#like if someone told me I fit the ''nice guy'' stereotype I would jump off a bridge.

[sevicia]

I got really mad about this 👆 exchange and then went on a rant with 18393 tangents and it doesn't even make sense

I HATE when ppl do this like OK. Context: this is a video of a girl just like, doing her makeup, and the first comment goes like "she's my type" (not a direct translation but u get it etc) and the last comment in the screenshot goes "they're the ones that will traumatize you the most! from experience!" (also not direct translation sorry)

shut UUUUUP SHUT UP SHUT UP I hate people like this so bad esp. when it's about girls cause it feels like girls literally cannot fucking win like OK a girl likes Sanrio stuff! so cute forever! and then some fucking idiot goes "she's probably mentally ill or some shit" like who ISN'T mentally ill in this day and age ?! It's literally normal to seek comfort in cutesy stuff when you're in a bad place mentally because that's what it's FOR !!!

or when a girl like dresses in more revealing clothes like OK she likes to look sexy she enjoys feeling attractive yk good for her !!! and then the two most common reactions are like "she's obviously a slut" (common douchebag logic) OR "she's obviously trying to get attention from men / provoking them" (incel-y logic) AND THE WORST PART IS THAT BOTH TYPES OF GUYS WANNA FUCK HER!!!!!!! And they still judge her so bad come ONNNNN

LIKE no matter what a girl does, a lot of guys will always have something negative and dehumanizing to say about her and then they're like "WAHHH why do no girls want me, why do all my girlfriends leave me, why why why" BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE THEM AS PEOPLE ‼️‼️

IDK something about fitting girls specifically into boxes feels so so wrong because it's Literally always been like this, like "this girl is ONLY this and nothing else about her matters", whereas with guys it obviously happens too like the "fitting into boxes" thing, but it's different because guys have never been denied jobs or opportunities or relationships or BASIC FUCKING RESPECT based on said boxes IN FACT people will OVERLOOK most flaws a guy can have with excuses like "just how guys are" "he's too young" "he can learn to be better" ET FUCKING CETERA and NEVER extend that same attitude towards women ⁉️⁉️⁉️ DIE

I feel like it sounds shallow (?) coming from a guy but it genuinely pisses me off SO BAD like hearing stories from my friends, the women in my family, girls online, all about men who have been violent or creepy or just shitty in general to them and them having to just fucking shrug it off and continue to deal with it every single day of their lives because even if everyone's like "ugh the feminists are taking over" truth is that it's still the same for many, MANY people all around the world but now that it's not socially acceptable to be a violent misogynist, the violent misogynists who want to maintain their image will just be less loud about it!!!

This might be kinda weird of me to say but I'm like, glad that I'm not a cis guy because I HAVE experienced life as a girl in a lot of ways so I kinda know how it feels (even though I haven't had many shitty experiences with men myself due to the way I live) and while that obviously doesn't mean I can't ever be misogynistic, it feels like I'm a lot more conscious about things that cis guys don't even think twice about and it's not even BIG things, it's stuff like listening to what girls say and by that I mean like, literally physically listening, because some of the grown ass men in my family will interrupt women AS THEY ARE SPEAKING, or just straight up LEAVE in the middle of a conversation !?!!! Like it's SO EASY to just not be a shitty person.... ?! It's basic decency and it's crazy how they ONLY do this to women and will gladly sit and listen to other men speak.

Sorry this post is a mile long I just get really fucking mad about this and AGAIN I feel like I sound like those guys that are like "I'm such a feminist you should totally date me because I respect women did I mention I'm a feminist" but truth is all I do is listen to the girls & women I know and become pissed off in their behalf like I don't even know what to DO about it except support them and try to show them how much I love them I love my friends and my sister and my mom so much!!!!! but I can't just blast all the shitty men in their lives from existence!!!!!! I forgor where I was going with this or if I was ever going anywhere at all in the first place T_T

[thebookreader12345]

Sink or Swim

Pairing: Kelly Severide x reader

Summary: Y/N is the newest member of Squad 3, and when out on a dive rescue, things take a turn for the worse

Requested: No

Warnings: slight swearing and a near death experience

Word Count: 2,064 Words

“Everyone, can I have your attention please” Chief Boden announced to his firefighters, who all turned to look at him, meaning they saw me standing next to him. I had my hands tucked into the pockets of my jacket, and I was rocking back and forth on the balls of my feet. “I want you all to meet Y/N L/N. She’s going to be filling the open spot on Squad 3.”

“Uh, hey,” I say and wave shyly at the group of people sitting in front of me. For a second, the room was quiet, but it wasn’t long before a blonde haired woman stood up and rushed over to me, wrapping me in a big hug.

“I can’t believe we’ve finally got another girl! You’re going to love it here. I promise. I’m Sylvie Brett” the woman stated.

“Nice to meet you. I was the only girl in my old Firehouse, so when I walked up, I was really hoping there’d be a girl here. By the way, whoever owns the mustang parked out front, nice whip” I comment.

“The Mustangs mine” a man with salt and pepper hair spoke and raised his hand. My eyes immediately gravitated over to him, and when I saw who had spoken, my cheeks flushed. The stereotype for a firefighter was a young, handsome, muscular man, and the guy in front of me fit the description perfectly.

“Oh, Y/N, this is Kelly Severide, your lieutenant,” Sylvie told me.

“Nice to meet you, Cap’n” I speak and give him a small smile.

“Where you from, L/N?” Kelly asked me after he heard me use foreign slang for the second time this morning, the first being when I said “whip.”

“The Big Apple. I just moved here a few weeks ago,” I answer.

“NYC, huh? Why’d you move?” a man, who’s jacket read Cruz, questioned.

“Family reasons” I stammer out. “But I’d prefer that we don’t talk about. Lets just say I wanted a change of scenery. Chicago is very different from New York, but good different, you know? I like it here.”

Just then, an alarm blared from everywhere in the building, and everyone shot up out of their seats, heading towards the apparatus floor. Now I knew one similarity between New York City and Chicago; there’s never a boring day at work. 

“Follow me,” Kelly ordered and took my arm, leading me out of the break room. “I’ve got a few rules. One, obey my orders. I don’t like firefighters who exhibit insubordinate behavior, and I absolutely hate doing paperwork for that. Two, if you’ve got a suggestion for how to approach a situation, speak up. I don’t come up with all of the good ideas. And three, never stand around doing nothing. There’s always people who need help, so help them.”

“All right. I think I’ve got it,” I say as we got to the apparatus floor where my gear was already laid out for me.

“Oh, and L/N, welcome to Firehouse 51,” Kelly said.

..................................................

It had been a few weeks since I started on Squad 3, and I was loving every minute of it. Capp and Tony, the other two guys on Squad besides Kelly and I, were very funny and easy to get along with, so I had no problem fitting in. The rest of Firehouse 51 was also inviting, and I really felt at home here. However, there was definitely one thing I enjoyed the most, and that was hanging out with Kelly. Every shift, when things were slow, Kelly and I would sit on the roof together. He would smoke cigars while I chewed on my polar ice gum, and we would have conversations, whether it be about something stupid Otis had done that day, or something in our personal lives outside of work.

“Oh. Did I tell you about the prank I played on Mouch the other day?” I ask Kelly and blow a bubble, popping it with my lips.

“I don’t think so,” Kelly said and took another hit of his cigar. “What’d you do?”

“I stole his secret stash of chocolate” I admit. “And then I blamed it all on Otis.”

Kelly laughed and glanced over at me, meeting my gaze. I could feel myself getting red, so I turned away and looked at the sky. I had a huge confession to make, and it was that I had gained a crush on my lieutenant.

“Um, Kelly, there’s something I have to tell you” I confess.

Kelly put his cigar down on his tray and leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees, clasping his hands together in front of him. “What is it?” he asked.

Just before I could tell him that I had feelings for him, the alarm went off inside of the firehouse calling for Squad 3, dive rescue. I got out of my chair and made my way over to the ladder, sliding down it expertly like I had done many times before. Getting my gear on took seconds, and as soon as all of us were in the truck, Tony started the engine and drove out of the garage. It didn’t take long before we got to the river, where a young, red haired woman, who was drenched in water, was waiting for us.

“You have to help them. Please,” she begged.

“Ma’am, calm down. Who do we need to help?” I ask.

“Them,” the woman shouted and pointed out into the middle of the river where a boat was submerged halfway underwater. I could make out a few people on the deck, and at the moment, it looked like they were all safe.

“Can none of them swim?” Kelly questioned as we started putting on our gear, which was basically a second skin to us.

“No. I’m the only one who can” the woman responded. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. We just wanted to get one last ride in before summer ended.”

“Hey. Everything is going to be okay........” At the moment, I realized I didn’t know the woman’s name.

“Marissa. My name’s Marissa” the woman said.

“That’s a beautiful name. I’m Y/N. I promise that we’re going to get everyone to safety” I say and grab my oxygen tank from the truck, slinging it on my back.

The rescue itself did not take long. The four of us each took about two trips to the boat, easily getting the people back to land. However, as soon as I began taking off my wet suit, the panic started.

“Where’s Davie? Where’s my son?” a man called out and looked around. I glimpsed over to the boat, and that’s when my eyes caught sight of a boy struggling to stay above water.

“Kelly,” I alert him and point to the water. 

Kelly followed my finger, and when he saw where I was pointing, he cursed. “Our tanks are out of oxygen. We never refilled them after the last dive.”

“That’s cool. I’ll just go in without one” I say and step out of my suit.

“Hell no. Y/N, that water is freezing cold. You’re not going out there. I’ll call in for backup,” Kelly announced.

“What? No. By the time you do that, that kid’ll be dead. On my first day on squad, you told me to never stand around because there are always people that need help. That kid needs help, so I’m going to help with” I share before jumping into the water.

As soon as my skin touched the water, I began to shiver at how cold it was, but I pushed past that and continued swimming. Kelly was calling my name from the shore, but I ignored him and kept going. When I was a few feet from the boy, he sank beneath the waves.

“Shit” I mumble and take a deep breath. Then, I dove deeper into the water, my eyes scanning everywhere for the boy. That’s when I saw Davie struggling to swim to the surface not far from me. He was holding his breath, which was a good sign, and he was still conscious. I swam over to him and got behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. I kicked my feet in an attempt to propel us up and out of the water, but the current was too strong. I was starting to loose my breath, and I could tell Davie was too, so I did what any firefighter would do; save the victim first. I pushed Davie as hard as I could to the surface, hoping that someone else could get to him, and that’s when I felt the sudden urge to breathe. I couldn’t hold my breath anymore, and when I breathed, all I took in was water. Suddenly, I got lightheaded, my eyes drifted shut, and I lost consciousness deep in the Chicago River.

Kelly’s POV

I waited a few minutes, and Y/N still hadn’t resurfaced with Davie. Where the hell was she? At that moment, Davie appeared back on the surface, but Y/N was nowhere to be found.

“Capp, go out and get the kid. Now!” I demand. “I’m going to look for Y/N.” Capp nodded and jumped into the water with me following close behind. I swam out to where Davie was, and as Capp took the boy, I dove under the water. I looked around, hoping to find Y/N, and thankfully, I did, but she was unconscious. I made my way over to her, grabbed her body, and kicked towards the surface. When I got above the water, I tugged Y/N’s body with me to shore. Tony and Capp helped me lift her out of the water, and when I got back onto land, I pressed my ear against her chest. She wasn’t breathing.

“I’m going to call an ambulance,” Tony informed me and rushed towards the truck.

I took a deep breath, pinched Y/N’s nose, tilted her head back, and then I placed my mouth to hers. I breathed into her mouth a few times, and when I pulled away, I watched to see if she began breathing again, but she wasn’t. “Come on” I cry out and breathe into her mouth some more.

“Ambulance is 5 minutes out,” Tony said to me.

“She doesn’t have 5 minutes. Come on Y/N. Breathe,” I mumble and press my mouth to hers again. No matter how many times I tried, Y/N did not seem to come back. Just as I was about to give up, Y/N turned her head to the side and coughed up water. “Y/N! Thank god you’re okay.”

Y/N’s POV

The feeling of water leaving my lungs did not feel good. As I continued retching, Kelly helped me turn my body so that I wasn’t choking on my own spit and whatever else was coming up my throat. I coughed one more time and sucked in a huge breath before laying back down on the pavement.

“Y/N,” Kelly spoke and cupped my face with his hands.

“Hey, Cap’n,” I mutter and give him a tired smile.

“What did I say about following orders? You know I hate filing insubordination charges,” Kelly said.

“Maybe you can forget about that just this one time,” I whisper as I heard ambulance sirens getting closer.

“Only if you promise to never do that again. I mean it,” Kelly told me.

“Okay. Deal. Look, there’s something I never got to tell you,” I manage to breath out.

Kelly only smiled and pressed his lips to mine, giving me a quick kiss. “I like you too,” he assured me as an ambulance parked a few feet away from us. “Just focus on getting better now, okay? I promise we can talk about all of this as soon as you’re back in business.”

“Sounds good to me. Hey, could you ride with me in the ambo?” I ask. “I may or may not be afraid of hospitals.”

Kelly laughed and kissed my forehead. “Of course. Now, lets get you treated. I want my girl back on Squad as soon as possible.”

“Your girl? I thought we were talking about that later,” I say with a grin.

“Just shut up and accept it,” Kelly said.

“All right. I can’t believe Kelly Severide, the Lieutenant of Squad 3 and the hottest firefighter in Chicago likes me. I can get used to this,” I murmur.

___________________________

Tag List:

@prettypyschoinpink @securityfriendly-jay @scarletsoldierrr @lorenakaspersen @virtualreader @carnationworld @caitsymichelle13​ @campingmonkey @winterberryfox @anotherfan07 @giagma​

[futurebicon]

Im just an absolute mess over here reading all your nonbinary jules, as someone nonbinary who goes by my shortened deadname it's like absolute christmas to see that there's a character I love so also deals with that and just marc being an absolute pie and I would sell my right arm for more content, you are an angel among mortals and I'm always :,,,,) when I get a notification that you post

More Non-Binary Jules coming right up. I got an ask earlier about Jules coming out to their parents so here it is.

Please leave any more prompt ideas you have!!

CW- Misgendering and deadname (don’t know the name or pronoun change), a lot of food mentions

“Babe?” Marc whispered as he laid his head on Jules’s chest.

“Yeah, darling?”

“Love you.” 

“Love you too.” Jules shook lightly with an easy laugh. “Is that all?”

Marc let out a hum. “Are you going to tell your parents soon?”  

Jules froze. “Baby.” 

“I know you’re nervous but nothing’s going to happen. Your parents are some of the most accepting people I’ve ever met in my life. They aren’t going to care.” 

“I know. But they always talk about me and Katie together and talk about me finding a nice girl.” 

“I know for a fact that they said the same thing to Remus.” 

“But that’s the point. They aren’t going to get the ‘normal’ wedding experience. And add in the fact that it wouldn’t even be a stereotypical ‘gay’ wedding. Considering the fact that I’m not even a guy.” 

“Which you also should tell them.” 

“Which I also should tell them.” They echoed back. 

“Truly Jules. They will not care at all.” 

“But how do tell them?” 

“Make them a cake?” Marc shrugged.

++++++

“Hey, mom.” Marc leaned against the kitchen island. “Would you possibly be able to make a chocolate cake for Jules’s parents?” 

“Sure, sweetheart.” Celeste smiled. “Any special occasion?”

“That’s how Jules decided to come out. Write it on a cake.” 

Celeste let out a small laugh. “Well tell them I am very happy and proud of them. I’ll have that ready by tonight.” She turned and started pulling ingredients out of the fridge. 

“What do we say? ‘Congrats on raising not one, but two queer kids. One uses they/them pronouns. And is also dating the brother of the person you keep trying to set them up with.’” Jules asked. 

“I don’t think that will fit, but probably that should be the gist of things.” Dumo laughed. 

“Alright. ‘Congrats on raising two gay kids. And one nonbinary.’ and then just tell them about Marc.” Jules said. 

“Yeah, that works.” Celeste nodded, handing them and Marc icing bags. 

++++

“Hi, Julian.” Hope smiled as Jules walked into the house. 

“Hey- oh, hi.” Jules greeted their brothers who were also over.

“We’re out of leftovers and neither of us can cook so we’re here,” Sirius explained.

“Celeste baked a cake and told me to bring it so I guess we have that for after.” Jules held up the box with the cake inside. 

“I’ll take that from you, Julian.” Lyall reached for the cake. 

“Uh, I got it.” They said as they moved it to the back of the counter, not wanted them to see what was written inside of it. 

Remus gave them an odd look. Jules nodded back microscopically. 

“Jules come sit.” Sirius pulled out a chair beside him. 

“Thanks.” Jules nodded and sat down. Quickly realizing they were too anxious to eat much.

“You’ve barely touched your food, Julian,” Lyall noted.

“Oh, yeah, um, just not hungry. I ate at Marc’s house.” They set down their fork. 

“How’s Katie?” Hope asked with a smile.

“Um, she’s good,” Jules said. “She was at Macie’s house when I was over so I didn’t really get to talk to her.” 

“Mom, how’s that new plant you got doing?” Remus changed the subject as soon as he could. Smiling when Jules mouthed out a ‘thank you.’ 

++++

“Ready for cake?” Lyall asked everyone. 

“I’ll get it.” Jules jumped up and ran to get the cake. 

They hesitated as they went to open the box. The thought of just dropping it became more and more tempting. 

“Need help?” Sirius’s voice made them jump. 

“Yeah.” They breathed out shakily. 

“Oh. Nice.” He laughed when he opened the lid. “You ready?” 

“Not at all.” They shook their head, stopping as their phone went off in their pocket. 

Everything will be okay. Only downside is that we have to sneak around at two houses now. Love you lots, baby.

Jules smiled as they read over the text. 

“Aww” Sirius read over their shoulder. 

“Hey!” They hid their phone. 

“Let's go show your parents the cake and put an end to your schemes.” He nudged their shoulder. “Want to carry it or are you too weak?” 

“Um, can you please?” 

“Sure bud.” Sirius smiled and scooped up the cake. 

“Cake time! Jules designed it by the way.” He set it down on the table. 

“Oh, honey.” Hope gasped lightly as she read the words. 

Jules stood off to the side, looking down at their feet. 

“Non-binary means they/them pronouns right?” Lyall asked with a smile. 

“Yeah. And, uh, I go by Jules now. Instead of Julian.” They nodded.  

Hope walked over and hugged them with tears in her eyes. “I love you so much, sweetie.” 

“Love you too Mom.” They hugged her tightly. 

“I love you, Jules.” Lyall joined the hug. 

“Love you too Dad.” 

“Wait, what about Katie?” Hope pulled away.

“She, uh, she’s not the only Dumais my age.” They smiled.

 “Oh. Marc?” Lyall asked. 

Jules nodded again with a smile. 

“I am so, very, very happy for you both.” Hope kissed his cheek. “But you two.” She spun towards Remus and Sirius. “How long have you known?” 

Jules phone buzzed as Hope interrogated Remus and Sirius about how long they had known. 

M- Told you it would all be okay. ;) 

How’d you know I told them

M- Because I can feel that you’re happy

M- And Remus texted me

Idiot

M- I love you

I love you more stupid

Jules smiled and stuck their phone back in their pocket. “Who wants cake?” 

