#listen I love the Irish just as much as the next person but PLEASE.

[auxxrat]

also the race switching of the clones and jango continues to make me unbelievably mad.

every race/ethnicity BUT Māori.

“But! That culture doesn’t exist in star wars!!” You wouldn’t be saying this about Din, Finn, Poe, literally any POC character. When I’m telling you I see every race/ethnicity but Tem’s… I dont even care if its a hc at this point bc you wouldn’t hc black characters or asian characters to be ANYTHING BUT WHAT THEY ARE.

“Shouldn’t been ****** race/ethnicity” nope they are already Māori! Stop trying!

[theworldofotps]

Under The Mistletoe With Him

Pairing: Hook x OC Rose Word Count: 1, 527 Description: Rose goes on a trip down memory lane about having Tyler's name for the company gift exchange.

So, her birthday isn't till the 24th but we agreed to just post this now! So a very very early happy birthday to my dear friend @writtingrose I hope you enjoy your birthday fic love! So thankful for you and your friendship I love you bunches! Never forget how loved you are ❤️

Thank you so much to @omg-im-such-a-masochist for help getting the idea rolling because I couldn't choose between the choices, I created for myself. You're the best babes x ______ Tag List: @omg-im-such-a-masochist​ @melissahausen​ @new-zealand-chic @writtingrose​ @99hook @sjwrites22​ @sassymox​ @mrsacklesevansmgk​ @xladyxfatex​ @biforrollynch​ @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch​ @demonqueen29​ @itsicantbelievethis666​ @lilred91​ @rebellious-desires​ @claymorexpunisher @letsgivethisonemoreshot @ava-valerie​ @shortyiceheart @serpantscorpio8497​ @thatpanpal @thatnerdwriter @wrestlersownmyheart​ @vebner37​ @auburnwrites​ @aews-four-pillars​ @seeingstarks​ @whenimakeitshine1234​ @legit9thlunaticwarrior​ @blaquekitty​ @ironshamelessyouth @unoficialy-married-to-ace-austin @ripleyswhore @moonrosekk @xbreezymeadowsx @elevennbloom @melblacc @alliwant456  @mcreignsera If you wanna be added to the list lemme know. ______

“Baby, where do you want these bags of icing.”

Turning from the oven with a pan of fresh gingerbread cookies you point to the farthest corner of the counter.

“Over there please Ty, I want to be sure we have plenty of room to do this and hopefully we can avoid a big mess.”

Placing the icing bags on the counter he stood back watching his girlfriend lay them all out and then got bowls of small candies out.

“What are those for?”

“The cookies and if we manage to get around to decorating that house, now let me just put in this next batch of cookies. Then we can get started would you please put on some Christmas music? I have the playlist already set up on my phone.”

“Sure can.”

Using her spatula Rose carefully places each gingerbread person on the tray popping them in the oven and setting the timer. Wiping off her hands she grabs the pan with cookies already cooled, carrying them over to the counter where Tyler had gotten the music to play.

“Okay babe here we go decorate it however you want but please do try and not get icing all over I don’t want to run out.”

Tyler chuckled thinking about the last time they tried this and how more icing ended up on the two of them then on the cookies.

“Don’t worry I’ll behave.”

Pressing a kiss to her temple Tyler grabbed a cookie and picked a color to outline with. Rose watched him decorate, this was a moment she’d remember for the rest of her days. Picking up an icing bag she grabbed a cookie of her own to start decorating. The two silently worked for a few minutes listening to the music playing in the background as they enjoyed each other's company.

“You know something, this time of year always remind me of how our relationship started.”

Rose spoke softly as the memories from a few year prior played through her head causing her to smile.

“You mean that time I got caught under the mistletoe with your fine ass?”

He smirked leaning forward to steal a peck from her lips.

 “I can’t believe I got Tyler.”

“What’s wrong with having Tyler I imagine he’d be pretty simple to shop for.”

“That’s easy for you to say Orange you’re actually friends with him, he hates me.”

“He does not hate you.”

“Oh yes he does he’s always glaring in my direction and when I tried to be polite or say hi, he just walks away.”

“To be fair he does that with everyone he’s just not a super expressive guy when it comes to being at work. But trust me he’ll love whatever you get him even if he doesn’t say it out loud.”

James assured her as the two walked down the hallway, it was a week before their company gift exchange and Rose was still unsure of what to get Tyler. He was serious when he said that Tyler would love anything she bought given the fact he was absolutely smitten with her. Not that Rose would know that given Tyler’s silent nature at work and don’t mess with me attitude. But the whole locker room and even some of the women knew about his feelings for her.

“What am I going to do?”

“Why don’t you go ask his dad? It wouldn’t hurt to give that a try maybe he can help you think of something. It’s better than stressing yourself out more than you already are.”

“I hadn’t even thought of asking Taz, you’re brilliant I’ll text you later.”

Rose smiled before scurrying off hoping to find the man in question to ask for help with his son’s gift.

‘Please don’t let Tyler be around.’

She silently begged walking into the ring area where a few of the guys were doing some practice moves. Spotting Taz speaking with Jack she made her way over and gently tapped on his shoulder.

“Rose, nice to see you.”

“Hi um could I please speak with you in private about something?”

Relief flooded her when he nodded, excusing himself from the conversation with Jack, the two walked a little bit away from the ring.

“Sorry to disturb you but I need some help, I got Tyler’s name for the gift exchange, and I still haven’t been able to find anything for him. Could you maybe give me a couple ideas? I just want it to be something he’ll like and find useful or something.”

“Ah I was wondering who got him well I guess it depends, what’s the budget limit?”

“Actually, I don’t know I didn’t realize there was one.”

“Okay, something simple yet useful. How about a gift card somewhere? There’s this steak place he absolutely loves going to whenever we’re around. You can’t really go wrong with giving the kid food.”

“That’s a great idea um what’s the name of the restaurant?”

“STK it’s a steakhouse I’ll give you the directions just give me a moment.”

Rose smiled, nodding as she waited patiently for him to look up the directions and texted them to her phone.

“There just text me if you have any other questions and I’d be more than happy to help you out.”

“Thank you so much Taz I appreciate this.”

“Anytime kiddo.”

Leaving the ring area Rose went out to her car and after putting the address in her phone made her way to the restaurant. After getting the gift card she picked up one other thing then placed them in a gift bag. When the party night finally arrived, she nervously carried the bag inside looking around, spotting Renee she rushed over to her.

“Hey Ree where do we put the gift exchange bags?”

“Hi sweetie they changed it up this year, you’re just going to give the gift to whoever you have.”

“Oh gods.”

“Who do you have?”

“Hook.”

“He just got here about ten minutes ago he’s there by the snack table probably trying to find a bag of chips to eat. I’ll just text Jon that way he can tell Tyler to come over this way, so you don’t need to push through the crowd.”

Renee hooked her arm with Rose’s and led her away from the crowd off to the side where they wouldn’t be bumped into.

“Alright Jon is bringing him over don’t worry this is going to be great he’ll absolutely love whatever you decided to get him.”

Renee winked quickly walking away as Jon shoved Tyler over to her Rose covered her mouth to stifle a laugh at Tyler’s curse but cleared her throat when he looked at her. Holding the bag out she looked at the floor then up at him.

“I know we hardly ever talk but um I got your name in the gift exchange, so I got you this family size bag of chips and a gift card to a steak place your dad said you liked.”

She rambled letting him take the bag from her hand and opened it a slight smile crossing his face as he looked at the gifts.

“Thank you Rose.”

“How.. I didn’t know you knew my name.”

“Of course, I know you’re name why wouldn’t I?”

“Because we never talk, and I figured that you hated me given the fact you glare at me a whole lot.”

“Not glaring at you just the way I look is all.”

“Hey! You two instead of babbling to each other why don’t you look above your heads.”

Jon called out causing them both to look up seeing a spring of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Rose felt her heart pick up in speed as Tyler’s eyes seemed to darken when he looked back at her, a smirk crossing his face. Rasing a brow he stepped closer waiting for her to reject him.

“Is it okay?”

“Yes it is.”

Rose said a little too fast causing Tyler to laugh quietly before his lips pressed against her’s and she melted into the kiss.

“I still can’t believe you thought I hated you.”

“Well, you acted like you did you weren’t really throwing out smiles or talking to me apart from the occasional grunt here or there.”

“It was all just a show baby I didn’t know how to admit to the most beautiful girl that I had the hots for her.”

Tyler said as he washed his hands then dried them before he hugged Rose from behind kissing her cheek.

“It would have saved me a lotta stressing out if you had.”

“True but that doesn’t matter now because you’re mine and I don’t plan on letting this sweet ass go.”

He said, grabbing her hips and pulling her into him the two laughing as she turned around wrapping her arms around his neck.

“We need to finish these cookies and I just put a fresh batch in.”

“We have a couple minutes besides I don’t need that long.”

“You’re awfully cocky you know that?”

“It’s my speciality.”

Tyler smirked cupping her cheeks as he captured her lips in a kiss much similar to their first.

[misssakuramochi]

Hello! Could I please get a matchup for Baldur's Gate 3? 🥺 I'm an autistic she/they enby, I'm fine with any gender, and while I currently work at a library I'm hoping to become a professor of celtic languages and a linguist someday, so I'm learning Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Welsh. I'm super short, only 4' 10" (147 cm), with long wavy auburn hair, glasses, pale freckled skin and a boyish fashion sense. I also have some chronic illnesses like scoliosis, joint pain and asthma. I'm really polite and very friendly with everyone I meet, but I'm also very protective over my loved ones and can be sassy when I feel it's deserved. While I'm generally an anxious person, I'm not afraid to make the first move because I basically tell myself that the moment could slip away, but I will be having heart palpitations while doing that lol. My special interests include linguistics, science, magic (I practice witchcraft irl), cooking, video games, plant identification and a bunch of other stuff, though honestly I'm down to learn about whatever is available (within reason). I've been described as "homely" and "wise beyond my years" since I give good advice and am very self aware. I really enjoy taking care of people but can get flustered if the sentiment is returned.

Thank you so so much, I hope you're doing well! Take care!

I match you with...

ASTARION

○ You have very complimentary skills. On one hand, you're very book smart - keep him from eating the poisonous animals and such. He's the street smart half, protecting you from nefarious faces you miss in the crowd. He reads others intentions well, you know your own; you help him trust and he helps you doscern. He helps you learn in some ways, you help him in others. You both grow well together.

○ Believe it or not, you make Astarion feel protected. Maybe not physically, exactly, but your willingness to sass and back talk when someone messes with him warms his heart. Knowing you care enough to protect his emotional self means more to him than he can express - even if he complains at you when that sass gets you in trouble.

○ Astarion loves that you always surprise him. When you first showed your firey side, when you were the one to ask him out first. He never knows what you'll do or say next in a positive way. You're exciting and full of life to him, which makes him feel more alive ironically.

○ Knowing you're generally anxious, Astarion doesn't hesitate to step up in situations where you're stressed. Much as he loves to make you squirm, he's the only one allowed to. He loves when you stand up for yourself and he encourages and emboldens you, but when things are too much he's always there.

HEADCANONS

○ I won't lie - Astarions intentions with you are not wholesome at first. Being quiet and well-mannered, maybe a little awkward even, he thinks he can manipulate you. When you first get firey, either in his behalf or at him, it lights a spark of genuine intrigue. Tell himself as he might that he's in it for his own goals, he starts genuinely falling in love with you from then on

○ Astarion pretends not to listen to you. When you infodump about languages, plants, ect. He often pretends to get distracted - usually by saying he can't help but get caught up by how beautiful you are when you speak (which he means more than his tone indicates) It can be irritating, but down the line when he reiterates facts you'd taught him, you realize he was genuinely hearing you. At least ad best he could. Honestly it takes him time, but he learns a few basic sentences in your interest languages to impress you, just based on you telling him about them.

○ You play friendly one upping games in teasing one another, but Astarion wins literally every time. You flirt with him, and when he reciprocates he does so with 10x intensity just to make you blush and stutter. He lives(?) for fluttering you. Even as you get brave enough to keep up more, and flirt further, he'll always take it to a higher level just to get those cheeks pink. (Always within your boundaries ofc)

○ Sometimes, with you being so intelligent, goal-driven, and passionate, he would get discouraged in the beginning because he genuinely didn't feel good enough. After many a long talk and a little time, he finally finds his place in supporting you - emotionally and physically. You teach him that you rely on him too, and that goes from something scary to something that gives him purpose. Cooking, cleaning -- he's more surprised than you are to find himself helping with those things after you've passed out from a day of work and research.

----

Alright my friend! Tysvm for doing this trade with me! It is my pleasure to hand over my precious man to you - please treat him well. Like please he needs it

[gallavich-headcanon]

anon, dear, i hope you're doing good! i might be in the brain goo - still, bear with me on the being comprehensible part -, but a) you asked for headcanons and b) you're my favourite person to contemplate with, so you'll be my victim tonight-

so, i know you've said somewhere you're not a big fan of time pieces, BUT-

i've read a lot (like. A LOT.) of medieval-ish things the last couple days and spotify graced me with a shitton of ukrainian music today, and now all i can think about is this tradition they got in ukraine in july where they gather around a fire, take their loved ones by the hand, and if they stay locked while jumping over the fire they they'll have a long and happy relationship (bonus: you can do this with friends for health and good fortune, too). they have this other thing, too, where the unmarried women bind wildflowers to wreaths, then set them on a river or pond or whatever to see who'll get married soon (if your wreath flows without problems and moves a bit it's you), and their significant others try to guess which wreath is their girl's and they tryna fish it out-

and listen, listen, i KNOW it probably doesn't make much sense, and i have not thought this through 'till the end, but i need irish ian to somehow end up in ukraine and in the hands and care of mandy, who tries to teach him their ways and their language, because he's kind and sweet, too - and maybe she first hopes he's her wildcard out of her life until she gets to know he's gay? -, and somehow she gets mickey involved in her little social project and she tries very hard to make him be nice to ian, long story short, they all go to the festivities together, get a little drunk maybe and do their little traditions. while it's a rite for the women, i bet mandy'd force him to bind a wreath, still. and maybe she already knows there's something going on between him and her brother and she schemes some more to make mickey fish ian's out of the water, i don't know, my brain doesn't cooperate properly.

bonus lore- iirc they have this magic flower they set out to search at some point, too, as it's said to grant its finder some sort of power, so, just please, mickey and ian having an excuse to disappear in the woods for hours without anybody asking questions.

i only just now realised it's actually a full on au, but i'll send it over anyway, because it's juvenile and mostly lighthearted and i needed to bother someone with it. much love! thanksokaybye.

Hello my darling! My brain is also gooey possibly because it's late though. Perfect time to be your victim of choice!

Disclaimer- I don't really have anything about historical stories, it's just the homophobia of it all, you know? Like I enjoy some angst as much as the next person, but knowing they can't get married and will have to live partially in secret if not in the closet just... spoils it for me. I'm a comfort first, angst second kinda girl, but I also don't want it to be completely unrealistic. (also I need Mickey to be a southside shit talker) So I tend to skip those fics. now that that's out of the way, I'm ready for yours!

FIRST OF ALL I am a sucker for Mickey speaking Ukrainian. I really wish we got that in canon. AND IAN TRYING TO LEARN THAT FOR HIM 💔💔💔💔

they gather around a fire, take their loved ones by the hand, and if they stay locked while jumping over the fire they they'll have a long and happy relationship -> oh my god are you kidding me this sounds so fucking magical!

Okay what if Ian is like injured or something and Mandy finds him, and hides him until he can get better and Mickey is suspicious and follows her one day?

and maybe she already knows there's something going on between him and her brother and she schemes some more to make mickey fish ian's out of the water -> mmm how about yes yes and yes!!!

This is so fucking sweet. I want Ian in a flower crown Mandy made him! and maybe it's too small to his giant head and his looks funny and Mickey teases him and eventually that flower crown mysteriously finds it's way to Mickey's head. because that's what flower crowns do.

Them just walking in the forest and talking for hours. Maybe they find a job for Ian that gets them to hang out and Mickey teaches him Ukrainian?

NOSHO please send any and all AU / thoughts / headcanons always and forever!

[suckitsurveys]

Did you know that all the fish are dying out? Did you know that there’s a tunnel under ocean boulevard?

Would you ever wear a white tuxedo? Sure.

Do you judge a book by its cover? I think we all do to an extent.

Do you like chips and dips? Yes I do! Tortilla chips and salsa/queso/guac is my favorite!!!!

Last time you went on a rollercoaster: Oh gosh it’s been a bit. Probably 10 years ago?

Ever been to a pottery class? Yup, I took ceramics in high school and college.

Does your milkshake bring all the boys to the yard? Please no.

Who was the last person to stay over at your house? My niece.

Do you like red lipstick? Yes.

Can you recall your country’s national anthem? Uh huh.

Do you believe in ghosts? Sure.

Which sweets/candy would you put into your dream pic'n'mix? Never heard of pic’n’mix but I assume it’s just mixed candies? sour gummy candies would make a good mix.

If you had a boat, where would you sail in your boat? I wouldn’t.

Can you rap? Hah.

Are you a light sleeper? Sometimes.

When you were young, did you ever pretend to “marry” somebody? Yeah.

What is your favourite Disney film? The Emperor’s New Groove and the Toy Story movies.

Do you prefer brown or white bread? Wheat.

Have you ever spent an entire day in bed? I have. Or on the couch.

Don’t you just find it annoying when people get too much plastic surgery? No, people can do whatever they want with their bodies.

How high’s your pain threshold? Somewhere in the middle.

What would you wear to a red carpet event? It would entirely depend on said event.

Whose birthday is next, out of all the people you know? My cousin Kelly and my coworker; they have the same birthday.

What kind of coat are you going to wear in the winter? It is winter and I have my trusty black puffer jacket.

Did you ever go through a Goth phase? Eh.

Do you find architecture interesting? YESSSSS I love architecture.

When on the computer do you ever think about how it all works? Well now I am, thanks.

How many songs are there in your iTunes library? I don’t use iTunes.

Do you like Irish accents? Sure.

Describe the worst date you’ve ever been on: This guy took me on a picnic but when we got there he told me it was a “zombie apocalypse” picnic and the food he brought was those prepackaged MRE things where you just add hot water to them and it makes a meal. Then he told me that if anyone got close to use, we had to move and move quickly and it was just so dumb and embarrassing.

When did you last go to the park? It’s been a bit since the weather has been cold.

Which two animals would you breed together to make a hybrid? Eh.

Do you ever forget how to walk? No.

Do you own a Jesus bracelet? Nope.

How far out can you stick your tongue? I don’t know, the normal amount?

Do you like David Bowie? Yes.

Would you eat a live cockroach if it made you a millionaire? Eh.

Does it annoy you when you feel like people aren’t really listening? It depends on the person and what I am talking about.

Are you the type who usually plays it safe? For the most part.

Do you want what you can’t have? Eh.

Ever been copied by somebody, clothing or style-wise? Not really.

Is there a point to clear nail varnish? I mean, it’s usually a top coat or a strengthener.

