ears, singing loudly.

Luke stops.

"I'm happy for you two, but seriously... I do not need to know the details." Alex leaves the room.

Julie stares at us. "Get out!" she shouts.

Luke and Y/N almost topple over each as they leave Julie's bedroom. "Sorry, sorry," Y/N mumbles when Luke falls onto the wood floors of the hallway.

"A little help please?"

She ignores him, walking downstairs.

"Y/N!" he calls out, but no reply.

"So?" Alex questions. "You really think you and him are a good idea?" He gives Y/N a hopeful smile. "Will there be any problems?"

She looks over her shoulder to see Luke giving her a playful glare. "Definitely." She crosses her arms. "But, what's the fun in a perfect relationship?"

He shrugs in agreement. "Just be careful, please." He opens his arms, which Y/N happily accepts.

"Group hug!" Reggie exclaims.

"Yay!" Luke hugs Y/N from behind, nudging his head into her shoulder.

"Already taking advantage of her, aye?" Alex asks in a half serious half not way.

"What?!" Luke pulls away like fire.

"He's just messing with you," Y/N assures. "I trust you."

"Enough to allow me to take you on a date this Friday?" he asks, with a sly smirk.

Y/N pretends to think about it. "Yes."

Word Count: 1811

[aelin-queen-of-terrasen]

Hi!!! ilysm💓💓it's my birthday tomorrow so will u bless us with some doraelin smut?? i saw someone ask about it and now i cant get it out of my head lol! Thanks and keep writing beautifully!!

happy birthday love, and sorry this came out so late. I tried my best. hope this will be an acceptable birthday gift. hope you had an awesome day!

note: you asked for smut and I tried, but it was abominable so I did fluff instead.

Queen Of Glass

Ship: Dorian x Aelin.

Genre: Fluff + Smut.

Summary: A rewrite of the final scenes of queen of shadows where Rowan and Aelin are only best friends and she has a different prince in her heart.

---------------------------

It was going to kill her.

He wanted it to.

Her face—that face—

He neared the woman, step by step across the narrow, shaded bridge, the turrets high above them gleaming with blinding light.

Blood covered her arms, and she panted as she backed away from him, her hands out before her, a gold ring shining on her finger. He could smell her now—the immortal, mighty blood in her veins.

“Dorian,” she said.

He did not know that name.

And he was going to kill her.

-------------------------

Time. She needed to buy more time, or steal it, while the bridge still lay in shadow, while the sun slowly, slowly moved.

“Dorian,” Aelin pleaded again.

“I’m going to rip you apart from the inside out,” the demon said.

Ice spread across the bridge. The glass in her back shifted and ripped into her with each step she retreated toward the tower door.

Still the clock tower had not come down.

But the king had not yet arrived.

“Your father is currently in his council room,” she said, fighting the pain splintering through her. “He is in there with Chaol—with your friend—and your father has likely already killed him.”

“Good.”

“Chaol,” Aelin said, her voice breaking. Her foot slid against a patch of ice, and the world tilted as she steadied her balance. The drop to the ground hundreds of feet below hit her in the gut, but she kept her eyes on the prince even as agony rippled down her body again. “Chaol. You sacrificed yourself. You let them put that collar on you—so he could get out.”

“I’m going to let him put a collar on you, and then we can play.”

She hit the tower door, fumbling for the latch.

But it was iced over.

She clawed at the ice, glancing between the prince and the sun that had begun to peek around the corner of the tower.

Dorian was ten steps away.

She whirled back around. “Sorscha—her name was Sorscha, and she loved you. You loved her. And they took her away from you.”

Five steps.

There was nothing human in that face, no flicker of memory in those sapphire eyes.

Aelin began weeping, even as blood leaked down her nose from his nearness. “I came back for you. Just like I promised.”

A dagger of ice appeared in his hand, its lethal tip glinting like a star in the sunlight. Something flickered in his eyes but then it was gone, hidden behind that same unfeeling mask. “If you were smart, you won't have,” Dorian—no, not Dorian—the demon inside him said. "I told you you'd regret sparing me."

But she didn't regret it even as she looked into those cold, sapphire eyes, not as she shoved a hand between them as if she could push him away, grabbing one of his own hands tight. She couldn't find it in herself to regret sparing his life at all, not even as he plunged his knife into her side.

--------------------------

Aelin crawled away from the door stained with her blood, away from the Valg prince who laughed as she clutched at her side and inched across the bridge, her blood a smear behind her.

The sun was still creeping around that tower.

“Dorian,” she said, her legs pushing against the glass, her blood dribbling out from between her freezing fingers, warming them. “Remember.”

He needed to remember. Not another loved one—she would not, could not lose another loved one.

The Valg prince stalked her, smiling faintly as she collapsed onto her front in the center of the bridge. The shadowed spires of the glass castle loomed around her—a tomb. Her tomb.

“Dorian, remember,” she gasped out. He’d missed her heart—barely.

“He said to retrieve you, but perhaps I’ll have my fun first.”

Two knives appeared in his hands, curved and vicious.

The sun began glinting just above the tower overhead.

“Remember Chaol,” she begged. “Remember Sorscha. Remember me.”

A boom shook the castle from somewhere on the other side of the building.

And then a great wind, a soft wind, a lovely wind, as if the heart-song of the world were carried on it.

She closed her eyes for a moment and pressed her hand against her side, drawing in a breath.

“We get to come back,” Aelin said, pushing her hand harder and harder into her wound until the blood stopped, until it was only her tears that flowed. “Dorian, we get to come back from this loss—from this darkness. We get to come back, and I came back for you.”

She was weeping now, weeping as that wind faded away and her wound knitted closed. "I love you! Please," she begged. "You have to remember."

The prince’s daggers had gone slack in his hands.

And on his finger, Athril’s golden ring glowed.

“Fight it,” she panted. The sun angled closer. “Fight it. We get to come back.”

Brighter and brighter, the golden ring pulsed at his finger.

The prince staggered back a step, his face twisting. “You human worm.”

He had been too busy stabbing her to notice the ring she’d slipped onto his finger when she’d grabbed his hand as if to shove him away.

“Take it off,” he growled, trying to touch it—and hissing as though it burned. “Take it off!”

Ice grew, spreading toward her, fast as the rays of sunlight that now shot between the towers, refracting across every glass parapet and bridge, filling the castle with Mala Fire-Bringer’s glorious light.

The bridge—this bridge that she and Chaol had selected for this purpose, for this one moment at the apex of the solstice—was smack in the middle of it.

The light hit her, and it filled her heart with the force of an exploding star.

With a roar, the Valg prince sent a wave of ice for her, spears and lances aimed at her chest.

So Aelin flung her hands out toward the prince, toward her friend who had always been so much more than just that, and hurled her magic at him with everything she had.

------------------------

There was fire, and light, and darkness, and ice.

But the woman—the woman was there, halfway across the bridge, her hands out before her as she got to her feet. In another life, he had known her perhaps—had even loved her. He couldn't recall her name now; the darkness shrouded his thoughts too heavily.

No blood leaked from where the ice had stabbed her. Only clean, polished skin peeked through the black material of her suit.

Healed—with magic.

All around him there was so much fire—her fire and light, tugging at him.

We get to come back, she said. As if she knew what this darkness was, what horrors existed. Fight it.

A light was burning at his finger—a light that cracked inside him.

A light that cracked a sliver into the darkness.

Remember, she said again.

Her flames tore at him, and the demon was screaming. But it did not hurt him. Her flames only kept the demon at bay.

Remember.

A sliver of light in the blackness.

A cracked doorway.

Remember.

Over the demon’s screaming, he pushed—pushed, and looked out through its eyes. His eyes.

And saw Celaena Sardothein standing before him.

--------------------------

 They were infinite.

They were the beginning and the ending; they were eternity.

The king standing before them gaped as the shield of flame died out to reveal Aelin and Dorian, hand in hand, glowing like newborn gods as their magic entwined.

“You’re mine,” the man raged. He became darkness; folded himself into the power he carried, as if he were nothing but malice on a dark wind.

He struck them, swallowed them.

But they held tighter to each other, past and present and future; flickering between an ancient hall in a mountain castle perched above Orynth, a bridge suspended between glass towers, and another place, perfect and strange, where they had been crafted from stardust and light.

A wall of night knocked them back. But they could not be contained.

The darkness paused for breath.

They erupted.

------------------------

Dorian Havilliard had awoken alone, in a room he didn’t recognize.

But he was free, even though a pale band of skin now marred his neck.

For a moment, he had lain in bed, listening.

No screaming. No wailing. Just a few birds tentatively chirping outside the window, summer sunshine leaking in, and … silence. Peace.

There was such an emptiness in his head. A hollowness in him.

He’d even put a hand over his heart to see if it was beating.

The rest was a blur—and he lost himself in it, rather than think about that emptiness. He bathed, he dressed, and he spoke to Aedion Ashryver, who looked at him as if he had three heads and who was apparently now in charge of castle security.

Chaol was alive but still recovering, the general said. Not yet awake—and maybe that was a good thing, because Dorian had no idea how he’d face his friend, how he’d explain everything. Even when most of it was mere shards of memory, pieces he knew would further break him if he ever put them together.

A few hours later, Dorian was still in that bedroom, working up the nerve to survey what he’d done. The castle he’d destroyed; the people he’d killed. He’d seen the wall: proof of his enemy’s power … and mercy.

Not his enemy.

Aelin.

“Hello, Dorian,” she said. He turned from the window as the door shut behind her.

She lingered by the door, in a tunic of deep blue and gold, unbuttoned with careless grace at the neck, her hair loose at her shoulders, her brown boots scuffed. But the way she held herself, the way she stood with utter stillness … A queen looked out at him.

He didn’t know what to say. Where to begin.

She prowled for the little sitting area where he stood. “How are you feeling?”

Even the way she talked was slightly different. He’d already heard what she’d said to his people, the threats she’d made and the order she’d demanded. If he'd fancied himself in love with her before, he couldn't tell what to name the feeling inside of him now.

“Fine,” he managed to say. His magic rumbled deep inside him, but it was barely more than a whisper, as if it was drained. As if it was as empty as him.

“You wouldn’t be hiding in here, would you?” she said, slumping into one of the low chairs on the pretty, ornate rug.

“Your men put me in here so they could keep an eye on me,” he said, remaining by the window. “I wasn’t aware that I was allowed to leave.” Perhaps that was a good thing—considering what the demon prince had made him do.

“You can leave whenever you please. This is your castle—your kingdom.”

“Is it?” he dared ask.

“You’re the King of Adarlan now,” she said softly, but her voice was firm. “Of course it is." She rose from her seat in a smooth movement and walked to the window, only to tug him down onto the sofa behind her. Her hand cupped his face, thumb grazing against his cheekbone. He closed his eyes at her touch.

She drew her hand away.

"I tried to kill you—" he started.

She waved his hand away with an elegant gesture and leaned back into her seat. The assassin he'd once known seemed like a shadow of who she really was now. "It's no bother, you know? I find that most of my friendships begin or end in murder. I'm used to it."

His lips twitched upwards a little. "You came back," his voice broke. From the far reaches of his memory, words resurfaced. I love you, she'd shouted. "You came back for me."

Aelin's expression was tender. "You say it like you didn't think I would."