Characters belong to the always amazing @lumosinlove

Kind of rushed. All my stories are written between 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. while I fight sleep and it is currently 1:42 a.m. so the ending is a little of a lot a bit all over the place. (Yes I do have school tomorrow and yes I do have to get up in 3 hours.)

[arielana]

Yeah, I don’t know what this is. It came from the tiny RNM teaser in TV insider - I was grumpy that basically all the info we got was about Liz’s lab partners abs (not that grumpy, but you know).

Anyway, I wrote this, about Liz and Michael bonding. Just really silly. 

A warning that there is drinking.

____

“Michael!”

“Ortecho, seriously why are you calling me at this hour?”

“I need you to take some time off. Come to California.”

“Sure thing, I’ll pack my little overnight bag and swing right by. I’ve been dying to do some sightseeing.”

“Yeah yeah, funny. I don’t have time for all that. Look I’ve discovered something, here in the lab, that might be relevant to your interests. I can’t get a sample out, but if an old friend from Roswell comes to visit I could give them a tour of the lab. So, just get your ass over here.”

***

That had been two days ago. Michael had some work he’d promised Sanders to finish first and he refused to fly (the thought of airport security freaked him out) so he’d set off in his truck after finishing up at Sanders the next day. He’d driven through the night, arrived very early in the morning and checked into a motel Liz had recommended that was close to her work.

After getting some sleep and showering he was now standing in the fancy lobby of the Genoryx building, feeling slightly overwhelmed but doing his best not to show it. His cowboy swagger usually worked in most places so he figured it would do ok here as well. 

Just to test it, he leaned slightly against the counter and threw the receptionist who had told him Liz would be right down a little smile. Judging by the way she blushed, he wouldn’t do too bad here either if he felt like it. Not that he did feel like it. There was really only one person’s company he wanted and since that wasn’t available to him currently, he focused on other things.

“Mikey!”

Liz came bouncing down the stairs, running straight up and jumping into his arms to hug him.

She had a certain energy that always put Michael in a better mood, even the times when she annoyed him. There was never any bullshit with her. 

“Hey Ortecho,” he grinned. “Good to see you.” 

“Good to see you too. Would have been even better if you got here sooner,” she bumped her shoulder lightly into his when he put her down, “but it’s great that you’re here.”

Before Michael could ask what all the fuss was about, he noticed a guy had followed Liz and was now hanging back, waiting to be introduced.

Noticing Michael’s look, Liz spun around, waving the guy forward. 

“Heath, come meet Michael. Michael, meet Heath. He’s my colleague from the lab. We do all our work together.”

Michael thought he picked up a little something in the way Heath looked when Liz said “colleague”, but he wasn’t sure. He was a good looking guy, tall, athletic, not the stereotypical scientist. Not that Michael cared much for stereotypes, so he shouldn’t apply them to others either, he reminded himself. 

“So, we’re just about to go out for lunch,” Liz said. “Do you mind if Heath joins us?”

“Of course not.” 

Michael was pleasantly surprised by how fun and relaxed lunch was. Small talk had never really been his thing, but science small talk was a whole other thing he realised. That’s why he had enjoyed hanging out with Liz back in Roswell, and Heath, despite looking more like an actor or model, turned out to absolutely be able to hold his own in the discussion.

After lunch things didn’t go quite as Liz had planned though. Her boss was apparently giving some other people a tour that afternoon and even if he kindly offered Michael to join them as well, Liz quickly switched gears.

“Actually Michael was yawning his way through lunch,” she ignored Michael’s little huff. “He pretends he’s fine but he’s had a long drive. He’s staying for a couple of days anyway, there’s no rush.”

She grabbed Michael’s arm firmly and dragged him towards the exit. 

“Really Liz, I was planning on going back home tomorrow,” Michael complained, without putting any real force behind it. “This isn't really my scene.”

“Oh knock it off, Michael. You were practically beaming at lunch, don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself. And look, it’s just one more day. Tomorrow’s Friday so there’ll be less people around. We’ll do a tour in the afternoon. I’ll make up something to keep Heath busy, won’t be a problem.”

“So for today,” she continued, “how about you get some more sleep, and then we can go out tonight, eat something, have a few drinks. Maybe some dancing,” she winked at him.

“Drinks yes, dancing no, but sure, I don¨t mind checking out the bars here.” Michael gave Liz a considering look. “So tell me, is Heath coming?”

“What, no, why would he?”

Aha, judging by the brief flush of red on her cheeks, there was definitely something going on there, Michael noticed. Maybe something to explore later. He could be a good brother and try to get some more information. Max was certainly asking enough questions about him and Alex, looking at Michael with those big puppy eyes, acting hurt when Michael snapped at him. This could be payback (helping Max out, Michael corrected himself).

**

Dinner continued in the same way as lunch, with them geeking out about new research and theories (careful to steer clear of any alien references while in public) covering everything from global warming to medical advances.

Afterwards they continued on to a bar and after a couple of drinks Michael figured Liz had let down her guard enough for him to do some digging.

“So, Ortecho… tell me about Heath?”

“What?” Liz said with feigned innocence.

“Just wondering, I mean he’s really fit, dark hair, smart, funny, exactly what I look for, in both men and women,” he winked at her.

“Michael!” Liz sounded scandalized

“Unless he’s taken, of course”

Liz twisted uncomfortably in her seat. “It feels weird talking to you about this.”

“Why?” Michael smirked at her, raising his eyebrows. He enjoyed this. He never really got to have a bro moment with anyone growing up. Too busy not letting anyone come too close. But Liz, she got it, she was the same as him in so many ways. 

“Hey. no judgement here. Tell me, is he really as jacked as he looks?”

Liz sighed deeply, before giving up and leaning back with a dreamy expression on her face.

“He really is. Seriously, his abs are amazing. Not that that kind of thing is really important to me of course,” she hurried to add, “but it’s just- nice.”

“So, Valenti,” Michael pulled a face,” Diego, this Heath guy. I see you also prefer dark hair but other than that I really don’t see that many similarities to Max?”

“You know,” Liz took a sip from her drink, clearly deflecting, “from the stories I heard about you before, you know, everything,” she waved her hands vaguely, “I was under the impression it was mainly blondes that you were dragging home from the Pony?”

Michael shrugged. “That was just sex. But then again,” he added consideringly, “I’ve only ever been in two relationships. So they were both dark haired, but that’s not enough to draw a conclusion based on statistics, maybe it’s just coincidence.”

 Liz's gaze sharpened. “Relationships, huh?”

It was Michael's turn to try to deflect. ’Hey, see if you can flag down the waitress, I need another beer.”

“In a minute.” Liz tilted her head questioningly, “I wasn’t aware you considered what you had with Alex an actual relationship?”

Michael hesitated. He knew Liz could probably read him like an open book right now, but he also knew that if he said he didn't want to get into it she’d respect that and let it go. For now at least.

But he’d said more than once that he was tired of keeping secrets. Liz was a friend and it would actually be nice to talk to someone.

“If we’re really going to talk about this I’m going to need another drink.”

“Me too,” Liz thought about it for a second. “Tequila?”

“Tequila.”

**

An hour later they were both just giggly messes.

Michael had shared his and Alex's story over the years, Liz had opened up about the shock of seeing Max again and they had bonded over how no amount of distance or years really made the feelings go away. It had been very emotional once the tequila kicked in. They had both shed some tears and comforted each other. 

At this point in the evening however, they had gone full circle and were back to discussing abs again and both blushing.

“Maybe we should just tell them,” Liz said.

“Yeah, they’d hate that. You’re safe here, but I have to go back. If Alex doesn’t get to me first and give me the ‘Guerin, you’re such a disappointment’ look, Max will give me a lecture about ‘upholding personal boundaries, Michael’. Both a total pain in the ass.”

“Ok, let’s take a selfie and send as well then. If they see our sweet faces they can’t be mad.”

“Ortecho, I think you dropped your logic somewhere on the way here.”

“Come on, you said the two of you are at a stalemate right? Since Alex broke up with Forrest?”

Michael made a face.

“This will give things a nudge,” Liz said. “Plus it’s sent from my phone so you can deny all knowledge of it.”

“Have you met Alex?”

Liz just waved her phone at him. Michael swallowed.

He wasn’t drunk enough not to know that this maybe wasn't the smartest idea, but it was kind of tempting anyway. Just to see how Alex would react.

“Yay,” Liz pulled him in for a selfie, instructing him to make his best puppy eyes before adding the text to the picture and pressing send.

Just so you know, you both have really good abs as well. We love your abs very much. Xoxo, Liz and Mikey

It took no time at all before both their phones started buzzing with an incoming call.

[sanchoyo]

danny phantom episode 4-7 Thoughts: (under a readmore because, these got kinda long!)

-the outfit danny had to buy for dash's party. CLASSIC 2000S i cannot stop laughing. And also showing up to the party and everyone is dressed like the trio is hilarious. and further proof that everyone looks good dressed goth.

-dash has a closet full of cute lil bear plushies?? LOVE that. adorable. also his response to danny trashing his room fighting a ghost was SO valid if somone BROKE MY BED IN HALF ID BE PISSED TOO.

-technus being like 'oh smart, u should be a tutor!' then later being like 'forget tutor, be a teacher!' :) supportive king <3 I also really like his upgraded suit/design. AND SPOCK CAMEO??? HELLO??

-the music in this show is super. its so funky. I looked it up and the guy who does it, guy moon (awesome name) also did music for other cartoons like fairly odd parents, barnyard, chalkzone, billy & mandy, AND some actual movies like FIGHT CLUB??? the whiplash I got from reading that)

-sam being rich explains a lot about her, actually.

-I know the moral of the episode was supposed to be 'dont ditch your friends for popular people/spend a lot of money on clothes that arent You to Fit In'. but tbh. it wouldve been easy for danny to have been like 'well, okay, ill come but only if my friends can!' but I get. that hes 14. so. not a lot to say there.

-BOX GHOST IS BACK!!!!! also, danny sitting up and wearing the dress/wig/makeup. umm thats how I dress everyday LMFAO. unironically me. (hate the jokes that boil down to 'haha funney man in dress' tho. but this is a look)

-jazz being protective of her brother once again being like NOOO YOU GUYS BETTER NOT STAKE OUT HIS (actually haunted) LOCKER!! shes aware of how people perceive him and she wants to help :( which is also probably why she told dash to invite him to that party even tho she had no interest in going!! she wants to help him out :(

-gotta say im with tucker on the whole 'should danny use his powers to get back at bullies' debate. 100% yes. let him teach kids to fight back. making dash throw his food at paulina out of the blue? no. but when hes actually about to pick on someone? yeah! for self defense? YEAH! if dash and his friends just threw food at him, I think rather than. idk doing sneaky shit with frogs he couldve just threw it back and not pulled punches if they tried to fight. I kNOOWWW its a kids show so they are like 'if u fight back ur just as bad!! violence bad!!' but. theyre HIS POWERS. WHO CARES.

-like my only gripe is that dash really isnt LEARNING ANYTHING WHEN DANNY GETS BACK AT HIM IN THE MOST PETTY INDIRECT WAYS. whatever they had to add a bully psa episode I guess. I hate it and I hate the way cartoons usually handle it because these methods simply Do Not Work. 'aND YouRE USinG YOur poWErs FOR EVill???!' this is Not Evil. even when poindexter takes dannys body, theyre only being 'nice' bc hes stealing soda for them!! bitches deserve what they get (nothing too brutal bc theyre high schoolers but damn, if they pick on danny he doesnt need to be the 'bigger person' he needs to start biting people)

-SAM TRYING TO SMUGGLE FROGS OUT OF THE BIO LAB?? girl in middle school when we had to dissect frogs we could opt out, also, they came to us already dead and preserved...

-sidney's lingo and the fact hes in black and white is sending me. also, danny is a ghost celebrity apparently for being a halfa?? ok. thats interesting to know

-the DENTIST BEING EXCITED ABOUT THE COTTON CANDY FLOOD IS THE FUNNIEST THING SO FAR.

-I LOOOVE the trope of 'wishes gone wrong'. not crazy about the stereotypical genie, or the use of the dreamcatcher looking design. (also, I KNOW theyre scientists but the way theyre handling a cold...are the fentons ANTIVAX)

-the genie. she. whitewished paulina. JKASDFHKJ. (the ghost literally just being hello kitty???? im dying) 'why do i feel that im special and wonderful? because I AM! <3' paulina ilu self worth queen. felt bad for her also getting possessed by (2) boys later who were arguing INSIDE HER. WTF.

-imagine being the guy trapped in his now flying car. he thought danny and tucker were HALUCINATIONS. imagine being trapped in a flying car with two, what you think are imaginary arguing 14 year olds convinced ur gonna die. i WOULD say this dude is gonna need so much therapy, but he seemed totally fine and excited when they landed (I would be happy too if a chicken was on my head. chickens rule) stoner rights

-sam's bat slippers??? iconic. SO cute.

-I think desiree's backstory is so :( do all ghosts have messed up sad backstories?? poindexter's was sad too...cannot imagine box ghost has any kind of fucked up backstory. but what if. his mom got pushed off cliffs by boxes...........a la cruella... anyway her 'no man may lay a hand on me' iconic. ilu

-I know danny has no concept of how much bras cost but my god dont attack tucker with some girls bra. those are so expensive.

-its really. well its not a GOOD THING he went into the portal and got fucked up, but its good danny was the one to do it rather than sam or tucker. because even tho he was being influenced by desiree and kept getting more malicious and it prob wasnt 100% him...he sucked as a ghost like most the people he 'pranked' were innocent ppl just Chillin and he didnt want to help anyone at all. I think danny is the most responsible out of them but also, hes 14 and shouldnt HAVE to feel obligated to fight every ghost. hes a good kid and wants to, but I also feel like he feels like...responsible for the portal turning on?? because his parents did give it up,, but it was an accident and not his fault (if anything, why was the on switch on the inside. why was it that easy. why was there no safety measures. that seems like smth OSHA needs to hear about). like thats my son. hes a good boy. and hes never done anything wrong in his life, ever. if anyone hurts him im killing everyone in this room and then myself. etc.

-danny's curfew is 10PM????? DUDE. when I was 14...shit I couldn't be out that late, I had to be back at like, 8 at the latest, and my parents had to know exactly where and who I was going with, AND i had to call/text them regularly...is this a case of my parents being overbearing, or the fentons sucking??? the only time i could EVER be out that late was if I was at an overnight sleepover or smth...

-the vultures have lil fezes. why do they have fezes...theyre so fuckin funny 'ask him for directions' 'I KNOW WHERE IM GOING' these ghost vultures are my new grandpas. pick them up, put them in the adopt box.

-'I wonder why those guys were trying to waste dad!' THEYRE GHOSTS. YOUR DAD HUNTS GHOSTS. why is that not a conclusion you'd immediately jump to??

-*jazz voice, clearly disgusted* WISCONSIN???

-mrs fenton with the lab coat and leg warmers and PERM. YESSS STYLISH.

-was going to say 'ew billionaire' @vlad but. super valid he used his powers to assumedly steal and cheat to get that money, thats how all billionaires do it! but ew hes a SIMP. and spending your billions on FOOTBALL STUFF?? you are Not Valid overall. I DO respect the fact you have a castle instead of a mansion. in wisconsin. if youre going to be stupidly rich might as well go all out, torches on the wall and all. I DO like his ghost form's little kitty ears. catman. and his cape! every design can benefit from a cape. and how different his forms look, like danny looks the EXACT SAME IN BOTH FORMS ASIDE FROM COLOR CHANGES. vlad's is like,, I could believe they were different people!! also I love the drama. but dude you are fighting a 14 year old. lame. also he was like, telling danny he wanted his mom and him and like, wanted him to renounce his dad?? WHAT ABOUT JAZZ?? bitch. those r MY kids and they are both important and special. I do agree they need better parents but thats not u sir <3

-I thought vlad's 'little badger' nickname for danny came from the football mascot of the packers, but google says they have NO MASCOT?? so now I'm like?? is it because his hair is sometimes black and sometimes white?? I hate to give him props but thats a PERFECT NICKNAME. theyre also tiny and vicious!

-why did I get so excited that Skulker is back!! its been like. 2-3 eps LMAO. AND THE DAIRY KING. ICONIC I LOVE HIM. hes the nicest guy ever :) more nice ghosts please. danny cannot be fighting alone everytime with no ghost buds like every ghost being hostile sucks :(

-mr. fenton knew vlad was controlling him, but a few episodes ago he had no clue danny was doing the same thing...is it something about how malicious the ghost is?? he just seemed to think his memory had gaps the first time, this time he was INSTANTLY LIKE 'GHOST'. then again in this ep when danny did it again he was just slightly confused but not immediately freaking out like he did with vlad possessing him!!

-'my parents will accept ME NO MATTER WHAT' so. so why haven't you come out to them yet, danny?? if you really think that?? if theres no harm, and you're sure??? if vlad is a real problem, wouldnt that make dealing with him easier, to expose him???? SO WHY HAVENT YOU COME OUT YET?? COULD IT BE,, MAYBE YOU HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER YOUR PARENTS ACTUALLY WILL ACCEPT YOU??? 🤔 ... 🏳‍🌈 I get why people say He Is Trans. I totally totally get u danny.

-sorta unrelated, but it just occurred to me in one of these eps they go to casper HIGH not casper middle school??? theyre 14?? dont highschools usually do ages 15-18? (I didnt go to hs so I might be wrong, if I am ignore this...) freshmen are usually 14-15, could just be a case of them not turning 15 yet but they will sometime in the school year (I say they because tucker said he was 14 too)? I know the show has 3 seasons, so by the end of it will they be older? thatd be neat but usually cartoon characters stay the same age...I love shows where you can see the characters age and grow up, though...three seasons seems like a long time to spend on like, 1 year...

[ad0xa]

Shot story / dream.

Before I went to bed I had watched "Enola Holmes" on netflix and also a documentary about triplets separated at birth. And my brain did a really cool mashup. So I dreamt about this sort of... big complicated spy plot? Where one girl (it was me and not me at the same time) were investigating where her twin sister had gone. And she met a boy at the way of her investigating. And they fell in love while doing this search, they talked to and met up with professors and teachers and stuff. Also running from the "bad guys" who were trying to capture her. The thing was, that she and her sister had "special powers". She could like slow time? for short amounts? Or more like having super good reflexes so she could fight really well. Do these amazing jumps and balancing acts. And her sister was much weaker than her physically she had a power to "dream" about real life places and she and her sister could explore these places like they were real. (She could bring other people in to the dream) and when you woke up you would be back in your bed. This had made the two of them the "best spies ever" And they were working for the government or something similar. But now that her sister had disappeared she was suspicious about this government or organization or whatever. Some clues pointed to it being an inside job. And eventually she found this big place like a prison. But it labeled itself as a school? All of the girls were being trained in disguise, social shit and logical puzzles and stuff. And the boys were being trained just to be strong and fit. And I think all of them had some sort of small power of sorts? No power were like "I shoot fireballs!" it was more like things that were hard to explain but might be natural or... something? And so she found her sister there, but she was so weak she were just staying in this room in bed. It was like she had gotten weaker being away from her sister. Then, PLOT TWIST. The guy she had been with this whole time who she thought was just this random cool dude, was actually working for this organization. Not only that. But he had a twin too. I don't remember why this was clever tho. But something about them switching places and being able to be at two places at the same time and stuff like that. I had flashbacks where she would realize it was one or the other of them. 