What is the latest time you’ve ever woken up? I’m not sure, maybe about 2pm?

Ever gotten into trouble over something you didn’t really do? Yes.

Are you currently ill? Not in the physical sense, no.

Don’t you just hate being corrected? Depends.

Are there any really beautiful buildings close to where you live? Oh yes, Chicago has amazing buildings and architecture.

Who do you think about most? The people in my life?

Do you have embarrassing parents? Nah, I honestly never found them embarrassing, even as a teenager.

How often do you use the word “poltent”? I have no idea what poltent means.

How’s your grandmother? Dead.

What in your opinion is the most annoying noise in the world? Metal scraping against metal.

Are you any good at writing? Sure.

Can you speak any Spanish? Un poco.

Do you like things from the ‘50s? My parents were born in the 50s and I like them.

Would you rather be skeletal or curvy? Curvy.

What’s your favourite type of cloud? Storm clouds.

What’s something that really matters to you? A lot of things matter to me.

Did that pass some time? Sure.

[legends-of-time]

The Journey of Living at Downton

Chapter 9: April 1917

Masterlist

A/N: Warning: Description and discussion of suicide.

——

The war changes in April 1917 with America joining the war though Emma knows they'll only be in the war for like 5 minutes and will be bringing over the Spanish Flu.

By this point, Sybil and Emma had finished their training in York and had begun working at Downton Hospital. Both of them at the end of a long shift back to Downton where, while Emma is no longer working there as a servant, she's allowed to stay in her old room with Gemma. The long and exhausting hours is something she's somewhat used to so that bit isn't the hardest part of it all. Sybil and Emma have also grown closer over this shared experience; particularly bezzies now.

It's weird how Emma is hardly in the house anymore but Gemma and Anna tell her what she is missing when they can.

There's Mr Lang the new Valet though he seems like a shaken rabbit caught in the headlights but he has been to war though so can't fault him there. William has been called up and is going for his medical and it seems there's something going on with him and Daisy.

Gemma tells Mr Molesley is hovering around Anna and discussing books with her. While Emma finds that sweet, she knows that Anna won't be over Mr Bates any time soon. Also, apparently, Mr Carson looks ready to pop a vein with the stress of maintaining everything to pre-war levels despite losing staff and that no one really cares except him.

One bit of news they don't have to tell Emma about is Thomas getting injured in his hand and being sent back home. He can't come to Downton Hospital though as it's only for officers. He's not going back to the front but Miss O'Brien tells her that she'll work on getting him back to Downton with Lady Grantham.

Nothing has really happened between her and Mr Branson (Emma felts and feels uncomfortable calling him 'Tom' yet after being so used to not being supposed to plus it sounds a bit personal, maybe intimate) since her letter other than him writing back. In the letter, he said he still doesn't want to retract his proposal as he says she's still the same girl but needs time to digest – to get used to the idea, not that she blames him. Now it wasn't just him waiting.

When Emma returns to Downton, they didn't, and still don't have much time to talk as Emma is more elsewhere now, so they didn't have much time to talk though she's glad as it was awkward. He had asked her more. Emma reluctantly tells him when the war ends, who wins, the Treaty of Versailles and the Russian revolution though she holds back from telling him about the next world war considering it's too far away to prove what she's saying is true and she felt she was giving too much away anyway. Being a history nerd helps with proving her credentials.

This calms him down a bit as well as making it more real for him. He hasn't asked anything about Irish independence thankfully considering she doesn't know much about it, which is what you get going to an English school.

——

Emma catches Lady Grantham with Major Clarkson outside the Hospital at one point.

"I'd love to help, but it's not within my power to hook men from hither and thither as I please." She hears Clarkson say. She decides to linger, curious about what they're saying. Lieutenant Courtenay's pills can wait.

"It's not at all what I was asking." Her Ladyship replies.

"Forgive me, but I thought you were saying that you wanted Corporal Barrow to come and work here when he's fully recovered." Okay, now she's definitely listening. It'd be great to see Thom- she means Corporal Barrow -again.

"I think it a credit to him that he wants to continue to serve in this way. After he's been wounded." Lady Grantham argues.

"Well, that it may be, but it's not for me to decide what happens next." With that, the Countess nods disappointedly and leaves.

Clarkson turns and sees Emma standing there. "Don't you start." He says before Emma can say anything.

"I wasn't going to say anything Major." She says, he relaxes. "But it would be nice for Corporal Barrow to return." She grins at him.

He sighs irritably and walks back inside.

——

"Oh, I like a bit of life in a house," Anna says as she trails into the Kitchen with Emma behind her. Anna had been explaining to her how Lady Rosamund and Lady Mary's new beau, Sir Richard, are going to be invited for a weekend.

"But won't Mr Carson spontaneously combust? I might not be here as often but I have noticed he's extra stressed." Emma says to her. They stop next to Mrs Patmore.

"Erm, I had a letter yesterday." Mrs Patmore says, going over to her little desk.

"Yes?" Anna encourages as she and Emma follow.

"It's my sister's boy. He's-he's with the Lancashire Fusiliers, only he's gone missing." She puts on her glasses and pulls out the note. "Erm, "missing presumed dead" they call it."

"Jesus. How did that happen?" Emma questions.

"Well, that's just it. They can't find out how it happened, why it happened, whether we can be sure it did happen or he isn't lying prisoner somewhere." Mrs Patmore says in a panicked ramble.

"Why not ask His Lordship?" Anna suggests. "He'll have friends in the war office. They can dig something up."

"Oh, well n- I don't like to bother him." Mrs Patmore says.

"Why not? He's got broad shoulders." Anna argues.

"Mmmh." Mrs Patmore sighs.

"Can't hurt," Emma adds. "Better to know than wondering." Mrs Patmore nods mutely, her mind clearly still focused on her nephew; she doesn't blame her.

——

Emma heading off for a shift at the Hospital and is going out through the servants' entrance though technically she's not one anymore. Mr Carson will still have a stink if she goes out through the front entrance and since he looks like he's ready to keel over the stress, Emma decides to go with it.

Emma enters the Courtyard through the door when she spots Thomas. "Thomas!" Emma cries, throwing herself at him. He laughs as he catches her. Miss O'Brien rolls her eyes at the sight but Emma thinks she sees a very slight quirk at the edge of her lips.

Emma pulls back and holds his shoulders to look at him. "So, it seems Miss O'Brien's scheming has actually done some good."

"The cheek." O'Brien huffs.

Thomas lets out a snort. "Yes, I'm now working under Major Clarkson. So are you apparently."

Emma shrugs. "Well..." Her eyes flicker down to see his hand. It's covered by a fingerless glove thing.

Miss O'Brien seems to be on the same wavelength. "What about your blighty?" She nods to his hand. He pulls off the glove, showing how it was maimed by the bullet, Emma cringes at the sight of it - though, of all of the injuries she has seen, it isn't the worst. "My god."

"It's not so bad. And it lived up to its name and got me home." Thomas says.

"Go inside, say hello to everyone," Emma tells him. "I've got to head off." She leaves the Courtyard.

——

Mr Branson, later on, turns up at the Hospital to inform Sybil that her mother expects her back for tea and Sybil is not happy.

"I can't possibly come! Really, Mama is incorrigible!"

"It's not poor Branson's fault." Mrs Crawley says.

"But what is the point of Mama's soirees? What are they for?" Sybil argues.

"Well, I'm going out for dinner tonight and I'm glad. Is that wrong?"

"Lady Grantham has also invited Nurse Byrne as well." Mr Branson adds. "She felt Lady Sybil might more likely come if she does."

Emma spins around from where she had been making a bed and stares at him in shock. "What?!" she exclaims in a squeaky voice.

"Well, that's nice, it'll be fun." Mrs Crawley says.

"Will it?" Emma questions in the same squeaky voice. Not only is it the Downton house and Village Crawleys, including newly appointed Captain Crawley who is in the country to help recruitment, but she knows that Lady Rosamund and Sir Richard, Lady Mary's new 'friend', are coming as well. Help.

"Well, if I'm going, you are too Emma," Sybil says.

"But what am I going to wear?" Emma questions.

"We'll find you something."

She looks over to see Mr Branson amused by her reaction.

Thomas walks in with some blankets and Mrs Crawley turns to him. "Thomas, you can cover for Nurse Crawley and Nurse Byrne, can't you?"

"I can." Thomas starts making up a bed and Mr Branson approaches him, they talk briefly.

Emma goes over to them with a bottle of pills in her hand. "Can you give Lieutenant Courtenay his pills?"

"Of course, I can. I'd be glad to." Thomas replies. Mr Branson and Emma share a lingering look as she walks away.

——

Emma shifts uncomfortably in her new clothes that she had borrowed from Sybil as it seemed they aren't too dissimilar in size. She scans everyone from her spot next to Sybil waiting for Mrs Crawley to arrive as Emma knows she'll treat her normally. She also takes in the world of socialising before dinner as it's something she'd never seen. The greeting between Emma and the Earl and Countess was incredibly awkward but they were kind even if slightly uncomfortable with the idea of their ex-servant joining them for dinner; don't know why really considering it's their fault she's going to be sitting at the table with them. Emma nervously eyes Sir Richard, who is by Lady May; something about him unnerves her.

"Mrs Crawley, Captain Crawley, and Miss Swire." Mr Carson announces. Oh, thank God.

Mr Carson steps aside for them to enter.

Lord Grantham goes over to greet them. "Ah. Isobel." Mrs Crawley smiles and walks past him to Lady Grantham and Captain Crawley steps forward. "Well, now. Still in one piece. Thank God."

They shake hands. "Touch wood."

"I never stop touching it."

Lady Mary drags Sir Richard over to them. "Do you know Sir Richard Carlisle? My cousin, Captain Crawley."

"How do you do?" Sir Richard greets. Sybil, her aunt and Emma watch from the other side of the room.

"And his fiancé, Miss Swire." Lord Grantham adds.

"I know Miss Swire. Her uncle and I are old friends." Sir Richard says.

"Well, old acquaintances, anyway." Miss Swire says. Well, that's interesting.

Sybil turns to her aunt. "What do you think Mary sees in him?"

"Besides the money, you mean?" Lady Rosamund replies.

"It must be more than that," Emma speaks. Sybil nods in agreement.

Lady Rosamund raises an eyebrow at Emma in surprise. "For you two. Not necessarily for her."

Mrs Crawley wanders over to them. "You look lovely Emma."

Emma blushes. "Oh, thank you, Mrs Crawley. I had some help though." She glances at Captain Crawley again. "You must be glad to see your son again."

Her smile dims a bit, likely thinking then of how she could easily lose him in this war. "Yes, I am."

"Have you met Mary's new suitor?" Lady Rosamund butts in pointedly. Emma wonders what she's trying here.

"Um... no I have not." Mrs Crawley replies.

"Well, he seems like a good match for Mary." Lady Rosamund says.

"Is he?" Emma blurts out before she can stop herself causing the three women she's standing with turn to stare at her with varying degrees of annoyance and amusement. Sybil giggles. It's not Emma's fault she's getting a bad vibe from him!

——

Lord and Lady Grantham sit opposite each other in the middle of the table. From Lady Grantham's right, it's Sir Richard, Lady Mary, Mrs Crawley, Lady Edith and Lady Rosamund until Lord Grantham and on his right, it's his mother then Captain Crawley, Miss Swire, Emma and Sybil.

Emma is quite happy with her seat as she knows Sybil and Miss Swire is very kind and non-judgmental; Emma likes her even if she prefers Captain Crawley to be with someone else. Someone Emma notices him glancing over to at some point during dinner.

"So, you are a nurse now?" Miss Swire kindly asks Emma.

She startles at being spoken to. "Uh... yes. I er used to be a maid here but I wanted to train as a nurse, to challenge myself I suppose and well do something with my life if that doesn't sound too selfish."

Miss Swire smiles. "Not at all. It is commendable."

Emma looks at Mr Lang concerned as he enters, the man looks terrified. The Dowager refuses the sauce Mr Lang offers after Mr Carson has served her. Emma hears her talking to her son about Thomas though the man doesn't sound happy about the idea that Thomas is back and working in the Hospital.

Mr Lang walks around Mr Carson, past Lord Grantham, who Mr Carson is serving, to serve Lady Rosamund. Mr Carson angrily hisses at him to get behind him and he and Mr Lang switch places and Mr Lang serves Lord Grantham the sauce. Mr Lang continues down the table to Lady Rosamund despite having already served her.

"Thank you, but I already have some." She says politely.

"No, no. Give that to me." Mr Lang tries to hand Mr Carson the sauce, but Mr Carson drops it and it spills all over Lady Edith, who stands up in shock. "I-I do apologise, My Lady. I- Mr Lang, get a c—" Mr Carson seizes up.

Mrs Crawley immediately stands. The entire table stands up to help Mr Carson, well everyone except the Dowager.

"Carson? Carson, what's the matter?" Lady Grantham exclaims.

Lady Mary stands behind Mrs Crawley's chair as said woman sits him down. "Carson, it's all right. Everything will be fine."

As they all, that is if you don't count the Dowager and Sir Richard, crowd around him, Lord Grantham loosening Mr Carson's collar, Mrs Crawley turns to Lady Edith, "Edith, go with Branson and fetch Major Clarkson. I'll telephone and explain what's happened."

"What about my dress?" Lady Edith complains. Emma sends her an irritated look; this was really not the time!

"Edith! We'll get you a coat! Come." Lady Grantham says dragging her middle child out of the room. Sybil and Emma step forward to help due to their training.

"Sybil and Emma will know what to do until the doctor comes." Lady Mary says to Mrs Crawley.

"You'll find there's never a dull moment in this house." The Dowager remarks to Sir Richard as Mrs Hughes walks into the room. Emma then sees Ethel, Anna, Daisy, Miss O'Brien and Gemma at the end of the room watching.

"Lady Sybil and I will take him upstairs. Nurse Byrne will show us the way, please." Captain Crawley decides as he and Sybil grab Mr Carson's arms.

"Of course," Emma says. She watches Mr Carson's face closely, trying to gather anything else about what is going on with him.

"I can help." Lady Mary says.

"No, let me. I know what I'm doing." Sybil says to her sister.

Still rather incapacitated, Mr Carson still protests. "I'm sure that's not necessary, My Lady."

"It's not Milady now, Carson. It's Nurse Crawley." Captain Crawley, Sybil and Emma guide Mr Carson out of the room.

——

It turns out that Mr Carson is not having a heart attack and just simply needs to relax and rest. It seems Mrs Hughes is going through a trial to keep him in bed.

Time continues and Emma can't seem to find the time to talk to Mr Branson since his proposal though she's secretly grateful as she's not sure what to say to him if she did have a chance considering how awkward she feels around him now.

One day Emma sees Thomas and Lieutenant Courtenay getting closer when she spots Thomas reading Lieutenant Courtenay's post to him. As Emma watches them, she sees Lieutenant Courtenay pat Thomas's knee and Thomas grasps his hand back. She smiles sadly at the sight, thinking how, due to the time period, Thomas can't be truly open with who he is. She decides to leave them alone.

Emma is in the Exercise Yard with Thomas helping Lieutenant Courtenay learn to walk on his own with a cane without being able to see. They have set up a few chairs so he can figure out how to judge the space in front of him when walking. It reminds Emma of her life in the future when she would see this man and his wife taking walks and the wife always had a stick out in front of her to judge the surface.

Thomas walks in front of him. "That's it. That's right, Sir. If you move the stick fast enough, you don't have to slacken your pace."

Emma walks behind. "And check the width of the space as well as any possible obstruction."

"Lieutenant Courtenay!" Major Clarkson approaches. "Well done. You're making good progress."

"Thanks to my saviours," Courtenay says. Emma smiles and Thomas salutes the major.

"So, you'll be pleased to hear that we're all agreed that it's time for you to continue treatment elsewhere," Clarkson says. What?

Courtenay voices this, "What?"

"At Farley Hall." Clarkson continues unfazed. "You're not ill anymore. All you need is time to adjust to your condition, and the staff at Farley can help with that."

"But, Sir, these two are helping me here."

"Nurse Byrne and Corporal Barrow are not trained in specialist care." Clarkson dismisses. Emma frowns at that. They're trying their best!

"Please. Don't send me away. Not yet." Courtenay begs.

"Sir, surely we—" Clarkson shoots Thomas a look.

"Lieutenant, you must know that every one of our beds is needed for the injured and dying from Arras. Mm?" Clarkson pats Courtenay on the arm. "Corporal, I'll see you in my office."

——

Sybil and Emma stand outside the office that Major Clarkson and Thomas are in but they can only hear muffled voices and it's only when Major Clarkson picks up his voice, do they hear what is being said. Sybil had found her standing worriedly outside the door and she explained what had happened and now Sybil has joined her in her worry.

"I will not leave wounded soldiers freezing or sweating under canvas because one junior officer is depressed!" Clarkson yells and Sybil takes this opportunity to knock on the door. "Yes!"

Sybil enters with Emma right behind her. "I thought you may want to know what I think."

"Why should I?" Clarkson spits. "Nurse Crawley, I may not be your social superior in a Mayfair ballroom, but in this Hospital, I have the deciding voice. Please help him prepare his belongings. He leaves first thing in the morning."

Emma pushes in then. "But won't this cause him distress?" Clarkson's sharp eyes turn to her but she continues. "You heard him; he's made attachments here."

"I've made my decision."

——

It's horrible when Emma learns that she was right about it causing him distress. She discovers, during one of her rounds, Lieutenant Courtenay with cut wrists, lying completely still with a pool of blood gathered on the floor. She rushes out of the Ward to sound the alarm about what has happened.

It is later on once the news has spread that Emma goes to find Thomas who is crying in one of the corridors. She sits next to him and gathers him in her arms so that his head is in between her head and shoulder. She simply holds him as he sobs, not saying a word.

"He must've smuggled a razor into his bed. There was nothing to be done." Major Clarkson notes as they gather in the Exercise Yard.

"It's because we ordered him to go," Sybil says.

"We don't know that." Mrs Crawley argues.

"Yes, we do." Emma counters.

"This is a tragedy; I don't deny it. But I cannot see what other course was open to me. We have no room for men to convalesce here and Farley is the nearest house I can send them to." Clarkson explains what they already know.

"There is a solution and it's staring us in the face..." Mrs Crawley says.

"Downton Abbey..." Emma realises.

Clarkson scoffs. "Would they ever allow it?" A revelation occurs to Sybil and Clarkson. "Or even consider it?"

"I think they would. After this, I think they can be made to." Sybil declares.

"It's worth a try," Emma says, agreeing with her.

——

It is a busy day when the wounded arrive in the Hospital trucks. Everyone is working hard to direct and settle them.

Emma is inside guiding a wounded man to his bed when she notices Mr Branson standing next to her. She feels herself blush slightly at how close he is.

"Don't worry I'm not here to talk." He speaks.

She almost feels bad for the relief that he hasn't come to talk about anything else but she tries to deny it. "Oh, n-no I..."