Dorian opened his mouth, searching for words, then shut it again. His brows creased in thought. "I suppose I didn't know who you were, though Chaol knew—" he held up his hand when she began to explain herself—"I'm not offended, I understand your reasons. You couldn't be sure of my allegiance. Then, I found out and I didn't—I thought the next time we met, it would be in the middle of a war and we won't be on the same side. When word reached us that you defeated the legions from Adarlan, that belief only strengthened."

"I didn't tell you who I was, not because I doubted your allegiance, Dorian."

He hadn't minded the deception. He had been hurt at first, but made his peace with it. However, the need to know grew with her words. "Then why?" he asked.

She chewed on her lip in thought. "It could have been dangerous for you to know. I couldn't risk it."

The two of them fell into a silence. Both parties searched for something to say, both unsure how their words would be received until Dorian blurted out, "I would like to see you."

Aelin cocked an eyebrow in question, trying to hide her amusement. Her mirth shone in her eyes.

"I mean," he blushed in embarassment, "I would like to see your fae form, if you want to show it, of course."

"I do," she said.

Aelin smiled at him, there was a brief flash of light and she—shifted. He noticed she looked much the same, except every feature looked sharper, each movement more controlled and graceful. The tips of her ears turned pointed, and canines poked out of her mouth when she grinned at him. "I know I'm pretty but I didn't think I'd leave you speechless. No pretty words for me? You used to have those in abundance," she joked when he still hadn't replied, though he detected the slightest hint of nervousness in her tone.

"You are... you are... " he faltered.

With half a thought, his finger traced her hollow cheekbones and watched as her face flushed with colour. He traced her earlobe, lingering on the pointed tip.

Aelin remained still, holding her breath. She felt Dorian's warm breath around her collarbone, shivering as blood rushed to her face. If any doubt remained about her feelings even after she'd shouted them at him, it would no longer hold.

Aelin loved him.

Impulsively, Aelin angled her face so her lips brushed with his in a featherlight kiss. His lips were impossibly soft beneath hers, and with some reluctance, she pulled back.

Dorian looked pained. "Aelin, I—"

Aelin's heart raced, all her doubts resurfacing but remained composed. "Oh dear, was it really so bad? You look like I struck you with a hammer," she said with an arch smile.

Dorian didn't smile back. "I can't—"

"I know," she whispered softly in reassurance, "I do not need any promises for a future together or claims of affection," it was the closest she came to an allusion to her declaration of love a few days ago, "I would like to provide comfort, Dorian, however I can. If you'd rather not—"

The following kiss that followed left no doubt of either recipient's feelings.

Dorian ran his hand through Aelin's much shorter curls, breathing in her scent. He admired the way she looked now, familiar in her essence but new in the way she handled herself—with authority, grace and confidence befitting her.

Somehow, she was still the woman he'd once loved and she wasn't.

He kissed her again, and would have continued in the activity had they not been interrupted:

"Aelin, we need you outside. Rowan pissed off some lord or another—argh, really? Gods, you two couldn't lock the door?" Aedion's face had turned scarlet, his eyes shut and covered with his hand.

Aelin snarled, "You couldn't knock?"

If Dorian hadn't been engaged in such a pleasing activity, he might have been amused at the looks of challenge on both the cousins' face. As it was, all he felt was irritation for the damned general. "Yes, well, did you come here just to irritate us or what?"

"I came," and here, the wolf of the north sneered, "to call her for assistance. If I knew she was assisting you already, I won't have come." And then, with a last 'damn you, cousin' Aedion Ashryver turned on his heel and left the room.

Dorian admitted, "I am surprised he didn't punch me."

"He barely restrained himself, I think. Be glad it wasn't Rowan," Aelin chuckled. "He won't have stopped."

Dorian said, "I'm not afraid of him."

"If you knew him, you would be." Aelin's answering smirk made his breath catch.

Though Dorian was far from recovered, for the first time in days, he looked forward to something in the future.

---------------------------

I hope y'all like this attempt at doraelin. so many people asked for doraelin after the first request, I was surprised.

tags: @thesirenwashere // @courtofjurdan // @little-crow-corvere // @the-dark-swan // @queenofgreenbriar // @clockworkgraystairs // @julemmaes // @rowaelinforeverworld // @mymultiversee // @queen-of-glass // @strangely-constructed-soul // @mijaldraws // @http-itsrebecca // @aesthetics-11 // @lord-douglas-the-third // @flowersinvegas // @aelinchocolatelover // @faerie-queen-fireheart // @sad-book-whore // @didsomeonesayviolin // @atozfantazyxx // @hizqueen4life // @the-gods-killer // @booknerdproblems // @annejulianneh111 // @aelinfeyreeleven945tbln // @b00kworm // @mysweetvillain // @curlyredqueen06 // @moondancer-204 // @thesurielships // @witchling-leonor // @ladywitchling // @amren-courtofdreams // @ifinallygavein // @jlinez // @faequeenaelin // @df3ndyr // @in-love-with-caramel-macchiato // @bitchy-knees // @superspiritfestival // @xx-fiona-xx // @stardelia // @maastrash // @miihlovesnoone // @totenhamboys20 // @sanakapoor // @louisleblancdiggory // @abookishfreak // @maddymelv // @ireallyshouldsleeprn // @morganofthewildfire // @bellamyblakru // @theilliumbluebell10 // @jesstargaryenqueen // @cool-ish-nerd

let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

[haloud]

take a chance and don’t ever look back -- +1

ao3 --- part 1

Early morning light sifts through the little window in Alex’s kitchen, and that pale, grayish glow turns the whole world floaty and dreamlike. Maybe that’s why Michael proposes, still soft-throated and slurring from sleep, at six in the morning on a workday while wearing nothing but Air Force sweats and mostly failing to scramble eggs. In dreams, Alex always says yes. Nothing to worry about.

In real life, Alex has two lines from the pillowcase cutting across his cheek, and he’s so busy gaping at Michael that he pours coffee onto his hand instead of in a mug where it belongs.

“Kinda hard to wear a ring if your fingers swell up,” Michael mutters as he holds Alex’s hand under the tap.

“Well a little warning would have been nice—I-I would have been ready—”

“I gave you warning! So much warning! I’ve been folding your underwear for months—”

“Sharing chores isn’t the same as—as—I could have already had a ring for you! Are we even going to wear rings before the wedding? How far ahead have you planned? How expensive are Isobel’s rates; god, I don’t even know that much! How—”

“Alex!” Michael says, and Alex cuts himself off, his lips parted, his eyes wide and startled and swirling in a shaft of sunlight. “You sayin’ yes to me?” His voice cracks halfway through, and he clears his throat, ducking his eyes away from that piercing gaze. Real daylight slowly fills the room, and it pops the drifting soap-bubble confidence of Michael’s half-asleep declaration. Hey, Alex, hey, wanna get married? We should totally get married. Lucid, his heart flutters nauseously in his chest, and he swallows bitter bracing himself for an it’s too soon or I’m not ready or let’s think about it and—it’s okay, it’s okay, it doesn’t actually mean Alex doesn’t love him or—or want to spend their lives together, it’s just a big ask and Michael wasn’t thinking and should have had a better case prepared. It’s okay.

Alex makes a strangled noise, seizes Michael’s hair in wet hands, and mashes their mouths together.

It’s the clumsiest kiss they’ve ever shared, even more than the first one when they were kids still growing into their bodies. Still, Michael bows into it, screws his eyes shut, sucks on Alex’s lower lip and drowns in the sensation of connection.

“Yes,” Alex breathes into his mouth, holding Michael’s head still between his palms. “Yes, yes, yes.”

They’re both late to work that morning, after they get too wrapped up in the kitchen to watch the clock, after trying to get dressed without taking their hands off each other, after Alex kisses Michael into a lingering breathless goodbye pressed up against the cab of his truck. That evening, Alex gets home before Michael, who stopped over to see Isobel and Max and tell them the news, and Michael barely gets a step inside before Alex has the door shut and Michael’s back against it, kissing the breath from his lungs all over again. He only pulls back in brief, scattered seconds to pant more questions like how was your day and when do we get started and Michael laughs from the bottom of his stomach and answers every single one with lips and teeth and tongue.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael was nervous before prom, both times; he was nervous on Isobel’s arm at her wedding in front of her new lawyer husband and the whole judgmental menagerie of Roswell elite society that attended just to say they were there. Nervous wouldn’t even cut it to describe how he buzzed and fretted before the first date of his and Alex’s new relationship.

Walking down the aisle to meet Alex in the middle, he isn’t nervous at all. At his own wedding, Max started sobbing openly as soon as the first strains of the wedding march began, but for Michael—today, under a cloudless sky, Alex looks exactly the same as he always has. It never gets any easier to look at him, to hold all that love inside his body and not explode, but if nothing else Michael has been practicing for this day since he was sixteen years old and his heart first fluttered for a boy with a guitar. Alex is a shock to the system, glowing and grinning and reaching his hands out to take Michael’s under the bright sun surrounded by people who love them, and Michael lets himself be shocked, takes that electric current into every single nerve ending, and feels like lighting up the whole damn world.

Later, though, the nerves come back. The feeling creeps up as the stars come out, as the band sets up, as the ring on his finger clicks against Alex’s as he tangles their fingers together and the whole brilliant forever soaks into his brain.

“Are you ready for this?” Michael asks, eyes fixed on the dark wood dance floor at the center of the ring of tables. He gulps, and—it’s so close, but at the same time it feels like belonging to a different body, the way he can already almost feel his feet move, hear the music, feel the wood solid beneath him and Alex solid in his arms.

Isobel has outdone herself. She knew even without asking that Michael wanted to be married outdoors, that he wanted to dance with his new husband under the stars. And not that Michael has noticed anything except Alex, but Isobel arranged everything so perfectly, tasteful and understated, dark wood and golden lights and the perfume of champagne roses, and she somehow knew exactly who to invite, even people Michael never would have thought of or expected to come—hell, even old man Foster, in a suit three decades out of style, showed up to guzzle a couple beers and slap Michael on the back. Arturo Ortecho had tears in his eyes, and he squeezed Alex by the shoulders and said over and over again how he was so proud, how Alex had grown into such a wonderful man. Lost in everything magic and surreal about this entire night, Michael doesn’t hear Alex respond to him until he repeats himself, a look of impossibly fond exasperation on his face.

“Ready? Isn’t this supposed to be the fun part? No ceremony, no pomp and circumstance…as beautiful as your vows were…” he kisses the bridge of Michael’s nose, “…it’s a cool night; everything’s been perfect…” Michael kisses him back on the corner of his mouth, and Alex wraps his hand around the back of Michael’s neck, “…now all we have to do is relax and enjoy a party that’s just for us. What’s there to be ready for?”

“Kinda feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this,” Michael replies, “I don’t want to step on your feet or something. Maybe we should’ve taken classes?”

“I believe in you.” And as the first warm-up strains of strings begin, Alex pulls Michael stumbling and flushed onto the dance floor. And once they’re there, at the center of all the light and all the attention and Michael swallows, making his throat bob and Alex lick his lips—Alex slides his hand onto Michael’s shoulder and rubs that tense muscle; he presses Michael’s other hand to his waist and holds it there.

The song begins, and Michael’s feet move with it.

 The music sloshes, joy-drunk, in his ears and in his veins; Michael giggles and pivots them, Alex smoothly mirroring the motion; he glides along like his feet don’t even need to touch the floor, and, tightening his arm around Alex’s waist, Michael guides them in a circle around the dance floor, a simple, synchronized give-and-take that’s natural for their two bodies with no experience between them. It’s easy to move with Alex in his arms. Always has been, and now—

Well, if there was ever a day to be cheesy, it’s this one.