This whole time the clues and things she found out had made her think that this organization had formed their “school” out of the dynamic she and her sister had. One really smart and clever one and one who was more fitted for fighting and action. (tho she obvs was clever too just not AS clever.) But it turned out that they had plans bigger than this. The twin boys were actually the "golden pair" they were PERFECT. Both could do action and had skills and cleverness. They had tried to kidnap the girls to train them to be as good as the boys and then have them couple up as a four-man operation. They had just realized that it was too hard to capture her bc of her powers, without it being a big scene somewhere. So they decided to just take one sister and basically hope that she would find her way to the location , but without actually knowing what was going on being mislead by the boys.  The school and how they trained the girls and the boys were just due to sexist stereotypes. The twin girls dynamic had nothing much to do with it. They might've inspired the scientist who came up with the plan but... it wasn't the reason they had wanted to kidnap them.

Now with this betrayal from the boys and everything a big fight ensued. One of the twin boys were actually in love with her and switched when he realized he couldn’t go through with this. He got hurt but retreated to where her sister was sleeping to help her escape.  She was stuck in this epic fight with the other twin. Who were much more cold and psychopathic for some reason. Typical “evil twin” plot haha. 

She managed to flee or subdue the guy, and joined up with the "good" twin brother and her sister. And they fled. They found some place to hide out and her sister did her dream thing for them to find out more. The twin brother twin sister project was a side project. The real big thing was this training school they had going. Were they were trying to "make" super spies. Making them pair up eventually. Not like romantic couples. But you got the feeling that they might've planned for people to actually fall in love and maybe have children.... so they could take those children eventually. But if this was a real plan it wasn't mentioned to anyone. Just that it was almost encouraged to date people from the "other" training camp. (Boys / Girls ) I remember a small sideplot about this big muscular dude who was gay and felt pressured to date a girl “just because” and how sad it was for both of them.  They clearly didn’t care about anything other than straight.  It was very cult-ish and strict in the school other than they were allowed to date.

But it went even deeper than that. They were also trying to "enhance" the natural powers of people. And sometimes it went wrong... They had this theory of everyone having a "true nature" and that it was from there the powers came. Like someone being a supernatural good swimmer had a "true nature" of being a fish or something. More of a soul / feelings thing I think. Not like otherkin but like... a natural aptitude?  But this feeling and state of being could take over and and change people.... horribly. So we found out about this one scandinavian girl (this all took place in the uk) that they had kidnapped bc she had powers. And she had turned in to this mermaid creature thing that needed blood to survive. She wasn't like, a conscious human anymore. But she could understand humans somewhat. She also laid a lot of eggs and it was super nasty bc they had unborn babies in them. (dunnu how the fuck that happened but..... ) And they had to keep killing off these creatures before they hatched. But they also wanted to study them. So she was mostly just laying in this pool of blood with weird wines coming out from under her, like she was this mix of different sea-creatures. Half of this information was found out by the dream snooping and half was talking to one of the doctors / scientists that were just like "I'm trying my best to treat these kids. Obvs I can’t expose the organization I work here, I think my time is best spent on trying to help these kids. " I was like... mmm I'm not sure but ok. And then he told me the bad news. He said "You know how your sister has been being weaker and weaker? Well... She's actually turning in to one of these beings. Her "true nature" is a sort of moth. She will be sleepier and sleepier until she becomes her "true nature" and then she will be lost forever. " Obviously this wasn't very nice to hear. But he promised to take care of her best he could if I brought her there, without the organization knowing. Bc her powers were sought after. So I / we did. Cause we didn’t know any other option. Also, I would totally kill the guy if I found out he was lying.  Then I set out to "destroy" this organization. Now I was working with the "good twin" like before but I didn't really trust him so he was mostly in the background doing small work. The organization was trying stuff with hypnotics and mind control. On the kids and on the public. They for one thing had this ad out for a big event they were going to have at disneyland? "Become a real princess"??-kind of thing. It was marketed as this event and club submission were they would choose "the best" out of all the people to take in to the club. It was really just a way to get as many people gathered at one spot so they could mind control them to be ok if their children were ever taken by the organization in the future. The princess stuff was like a plus for them, getting to maybe find some more subjects for the "school" they had since they had a shortage of girls. And I was working against the clock. I had infiltrated the "school" and had gathered some of the more critical students in a small club of sorts. The mind control was very prevalent in the school. They didn't want people to question why they were learning or doing these things. They certainly didn't want their full grown super-spies to think too much about what they were doing eventually either. But this small group of students wasn't effected by the hypnotic mind control shit, and they were questioning things. So I made some sort of plan (I think I drifted out and in of sleep some here, or I just wasn't interested in that part) and it was about to be carried out. But surprise surprise! The evil twin brother found out about it and epic fight scene ensued! I remember how weird it felt fighting someone I loved, and how alien it was like... he looked like him... but he wasn't him. And he almost defeated me but ofc.... his brother came to my rescue. And so they fought while I was trying to continue with the plan. (Pretty beaten up) I just remember going up and down these cold stone stairs in the castle (school/prison) and seeing in the distance the lightshow that was being done at the "princess" event. (I guess it was really close to disneyland haha) We shot something at the place like a laser or something? To shut down the tv-screen central thing that was doing the hypnotic stuff. And the event continued like planned but without the hypnotic thing happening to the public. Which they "the bad guys" didn't know about until it was over. We couldn't save the people who willingly had entered in to the "club" however. But we planned on rescuing everyone eventually. Shutting down the school. So it was a good win anyways. I returned to my sister to tell her the good news. But the doctor warned me that it wasn't looking good. He showed me to a barn outside of the sciency-building. And a small ladder lead up to a small attic space. It was light and the small dust particles made everything look weirdly glowy and fuzzy. My sister sat in the far end corner of the small space surrounded by big moths flying everywhere. It was creepy and beautiful at the same time. She had this cocoon like thing around her, looking very sleepy. But smiling at me. There were silk threads all over the place. She was soon going to cocoon herself in this silk thread completely. What she would turn in to... no one knew.

After that the dream basically ended. Or rather, it flowed in to another dream that had nothing to do with this plot.

[fortheloveoffanfic]

Lullaby

Keanu Reeves x Reader (Chapter Summary- Two months later and one person is still being affected by a decision they made and another’s apparent rejection bothers them more than they’d prefer to admit.) (Warning- slight NSFW)

Chapter1     Chapter2

Chapter 3

A breathy sigh escaped her parted, plump lips. The silkiness of her legs rubbed against his thighs and her breasts felt firm and warm, just enough to fit in his palm with room for him to knead appreciatively. The slick heaven between her parted legs was so tight, cocooning Keanu’s member perfectly as he slid in and out of her in controlled thrusts. Her little gasps bounce of the walls, joining his low throaty grunts. Oh the sounds she makes. Y/n’s hair haloed around her on the white cotton pillow, messy and wild. She looked so divine in the most corrupted way. She’s so young, beautiful, oozing with youthful appeal.  And she’s all his.

Except, she’s not. Not really.

With startle, Keanu awoke, sitting up in his bed, drenched in sweat......and something else. “Fuck,” he breathed, scrubbing his hands harshly over his face, proceeding to rub sleep out of his eyes. It was just minutes away from five in the morning and the sun hadn’t even risen yet, but Keanu knew that there was no chance of him falling back asleep.

It had become almost routine by then, his slumber being interrupted by dreams of Y/n, naked in his bed, or other parts of his house. The location never mattered, but for two months, it had been her. His mind had taken it upon itself to conjure up a slew of different sexual fantasies, ideas never seemed to be in shortage, much like his body’s gullibility when it came to believing them.

With a disgruntled sigh, Keanu shook the covers off and took a minute to offer his deflating crotch an annoyed stare. There was a stain at the front and those would be yet another pair of sleep pants that he’d have to hold back of the laundry hamper and deal with himself, lest Linda find out that she was actually working for a thirteen year old boy just discovering the mechanics of his body and not a grown man with the ability to not nut in his pants. 

“The fuck is wrong with me?” He asked himself as he striped lazily, heading for the shower. As he got in, Keanu turned on the hot water, looking up as the water rained down from the entire ceiling of the sizeable cubicle. The shower in the master bath was one of the many things he loved about his house. It mimicked rainfall and could be easily controlled by the sleek silver knobs on the dark tiled wall. 

As Keanu washed himself, his hands rough hands passing over his body, his mind flashed to the night from not too long ago, when he had gotten off the mere memories of a dream of Y/n. Since then, he had refrained from masturbation, at  least to her image. It felt wrong, like he was violating her somehow. Y/n had probably forgotten their encounter by then, returning to....whatever women her age did. Shopping, dating men who weren’t fifty-something- learning how to run multi-million dollar empires. 

He had refrained, yes. And Keanu liked to think that he was normally a man of great, strong restraint, but that morning, as he stood in the shower, hot water washing over him, his fingers brushed his member and thoughts of Y/n took a racy turn. He closed his eyes and started imagining that she was there, her hands touching him, settling to circle his growing erection, pumping slowly as her lips pressed to his, and she mumbled against him, “This what you want, huh? Let me make you feel good baby.”

Throwing his head back, Keanu groaned, his imagination running wild, his vison going white. 

Men. They were all the same, weren’t they? Y/n was starting to believe the archaic stereotype. They had to be, else, she wouldn’t be in the position she was in. Sitting in a boardroom, eyes blank and teeth clenched as she listened to rantings of an ancient CFO, who apparently didn’t understand the concept of seasonal changes. As he spoke, Y/n found it hard to stay in the moment.....until he called her out on it, “You know, Miss Warren, if you don’t want to stay, the door’s right there. I’m sure kids your age want nothing more than to run wild all, boozed up.”

At his comment, Y/n sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she tried not to snap. After a minute, she plastered on a wide smile, “Run wild?” She quoted, malice edging her tone, “I can assure Mr. Priestly, I’m not bored, just in awe of you’re.......stupidity. I’m not sure if it’s ignorance or if you’ve never watched the news, but the reason we aren’t making in the tropics is because of the hurricane season. You know, hurricanes; big scary storms; lots of wind and rain, really dangerous and we’ve had to close three braches so far because of them,” her words drew down, her tone grew whiney and mocking and an episode of quiet laughter ran across the table as other board members snickered.  

The older man’s face grew hot pink with either embarrassment or anger, and from a mile away anyone could see that his jaw was clenched. The stocky, sausage fingers of his wrinkled hands clenched into his fist before he stuffed them into his pockets, fuming, “Michael, maybe teach your daughter a little respect,” Priestly glared at her father who sat at the head of the sleek glass table, combating his own proud smile.

Michael cleared his throat, leaning back further into his impressive leather chair, folding his arms and nodding, “Yes. Of course. Good observation Y/n,” he tried to look serious, clearing his throat and nodding stiffly, “But perhaps there are better ways to correct our colleagues,” before Priestly could grumble a remark about Y/n not actually being his colleagues, Y/n’s father continued, “But Roger, maybe next time, read the brief first,” he tapped his tablet screen knowingly.

The rest of the meeting went by mostly uneventfully, save for a few snide remarks traded back and forth between Roger and Y/n. At the end of it, everyone gathered their things, dispersing; heading back to their respective offices. After a quick word with her father about the rest of her tasks for the day, Y/n did the same. Usually, they’d ride the elevator together, but he’d promised her mother a lunch date, and Y/n had opted to stay back at the office.

As she stalked past the receptionists’ desk, one of the young girls, just about Y/n’s age or a little younger; Emily, called her back, “Oh! Miss Warren-”

“Emily, we’ve been over this, you can call me Y/n, we went to middle school together,” Y/n chuckled, rounding back to the large shared desk.  

“Y/n,” Emily smiled politely, “You’re cousin is here, she’s waiting in your office.”

“Great! Thanks,” after pleasant good byes, Y/n went straight to her office, pulling open one side of the mahogany doors, the long silver handle cool in her palm, “Jill I-”

“Surprise!” A cluster of voices yelled in cheery unison. 

Taken a back, Y/n jumped, stumbling back into the already closed door. It took barely a minute for her expression of pure shock, with just a bit of fright mixed it, before her face took on a more excited expression. There in her office, was almost everyone she had called a friend over the past ten years; a few girls her age from the country club her parents frequented, a couple people from college and just some others she’d met at parties and other snazzy events, “Oh my god! What are you guys doing here?”

“We’re here for you, obviously. Jill told us that you’ve committed yourself to these four walls,” a guy, someone who Y/n had met on her very first day of college, Mathew, broke from the small crowd, pulling her into a sideways hug, “And we’re here to tell you, that we won’t stand for that.”

“Matt,” Y/n yelped, hugging him back, “It’s been forever. How is the world of venture capitalism?” She laughed lightly.

“About as fun as it sounds,” he grinned, finally pulling away, going to a cooler that they had somehow managed into her office, and getting out a couple beers, “I’m serious though. We’re taking you on a vacation.”

“In May?” Y/n’s brows furrowed in confusion, “We can’t just-”

“Nuh uh,” Catharine, a young woman her age, who Y/n had known since she was sixteen cut her off, “Relax Y/n/n, it’s a week, not a month. You need to unwind and relax. And you’ve missed at least two birthdays, so you have to make up for those too.”

Y/n sighed, a little excited for the activities in the near horizon, but also a little worried about what her father would think if she just stole away from her work for an entire week. Seeing her tormented expression, Jillian stepped in, placing her hands on Y/n’s shoulders, “I already asked Uncle Michael; he’s okay with it and Aunt Heather thinks that this could be good for you,” Jillian's hands rubbed up and down the silk sleeves of Y/n’s blouse and her eyes pleaded with hers, “Come on cuz, all you’d have to do is pack a bag and grab your passport.”

Y/n worried on her bottom lip, thinking that it might be nice to get away for a week, to wear something other than high heels and skirt suits. Sighing, she rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed, her friends seemed to be holding their breaths in anticipation of her answer and a smile tugged at the corner of Y/n’s lips as she spoke, “Well, where are we going?”

Excited cheers erupted and someone popped a bottle of champagne, quickly handing her a glass. Jillian was the one to propose her toast, and answer Y/’s question, “To beautiful, sexy people, old friends, and yachts in Greece!”

At that, glasses clinked, and everyone drank.

“Hey, whatever happened between you and you sexy movie star friend?” Y/n along with Jillian, Catharine and a couple other ladies were gathered in her closet, helping her pack while everyone else made last minute preparations.

“What sexy movie star?” Amanda, another one of Y/n’s college friends, who had taken her business expertise to Silicon Valley after they graduated asked, “We talked on the phone last week and you didn’t tell me about a movie star. Who was he?”

“He’s hot right?” Catharine interjected, holding up a deep green sundress with happy colorful flowers on it. Briefly, she examined it, then, satisfied, she tossed it into a suitcase.

Another friend, Tracy, the lone doctor of their group giggled at their questions, before asking a couple of her own, “I think the real question is; which one of Hollywood’s silver foxes is Y/n hiding from us. Tell me his last name, an I’ll tell you if I’ve seen his dick.”

Y/n, who had taken a quick shower when they got back to her place, stood in her bathrobe, surveying her selection of bathing suits, “Why would you have seen his dick?”

Tracy scoffed, “You’d be surprised, I make a lot of money on penis enlargements. I’ve seen some pretty famous cocks.”

At that, the girls laughed and Jillian shook her head, “I too have seen famous cocks,” she laughed, “But don’t you have some kind of doctor-patient confidentiality?”

Tracy shrugged and it was Catharine who spoke up again, “I think we’re losing focus here; Y/n slept with a movie star and didn’t tell us. And she won’t even tell us who he was.”

“Or if she’s seen him again,” Amanda inserted.

When Y/n turned to face her friends, holding a bathing suit in each hand, one with a colorful pattern from a season ago and the other a timeless, black, designer bikini, all eyes were on her, expectant and awaiting an answer. Even Jillian, who knew exactly who he was and that Y/n had in fact not slept with him, look amused. “Well, I didn’t tell you because it didn’t happen. We almost had sex. Almost as in someone,” she shot an accusing eye at Jillian, “Interrupted us. And he was Keanu Reeves.”

“Excuse me?” Tracy laughed loudly, dropping the pair of denim shorts she had been holding, “As in Johnny Utah, Jack Traven, and my newest favorite; John Wick. Wow,”  she paused breathlessly, “I’ve actually never seen his dick.”

“Oh” Catharine, an eternal romantic exclaimed, clapping her hands together, “He’s in my favorite movie-”

Before she could even finish, everyone was saying, “Sweet November,” then a little more disconnected, “We know.”

“You should call him,” Amanda suggested matter-of-factly, “That’s a once in a life time opportunity right there.”

“Yeah, okay,” Y/n began sarcastically, “I’ll just pick up my phone and call him, with a number that I don’t have, and ask him to come fuck me on the way to the airport. Hope seven isn’t too much of a crowd,” she ended with a chuckle.

“Like Y/n Warren who has everything at her fingertips can’t get his phone number,” Amanda argued lightly, “You could have anything you want. Any phone number, any address, anything. And that’s what’s stopping you?”

“Yeah,” Y/n gasped, not believing that she was actually being pressured about something like that, “What do you think it is?”

“Fear. He’s nice guy, at least according to everyone who’s ever met him. What if it doesn’t live up to whatever you imagined. You know what they say about nice guys,” Amanda winked and Y/n could have sworn that Tracy whispered something about over achievers.

Jillian was the one who spoke up next, “Well let’s not breath down her back, while we take a minute to consider that this might not be all her fault. Why don’t you tell them what you did.”

Y/n’s cheeks took on a bright pink tint, heat rushing to her ears, “How do you know that?”

“I heard, I was standing like, a foot away.”

Scoffing Y/n shook her head, zipping her suitcase closed and pulling it to the floor, “I.....invited him over. And he never came. There,” she finalized, moving on to finding something to wear to the airport, “He essentially rejected me and that’s it, it was two months ago and I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.

Before anyone in the room could propose otherwise, Mathew was poking his head into the doorway, “I swear I’m not looking,” he put a hand over his eyes, “But we need to get going, the car’s downstairs and the jet’s ready to go.”

Hurriedly, they finished packing and Y/n quickly got dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a grey cable knit sweater, hustling down the stairs, hoping to put the lingering disappointment from Keanu not showing up in the rearview. 

******

Tagging- @baphometwolf666   @a-really-bi-girl​  @paanchu786​

[tsunnychan]

chasing daybreak: the next time

ao3

@shining-jul-of-hope @nicolewrites it’s fluffier this time i swear-

-

ii. the next time you are brunette, and you do.

Mercedes crouches low on the floor, gently reaching out her hand to the new stray that was brought in yesterday evening. Predictably, the poor thing shies away and tucks himself away into the furthest corner of the kennel he’s been placed in, body curling itself around the broken leg Marianne found him with.

Sighing, Mercedes quietly refills the bowl of food and water. She studies the dog’s matted fur and scared eyes, as he watches her actions carefully from his spot by the wall. The way his body tenses makes her grimace.

He’s been abused before.

Once she steps back, the dog visibly relaxes, and Mercedes feels her heart twist. It’ll take him a long time to recover. To trust again.

Rearranging her skirts, she returns to the front to organize his file. Starting up her own branch of the Humane Society with Marianne proved to be a lot of work, but it was worth it, being able to find new homes and new loves for these discarded little ones.

It was tough in the beginning, just the two of them, but their friends pitched in so many volunteer hours, they were able to manage.