He smiles at her almost fondly. "It's all right." He lifts up a basket in one of his hands that she hadn't noticed before. "Her Ladyship had Mrs Patmore made this up for Lady Sybil so she could eat something during the day. But I can't find her, do you know where she is?" He speaks.

"Oh, I dunno, somewhere. Anyway, I won't have time to find her. Though I doubt she'll eat it, she'll be too busy." Emma turns back to settling the wounded officer.

Captain Crawley enters and approaches his mother who is directing and placing wounded, some on stretchers, along with Major Clarkson. Captain Crawley then seems to wander aimlessly among the beds in shock.

Mr Branson snaps her out of her observations. "Is it what you thought it would be? "

"No. No, it's more horrible and crueller than I could've imagined, but I feel like I am actually making more of an impact for the first time in my life, and that must be a good thing." Emma says to him without looking directly at him for too long. "Captain Crawley," she calls to the lost man, "are you busy?"

Captain Crawley snaps out of his daze, "No, of course not." He helps a man into bed by lifting his legs onto it.

"So, you wouldn't go back to the safety bubble? To your life before the war? Being in service?" Mr Branson asks her.

Emma can't look directly at him as she speaks, "No. No, I can never go back to that world again. Not back to being a servant." She goes about her work, leaving him behind her.

——

Bad news reaches them as it turns out that Mrs Patmore's nephew has been killed. It seems every man of the young generation is being killed. The woman is inconsolable for a while, it makes Emma wonder if there is more to it.

"Turns out he's been hovering around as he hoped to see more of him, but I've had to turn him away," Anna explains as they talk about Mr Mosely in the Servants' Hall.

"Well, it's only fair to him, isn't it. You don't like him." Gemma says, inadvertently hinting to he who shall not be named.

"Mmmh," Emma replies, "in other news can I tell you I'm so glad not to be eating with them upstairs tonight," Emma says diverting the conversation before Anna gets upset with the thought of Mr Bates. She's also glad not to be there as Sybil and Mrs Crawley are pitching the Convalescent home idea to the family and Emma doesn't want to be there for the argument.

"Why?" Ethel interrupts. "Seemed quite entertaining last time."

"Yes, Mr Carson overworking himself and then collapsing is the height of entertainment." Emma snaps. Ethel rolls her eyes and picks up her magazine and walks out of the room.

Anna and Gemma then stand to clean the Dining room as William then walks in, dressed in full uniform.

"William?" Anna says when she spots him. "What a treat to see you. And how smart you look. Welcome."

"Thanks." He speaks. Emma sends him a kind smile despite the dread she feels seeing him in the uniform.

"Supper won't be long. We're just going up to clear the Dining room." Gemma says.

"I would help but like you, I've got a new job now." Emma jokes. Anna and Gemma smile at him and leave.

"So, still full of the joys of warfare?" Mr Lang questions from where he has been sitting, reading.

"I'm not sorry to be part of it, Mr Lang, and I can't pretend I am." Emma couldn't help but feel like he shouldn't be but she doesn't say anything cause she knows it won't do anything.

"Oh, yes, you're part of it. Like a metal cog is part of a factory, or a grain of sand is part of the beach." Mr Lang says.

"It's all right, Mr Lang. I understand." Do you? "And I'm not saying I'm important, or ought like that. But I believe in this war. I believe in what we're fighting for and I want to do my bit." William says determinedly.

"Then God help you."

——

Emma soon learns that William has got a lot to say.

""If you had taken another minute to make up your mind, Sir, we'd all have marched over the cliff."" The servants laugh at William's tale while Emma just watches him sadly, this young boy has no idea what is coming.

Emma decides to walk away at this point. Away from this hoe and positivity. She heard William talking behind her. "And I'll tell you something else as well—"

——

The next day Sybil tells Emma it has worked and her parents have given the okay for Downton to become a Convalescent home. It is now clear that Downton Abbey has not escaped the war and will now be able to do its bit.

——

A/N: Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[dgaftilwedie]

sorry guys im YAPPING again................. literally making a new tag for this i love doing surveys

yeah kinda i mean i struggle with derealization so half the time nothing feels real

like 4.5 maybe???

i actually have no idea

SCOOPS!!!!!!!!

cherry blossom :3

"damn i need to shower"

my rite here rite now merch :33 hehheheeh

bi, n i don't really identify with any gender?? idk nothing feels ME my gender is just unlabeled because 1) i don't know and 2) i don't really care yknow??

dark :3

watchinf a loz randomizer video with one of my brothers

18 has been pretty cool so far

one of my brothers (the loz brother)

you........... (i don't have one)

my family laptop just has like the default

Hot Bio Teacher

laude by gaerea

idk .......... whoever it js is NOT gonna be matt groening, that's fo sho

the person who taste tested the chili cheese fries flavored pringles and decided they tasted fine. they tasted like a tuna melt in the worst way possible. they had so much potential.

man idk 😭

my boobs (sorry) (kinda) (not really)

i would probably look like my dad 😭 and i've had this very specific kinda weird fantasy where if i ever woke up with a dick, i would fuck a mcchicken. it came to me in a dream. and it's so far out there. i don't know why.

i was a cheerleader once does that count

CANNED FUCKING PEAS

grinder roll. cold cut with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. mayonnaise on the top. throw it in the oven. favorite sandwich ever.

im gonna save it to add it to my tattoo fund :3

LA, HERE I COME

those fucking hard mountain dews bro that's right up my alley

no one can come to the island except for me and whoever i choose bc it's gonna become a sanctuary for the local wildlife :3

i dontrknow what that means :3

Unpleasant Question that i do not know how to answer

Next Question Please

im moving to ny wildlife sanctuary from question 28

MY UNCLE DAVE DUDE i miss him so much. maybe i could get death to bring back my rat too.......... a little two for one deal in exchange a feally good sandeicj or something

guhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh idk

oh fer sure

yeah :(

yeah :3

i am NOT wearing socks

i like a lot of different kinds of music i will listen to pretty much anything as long as it sounds nice

sunsets :3 sunrises are kinda underwhelming most of the time

chocolate?????? maybe?????? i don't have milkshakes often

the jaguars 💪💪 (they're my dad's team)

i am COVERED

i graduated a month ago and as of rn............. i am freeloading (my parents do not care) (i love my parents)

i truly hate how i am constantly overthinking. i feel so unlikable and i tire myself out by being the way i am. i wish i was NORMAL i wish my brain worked like a normal person's brain instead of being so hyperactive and stupid

i would hope so

"are you still lame??"

kinda..........

lizard + bird......... then we'd have dragons

i've had way too many weird conversations i dontrknow what the weirdest one is

yeah :3 it's not something i like to brag about bc i had to learn gow to lie out of necessity

if im around people, i don't think i'd last 5 minutes. if im by myself i'd last forever.

the 2021 pixie cut

yeah :3

i can do a lot of accents im working on my irish one rn

i dislike toast i will only eat it if it's toasted in bacon greese and dipped in egg yolk

no bucks :3 they're an awesome currency that is worth zero dollars to you and all of your disappoint to me!!!!!!!!!!

SIX SPEED HOT PINK JEEP WRANGLER

i do a LOT of shit in the shower my imagination is most active then i talk to myself a lot

yeah :3 i hope they're cool aliens

nawwww not usually. i only read it if i get my hands on the newspaper

now that i think about it........... w is a really nice letter

DINOSAURS i can't believe that they were fucking real i wish we could bring them back......... i've always fantasized about having a pet ankylosaurus

cutie patooties :33 little creatures........ they're so tiny and so adorable i love them so much

survey 10💛

length: long

----------

1. Do you ever doubt the existence of others than you?

2. On a scale of 1-5, how afraid of the dark are you?

3. The person you would never want to meet?

4. What is your favorite word?

5. If you were a type of tree, what would you be?

6. When you looked in the mirror this morning what was the first thing you thought?

7. What shirt are you wearing?

8. What do you label yourself as?

9. Bright room or dark room?

10. What were you doing at midnight last night?

11. Favorite age you’ve been so far?

12. Who told you they loved you last?

13. Your worst enemy?

14. What is your current desktop picture?

15. Do you like someone?

16. The last song you listened to?

17. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?

18. Who would you really like to just punch in the face?

19. If anyone could be your slave for a day, who would it be and what would they have to do?

20. What is your best physical attribute? (showing said attribute is optional)

21. If you were the opposite sex for one day, what would you look like and what would you do?

22. Do you have a secret talent? If yes, what is it?

23. What is one unique thing you’re afraid of?

24. You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your disposal.

25. You just found $100! How are you going to spend it?

26. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere in the world, but you have to leave immediately. Where are you going to go?

27. An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. “Be brand-specific” it says. Man! What are you gonna say about that? Even if you don’t drink booze there’s something you can figure out… so what’s it gonna be?

28. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place?

29. What is your favorite expletive?

30. Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don’t worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely. So what’s the one thing you’re going to save from that blazing inferno?

31. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

32. You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit… you can move to anywhere else in the world!

33. The Celestial Gates Of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn’t think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person/etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?

34. What was your last dream about?

35. Are you a good… [insert anything you’d like here]?

36. Have you ever been admitted to the hospital?

37. Have you ever built a snowman?

38. What is the color of your socks?

39. What type of music do you like?

40. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets?

41. What is your favorite milkshake flavor?

42. What football team do you support? (I will answer in terms of American football as well as soccer)

43. Do you have any scars?

44. What do you want to be when you graduate?

45. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

46. Are you reliable?

47. If you could ask your future self one question, what would it be?

48. Do you hold grudges?

49. If you could breed two animals together to defy the laws of nature, what new animal would you create?

50. What is the most unusual conversation you’ve ever had?

51. Are you a good liar?

52. How long could you go without talking?

53. What has been you worst haircut/style?

54. Have you ever baked your own cake?

55. Can you do any accents other than your own?

56. What do you like on your toast?

57. What is the last thing you drew a picture of?

58. What would be you dream car?

59. Do you sing in the shower? Or do anything unusual in the shower? Explain.

60. Do you believe in aliens?

61. Do you often read your horoscope?

62. What is your favorite letter of the alphabet?

63. Which is cooler: dinosaurs or dragons?

64. What do you think about babies?

[queenshelby]

Just Friends - Cillian Murphy Imagine

Featuring: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: SMUT

Words: 5034

Foreword:

I have never written anything for an actual person. For my own comfort, I will not be referring to Cillian’s actual family and, instead, I have created two small biographies for the Reader and Cillian.

Biography:

The Reader:

The Reader is 24 years old and recently moved to Dublin with her 5 year old son, Max in order to take up a fantastic job offer.

Max’s father isn’t interested in a relationship with his son and separated from the Reader pretty much as soon as she found out that she was pregnant. 

The Reader is a novelist and editor for the Irish Times. 

The Reader’s interests include books, listening to records, theatre and attending live music gigs. 

The Reader has a close relationship with her grandmother who is 65 years old and a writer herself. She also lives in Dublin with her second husband, who is originally from Galway.

 Cillian: 

Cillian is 42 years old in this story. He is divorced from his wife Siobhan and has two kids, Charlie (6) and Hendricks (8).

He lives in a town house in Dublin and shares custody.

In this story, he finished filming Season 4 of Peaky Blinders about three months ago, which is when the Reader first met him.

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

JUST FRIENDS

Three and a half months ago you moved to Dublin to take a position as editor at the Irish Times. Initially, the move was daunting to you as you were a single mother and moving your son to a different preschool concerned you.

Fortunately, your grandmother was living in Dublin as well and offered to help you with looking after your son, Max. She was a retired novelist herself and you always had a close relationship with her. Having her around was a blessing.

Over the years, you also met some Irish writers and established good relationships with them. Therefore, finding friends in Dublin was not an issue.

One of your best friends was a play writer from London and was working in Ireland at the time, promoting her theatre play called ‘Blessings’. She introduced you to a bunch of people, most of which were working in the entertainment industry in some way or another.

Whilst all of your new found friends were a fair bit older than you, you related to them. You had interests in common and most of them had children, just like you. They understood that sometimes plans had to be cancelled and flexibility was limited. Having children is a commitment which many of your younger friends didn’t understand. You weren’t interested in late nights because a young child meant early mornings. For this reason, you would much rather attend a dinner and board game night as a opposed to a night club.

And this is how you met a very interesting man named Cillian. Three months ago, your friend Orla invited you to a board game night with a couple of her friends. Cillian was pretty much the only other single person in attendance and, since this was a board game that had to be played in teams of two, you and Cillian were paired up with him.

He was funny and smart and very attractive. You had a good time that night and even won the game with your combined knowledge of random trivial facts.

He was a fun person to be around and you had several common interests.

Over the next few months, you spent a fair bit of time together, mostly with other friends but sometimes alone when your friends were doing things as couples with their partners.

Just recently, you went record shopping together and the weekend before last you and another friend of yours would take all of your kids to Dublin Zoo for the day. Your son Max developed a great friendship with Cillian’s youngest son Charlie. Playdates were a common occurrence.

While both of you separately explored the dating world, you really enjoyed Cillian’s company as a friend and he enjoyed yours and you would often chat about the mishaps you encountered and laugh about them. Dates gone wrong was one of your favourite topics.

The last relationship Cillian had was with a co-worker, which was far from ideal. They’ve met on set of one of his movies about a year after he divorced from his wife, but things didn’t go as planned and the relationship didn’t last. It ended about four months ago, being just one month before you met.

The last relationship you had was over a year ago and it also didn’t last as your boyfriend couldn’t deal with the fact that you were a single mum and that your son always came first.

For Valentines Day this year, your friends set up dates for each of you. It was disastrous. Neither of you were interested in committing at this point and you both were rather flustered about your friends’ efforts after you both had told them not to bother.

You were happy singles.

Theatre Night

As happy singles, you decided to go and see your friend’s new play ‘Blessings’ with some of your other friends on the night you all managed to be child free for once. It took a while to organise but was worth the effort.

‘Hi Max, how was preschool?’ Cillian asked as he opened the door to your townhouse for Cillian while you were in the bathroom, putting up your hair.

Max met Cillian numerous times and got along with him very well. After all, Cillian had a son the same age as Max.

‘Good. Do you want me to show you what I made?’ Max asked while you waived at Cillian from the bathroom.

‘Absolutely, show me’ Cillian said with a smile as he followed Max into the living room.

‘Look’ Max said as he held up two paintings.

‘Wow, is that a T-Rex?’ Cillian asked, causing Max to nod with excitement.

‘That’s very cool…he looks super scary’ Cillian added just as there was another knock on the door.

It was your grandmother who was here to pick up Max for his sleepover at her house.

You opened the door and asked Max to get his bag from the living room which you had packed for him earlier.

‘Nan, this is my friend Cillian’ you said as you introduced Cillian to your grandmother.

‘Hello Cillian, I am Margot. I loved Grief is a Thing with Feathers. It was such an intense play’ she said, knowing right away who he was despite the fact that you had never mentioned him to her before.

‘Thank you Margot and I loved By The Sea, it was a fantastic book’ Cillian responded. He read the book after you told him about your grandmother. Your writing style was very similar to hers and he always loved a good book.

‘Oh thank you very much. Now Max, are you ready?’ your grandmother asked.

Max was ready and you said goodbye, giving him a big hug and thanking your grandmother for looking after him for the night.

While Cillian waited in the living room, you finished your make up and slipped on your shoes.

‘Thank you for picking me up. I really have no idea where this place is’ you said as you grabbed your bag and the two of you were heading out of the door.

‘Any time Y/N, it isn’t far from here actually’ Cillian said.

As you were walking to the Arthouse Theatre you talked about all sorts of things, music, childcare and books.

It was a cold night in Dublin and you were probably underdressed for the occasion.

At the Arthouse Theatre you met up with another two friends of yours. They were both married, to each other, and shared three children. Luckily for them, they had a baby sitter that night.

The play was amazing and you all enjoyed it with a few glasses of wine which were served at the theatre. Cillian had good taste when it came to wine and you usually sought his guidance on what to order.

After you left the theatre, you felt awfully hungry. You hadn’t eaten dinner that night.

‘I am starving, is anyone else up for Pizza?’ you asked your three friends, including Cillian

‘We would love to, but only have a baby sitter until 9pm, sorry’ Amanda said, explaining that she and her husband had to head home fairly soon.

‘What about you Cilly?’ you asked.

‘I would love some Pizza, let’s go to Pizzinis’ he said.

Both you and Cillian said goodbye to your friends and made your way to Pizzinis.

As usual, it was packed and there were no table available.

‘Wanna grab them take away and go back to my place? I’ve got wine and you can show me this new album you were talking about earlier’ you said.

‘Sounds good, let’s do that’ Cillian said before ordering two pizzas.

More than Friends

You arrived at your apartment about 30 minutes later and Cillian put on some music. He found this new Irish band he liked and you were really keen to hear them.

‘Hmm Indie…I like it’ you said as he connected his i-phone to your speakers.

‘Wine?’ you asked as you grabbed a bottle of wine from the shelf.

‘Yes please and thanks’ Cillian said as he put the pizzas on the table.

‘I was meant to ask you, how was your Valentine’s date?’ Cillian asked before taking the first bite of the pizza.

‘Oh god, don’t remind me on it please’ you said with a laugh.

‘That good ey? What happened?’ Cillian laughed.

‘He was weird. He basically left after I told him about Max’ you responded.

‘I think that sometimes guys your age might be a bit freaked out by the fact that you have child. I can’t say that I blame them. I couldn’t imagine myself becoming a step father when I was in my 20s’ Cillian said.

‘He was 32’ you responded.

‘Well maybe he was just weird and you are just unlucky when it comes to dating’ Cillian laughed.

‘Yeah, maybe…I am just over dating’ you said…’What about your date?’ you asked.

‘Pretty average. I mean she was nice but had no sense of humour’ Cillian said.

‘Oh what, wait…she didn’t laugh at your Irish jokes?’ you laughed.

‘Outrageous I know. I mean how could she not?’ Cillian joked.

‘Here is to failed dates’ you said as you held up your wine glass for a toast.

‘To failed dates’ Cillian responded with smile.

Over the next hour or so, Cillian and you finished both pizzas and talked about books, including the book you were currently writing, music and embarrassing things your kids had done.

Quite music was playing in the background by then while you talked and laughed together until Cillian brought up a specific book he had read recently, written by a writer named J A Hanson, which he said reminded him on you in a way.

‘I have read all of her books and I really wish I could write romance as well as her’ you said.

‘Her books aren’t exactly romantic’ Cillian responded.

‘Her storylines aren’t romantic, but the character she uses in all of her books involves herself romantically with several other characters throughout the series. The way she writes makes you relate to the character even in these intimate moments’ you explained.

‘She is 60 and probably speaking from experience. I have read in a paper a few months back that she had quite an interesting and adventurous youth in the 70s and 80s’ Cillian said.

‘Free Love…Yeah, I have read this too’ you laughed. ‘Perhaps I just need some inspiration to get over my block, otherwise I will never finish this damn novel’ you said as you poured yourself some more wine.