Now, it always will be.

“You’re letting me lead?” Michael asks, and he rubs their noses together, reveling in the way Alex grins, so huge and beaming his eyes crinkle up and Michael has to kiss each dimpled cheek.

“Of course—I’m having a moment.” Alex lets himself be dipped then pulled back up into Michael’s arms, where he settles like he’s never left. “You think I didn’t watch Disney every single sleepover I had, dreaming about being swept off my feet?” His voice warbles; his eyes sparkle in the low, golden light, and Michael sniffles, laughs at himself, then sniffles again.

“You tryin’ to tell me I’m some kind of prince?”

“Maybe.” Running his fingers down Michael’s cheek, Alex twirls his finger in a single spiral curl and teases, “You crying on your wedding day?”

“Maybe,” bubbles out of Michael’s chest along with another elated laugh—and then they’re both laughing, fat, shimmering tears beading on Alex’s eyelashes, foreheads resting together as Alex slides his arms around Michael’s neck and they’re kissing, all movement slowed down to nothing but a gentle sway off-time with the music as the song draws to an end, the sound of strings lingering in the air like dust motes floating in the kitchen in the early morning. Around them, people applaud, and someone whistles, and over Alex’s shoulder Michael sees Max beaming and Isobel wiping away a happy tear and locking her arm with Maria’s. Maria flutters a little wave Michael’s way and gives him a thumbs up; then, as the next song picks up lively and quick, she’s the first to join them, tugging Isobel with her onto the dance floor.

More and more people fill up the space around them, but Michael and Alex are an island to themselves, apart from the crowd, apart from even the music itself—without a word, they switch positions with the new song, so Alex can take control and hold Michael up as he sways into him, trying to melt their bodies together. He’s boneless and breathless and barely even holding it together and how, how did he ever get here, how, days like this don’t happen to people like him, people like Alex don’t happen to people like him, but here Alex is, humming in his ear, heartbeat pounding next to Michael’s own, and Michael presses his mouth to Alex’s shoulder to quiet a tiny, hiccupping sob.

Shhh, Alex soothes, his hand stroking the length of Michael’s back; they’re almost standing still; people swirl around them but Michael has to stand still, dizzy and weak and so in love but so scared because he’s demanded forever out of Alex and—

“I love you, Michael Guerin.”

Michael gasps wetly and presses the heels of his palms against his eyes, trying to stop the tears before anyone sees. The motion traps his arms awkwardly between his chest and Alex’s, but Alex just holds him tighter, the warmth of his body wrapping Michael up.

“I have loved you. For over a decade. And you have loved me too.” Alex starts on a laugh at the vulnerable crack of his own voice, the giddy, open bareness. These words, they’re—they’re the same ones he said, their hands together, in front of everyone, the words that bound them together, and Michael drops his hands because he can’t do anything but look at Alex in the eyes as his love says, “And I will love you for a decade more, and a decade after that, until there are no more stars in the sky. And I will never, ever leave you, and I will never look away. Do you believe that? Do you understand me?” He grinds his forehead into Michael’s, his hands clutching his face.

“I do. I do,” Michael sobs, trying to nod for emphasis but he just clunks their heads together and busting out into peals of helpless laughter.

“Then dance with me,” Alex says, twirling them back into motion with everyone else around them, hopelessly out of time and Michael couldn’t care less at all as they whirl in each other’s arms.

“You sweep me off my feet, you know that, Captain?” Michael manages, and Alex actually lifts him, just an inch off the ground, just to prove a point. “You’ve already got me, you don’t gotta make me swoon like that—”

“I’ll do more than that,” Alex rasps right in Michael’s ear, his breath teasing the tiny hairs on the skin there and sending a hot prickle across the back of Michael’s neck. “I want more than a ring and vow from you tonight, Michael. I want all of you.” He slides their hands together and presses Michael’s, palm-down, over his heart. “I want you to mark me tonight. You’re going to feel me. I’m going to feel you. And I’m not letting you out of bed until we’re both feeling satisfied.”

Michael licks his lips and savors the taste of ozone and anticipation. “Can’t wait,” he says—and the next song Michael leads, until Liz and Isobel cut in to take their boys for a spin.

They find their way back to each other every time; their eyes follow each other across the wood floor, across every dancer in between them, until they come back together and lose the rest of the night to the music and the steps and all the magic they make together.

[omg-foreverfilledwithweird-posts]

Find Your Way Back Home

Summary: Loki and Ingrid (OC) were childhood friends, glued to each other’s side for years, causing mischief together of course, until she became an adult and Asgard was in danger. And in order to keep her safe, he sends her to Midgard. It’s been five years since then... What will she do when he shows up at her door? After all this time?

Word Count: 4,311 words (I’m not even sorry ;))

Author’s Note: I just really freaking love Loki, so I decided to do a little two part story for my fellow Loki lovers. @drakesfiance @mischiefunmanagedus

Pairing: Loki X OC (Ingrid)

Warnings: Extreme fluff, a bit of angst, and so much love <3

Part 2 coming soon

Loki remembered the day perfectly, the memory of it has been the only thing that’s kept him sane all these years away from her. 

It was a fateful, spring day in Asgard, flowers were just beginning to bloom and kids squealed happily and played, then there was Loki. All alone in the corner of the courtyard, watching wistfully as everyone played, wishing he were as liked as his brother, Thor. They were only six at the time, but already Thor Odinson was the most popular boy at the school, he had everyone wrapped around his finger from such a young age. 

Loki, however, was cast aside by the other students, he was deemed different and not like his brother, so the kids stayed away from him, they were afraid of him. He didn’t let them show it hurt him, because even at that age, he had to learn to hide his emotions and be strong, despite the perils he faced and would face later in life.

That was until Ingrid arrived at the school, brunette, braided pigtails, blue eyes, bright smile. Loki knew immediately that she was the prettiest creature he had ever seen.

She had seen him sitting all alone and skipped merrily over to him, still smiling and not the least bit afraid, in fact, she was intrigued by the little boy, his raven hair and equally, mischievous blue eyes that she shared as well.

She smiled, and he looked up, awestruck that someone like her would come up to someone like him.

“I’m Ingrid,” she said, voice sweet and showing no sign of ill will, but he could tell from the look in her eyes she was, like him, a troublemaker. “What’s your name?”

“Loki.”

She moves to sit down next to him, so open and kind to him, he’d never experienced it before her. She grinned, “Let’s be friends.”

“Really?” he had to ask.

“Yes, really,” she said with a giggle and he couldn’t help but smile back. “I have an idea, and I need your help.”

“What is it?”

She pulled out something from her skirt pocket, revealing Odin’s eye patch, “I snatched it from him when he set it down, I was over there with my mother.”

Loki grinned, “Why did you do that?”

She shrugged, putting it back in her pocket, like it was the most normal thing in the world to steal the King of Asgard’s eye patch, one of his most prized possessions.

“Because it was fun,” she said simply then smiled. “Let’s go hide it somewhere.”

In that moment, they both knew, that this would the start of a wonderful and beautiful friendship.

From that day forward the two of them started trouble wherever they went, so much so, teachers wouldn’t let them be together in class for fear of them creating chaos. Which always ensued because they’d find their way back to each other, they always did.

They were both sixteen when they both were learning to fight with the King’s guard, both getting the special treatment because Loki was Odin’s song after all. 

Ingrid was a quick learner and before long she was an excellent fighter, on top of the magic that ran through her own veins, she could control the air around her and manipulate it to her liking, which came in handy for the many shenanigans the two of them would go on. 

She lunged for him, arm wrapped around his neck before flipping him over her shoulder with all her strength and might. She was a warrior, Loki knew this, and it helped how skinny he was, not have hitting puberty just yet, even if he is a god.

She was on top of him by then. She grinned wickedly, brown hair cascading down her shoulders. She had grown a lot, become more beautiful everyday, Loki thought, he didn’t think it was possible for someone to be this cunning yet so kind.

“You’ll have to do better than that, love,” he says, flipping them over so he was above her now. 

She laughed, breathing heavily, “Touche.” She reached up and kissed his cheek, distracting him long enough to flip them back over.

“You tricky minx,” he breathed out, grinning impishly.

She laughed, “You love it.”

He smiled and got up on his feet, holding out his hand to her, she takes it but not before pulling him down, back to the ground. They were chest to chest now, and she erupted with laughter.

“Tsk, tsk, Loki, you should know better than that, my friend,” she continued to grin. “And here I thought you were the god of mischief.”

He smirked, raven hair falling over his eyes. She reached up and pushed a strand of hair behind his ear.

“I like your hair a little longer,” she muses, and looked him in the eyes. “You should grow it out, you’d look very handsome,” she teased him and he blushed at the compliment.

“As you wish, Ingrid,” he smiled, pulling her up with him, chest to chest again, just as Thor walked into the room, eyeing the two of them suspiciously.

“How cute, you two,” Thor pointed pointed between them. “I could feel the tension in here all the way from the grand hall.” Ingrid smiled at the comment, noticing the blush on Loki’s cheeks.

“Shut up, brother,” Loki all but growled. “Ingrid and I were only training, unlike you, going out at all hours of the night instead of doing something productive with your time.”

“One of us should have a social life, wouldn’t you think, dear brother?” Thor smiled smugly, looking at Ingrid for a moment.

Thor was always kind, yes, but for a long time he was what Midgardian’s call a “player”, but who could blame him, he was irresistible and charming, but he hadn’t found his way just yet. In time, he would, Ingrid knew. She cared for Thor like her own brother because he was Loki’s family, and most of the time, she would enjoy his company, but never as much as she did Loki’s.

“I hope to see you again, Ingrid,” he had winked at her. “And hopefully, alone.”

Loki’s heart roared with jealousy, even if he knew she didn’t feel that way about Thor, he always felt his own insecurities get the best of him.

But she only scoffed, she never fell for his charms, her heart belonged elsewhere, even if she did not know it at the time. “I’m afraid the feeling isn’t mutual, Thor Odinson.”

Loki barked with laughter, it always did crack him up when she would resist Thor, unlike every girl in Asgard. Instead, you preferred his cool and mischievous yet soft, kindhearted brother. She loved the smile that made its way onto Loki’s face, her own heart swelling at the sight.

“You heard her, brother, you can leave,” Loki shooed him off with his hand and Ingrid shook her head, Thor going with an exasperated huff, but smiling when he knows they both couldn’t see. 

He knew of Loki’s affection long before Ingrid did, and loved to tease the two of them, knowing that his brother would indeed get jealous, perhaps he’ll end up pushing the two of them into each other’s arms soon enough, he thought before walking off.

But he would be wrong.

Even if the two of them felt something within them, both of them wanting the other to act on the feelings first because they were both too stubborn to make the first move. So he watched her be courted by other men, after she developed curves, longer hair, and a sinful smile. She watched other girls, ones that avoided him like the black plague all throughout grade school, after he hit puberty, growing into his looks, pale, ivory skin, wicked, blue eyes, strong jaw, sharp cheekbones, and became muscular after training with you, and still lean. But that smirk, the one she loved, was only for her, no one else.

He had once tried to go after her and tell her how he really felt, it had been Ingrid’s 20th birthday, and he had gotten her a locket to profess his love to her, so sincerely and beautifully.

But before he could, he saw her with another man, in his arms and happy without him, that he felt those insecurities creep back up again. He threw the locket into the sea that night, vowing to keep his feelings hidden, knowing he would never be good enough for her and that she would never feel the same.