Speaking of which… Mercedes checks her watch, remembering how Annette said she was going to bring a new friend along this weekend during her shift. Annette, being her dearest friend since their elementary school years, constantly brought in new volunteers every chance she got, to help support her best friend. Mercedes hums to herself. She ought to bake some more sweets for her next week.

The front door pushes open and Mercedes finds herself face to face with someone oddly familiar. The new girl clutches paperwork in her hands, eyes taking in her surroundings with awe. Once they land on her, she strides forward, her braid swinging behind her. “Would you happen to be Mercedes?”

Mercedes lets her curiosity fade into the background. “Yes, I am. How may I help you?”

The other girl smiles brightly and holds out her hand. “Hi, Mercedes, it’s so nice to finally meet you. I’m Ingrid, the friend Annette told you she was going to bring? Annie sent me a text saying she was running late because her cat was being fussy this morning… so I should go ahead and find you first. To give you the paperwork and everything.”

“Ah yes, Felix is quite the temperamental one. Annie truly does have a lot of patience with him. Well, Ingrid, it’s nice to meet you too. Thank you for coming in and for your interest in helping out. We always love having volunteers, especially ones who have taken care of animals before. Annie mentioned you used to care for horses?”

The expression on Ingrid’s face changes briefly, before it relaxes back into a neutral smile. “Yes, I did. Grooming horses used to be one of my favorite past-times before things got too busy.”

Mercedes nods amicably and reaches out for Ingrid’s papers, scanning through them quickly. “Oh, you attend Garreg Mach University as well?”

Surprise crosses Ingrid’s face. “Yes, I do. Do you?”

She smiles. “Well, I graduated a few years ago, but it is where I met Marianne, the co-owner of this branch. You do seem familiar somehow, have we met before?”

“I’m not sure… perhaps we’ve met in passing?”

Mercedes searches her memories carefully, then it came to her. “Oh! Were you at the Harvest Festival in Fhirdiad maybe a decade ago? I recall watching one girl impressively win the eating competition without breaking a sweat! Though she did have darker blonde hair, but if I’m remembering correctly, she looked a lot like you.”

Ingrid flushes brightly. “I can’t believe you remember that… but yes, that was me. My hair used to be blonde when I was young, it’s been steadily growing darker over the years and, and now I have this.” She gestures to her now brown hair and shrugs. “The stereotype ‘blondes have more fun’ never really applied to me, so I’m not too upset.”

Mercedes laughs lightly and shakes her head. “Well, nevertheless, I am still impressed to this day. I’m glad I can tell you in person this time. Though, if you’re the same year as Annie, why hadn’t I seen you around campus?”

Ingrid smiles sheepishly. “Ah, that might be my fault. My family isn’t very well off, so I was on a sport’s scholarship for the Equestrian team, but I sustained an injury with my horse during one of the competitions and,” she takes a deep breath before continuing, “well, I can’t really compete anymore, so I lost my scholarship. I had to take a year off for recovery and to rehabilitate my horse, then I had to apply for other grants to afford the tuition.”

Mercedes holds her hand out and Ingrid takes it. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Ingrid... the entire situation sounds incredibly difficult. How are you doing now?”

Her eyes are watery, but she gives her a brave smile. “Well, I just moved back to campus, so… better. I’m doing better.”

Mercedes squeezes her hand and smiles. “I’m glad to hear it.”

A few moments of silence pass between them and an idea pops into her head. “Say, Ingrid, while you wait for Annette and for me to go through your paperwork, why don’t you keep one of our new guests company? Marianne brought him in last night and he’s been through a lot. Perhaps your expertise could help coax him out?”

Ingrid flushes again. “I really only have experiences with horses, but I’ll give it a try.”

Smiling gently, Mercedes leads Ingrid back to the kennels. Before pushing through the door, she speaks softly, “he seems to startle easy, so be as quiet as you can.”

Ingrid nods solemnly and her gaze trails over to the ball of ginger fur huddled in the corner. Her heart twists painfully and she has to take an extra second to breathe.

“Are you all right, Ingrid?”

Ingrid blinks and nods. “Yes, sorry… I just, needed a moment.”

Mercedes smiles and gestures toward the kennel. “Take as long as you need. Marianne didn’t find any identification on him, maybe you can come up with a name he’ll respond to.”

“Oh! I—” Ingrid whips her head around, but Mercedes has already gone back to the front, and she’s left alone.

Biting her lip, Ingrid crouches by the kennel and watches the ball of fur tense up at the sound of her clothes. Tentatively, she reaches out a hand and coos, “hey, little guy.”

At her voice, his head cautiously lifts up and Ingrid feels her heart stop when she spots his fearful brown eyes. Moving slowly, she sits fully on the ground and whispers, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

-

Weeks pass by and Ingrid is a regular weekend volunteer, to Mercedes’ delight. She’s been marking the progress Ingrid’s been making and Mercedes couldn’t be more happy. She walks into the back and feels her chest warm at the sight of a certain guest’s nose bumping against Ingrid’s hand, tail wagging more than usual.

As she approaches, she sees him tense for a fraction of a second, before relaxing under Ingrid’s fingers as she gently scratches his ears. Mercedes smiles. “I see he’s trusting a little bit more now. He’s rather affectionate, isn’t he?”

Ingrid laughs softly as he licks her fingers when she moves to scratch under his chin. “He really is. Though from what Annette tells me, he isn’t like this with every volunteer. He’s still got some ways to go.”

Mercedes watches carefully as the dog darts to the corner of his kennel, taking note of his lingering limp, and nudges a ball toward Ingrid, eyes brighter than before. “Has he responded to any names?”

Ingrid nods as she pushes the ball lightly to the far end of the kennel, laughing as he jumps toward it, whole body shaking with his tail. “He seems to like ‘Sylvain’ the most.”

Mercedes tilts her head. “Sylvain?”

Ingrid shrugs as the ball is brought back to her. “I don’t know… it kind of felt like a lost memory. So, I tried it and his ears perked right up.”

Smiling, Mercedes nods. “Sylvain it is.”

-

Months go by and Ingrid remains one of Mercedes’ most dedicated volunteers. Sylvain continues to make progress, allowing her or Marianne to take him for daily walks without much fuss, but he still remains the most affectionate on the weekends Ingrid comes in.

He’s subdued during the weekdays, especially when potential adopting families come see him. He still shies away at sudden, loud noises, and he definitely still cowers when a large number of people surround him.

Yet, every weekend without fail, when Ingrid returns, he’s already by the front of his kennel, tongue out and tail wagging, waiting for her to see him. Mercedes updates Ingrid on his weekday activities and she shakes her head as she crouches low, extending her fingers to scratch his chin, exasperated smile on her face. “What am I going to do with you, Sylvain?”

-

A year later, Annie and Ingrid graduate. Instead of going out to celebrate, the two of them are with Mercedes at the Humane Society and Sylvain is a bundle of energy, darting between the three of them, tail wagging fiercely as he runs circles around Ingrid.

He climbs into her lap and tries to lick her face. Any other time, Ingrid would gently calm him down, but she lets him this time. It’d be the last time… since she’s moving back to Galatea.

Mercedes and Annie notice the change in her mood, and seemingly, so does Sylvain, as he settles down in front of her and bumps her arm with his nose. Ingrid sighs and pets his head absently. “I’m moving back to Galatea… so I won’t be able to keep coming back here.”

Annie’s face falls, but Mercedes reaches out and covers Ingrid’s hand, squeezing tight. “We’ll always be here, if you ever have time to visit.”

Ingrid nods and takes a shaky breath, eyes wet. “Any homes for Sylvain?”

Mercedes shakes her head. “Unfortunately no, he still seems to shy away when too many people come by to visit.”

Ingrid nods again and smiles weakly as Sylvain climbs back into her lap, even though he’s clearly too big to fit comfortably. Mercedes bites her lip. “Since he first got here, he seems to be the most comfortable with you.”

Sighing, Ingrid closes her eyes. “I was afraid of that.”

Annie taps her cheek thoughtfully. “Would you be able to adopt him, Ingrid? Take him with you? I’m sure he’d like that, seeing you every day instead of just two days per week!”

Ingrid looks down at the furball in her lap and snorts. “Yeah, you would like that, wouldn’t you?”

Sylvain looks back at her innocently, but his tail is wagging again, and it shakes his entire body and hers. Mercedes laughs. “He loves you a lot, doesn’t he?”

Ingrid scratches his ears and kisses the top of his head. “I love him too. I’ll recheck my finances and check with my father. Make sure no one in the family is allergic to dogs.”

She turns her attention back to the wiggling bundle in her lap and smiles again. “How does that sound? You want to come home with me?”

She receives an excited bark and another lick to the face in response.

[redrebecca]

Dishes to Dancing

Lots of things happen when you live with Shawn Mendes, but one of the most enjoyable is the impromptu dance parties that come with his company.

Warning(s): Nope

A/N: This idea came to me the other day and I thought it was kinda cute. Hope you enjoy it, remember feedback is always appreciated. Have a nice day! 

Words: 1.3k

*

You scrubbed the dish whilst admiring the soft hues that painted the sky behind the CN tower.

 Since moving into Shawn’s apartment, Toronto hadn’t failed to amaze you. In fact the first month of living there, you were hardly ever in the apartment, but instead you were down on the streets exploring all the hidden gems of the city. Shawn had been unexplainably excited to have someone to learn more about Toronto with, as in his first year in his apartment he had only left his condo to go to the studio, his family home and occasionally down the same main road to get his groceries.

However he insisted on wearing a ridiculous ‘disguise’ (which consisted of a dirty blonde wig you had worn for Halloween once, a duffel coat ‘to hide the tattoos’ he’d told you before putting it on in the middle of summer, it was fair to say he had ditched the jacket 10 minutes in, and some horribly fitting glasses), which no matter how much you told him it would only attract more attention to him, he would adamantly deny it, claiming that he’d watched enough spy films to know how to pull off a good disguise.

You also recall the day after when you had actually fallen off the couch laughing when he had begrudgingly shown you the news article he had been looking at for at least 10 minutes. The headline “New look for Shawn Mendes?” hovered above a photo of a guy that, despite the wig that was barely covering his hair and the glasses that were halfway down the bridge of his nose that made him look like a stereotypical librarian, was unmistakably Shawn Mendes. You teased him endlessly about that every time you went out on your morning walk to your favourite coffee shop.

You threw the damp towel at him as he walked past, giggling when he jumped slightly as it hit him straight in the face before falling to the floor. He bent over to pick the cloth of the floor and raised an eyebrow at you.

“You’ve got help me out here Mendes, I’m not washing and drying mister” You teased, poking your index finger onto his chest. He pulled back, a hand reaching up to his chest where you’d just prodded and gasped mockingly.

“You did not just get dish water on my new Calvin Klein shirt” he exclaimed dramatically

“At the price you paid for that,” you gestured with your hand to his shirt ��you could have bought a waterproof coat to stop you getting dish water on you but…” You trailed off, placing the hand that you had behind your back into the sink, submerging it with the warm water “You didn’t” and with that you reached forward with your soaking wet hand and wiped it all over his clothed torso. This time his gasp was genuine, his facial expression morphed into one of shock and disbelief.

“You did not just do that” He breathed, not sure how he should react to the situation

“I think I did, now start drying before I get even more water on you” you chuckled at his stunned expression as you turned your back on him to continue the washing up. When Shawn returned to your side and started drying up, it took you a second to realise that he was topless.

“Shawn what are you doing?” you stopped momentarily to face him, trying your hardest to focus on his face instead of his perfectly toned body.

He glanced sideways at you before going back to drying a chopping board you had cleaned earlier. Oh, so he was giving you the silent treatment. You initially tried to ignore him ignoring you but you couldn’t stand the silence for long. So you turned on the speaker and put the ‘favourite songs’ playlist the two of you had made months ago on shuffle, smiling slightly when you heard Give me love by Ed Sheeran start to play. During 9 to 5 you started to sway your hips slightly ‘accidently’ bumping your hip into his and brushing his bare arm with the space just below your breast as you leant over to place a mug on the draining board, biting back a smirk when you heard his breath hitch in his throat. You both knew he wouldn’t be able to keep it up for much longer.

When the familiar opening to ‘inside out’, the song you had re-named as Shawn’s salsa song, filled the room, you could tell by Shawn’s body language that he was at breaking point with the whole trying to ignore you thing. This was he song the two of you always danced to and knowing Shawn better than you knew yourself, for the first time since the start of his little game, you made no attempt to touch him, in fact you moved a step away from him, knowing that he simply wouldn’t be able to handle the distance between him and you. Sure enough, about twenty seconds into the song, you noticed his eyes start to flick back and forth between the bowl he was drying and you, failing miserably at trying to be inconspicuous. The song was nearing on 45 seconds when his hips started to sway to the upbeat rhythm of the song. You recognised this as the beginning stages of ‘Salsa Shawn’. The cracks in his exterior were so evident you were sure he was going to give up any time soon. Surely enough when the chorus hit, you felt him grab your hand and next thing you knew, you were being spun around in a circle. When he had stopped spinning you, he pulled you into his naked chest, but this time he didn’t react when you placed your wet hands on his back, if anything he held you impossibly closer.

“M’sorry” He murmured into your hair, inhaling the sweet smell of your shampoo he loved so much, he would never admit it but when he went on tour, he would always steal a spare bottle from your side of the bathroom cabinet. That way he would smell of you, he would smell of home.

“I’m sorry too, now, may I have this dance señor?” You jokingly bowed slightly, your hand outstretched.

“Of course señorita” He said in his best Spanish accent. When he grasped your hands and positioned himself so he wasn’t too far away but wasn’t so close that he’d end up tripping over you (because he had done that several times before), the smile radiated off of his face, you beamed back at him as he started to move his hips to the beat, you following his lead shortly after. Soon you were in your own little world, dancing around your kitchen. Shawn occasionally spinning you around making you squeal. You both burst out laughing when you tried to spin him, but instead of him twirling, the height difference caused you to hit his face with your arm as you tried to reach above his head.

Before you knew it the song had ended and you were tugged into his chest once again. You felt his warm breath in the crook of your neck and his soft curls brushed against your cheek. Your hands travelled up to his hair to rake your fingernails across his scalp. He let out a soft moan, wrapping his arms even tighter around you as you lightly scratched his favourite place.

“I love you so much Shawn” You felt him smile into your neck before he pressed a gentle kiss to your sweet spot, just under your ear.

“I love you even more honey” And with that he removed his head from your neck and swiftly attached his lips to yours to stop you from arguing that you loved him more.

“No, I lo-“you managed to breathe out when he broke the kiss for a millisecond

“Shut up” he murmured before pressing his soft lips back onto yours, silencing you again, because he knew words could never describe how much he loved you.

[msjr0119]

Love, Fate, Destiny

Part 4 - Cordonia Bound

Riley Brooks is a waitress in a ‘Dive bar” in New York. One Saturday night, her past comes back to haunt her as some unfamiliar punters enter her bar on a bachelor party- one of them being someone who she was once close to.

*CHARACTERS BELONG TO PIXELBERRY*

** Some quotes are from The Royal Romance**

Tags- @annekebbphotography @burnsoslow @ladyangel70 @drakesensworld @butindeed @bbrandy2002 @bascmve01 @drakewalker04 @pedudley @captain-kingliamsqueen @duchessemersynwalker @insideamirage @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @kozabaji @texaskitten30 @ibldw-main @kimmiedoo5 @nikkis1983 @dangerouseggseagleartisan @gnatbrain @walker7519 @lodberg @cmestrella @hopefulmoonobject @addictedtodrakefanfic @angi15h @liamxs-world @rafasgirl23415

******

After her night out with her friends, Riley returned to her apartment and began quickly packing a suitcase- throwing essential things in. Not really knowing what to pack due to her drunk mind- her suitcase was bulging. Beth decided to help her pack and the two women sat on the suitcase hoping the bulge would disappear. Struggling to close it shut, they eventually did it, nearly breaking the zip- both out of breath.

The morning after, Beth had offered to drive a nerve wrecked Riley to the airport. Slightly regretting agreeing to this, panic began to take over. Her hands became clammy, her heart began to hammer. Could she actually do this? No backing out now.

******

Riley arrived in Cordonia after a long flight, just before the flight had landed she took in the beautiful views that Cordonia had to offer. She had often wondered why Drake would want to uproot from this paradise.

Collecting her bag from the carousel, she headed over to the pick up area- feeling nervous about meeting a man she had only met the once. It was like a blind date. Taking a deep breath, she scoured the waiting area. Anxious about what was going to happen, she heard her name being screeched.

“RILEYYYY!”

Riley turned slowly to the direction that the voice was coming from. She noticed Maxwell, holding a sign ‘Hot New York Waitress’. For fucks sake- she thought. Was this going to be her nickname from now on. Besides she wasn’t a waitress anymore- she had informed her manager through text that she wasn’t returning to work, he was pissed with her giving him no notice but she didn’t care. Now was the time to be selfish. If she ever returned to New York there would be plenty of other waitressing jobs available.

“Hey, Maxwell. Is that my nickname- ‘Hot New York waitress’? You know most people call me Riley or Ri for short.”

“Well it’s my nickname for you- for the moment. Unless we can think of another one...How about blossom? Blossom on a tree is beautiful like you, your precious and by the end of this social season you are going to bloom into the most perfect ‘fake’ noble lady around. By the way most people call me Max for short. Come on, let me take your case and let’s get out of here!”

Riley gazed at Max, was he attempting to flirt? Or was he just genuinely a nice down to earth guy. Blossom was better than Hot New York waitress, so she agreed. She insisted on pulling her own suitcase, but lost the battle as the young gentleman wouldn’t allow her to ‘pull a muscle’. They entered the SUV borrowed from the palace. On arrival to Ramsford, Riley couldn’t believe the sight- it was stunning. The land was huge, the greenery and flowers that surrounded it provided a soft fragrance that drifted around the manor.

“Welcome to my home Little blossom, it’s not as grand as most places, but it’s home.”

“Are you kidding me? It’s amazing! I bet your bathroom is as big as my whole apartment!”

Maxwell laughed at her, she was like a kid in a candy shop. The manor had deteriorated in the last few years due to the Beaumont’s financial situation. Maxwell took Riley for a tour around the manor- her mouth was agape the whole time.

“You think this is nice- just wait until you see the Palace.”

“Is it like living in a fairytale?” Riley sounded cliche but the sights she was already seeing was a real eye opener about how other people live.

“Of course! I can’t wait to take you there later. Liam went to the boutique before and picked you up a choice of dresses for your grand entrance into court.”

“My what?” Reality finally hit Riley. She wasn’t a waitress from New York anymore.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. As soon as you enter, you’ll tell the herald your name and title so you can be announced. What’s your surname?”

“Brooks.”

“Ah that’s why Drake called you Brooks. That did confuse me a bit. Well as you’re part of my house- you are technically now known as a Lady. How would you like to be pronounced? Lady Riley Brooks of House Beaumont or Lady Riley of New York. The choice is up to you.”

“Erm, is just Lady Riley fine?”

“Of course. Come on, let’s try these dresses on. I bet Drake won’t be able to take his eyes off of you. We will have some lunch, just chill- then head to the palace.”

Maxwell and Riley spent some time getting to know one another. Maxwell couldn’t believe that Drake would keep her a secret- she was like a hidden gem. He knew that he liked her instantaneously and that they were going to be the best of friends or BFF’s as he told her.