‘You don’t have to answer this, but when was the last time that…?’ Cillian asked and, before he could finish his question, you interrupted him.

‘That I had sex? Gosh…well over a year ago’ you responded, causing Cillian’s chin to drop.

‘Over a year? Seriously? I mean, surely, a woman like you would get plenty of offers…’ Cillian said, not knowing what else to tell you.

‘A woman like me? What do you mean by that Cilly?’ you asked with a slight giggle.

‘Well, you are attractive, smart and funny. You would get a fair bit of interest’ Cillian responded.

‘So, you think I am attractive?’ you asked with a smirk, causing Cillian to choke slightly on his wine. He regretted what he had said almost instantly, causing awkwardness between you.

‘Well yeah, I think you are an attractive woman’ Cillian said quietly. ‘In a totally objective way of course’ he added, while, just in this moment, you observed his facial expressions.

You observed him drop his eyes to your lips as he said it, and then lower to the place where your shirt opens at the collar, the buttons undone to below your collarbone.

He pressed his lips together. ‘I think I should probably get go…’ he said, and, before he could finish his sentence, you leaned in and kissed him suddenly, like the peck you give a boy you like on the school bus the second before you jump up and get off – a brief bravery without a plan.

He was caught by surprise.

‘Y/N’ he said and, before he could say something else, you apologised to him for what just happened.

‘I am sorry Cilly, I don’t know what just came over me’ you said.

‘It’s alright, I shouldn’t have said what I said. It was inappropriate’ Cillian said.

But, with Cillian’s response, you couldn’t leave it alone and asked ‘So, you don’t think that I am attractive?’ you asked, giggling slightly with some embarrassment.

‘Any man who thinks that you aren’t attractive is clearly blind. But, with that being said, it doesn’t matter what I think, you are 18 years younger than me and it would be wrong for us to take this further. Despite, I don’t want to fuck up our friendship’ Cillian said calmly.

You didn’t know what to say to his comment and, instead of using any words, you ran your hand gently over the side of his perfect face while biting your lip.

‘Just one kiss between friends then, we can blame the red wine after’ you whispered as a comfortable hot feeling washed over you. You felt some sort of attraction towards Cillian since the moment you met him, but didn’t want to admit it to yourself, let alone to him.

‘I don’t know Y/N’ Cillian said as you leaned closer towards him and pressed your lips onto his. You knew he was reluctant but he didn’t push you away.

To the contrary, as you kissed him, his hand came up in a rush to the back of your neck, pulling you in closer. Within seconds, his tongue slipped between your lips, whispering over your teeth and began dancing with your tongue.

You noticed the brush of his stubble on your cheek, the press of his lips on yours and the way his mouth tasted, a mix of minty gum and red wine.

It shouldn’t have been so hot, but it was. The taste of him, the smell and flavour, and it made you whimper in your throat. You knew this was one off and you didn’t want this moment to end.

‘Are you ok?’ he asked after he pulled back a little and paused. He was scanning your eyes and there was a cautious considering from his side. You could tell that he was surprised about what had just happened.

‘Yeah, you?’ you said as you couldn’t help yourself but stare into his baby blue eyes.

‘Yes’ he said as he cleared his throat slightly.

There was an awkward silence in the room and you couldn’t stand it.

You build up all of your courage again and leaned over him, pressing your lips onto his once more.

Cillian didn’t hesitate then.

His tongue slipped right back into the same spot than before, before his lips then moved over your face and down to your neck, leaving gentle bites and kisses.

Cillian’s hands were busy touching you at the same time his lips were trailing over your neck.

One of his hands was in your hair at the back of your head while his other hand was moving down to press the small of your back so that your body was pulled forward into his.

As you were exchanging passionate kisses, you could feel the shape of him, the firmness of his body against yours, your legs pressing into his and his chest pressing into your breasts. You could also feel his erection through his jeans, hard as anything, rigid and warm against your tummy.

By this time, you wanted more than just kisses.

‘Sleep with me, just that once’ you whispered.

‘I can’t Y/N, you are 24, it is not right’ Cillian said pulling away from you.

‘It’s just sex Cilly, I am old enough for that’ you laughed.

‘Yes, but I don’t want this to ruin our friendship’ Cillian said.

‘It won’t. There are no strings attached, it’s just sex. Unless you don’t want me’ you responded. ‘Although I think you do’ you giggled as you ran your hand over his pants, feeling his erection.

Your comment made Cillian chuckle.

‘This is a one off, alright?’ Cillian asked, causing you to nod.

‘One off…and it stays our little secret’ you said before smashing your lips back onto his for another minute or two.

After you exchanged more passionate kisses you stood up.

‘Common, I show you my bedroom’ you said cheekily, taking his hand and guiding him towards the bed.

‘Can you help me with this please’ you asked, turning around to face the bed. Your back was now facing Cillian and you pulled your hair aside so that he can open the zipper of your dress.

Cillian unzipped your dress carefully, exposing your black lace underwear.

As you pushed your dress down onto the floor, Cillian began kissing your back and neck, while running his hands over your breasts and stomach, all the way down in between your legs.

You let out a brief moan before turning around to face him and help him pull his t-shirt over his head, exposing his perfectly shaped biceps.

Looking into his eyes, your hand glided gracefully, for once, past Cillian’s belt buckle and into the holy crevice of his Calvin Klein briefs. His cock was hard and ready.

You moved it between my your slowly, relishing his obvious eagerness.

You used the other hand to unbuckle his belt and unzip his jeans, shortly after which he pushed them down to the floor while your other hand never left his warm and hard cock.

After the jeans came off, Cillian pressed his lips back onto yours while using his skilled hands to unclip the back of your bra. The bra also landed on the floor within seconds.

‘Lie down’ he whispered into your ear. You obliged and crawled onto the bed, facing him.

He loomed over you, climbing on to the bed as you scooted backwards further so that he could straddle your hips while you pushed up against him, wanting the rub and friction against you.

Cillian kissed you passionately as one of his hands moved in between your legs.

He could feel your body tensing up as he ran his fingers over the top of your panties

After all, he knew that it had been a while since you’ve been with anyone. He knew to take it slow and give you some reassurance.

‘Just relax’ he whispered into your ear with his thick Irish accent as he edged his fingers over the lace of your panties, his hand leisurely rubbing up and down the length of your squirming crotch, until he pulled your underwear aside and slipped two fingers inside of you.

You could feel your mouth widen and a loud moan escaped you as he teased the full mound of your clit. The stroke of his thumb was purposeful and steady on your firm, dripping pulse while his fingers plunged in and out of you, sinking further and further.

You held onto him tightly as the slipperiness he found made it easy for him to penetrate you with his fingers. You were so wet.

You shuddered at the pattern, shocked to find it could still stun you, unlocking newfound levels of moisture and desire, even when you began to meet the repetition of his thrusts. You naturally tilted and buckled beneath him.

As he was pushing his fingers in and out of you, he trailed kisses down your neck while your hands clutched at his shoulders, scratched down his back, held him tighter to you as I screamed into his skin.

Cillian’s breath grew more desperate and rugged.

‘It seems like we should take these off’ he said, causing you to nod with anticipation.

‘Don’t move’ Cillian ordered as he lowered himself on the bed while removing your lace undies.

Within seconds, Cillian’s lips were an inch away from your crotch, where he painted your inner thigh with tiny and soft kisses.

Cillian pushed your legs apart gently and you knew what would be next. You have read about this many times but this was the first time any man had gone down on you before and you were nervously biting your lip.

You tried hard to relax as Cillian’s lips finally reached your entrance, tasting the evidence of how much you wanted him.

‘Oh god, fuck’ you moaned as his head dove between your legs. His tongue prodded you softly, short licks against your clit.

Instantly, all restraint and reservations you had vanished. You were relaxed completely as his tongue danced and writhed inside of you.

With each skillful stroke, your thighs clenched. But you still needed more and he read you just right; he didn’t stop as you pushed yourself up the bed. Instead, he held you steady, causing you to look down at him and watching his eyes widen as they met yours, reacting to the rush of your wetness.

‘Cillian, oh god…you need to stop, I am so close’ you moaned, not wanting it to be over. You never came more than once so you wanted to feel him inside of you first.

‘That’s good, just let go’ Cillian said quietly with a grin before he continued and slid two fingers back inside of you while whirling his tongue over your clit.

You couldn’t hold on any longer, no matter how hard you tried. Your exhales began to emerge as deepening sighs and you leaned my head back and lived out the fantasy that had flashed through your mind all along.

‘Oh god Cillian’ you moaned as your back arched and a rush of ecstasy flew through your body. You grabbed onto Cillian’s hair as he sucked every drip from you as your orgasm flooded your body.

As you came down from your orgasm, Cillian shuffled himself back up the bed, kissing you passionately.

You could taste yourself on his lips and you were ready for more.

‘I want to feel you’ you whispered after your lips drifted apart and while reaching for Cillian’s hard cock.

‘Do you have a condom?’ he asked, causing you to nod. You had purchased some before your Valentine’s Date, just in case you needed them.

You reached for the bedside table and opened the pack of condoms, handing one to Cillian.

Cillian was quick to get rid of his briefs and put on the condom, before positioning himself on top of you, in between your legs.

He shuddered a great rushing gasp of breath as he entered you. He couldn’t believe how good you felt, so tight.

You felt him push into you then, slowly and carefully, filling you completely.  

‘Cillian’ you moaned as you held onto him tightly as he slowly began to move.

With every thrust, you gasped, whimpered, soft mewling noises, begging for more.

You felt him all the way to your belly button and screamed out with pleasure, your hands taking the heat as he thrusted fast and deep.

As he picked up his pace, you got louder, groans becoming moans becoming shouts, and the bed frame thumped against the wall, louder and faster and louder and faster.

‘Oh god, don’t stop’ you moaned, his skin slapping against yours.

‘You are so beautiful’ Cillian said in between his moans before pulling out of you slowly and lifting up your legs above his shoulders.

He knew exactly that, this way, he would be reaching your g-spot while he was fucking you.

You were slightly surprised by this position but were flexible enough to run with it.

As he entered you again slowly, you let out a loud moan.

‘Fuck’ you moaned in between the high-pitched noises that escaped you.

‘Does this feel alright?’ Cillian asked, wanting to ensure that you are comfortable.

You nodded eagerly and whimpered a shaky ‘yes’ as he continued to thrust into you. He was right at your g-spot and you could barely control yourself.

He slowly picked up the speed and you could feel another orgasm coming on as the tip of his cock kept hitting your g-spot over and over again.

‘Cillian, oh my god, don’t stop…’ you moaned as you held onto his arms tightly.

You began to shake heavily as your orgasm washed over you and tears of joy escaped your eyes.

‘Fuck, Y/N’ Cillian groaned loudly as he felt your walls tightening around him. The sensation coupled with the sounds you were making sent him over the edge and he almost came in sync with you.

As soon as he came, you released your legs from his shoulders and he collapsed on top of you, kissing you passionately.

You could still feel Cillian pulsing inside you when the sudden oddness of what you had done washed over you.

‘Are we ok?’ Cillian asked as he slowly pulled out of you and removed the condom, disposing of it discreetly.

‘I think so’ you said shyly.

‘Good…because I really enjoyed this’ Cillian said as he ran one of his hands over your cheek gently.

‘Me too…plus, I’ve got some inspiration for my book now’ you said cheekily.

‘I am glad to having been of assistance. Make sure you credit me in the end notes’ Cillian said jokingly.

‘Hmm, if I did, it may become a best seller…Sex Scene Inspired by Cillian Murphy’ you said with laughter, causing Cillian to laugh also.

‘I should better get home’ Cillian said as he was playing with your hair. He really didn’t want to leave, but he felt as though it was inappropriate for him to stay the night.

‘You can stay here if you like…’ you offered, but Cillian declined.

After all, this was supposed to be a one off. You are nothing more than friends, or are you?

You accepted Cillian’s decision to leave and weren’t upset by it. You enjoyed your time with Cillian and slept well that night, snugging up in the doona which smelled like his aftershave.

Finishing the Book

The next morning, you got up early to begin writing the intimate chapter of your book. This was the chapter you had struggled with for a while and you finally felt comfortable writing it. If readers would know that, in this particular scene of your book, you were basically reliving your night with your friend, Cillian Murphy, that would be scandalous.

So, you decided to make sure that no one would ever find out about your little adventure.

Unfortunately for you, your grandma seemed to have a good sense of what was going on.

She was on time as usual and dropped Max back at your house at 10am.

‘Had a good night my dear? I can see you are working on your book.’ She said.

‘Yes nan, the play last night was lovely. It has given me some inspiration’ you said.

‘The play has given you some inspiration to write about orgasms?’ your grandmother asked with laughter as she read the screen on your lap top.

‘Nan! Oh my god, don’t read what I am writing’ you said with embarrassment.

‘Oh dear, it’s alright. Believe it or not, I used to write novels myself with a little hint of filth now and then. But, somehow, I don’t think that it was the play that gave you the inspiration to write this little naughty chapter. By looking at the bruises on your neck, perhaps it was your friend Mr Murphy who gave you this inspiration?’ your grandmother said with sarcasm.

‘Nan, no Jesus, please’ you said as your face became flushed.

‘Don’t be embarrassed dear’ your grandmother said. ‘It is good for you. I mean, he is handsome and I saw the way you looked at him yesterday evening…and the way he looked at you’ your grandmother continued.

‘There is nothing between us nan, we are just friends’ you explained with total embarrassment.

‘Alright dear, whatever you say’ your grandmother said, not believing a single word that came out of your mouth.

‘I better go, I have lunch with Alma later… I love you my dear’ your grandmother said before heading out of the door.

‘Love you too nan’ you said.

 WHO WANTS A SECOND PART OF THIS?

[spencersstrawberryjello]

Treat People With Kindness (The BAU)

Summary: Garcia gets Reid into Harry Styles and everyone subsequently loses their minds over it.

Content: Honestly just funny I’m not sure what to call it

MC’s name/pronouns: No alternate main character, just Spencer.

Word Count: 1706

A/N: This whole fic was inspired by the fact that a fan gave Matthew Gray Gubler a Treat People With Kindness pin, which then sparked my friend Emily and I to theorize that Spencer Reid would absolutely be a Harry Styles stan. So yeah, this is literally just the product of one fan interaction lmao

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“I got a good feelin’.”

“... What’s he doing?” Emily leaned over and whispered to JJ, who just shook her head.

“I’m just takin’ it all in.”

“Ok, what happened to Reid?” Morgan joined them, and they both shrugged, watching Spencer walk through the doors of the office. 

“Floatin’ up and dreamin’.”

“You know, maybe I need to add him to my drug test list too.” Hotch had stepped out of his office, trying to hide his grin as they saw Spencer making his way to his desk, headphones in and practically dancing over to his seat, mouthing every word of the song he was listening to. He plopped down in it with a little spin, opening a file on his desk without ever taking his headphones out. 

“Try ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” Emily laughed, and JJ broke away from their group, heading over to his desk. 

“Hey Spence,” She rested her arms on the divide between his desk and Emily’s, tapping on it to get his attention. 

“Maybe we can find a place to feel good.”

“Spence!” She tapped his arm this time, and he practically jumped out of his skin, turning to face her.

“And we can treat -”

He quickly tore the headphones out of his ears, setting them down on his desk and looking up at her, clearing his throat.

“Sorry. I was listening to something.” He gestured to the headphones still connected to his phone, as if that wasn’t already obvious. 

“Yeah, I noticed,” JJ laughed.

“Do we have a case?” 

“Nothing yet, you’re good.” She tried fruitlessly to hide her grin, and he gave her a strange look.

“Ok…”

“So,” She plopped down in Emily’s chair, rolling it over to sit near him, “What were you listening to?”

“Oh!” His face lit up, and he grabbed his phone, holding it out for her to see. She put the headphones in her ears, hearing the final moments of the song he’d been jamming to.

“And we can treat people with kindness, find a place to feel good.”

“Harry Styles?” JJ laughed incredulously, handing him back his phone. 

“You’ve heard of him?” He asked, taking the phone and sitting it back on his desk and turning back to her.

“I’m pretty sure most people have heard of him, Spence.”

“Ok, well, I hadn’t. But on Saturday I was speaking at the University of Mary Washington with Rossi, and one of the girls gave me this, after the lecture,” He grabbed his bag off the back of the chair, pointing to a round pin clipped on the strap. It was enamel, with light pink on the inside and a red rose in the center, encircled by the phrase “Treat People With Kindness” in black lettering. “And you know, naturally I thought it was a good message so I put it on my bag and I thought that was all it was. But then I ran into Garcia.”

“Oh god.”

“I was walking in yesterday and she saw it and kind of freaked out a little bit, and pulled me into her office and played me the song - the one you just listened to - and it was amazing and so I told her I thought it was amazing, which made her freak out even more and then you called with a case so I left, only to receive a a YouTube playlist a few hours later that she told me I had to watch every video on or she’d stop printing the case files for me.”

“You know she loves you too much to actually do that, right?”

“I mean, the odds were low, but I wasn’t going to risk it. Either way, I sort of listened to every single song on Fine Line and Self-Titled in one night and also a whole bunch of interviews that she sent me and he’s really funny and his music is great and the moral of the story is I kind of love him.”

JJ sent back in her chair, dumbfounded. “Dude… you mean to tell me Garcia made you a Harry Styles fan?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“I - Penelope!” JJ left without another word, making her way into Garcia’s office. Spencer just shrugged, returning to the file he was looking at - and his music - as Garcia spun to face JJ.

“Jennifer, my love, to what do I owe the pleasure? New case?” She asked. JJ just shook her head.

“You broke Reid.”

“I did not break Reid!” She defended with a grin. “I merely helped him reach his true form.”

“He willingly used technology, and he came into the office today practically dancing to Treat People With Kindness. So yes, you did break Reid.”

“JJ, dear,” Garcia got up from her chair, taking JJ’s hands in the doorway, “Do you remember when Reid got that adorable little shaggy haircut?”

“Despite the fact that he changes his hair like every month, yes, I do.”

“And do you remember what Hotch said?”

She thought for a moment, then her eyes widened in shock. “You did all of this… because of the boyband joke?”

“Like I said: true form.” Garcia returned to her chair, spinning around with a laugh. “In my defense, I didn’t know he was going to get a Harry Styles pin. I just took advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself. I already failed at teaching him to worship Lady Gaga, I could not miss another chance to try and pull him out of the dark ages.”

“You are ridiculous, you know that?”

“That’s why you love me!” 

JJ laughed, leaving Garcia’s office and heading up to hers, ruffling Spencer’s hair on her way by.

“You should grow your hair out again.”

“You think so?” He reached up and fussed with his hair, just as Garcia emerged into the main room. 

“Spencer Reid, my beautiful boy genius, did you do what I asked?”

“Garcia, I figured out how to download music to my phone because of you. So yes, I did what you asked.”

“You are officially my new favorite person.”

“Hang on, what is this all about?” Emily asked. Garcia grinned, hardly able to contain her excitement. 