She did, though. She desperately did, and she only let men court her to make him jealous, she always was the trickster. But after never getting the reaction she wanted, she dated other men because she wanted to get over her feelings, that they could never be more than friends.

The last time they saw each other bitter and left both heartbroken, when she was in an aircraft just as Asgard was burning to the ground, their home disintegrating before both of their eyes. 

“No, no,” tears had been sliding down her cheeks, gripping onto his armor sleeves, looking at his eyes that were glassy with tears as well. “No, I’m staying with you. Let me fight.”

“I cannot risk it,” he gulped, leaning his forehead against hers, one singular tear rolling down his face, clenching his eye shut. “I cannot risk you, my princess. Go to Midgard. Start a life of your own and be happy.”

“Dammit, Loki,” she slammed her fists into his chest, continuing to sob. “Let me stay, I’m not leaving you!” she looks into his eyes, both wanting to do the one thing that they’d been begging to do since the moment they laid eyes on each other.

But he turned from her. “Yes,” he paused to signal to the pilot after everyone was completely boarded on the ship. “You are.”

“No, Loki,” she whispered, pleading to him. “Don’t let me go, please.”

“I love you,” he said to her, looking her in the eye and she frowned, anger and sadness clawing at her heart. She didn’t want to leave, she wanted to fight with him and save her home.

Yes, they’ve said they loved each other, but as friends and only platonic, but the look in his eyes when he meets her gaze tells a different story. 

She met his gaze, “I love you too,” she said breathlessly, eyes searching his face.

He nodded, “Then you’ll forgive me,” he said in a pained voice, struggling to let you go, but if he let you stay, it would be selfish of him, to risk your life just to be with you. Besides, you’d be much happier without him.

“Loki!” she yelled after him as the ship closed and he watched her fly away from him, breathing deeply to contain the sobs of his own, knowing this was for the best if it meant you would be safe. 

It was now present day and Ingrid is working at Avengers headquarters, now standing in the kitchen with Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers, arguing over who is more muscular when everyone around them knows the answer. But no one would ever tell them that.

“Steve’s on steroids, it doesn’t count!” Bucky gesticulates wildly and Natasha only grins and shakes her head, looking to Wanda who shares a smile as well. Ingrid can’t contain her laugh, and soon all three girls are doubled over in fits of giggles together.

Steve laughs along with them, “I’m not on steroids!” he says. “I was put into a machine and given superhero abilities, there’s a difference.”

“Can’t you too just call it a tie? It doesn’t really matter,” Ingrid smiles, looking at the two boys like a scolding mother would her misbehaving sons, her sweet, English accent calming both of them.

“Whatever you say, doll,” Bucky winks with a click of his tongue, being the charmer that he is. “But we all now who’s more muscular,” he flexes his arm to show off his muscles.

“It’s obviously Steve,” Natasha gestures to his arms and Steve beams.

“But I’m the one with the robot arm!” Bucky whines.

“No offense, cyborg,” Tony says, walking into the room. “But he is and Capsicle can thank the Starks for that,” Tony points finger guns at Captain. 

“Your father was a smart man, yes, but I would say that him procreating and having you was a horrible idea,” Natasha pats Tony hard on the back, walking out of the room.

“At least I’m not the one that’s a ballerina spy,” Tony grumbles under his breath. “How are you supposed to fight with a tutu anyway?” he asks himself out loud, walking out into the hallway.

“Okay,” Ingrid laughs, shaking her head and getting her things. “That’s my cue to get home, Frigga should be there from the bus in an hour or so and I need to be there to meet her.”

“That kid of yours sure is cute,” Steve smiles. 

She returns it, “Good genes, I guess.”

“If she’s anything like her momma...” Bucky grins.

“You’re a big flirt, you know that?” she tells him with a soft chuckle.

---

“Momma!” Frigga runs up to Ingrid and envelopes her mother in a tight hug, wrapping her small arms around her neck as Ingrid lifts her off the ground, spinning her four year old in her arms.

“Hello, my little flower,” she coos in her wheat colored hair, looking into her daughter’s blue eyes that she got from her. “How was your day at school?”

“Really good,” she says, getting out of her mother’s arm as they walk hand in hand inside. “But Arthur and I did get in trouble again.”

Her heart clenches at the mention of her getting into trouble with a friend, but not because she’s disappointed in her daughter, but because it reminds her of her own childhood best friend that she gotten into trouble with as well. She misses him terribly, everyday, more and more she thinks about him, until he’s just a small, aching place in her chest.

“Frigga...” Ingrid scolds her daughter, kneeling down to her level. “You can’t get in trouble so much, it just sounds like this Loki is a bad influence on you.”

Her daughter furrows her brow adorably. “Who is Loki?”

Ingrid realizes she said the wrong name and shakes her head, not going to cry over him today. It’s been five years, get it together, she thinks to herself.

“Sorry, Frigga,” she apologizes with a small smile. “I mean Arthur. Why are two getting into trouble together?”

“Because he’s my best friend,” she grins. “And I love him,” she says sweetly.

God, she sounds so much like me right now.

There’s a knock on the door and it causes both Ingrid and Frigga to whip their head in its direction, the two of them share another look and Frigga raises her eyebrow. Another knock sounds from the door.

“Do I need to get the baseball bat?” Frigga punches her fist into her palm.

“No, dear,” Ingrid kisses the top of her daughter’s head. “I’ll go get it, you go get the television ready for us to watch your favorite movie.”

She nods eagerly and skips happily into the other room, Ingrid smiles fondly as she walks up to the door, pulling it open.

The smile soon fades from her face when she stands face to face with a familiar, raven haired prince. He smiles and it’s so soft and unlike him, it catches her off guard. All this time he finally decides to see her, and now he’s here, he’s really here. Five years of waiting for him to find her and hold her again, to cause trouble like they did when they were children and get back to who they were. She’s upset, frustrated, devastated, heartbroken, elated that he’s back, but... angry.

Ingrid shakes her head in disbelief, wiping at her teary eyes, a few stray ones falling, before looking him dead in the eye again. 

Then he smirks eyes raking over her, she’s so beautiful, if not more so than the last time he saw her. Her long, warm, brown locks fall down her shoulders in lazy curls, and he can tell her body is gorgeous, compliments wonderfully with a silk blouse and tight, pencil skirt, hugging her waist. She’s frowning at him, and it hurts him so to see her so angry at him, but he knows it is justified, she must be furious. But not only was she the most stunning woman he has ever seen, more than an goddess or maiden he’s ever laid eyes on, she’s also a warrior, a genius, a fighter. And that’s why he’s been in love with her since that day in courtyard, knowing he’d do anything, anything for this one girl, just to make her happy.

He’s sporting that wonderful green and gold suit she loved so much, and she can’t help but notice how her heart does a little flip at the sight of his infamous, little smirk, “Oh, how I’ve missed you, darling.”

Then she slaps him across the face.

He doesn’t even flinch, but clenches his eyes shut, frowning, “I suppose I deserve that.”

“You suppose?” she repeats. “You send me to Earth, don’t talk or reach out to me for five fucking years and forget about me. I thought we were friends, and you let me go like I meant nothing to you!”

Loki’s eyes blaze and he has to look away from her, avoiding the hurt evident in her cobalt blue eyes. “Believe me, love, I never forgot about you. I only thought that you wouldn’t want to see me after-”

“After what happened?” she finishes for him. “Well you wouldn’t know that I’ve missed you everyday for the last five years, wondering if you were ever going to come back to me, thinking that I wasn’t good enough for you to find me because you never asked. Did I really mean that little to you? Little enough for you to-”

His arms are wrapped around her in an instant, pulling her flush to his chest, head resting on her shoulder. She struggles against him for a moment, but he holds her tighter, just before she lets a sob escape and wraps her own arms tightly around him, crying into his chest, inhaling his familiar aroma of lemongrass and cedar-wood.

“You mean everything to me, Ingrid,” he whispers into her hair, hand rubbing soothing circles on her back. “I never came because of my own self doubt and insecurities, and for that I am truly sorry.”

She looks back up at him and grins, causing his heart to flutter, a feeling he’s only ever gotten around her. He’s missed this, her being in his arms, inhaling her scent, still loving her after all this time. His desire for her has only grown with the passing years, and standing in front of her now, he can hardly contain himself.

“Then why now?” she asks.

“Thank my dear brother, Thor, for that,” he whispers in her ear, a breath of laughter escaping him making her giggle. “He’s visiting Jane and made me come along.”

“How long will you be here?”

“As long as I need to be,” he whispers into her hair, kissing the top of her head.

“Don’t give me any ideas,” she holds his face in her hand and he leans into her touch. “I just might keep you here with me forever.”

“I can think of far worse punishments,” his eyes glaze over her.

“Are you flirting with me, Loki Lafeuyson?” she asks, laughing softly at how much she enjoys it.

“Oh, darling, if I am, you’ll know it,” he whispers, meeting her eyes with an wolfish smile, worried he just might take her here and now.

She matches his mischief filled smirk, “Well-”

“Mommy!” Frigga yells from inside and Ingrid unlatches herself from Loki’s grip, looking to her daughter before scooping her up in her arms.

Frigga looks at Loki, perplexed and curious to who this strange man is, “Who is this mommy? Is this Loki? The man you talked about earlier?”

“It most certainly is, my flower,” she looks at Loki who appears to be very nervous, looking at the daughter with bewildered eyes.

“She’s...”

“Yes,” Ingrid gulps nervously, looking to Loki.

“Well, she...” he looks at her with soft eyes. “Shares your beauty, the same blue eyes as well.”

Ingrid blushes, setting her daughter down, “Well, her father gave her the blonde hair, not me.”

Loki makes an “oh” face, and nods, licking his lips. The thought of Ingrid being with another man, her bearing his child, makes his heart burn with jealousy. He wishes to be that man for her, but that would be him being selfish again.

Maybe you both deserved to be a little a selfish.

Before Loki can ask about the father, Frigga tugs him down to meet her face, he smiles and gets down to her level, on one knee in front of her. And just like Ingrid was all those years ago, she is not afraid of him, and that makes him smile. He’s never known love like this before. Frigga’s hands hold his face and she studies his features, looking at the man that’s making her mother smile this way. She’s four, yes, but even she knows what love is, at least when she sees it.

“Hello, little one,” he grins and Frigga returns it, causing Ingrid’s heart to swell at the sight.

It’s like she’s falling in love with him all over again, friend or not, he holds a place in her heart.

“Can I tell you a secret, Mr. Loki?” she whispers conspiratorially. 

He nods, tilting his head so she can whisper in his ear.

She cups her little hands over her mouth as she loudly whispers, “I think my mommy has a crush on you.”

Loki looks at Ingrid for a moment, biting his lip to hold back a grin, nodding to the daughter, “Interesting. And how do you know this, little flower?”

“Her face is different,” Frigga explains. “And she’s smiling a lot, she keeps looking at you too.”

Loki grins and Ingrid is nervous now, wondering what they’re whispering over. “Can I tell you a secret in return?” Loki asks.

Frigga nods eagerly, looking at the man with bright eyes and a bright smile. 

He cups his own hand over his lips, being sure to let Ingrid hear him as he whispers to the girl, “I have a crush on her too.” Frigga giggles.

Ingrid’s face is all shades of red when he says this, eyes growing wide and lips edging into a demure smile that’s driving Loki wild by the second.

Ingrid is beside Frigga now, turning her daughter in the direction of the living room, “How about you go to the living room while I talk to Loki, hm?”