*****

Maxwell handed Riley the two dress bags- one contained a white angel style dress and the other a red Devil style dress, both accompanied with a glittery matching mask. Maxwell explained that the white dress would prove that she and Drake are ‘a match made in heaven’ - and that the red dress would make her look that hot she would be almost be on fire. Riley decided to choose the red dress, it cling onto her curves effortlessly with it being form-fitting, showing off her perfect body.

“Oh Riley, you look beautiful.”

“Thank you. But isn’t this a bit too much?”

Maxwell smiled at Riley’s naivety, she was going to get a big shock when she saw all the outfits that were due to come with every event.

“Nah, you look perfect. I’ll let Liam know that we are ready to head over to the palace. Throughout the social season we will all be staying there. It’ll be like one big sleepover.”

*****

As the doors opened to the grand looking ballroom, Maxwell and Riley were announced by the herald. Linking arms, Maxwell noticed that Riley was shaking. This whole situation was new to her- of course she was going to be a nervous wreck.

“Ri, are you okay? I need to find my brother, Bertrand to talk to him for a sec. I’ll introduce you to Lady Hana Lee, she is lovely. I think you’ll both get on like a house on fire. I don’t want you to mingle on your own.”

Riley nodded, as Maxwell introduced her to Hana, she believed that this woman was like an angel- she reminded her of her friend Beth. Hana gave the impression that she was caring, friendly and very talented. Riley could tell that Hana didn’t like to ‘show off’ about all her secret talents but she really needed to. This woman was amazing. An inspiration. She wasn’t stereotyped as the normal kind of noble. Hana began to whisper to Riley explaining who everyone was- she was grateful for this as Maxwell must have forgotten to do this when he rushed off.

“So what do you think of the masquerade ball so far?”

“It’s wonderful.”

“I can tell you are going to enjoy yourself. To be honest, I’m glad Maxwell introduced us. It’s very refreshing to be around someone who’s excited.”

“Fancy Gala’s are just second nature to you?”

“When you’ve gone to as many as I have, they can lose their charm. Unless, of course you find the right companions, please excuse me Lady Riley there’s someone I need to greet. Catch up with you later?”

Riley felt anxious being left on her own, just then someone tapped her on her shoulder making her jump- nearly knocking the sparkling champagne out of her hand.

“Oh my god, Liam. You scared me!”

“Sorry Lady Riley. You look absolutely breathtaking. I’m glad you arrived safely. I’d like to introduce you to someone. This is Duchess Olivia Nevrakis.”

Olivia glared up and down Riley’s body. She felt intimidated by the commoner who had unexpectedly turned up to court.

“Nice to meet you, Duchess Olivia.”

Liam nudged Olivia as she didn’t respond, his baby blues pleading with her jade green eyes to be polite back.

“You too, Lady Riley.” She replied forcing a fake smile. When Liam called Riley ‘breathtaking’ jealousy hit the Duchess. Liam had promised that he would make her his Queen, Olivia believed she would definitely win the competition and that Liam would keep to his word. Lady Hana seemed too sensitive to be Queen, Lady Kiara was an intelligent woman who was multilingual but she seemed more career minded- and then there was Lady Penelope who talked about her poodles non-stop, with this Olivia believed Penny also wouldn’t cope with being Queen. But after meeting Riley she was having second thoughts. She had the perfect body, beautiful natural brown curls, a smile that lit up the room. Would Liam stray? Paranoia occurred in the Duchess’s mind.

Liam kissed Riley on her hand, before whispering to her that Drake was over at the bar. Riley focused the gaze towards the man she loved and ambled over in his direction. Drake noticed a woman entering his space, he provided a nod and gave a stiff bow. He really wasn’t interested in these courtly manners- but felt the need to force it for Liam’s sake.

“Good evening, my lady.”

Riley bit her lip, trying to prevent herself from laughing. This was the first time she had witnessed Drake having such polite manners.

“I didn’t know you had manners.” Riley said smirking- he wasn’t the Drake Walker she knew.

“Ri-Riley? Is that you?” Disbelieved, he must have had to much whiskey he thought to himself.

“Yeah. Didn’t you recognise the lady you apparently love?” Riley placed a comforting hand on her lover, before he abruptly brushed her away. Her bottom lip began to tremble- why is he being like that?

“What the fuck are you doing here? You can’t be here!”

“What do you think I’m doing here? Liam asked me to come, to be with you Drake. But I have to be part of his social season. Maxwell is sponsoring me.”

“Go home now!”

“Why are you being like this? I thought you would be pleased!”

“Pleased to see you - yes! Pleased you are part of a social season -no! You don’t understand how vicious this court is! Go home, Brooks!”

“It’s so vicious but you’re still here, if it was that bad you wouldn’t stay. I did this for you. I’m still jetlagged and I abandoned New York for you. You know what, fuck you Drake!”

“Riley! I came back to pack and was coming back to New York tomorrow- to be with you. Riley!”

Riley didn’t hear him as she stormed off wiping away her tears- she was regretting this move already. Drake noticed Hana try to comfort her, Maxwell joined the two ladies and attempted to help too. Frowning towards Drake, Max shook his head. Not even 24hours of being here and Drake had already made her cry. Drake’s heart was telling him to run over to her, but his head told him otherwise.

“Liam, a word outside. NOW!”

[morningfears]

Mutual

Rating: M | This is smut. No one under 18.

Summary: Fratboy!Shawn | You’ve been friends with Shawn since you started college. You’ve wanted him almost as long. Now, you’re learning that the feeling is mutual. (Also: “You’re cute when you’re jealous.” + “This hug isn’t over yet.” from prompts.)

Word Count: 3.6k

A familiar scent, the combination of cheap weed and even cheaper beer, crashes over you like a wave the moment you step foot into the fraternity house. You can feel the pounding of the bass beneath your feet, can feel it thumping in your chest, and you find yourself smiling at the sensation. It’s been months since you’ve stepped for into this house, even longer since you’ve been inside for a party, and you find your smile widening as you catch sight of friends lingering about the crowded living room.

You no longer feel claustrophobic, no longer feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people packed into the house, as you wade through the sea of party goers. It’s second nature now, almost automatic, for you to return greetings and embraces, shouting over the music to be heard. You allow the sea of people to push you along like an ocean current and, in no time, you reach the makeshift bar just as you’d intended.

The scene in front of you feels familiar, almost as if it’s where you’re meant to be, and you relax against the wall as you survey the crowd in search of the most familiar faces. Being back on campus, back in the swing of things, feels like coming home and the thought almost makes you laugh.

Two years ago, the thought that you would be standing in this very spot would’ve made you laugh. You had no intention of ever attending a frat party, let alone making them a regular part of your semester, but life is funny that way. It gives you things that it knows you need rather things that you think you want.

The same, you think as you spot a familiar mess of curly brown hair, can be said of people.

Shawn cranes his neck and makes eye contact with you over the head of one of the other brothers, eyes shining with happiness when you offer him a smile, before he begins making his way through the sea of people to get to you. You catch flashes of him through the crowd and you can feel the excitement swirling in the pit of your stomach.

Two years ago, you’d had no intention of becoming friends with Shawn or anyone like him. Upon first glance, you determined that he was just the kind of guy that you wanted to avoid. He looked the part of your stereotypical frat bro, the ones that you always see in movies and love to hate (still does, actually, you think as you catch sight of his outfit). He can party with the best of them, can go harder than most of them, actually. And he carries his guitar with him no matter where he goes (you can’t help but laugh as you remember your first time meeting Shawn. You drunkenly yelled, “No one wants to hear your version of Wonderwall, jackass,” at him and he immediately dissolved into a fit of laughter because he hadn’t even taken his guitar out of the case yet).

But despite your early judgement and initial reluctance, or maybe because of it, you and Shawn have managed to become incredibly close.

Although you and Shawn are the closest pair in your group of friends, your relationship is hard to define (even to the two of you). You’re not dating, not friends with benefits, but you’re more than just friends. You both know that there’s something between you, something bubbling just beneath the surface, it’s just a matter of it not having boiled over yet.

But as Shawn emerges from the sea of partygoers, a grin on his lips and his arms open wide for a hug, you decide that you’re tired of waiting. You’re tired of stepping around the subject and hesitating. You believe, with near certainty, that what you feel for Shawn is mutual. So, you decide that you’re going to jump.

You just hope that Shawn is there to catch you.

Shawn wraps you in a hug, arms tight around your shoulders, and cheers, “You finally made it back!” He holds you close to his chest, leaves no space between the two of you, and you can feel the vibration of his voice in his chest as he continues. “I was getting worried. You’re usually the first one of us back into town.”

“It just seems like I took longer because you didn’t go home for the summer,” you point out with a laugh as you wrap your arms around his waist and melt into the embrace. “My move-in wasn’t until yesterday. I would’ve come back sooner if I could’ve but only band kids and Greeks got early move-in.”

“See, you should’ve gone Greek,” Shawn teases, “look at the perks.” You roll your eyes but laugh at his reasoning as you attempt to pull away from the hug. Shawn groans and tightens his arms around you as he huffs, “No! This hug isn’t over yet. I missed you, honey. It’s been three months since we’ve seen each other.” You laugh at his clinging but relent and let him keep you pressed against his chest as he continues, “How does it feel to finally have a place all to yourself, no more nightmare roommates?”

“Feels so good,” you laugh as you bury your face in the soft material of his t-shirt. “You should come visit sometime,” you suggest as you sneak a peek at his face, “no more nightmare roommates to kick you out at midnight or wake us up if we fall asleep on the couch.”

He’s grinning, cheeks flushed from the heat and the alcohol, and his hair is a curly mess but you’re reminded of why you fell so hard for him in the first place. “I will,” he nods, a laugh rumbling in his chest as he begins swaying the two of you from side to side. “You know the first place I’m going is your bed, right? You’ve been talking about how comfortable it is for two years. I have to see it to believe it.”

You don’t even give yourself time to think as you quip, “You’re welcome in my bed anytime, Mendes.”

“That’s good to know,” Shawn returns, no longer swaying the two of you but still not letting you go, “I’ll remember that for later.”

You don’t respond. Instead, the two of you stand, soaking in the too-loud music of the party around you. Shawn’s staring at you, his eyes locked on your form, as you stare out at the crowd. It’s been too long since he’s seen you, too long since he’s held you, and he doesn’t want to let go any time soon. But he knows that he needs to because., despite whatever feelings linger between the two of you, nothing is official. While the two of you are usually fairly touchy with one another, the embraces rarely linger this long in public and he’s not quite sure where you draw the line.

So, reluctantly, Shawn releases you from his arms (but not without one final squeeze) before he sighs, “I’m glad you’re back. It was boring without you here all summer.”

“I’m sure,” you laugh as you grab two cups of beer from the bar and hand one to Shawn. “You got to spend the summer living in a frat house with the guys, drinking and playing guitar. It had to have been the worst. Wanna go outside so we don’t have to yell?”

Shawn nods and grabs your hand to lead you through the sea of partygoers. He intertwines his fingers with yours, unable to help himself, and you try to hide your smile at the feeling of his hand in yours. Once outside on the patio, Shawn takes a seat on the steps and gestures for you to take a seat beside him. “Some of the summer was fun,” he relents, returning to the conversation seamlessly as he wraps his arm around your shoulders and pulls you into his side, “living with the guys, mostly. But the rest of it sucked. Those presentations at orientation? They were the worst.”

“Oh, I forgot you had to do that,” you hum absentmindedly as you tap your fingers along his thigh. “I’ll bet. I heard the freshman class is huge this year. But I bet it would’ve been nice seeing you in those slacks they make you wear. You stopped putting effort into dress up days last semester and, frankly, you should be ashamed, Mendes. Robbing the world of seeing you in those pants, what a dick thing to do.”

Shawn laughs loudly at this and shakes his head at your teasing but you can see the light dusting of pink on his cheeks when you glance at him out of the corner of your eye. “I’ll be sure to put more effort in this semester,” he promises, “just for you.”

“That’s all I ask,” you nod, unable to maintain your serious facade as you giggle at his expression.

Shawn finishes the rest of his beer, hesitates for a moment, before he asks, “So, what did you do this summer? You never really said when we talked.”

“Wasn’t much to tell,” you shrug before you follow suit and down the rest of your beer with a grimace. “I worked, mostly. That ice cream place I was telling you about? It sucked, in case you were wondering. I helped my mom around the house when I wasn’t working. That’s about it. Nothing exciting like, oh, I don’t know. Being followed around by a group of incoming freshman?”

“Ugh,” he groans, tossing his head back with a frown, “they told you about that? Those assholes.”

“Oh, don’t blame this one on our friends,” you laugh as you nudge his side. “My cousin was among the incoming freshman that fell in love with you. Sorry about that, by the way.”

Shawn groans even louder and moves to bury his face in the crook of your neck. “Changing subjects,” he breathes as he finally picks himself back up and settles back into an upright position beside you, “anything happen with that guy Britt said you went out with?”

“Ugh,” you huff, “she promised she wouldn’t say anything. No. He’s someone my mom set me up with. She wouldn’t stop until we went out. He was nice but I wasn’t interested. Why?”

“Just curious,” he shrugs as he grabs your hand from his thigh and treats the rings on your fingers as if they’re the most interesting things in the world. He does a poor job of concealing his jealousy and you can’t help but grin. 

“You’re cute when you’re jealous, Mendes,” you laugh. Before Shawn can retort, you’re shrugging off his arm and standing from your seat on the stairs. You hesitate for a brief moment, wonder if this will ruin your friendship, before you decide, fuck it. You might as well.

“You have no reason to be jealous,” you hum, “I wasn’t interested in him because I’m interested in you. I’m going to get another drink if you want to come.” Shawn stares for a moment, blinking in disbelief at the space you’d just occupied, before he’s scrambling up from his seat on the steps and shoving through the crowd after you.

Shawn catches up to you as you stand at the edge of a dense crowd that’s formed around the bar. He stands behind you, his arms wind around your waist, as you frown at the crowd and ask, “What’s going on?”

“Body shots,” the guy to your right informs you with a glance at the two of you. “You guys should go for it!”

You think for a moment before you shrug. You’ve already jumped, why not keep falling. So, you turn your head toward Shawn and ask, “Are you okay with body shots?”

He looks at you for a moment, gauging the look on your face, before he nods. “Hell yeah,” he agrees, even more readily than he would have before now that he knows how you feel about him. And that’s enough for the tipsy brother beside you to begin nudging the two of you toward the makeshift bar.

You’re jostled through the crowd, Shawn’s arms loose enough around your waist but tight enough to keep you close, for a moment before you’re standing in front of the makeshift bar just as the previous couple is finishing up. You bite your lip to keep from laughing as one of the girls complains about her skirt sticking to her skin while the other complains about the accidental blow to the head she’d taken when her partner sat up too quickly.

“I promise I won’t hit you in the head,” you laugh as you glance back at Shawn, “just try to make sure I’m not completely covered in tequila, please.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Shawn agrees with a smile as he helps you up onto the not-so-sturdy surface and reaches for the hem of your shirt. “Can I?”

“Go for it,” you nod as you lean back and attempt to keep your hair from touching the sticky surface.

Shawn nudges your top up and bunches it around your ribcage as you take the lime between your lips. You can’t see what’s happening (when you attempt to better position yourself to see Shawn, he nudges you back down with a, “I thought you didn’t want to be completely covered in tequila. Lie back.”) and it’s driving you crazy as you brace yourself.

“This okay for the salt?” Shawn asks as he grabs the salt and brushes your collarbone with his fingers.

You nod but remain silent. He searches your face for any sign of hesitation before he repeats the motion and leans in.

As you feel Shawn’s tongue brush your skin, you want to thread your fingers through his hair and pull him into a kiss but you refrain. Instead, you clench your hands into fists and struggle to keep your breathing even as he nips at the skin teasingly before he moves to lap at the tequila.

The wolf whistles surrounding you fade into background noise and the lights above the bar are no longer blinding as you focus on the feeling of Shawn’s tongue lapping at the sticky tequila coating your skin. He spends a moment longer than necessary, drags his tongue over your heated skin, and places a barely there peck just above your hipbone before he moves to bring his face to yours.

The moment you meet his eyes, it’s over. The usual warm brown is gone, replaced by an almost black, and you can’t help yourself as you give in to the urge and reach up to tangle your fingers in his curls. His lips brush yours as he takes the lime and you find yourself resisting a new urge, the urge to toss the lime away and pull him into a kiss right then and there.

But you manage, you untangle your fingers from his hair and close your eyes to get him out of your head, and allow him to step away from you. He gives you a moment to breathe, a smirk on his lips as he begins to realize the effect he has on you, before he tugs the hem of your shirt down and helps you off the bar.

Shawn doesn’t give you much time to gather yourself before he’s tugging you back through the crowd and toward the stairs. You can hear the wolf whistles of friends behind you, can hear the cheering of strangers, but you pay them no mind as you allow Shawn to tug you up the stairs behind him.

He doesn’t stop until the two of you are safely in his room, the door closed and locked behind you. You half expect him to say something, to mention the conversation you’d walked away from outside, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pins you against the door and leans in to capture your lips in a searing kiss. His hands are on your hips, fingers digging into your skin, and yours are tangled in his hair as you melt into the kiss.

Actually feeling his lips on yours after what feels like ages of imagining what could be has you lightheaded but you refuse to pull away. Instead, you press yourself impossibly closer and tug at the strands between your fingers as he nips at your bottom lip.

“I’m into you, too,” he breathes, the moment he pulls away, “felt like you should know.”

“I figured,” you nod as you tug at the hem of his t-shirt, “but thanks for telling me, anyway. Good to actually hear it.”

Shawn grins and places just enough space between the two of you to tug his t-shirt up and over his head before he’s back, pressed against you and staring at you with lust blown eyes. “Fuck, I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he breathes as he slips his hands beneath the fabric of your shirt. “Can I?” he questions as he grips the hem of your top.

“Please,” you nod, “do whatever. I’ll tell you if I want you to stop.”

“I wanted this to be different,” he breathes as you begin pressing kisses to his exposed chest, “wanted this to be better.”

“We’ll just have to keep trying until it’s perfect,” you offer before you place a teasing nip to his collarbone, “maybe at my place? I did give you an open invitation to my bed.” Shawn groans at your words but before he can retort, you add, “But for now, just fuck me, please.”

“Gladly,” he nods before his fingers pop the button of your jeans. The moment you’re out of your jeans, the moment they’re kicked away to the depths of his room, Shawn’s hands are on your ass and he’s breathing, “Jump,” against your skin.

You wrap your legs around Shawn’s waist and begin trailing kisses down the column of his throat as he carries you across the room to his bed. He groans at the sensation, stills for a moment to feel you nipping and marking his skin, before he drops you unceremoniously onto the mattress. You watch, feeling almost too eager, as he shoves his own jeans off and climbs onto the bed to join.

His lips meet yours once more and you decide that kissing Shawn is your new favorite activity. And as you kiss, you focus on the feeling of his body pressed against yours. You can feel the heat of his skin so clearly, can feel the pleasant weight of him against you, and it’s bordering on overwhelming. It takes a moment for you to gather yourself but when you remember what you’d rushed up the stairs to do, you delight in the fact that you can feel every muscle in his body tense as you dip your hand past the waistband of his underwear.

But your joy doesn’t last long as Shawn matches your enthusiasm and nudges your panties to the side. “Fuck, you’re so wet for me already,” he breathes against your lips as you break the kiss to catch your breath.

“Want you,” you breathe as if it’s the most obvious thing, “fuck me, please.”