“I’m finally bringing the lovely Dr. Reid here into the 21st Century.”

“Penelope,” Emily raised an eyebrow at her, “What did you do?”

“Garcia thinks she did something revolutionary by getting me into Harry Styles’ music,” Spencer clarified. Emily immediately clapped her hand over her mouth, about to respond before Derek piped up from his desk.

“Oh, she converted you too?”

“‘Too’ - you mean to tell me that you, Derek Morgan, are a Harry Styles fan?” Emily was looking between the three of them now, practically in shock. Derek just laughed, holding up his hands.

“What can I say, the guy’s got an incredible voice.”

“And the make up of his songs is so interesting as well; I mean, when you look at the music he’s produced in the last few years in comparison to what he performed while he was a part of One Direction -”

“Oh my god please tell me you’ve also listened to One Direction,” Emily said, laughing when Spencer nodded. 

“I don’t understand why you guys are making such a big deal out of this. He’s a singer, it’s not like he doesn’t have fans,” He defended. 

“Reid, two months ago you didn’t even know who Lady Gaga was. This is kind of a big deal.”

“Conference room in five,” JJ walked through the group, heading upstairs as everyone else got up to follow her. 

“Do not think I am dropping this,” Emily pointed at Derek and Spencer before jogging to catch up with JJ. Derek laughed, falling in step with Reid. 

“So, what all did Garcia make you watch?”

“Oh, just a bunch of interviews. I did some of my own reading though -”

“Of course you did.”

“- and what I found really interesting was One Direction’s actual rise to fame. Because the thing is, they didn’t even win X-Factor. They came in third, and yet they became the most famous group to come from that season of the show. In Forever Young - their book - they talked about their time on X-Factor, but it was so strange to me because their first album - Up All Night, that came out not even a full year after they finished the X-Factor live tour - sold 4.5 million copies within the first year. And they just kept growing… Morgan why are you laughing?”

“I’m sorry,” They’d walked into the conference room by now, sitting down next to each other at the table while Derek tried to stop himself from laughing, looking at Reid in disbelief, “You read their book?”

“And their Wikipedia page - I told you I did my own reading!”

“You said you did some of your own reading, you didn’t say you’d memorized everything about their career!”

“Eidetic memory, remember?” He tapped his forehead, and Derek rolled his eyes.

“You never let me forget. I’m assuming you know everything about their solo careers as well?”

“Well I got into Harry’s stuff first, but I ended up reading all of theirs since I didn’t have anything else to do last night. It’s just so interesting to think about what One Direction’s situation reveals about human nature and celebrity culture. I mean, a lot of their fans are dictionary definition erotomaniacs, and yet -”

“I shouldn’t even be surprised that you read this all in one night.”

“Like I said: didn’t have anything else to do.”

“As much as I’m glad you boys are bonding, we have more important things to worry about than Reid’s newfound love for a British boy band,” JJ interrupted.

“Niall Horan’s actually Irish -”

“Spence. The case.” She pulled up the photos on the screen, and Spencer nodded, opening the case file in front of him as JJ began to review everything they needed to know. She finally closed out, and Hotch grabbed his tablet and rose from the table. 

“Alright, wheels up in thirty.”

Everyone nodded, gathering up their things and vacating the room. Spencer and Derek trailed out after everyone, Spencer picking up the conversation as soon as JJ finished. 

“You know, I’m considering learning how to knit - there’s this cardigan that Harry wore...”

[lsholland]

London Lights (pt. 1) - Tom Holland

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader (1st person)

Genre: Party!Tom

Warnings: swearing; alcohol; nothing much but I don’t recommend -18 to read.

Word count: 1.9k

Author’s note: Hey guys! That’s my first story on this blog. I hope you’ll like it. I’m not native so there may be a few mistakes. I’m trying a new genre of fiction. It’s my first Tom Holland fiction. It’ll be a series of 2-3 chapters. If you want to be part of the master list for Tom please like this post and message me. 

Synopsis: Quarantine has been tough. I’ve lost my boyfriend, and I’m feeling lonely. Clubs and restaurants are open again, but I feel like it’ll never be like it used to. My friends have been pushing me to install Tinder and go on dates. Well, tonight, I’m going on a date. I don’t really want to but I’m going to try and have fun for once. Just a few drinks and I’ll go home. What else could happen?

PS. You can read the story on Wattpad.

What am I doing here? I think to myself.

I matched with this guy on this famous dating app . . . And now I'm supposed to meet him here, at this bar. But I don't want to. I'm just hoping he won't show up so I can escape from this shit-place.

I've been seated at the table for a good 5 minutes. The waitress cleans up the table next to mine and asks if I'm ready to order.

No, I want to leave.

I quickly glance at the drinks menu.

"Ehm . . . A pour over Irish coffee, please."

She nods and leaves. I don't even know what I just ordered. I hope it tastes good. Hopefully it'll make me drunk enough not to remember this awful date.

It hasn't even started yet.

I'm sweating.

"Hey there" says a husky voice right behind me.

I turn around and see my date. His name is Jordan. He's good-looking and I bet he's intelligent, but I don't have this feeling with him. I don't know why I accepted to go on a date in the first place. It's awkward.

"Hey!" I grin.

"Have you ordered something already?" he asks, touching his short, clean beard. "I'm thirsty!"

He looks nice.

*

The waitress hands me my third drink. They help the clock tick a little faster.

He's been talking about his job, his passions. He loves football and practises daily. He has 2 sisters and lives in Camberwell.

Cute.

For a moment, I feel sad for him. He drove all the way to this East London bar, put effort trying to look nice and being cool . . . and yet, he doesn't know it but he has no chance to get lucky tonight. Not with me.

I shouldn't be sorry.

But I am.

I glance around looking for something that might be a little more entertaining than him. I realise I've avoided eye contact since he arrived. I finally glimpse at him. He has beautiful hazel eyes.

Still not enough.

I quickly check my phone. It's getting late. I don't know how to end this.

"Look," I slightly bend over the table. "I'm so sorry but I don't feel like it tonight"

"I noticed." He smirked. "Kinda awkward, innit?"

I chuckle. I am so embarrassed.

"It's okay, though." He added. "I'm just trying to meet new people. I broke up with my ex-girlfriend a few weeks ago. My mates told me I should try these apps."

Okay, now I feel worse than ever. He's been so nice with me and that's how I treat him. I grab my drink and gulp it down.

I shouldn't have done this.

"Let's go dance. I owe you one." I say as I grab his hand and walk towards the dancing area. It becomes difficult to keep my head straight.

I'm drunk, I must admit.

I'm going to regret it, my sober-self shouts in my head.

I don't care is what I reply.

The dancing area is not crowded, but there are already a few people. Most of them are girls.

Girls . . . I wish my friends were not so busy all the time. I would've come to this bar with them instead of wasting my time with strangers.

I start dancing. I stare at him. He looks amused.

A group of guys join the dancefloor and all the girls on my right start screaming. It's so high pitched I cringe.

"What the fuck guys?" I shout, trying to focus on the music.

"Woah, that's Spider-Man!" says my date. He grabs my chin and makes me look in his direction.

No way, I think. It's actually him.

I know he lives in the area, but I've never met him before. It's always weird to see movie stars in real life. They look so much more attractive.

He is so much more attractive.

I try not to be a drunk fangirl and shyly wave to him. He doesn't notice.

"You wanna go and take a picture with him?" my date asks.

"Oh, no, no!" I answer. I'm blushing. "I don't even know what I'd tell him."

He laughs.

The worst thing that could happen is to annoy him during a night out. He needs privacy and I must respect it.

But it's so difficult.

I can't stop staring at him. I don't even control it. Being drunk doesn't help.

"D'you want a beer?" I ask my date whose name I completely forgot.

He nods.

I weave my way through the crowd. I can't believe there are so many people on the dancefloor. The area is so busy since the Spider-Man actor walked in.

Even the bar area is crowded.

I let my body rest against a barstool but quickly lose balance and almost fall on the dirty floor. The flickering lights are making me feel dizzy. I grip the counter and get up. I peer around to make sure nobody saw me.

He did.

I dust off my dress trying to save the dignity I have left.

"Want something?" someone asks behind me. I turn around, it's the barman.

"Two pints of Guinness, please."

I glance back at the same spot, but he's gone. It must've been a dream. I'm so drunk I can't trust everything I think I see.

I'm grabbing both my drinks and look around trying to find my date, but there are too many people. I take a sip of my beer and hold the other one above my head.

Someone hits my arm.

Oh no.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry!" yells the drunk blond girl.

I look at my dress. It's soaking wet. I politely smile at her. "It's okay," I mouth.

What a mess. I glance at the lavatory door. I need to go and save my dress.

"You haven't been lucky here."

I turn around to find out who's talking to me.

It's him. Tom Holland. Talking to me.

"What?" is all I manage to say.

"Do you need a hand?" he politely asks.

I blush so much it's noticeable in the dark.

I'm choking. I'm panicking.

I give him my two beers and walk towards the lavatory. I'm surely starstruck. And drunk. This isn't a good mix.

Once in the room, I grab a handful of tissues and try to soak up my dress. I groan. Did I expect to make that beer mark disappear? Yes. Did it work? Of course not.

I watch my face in the mirror.

I look like shit, I think.

A door slams shut. Two young girls just walked in.

"OH, MY G—THAT'S TOM HOLLAND!" shouts one. They are both panting.

I roll my eyes.

Oh . . . I've given him my beers. What about my date?

"Shit!" I hiss.

I violently open the door and frown my eyebrows as the lights blind me.

He's just here gazing at me. Two beers in his hands. One of them is half empty, the rest being displayed on my dress.

"I'm so sorry!" I say embarrassed as ever.

He smirks. "No worries." He hands me the full glass of beer.

I give him a questioning look as I grab it. What about the other one? Oh, right—He's drinking it.

"What's your na—"

I stop him.

"I know who you are." I peer down. "I'm sorry I didn't wanna disturb you" I say as I'm walking away.

This time I'm smart enough to avoid the crowd on my way out.

"That's rude to leave without saying goodbye!" Tom shouts from a distance.

I turn around and stare at him. He's got a soft smile; he doesn't look drunk at all. I wave him goodbye.

Now, he's approaching me.

"I meant to your boyfriend" he nods in the direction of my date who was dancing with a group of other people.

"He's not my—" is all I can say before he chuckles.

"I figured."

"How?" I clench my jaw. I'm hypnotised by his hand running through his hair. And his smile. And his lips.

"I can barely hear you," he points at a booth in the corner of the room "maybe we could sit there" he suggests.

My mouth softens into a smile.

It's difficult to walk with Tom Holland. Every couple of seconds he's stopped by fans requesting a picture. And he accepts every time.

I'd never be so patient.

"What's that?" he asks.

"It must be so annoying sometimes." I tell him as I sit on the booth.

"When they're nice and ask me, it's cool." He chooses to sit next to me. I can feel his arm touching mine. My heart is racing. He uses his other arm to hold his chin; he looks at me with so much intensity. Sometimes peering down my lips.

His face is so close, but he keeps talking. I can feel his breath on my skin. I'm going to burst into flames. "But when they're taking pictures without asking first, that's delicate."

I nod. I can't really listen to what he's talking about. I'm trying not to lose control.

"So, what's your name?"

He smiles when I tell him. "Why did you leave your date alone?" he asks.

I'm so nervous I stutter. I can't find my words. "I . . . I wasn't in the mood. He knows it. I shouldn't have come here."

"I'm happy you came." He says looking me in the eyes.

I raise my eyebrows. "Are you flirting with me?"

He barks out a laugh and breaks the eye contact. He rests his head on the wall behind us.

He isn't as confident as I thought he'd be. I don't know what's up with him, but I enjoy it.

I suddenly remember he's a movie star. He's always being watched. I glance at the crowd and see flashing lights. They're taking pictures of us.

I'm getting dizzier.

I don't want to see my face on a dumb article talking about Tom Holland's mysterious partner. I don't even know him.

"This is stupid" I mumble.

Tom is intrigued. He hasn't got a clue what I'm talking about. He hasn't even noticed the fans stalking him.

"I'm sorry, I gotta go" I abruptly say as I stand up. "Have a good night."

I grab my phone and leave the venue. I'm upset because I really wish I could've met him in a different context. I open my Uber app: there's no driver available.

Shit.

How's that even possible on a Friday night? In London?

I refresh the app, but it doesn't work. I guess I'll have to walk home.

A part of me wants to go back in this bar and spend time with Tom. He's sweet and I'm sure we would've had so much fun together. I glance through the window trying to see his face one last time, but I can't find him.

"What are you looking for?"

I cringe.

"Oh, sorry I didn't mean to startle you."

It's him. It's Tom.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Going home too. The fun of the party is leaving . . ." he sighs. I smile back at him. I'm embarrassed.

I stand in front of him, none of us say a word. It's awkward. I'm getting anxious and walk away. I'm so overwhelmed.

He grabs my shoulder. "Wait, are you walking home?"

"Yeah, it's okay don't worry." I smile.

"I can drive you home."

"Sorry, but you've been drinking. I won't let you drive me." I curtly say.

He grins. He looks at one of his mates and nods.

"No way I'm letting you walk home alone," he sighs "besides, you're drunk."

"Come with me then" I instantly reply without thinking.

He nods.

What?

He's coming with me. My heart is racing. I won't survive a 30-minute drunk walk with him.

Not with his beautiful glossy eyes staring at me.

Not with my burning desire to kiss him.

[theworldofotps]

Perfectly Imperfect

Pairing: Jeff Hardy x OC Melissa Word Count: 1,015 Description: Jeff assures Melissa that no matter what the world thinks they belong together. Lyrical breakdown of Perfect by Ed Sheeran

So there is a line in this fic that’s in bold text, and even tho she ( @xladyxfatex )said I didn’t have to give her credit for it. I’m going to anyway because it’s such a special cute line to me. And she was kind enough to allow me to use it💕

I truly hope you enjoy this @hungmanhorsecarriage it got my heart lmao so I hope it gets yours too.🧡

_______ Tag list: @hungmanhorsecarriage @writtingrose @omg-im-such-a-masochist @sjwrites22 @sassymox @new-zealand-chic @mrsacklesevansmgk @xladyxfatex @biforrollynch @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @demonqueen29 @itsicantbelievethis666 @lilred91 @xbreezymeadowsx @rebellious-desires @thiccc-rider-mcintyre @melblacc @letsgivethisonemoreshot @alination @ava-valerie @shortyiceheart @serpantscorpio8497 @thatpanpal @thatnerdwriter @wrestlersownmyheart @vebner37

If you wanna be added to the list lemme know. ______

I found a love for me. Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead. Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me

Jeff hums to himself as he makes his way into the living room and feels around for the light switch. He was a bit confused on why the house was dark given the fact his girlfriend should be home by now.

"Please don't turn it on, I have a slight headache."

Letting out a yell Jeff holds a hand to his chest and grabs his phone using the light just so he could see over to the couch.

"Melissa? Darlin, why on earth are you sitting in the living room in the dark. Shouldn’t you be laying in bed to get rid of it?"

"Just didn't feel like moving."

Melissa whispers, wiping her eyes as she feels the cushion next to her move. Jeff frowns and sits next to her, wrapping his arms gently around Melissa’s waist.

"What caused your headache, why are you crying?"

Jeff asks, hearing her sniffle. Cupping Melissa's cheeks he feels the tears spilling onto his hands. Pulling her into his chest Jeff rubs her back trying to get Melissa to calm down as her sniffles turn into quiet sobs.

"Come on beautiful shh it's alright, talk to me when you feel like you can speak."

Together they sit there in the dark letting Melissa collect herself before she speaks.

"A bunch of supposed fans are saying how better off without me you would be. That you deserve so much better and I couldn't possibly make you happy. They don't believe you love me for me and that our relationship is just something to pass the time for you."

Melissa sniffles clinging to Jeff's shirt. her face buried in his chest.

'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love Not knowing what it was I will not give you up this time But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own. And in your eyes you're holding mine

"Well they're wrong, you make me happy. I wouldn't be where I am without your constant support and faith in me. Baby I fell in love with you for who you are. They don’t know our relationship, they don’t know about all the times you’ve picked me up when I was down. You helped me fight demons that I couldn’t seem to knock down. Nobody on this earth knows how perfect you are for me, as much as I know. I may have just been a youngster when we first met and started hanging out. But I know for a fact my feelings for you are real.”

Jeff whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of her head rubbing Melissa back as he rocks them back and forth.

"You help make me a better person, you make me the happiest I have been in so long. You are my life and light."

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms. Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song, When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight

"I don't see why, since you can have anyone that you wanted in this world, you would pick me? I’m just Melissa.”

Jeff would admit, it broke his heart hearing his girl talk of herself in such a way. Pulling back a little he sets his phone down with the flashlight on so a very dim glow fills the room.

"There are so many reasons why I want you and only you Melissa you love me for who I am. You are silly and stubborn in so many ways. You like random nights where we shut off all the lights and just dance around the room. Our favorite songs playing quietly in the background when I'm holding you, I'm holding my world.

Truly you don’t see your worth the way that I and so many others do. You know something? You may not see it but you’re kinda too perfect and I’m just waiting to wake up from this awesome dream. But I promise if you are a dream, I’ll find you in real life. Every moment with you is so special to me.”

"I'm a mess Jeff."

Melissa whispers, wiping her face as Jeff chuckles, kissing her forehead.

“You, my doll, are imperfectly perfect and I love you just the way you are.

"I have no idea how I got so lucky to be with you Jeff."

She whispers looking at him as he holds her close.

We are still kids, but we're so in love Fighting against all odds I know we'll be alright this time Darling, just hold my hand Be my girl, I'll be your man I see my future in your eyes

"We're still young, we don't understand a lot of things but as long as we're in love that's all I'm worried about. I'm so in love with you Melissa and sometimes it scares me. I don't care what anyone says tho, you make me happy you mean everything to me."

He says taking Melissa's hand in his pressing a soft kiss to the skin.

"You're my girlfriend and the only future I want is the one with you. I can see it every time I look into those beautiful eyes.."

Now I know I have met an angel in person And she looks perfect, I don't deserve this You look perfect tonight

"You're like an angel that I don't deserve you. You are everything I want and more so please baby don't listen to any of them hateful people. I love you Melissa and I hope you don't ever forget that."

"I love you Jeff, so so much."

Melissa hums softly pressing her lips to Jeff, the silence wrapping around them like a soft blanket. Jeff was home and he was right, no matter what anyone else thought. They were made for each other.

[the-bau-quinjet]

Memories, Pt. II

Summary: You were captured by Hydra. What did they do to your memories?

Warnings: mentions of violence, panic attacks

Word Count: 1982

a/n: Ahh, part 2! I hope you like it :)

I know it's only been a day since part I, but this really felt like it took forever to write. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out though. Again, sorry if it's confusing! Hopefully you understand the concept I'm going for.

Masterlist

Series Masterlist

4 Years Ago

"Y/N!" Steve called out to you from down the hall, a man with dark hair walking beside him. "I'm glad I caught you. Buck came back from a mission last night, and he's the only one left for you to meet."