Frigga has on her own little, knowing smirk and Ingrid tickles her sides, making them both laugh. Loki watches the sight with a smile, wondering to himself why it took him so long to get back to her. Maybe if hadn’t been so stubborn, this little girl before him could have been his instead of another man’s. 

It would have changed everything.

Frigga runs excitedly into the other room, leaving the two adults to look at each other, both not knowing what to say or how to say it. How do you say you’ve loved someone your whole life, and never did anything about it because you were simply too afraid of rejection and your own self preservation?

How could they possibly convey all of those feelings? What words could express emotions like those?

“Her father...” Ingrid sighs. “It was one drunken night in college, I got pregnant, and left me after finding out.”

Loki frowns, anger towards this man that would leave a woman as extraordinary and as kind as Ingrid. “I’m sorry, love.”

“Don’t be,” she smiles. “I got Frigga out of it-”

“Wait?” he stops her. “Frigga?”

Ingrid smiles bashfully, blushing again when Loki takes a step closer to her, “Yeah... After your mother, she was more of a mother to me than my own, and I wanted a piece of Asgard to stay with me. A piece of you, I guess.”

He brushes her cheek softly, making her breathing hitch, “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, darling, the last few years have been agony, wanting to keep you safe. It was no easy task to leave you here, I wish I could have come with you.”

She nods, she knows why he did it, it was to keep her safe. Even if she didn’t like it, she understood. “I missed you too,” she breathes out, meeting his eyes. “God, so much.”

“Then go to dinner with me,” he says, more of a command than a request, but Ingrid didn’t mind, she could hear the evident desperation in his voice, laying his heart out on the table for her, all hers for the taking, looking at her wantonly.

“Dinner...?” Ingrid laughs softly. “You know I can’t.”

“Why not?” he frowns.

“It’s not like don’t want to, Loki, I just... I’m a mother now, I have to take care of her. I haven’t been out with someone since... since...” she pauses to think. “I can’t even remember when.”

“Then all the more reason to go out with me,” he smiles.

She raises her eyebrows. “Are you asking me on a date, Loki?”

“Do you want it to be?” he asks.

She nods, feeling daring in front of him like they were little kids again, “Yes.”

“Then be ready at six tomorrow night,” he smirks. “I have five years to make for, after all.”

[theolddarkmachine]

Saudade

A deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves.

AKA the one where Gajeel never came home after the Bloodman fight.

Dedicated to @bluuesparrow and inspired by her amazing artwork.

AO3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLUE! Hope you like this little fic I came up with, inspired by your own freaking awesome art. It’s a tiny bit angsty, but I swear there’s a happy ending, because what kinda birthday present would it be otherwise? I hope you have a wonderful day, and I hope you’re ready for a day full of fun surprises ;)

also i know i said i was working on something with a crop top wearing gajeel and that is still in the cards for the future but some other really cool folks you may know invited me along to take part in this way better idea :)

*******************************

The heat of the sun warmed her skin almost as much as the touch the man next to her did. Slow, burning lava flowed through her veins as she felt a nose nuzzle into her hair, causing her to wiggle closer to the chest that she rested her cheek on. A purr rolled from her throat as she closed her eyes to bask in the warmth. Lips ghosted across her hair in a chaste kiss and stirred the strands of her cornflower blue hair. A strong heartbeat pulsed beneath her ear in a steady rhythm that made up her favorite song. Even though she couldn’t see his smile, she could feel the upturn of it against the crown of her head. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as if the grip would keep him there forever.

If you asked Levy, this would be heaven.

“It’s so good to see you,” she hummed low in her throat. It was the only sound around them other than their breath.

“I wasn’t gone that long, Shrimp,” Gajeel’s voice rumbled through his chest as he started to absentmindedly play with her hair. Blue strands pulled lazily through fingers as he ran them through it, admiring the way it shimmered in the light.

“It felt like forever.”

A distant spark of a painful memory tugged in her chest at the thought of the word. Wait, how long had he been gone?

Her head bobbed with the laughter that moved Gajeel’s chest.

“It was just a weekend job. I was back before my side of the bed was cold.” That was right, he had only gone a town over to help a shopkeeper get rid of some excess iron he’d had lying around. A sharp pang of sorrow rippled across her heart, knocking the breath from her momentarily.

If that was true, why did it seem so long?

A shadow passed over the sun that had been heating the meadow they were laying in, coloring the backs of her eyelids with inky darkness instead of the brilliant red they’d been just a moment again. Her grip on his shirt tightened, scared to open her eyes as a memory on the edge of her consciousness started to rage against the confines of the box she’d pushed it into. There was a sudden chill in the air as Gajeel pressed another kiss to the top of her head.

“Gajeel, what’s today?” She asked, her voice barely loud enough even for her to hear, but she knew his dragon sense would pick it up.

I’ve been looking for a good plot of land to call my final resting spot.

His hand fell from his hair as he dropped his arm down onto her shoulders and hugged her close to his chest. Desperation settled into her bones at the touch as the moment of silence stretched between them.

My body is getting sucked in!

Blood started to rush in her ears as dread created a pit in her stomach as Gajeel continued to sit in silence. Something about the way he held her and ignored the question felt wrong. Tendrils of memory were licking at the corners of her minds eye, and disjointed pieces of it started to flash against the backdrop of her darkened eyelids.

Blood and iron.

A swirling vortex of absolute darkness.

The bitter saltiness of tears.

You taught me what it means to love.

“Gajeel.” Levy’s voice cracked as it wrapped around the name as if it was a fragile thing. “What’s today?”

His sigh tickled over the top of her nose and his arm loosened around her shoulders.

“April 3rd, X792.”

I really did want to walk with you, side-by-side, forever.

The scream erupted from her mouth as she sat up abruptly, knocking the book that had still been on her lap onto the ground with a soft thud. Her eyes tried to refocus as her hand pressed over her heart as if that would quiet the way it crashed against her chest. A light breeze blew her hair around her face in the dusk of the evening from where she sat on the porch overlooking the streets of Magnolia. It had cooled off as the sun had started to set, and Levy pulled the oversized shirt that had fallen from one of her shoulders tighter around her. Her lungs ached as they tried to drag air in through the gasps caused by the vividness of the dream. She longed for the phantom warmth she’d felt in it, reveling in the feel of the fingers she could still imagine ghosting through her hair.

A tear fell onto her naked thigh before she even realized she’d been crying.

It had been a little over a year since Gajeel had disappeared, pulled into the twisting, angry blackness that was made up of Bloodman’s wrath and final dredges of energy. In the first few months that had followed his disappearance and their win over the Spriggan 12, the guild and thrown all their resources into scouring every corner of the world that they could reach in hopes of finding him. About six months passed before the guild turned their energies towards mourning him, most-- if not all-- of the teams turning their attention onto other jobs that didn’t involve chasing a ghost. Levy never gave up, taking jobs that would take her to the deepest and darkest expanses of Earth, and throwing herself into old texts that delved into magic older than time itself.

When a year had passed, Levy’s friends had sat her down to ask if there was anything they could do to help her move on. It had ended with her throwing them from her and Gajeel’s home with a solid bar of iron script holding the door shut to them. The only other person that had still helped her in her fruitless search was Pantherlily, but even his eyes had started to fill with helpless despair whenever he’d returned from another search.

She rubbed the salt laced moisture from her face with her fist, aware of how she must have looked. It was around the time strangers started to fix her with looks of sorrow filled pity that she started to avoid mirrors, knowing she’d only see the bruise like circles under her eyes and the ghostly pallor of her skin. They marked her as a grieving widow without the benefit of a ring around her finger, which almost made her loss worse. All the possibilities of the future they could have had had slipped through her fingers like sand, and blew away with the wind of passing time. But she wouldn’t give up.

Couldn’t give up.

He was alive, and she would find him. If she needed to cross time, space and search through different lifetimes, she would find him.

Her breathing evened out as her tears dried before she leant down to pick up the leather bound tome that had landed page down on the ground. It had arrived in the mail for her, a gift from Lily who had found it buried in the depths of a hidden temple that had been forgotten by history itself. According to the note, he wasn’t quite sure what she would find within it, but felt she needed to have it. That was three days ago, and she’d been lost in the ancient text since. Abandoning what little sleep she already got, she’d gone to work analyzing the foreign language it was written in, piecing together the languages she did know in order to decipher the alien alphabet that would help her read what was written within it.

It was as the light of the sun started to bleed over the buildings of Magnolia that morning when she finally cracked the language, the words swirling around her as she devoured them. They enveloped her with open arms and welcomed her into the book’s world of curses and dimensions.  The people who had written it believed in wizardry as if it were a religion, explaining away the curses as a vengeful, godly pestilence and magic as almighty miracles.

She placed the book back on her lap, leaving it open to the page it had landed on. When she’d fallen into her sleep, she’d been struggling to make sense of the incantation that was sprawled across the delicate paper. Something about the words with their bleeding black ink that had caused the hair on her arms stand on end before her exhaustion had settled over her and pushed her deep within the dream. As she looked over them now, her fingers tracing delicately over the long forgotten language, she couldn’t help but feel like there was something different about them.

In fact, she knew there was something different about them.

Her eyebrows stitched together as she leant closer to inspect the words, picking apart the syllables and snaking lines that came together to create them. They almost looked faded against the yellowing page, losing the depth in the blackness of their original ink. Only one word stood out amongst the rest.

It looked like it was writhing with the darkness of the same visceral blackness of the vortex that had taken Gajeel from her. The weight of it was dead on her tongue as if it was a stone. As if on its on volition, her mouth opened and let it fall from her lips.

Inferis.

Before the hiss of the ‘s’ could dissipate into the evening air, the word on the page exploded into spidering legs of murky darkness that swallowed the other words surrounding it. She didn’t even have the time to react as the viscous ink shot outside of the surface that had imprisoned it and latched onto her hands. A sharp stinging shock of a thousand pinpricks raced across her skin where it held on and started to devour the surrounding tissue. She was stunned into silence as she watched the black void racing up her arms and felt the deep tug behind her belly button as she was pulled forward into it.

My body is getting sucked in!

It was the memory of Gajeel’s voice screaming against the strange tug of the portal that broke through her paralyzed senses just long enough for her to realize it was too late. Her forearms had already disappeared into the darkness, and the ink had already started to spill over her shoulders as it continued its assault.

You taught me what it means to love.

His voice was the last she heard before the darkness blinded her.

***

“C’mon now, Lev,” Gajeel’s voice tickled the shell of her ear as he pulled her closer into his chest and nuzzled the hair there. “It’s time to get up.”

“‘m not ready,” Levy moaned as pushed her face into his arm that pillowed her head. His laugh sent goosebumps racing down the back of her neck. It was one of her favorite sounds in the world.

“We have to get going.” The whisper danced across her earlobe before he pressed a firm kiss to her pulse just below it. She hummed at the contact, pressing back into his chest and enjoying how solid he felt behind her. His lips continued to press their way down her neck and to her shoulder where they nipped gently at the skin before they returned to her ear.

“Wake up, Levy.”

She awoke with the sound of a painful first breath and choked on the air she’d so greedily tried to drink in. It felt as if her lungs were trying to burst free of her ribcage as she coughed until she heaved, dispelling nothing but spittle and bright yellow bile. The ground beneath her cheek was cold and hard, small rocks cutting into her flesh. Her entire body ached with the pain of being thrust through a portal to who knows where. With shaking arms, she pushed herself off her stomach and onto her knees as her eyes darted across the landscape that surrounded her.