The next few moments are a blur of movement as Shawn shimmies out of his underwear and helps you out of yours. Your bra is hanging off a lamp, your underwear lands squarely on his desk, but neither of you care as his hands roam your overheated skin. You want to cry out in relief as he slots himself between your thighs and you feel his cock against your skin. He doesn’t make you ask again, doesn’t give you the chance, as he reaches for a condom in his nightstand.

The moment he finishes rolling it onto his length, he’s coating his cock in your wetness and positioning himself at your entrance. “You sure?” he questions, one final time.

When you breathe an affirmative, Shawn nods and begins to sink into your heat. The moment he’s fully inside you, he buries his face in the crook of your neck and you can feel his breath against your skin as he attempts to calm himself. It feels incredible, having him inside of you, and after a moment of adjustment, you give him the okay to move.

He’s mesmerized by the sounds that leave your lips as he sets a moderate pace and slips his hand between your bodies to rub your clit. He lifts his head to watch your face and his heart is pounding in his chest as he wills himself to last but it’s so overwhelming, being inside of you after wanting this for so long.

It’s almost embarrassing how quickly he manages to make you fall over the edge but he’s glad for it as he follows shortly after. He stills inside of you for a moment, chest pressed against yours and mouth open as he buries his face in the crook of your neck once more.

“That wasn’t how I imagined this happening,” he informs you as he settles onto the bed beside you and pulls you into him.

“Still good, though,” you shrug as you rest your head on his shoulder.

“Yeah,” he agrees quickly, “so good.” He pauses for a moment before he adds, “I really am into you, you know. Obviously, I want to do this again, but I want to take you out.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” you hum as you tilt your head to meet his gaze. “Want to get breakfast in the morning?”

“Sounds good,” he nods, “and then maybe I can take you up on that invitation into your bed?”

“Sounds even better.”

Author’s Note: It feels like it’s been ten years since I’ve written actual smut. And, I mean, this isn’t actual smut. It’s smut adjacent. Which is why I labeled it as smut. I don’t know. Anyway, I was just feeling fratboy!Shawn. This is my first time writing an actual fic for him and it was fun. I’m here for it. Okay, I’m gonna go read for class (the reading I should’ve done a week ago) now.

[killjoy-loveit]

Breaking the Pattern

A/N: I would like to clarify that everything written in this story is complete fiction and isn’t to be taken as a true portrayal of reality. Tbh I personally think this piece is soft af, but that’s just me *shrugs*

Excerpt: Pursing your lips and flicking your eyes up, you’re ready to explain when the words catch in your throat. The guy standing in front of you is probably the most attractive person you’d ever laid eyes on.

Word Count: 1,608

Genre: Fluff (?)

    Life had always seemed rather trivial to Joshua. Personality wasn’t as valued as productiveness, so he learned how to box his playful/bubbly nature up and set it to the side. In doing so, he felt stifled, as anyone would. Boredom came the easiest when at work, sitting behind a computer all day- fixing problem after problem as they popped up. There were times he lost himself in daydreams filled with excitement and freedom, but each time it would end and his bubble of happiness was lost.

    It’s on a day like any other, solving problems behind the scenes for the company, when he decides he’s had enough. How long is he supposed to constrain himself to fit in? To become the perfect worker? Fingers flying over the keyboard, a resignation is quickly typed without an ounce of hesitation. Jumping up he rushes to the printer, snatching the paper the second it pops out and quickly jotting down his signature.

    Once he’s out of his office he makes his way to the elevator, pressing the button to go up. Joshua’s foot taps restlessly, the elevator feels like it’s going slower than usual. Finally it arrives and he squeezes in, punching the number of the floor his boss is on. Around him people chatter about meetings needing to be set, mergers that are happening soon, and the accounting period that’s about to end. Thankfully the elevator appears to be moving faster and it isn’t long before he exits, leaving the corporate chatter behind.

    A quick knock on the door grants him a barked, “Come in.”

    Entering the office Joshua comes to stand in front of his boss’ desk. She looks up at him, a small smile appearing briefly before speaking. “Joshua, one of my star employees. How can I help you?”

    “I’m putting in my two weeks notice. Here’s my resignation letter.” He replies, handing the paper over to her.

    Her mouth drops open, confusion apparent on her face as she takes his resignation letter. “Why are you resigning? Do we not pay you enough? Did another company poach you?”

    Joshua shakes his head, “No, that’s not it. It has nothing to do with another company nor my pay here.”

    “Is there any way we can make you stay? You’re such a valued employee, it would be a shame to lose you.”

    “Sorry, this is just something I have to do for myself.” He says affirmatively, shifting from one foot to the other.

    “Well… Alright. There are some papers I need you to fill out then, just let me find them.”

    And just like that, an end was put to his corporate career. That is, after his final two weeks pass, and then he’s free. Those two weeks seem to dredge on, time moving at the speed of molasses. Then finally his last day comes and as he leaves at the end of the day, there’s a smile present that is a prime example of pure elation.

    In the past two weeks Joshua had been planning on what to do once he left his corporate job. A few ideas were scratched out almost immediately after writing them down, as the logistics just didn’t seem to work out quite right. It was the thirteenth item on the list that struck gold: moving to the small coastal town a few hours away and either find work or open his own business. What the business would be he’d yet to figure out- but he was certain something would come to him. Thus the next day, after his last of corporate work, all of his stuff was quickly packed away into a moving truck and he was off.

                              ***Time Jump & POV Switch***

    Distraught as you were with the cash register deciding now was a good time to stop functioning, the tinkling sound meant to alert you of an incoming customer completely missed you. A groan of frustration slipped past your lips as you, unsuccessfully, tried to get the cash drawer to pop open. Come on, come on, come on! Even with these desperate words on replay in your mind, the drawer refused to cooperate. At this point you were about to give up and call the guy who owned the repair shop down the street. Admitting defeat and getting help would definitely make more sense than increasing your anger at the register.

    “Stupid. Freaking. Junk!” Each word came out harsh and was accentuated by a small wack to the offending object.

    “I don’t think hitting it is going to help anything.” Someone chuckles across from you.

    Pursing your lips and flicking your eyes up, you’re ready to explain when the words catch in your throat. The guy standing in front of you is probably the most attractive person you’d ever laid eyes on. Well, not probably, he most definitely is. His dark chocolate colored hair falls gently over his forehead, only a few wisps stray in an attempt to cover his eyes. Eyes that are looking at you in amusement, joined by a teasing grin.

    “Um… It won’t open, it’s been finicky since yesterday and nothing I do seems to make it open right now. I guess I’m getting a bit too frustrated.” You comment shyly, hand rubbing at the back of your neck.

    His head tilts slightly. “Would you mind if I took a look at it? I promise I’m not trying to rob you or anything- I worked at a store during college that used this kind of register. It always liked to act up too.”

    Brows furrowing and eyes narrowing, you gave him a cursory glance. In a soft gray sweater and dark jeans, he didn’t exactly look like a robber. Then again, was a robber just going to come in wearing the cartoon stereotype of a black and white striped shirt with a black bandana and matching hat?

    At your lack of response plus your scrutinizing gaze, the guy put his hands in front of him. “I swear! I just moved here, in that little blue house two streets over by the bakery.”

    Your eyebrows shot up as your mouth dropped open. “You’re the guy who moved into the old Rowe house yesterday? I live right across from you, the house with gray siding and a bunny statue by the driveway.”

    “It’s nice to meet a neighbor already, what a small world.”

    “Well, I mean, it is a pretty small town. You kinda know everyone that lives here, even if you don’t know them personally. I’m sure you’ll find out soon.” You pause, a thought popping up. “I’m so sorry, I totally forgot to introduce myself!”

    He laughs lightly at your sudden outburst. “It’s fine, I take it the name on the tag is yours?” You nod in affirmation. “Nice to meet you, I’m Joshua.”

    “Nice to meet you Joshua!” You take a step back, waving your hand at the register welcomingly. “If you really want to try your hand at fixing this, then go right ahead. Either way you can’t mess it up anymore.”

    Joshua strode around the counter before coming to stand beside you in front of the register. His mouth twisted a bit in concentration as his hands swept over the worn metal of it. Quickly he tapped the side of it three times while holding down two buttons. Surprisingly the cash drawer popped open, and he turned around to face you with a triumphant grin.

    “How did you do that?” You asked excitedly, rushing forward to double check that it was truly open.

    “It’s what always worked to get the one open when it was being finicky where I used to work.”

    “Oh my gods, please teach me that trick!” You turn, clutching his arm and staring at him with wide eyes.

    “Sure.”

    After this encounter, the two of you began the process of forming a quick friendship. It was common for the two of you to meet up for lunch on your breaks, filling the time by sharing stories from your past. Never a dull moment existed when the two of you got together. Every interaction was filled with jokes, teasing, and playful banter. This isn’t to say that neither of you broached serious topics, just that the serious conversations tended to occur when one of you had a few too many glasses of wine.

    It was over these glasses of wine shared in the evenings at one of your respective homes, that you learned of the deeper parts of each other. You confided in him, telling him of your fears of turning into your parents and never exploring anywhere outside the small beach town. He told you why he moved in the first place, how he was afraid of losing himself in the triviality of his corporate job. Though you had a hard time believing that anything could change his vibrant personality, it was obvious to see that was something he was truly afraid of. It shone in his eyes when he spoke of it, the air filled with unspoken emotions.

    This break in the pattern, this drastic change is exactly what was needed. Not only was Joshua able to freely be himself, without having to tame his personality, he’d also made great friends in the process. He could imagine a life in that small beach town, where everyone knew each other with not an unkind soul in sight. Everyday was different, filled with new obstacles and hurdles to find a solution to, but each night ended the same. Each night ended with the two of you sitting on your porch, facing the ocean, gazing up at the stars.

[nikkilancaco]

Something Ineffably Great

Hi guys! So if you’ve been following me you’ll know I’ve wholeheartedly jumped onto the Good Omens train. I was so inspired by the book and show that I just had to write a fanfiction. Now this fanfiction doesn’t involve any mature content, so far at least, and its my take on some of the angel and demon lore. It is focus on two characters who work in the Human Affairs departments in their respective sides and how they have been keeping Aziraphale and Crowley's interactions under the radar. 

I accept constructive criticism lol

Also please tell me if I’m stereotyping things and or people. I would like to know these things

Something Ineffably Great 

Chapter 1:

Roughly thirty minutes before the end of the world, somewhere on the moon :

There was a large, warm, fuzzy, blue blanket laid out on the grey dusty ground. The corners would disobediently float up, but a sharp eyed glare from the being laying on it would immediately rectify the situation. 

This being, one of ethereal qualities, was a whole five foot two, had long, luxurious, dark chocolate hair that was braided neatly with gold ribbons and trailed down her back, dark skin, and startling silver eyes. Her wings, mainly white with a splattering of brown and black, were out, slumped on the ground behind her. They were surprisingly well groomed for an ethereal beings. She was wearing a long silver cloak with a white hijab. The hijab was pulled down as she played with the end of her braid.

She was currently focusing on a certain area of the Earth where… Things… were happening. Specifically End of the World things. The Great Plan seemed to be underway and going just swimmingly. She scoffed and pushed her golden circular glasses back up her nose. She didn’t technically need them but she liked them. She was distracted then by someone else joining her on the blanket. They brushed their hand along the fluff once settling,   

“Hi Melekasia, I like the glasses” The other being greeted and shook the moon dust off her wings. There were two sets of them and were a midnight blue, almost black, and refracted light into them in a manner the ocean does. If you looked closely, there was a shadow that moved within them, shifting from one form to another. A shark to a manta ray to a whale. It did what it wanted. 

This new addition to the landscape brushed a coffee colored hand through her springy black hair to get some more dust off. She had it cut short to her scalp and Melekasia saw that she had a pretty silver ear jackets that resembled flowery vines. She was wearing a flattering and colorful dress that complemented her roundness. Her grey green eyes met the others.

“Lilith! It’s good to see you again,” Melekasia said while adjusting her glasses in appreciation. No one Upstairs had noticed. They don’t notice a lot of things. “How are -er - Things … on your end?” She would have pointedly glanced down but as they were on the moon, they significance of that action would’ve been lost. Gladly Lilith understood.

“Dagon and Beelzebub are gathering the troops and all that. Hastur was screaming about being discorporated by that ‘Damned Snake’. It was surprisingly easy to sneak out to meet you when he came barreling in, then again I’m kinda free to do what I want.” She said dismissively, watching as the shadow moved down her shoulder, shifted from a crab to an eel and proceeded to chase its tail while circling down her arm. Apparently it was bored. Shaking her head, Lilith continued, “The only question I was asked was why I was heading to the moon at such a time. I just told them that I wanted to see what the mayhem looked like from space.” She shrugged, glancing back at Melekasia when she snorted.

“I used the same excuse, believe it or not.” She chuckled. “They said since I work in Surveillance of Human Affairs and have been doing a stellar job of it since the beginning of time, that I deserved a bit of a breather before It begins and I lose my job.” She said sarcastically. 

And she has been very good at her job too. So good in fact that she’s been able to cover up the fact that a Principality and his Adversary have been best friends for the better part of four thousand years. Even if those two idiots weren’t ‘friends’, Melekasia wouldn’t have reported it because the Snakes meddling back in The Garden allowed her to meet one of the most delightful people, or people shaped being, she has ever met. Eve wasn’t the first woman, you know. 

“They said it like that?” Lilith inquired. She wasn’t really surprised. Based off of what she has heard from her angelic friend and other demons, heaven was stuck up and overly righteous. Not to say that Hell was much different, it just wasn’t that passive aggressive bullshit. It was just straight up aggressive. She tried not to spend too much time there and she didn’t really have to. She had special privileges. 

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

As the first woman ever, and the first former human to tell God that creating a being specifically for another, just because he was lonely, without a choice was a little odd, if not a bit sexist. It’s not that Adam was a bore, but Lilith didn’t really like him much, and they didn’t get along. God could have just given the animals the ability to talk. Lillith hadn’t really understood this until a certain scaled creature had pointed it out. God, having realized she may have put a bit too much of herself into creating Lilith, gave her a choice of wings, then promptly set her free on the Earth as her own immortal being. Eve was created with more earth making her a little more open to Adam, and other things. They ended up getting along rather well.

Some of the more snobbish angels weren’t very happy at all with this outcome and slightly appalled that God was questioned in such a manner had followed Lillith despite a stern “Leave her be.” from the Almighty. One thing led to another, Lilith was thrown into an ocean, and properly pissed off, had used one of her newfound abilities to turn into a rather terrifying basilosaurus and promptly discorporated two of the four assholes harassing her with a good chomp. The other two noped their way out of there in a flash of lightning. 

About a day later, Lilith was just floating there on her back in the nude. All four wings splayed out basking in the sun. The occasional shark or stingray would come and bump against her, looking for attention and she’d absentmindedly pat them. The beating of wings distracted her and she looked at the source of the sound. She recognized the newcomer as the serpent that told her to think for herself.

“Oh! hi, it’s you,” she said happily as he slowly sunk into the water. He wasn’t very serpentine with his human suit on. All long dark, auburn hair, clear skin, and nicely manicured hands. His eyes were though, that’s how she recognized him. He had a bit of a gleeful expression on his face that conflicted with his attempt to look dark, suave and cool, but she paid it no mind. 

“That was the most brilliant thing I think I’ve ever seen,” he said while scooping a white feather out of the water as he floated next to her. “Wanted to give you a bit of space to calm down before I showed my face. Didn’t want to risk getting discorporated. I’m sure all those idiots are going to get is a slap on the wrists though, despite going against orders.” he said pensively.

“How’d you know She told everyone Up There to leave me be?” she wondered. She knew he was a demon so it didn’t make sense that he knew.

The Serpent’s mind briefly flashed back to a short, surprisingly civil conversation he had with the Guardian of the Eastern Gate the day before. “It was that kinda prissy chap who would sometimes greet you and Adam from the wall,” He can’t let people know he liked their conversations.

“I see…” She looked at him speculatively. He didn’t really seem like a demon. Yeah he had raven black wings and an absence of a Holy aura that seemed to surround the angel back in Eden, but all he’s done so far is just help people ask questions. He didn’t fit the description of ‘demon’ that God had put into her head along with other general knowledge about the world. He seemed, well, nice. Something was telling her she shouldn’t state this outloud. 

The demon flicked the golden blood splotched feather away and glanced at her with slitted yellow eyes, “Listen, I have a bit of a proposition for you. How about you come to Hell? It doesn’t look like the Other side is willing to open their arms for you. But I’m sure the Morningstar would be happy to meet you, questioning God like you did. You can think it over.” 

He was sent there to mess about, Lilith understood this, but he has also been quite kind to her and even though she knew Hell wasn’t the best place to be it did seem more welcoming than Heaven at the moment. She really didn’t want to be alone on the Earth for the next few centuries. She also knew that the demon next to her was a bit of an outlier compared with other demons, as granted by her god given powers of insight, and that others down there probably weren’t so understanding. So she mulled it over while watching clouds drift by overhead.

To be honest, Lilith didn’t want to put up with any more self righteous idiots from Heaven. Some of the more cruel things jeered by the four who followed her had involved her not being either a pure angel or evil demon. That she was some little test subject of Gods that had already failed and that she was a disgrace. She didn’t really see anyone in Heaven thinking much differently, other than the Angel of the Eastern Gate. Lilith wasn’t really sure what the demons of Hell would think about her. If she was honest, she agreed that they might see her the same way, but she understood she was neither of Heaven or Hell but somewhere in the middle. She ultimately decided that she was now a ridiculously powerful human. And being human allowed her to choose what she wanted. God did tell her to be free and then smacked a bunch of knowledge into her head with a slightly guilty feeling that lingered.

So she chose, “I’ll go with you,”

The demon had been swirling his fingers in the water watching the small fish flit through them for them past five minutes. His eyes flicked back to hers and with a triumphant smile he held out his hand, noticing that a starfish shaped shadow had moved over her left eye and was spinning, “Alright, let’s go. I’m gonna have to drop you off since I’m supposed to be staying up here, making trouble, but I’ll hand you off to what passes for the help desk down there. They should be decent enough to help you and show you the ropes. Oh, make sure you tell them your name right away.” 

Lilith gave his outstretched hand a cursory look, then proceeded to take it into her own and the two disappeared with a blip. 

It turns out demons were generally assholes, but they helped her manifest some clothing, gave her a bit of a tour of the first few circles of Hell, and told her she was free to do as she wished. She just had to pick a department. Apparently, having made God feel guilty enough to give her powers and freedom to do as she pleased made her a bit of a celebrity.

After several centuries, Lilith was a pro in the Human Affairs and On Site Punishment department. She found that beating up very terrible and horrible people on Earth was quite liberating. Bad people went to hell to be punished and she was happy to drag them down there.

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

“Well naturally they were more snobby about it, I’m just filtering some of that out,” Melekasia responded while twirling her hand in front of her. This earned an amused snort from her friend.

 Lillith was about to reply with a little jab at angels when both their heads snapped to stare at the Earth. Or more specifically Tadfield. The clouds were rolling chaotically around the area and a distinct inhuman but powerful scream forced its way through the solar system. Both of them could feel the sadness and frustration that emanated from it. It ended with an air of relief and understanding.