You eyes lit up at the mention of Bucky. You'd always admired him for the steps he took to recover from his time at Hydra.

"Hi, I'm Y/N." You smiled, trying not to sound too eager. "It's an honor to meet you Sergeant Barnes."

"An honor?" His eyes sparkled with disbelief. "And please, just Bucky."

You nodded at his request before explaining. "An honor, truly. Sorry to be blunt, but you've been through hell and are still out there helping people every chance you get. You're a hero." You whispered that last line conspiratorially, knowing he would get flustered from your brief conversations with Sam Wilson.

"Did Wilson put you up to this?" He questioned, a tell tale flush blooming on his cheeks.

"Just the hero bit." You chuckled when he rolled his eyes. "Everything else came from me." You waited a beat before continuing. "It's true though. You are a hero." You winked before saying goodbye and continuing with your night.

Steve stared at his best friend as he watched you walk away, knowing exactly what that small smile meant. "You like her!" He accused, although lightheartedly.

"Shut up, punk. I just met her." Bucky tried to stop smiling, but your lingering first impression left him feeling giddy.

"Doesn't matter. It's true." Steve easily dodged Bucky's fist. "You don't have to admit it, but I know."

The two men continued down the hall, Steve teasing Bucky when he was still smiling 10 minutes later.

-

Present

You must've fallen asleep eventually, because next thing you know you are waking up to a room full of people. It takes a minute for you to recognize all of them, but you know the names and reputations well enough to figure it out.

Bucky has his head resting on the edge of your bed, your hand still encased in his. You involuntarily squeeze his hand, as if your muscles have a mind of their own, to gain his attention.

It's comical how quickly his head flies up, gaining the attention of the multitude of superheros in the room.

"You're awake!" Wanda shrieks, beyond relieved to see you home.

"What happened?" Sam adds on, concerned for what you went through.

"Are you okay?" Nat questions as well.

Your eyes flicker between them, unsure how to respond to any of them. Luckily for you, Bucky clears his throat to capture your attention.

"How are you feeling?" Your body instantly relaxes at the softness of his voice, as if remembering things you don't.

It's weird, lying in a room full of people who believe something you know not to be true.

"I, um, physically I feel fine." His eyes on you pull the truth out. "I, um, I'm still kind of confused about what's going on though."

He presses a kiss to your palm, again easing the tension from your body.

"You don't remember anything?" Nat's first to speak up, her typical skepticism peaking through.

"Not about the mission. I mean, I was kept in that room the entire time I was there." Three years flashes in your mind. Why do they think it was only three months? None of this makes sense. "I know all of you though." You're careful not to lie, knowing she would likely spot it.

Their faces relax as they take in your statement, causing a jolt of anxiety and stress to run through you.

Hydra may have convinced you that 38 people died at your hands, but your own personal morals haven't changed. You've accepted "the incident" as they put it was your fault, but that doesn't mean you're a cold blooded killer. They didn't have enough time to change you that much.

Steve, although upset with the lack of information, understands the position you're in. It's easy to see he's still worried about what happened to you while you were "captured".

"Why don't you go up to your room and decompress. The memories could still come back to you."

You can't help but smile at the kindness being shown to you. You give him another small smile while nodding, trying to figure out a way to get someone to take you to "your room" because you have no idea where it is.

"C'mon, I'll help you." Bucky wraps an arm around your waist as you stand, and although it's the first time you've experienced it, it feels completely natural to be in his embrace.

Everyone calls out statements of encouragement and well wishes as the two of you walk out of the med bay. You do your best to not marvel at everything you pass, simply trying to remember the layout of the building.

A few turns later, you've arrived at an elevator where Bucky presses the button for your floor. When the doors open again, he guides you through a hallway to what you presume is your room.

"Thank you, for helping me." You turn to him before stepping into your room.

"I would do anything for you." He whispers back, hand still rubbing your hip. When he leans in to kiss you, you panic.

"Um, I'm going to take a shower. Maybe feeling clean will help with all of this." You vaguely gesture to the air, unsure how to put everything into words.

"Oh, uh, sure. We can talk later?" He hides his confusion at your behavior, understanding how weird it can be to readjust.

You nod before closing the door, leaving him slightly stunned in the hallway. A few steps into your room, and a friendly Irish voice is calling out to you.

"Welcome home, Ms. L/N. Would you like to hear your messages?"

Your heart rate spikes as you rapidly look around the room, trying to spot the intruder.

"Who, who said that?" You continue spinning, trying to spot the voice.

"My name is Friday. I am an AI built into the compound." Your breathing settles as you begin to comprehend the information. Nobody is in your room. You're alone.

"Oh. Okay." You continue taking deep breaths, trying to prevent the panic from settling in now that you're alone.

"Would you like to hear your messages?" The AI asks, again catching you off guard.

"What messages?" You can't deny that you're intrigued by the concept of someone leaving you messages here. "What the hell happened? What is going on?" You mutter to yourself.

"You left for a mission 3 months ago. Communication was cut off 2 days after your departure. All resources were diverted to finding your location and bringing you home." Friday announced, as if it was common knowledge. You would suppose it should be if it was true.

"3 months ago? I was there for 3 years. I've never been here before! Why do they all think I'm an Avenger? None of this makes any sense." Your head is spinning, and all you want is to wash the last 3 years of dirt and grime from your skin.

As you step into the shower, Friday continues to answer your questions, ultimately giving you the version of events that the Avengers all seem to believe.

You joined the team four years ago. Tony and Steve brought you back to the compound after you fought alongside them. Your mutation gives you enhanced senses, allowing you to predict the enemies moves. Despite your lack of true training, the two men were impressed by your skills and dedication.

After getting dressed, you finally bit the bullet and asked to hear the messages. Instantly, Bucky's shaky voice filled your ears.

"Y/N, we lost contact with you yesterday. I just, I needed to feel like I was talking to you." A shaky breath could be heard before he continued. "You promised me you'd come back. I, I can't lose you, doll. Stay strong. We're going to find you."

The next message began immediately. "It's been a week now without you. Steve says we're getting closer, but I know he's just trying to calm me down. I will find you, Y/N. That's my promise."

Tears began pouring down your face as you listened to his voice, sounding battered and broken due to your absence.

"Steve keeps telling me to rest. He says I won't be any help if I'm burnt out. But, I- I can't sleep knowing you're there. Not knowing what they're doing to you. I can't sleep because all I see is you, and it hurts. Doll, it hurts so much. I'm going to find you. I will because I can't lose you. Not like this. Not to them."

The messages continues playing, doing nothing but encouraging your tears.

"Two months. I'm so sorry, doll. It's been two months and we're not any closer. I hope you know we're trying. I'm trying. I won't rest until I have you back in my arms. I love you."

Your breath caught in your throat at those three words, he loves you? How? How can he love you if you didn't even meet until yesterday?

"We figured it out. We've got a location. I'm coming baby. I'm coming."

The last message ended with a beep, but you barely heard it. Your breathing was erratic, your heart rate skyrocketing as the anxiety took over your body.

He couldn't possibly love you. Not when he doesn't know the things you did. The people you killed.

"Enacting protocol 7, paging Mr. Barnes." The AI's voice went unheard by you, muffled by your choked sobs.

Not 30 seconds later, Bucky was rushing into your room.

"Y/N!" He ran to you, pulling you into his arms in a tight embrace. He whispered soothing words into your hair, slightly rocking you back and forth.

Somehow, he knew exactly how to calm you down. His warm breath on your neck, strong arms around your body, and the soothing rocking motion all worked wonders for you.

"It's okay. You're okay. You're home now. I've got you. You're safe."

His words brought fresh tears to your eyes, although your breathing calmed and anxiety lessened after a while.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He whispered a few minutes after your body stopped shaking.

"I, I'm just so scared." You didn't know what to say. You wanted to come clean. To explain who you really were, but the fantasy described to you by the AI sounded like a much better life.

A life you wanted to believe in, but felt like you didn't deserve.

"Scared of what, doll? You can talk to me." He whispered, still rocking you back and forth, rubbing your back with his flesh hand.

Of me. You wanted to come clean, but it was terrifying. You couldn't go back to that prison.

"Of... Was I really only there for three months?" Your voice was shaky, confusion laced with fear.

Bucky's guilt at not finding you sooner multiplied tenfold as he took in your expression. You looked so innocent and afraid, his heart broke just thinking about what Hydra did to you.

"Doll, I'm so sorry I couldn't come for you sooner. I know three months must've felt a lot longer... I promise, I'll do everything I can to help you get through this. You're not alone." He held you closer, tucking your head close to his heart in a show of protectiveness.

"Can you just, stay with me tonight?" Your words were barely a whisper, afraid to test the strength of the delusion you found yourself in.

"Of course." His words were firm, but soothing to your ears. "I love you." You squeezed him tighter, resting your body against his as the two of you laid in bed.

permanent taglist:

@averyhotchner @jesuswasnotawhiteman

[comfortwriting]

Unbreak My Heart - F.W

Fred Weasley X Reader Part 2 of ‘Call Out My Name’, inspired by the song ‘Unbreak My Heart’ by Toni Braxton.

Part 1 , Part 3

About: Fred realises he has everything wrong. His heart aching for the reader after pushing her aside for someone else, he searches for her to apologise for what he’s done and to admit his true feelings for her.

Theme: Heartache, sadness, moving on, relationships, rumours.

Warnings: mentions of raw emotions, *incredibly light* smut, depression, body image issues and swearing.

Don't leave me in all this pain Don't leave me out in the rain Come back and bring back my smile Come and take these tears away I need your arms to hold me now The nights are so unkind Bring back those nights when I held you beside me

The first thirteen months without Fred were the worst. You couldn’t face visiting Weasleys Wizard Wheezes no matter how many times George asked in his letters which you ignored. You couldn’t go into Diagon Alley without hearing news about The Weasleys - more importantly, the news about Fred and his darling; they were now engaged.

You kept to your bedroom, crying to sleep every night, looking through all the pictures you had taken of and with Fred over the years that you were with him. Letters you had written to him laid scrunched up all over your floor like an author going mad over a sticky, confusing, part of the story - but that was exactly what this was. 

Everywhere you went as you entered Diagon Alley, you were forced to listen to the news over and over again that the shop was a success. You wanted to congratulate George, but after ignoring him for so long you couldn’t bring yourself to pick up a pen to reach out to him.

Too afraid to let anyone in after the damage Fred inflicted on you, you didn’t bother meeting anyone new.

Plenty of people offered and even your sister tried to match you up with a friend of hers from work, but you declined and allowed Fred’s damage to take over you.

You only left the house for work which was torture enough as you worked with Percy at the Ministry. You ate one meal a day which was an apple on your lunch break. You didn’t dream of moving out despite your parents encouragement and you simply just collapsed in on yourself whilst your family constantly complained about Fred, swearing that you chose the wrong twin.

Although you hated Fred - or at least convinced yourself that you did - you still thought about him every single day, and at bedtime you would envision yourself back on his sofa in his arms underneath that scratchy patchwork blanket you shared many memories under. 

Laying awake staring at the ceiling, you took a deep breath. It had been over a year. You couldn’t go on like this. You needed to claim your life back, one step at a time. Sitting up in your bed, you grabbed the last of your parchment and leaned it against an old book. Dipping your feather quill into your ink pot that rested beside your bed next to the framed picture of you and Fred, you wrote to George.

You began apologising for not replying and for not visiting the shop, explaining why, and asked how everything was going - you missed your friend and it became suffocating to ignore him reaching out.

Un-break my heart Say you'll love me again Undo this hurt you caused When you walked out the door And walked out of my life Un-cry these tears I cried so many nights Un-break my heart My heart

It had been another five months since you wrote your letter to George and you were still waiting for a reply. You told yourself that perhaps he got too busy with the shop or he just didn’t want to mend things after you ignored him for so long. Either way, you didn’t ponder on it, sprayed yourself with some perfume, and got ready to leave for your third date this week.

George wasn’t ignoring you on purpose. He truly was too busy with not just everything at the shop, but also helping Fred plan out this so-called wedding and engagement party that came out of nowhere. He planned to write back but time got the better of him, he knew you wouldn’t take it personally.

“Oh look at you!” your sister grinned, “Same guy?” she asked enthusiastically. 

“No,” you shook your head and grabbed your coat, putting it on, “I don’t see the same guy twice if the spark isn’t there.”

Your sister smiled to herself and told you to have a good time. You enjoyed yourself temporarily until you remembered Fred Weasley and what he did. He was the reason why you decided against seeing the same person twice. If there was no chemistry during intimacy you moved on. Speed dating was the perfect temporary aid you needed at the moment.  

And just like Fred and his fiancé, word got out about you and how desirable you were. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, you started looking after yourself and forced yourself into the limelight. Even if it didn’t result in finding your true love, you still wanted to have fun along the way.

Your parents went to The Leaky Cauldron, and just as they were leaving, they bumped into Molly and Arthur Weasley. Your parents flinched at first sight, but swallowed the anger they had towards their son Fred.

“Oh Mr and Mrs Y/LN! what a lovely surprise to see you!” Molly chirped up. George turned his head and stood up to greet your parents. Unlike Fred, they loved George.

“And you.” Your father replied, his voice monotone.

“We haven’t seen your daughter for ages. We missed her last summer, please ask her to come and see us. George misses her and it’s our Freddie's engagement party tonight!” Molly babbled on, pointing to George when she mentioned him and Fred.

Molly and Arthur loved you coming over to the burrow. They loved you even more seeing how happy you made their son. In their eyes you brought out the best in him. On the other hand, they weren’t keen on the girl Fred decided to marry, she was inconsiderate, selfish and didn’t know what hard work was - she was handed everything she ever wanted, the exact opposite to you.

Your fathers face flushed with frustration. Didn’t they know why you never came around anymore? Were they not aware that Fred was the reason she screamed and cried every night for over a year?

Your mother hesitated but decided against holding back. She liked the Weasley family, but she couldn’t allow Fred to get away with what he had done. 

“Maybe you should ask your darling boy, Fred. Or maybe George will tell you, he’s the decent one of the two.” 

Your mother said no more and stormed out of the packed pub, your father trailing behind nodding a goodbye to George. Molly and Arthur stood there speechless and looked over at George, demanding that he tells them what happened as soon as they arrive home when everyone has gone to bed.

Fred felt strange throughout the whole party. He didn’t feel happy like he thought he would - he hadn’t been feeling happy for the past five months. Something in his life just didn’t feel right and he couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong -waking up next to his girlfriend made him feel sick and he realised how stupid he was thinking that getting engaged would make everything better.

Molly, Arthur and George sat at the dining table when everyone else was in bed. “George you better tell me what happened, now!” Molly hissed in a low whisper.

George spilled absolutely everything, from beginning to end. As much as he loved his twin, he didn’t shy away from any details even if they showed Fred for exactly who he was, and the awful things he did. Molly and Arthur were outraged at their child's behaviour. Molly had to restrain herself at the table whilst she sobbed into her hands.

Far away, you panted heavily as you came down from your high with your date. Unmounting him, you laid beside him in his bed. He took off his condom and breathlessly offered taking a shower with him. You accepted his offer knowing that you could go home straight after, you wouldn’t need to stress about hurrying in the morning to get to work on time. 

Take back that sad word goodbye Bring back the joy to my life Don't leave me here with these tears Come and kiss this pain away I can't forget the day you left Time is so unkind And life is so cruel without you here beside me

Work at the ministry became more tolerable over the next six months. Percy smiled at you more often and you couldn’t understand why. You didn’t look into it and simply smiled back. You flourished even more within the same time - you had got into a relationship with the one night stand you shared a shower with. The curly haired bookshop assistant grew on you and you didn’t mind, he often made you laugh so hard you burst into tears.

Whilst you were finding yourself, running with the wind, Fred had fallen apart completely. He overheard George spilling his guts, and finally realised why everything felt so wrong, why he wasn’t happy. You were the missing piece. His guilt and mistakes were eating him alive. He broke off the engagement - to his parents delight - and vowed on finding you and making everything right. George felt relieved that he had his own room because Fred’s cries were enough to make anyone feel ill.

Fred slept with the Irish scarf he bought you from the world cup, and he kept the patchwork blanket on his bedroom, refusing to bring it back downstairs.

Memories flashed back to him, the two of you in the tent, “Oh Fred are you sure?” you asked him as he put the scarf around your neck.

He chuckled and kissed your head, “Anything for you, my love!”

Then memories from the sofa flooded in, hurting him even more. 

“I’m so in love with you,” you moaned, cupping his face while he made love to you. 

He shook his head and came to his senses, angry that he put such a lovely girl in the firing line.

“Percy, Y/N works with you doesn’t she? Can you tell her I need to see her.” He later begged.

Percy refused, “That would be an incredibly inappropriate thing to do in the work place!” 

Fred wrote you letters, but you never got them. The family refused to lend him their owl and Fred couldn’t understand muggle post. Getting desperate, he would stay in Diagon Alley trying to see where you were lurking after work, asking strangers if they had seen you, showing them the only picture he had of you.

“It’s going to be perfect here!” Your mum smiled looking around your large half unpacked apartment, “When will he be moving in?” She winked.

You finally saved up enough money to move out and you were planning on asking your boyfriend to move in if things continued to run smoothly. You had got your furniture, all you needed were the items left in the big green box from your bedroom. “I’ll collect them next week.” 

Feeling brave with your partner, arms linked, the two of you visited George’s shop. He had sent you a letter letting you know when Fred wasn’t working and you felt confident that you wouldn’t bump into him.

“I’m so proud of you!” You cheered for George, giving him a hug.

After paying for your bits and bobs you previously saw in the design stages, you walked out of the shop and bumped into someone. Looking up to apologise, you realised it was Fred. He stared at you - both of you mirroring each other looking like a deer caught in the headlights. 

You shook yourself out of the immediate shock Fred was still stuck in. 

“Sorry,” you muttered, walking away, your boyfriend asking what his problem was.

Un-break my heart Say you'll love me again Undo this hurt you caused When you walked out the door And walked out of my life Un-cry these tears I cried so many nights Un-break my heart

Another week went by and Fred was going stir crazy. Customers in his shop who knew you both were whispering about how happy you were now. Him and George argued when he discovered the letter between you two.

Fred rifled through the stacks of letters and found your parents address where you no longer lived. He got on his broom, not caring if muggles saw him, and landed on the roof. He crawled down to your window and gave it a tap with his wand with a soft “Alohomora”.

Expecting to find you asleep, he discovered only disappointment that your room laid bare and empty. The bedside table had nothing but a folded photo lying face down on it, the bin on the floor full of parchment balls.

He unfolded the photo and put a hand over his mouth, seeing you and him moving during your morning walks. He bent down and grabbed a ball from the bin, unravelling the parchment. He cried reading the letters you had written him but never sent. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the green box on your bed and he went through it, more tears spilling down his face.

“I’ll just grab my box!” He heard you yell, walking upstairs. 