The forest around her smelled of death and despair. Everything was covered in different shades of muted greys and blacks. The trees that encircled the meadow she was in were twisted and gnarled in a menacing way, and the decaying bark was flaking away. It looked as if they were made of the darkness that had sucked her into the book, and suddenly a thrill zipped down her spine. Her hands trembled as she brought them up to her face to inspect them for any signs of the black portal that had sunk its teeth into her skin and brought her here. The only mark on them was a scratch across the back of her right hand that she presumed was her fall.

All things considered she’d faired pretty well, and though her body was still reeling against the trauma of being pulled to a different dimension, she didn’t feel as if anything had been majorly injured. Pushing her way up onto her shaky legs, she was able to get a better idea of her surroundings and the brown leather of the book’s cover caught her eye. The tome was laying just at the edge of the meadow near a path that cut through the petrified forest. With a steadying breath, she walked towards it and gingerly picked it up.

“Alright, you,” she said, addressing the book. “No more funny business.” Carefully she peeled the cover back to reveal an empty page. A startled sound escaped her lips as she turned it to find the next page empty.

And the next.

And the next.

Well that’s just great, she thought bitterly before she slammed the leather bound tome shut. Something about the silence of the forest was calming as she tried to search her mind for what she could possibly do to get out of the predicament she had found herself in. Screwing her eyes shut, she pulled the book into her chest and thought, attempting to pull up a carbon copy in her mind’s eye of the pages in the book when they’d been filled with words. Her growl of exasperation tore through the silence as her mind came up empty.

“You’ve got this, Lev.”

The memory of Gajeel’s voice steadied her. Even though he wasn’t there, he still managed to ground her. She sucked in another breath before she opened her eyes and faced the path before her. A phantom tug pulled her forward onto the cracked dirt road that carved through the trees. Without any other choice, she started to follow where it led, trying to fight back the growing sense of unease that prickled in her veins.

As she walked she tried to make note of the different twisted shapes of the trees in hope she’d be able to find her way back if needed, though something ominous in the back of her mind told her that she wouldn’t be going back. She trudged through the dead forest in search of something, anything that might show any sign of life.

Any sign of him.

“That’s my girl.”

The lack of light left Levy unsure of how long she walked amongst the bleak trees yet she pressed on, led by nothing but the phantom voice in her head. Every time she felt as if she was about to give up, it urged her forward with the same gruff enthusiasm Gajeel had whenever he cheered her on in tasks she didn’t think she could complete. She pulled the book closer as if it would do something to alleviate the burning emptiness in her chest that plagued her.

“Gajeel,” she whispered like a prayer. Levy held onto his name as if it was a life preserve keeping her head above water. When it felt as if she was about to slip beneath the suffocating surface of the despair that oozed from the forest, she grasped at it to keep her afloat.

Her feet were raw and her legs screamed with fatigue by the time she came across the next clearing. It had happened so suddenly, she hadn’t even noticed the way the trees opened up at first. Familiarity pricked at her nerves as she took in the shape of it. The meadow looked identical to the one she’d spent so long walking away from and a single drop of fear froze her veins as it spread through her body. She felt the scream that started to crawl it’s way from deep within her and threatened to rip itself from her throat. It was then that she heard the faintest sound just to her right.

“Levy.”

The voice that wrapped around it sounded so fragile and weak, and yet it felt as if she’d been hit by a train. Another soft mewl of her name forced her to turn towards the man softly saying her name and her voice caught in her throat.

Pressed against one of the trees, Gajeel sat on the ground with his body slumped forward against on of his knees that he had raised in a makeshift arm rest. His face was obscured from her view but the way her body cried out for him was the only confirmation she needed that it was him and not the ghost of him that had haunted her every waking moment. Ever since he’d been pulled into the black pit, he had been around every corner and accompanied her every thought and now there he was. Just within her grasp. Her heart ricocheted within her chest as she tried to drink him in.

His black hair looked even more wild as it stuck in matted disarray around his head. It fell over his shoulders and covered his bare torso that showed more scars than she’d remembered. Dirt was crusted along his skin, and his pants were torn, but he was whole. And he was there. Gajeel breathed her name again, lost in a memory as he was unaware of the woman he called out to standing several feet away. The sound of her name squeezed the air from her lungs and her arms dropped to her sides. Free from her hold, the book fell to the ground with a harsh thud that split the silence between them.

She saw Gajeel’s shoulders tense at the sound before he unleashed a guttural snarl filled with warning as his head snapped up. The crimson fire in his eyes scorched her insides as he glared straight through her. His cheekbones stood out sharper than they had and the snarl that twisted his mouth made him look more animal than human. For a moment, Levy truly believed that he had a dragon housed within his bones. She couldn’t look away from the mesmerizing glint in his eyes, her mouth half open as she tried to catch her breath. That mere sight of him had shaken her down to her very core and left her insides raw and bare as his gaze continued to appraise her with the cautious nature of a cornered beast. A beat passed between them, ruby burning against honey as their gazes melded together.

“Gajeel,” she finally breathed. His name seemed to breath a new life into him and she watched as a shudder dragged through his body and shook the primal burn from his expression. Levy could pinpoint the exact moment he stopped staring through her and actually saw her. It felt as if the pieces of her life that had been scattered into disarray after his disappearance had suddenly aligned again, completing the hole that had been left in her chest.

“Levy!” The dragon slayer leapt from where he sat and crossed the distance between them in just three strides. Loud watery sobs filled the clearing and it took all of a few moments before she realized they were her own as Gajeel pulled her into his chest. Her arms wrapped around him and her fingers clutched at the skin of his back, searching for any other way to hold onto him in fear that he would disappear again. The insistent cadence of his voice as he repeated her name was the only thing that broke through the sounds tearing their way from deep within her. Strong hands grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back so he could look down at her.

Levy’s vision blurred as she looked up at him through her tears but she could see the crimson velvet his eyes had softened to as he took in her face. His own tears left streaks in the dirt that had stained his cheeks.

“My love,” she whispered as her trembling hand reached up to wipe the moisture from his face, earning a low contented sound from deep within his chest as he pressed into the touch. Gajeel’s eyes fluttered shut momentarily as he turned his face just enough so that he could press a kiss to your palm. Though her life had always revolved around words and their meanings, they failed her now.

“I have missed you so much.” His voice was rough with lack of use as he murmured into the junction where her hand met her wrist, reveling in her scent of lavender and ink. The world around them was on fire as everything she wanted to say waged a war within her. She didn’t even know how to begin to tell him the depth of how she’d missed him. Sliding her hand from his face and down to his neck, she pulled him down to her and pressed her mouth to his.

Levy filled the kiss with every feeling she had felt and every word she knew from her vast library of languages in hopes it would convey the way she had yearned for him. Her other hand joined its companion at the nape of Gajeel’s neck and she twisted her fingers into his black hair, eliciting a gasp from him. She took the opportunity to deep the kiss, throwing the weight of her love and the heaviness of the desperation she’d felt behind it. Breaths became ragged and tears mingled as she continued to paint him a picture of how much she’d missed him through the kiss.

He was the one to pull away first, only moving away enough to he could press his forehead against hers. Their breath danced together in the space between them. As soon as she looked up to meet his gaze, laughter bubbled up in her chest and she smiled for the first time since he’d gone.

“I never stopped looking for you,” she finally said, her voice full of mirth. He pressed another chaste kiss to her lips before he pulled away completely.

“Knew you wouldn’t, Shrimp.”

Suddenly, a white light spilled over the clearing, blinding them both. Gajeel’s arms wrapped around her in an attempt to shield her from the offending lumination. Light started to cling to them both, and warmth spread across their skin wherever it reached. Levy peeked around his shoulder to see the book still on the ground, emitting the brightness that had started to swallow them whole. Her smile rivaled that of the brightness of the light as she turned back towards him and placed a hand on his cheek. The light sparked and fizzled as it enveloped her fingers and nestled deep within his hair.

“C’mon, Gajeel,” she said. Their skin shone with the light as they were both completely engulfed in it. “Let’s go home.”

[sketcheeguy]

Happy Anthems: Songs That Boost My Mood

Here’s my list of 229 songs I love when I need to make my day a little better. They remind me to have fun. Let go. Feel connected to others. Be myself.

Any songs you’d add? Do any of these seem weird to you?

Open this playlist in Google Play Music

Updated 1/4/2020

    “A 2010 study published by the Association for Psychological Science linked creativity most with positive moods. Using music and video clips, participants were primed for certain moods by researchers of the University of Western Ontario. Those who listened to the happiest music or watched an cheerful video were most able to recognize creative patterns. The happy volunteers were better at learning the rules behind patterns than those in neutral or sad moods.” Read more about how mood impacts creativity.