“I think something just changed,” stated Lilith. She had always been quite receptive to the feelings and emotions of the creatures of Earth, probably because of what she is. The Anitchrist wasn’t exempt. She grabbed Melekasia’s hand and pulled her into a hopeful hug. “I felt the chaos in him clear up a bit. It’s still there but he has the steering wheel now. He’s not hurdling into a bottomless pit anymore!”

Melekasia’s silver eyes widened and she vigorously returned the hug while laughing. As an angel she could feel the panic start to fade from the humans across the Earth as fish and blood stopped raining down on them. Well most of the fish did. If she focused on a specific house belonging to a Mr. Tyler in Tadfield, she would see that where it was not raining fish a moment before, there were now salmon and trout now rolling down his roof and crushing many of his favorite flowers. 

Melekasia broke the hug with a bit of reluctance, but then miracled up her heavenly tablet. It was synced up with Heaven’s in time surveillance footage of the Earth and she typed in a command for it to focus in on Tadfeild. She had felt the general panic spike up tremendously again and realized why. 

She had heard rumors about the Four Horsepeople of the Apocalypse and about what they were planning to do with all the human weapons and such. Seeing it happen in real time and feeling the despair and utter fear increase across the world made her a little sick. Lillith wasn’t looking like she was handling the influx of emotions well either. Her face had paled as she watched Pollution, War, and Famine wrap themselves around the Earth. Humanities fear was choking her and she held tightly to Melekasia’s hand to steady herself. 

“I’m the only one Down There who can actually connect and feel their emotions on such a level. Some of the demons thrive on the fear and hatred. It fuels some dark part of them that want this war. If they could only sense this…” Lilith had whispered. Her eyes had started to water and she blinked back the tears furiously. It wasn’t the time to get emotional. She needed to be level headed. She summoned her phone and made a call. It went straight to voicemail. She would have tried again but he always picks up the first time and when she asked Melekasia to search Soho for a very specific bookshop, they found it to be on fire. Now she understood why he had told her not to get involved in this mess after texting her that he was on fire.

“Shit…” Well that was one way to put it. Melekasia cleared her throat nervously and checked her notifications. She had two. One stated that the angel Aziraphale had accidentally discorporated himself, flitted around the Earth body hopping back to London, and was currently cohabiting a human woman's body heading toward the Tadfield airbase. The other was that a rather strong demonic aura was barreling toward the base. “I didn’t know Angels could do that,” she stated. 

“Well we found one, but where is his boyfriend?” Lilith worried. His text earlier didn’t help. She hoped he was okay. Even after all this time, Crowley was her only friend down there. They’d meet up for gourmet food and drinks occasionally and he’d drunkenly complain about the angel and the fourteenth century.

Her answer was given shortly when Melekasia pulled up a map in the corner of the tablet and a large red dot of power appeared, racing to the airbase. A notification on her phone told her the same thing. She read aloud,

“‘The demon Crowley has been using a large amount of his demonic power to keep together and drive a flaming car for the last 20 min.’ Oh not the Bently, he loves that car. He must have driven through the M25.” That must have been what Hastur had been complaining about.

“I really don’t think that’s the most important thing right now,” mentioned Melekasia as she brought up the video feed of said burning car. “Okay, Yeah. He’s pretty cool.” she admitted. 

“Told ya!” Lillith said proudly. Her friend deserved more recognition than he got in Hell. They watched as the car screeched to a halt at the Airbase and as its driver sashayed out. It was an aerial view and they could see a group of four kids pedaling furiously closer to the base. They were followed by a rather adorable dog. 

At the gate, a soldier promptly disappeared after four children zipped by with their dog and a well loved car blew up. When the children faced down the monsters of man, the two onlookers held their nonexistent breath. They watched as War, Famine, and Pollution were defeated with open mouth shock. They could both feel the moment when millions of humans around the world burst with triumph as they made computers stop planning nuclear annihilation. Melekasia zoomed out extremely fast when both Gabriel and Beelzebub appeared for fear that those two might sense their watching eyes.

“I think things might actually work out well, for everyone,” Melekasia looked hopefully at Lillith and gave her hand a squeeze. Lillith smile held the utmost adoration, kissed her and rested her head on her best friends shoulder, which was interesting to do since Lilith was a good foot taller, then resumed watching something amazing unfold on the screen. The shadow had turned into a guppy and was happily running along her knuckles and fingers currently threaded through Melekasia’s.  

“You know I think it might.” she sighed happily as Melekasia’s head rested on hers. 

It was when Satan himself started to rise out of the ground that she finally switched off the tablet. He for sure would have sensed her and possibly Lillith. She didn’t want her girlfriend, basically her wife with how long they’ve been together, to get on his bad side. They could feel his anger from here. It was like a punch in the gut. But then it just randomly disappeared. 

Melekasia quickly turned back on the monitor and zoomed back into the Aribase. They watched as an old, but well kept family car drove through a cloud of smoke, stopped in front of a group of bewildered people, celestial and human alike. A man stepped out as a group of children and a dog  proceeded to quickly peddle away, looking bewildered himself. 

She sent a command for the feed to follow the Anti- no, Adam. His name is Adam she thought to herself. He has a name so she should use it. It trailed the kids back into the town, but once it got to Adams house, the boy himself looked up, smiled at the ‘camera’, made a finger gun, and mouthed BANG. The feed cut off with a pop.

This left two celestial beings on the moon gaping at the blank screen, before quickly falling into boisterous laughter.

“Oh hell! My stomach hurts!” Lilith was struggling to breath.

“Wh-ha-ha-haaaat the Hell just happened!?” Melekasia struggled to get out. “Humanity just won!? Adam literally gave a middle finger to the Great Plan!” Tears were streaming down her face while she hugged Lillith closer.

“That was the best thing ever! You need to send me that feed hahaha! Is there sound? There’s gotta be sound right? I want to know what they were saying.” Lilith cried.

“Ohmygod, yes!” and she pulled up the saved feed by hacking into one of the other surveillance systems Heaven had, this one was Environmental Affairs. She knew no one was watching it. The angel in charge of that department was called into a platoon earlier that day.  

The two watched as Gabriel and Beelzebub tried to force Adam to restart Armageddon, then listened with glee at Adams response and bored dismissal of the two. When Aziraphale had put in his two sense, quickly being joined by Crowley, and backed Adam, they knew those two were going to be in quite a bit of trouble. It was worrying but absolutely delightful to watch Gabriel and Beelzebub get owned. 

Things seemed to be settling down. Neither side got their war. The Earth didn’t perish and Humanity survived. There was an aura of hope that surrounded the two pairs of celestial beings for better things to come.

[lost-inyourwords]

the dance

A/N: so this is my first crack at a Sex Education fic. I basically rewrote the night of the dance as an au where Otis and Maeve end up together. Hope you enjoy! If you have a request, just send it my way!

Warnings: fluff, bit angsty

Also, T H E S E T I T L E S are to announce the POV of that character.

M A E V E

maeve wiley didn't get nervous. it was a fact. a fact as unrefutable as the fact that the earth orbited the sun. and yet, as she gnawed on her nail for the umpteenth time, she felt nervous. she wanted to capture the butterflies in her stomach and squish them under her boot so they'd just stop bothering her. eyeing her reflection up and down in the mirror, she fidgeted with her hair again. 'God, since when did I care about what some guy thinks?' she mentally kicked herself for doing all this just to impress Jackson. a part of her subconscious knew that he was probably only still with her because of this stupid dance. why else would anyone stick around for some grotty cockbiter who lives in a caravan? another part of her brain silently wished that Jackson would get out of the picture because her feelings for Otis weren't going away any time soon. she thought of that night on the bridge when he gave her his jumper. they had been so close, but Otis knew better. why hadn't she just kissed him?

a thousand thoughts rattled through her head at break neck speed but she just shook them away. just get through tonight and then tell Jackson how she really feels. then this whole nightmare would be over and she could go back to being cockbiter and being invisible. just get through tonight. should be easy enough, right?

when she walked through to the kitchen, she was met with a stressed Jackson who rambled on about how his mum wasn't letting him stay out long, completely ignoring the effort Maeve had made for him. 'At least you've got parents that care,' she thought. when Sean offered to drive, she knew straight away that this night would turn into a disaster sooner rather than later. arriving at the school, Maeve tried her best to urge her brother to just go home, but Jackson was adamant that she let it go. not wanting to cause a scene, she traipsed into the building.

Otis wasn't supposed to be a part of this night. he was supposed to be at home, rejecting the idea of school dances and making excellent points about the stereotypes that they perpetuate. she should've been there with him. agreeing with him. talking to him. laughing with him. leaning in. kissing him. Jackson's grip tightened on her arm as they approached Otis and his date, bringing Maeve back to reality and shaking her thoughts away again. Otis was in the suit he wore to her abortion (still one of the strangest things he ever did) and the girl on his arm was... gorgeous. Maeve's heart dropped and she stared into Otis' impossibly blue eyes. he deserved this. not her and her pining. he deserved a beautiful girl to have a nice time with, like a regular teenager, not a 16-year-old sex therapist. she tugged on Jackson's arm and made her excuses to leave as she felt jealousy and regret sweeping over her.

the night progressed just as Maeve had predicted; slowly and boringly. though she thought that it only happened in movies, someone had actually spiked the punch, which made everyone that little bit more insufferable. her eyes scanned the crowd of tipsy kids, inwardly wishing to meet a pair of crystalline ones. while she didn't see Otis, she did catch Sean's small figure leading someone out of the hall. 'This is trouble,' she thought and followed him.

O T I S

arriving at the dance, Otis didn't think it was possible to be more miserable. he hated school events, especially ones which involved so many harmful stereotypes and unhealthy rituals. he figured he would be cheered up by the fact that he had Ola to keep him company, and he could take his mind off Maeve for the night. however, as seems to be convention in the life of Otis Milburn, it was going to be impossible not to think about Maeve. not even 5 minutes had passed they had entered the school and the first people they happened to run into were Jackson and Maeve. Otis' breath caught in his throat as he took in Maeve's appearance, internally grumbling at Jackson for not paying any attention to how beautiful she looked. awkward introductions were made and the pair sped off in search of Maeve's brother. He ignored Ola's obvious confusion at the encounter and carried on into the hall. This would be a tough night.

M A E V E

The hubbub in the hall stopped abruptly when a scream cut through the sound of the band. Liam was on a ledge and monologuing about jumping. Wasn't he the one who saw Otis yesterday? Maeve joined the amazed crowd and held her breath, wondering what would happen next. She scanned the crowd again. This time, she saw Otis approaching the castle and beginning to talk to the poor lovestruck fool at the very top. Her eyes bored into his side as he spoke words that seemed too true to just be general advice. "Sometimes the people we like, don't like us back. And it's painful, but there's nothing we can do about it. I know what it's like when someone doesn't feel the same way about you. It's someone you can't stop thinking about," his soft voice cracked, "It hurts, but you can't make people like you". Otis glanced at Maeve and then back at Liam. His expression carried pain and wisdom. He knew what he was talking about. And so did she. As Liam climbed back down, he toppled and came to the floor with a crash. The band started up again as he was tended to. She watched Otis disappear into the crowd and met Jackson's eyes before he, too, turned and moved into the mass of teenagers.

O T I S

Maeve. The only reason he knew what to say was because he had felt genuine love for Maeve. And then she was ripped away from him, in part due to his own inability to talk to her. He felt like an idiot. He could've caused that boy's death. All because he was the one who told him to stop pursuing Lizzie. He could've had a great time with Ola but he just had to bring up Maeve. Panic started to take over but he did his best to remain grounded. That's when he saw Maeve's pastel curls in his peripheral. "Otis?" she called. "I need to talk to you," she said, looking into his eyes.

M A E V E

those eyes. the ones that had stared at her in english. the ones that had seen her at her most vulnerable. the ones that had lit up with his laughter countless times. the ones that looked almost transluscent in the moonlight. Otis Milburn had those eyes. and she had fallen in love with him.

O T I S

he couldn't do this. not with Maeve and definitely not right now, after he had essentially proclaimed his feelings for her in a hall full of people. he tried to push her away but he couldn't. this was Maeve. he would always listen to her, regardless of how much it hurt.

"What is it, Maeve?" he questioned. She softened her glare and brought a nail to her teeth. her nervous habit. she didn't get nervous. was she hiding something? there's no way she felt the same.

M A E V E

"Otis, I know that what you said in there wasn't just improvised. Those words came from your heart," she stated, taking a step forward. They had never been this close. Otis swallowed hard as she continued, "Don't think I can't see through you, Milburn. You're the only one who ever believed in me. You've helped me and if it weren't for you, God knows where I would've wound up. It's always been you," she feels her cheeks heat up as emotion floods her words. She doesn't feel herself lean in, but definitely felt his lips on hers. The kiss was like him; soft and unsure.

O T I S

He had imagined this moment many times, but none of his imaginary kisses were this good. It was like they were puzzle pieces; they fit perfectly together. His hands went to her hips as her arms wrapped around his neck, deepening the kiss. The panic had stopped. He surprised himself by not freaking out but instead feeling his heartbeat speed up and endorphins rush through him. This felt so right, and yet he felt it was still wrong. Maybe Maeve was only doing this because of the adrenaline, but then again, her words felt so real. As they pulled away from each other, he met her eyes again.

M A E V E

the weight had finally lifted from her chest as she pulled away and smiled at the blue-eyed boy. the rush felt so genuine and she didn't want the moment to end. he hugged wordlessly and the warmth of his chest felt so inviting and real that she never wanted to pull away again.

[levs-mindspace]

Chapter two!!!

Paranoia available on Wattpad now!!

That night has been stuck in my head ever since. I slept the night in the store straight into the opening of the next day after I was too scared to go home.

Yes, this story was strange to someone from the outside, but for a witch in New York? It was a death sentence. Think of this: Teen Found dead with Crosses covering her body after she posts runes reading ad online. Even: 19y/o crucified while burnt with own sage in central park.

Living as a witch lately has been more dangerous than ever. These people never knew what was coming since they were some of the first victims, but there have been over 10 killings in the past six months from what the police think is the same man. They have close to no leads to who it is, but I would pay actual money to say it was the man that came here last night.

Who knows maybe he even is a witch come to exterminate the rest of us and his bad tarot skills were just him playing dumb. He sure as hell knew what card to pull out to make me paranoid about him, that's for sure. After some thinking, I left a complaint with the police about a man in my shop. Hopefully, they can find this guy before he finds me again.

I slowly made my way out of the back of the store and into the actual shop portion. I sell everything from deity sculptures, to blank notebooks, to runes and more. If you need anything spiritual, you will find it at The Inner Light.

When I approach the door to turn on the open sign, I notice someone out front. Actually, they are leaned across the bench, almost waiting it seems. After last night, I wasn't taking any chances with strange visitors. I took one of the heavy glass wands off the shelf and armed myself with it before I checked who it was. I slowly reach the handle and open the door... just to find Sarah, my employee, laying outside, presumably waiting for the shop to open so her shift will start.

As quick as I can, I wake her up, bring her in from the cold, wrap her in a blanket, and sit her down in the back. She is in no shape to work right this minute. Especially since it was my anxiety over this man that caused me to oversleep here and forget to open anyways.

"So," Sarah started off with," you haven't been late opening in months, what caused you to now?" I recanted everything of the last night's events to her in extreme detail, yet I left out which card it was and just told her I forgot to check.

As if just to prove my earlier point Sarah muttered, while trying to warm herself even more with the blanket, "It would be kinda scary if he actually pulled the death card out wouldn't it?" So I felt the need to correct her.

"No actually, most of the time the death card actually stands for breaking off old habits and relationships. It's mostly good, but of course, it depends on the circumstances, like always,"

"Oh. well whatever he pulled, I don't even care if its the seven of hearts..."

"Sarah that's not a tarot card"

" I DON'T CARE, whatever he pulled, you deserve a day off from what that man put you through. You go home and I can handle the store today, look!" she said while pulling off her blanket, "I'm not even cold anymore."

Sarah was a nice girl and all, but was she truly capable of handling the store? I mean I live just upstairs anyway. I practically am home.

"I don't know, what if he comes back?" I questioned. if he came back, especially with a knife again, she would be defenseless. She is only new to our coven as well, she knows close to no defensive spells.

"I may not be as magically inclined as you, but I'm a big 6'1 woman, I think I can handle a little man," she joked and laughed. "Seriously though, I'll be fine."

"I'm really trusting you with this one, and thank you," I told her. It will be a relief at least. Hopefully, that relief will overtake my anxiety.

Eh, hope is overrated anyway.

-

After packing up from the shop, I decided to do a little 'window shopping.' There are multiple mystic shops in New York, but I've always dreamed of being the one that people would go to first. Right now people only come to me for my fortune telling, not the shop itself. So everyone and a while I go to some different shops, posing as a customer, and see what they have that I don't. It's close to always effective.

I decided that my first shop of the day would be Lucky Lucy's. She specializes in crystals, which I do not. I love studying them and have a few of my own, just I don't sell as much of them.

As I walk in, the strong smell of sage hits my nose right away. I thought I burned strong stuff, I was wrong, so wrong.

The walls were lined with every crystal imaginable: Amethyst, citrine, bismuth. Heck, she even had refrigerated gallium at one point, and that's not even a rock.

I had to say, it was impressive. But no matter how good it was, I wouldn't be able to take any tips from it since I don't sell crystals, so I bought some obsidian for my personal collection and left.

I began walking down the street when I had the sinking feeling I was being followed. Luckily from being a woman in New York, I had previous experience with this feeling so I pulled out my safe button. Basically, if I lift my finger off the button it notifies police and ambulances.

I tried to take a longer route, hoping to lead whoever was following me off track. Yet the feeling stayed with me.

I couldn't sense this person's aura though, which threw me off, was I imagining that there was someone?

CRASH

I jumped so hard I slammed my head into the side of the brick wall next to me.

After I fell, I believe I blacked out for a second, because I felt a small tongue licking my face when I came to. It turns out I was being followed by a small black cat. This would explain why I couldn't sense an aura as well; I was never good at telling Animals.

I know it is stereotypical for a witch to find a black cat, but I feel connected to it somehow. Maybe I finally got myself a familiar? But who knows. It's random chance to actually get a familiar that wasn't passed down through your family. Ever since the Satin Puikus Ragana scandals, familiars have been in hiding, maybe it's far time for them to come out.

The puikus Ragana is the highest form of witch possible, but you only become one after you are chosen by the gods. It's said that they have to bathe in the moon, which causes them to shimmer blue in their hair and eyes. After they bathe, they become immortal and fit to raise a coven. In the '70s though, the gods chose a man who was crazed, Satin Browning. He led up a coven that tried to overtake communities and killed all that did not join him. It was a mess within the witch community. Satin disguised himself as a familiar to gain entry into the covens. He listened to learn their secrets and then killed them. Afterward, most people abandoned or cursed their familiars.

This cat though, I assume is just a stray. Anyways, it deserves a good home, it looks starving. Its ribs are almost popping out of its skin at this point. I pick it up and surprisingly, it lets me. It meows at me softly and purrs the entire way back to my shop. Maybe if I keep her in there, her owner will find her? It's a shot in the dark but if it works?

As I approach my shop, she jumps out of my arms, and for a second I thought she was gone forever. Gone to see her owner somewhere. But she sat at the door waiting for me, Almost as if she knew that's where I was already going.

Maybe I have a familiar after all...

[zebraslovescupcakestoo]

Boy crush

My name is Felix Lockheart. I'm just an average guy with a first year, high school teenage lifestyle. I'm a bit of a bookworm and play soccer by myself on my week days. I am also a self reserve, a bit of a shy person and....