Without giving him time to hide, you opened the door, revealing him standing in front of you. You held back a scream of shock and took a deep breath shaking your head, “Fred please - you can’t be here.” 

Fred shook his head and cried, “I’m so sorry, for everything,” he made his way closer to you, “I got everything wrong, her, everything.”

Not wanting your parents to see him, you closed your bedroom door and locked it, your heart pounding. Tears fell from your eyes, the walls you put up against him crashing down, your hate for him melting away and your love for him surging inside.

“Why are you here?” you questioned him through your cries.

Fred walked over to you slowly not wanting to scare you off. This was the closest you had been to him since you bumped into him at the shop. The young man you fell in love with wrapped his arms around you, tangling his hands in your hair. You stayed still with your hands by your side.

“I’m in love with you.” Fred choked out between sobs. He pulled away and gently put your hands in his, your tear filled eyes getting lost in his.

“Fred- I can’t!” you shook your head crying, feeling weak at the words he said and the ones you replied with. 

“Please,” Fred begged getting onto his knees, staring up at you, “please let me make things right.”

Don't leave me in all this pain Don't leave me out in the rain Bring back the nights when I held you beside me

“I think you look stunning,” Fred complimented you, soot spread out all over your nose.

You chuckled and sneaked a kiss on his lips, only to hear a loud thud on the desk in front of you.

“One weeks’ detention for the two of you,” Professor Snape snarled, “and fifty points will be deducted from your house.”

Un-break my heart Say you'll love me again Undo this hurt you caused When you walked out the door And walked out of my life Un-cry these tears I cried so many, many nights Oh, un-break my

“What do you mean you’re taking her instead of me!” you freaked out, throwing your earrings at the mirror. 

“It’s just a bloody Yule Ball. Y/N. It doesn’t mean anything.” Fred argued.

“Well it does to me!” you argued back, “I’m guessing I was just your back up plan if she said no.” 

Un-break my heart, oh baby Come back and say you love me Un-break my heart, sweet darlin' Without you I just can't go on

Fred held you in his arms, the two of you watching the muggle horror movie in amazement. You nuzzled your head into his neck, planting kisses on it softly. Fred let out a soft shaky moan, his hand making its way up your thigh. “We’ll need to be quiet,” he whispered, pulling your underwear off.

Can't go on (Say that you love me, say that you love me) (Tell me you love me, un-break my) (Say that you love me, say that you love me) (Tell me you love me, un-break my)

You stared at Fred, still trying to process what he said. You pursed your lips and stayed quiet getting lost in your thoughts. Fred noticed you were in shock and lost for words. He pulled out the scarf from his coat pocket and walked over to you, wrapping it around you.

You stared up at him, getting lost in those gorgeous eyes that you missed so much. You looked down at his lips and kissed him impulsively.

He kissed back.

[thekillingjoke-haha]

Love And Marriage

Spnquotebingo @spnquotebingo

Quote: You don't save a marriage by sleeping with other people.–Lucifer

Mostly Memory: slant/bold. Quote:small/bold

"What the hell, Anthony!" She yelled scaring both brunettes in the bed she shared with him. The women who looked half her age scrambled off the bed in a rush and ran out of the room getting dressed as she ran out the tower. This time she was throwing objects at the genius screaming and swearing every word under the sun. And yes this wasn't the first time, but its sure as hell will be the last. "How could you do this to me!? Time and time again I forgive and you do it again!!" She tried taking control of her emotions, but they over took her and laid everything out on the table.

Tony slipped on his clothes yelling back and forth with his wife. It was a screaming match that all of New York could hear. "Maybe if you weren't such a controlling bitch I wouldn't need to rush into the arms of a women that would get off my back!" He yelled back and she was stunned into silence. Tony continued talking. "Ever since we been together you've been trying to change who I am and I got sick of it, but you were America's golden girl I couldn't dump you. You just couldn't take the hint ,sweetheart." He finished his intoxicated words got the better of him, but drunk words were sober thoughts and maybe this is exactly how he felt after all these years.

"I want a divorce." She said her voice shaking not wanting to cry in front of the man she loved and she thought loved her back. "What?!" He turned on his heels and stared at her the shouting didn't sober him up, but those four words did. "What did you say?" He asked as if he didn't hear her. "I'm through, Tony. I'm tired of this back and forth. You said it yourself your not willing to change your partying playboy ways so I'm through." She said as she went to get her phone to call her brother. "I want a divorce." Those were the final words uttered to him before she stopped talking to him all together taking off the ring made from the metal of his original reactor the diamond glowing the same blue that lulled her to sleep. Y/n twirled the ring in-between her fingers a nervous habit after the years.

Steve got to the tower from his apartment along with Bucky and Sam. His two friends walked into her bedroom to hear Tony shouting and pleading for her to listen to him. Steve went to his sister as his friends pulled the thrashing man out of the room and to a different part of the building so he could cool off. Tony in the end didn't calm down and was getting violent to the point they had to knock him out and by then Y/n was getting packed with the help of Steve

The suitcase was harshly zipped up as she rushed closing it. Tears flowed freely down her face as she packed all her things well all the things she bought herself. She wasn't running, running was for cowards she was escaping before she drowned herself in whatever kind of love she once had with her husband. Y/n breathed in through her nose as her body convulsed with another fit of silent sobs. Trying to calm down she wanted to get think clear. Did she really want to leave? No, but he didn't give her much of a choice. The light tan line on her finger just further proved she wasn't turning back...not this time. Not even for him. Y/n needed time to think without the threat of the end of the world and out from under her now ex's crushing ego.

She was shacking with anger and in grief it happened again and she was done with it all. Tony fucking Stark her husband, lover, best friend cheated on her again for the third time that she knew of. Y/n saw it she was always there at the wrong time almost like he wanted her to see how pleased he was with another. Steve came out of the bathroom with more hygiene products. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?" He asked for what feels like the hundredth time. Steve knew Y/n wasn't okay he could see it and the sight made him want to rip Stark a new one. With a deep inhale she looked up at him with s slight smile as real as she could make it. "I'm okay I just need to get out of here. Fresh air. New scenery if possible." She said as she looked longingly at a picture on the nightstand not noticing that her brother left with her bags while she stared off. The picture was of her fifth date with Tony after being together as boyfriend and girlfriend for two years, a light festival their first openly public date for cameras to capture them together making it official. America's Sweetheart with a Playboy billionaire...that headline alone should have been the first of many red flags.

The memory played vividly in her mind. Her eyes shined like stars as she dragged him behind her. It was still light outside and the small park was crowded. "Come on, Tones!" She said excitedly as she dragged him along. Many people looked at them and whispered, but they didn't care. They spent the night talking about any and everything it felt so natural. Y/n stared into the sky on their picnic blanket having already painted her lantern with a good amount of wet paint still on her hands. "We've been on what feels like a million dates and this seems like the perfect one to ask you. Will you marry me?" Tony said holding a black velvet box with a f/c diamond ring. "I thought you'll never ask!" She pulled him into a kiss paint covering his cheeks as lanterns where released. He kissed back hands resting on her hips. "Let's go home Mrs.Stark-Rogers." Tony said with a smile. "Well come on then Mr.Rogers-Stark." He was once again dragged away. "No no no my name first Steve will not hold that over me!" Y/n giggled as the memory faded into a much older one.

The twelve year old girl was getting her hair brushed by her mother. "Mama what's love like. I know you love daddy so what's it like?" She asked it's been two years since her father died ,but her mother always said she stilled loves him. "Love is a amazing feeling that doesn't happen often and sometimes it can hurt." The blonde women said to her daughter she couldn't tell her wanting love cost more then giving it. "Why will it hurt?" The young h/c girl asked turning around. "You're to young to know right now, but at some point you will." By the time Y/n turned fifteen she learned that loving someone can hurt after she stood next to her brother and best friend looking at the slab of stone that marked their mother's grave.

The first time it happened she was pissed, but not at the right person at the time. The second red flag.. Screams are what filled the house as Y/n threw clothes at the tramp that was in bed with her drunk husband. She was so anger, but that just hid the pain she was feeling three years for him to cheat. After shutting the half clothes harlot out on the front porch of the Malibu home she stormed back to Tony. He stayed in his boxers on the bed looking dazed he was drunk. "Why?" Is all she could ask as tears fell down her cheeks. The billionaire stood up and walked toward her he wiped her tears. "I'll change. I promise." He kissed her head. She believed him she had faith that he couldn't change for them. After all Y/n did the same she gave up being a hero along side her brother because he told her he already worries about getting home to her as Ironman no need to add the stress of not knowing if she'll get home. So she hung up her red, white, and blue catsuit for him.

After a year Y/n sat in her art studio wear she sold her and other rising artist artwork after Tony said she shouldn't paint in the tower,she painted with her brother laughing messing with colors. She was thankful she put down plastic tarp beforehand a giggle rang out when Natasha walked through the door. Without saying anything she drops a magazine on the table of brushes next to Y/n. On the cover was Tony kissing some red head though a window tears welled in her eyes as she wiped her hands he eyes not leaving the cover till it was picked up off the table. Natasha comforted her as Steve took the magazine and paced. " Am I stupid for trusting him? Thinking he would change?" She asked as the waterworks flowed. "No ,if anyone is stupid its him. Ever since he came out as Ironman he thought he was untouchable. God imma kill him!" The red head said while Steve was flexing his hand not wanting to hit any of the stored art pieces. The third red flag for all to see.

The bus rocked back and forth as she looked over at her brother sleeping next to her. They were heading to the airport and he was going to see her off before possibly killing Tony. Speaking of she looked down at her phone and saw dozens of missed calls and hundreds of unread text. She felt that the world was so much bigger after leaving, after getting away from the place that no longer felt like a home. Turning back to the window a memory came to surface as a teenage girl sat on the bus watching old Brooklyn go by. She thought life was so slow she wanted to grow up faster and experience life. Y/n wanted to find love like her parents had. "What are you thinking about doll?" She turned and in Steve's place was Bucky her adoptive big brother. "Nothing important, James." She said with a sigh as the old modeled cares turned back to modern vehicles and yellow taxi's.

Tony woke up and ran around the tower while calling and texting his wife. "Friday track Y/n' s phone. He said as he went to the lab to get in his suit. "She's as NYC airline." The irish voice answered as he stepped into the suit letting it close around him. Before the hatch could open completely he was flying out of the tower to the airport. "Any idea which flight?" He asked wanting to get there before it's to late. "No boss, but the next flight leaving is heading for U.K and boarding in fifteen minutes." Time was running out he needed ever second he could spare. "We'll make it in ten." That night Ironman flew to save whatever he had left.

Y/n held her ticket in her shaking hands her breath uneven. Steve left after the bus dropped her off they said their goodbyes not making the separation hurt any less. Her thoughts came back to Tony all the good times made her smile, but the dark clouds took them over soon after. It felt so right to be in his arms thinking about the future they had with each other within seconds that became a distant memory. What's sad is she wants to go back wondering if she held on to those moments longer they'll last forever. The ring she slipped back on her finger weighed a ton. Y/n didn't have the strength to take it off not for good at least and this made her feel weak. Pain was heavy in her heart from the constant ache, but the little voice kept saying maybe if we tried harder he would have loved us the way we love him, maybe rushing into a relationship wasn't the best idea, maybe he's happier without us ,maybe not telling him about the positive test was the best option ,maybe...maybe.

A hand resting on her stomach she wanted to laugh, but that would have brought on a fresh wave of tears. She started off the day without Tony in bed and sicker then she's been since her pre-serum years. Y/n went to the doctor completely covered form any prying eyes and the test were clear she couldn't believe it she took about ten test in her studio bathroom before heading back to the tower. Howard warned her and Steve that the serum might sterilize them, but at the time both of them were to small and sickly and she knew getting pregnant might kill her anyways so they both agreed to it. Y/n wished she could hug the man today he made her better and let her have a gift she never thought was possible. A baby was growing inside her. Tony never really talked about kids and neither did she since that wasn't a possibility before, but the moment she held five of the clearer test she wanted to rush into his arms and have him be the first to know. That quickly fell apart that evening and now she's here.

The suit landed out side the airport and Tony immediately ran out of it into the building looking through his tented shades he followed the path Friday set for him rushing through security. "Now boarding flight A145 to United Kingdom. Ahora aborda—" The intercom rang out. He was running out of time. There he saw h/c hair one of a couple dozen in line due to the oddly timed flight. "Y/N!!" Many heads turned at the shout while so gasped and whispers started. She looked at him and froze. His eyes looked bloodshot and he wore baggy sweats and a AC/DC shirt. Turning back around she tried to get on the plane quicker, but a hand grabbed her arm. "Please listen to me. I'm so so sorry! I'm a fucking moron okay? I know I just keep screwing up between us and I know you're tired of me saying I'll change, but if it means I keep you in my life I'll do damn near anything." Tony's voice shook as his eyes welled with tears people crowed to see the Starks some seemed to clued in on the subject while others were lost. "You can't fix this Tony. There's nothing to fix between us you said your piece and actions speak louder then words there is no saving this." Y/n whimpered holding her hand in her own.

"I can save us, N/n! Please just give me a chance too. You and me against the world right?" She shook her head no as she looked into his brown eyes with her glassy e/c ones. "Wrong. You just don't get it do you? You don't save a marriage by sleeping with other people. And I gave you more then enough chances to change because God I changed so much for you!! I gave up saving people, gave up painting in the tower, stopped helping Pepper with business, stopped going to briefings, and so much more. All for you and you couldn't do one thing for me." With quivering hands she gently brushed the tears from his cheeks letting her hands go from his shoulders to his hands. "I loved you, Anthony. I always will have a special place in my heart for you, but clearly the same doesn't go for you." Y/n now held one of his hands bringing his knuckles to her lips giving them a chaste kiss.

She let go of his hand as she stepped back from him many of the passengers having already boarded the plane. "Don't say goodbye." He said voice small and weak. "...don't think of this as a goodbye. We just met at the wrong time in the wrong place. Maybe I'll come back to you and just maybe we can start again from the beginning, but until then this is a see you later." She turned and went on board as he stood their feet glued the the floor. Looking down at the hand she held the ring sat in his palm she left him with a piece of his heart while she took the rest with her. What is a marriage without love

————————————————————————————————————————————

A/n this is the second to last one before the full masterlist is posted. Fyi I wrote a happy ending and if it's really wanted I'll make a short one-shot of it but angst ending for now.

Next quote is a free space and I'm going ham!!!!

[nnightskiess]

santana lopez imagine

r e q u e s t: Can you do a reader x Santana lopez? Where reader and Santana are best friends but reader has been in love with santana for a long time and becomes distant and santana wants to know why and finally knows and just fluff. Thank you

✫彡

Y/N zoned out the conversation Quinn, Brittany and Santana were having and instead fully focused on the smile on Santana’s face. She’d been friends with the girl long enough to know that this smile meant that she felt at ease. 

The corners of Y/N’s mouth curled into a smile at the sight of it as she kept staring at her best friend. Her cheeks flushed when Santana turned her head, just to check up on Y/N who had been a bit quiet. She’d caught the girl staring. Santana’s expression softened a bit before she joined the conversation again.

It had been like this a lot the past few weeks— Y/N zoning out just to stare and admire Santana, only for her to get caught by the latter. However, Santana didn’t seem to mind or notice and thus Y/N’s crush on the girl grew larger every day. 

What had been the turning point? The mindless random kisses they used to share now and then? Which in Santana’s defence were just so that they kept practicing until a cute boy came along. The way Santana only let Y/N see the real her? How Santana carried herself? Or how she could light up Y/N’s world by just a smile or a witty comment? Well, Y/N couldn’t quite put a finger on it. But there was so much about Santana that she adored and liked that it wouldn’t be fair to her to just pick one. 

Her mouth set in a hard line. No. She couldn’t fall in love with Santana. It wouldn’t end well. What if Santana got weirded out by it and decided that it would be too awkward to stay friends? Y/N couldn’t bear to lose the girl. 

“You okay?”

Quinn and Brittany continued their conversation while Santana’s attention went to the girl next to her. Y/N nodded softly, sending her a tight-lipped smile. 

“Here,” Santana handed her the rest of her granola bar in an attempt to cheer her up. Because even though Y/N denied something was wrong, she could see right through her best friend. “And you better eat it because I don’t usually share my food.” 

Brittany heard the two and shoved her lunchbox towards Y/N. It was filled with the Lucky Charms marshmellows. “It took me four boxes to fill it like this but eating this usually makes me happy so I hope it works for you too.” 

“Are you trying to cheer her up or give her diabetes?” Quinn snorted and shook her head in amusement.

“Thanks, Britt, but i'm fine.”

“Suit yourself.” Brittany shrugged, held the lunchbox up to her chest and grabbed a handful. Quinn grimaced at the thought of having to eat that much sweetness in one bite. 

Santana hadn’t stopped staring at Y/N during the conversation, her brows knit together when she realised something was up. She scooted her chair closer to the girl, grabbed the sleeve of her Cheerios jacket and rested her head softly against the girl’s shoulder. Y/N smiled sheepishly while Santana’s frown never disappeared, wondering what kept her best friend so silent, the soft encounter between the two not going unnoticed by Brittany.

✫彡

Santana strutted around the school’s hallway, head held high. She looked fierce, confident and oh so ethereal— if you asked Y/N. The small smirk on her face turned to a smile when she locked eyes with her best friend, Y/N, who was already staring at her from her spot at her locker. 

“How’s the only person I tolerate in this school doing?” She challengingly raised an eyebrow as she came to a stop next to the girl. 

Y/N stared into her eyes for a second, seeing them twinkle. The two girls lingered for a moment in a comfortable silence until the sound of a locker slamming shut cut the girl back to reality. 

“Hey, you okay?” 

Santana’s smile turned into frown, seeing how quiet Y/N seemed.

“Hm? Sorry, yeah...”

The Latina squeezed her eyes in suspicion but decided to let it go, knowing how Y/N worked. If she tried to pry and get it out of her, Y/N would only shut her out even more. She’d come to her when she wanted to or when she was ready. 

“Okay, hear me out— I know you’re insecure about singing high notes but I’ve found the perfect song for us to sing for next week’s assignment.” 

Y/N bit her lip and closed her locker, “I kind of already agreed to sing with Rory...”

“Wait, what? Why?” Santana’s face immediately scrunched up. “And roll back a minute— out of all of them you pick that leprechaun? Let me guess, you’re going to sing his national anthem while he’s Irish dancing in the background, clad in all green while throwing lucky charms out of his pot of gold?”

“Santana...”

The brunette sighed, letting it go, not being able to resist the pleading look on Y/N’s face. 

“He asked me first and he was so shy about it, it was adorable. And he’s new and doesn’t really know anyone yet so it was hard to turn him away... and um, he told me we’d discuss the song over dinner at Breadstix so how could I turn that away?”

“So he asked you out on a date?”

“N-No-”

Santana rolled her eyes at the girl’s obliviousness, “And by the way,” She raised her hand, “Since when do I have to ask you to partner up? We always do everything together?”