  Title Artist Stop Trying Sia Lucky Day Hunter Hunted Lil’ Star (f. Cee-Loo) Kelis Shake It Off Taylor Swift Ready to Go (Get Me Out Of My Mind) Panic! At The Disco Hard Out Here Lily Allen Safe And Sound Capital Cities New Perspective Panic! at the Disco Good Life OneRepublic So Yesterday Hilary Duff Candy Robbie Williams Party In The USA Miley Cyrus The Way Ariana Grande The Voice Within Christina Aguilera The Climb Miley Cyrus Let It Go Idina Menzel Raise Your Glass P!nk Wordplay Jason Mraz Burn The Pages Sia The Starting Line Keane Unwritten Natasha Bedingfield Defying Gravity Idina Menzel/Kristin Chenoweth Titanium David Guetta Feat Sia You’ve Changed Sia Firework Katy Perry New soul Yael Naim The Remedy (I Won’t Worry) Jason Mraz Stop For A Minute (feat K’naan) Keane A Moment Like This Kelly Clarkson Thankful Kelly Clarkson Schumacher The Champagne The Wombats The Fight Sia Complicated Avril Lavigne Realize Colbie Caillat Kids MGMT Something Good Can Work Two Door Cinema Club Popular Song MIKA Diamonds Rihanna Coming Up Strong Karmin I Am Not A Robot Marina And The Diamonds Camisado Panic! at the Disco Everything’s Gonna Be Alright Aaliyah Try Again (f. Timbaland) Aaliyah Journey To The Past Aaliyah I Care 4 U Aaliyah Drag Me Down One Direction Nine In The Afternoon Panic at the Disco That Green Gentlemen Panic! at the Disco Pas de Cheval Panic! at the Disco Brave Sara Bareilles Kindness Bad Veins The State of Dreaming Marina And The Diamonds King of Anything Sara Bareilles Keeps Gettin’ Better Christina Aguilera Declare Independence Bjork Dog Days Are Over Florence + The Machine Circus Britney Spears Oh No! Marina And The Diamonds Brighter Than the Sun Colbie Caillat Cannonball Lea Michele What Makes You Beautiful One Direction Best Day of My Life American Authors Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood Lana Del Rey Fight Song Rachel Platten Confident Demi Lovato Right As Rain Adele Happy Pharrell Williams Hallelujah Panic! At the Disco Emperor’s New Clothes Panic! At The Disco Victorious Panic! At The Disco Bird Set Free Sia Breakaway Kelly Clarkson Optimistic Radiohead (We Are) Champions The Cool Kids x Hey Champ Born This Way Lady GaGa Just Dance Lady GaGa Chandelier Sia Try Pink Roar Katy Perry Keep Your Head Up Andy Grammer Blackout Breathe Carolina Who Says Selena Gomez & The Scene Stronger Britney Spears Thank You Alanis Morissette You Learn Alanis Morissette That I Would Be Good Alanis Morissette Hand in My Pocket Alanis Morissette The Happy Song The Aliens Ready to Start Arcade Fire Not Myself Tonight Christina Aguilera Alive Sia Time To Pretend (High Contrast Remix) MGMT Shower Becky G I’m In Love With My Life PHASES Blue Marina And The Diamonds Carried Away Passion Pit This Is The Life Two Door Cinema Club Love Myself Hailee Steinfeld Don’t Worry (f. Ray Dalton) Madcon We R Who We R Ke$ha Single Natasha Bedingfield Guts Over Fear (f. Sia) Eminem Beautiful Now (feat. Jon Bellion) Zedd Bang My Head (Feat. Sia) David Guetta Everything Is AWESOME!!! (feat. The Lonely Island) Tegan & Sara Fancy (feat. Charli XCX) Iggy Azalea Unpretty Tlc Survivor Destiny’s Child Do My Thang Miley Cyrus Victorious Panic! At The Disco Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time Panic! At The Disco Hallelujah Panic! At The Disco Appreciate Me Kelis LA Devotee Panic! At The Disco The Good, The Bad And The Dirty Panic! At The Disco Drive Cars So Happy I Could Die Lady GaGa Beautiful Christina Aguilera You Are What You Are [Beautiful] Christina Aguilera For Good Idina Menzel/Kristin Chenoweth Hurricane Panic! at the Disco Tongue Tied Grouplove Rooting For My Baby Miley Cyrus When You Believe Whitney Houston Bottle It Up Sara Bareilles Ironic Alanis Morissette Rather Be (Original Mix) Clean Bandit Ft. Jess Glynne Geronimo (Matoma Remix) Sheppard Let Go Frou Frou Human Christina Perri Invincible Kelly Clarkson The Middle Jimmy Eat World We Can’t Stop Miley Cyrus Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) Kelly Clarkson Get the Party Started Pink Let’s Dance To Joy Division The Wombats ***Flawless (feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche) Beyoncé Superheroes The Script Same Love (feat. Mary Lambert) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Can’t Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Electric Feel MGMT Time to Pretend MGMT Try Everything (From Zootopia”)” Shakira The Last Laugh Of The Laughter Travis When You Believe Whitney Houston I’m Good The Mowgli’s The Rainbow Connection Sarah McLachlan Good Time Owl City I Won’t Give Up Jason Mraz Pay No Mind Madeon feat. Passion Pit Adia Sarah McLachlan Tonight Tonight Hot Chelle Rae Smile Lily Allen Kill Em With Kindness Selena Gomez Rise Selena Gomez Imagine (Remastered) John Lennon Express Yourself Madonna Kill Em With Kindness Selena Gomez Listen (From the Motion Picture Dreamgirls”)” Beyoncé I Wanna Be Like Me Sara Bareilles The Heart Of The Matter India.Arie We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monae) Fun. On Top Of The World Imagine Dragons Beautiful Life Ace Of Base Bad Reputation Kelly Clarkson I Like You Morrissey Celebrate (feat. Pharrell Williams) MIKA You Have Been Loved Sia Death By Chocolate Sia Soon We’ll Be Found Sia Try Nelly Furtado Lentil Sia Drive By Train Here’s to Never Growing Up Avril Lavigne Die Young Ke$ha C’mon Ke$ha Powerless (Say What You Want) Nelly Furtado Crazy Kids Ke$ha Better When I’m Dancin Meghan Trainor Ghetto Baby Cheryl Cole Smile Like You Mean It The Killers Pretty Hurts Beyoncé Try Colbie Caillat One Shot Danity Kane Perfect Girl Sarah McLachlan National Anthem Lana Del Rey Sugar Maroon 5 Shake It Out Florence + The Machine Once In A While Timeflies No Money Galantis Riptide Vance Joy I Am Christina Aguilera Making The Most Of The Night Carly Rae Jepsen Get Happy Judy Garland Happy Marina And The Diamonds Flaws Bastille King Years & Years This Is How We Do Katy Perry Breathe Michelle Branch Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna) TI Mouthwash Kate Nash Break Free (feat. Zedd) Ariana Grande Heroes (we could be) (feat. Tove Lo) Alesso Moments Tove Lo Fuck You Lily Allen Lot to Learn Luke Christopher You Know You Like It (DJ Snake Remix) AlunaGeorge The Greatest (f. Kendrick Lamar) Sia Man In The Mirror Michael Jackson Landslide (Live Album Version) Fleetwood Mac Life Is Worth Living Justin Bieber Can’t Stop Now Keane Lesson Learned [Ft. John Mayer] Alicia Keys Exhale (Shoop Shoop) Whitney Houston Calling All Angels Train Relax [Take It Easy] Mika Good Vibrations The Beach Boys Good Vibrations Marky Mark Any Way You Want It Journey Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now Starship Lose Yourself Eminem All Night (F. Matoma) The Vamps Weak AJR Life Goes On Fergie How Far Ill Go Alessia Cara Dark Side Kelly Clarkson Shower The People James Taylor Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself) Ne-Yo Back to Beautiful ft. Alan Walker Sofia Carson It’s Not My Problem Sneaky Sound System Love Money Party (feat. Big Sean) Miley Cyrus Paris Magic Man Human Rag’n’Bone Man Lust For Life ft. The Weeknd Lana Del Rey On A Day Like This Elbow Cheers (Drink To That) Rihanna Love Lana Del Rey Carry On Fun. In Your Arms Nico & Vinz Revival Selena Gomez Lights (Single Version) Ellie Goulding Change Lana Del Rey Can’t Pin Me Down Marina And The Diamonds Broken Glass Sia Team Lorde Where Did The Party Go Fall Out Boy What The World Needs Now Is Love Jackie DeShannon Big Yellow Taxi (LP Version) Joni Mitchell Beautiful, Dirty, Rich Lady Gaga Dirt Off Your Shoulder JAY-Z Human Nature Michael Jackson Diamond Heart Lady Gaga A-YO Lady Gaga Better Days Hedley I’ll Find You (feat. Tori Kelly) Lecrae Do It Anyway Ben Folds Five Good Old Days (feat. Kesha) Macklemore Good Old Days Pink Overrated MIKA My Body Young The Giant Dancing On Glass St. Lucia Waiting On the World to Change John Mayer No Such Thing John Mayer I Don’t Want to Be Gavin DeGraw CAN’T STOP THE FEELING! (Original Song from DreamWorks Animation’s TROLLS”)” Justin Timberlake All The Right Moves OneRepublic Living In The Moment Jason Mraz Details in the Fabric (feat. James Morrison) Jason Mraz A Beautiful Mess Jason Mraz Make It Mine Jason Mraz The Remedy (I Won’t Worry) Jason Mraz You Matter To Me (feat. Jason Mraz) Sara Bareilles She Used To Be Mine Sara Bareilles Life Is Wonderful Jason Mraz Hello, You Beautiful Thing Jason Mraz Only Human Jason Mraz The Freedom Song Jason Mraz Everything Is Sound Jason Mraz Future Me Echosmith Mean Taylor Swift Let Go Frou Frou Save Tonight Eagle-Eye Cherry Lift Radiohead Counting Stars OneRepublic The Middle Jimmy Eat World Meet In Tha Middle (featuring Bran’ Nu) Timbaland Shut Up and Drive Rihanna Love Me For Me Ashlee Simpson A Public Affair Jessica Simpson It’s My Life Bon Jovi This Will Be Our Year The Zombies Some Nights Fun. Time After Time Cyndi Lauper Wonderwall (Remastered) Oasis Live Like Were Dying Kris Allen Love Me Or Hate Me Lady Sovereign C’est La Vie B*Witched All Will Be Well The Gabe Dixon Band Bitter Heart Zee Avi Praise You Fat Boy Slim Sho Nuff Fatboy Slim The Rockafeller Skank (Mulder’s Urban Takeover Remix) Fatboy Slim There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back Shawn Mendes MmmBop Hanson That’s the Way It Is Céline Dion Feeling Good Muse Feel Good Inc. Gorillaz I Like Me Better Lauv Lgbt cupcakKe 15 Step Radiohead Give Your Heart a Break Demi Lovato All Star Smash Mouth The Dynamo of Volition Jason Mraz I Hope You Dance Lee Ann Womack Back To The Earth Jason Mraz Shine Jason Mraz Velcro Clairity Interweb Poppy You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile (2014 Film Version) Sia Nursery Rhyme Bad Veins Live High Jason Mraz Living in the Moment Jason Mraz Details in the Fabric (feat. James Morrison) Jason Mraz Back To The Earth Jason Mraz C’mon Panic! At The Disco ILY2 Charli XCX Working Girl Little Boots No Pressure Little Boots Get Things Done Little Boots Paradise Little Boots Clearly Grace VanderWaal Break My Stride Matthew Wilder Beautiful Carole King That Hero (feat. KidWolf, Theo Martel) Inigo Pascual People Like Us Kelly Clarkson I Believe (As featured in the Walt Disney Pictures’ A WRINKLE IN TIME”) (feat. Demi Lovato)” DJ Khaled Magic Sia Let Me Live Kehlani Come & Get It Selena Gomez Club Can’t Handle Me (feat. David Guetta) Flo Rida Heat Kelly Clarkson Say Amen (Saturday Night) Panic! At The Disco Believer Imagine Dragons Burn Ellie Goulding No Control One Direction We Belong To The Music (Featuring Miley Cyrus) Timbaland Masterpiece Jessie J Way I Are (Feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.) Timbaland Scream (Feat. Keri Hilson & Nicole Scherzinger) Timbaland Bossy Kelis Living Proof Kelis I don’t know Lisa Hannigan Bright Whites Kishi Bashi A Little Too Much Shawn Mendes Life Of The Party Shawn Mendes Bag Lady Erykah Badu Didn’t Cha Know Erykah Badu My Life Erykah Badu …& On Erykah Badu On & On Erykah Badu Fireflies Owl City Everyday People (Single Version) Sly & The Family Stone Found/Tonight Lin-Manuel Miranda Have It All Jason Mraz Come So Far (Got So Far To Go) Queen Latifah