I got a boy crush...

I have... an explainable crush for over two months.

I hate to admit it but....

I know that this is 201X and that people are more open minded with their 'gender relations' to be polite, but to some like myself, it's not that easy...

I got a heart rush...ain't slowin' down.

The boy I've had a 'crush' on... I don't believed he knew me yet. Let alone my existence.

His name... Oswald 'Walt' Disney. He's the most interesting person I've seen since the entrance ceremony. All it took was just once glance and... It just happened.

I got it real bad, want everything he has.

Since then, I've been watching him from afar like a spectator watching the actor. I watched carefully to everything he's doing. He's one of the most attractive students in the whole school for one thing. He's the top martial art member of the karate club along having some pretty good grades. He's also part of that famous Disney family that made cartoons and TV shows, along with his even more famous younger brother, Mickey Disney.

But in my opinion, I still think he's cooler... and more interesting than his family's background.

That smile and that midnight laugh, he's giving them now.

Despite being under his family's shadow, some people still see him as his own person... I glanced often at him behind my library books that I used to cover my face during class breaks. I see him interact and blend in with the other classmates, both guys and girls...

I want to taste his lips, yeah cause they taste like you...

I watched him talk, laugh, and I also try really hard to hear what they were saying. They all talked mostly the regular stuff like what are they doing on weekends, who's at the top charts this week and who's dating who and got dumped...

There were times after school, he had to meet someone that placed a confession letter in his locker or desk...

I was anxious whenever that happened and I had that tied feeling inside my chest.

I wanna drown myself in a bottle of his cologne.

I've witnessed it after school from behind the buildings, the empty classrooms, and sometimes even next to the separate changing rooms. They were girls from first and second years, each had different personalty and quirks, all confessed to him and they asked “I really like you! Please go out with me, even just once!” This time it was a light brunette girl with buns tied with ribbons. She was those stereotypical cute girls that no guy would turn down.

During those confessions, my heart really started to burst through my chest and I was worried of what he was going to say. “I'm sorry, but there's someone I wanted to ask first before I do.” He told her just like he said to the others.

I quickly averted myself to look like I was just passing by or I'm reviewing one of the subjects we had that day. Oswald passed by me very closely and I could help but admire again his features.

I want his long, dark hair...

He had black hair with a twin pony tails in one that looked like rabbit ears. He had those mysterious deep ocean blue eyes, those pale and smooth skin tone and he had that samurai looks that gave a serious, deep thought vibes... He's also the same height as me cause he glace straight in my eyes as he caught me looking....

OH SNAP! HE'S LOOKING AT ME!

I immediately buried my blushing face in the history book I was holding and pray to God that he did not noticed me staring him. He would think of me like I was a creepy stalker. Few seconds later, that girl came around and faced him. “Fine! But I'll wait for you a bit and trust me, I am much better that whoever she is and cuter!” She declared with confidence. I admire those kinds of people who were determined as she was... I can barely have a normal conversation with just one person without over thinking of what to say.

“What makes you think you're better than that person if you never actually met them once?” He responded to her and that upset her a bit. She didn't wanted to draw the school's attention to her rejection as he walked away until he was out of our sight.

She then glanced at me angrily and dropped her cute act. “Hey you! Bookworm!” I jumped a bit. “H-huh? Yes, wh-what is it?!” Oh snap! Did she noticed me spying or staring at him?! “You wouldn't know anyone who would hang out with the karate prince, would ya?” I lowered my history book and I was about to say 'I don't know' until she cut me off. “Never mind. I doubt it could have been any of the girls that did confessed. At least more than half of the girl's population in this prison got rejected by him and they all have that same answer. I doubt someone like you would understand that... Nerd.” She whispered that as she turned to the opposite direction...

I immediately speed walked to the nearest restroom to take a breather from what happened... As soon as I found one that for single use, I entered it and locked it. Then I took a deep breath and exhaled... “I'm not creepy... I'm just different...”

She didn't have to reminded me that. I've been used to it by now. I know that I'm not one of those 'in crowd' hipster kids and that I'm a little different, but that doesn't mean it's bad! Except... I have a bad crush on a boy...

See, I'm a guy and he's a guy... I still don't know if he's interested of, you now, dating... and stuff. Until recently he is waiting for a confession from someone or waiting to be approved by someone... I had to swallow that pill hard. If one truly cared for that person, he or she wanted to give happiness for them, including of letting go.

As soon as I know who it is, maybe this feeling will go away and I can live my school life in peace... and hope for happiness.

I want his gentle touch...

The next day, we had a two person, team up assignment for a science presentation of our choice. It was the teacher's choice to pair us up by the names that were drawn in the hat... and low and behold...

I got 'lucky' to be paired with Oswald... I nearly fell off my chair. Fortunately, nobody caught that.

While almost all the girls were disappointed, they were still glad that it wasn't one of their female rivals who got picked. If only they knew...

He came over to my seat and asked. “Are you free this afternoon?” This was the first 'actual' question he asked me since the entrance ceremony. I just nodded and he said. “Do you want to go to the school's library then? We might find something there that could give us and idea of what to do.”

I nodded twice and then he smiled softly. He's so... nicer than I thought. I then started to fell more in love... is it love? No... it's just a crush! He did have someone he's waiting for, right?

“Are you feeling well? You look red in the face.” His expression had turned sad. My face is red?! Oh no! “No no! I'm just... a bit hot! I just needed to take some cool fresh air and I'm good. I'll met you there after class.” I tried to came up an excuse for it. He looked at me for a few seconds until he said. “Ah... OK. I'll meet you there.” He then regain that wonderful smile and returned to his seat before class starts. I hope he didn't noticed that was a lie or that he thinks what it really was.

Yeah, cause maybe then, you'd want me just as much...

Apart that there were a few other students scattered in the library that day, there were just the two of us at one table that can fit for four to eight people. He told me first that he needed to finish a few math problems before we get started on what we should do on our science project. I simple said ok and decided to take out one of my own books I've owned.

It was a quiet yet a peaceful treasured moment for me. Just me and him together. I was happy.

I then noticed he made a mistake on one of the equations. “Oh, wait! That's the wrong equation for that problem.” I said to him without raising my indoor voice. This is a school Library. “Hm.” Was his response. “Do you know what should be the correct formula?” He look at me directly in the eyes. “You seem like you have a pretty good grades. You were one of the top in our class last time I've seen the results posted on the classroom's board.” He then answered that detailed. I then started to blush a bit and that feeling had returned.

I got a boy crush...

He complimented me for the first time. I never got noticed like that. Usually people just see who's first or who's last, they don't care much on who's in the middle part. “You... noticed that?” He smiled gently at me. “Of course, you were just above me on the last exams. Now tell me what I did wrong.” I snapped back in reality and immediately looked down at the mistaken equation. I explained on what was the correct way of finding the length of the Pythagorean theorem of a triangle. Just as he said, “Ah, I see.” His right hand partially, gently brushed off mines.

There was a sudden electric rush in my spine, my eyes widen a bit and I blushed a bit deeper. 'He touched my hand...' It may be for a second, but it felt... nice. I then realized that we're still in a 'public' library. I immediately buried my face in my book. Why am I acting this way? He's a guy, but a cool and attractive guy. We're so different and yet why... why... am I so.... getting dizzy of thinking about it..?

I got a boy crush...

“Enough.” He said as he closed off his text book. Huh? I looked at him and he was looking straight at me with a frowning face. “Pack your books, we're changing location.” What? What did I... I then realized he was glaring at me to hurry up. That made me scare. Thankfully I only took out one book. “Wh-where are we going instead?” I asked as I stood up. “Somewhere much better than here. Follow me. You don't have anyone waiting back at your place?” He asked for my family as we leave. This is a bit odd of him to say that, but still. “Not really, I just text to my father and sister almost every day to let them know how I'm doing and all.”

His expression soften a bit. “...So you're alone on most nights too.” Huh? My expression was confused as he said that. “Nothing. Just text them you'll be at a friend's place for tonight and that you'll be a bit late.”

Wait. What did he just said?

I don't get no sleep...

He's not lying once we've arrived at his place. It was one of those fancy new apartments with those special security buzz call and all that stuff. I should have known better since he's one of the Disney family. My heart was beating faster and harder. I'm feeling really anxious. I'm visiting his 'personal space.' Yet I'm a bit curious of why he's on his own like this. Did something happened between them that I didn't know?

As soon as we entered his complex, it was like one of those classy black themed apartment that you might see in those magazines. “Come sit down on the couch, I'll make some tea.”

“Mm-hm.” I hummed and nodded with a tiny smile. This boy crush is now taking a toll on me and it took almost all of my strength not to do something awkward. If I do 'something' awkward, I might triggered my first panic attack.

I don't get no peace...

I sat in the living room for quite some time, quietly. I tried to look around me to keep myself calm. I noticed that he had two large posters of Michael Jackson and an Elvis Presley. I didn't know he's into that kind of music. I also noticed he had a blue guitar in his stand near the corner where it was. Guess the neighbors haven't told him to get rid of it yet or he's really good at it that they let him keep it.

I did noticed a few family portraits, most were with his little brother. Guess that he's on a good term relation with him. Most would be either on neutral or rivalry, but I guess that's just me with my nephews whenever they came with my sister for a visit.

Ah! That reminds me! I immediately pulled out my cell phone and I immediately text them of where I'm at and let them know that I'll be late to come home. I've only have two contacts in my phone so it's not a huge surprise for someone like me. After a few minutes, dad responded that it was alright, my sister on the other hand, she was sending a long paragraph of how happy she was for me to make a friend and that I needed to see more 'real' people. I'm a shy person with an out-going sister, OK?

I'll take that as an 'OK' from them.

Thinking about him, under the bed sheets...

I then heard him coming in with two cups of tea. “I've got lavender tea, so I hope you don't mind it with some milk and a bit of sweet in it.” He said. “Oh, no, not at all. I sometimes have some on rainy days and just enjoy watching it through my bedroom window while hearing the droplets-Err!!” I blushed and looked away. Aw, snap! I made it awkward! I doubt that he think it's interesting. He just chuckled and said. “Don't be shy. I love the rain too. It's just sad that most of the other kids preferred to be 'sunshine everyday' of the week. Guess they don't know how rain can be a good thing or appreciate it's good sides.” I looked at him as he smile at me. Why are you so... nice to someone like me?

He sat down next to me. Oh my God! He's so close! I immediately looked down in my tea, took a sip and I was surprised that he used honey instead of sugar. I know that it can be a bit hard to use them for this, but it's really good!

“Not only it's good, but it helps calm down stress and anxiety. It will help greatly for someone I've seen for a while...” He sets down his cup. “There's something I wanted to ask you for quite a while...” He looked at me again and waited me to put mine down. I set it down and wondered what could he mean.

No. It's... too obvious. Right? But I still didn't have the courage to look straight in his eyes. I've kept them down and didn't turned my head. Both my hands were gripping tightly like a fist on my knees and I trembled a bit. I was scared of what might happened. Did I do something wrong? Was it something I've said or maybe... he noticed me following him??

The way that he's whispering...

I then got surprised of a gentle touch on my left cheek that I've let out an “Ah!” and then my head was turned straight in his face. He frowned a bit and said. “Eyes over here.” I looked right in his eyes... they were those beautiful deep ocean blue colors that I can't help but to admire them. I couldn't move nor even blink. I was frozen, paralyzed yet a bit shaken by that guy...

The way that he's pulling me in...

I let out another 'yeep!' as his other hand had been put at my left hip and he pulled me closer to him. I don't know how, but my hands had somewhat gripped both his side of the white long sleeves he's wearing. I was blushing so red and thinking 'what the heck and I DOING?!' “That's a cute face you're making.” He smirked.

Aaaaaah! I want to crawl in a corner and just let me die from this embarrassment! Please!

He then got serious and asked.“Felix, I want to ask you something and I want you to answer it with honesty...” I mentally snapped back in reality and calmed myself. This is it... I nodded cause I was a bit nervous to say it.

“Now tell me... Do you like me?” He said those triggered words and my heart sank. “huh?” What did he said? I might misunderstood it. “D-do I what?” I asked again on what he really meant. “I'm asking if you like me or not.”

Oh... He said if I like him or not... My mind exploded and turned blank. My mouth was slightly opened but no words came out. He said it. I then feel drained and as I faded out of conscious, all I remembered was his worried face and he called my name before I fell on him...

Lord knows I've tried, I can't get him off my mind.

I came to once I've awoken with more lavender scents. I knew that I've smelled this before back at the library, but I've just assumed that it might have been someone else. I feel a soft pillow on my head, a really warm blanket and then I've realized there's someone's gentle hand that's been caressing the back of my head. I opened slightly my eyes and saw Oswald, who he noticed me, smiled again. “You're up. Thank goodness, I thought that I might need to call your next of kin if you're still fainted.”

He... was taking care of me when I fainted? I then realized on what he was doing and I blushed immediately. I've hid my face underneath the blanket and I trembled in embarrassment. I can't believe I've messed up our first interaction alone! “I-I'm so sorry! I d-don't know what came over me!” I then felt the blanket pulled over my head and saw him frowning again. “Don't hide your face when you're talking to me.” He said it seriously. I was at loss and I don't know what to say.

If I say that I like him, he would have freaked out or be disgusted. But then again, he asked that damned question... What's the right way to say it? He then placed his hand on my cheeks again to make me look at him. “Felix, don't be scared. I want to hear it from you. I know for a while now that you've been watching me since early fall after our high school entrance ceremony.” I was surprised. “H-how... did you know?”

He then gently placed me back on a sitting position, but kept himself close.“Cause you've been following me at school everywhere but kept your distance. I would have let it pass as coincidental if you haven't had a few mishaps of pretending to read a book unless you can do it upside down.” He smirked a bit. Yikes! Did I really do that? Sure I might have noticed it but him? How did he knew that detail specifically? I was guessing that it was probably my turn to speak. “Well... I've... seen you a few times and I... couldn't help but admire...” I quietly spoke and started to tremble. Why is it so hard to say it?

I wanna taste his lips, yeah 'cause they taste like you...

“Me? Admirable? I doubt it.” He puts himself down. I was shocked to hear that. “Wh-what do you mean? Sure you may be not as big as your little brother, but I think you're amazing on your own. You're even just as popular as your family, you're kinda like a prince according to most of the girls and you're so... nice...!!!” I clammed my mouth with both my hands when I realized I've spoke too much. Great! Now I've probably creep him out!

But... he didn't reacted like that. He smiled, then pulls my hands away and said. “It's alright. You're being honest unlike most of the people I've knew.” I looked at him again confused. Why... is he not weird out from someone like me? Was he serious when he asked 'that' earlier?

He then gently placed one of my loose hair at the back of my ear. “What makes you notice I'm nice in real person before this? I've rarely show that side to anyone.”

“Well... I've seen that first time I did is when it was raining after school one time. There was an old man who'd probably didn't have much was using some news papers to cover his head. You've offered your own umbrella and then used your school bag to cover your head instead. That makes me think you're a kind, warmhearted person.” I remembered it well.

I wanna drown myself in a bottle of his cologne...

“You've... saw that? It wasn't out of publicity praises I've done that...” His eyes looked on the side, blushing. Holey carp fish! Now this sounded like some cheesy, love confession in those novels! “N-no! It's not like that! I think you're really a great guy! I just... couldn't help but admire.” I've blurred it out.

He looked at me with a surprising eyes and I froze again. Why am I digging my own early grave for my so-called 'social' life? His expression relaxed again and he also placed his right hand on my left cheek. “Funny. I just assumed that I'm just average. Truth is, I believed you're more interesting. To me at least.” He then brushes his thumb on my blushing cheeks as my eyes widen with shock. Little, plain but weird, old me? Interesting? To him? A super cool guy? Probably more famous than I'll ever be in my dreams?

...Wait. I DID fainted, right? “Am I still dreaming?” I asked. He then had an idea and smirked . “Maybe... What if it's real?” I was confused on what he said until he puts his other hand on the other side of my cheeks. He pulls me closer to his face and said with confidence. “If I confessed what I wanted, will you accept it?” I innocently opened my mouth to let out a 'huh?' and then he took that chance to kiss me... on the lips.

“mmh!” Was my reaction. My eyes widen while his were closed. He pulled me close to his chest as I've unconsciously gripped his sleeves again. My heart started to pound faster and felt like it was about to jump off my rib cage. My mind is thinking of numerous things right now, one of them is what's going on right now.

He's kissing me.

He then let my lips go after we needed air. He was blushing a bit deeper, but not as much as I am. “Ah... ah...” I tried to breathe. I was embarrassed, but confused. He then realized what he had done and covered his mouth. “I'm sorry... I got a bit carried away. You were so cute that I... couldn't help myself. Please forgive me.” He then pulls me close again with one hand on my head and the other wrapped around my waist in a hug.

I want his long, dark hair...

Oh. my. Gosh!  Now I know I'm not dreaming! Did 'the' Oswald 'lucky rabbit' Disney just confessed and kissed me?! For reals?!! I don't know what to say but... I wanted to make sure. “Do you really... like me?” I asked. “Yes... I wanted to make sure that you were comfortable with me before I wanted to ask. Especially if I'm a guy...” He sounded like he's having the same problem as I did... “But why me of all the people? There's a lot of cute girls and even some handsome guys who would have been a much better match than boring, old me! I'm not one of those 'in crowd' kids.” Why did he choose me out of all those people?

“Because you're unique to me.” I gasped. “You were pretty much reading books, but they were mostly on more interesting titles than the ones that were recommended by staff picks or even on those Kobo tablets. You even sometimes get some of the most crucial details when everyone else missed like your keen eye senses. A bit reserved, but you're more honest and that you're the type who doesn't go for superficial love relationships or looks... although I've already mentioned that you were cute, heh!” He chuckled on that last part. I felt... happy.

I want his magic touch...

“Now are you willing to go out with me? Even if it's just once, I want to go out with you. If not then... I wanted to be friends at least...?” He then got a bit surprise when I wrapped my arms around his back and placed my head on his chest. I knew he was well built, but it felt good. I finally took all of my courage and I gave him my answer. “Yes... I do... I was so scared of confessing and that well...” I started to shake a bit until he placed another kiss on my cheeks this time. We looked at each other again and then he said. “There's no need to be afraid... I've already fell in love with you on first glance. Now that we've confessed, we can now learn more about each other.”

Yeah 'cause maybe then, you'd want me just as much...

“Wait! What about-” He then placed a finger on my lips. “We can do it tomorrow... I want to enjoy this moment with you.” He answered as if he knew of what I was about to ask on our school project.

I got a boy crush...

He then looked at me again, leaned his head just a bit as if he wanted to kiss me again...

Hate to admit it but...

I may have blushed a bit, but I've nodded a bit and then I've let him... I've spend a long evening with him.

I got a heart rush, ain't slowing down...

----Author’s notes-----

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I can’t believe I’ve just made my first boy fluff one shot!

Just to let you know that I did not want to break any rules, including the new Tumbr rule about no adultery here so please don’t take this seriously. (It’s just a kiss, jez!)

I dunno why I’ve been obsessed with this but I just wanted to let it out.

I did choose this particular song not because of the misconception of loving the same gender, but more like kind of an envious way. It’s a bit of the mash of original and the remix of this song.

Girl Crush by Little Big Town and cover AJ.

BBTIM AU characters belongs to Marini4.