Run And Tell That Elijah Kelley Good Morning Baltimore Nikki Blonsky Here Comes a Thought Steven Universe Stronger Than You Steven Universe Be Wherever You Are Steven Universe Haven’t You Noticed (I’m a Star) Steven Universe I Know Where I’ve Been Queen Latifah No Excuses Meghan Trainor Don’t Stop Me Now (2011 Mix) Queen Ain’t It Fun Paramore Wild Ones (feat. Sia) Flo Rida Fire Gavin DeGraw Hold On Forever Rob Thomas Party Like a Russian Robbie Williams Adventure of a Lifetime Coldplay Just Breathe Benjamin Francis Leftwich The Judge twenty one pilots Empire Of Monsters and Men Never Be Alone Shawn Mendes Up&Up Coldplay The Way I Am Charlie Puth Turn Up The Radio Madonna In A Modern World Fischerspooner We Belong Pat Benatar In My Blood Shawn Mendes Any Way You Want It Journey Scars To Your Beautiful Alessia Cara The Last Of The Real Ones Fall Out Boy Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey Back to Beautiful (feat. Alan Walker) Sofia Carson Say Amen (Saturday Night) Panic! At The Disco Hey Look Ma, I Made It Panic! At The Disco One of the Drunks Panic! At The Disco Old Fashioned Panic! At The Disco Don’t Dream It’s Over Crowded House High Hopes Panic! At The Disco Loved Me Back to Life Céline Dion Freeze You Out Marina Kaye Expertease (Ready Set Go) Jennifer Lopez Battlefield Lea Michele Shining Star Bebe Rexha Growing Pains Alessia Cara Everybody Gets a Kitten jeremy messersmith There Is Nowhere We Won’t Go jeremy messersmith We All Do Better When We All Do Better jeremy messersmith Love Sweet Love jeremy messersmith Why jeremy messersmith Everything Is Magical jeremy messersmith Honeybee jeremy messersmith I’m a Snowflake Baby jeremy messersmith You Belong Up There With the Stars jeremy messersmith We Can Make Our Dreams Come True jeremy messersmith Monday, You’re Not So Bad jeremy messersmith Hold My Hand Jess Glynne Patient Charlie Puth Might As Well Dance Jason Mraz Youth Foxes I Love It (feat. Charli XCX) Icona Pop Flashlight (From Pitch Perfect 2″ Soundtrack)” Jessie J Left Right Left Charlie Puth Losing My Mind Charlie Puth Buddy Holly Weezer Pork And Beans Weezer Cheer Up Reel Big Fish 01 – Take It Easy Eagles One Call Away Charlie Puth Something Human Muse Level Up Ciara Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now Starship LET YOU BE RIGHT Meghan Trainor Rise (feat. Jack & Jack) Jonas Blue We Are The Champions Queen These Are The Days Of Our Lives (2011 Remaster) Queen Youngblood 5 Seconds Of Summer Bulletproof La Roux Break the Rules Charli XCX Help Me Out Maroon 5 Run Away With Me Carly Rae Jepsen When The Sun Goes Down Selena Gomez & The Scene The Way I Am Charlie Puth Change (feat. James Taylor) Charlie Puth Curiosity Carly Rae Jepsen Champion Fall Out Boy Warrior Paloma Faith Witness Katy Perry Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah) Andy Grammer Extraordinary Mandy Moore Hero Mariah Carey It’s Time Imagine Dragons Graduation (Friends Forever) Vitamin C Sit Next to Me (Stereotypes Remix) Foster The People Houdini Foster The People Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls) Foster The People On Love, in Sadness Jason Mraz My Body Young the Giant Spark Fitz and The Tantrums All Night The Vamps Come On Get Higher Matt Nathanson Clarity John Mayer Making It Up Jason Mraz Connection OneRepublic blazed (feat. Pharrell Williams) Ariana Grande The Calendar Panic! At The Disco Happier Marshmello Sit Still, Look Pretty Daya Unstoppable Sia A Thousand Years Christina Perri Chasing Cars Snow Patrol Dirty Work Austin Mahone Finally Free (From Smallfoot”)” Niall Horan Shotgun George Ezra Dancing Kylie Minogue Head Above Water Avril Lavigne To Be Human (feat. Labrinth) Sia Think Good Thoughts Colbie Caillat Life Is Good India.Arie A World With You Jason Mraz Oh La Ra Ra Riot Out Of My Hands Jason Mraz Don’t Blame Yourself Andrew Belle Be OK Ingrid Michaelson The Voice Within Christina Aguilera DANCE DNCE Rise Up Andra Day Lovely Day Bill Withers Breakfast At Tiffany’s Deep Blue Something Fireflies Owl City Where I Belong Sia You Belong Rachel Platten Lucky Sia Be The Change Britt Nicole Be the Change Eric Bellinger Don’t Worry Baby (Remastered 2001) The Beach Boys The Greatest Show Panic! At The Disco Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) (K-Mix) Shakira I Am Love. Jordan Lally Everything Michael BublÃ�� A Million Dreams P!nk I’m Still Here Sia Priorities Jillian Jacqueline Perfect to Me Anne-Marie TREAT MYSELF Meghan Trainor Granted Josh Groban You Say Lauren Daigle Sing to You John Splithoff Nervous Shawn Mendes Better With You Jason Mraz Love Is Still The Answer Jason Mraz I’ll Be Edwin McCain Beautiful Life Edwin McCain I Could Not Ask for More Edwin McCain Go Be Young Edwin McCain Promise of You Edwin McCain Enjoy Yourself Kylie Minogue Better Me Better You Clara Mae Steal My Sunshine (Remastered Anniversary Edition) Len Go Big Or Go Home American Authors Magic to Do The Players You Don’t Know Me (featuring Regina Spektor) (Seeds Album Version) Ben Folds Limitless from the Movie Second Act”” Jennifer Lopez Cut To The Feeling Carly Rae Jepsen Sit Still, Look Pretty (feat. R!OT) Daya Carry Me (feat. Julia Michaels) Kygo Colour (feat. Hailee Steinfeld) MNEK When You Wish Upon A Star Stevie Wonder Don’t Make Me Over Dionne Warwick Go the Distance (From Hercules”)” Roger Bart You’ve Got a Friend in Me Michael Bublé Who You Are Jessie J What Makes You Beautiful One Direction L.O.V.E. Ashlee Simpson I Am Me Ashlee Simpson Autobiography Ashlee Simpson Dose Ciara Over Your Shoulder Chromeo 93 Million Miles Jason Mraz Don’t Stop Me Now Queen Forever & Always (Piano Version) Taylor Swift Won’t Let Go Big Infinite Bright Echosmith Shine Raiche Royals Lorde IDGAF Dua Lipa Heartbeat Song Kelly Clarkson Celebrate (feat. AJR) Ingrid Michaelson Body Moves DNCE One Foot WALK THE MOON Hall of Fame (feat. will.i.am) The Script Head Held High Kodaline A Million Dollars a Day Aloe Blacc Night Changes One Direction Pumper Mai Lan One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks) One Direction One Way Or Another (Remastered) Blondie Impossible James Arthur Passenger OneRepublic Wings Little Mix Castle on the Hill Ed Sheeran Cheyenne Jason Derulo Love Me Katy Perry King Of The Clouds Panic! At The Disco Lovers On The Sun (Feat. Sam Martin) David Guetta Time of Our Lives Pitbull American Boy (feat. Kanye West) Estelle This Is Me Kesha Come Alive (Bonus Track) Craig David Come Alive Years & Years Never Enough Kelly Clarkson The Other Side MAX Rewrite The Stars James Arthur I Lived OneRepublic Story Of My Life One Direction Towards The Sun (From The Home” Soundtrack)” Rihanna Let’s All Go to a Festival (Live) Chris Tavener You Can Rely On Me Jason Mraz Genius (feat. Sia, Diplo & Labrinth) LSD Mountains (feat. Sia, Diplo & Labrinth) LSD Anti-D The Wombats The Beauty in Ugly (Ugly Betty Version) Jason Mraz Summer Breeze Seals and Crofts Choose Your Battles Katy Perry Slow Down Selena Gomez Faces Ed Sheeran Believer American Authors Give Thanks India.Arie Let Her Go Passenger This Life Vampire Weekend Freakum Dress Beyoncé Best Song Ever One Direction Royals Lorde (Fuck A) Silver Lining Panic! At The Disco Roaring 20s Panic! At The Disco Dancing’s Not a Crime Panic! At The Disco The Overpass Panic! At The Disco Dying in LA Panic! At The Disco Glamorous (Feat. Ludacris) Fergie You Fckn Did It (Live) Jason Mraz Coyotes Jason Mraz No Stopping Us Jason Mraz Ashes (Steve Aoki Deadpool Demix) Céline Dion No Plans Jason Mraz If It Kills Me Jason Mraz Where My Heart Will Take Me (Theme from Enterprise”” Russell Watson I’m A Believer Monkees, The Honky Cat Elton John Blessed Elton John Believe (Radio Edit) Elton John (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again Elton John Your Song Elton John Happiness The Fray Conversation With Myself Jason Mraz I’m Coming Over Jason Mraz Be Good to Me Sia Here Comes The Sun (Remastered 2009) The Beatles Bleed The Same (feat. TobyMac & Kirk Franklin) Mandisa Before I Let Go (Homecoming Live Bonus Track) Beyoncé Don’t Look Back In Anger (Remastered) Oasis Yellow Light (Despicable Me 3 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Pharrell Williams Stop Me from Falling Kylie Minogue Turn Up The Love AlunaGeorge Keep It Undercover (Theme Song From K.C. Undercover”)” Zendaya Boys Club Ween If You Could Save Yourself (You’d Save Us All) Ween Pretty Shining People George Ezra Feel It Still Portugal. The Man Good as Hell Lizzo Scuse Me Lizzo Love Someone Jason Mraz Dancing In The Dark (From The Home” Soundtrack)” Rihanna Waving Through A Window Original Broadway Cast of Dear Evan Hansen Miss Movin’ On Fifth Harmony Understand Shawn Mendes Our Time Lily Allen These Words Natasha Bedingfield Only Us Laura Dreyfuss You Need To Calm Down Taylor Swift ME! (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco) Taylor Swift It’s Nice To Have A Friend Taylor Swift TiK ToK Ke$ha Praying Kesha Die Young Ke$ha Your Love Is My Drug Ke$ha We R Who We R Ke$ha Blow Ke$ha C’Mon Ke$ha Learn To Let Go Kesha This Is Me (From the Greatest Showman) Kesha Waving Through A Window (Bonus Track) Katy Perry Rise Katy Perry Late Ben Folds Screen Twenty One Pilots Chasing The Sun Sara Bareilles You’ve Got To Learn To Live With What You Are Ben Folds The Sun Will Rise Kelly Clarkson It’s Whatever Aaliyah Little Things One Direction Catch My Breath Kelly Clarkson Anxiety (feat. Selena Gomez) Julia Michaels Almost There (From The Princess and the Frog” / Soundtrack Version)” Anika Noni Rose Into the Unknown (Panic! At The Disco Version) Panic! At The Disco Into the Unknown Idina Menzel Some Things Never Change Kristen Bell Show Yourself Idina Menzel I’ll Cover You Jesse L. Martin Time of My Life Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes Movin’ Right Along (From The Muppet Movie”/Soundtrack Version)” Fozzie Walking on sunshine Katrina & the Waves Mr. Blue Sky Electric Light Orchestra Don’t Start Now Dua Lipa Lights Up Harry Styles Only Human Jonas Brothers Happiness You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Ensemble (1999) Another Day Of Sun Justin Hurwitz What’s Inside Sara Bareilles Opening Up Sara Bareilles King of Anything Sara Bareilles I Choose You Sara Bareilles Breathe Again Sara Bareilles I See the Light (From Tangled” / Soundtrack Version)” Mandy Moore Thank You (feat. R. City) Meghan Trainor I Love Me Meghan Trainor Watch Me Do Meghan Trainor Thank you Dido Thank You Ashanti Happy (Album Version Explicit) Ashanti Thank You (Dedication To Fans…) Christina Aguilera Stronger Than Ever Christina Aguilera Stronger Britney Spears Girl On Fire (Inferno Version) Alicia Keys Shine Years & Years Desire (feat. Tove Lo) Years & Years Meteorite (From Bridget Jones’s Baby” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” Years & Years Karma Years & Years Take Shelter Years & Years Hallelujah Years & Years GOOD MORNIN’ (feat. Gary Trainor) Meghan Trainor Life’s A Happy Song Amy Adams In This Place Julia Michaels Zero Imagine Dragons King of the Clouds Panic! At The Disco

Happy Anthems: Songs That Boost My Mood was originally published on brianey.com