Y/N shrugged, “I’m sorry, San. A promise is a promise. But I think you need to start looking for another partner unless you want to end up with Mr. Schue.” 

Santana's jaw clenched in irritation as Y/N walked off without another word. 

✫彡

Santana worry and confusion only grew when Y/N walked passed her and sat down next to Rachel, completely ignoring her usual seat next to Santana. Rory walked into the room. She immediately sent the boy a glare before he sat down next to Y/N. He slightly glanced over his shoulder and as he felt Santana’s eyes on him, he slowly put his arm around Y/N— feeling bold. The girl barely scooted away from him, trying not to hurt his feelings, but it was enough for Santana to notice her discomfort. 

Oh, hell no. 

✫彡

“Hey, St. Paddy!” Santana’s loud voice rang through the courtyard, making Rory stop in his tracks. 

“Oh, boy, here we go.” He slowly mumbled to himself. 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

He turned around and saw how furious she was by the frown on her face and the fire in her eyes. 

“What do you mean, Santana?”

She gave him a dirty look, “Oh, cut the crap, cardigan... You know what I’m talking about.”

“It’s... Flanagan...”

“Whatever-” She rolled her eyes. “Listen closely and don’t open your mouth before i’m done talking, okay?” 

Rory nodded hesitantly, not sure if this already counted.

“You’ve got a crush on Y/N. I have eyes. I’m not stupid. But I get it, she’s gorgeous, caring, softhearted and is the best thing in this world since sliced bread. But what she’ll never be, is yours.” She pointed a finger at his chest. “So don’t try and act all adorable while sneakily taking her on a date... because if we’re being honest, she probably just said yes because she pitied you after realising that if she said no, you would have no one to sing with. And since you were oblivious to all of that, I think you also missed the fact that she isn’t into you at all.”

He rose his eyebrows in shock as Santana let her mind run rampant, not sparing his feelings. Rory awkwardly held onto the straps of his backpack.

“Here’s what’s going to happen— first, you’re going to call Breadstix and cancel your reservations...then you’re going to call Y/N and tell her you changed your mind about being duet partners.” Santana gave him a mock smile and was about to walk away. “Oh— and if you ever put your disgusting arm around her again, I’ll kick your ass so hard it will send you flying back to Ireland in just a few seconds. Got it?”

Rory nodded again and watched Santana walk away with a pleased smirk on her face.

✫彡

Santana tapped the girl on her shoulder and whispered, “Wanna go to Breadstix tonight? I heard they have one free table for tomorrow night.” 

Y/N turned around in her seat, sending a glare her way before focusing back on the class. Santana looked to Brittany, taken back and in confusion, but she just shrugged.

✫彡

“I little birdie told me you need a new duet partner.” Santana walked up to Y/N’s locker, hands in the pockets of her comfy Cheerios jacket.

The smile on her face disappeared when Y/N slammed her locker shut and turned to her with her brows furrowed.

“Jeez, who put nails in your shoes today?”

“I know it was you.”

Santana shrugged, “So? I spared you the painful situation where you had to reject him... plus, now you get to sing with me. So change that frown into one of your pretty smiles because I know just the perfect song for us to sing.” She perked up but her cheerful expression vanished once again when Y/N walked away from her. She pursed her lips and frowned in confusion as she watched the girl hurry out of the school.

✫彡

Things had been different since that afternoon. The two barely interacted or even looked at each other anymore, which was all mainly Y/N’s fault. It had even caught the attention of the other Glee club members since Y/N tried to ignore Santana as if she was some disease she wanted to steer clear of. It was out of character for the both of them not to be together.

“Everything okay with you and San?” Brittany leaned over so that no one else could hear. 

Y/N gave her a small smile, as if nothing was wrong, “Oh- yeah, yes, don’t worry.”

“You sure?”

Y/N hummed in return, turning to face Mr. Schue but Brittany scooted even closer before mumbling, “I think you should just tell her how you feel.”

Her head shot to the side, eyes wide as saucers. Brittany didn’t seem to realise how panicked her statement had made the girl feel. Y/N was still trying to stay cool when Mr. Schue called her name.

“Rory and Y/N, would you two like to perform your duet today?”

The two shared a quick glance before Y/N opened her mouth,

“Oh, w-we’re not partners anymore. Can Tina and I perform instead?” 

Santana cocked her head to the side at that new information, seeing Tina nod. They had apparently already planned this out.

“But Tina’s partnered up with Brittany?”

“Yeah, I know, but she doesn’t mind singing twice.”

Mr. Schue rose his eyebrows in confusion. “But we’re with an even number of members so how come you have no partner?”

Rory’s arm slowly went up, “Santana has no partner either.”

“Shut up, leprechaun.”

“I thought that was what you wanted?” Rory mumbled at her but slowly turned back around at the look Santana shot him.

Mr. Schue seemed a bit confused to why the two best friends didn’t seem to want to pair up together. However, that gave him all the more reasons to make them partner up. Maybe whatever was going on between the two would be taken care of that way.

“Santana, Y/N— you’ll be up next week. Alright?”

The two girls shared a glance before Y/N focused back on what Mr. Schue was saying.

✫彡

“Y/N/N, can we meet up after practice? We really need to plan how we want to sing the song if we want to win. You still okay with singing Aguilera?” 

Y/N nodded absentmindedly, not really paying any attention to Santana. Because she knew that if she did, she wouldn’t be able to stop looking at the girl. Besides, the love in her eyes would probably not be missed by Santana and she obviously didn’t want her to know. 

“Hey?”

“Hm?” Y/N looked up, trying her best to not look into her eyes for too long. But the worry and hurt in them broke Y/N’s act.

“I’m worried about you.” Santana placed her hand on top of Y/N’s, squeezing it. 

“Don’t be.” Y/N mumbled out softly, trying to brush things under the carpet.

“Did I do something wrong? Was it the thing with Rory? Or back when-”

“No.” She shook her head, “Don’t worry, okay? You could never do something wrong in my eyes.”

Santana smiled at that.

“Great. So if I’m not the problem, then please tell me why you’ve been so distant with me lately?”

Y/N panicked slightly and racked her brain for anything. “Just... stuff.” She could slap herself for that weak excuse.

“Stuff?” Santana gave her a look, not buying it. “What stuff? Stuff at school? At home? Personal stuff?”

Y/N nodded softly at the last one and looked at her lap. 

“Want to talk to me about it?” Santana’s voice was as soft as a feather and barely even audible.

Y/N didn’t look up from her lap and shook her head. 

“That’s okay.” Santana scooted closer to her best friend, “Then I’m just going to have to-” But when she was about to wrap her arms around Y/N to comfort her, the girl quickly pushed her away, grabbed her stuff and walked out leaving Santana clueless to what she had done wrong.

✫彡

“I’m telling you, Britt, she ran away like I was some bee circling around her.”

Brittany smiled sympathetically. She could see it really affected Santana. 

“Oh, God.” She groaned and held the bridge of her nose. “She’s been like that every time I get close to her, what if it makes her uncomfortable? See?! I should just keep it all to myself, it’s better that way. I haven’t even told her anything yet and she’s already distancing herself from me.”

Brittany sighed loudly, “There you go again— putting two and two together and making six. You worry too much.”

Santana crossed her arms and let out a breathy, sarcastic chuckle, “I worry too much? She’s my best friend— I can’t lose her.”

Brittany’s smile softened, “I know. But you won’t. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and hope that a flying unicorn will scoop you up out of the sky. And I hope Y/N will jump onto its back as well... unless she’s scared of horses...”

Santana smiled at Brittany’s explanation,

“Thanks, Britt.”

✫彡

Santana was talking with Brittany when Y/N walked passed the two, basically making a b-line to the exit of the football fields. 

“Okay, this has got to stop.”

Santana rushed after her, Brittany following suit— afraid Santana was going to lose her rag.

“Y/N, stop-” Santana grabbed her wrist, making the girl turn around. “-and fucking explain to me what’s going on? I’m sick of you acting like this.” She waved her hands around.

Y/N pulled her hand back and squinted her eyes as she looked at Santana before walking off again.

“Oh, no no no. Not so fast, lady.” When Santana grabbed her shoulder, Y/N turned around and pushed her off. 

Santana widened her eyes at seeing Y/N so on the fence.

“Why can’t you just leave me be? I’ve been trying so hard to ignore you and ignore everything I’ve been cropping up inside but you just keep...on...bugging me!” 

Normally, Santana would fire back some witty and fiery reply but she was at a loss for words. She’d never seen Y/N like this. 

“I-I’m s-sorry. I’m so-” Y/N immediately excused herself and groaned before kicking the trashcan next to the bleachers, startling both Brittany and Santana.

Santana glanced at Brittany, silently asking her to give them a moment. The blonde nodded and walked back to the other Cheerios. 

Santana wasn’t sure what to do or say. She wanted to hug Y/N and hold her hand to comfort her, but would she be pushed away again if she did? 

“I haven’t been a good friend to you lately...” Y/N started and looked up into her eyes. 

“You can’t always be amazing at everything.” Santana complimented her and smirked softly, trying to lighten the mood. But her face turned serious again when Y/N didn’t seem to appreciate the effort. 

“But it’s okay. Let’s acknowledge it for a few seconds and then move on and be like we used to be.” Santana took a measured step closer to the girl.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?” The brunette immediately shot back, feeling angry and confused once again. Y/N wrapped her arms around herself and softly looked up into Santana’s eyes, which were filled with hurt and worry.

“I-”

She closed her mouth again, how was she supposed to say that she’d been in love with Santana for weeks now?

“I’ve been really respectful towards this all and I’ve given you time to come to me, but this time we’re not going to walk away before I know what’s up. So, tell me.”

Even while Santana glared at her, Y/N could still feel her insides turn to jelly. Y/N looked at the crinkle between her eyebrows and how she slightly pouted her lips together. Her stare lingered a little on her lips, before she quickly looked back into Santana’s eyes. But upon looking, she noticed that Santana’s gaze was fixated on her own lips. 

“T-Tell me now...” Santana cleared her throat and tried to raise her voice again, but it was clear that her mind was elsewhere. She tried to look mad, but Y/N noticed how hard it was for Santana to keep up the tough act. 

Their stare lingered for a moment before Y/N turned her back to Santana to walk back into the school. But before she could take a step, Santana’s voice interrupted her.

“I love you.”

Y/N froze.

“And you ignoring me hurts me so damn much. So, please, don’t. I don’t know what I did wrong but I’d really like to know.” 

It took Y/N a moment to gain the courage to turn back around but when she did, she saw that Santana was on the verge of tears.

“I hope this won’t make you ignore me even more.” She quickly glanced around the area before wiping away a tear.

“Please say something.”

“Santana...”

She immediately took a few steps back when Y/N approached her.

“No, no- it’s fine-” She waved her off. Y/N closed her eyes, ridding herself of any doubts and insecurities. She opened them again and wasted no time in cupping the girl’s cheeks to place a soft, chaste kiss on her lips. 

The two parted, Santana’s face filled with confusion. It wasn’t like they had never kissed before, so what exactly did this kiss mean? Was this just out of pity? 

Y/N left her no time to ponder when she attached her lips against Santana’s once more. She put much more pressure into this one, and when Y/N opened her mouth, Santana swore she could feel her heart explode. She quickly grabbed onto Y/N’s neck and kissed back, not wanting to let it go unanswered. 

They slowly let go of each other after a few seconds. 

“I know I asked you to say something but this was much better.” She blinked her eyes a few times as Y/N let out a breathy chuckle,

“I know, right?”

“Does that...Does that mean-”

“Damn, you don’t catch on very fast, do you?”

Santana rolled her eyes but not without grinning like an idiot. She presented her pinky to Y/N, the other girl locking hers around it as they kept looking at each other, beaming from ear to ear. 

✫彡

The band started playing the first tunes of the song on their trumpets. Everyone’s eyes widened and some of the girls cheered at the run Y/N started the song off with. Santana looked at her with the widest smile on her face before starting to dance the little choreography they had come up with it. She was more than proud of Y/N shoving her insecurities to the side and still singing this song. Her voice was perfect for this song, which was mainly why Santana had picked it out, she wanted the girl to shine more. 

“I don’t know what you did, boy, but you had it.” 

The two faced each other and sang together. Santana smirked while singing.

"That every time I see you everything starts making sense, yeah.”

Everyone clapped when they started singing the chorus. Santana turned towards Y/N at her part, making her take steps back by slightly pushing the girl’s shoulder.

It was clear to everyone that whatever had been happening before, had been solved now. Santana and Y/N seemed at ease around each other again. They acted just like before. Well... not exactly the same, but most of them brushed it off.

Mr. Schue mentally applauded himself for putting the two together. It had clearly resolved their problems. But Brittany knew the real reason of why they had made up. She grinned, enjoying the performance, but also because she was the only one who knew their little secret. It was about time. She had tried to silently drop hints to them that they both liked each other here and there for the longest time. When Santana had returned that afternoon with the biggest smile on her face, Brittany knew enough. 

Santana and Y/N grinned their hearts out at each other after ending the song and locked their pinkies behind their backs.

[axoxtxhxh]

Irish Cream Oat Milk Latte

Barista!Miche x Fem!Reader

Summary: Miche is a Barista at a drive-thru coffee shop. He’s had his eye on one of his regulars for quite some time. When will he get the courage to ask her out?

Content: Pure fluff

Word Count: ~2,800

A/N: I don’t write many oneshots, but I’ve been trying to get more into it because I know how easy they are to read. Please enjoy this Miche story :) also, thank you @luanabonn for always beta reading for me!

Every morning was the same. Miche would come to work at five o’clock in the morning to open up the drive-thru coffee shop and prepare for the morning rush. The shop didn’t open until five-thirty, but when the cars did start coming, the line backed up fast. Some of the patrons were grumpy, having to be up early to get to work and fight the morning traffic only to sit at their desks all day. Others were the early birds, the morning dwellers that thrived on waking up early, either just finishing their morning workout or about to get it started, they were the ones with a more cheerful smile than Miche and his coworkers.

They had their regulars, too. Most of the regulars were people that hated waiting in the morning rush and would get their coffee just after it ended. Miche preferred the regulars to any of the other customers. The regulars were the ones that talked to him about things other than traffic, the weather, and whatever holiday was approaching. They knew about Miche’s struggle moving from his apartment. They knew about his weekend plans of helping his parents replace the tile in their bathroom. And he knew about their families, their daughter about to start middle school and even celebrated with them when they landed that new job. He loved his regulars.

There was one regular that he appreciated a bit more than the others. She came nearly every day at eight o’clock in the morning, even weekends. She had been coming to get coffee from him for nearly a year now and since day one, Miche was smitten.

Each time she drove up, he found his heart beating quicker and he couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face. The first thing he noticed about her was her smile. She had the brightest, widest, most sincere smile he had ever seen. It made him laugh sometimes because she was one of those people that did that thing where they cover their mouth when they laugh and he couldn’t understand why she would cover her smile when it was so contagious.

He was lucky enough one day to see her laughing so hard her eyes started watering. It was at the expense of himself, but that was still a win in his book. She pulled up to the drive-up, always the same window, always his window.

“Good morning! Getting the usual—hic!” His eyes went wide and a second large hiccup made its way out of his mouth.

“Oh, hiccups!” She raised her eyebrows and smiled at him.

“Sorr—hic!” Miche put his hand on his chest to try and get the hiccups under control, but they only got worse.

“You just need to regulate your breathing.” She instructed, already starting to laugh at him. “Try taking deep breaths.”

Miche watched her take deep breaths, watched her hand on her chest, watched her smile slowly growing and he was smiling too.

“It looks like you’re dancing.” She laughed. Miche looked down at himself and laughed with her, pretending to dance before quickly knocking over a stack of cups.

“Fuck—hic! I’m sorr—hic! I didn’t me—hic! Curs—hic! Damn it.” He dropped his head and rested his elbows on the counter, holding his face in his hands. That’s when he heard her roaring with laughter and he looked up, his cheeks stained pink out of embarrassment, but deepening in color from how cute she looked.

She was laughing uncontrollably, tears filling the corners of her eyes and he was smiling at her, admiring how great of a laugh she had. She waved her hand in front of her face trying her best to apologize for laughing at him. It took her a minute to calm herself down, but when she did, she took a deep breath and looked at him.

“Thank you for the laugh. I thought today was going to be a bad day.”

“My pleasure.” He nodded and he was hooked.

If it wasn’t because of her smile or her laugh, it was because she was always asking him how he was doing and remembering the answers for her next visit. Miche found himself waiting for her every day at eight o’clock, excited to see her and talk to her for the brief amount of time they had.

He planned to try and ask her out after the first few times she came, trying to keep it professional, maybe asking her if she needed help with putting together her new bicycle she bought. Miche was a cyclist and they bonded a lot over that, once having a ten-minute conversation about cycling, much to the annoyance of the customers that were behind her in line.

When he finally worked up the courage to ask her, there was a man in her car with her that trip. She had never directly said that this person was her boyfriend, but Miche knew. He could tell. After that first time, the man was with her nearly every time after that. Any time she was alone, Miche would ask “Anything for him?” to be sure that she was actually still dating. She always got an extra drink for him.

After months of them dating, she started getting coffee at more random times, not always pulling up to Miche’s window, but his feelings for her only grew. Each time something making him wish even more that she was pulling up to his window and chatting with him. He was worried that maybe it was something he did. Maybe he messed up. Maybe he made a comment without realizing it and made her feel uncomfortable.

She was still nice to him when she got coffee, even waving to him when she was at someone else’s window, but it wasn’t the same to him. Once when she pulled up to Levi’s window, Miche immediately recognized the voice chatting with him. Levi passed the order to Miche, knowing he would want to help her. Everyone knew. But Miche quietly listened to Levi talk to her about her weekend. She had recently started using Invisalign and Miche could hear the lisp in the way she spoke and his heart was swelling at the adorable sound. He sighed as he prepared the second cup of coffee for him.

Another time when Hange was working with him, he could hear her voice from his seat in the back. Hange was talking with her about how early they have to wake up in the morning in order to make it to work. Miche peered around the corner and noticed her wearing a spring dress, yellow and pink flowers covered the front, a low V neckline showing just enough cleavage to make him happy their coffee hut was higher than her car. He smiled at her and she smiled back quickly, waving before her attention was back on Hange.

Miche held his smile, admiring how pretty she looked in those colors and the sunlight dancing across her skin. He inched closer to them, starting her coffee as he listened to them chat. He could see her hand rubbing her thigh and watched as it inched the dress up, bit by bit. He swallowed hard and looked away, continuing the coffee. Miche was a thigh man to the core. He quickly glanced back again. Just one more look. How he would love to lay his head in her lap, nuzzle his nose against her stomach. And if she’d let him, he would bury himself in—

“It’s just the one coffee today.” Hange told him, breaking him from his thoughts. He stood there holding the shot of espresso and Hange quickly grabbed her coffee, handing it to her and saying bye. Miche quickly turned, barely enough time to wave, but he did and she waved back. Only one coffee.

Y/N had no idea at what point she had fallen for her barista. She had been going to the same coffee shop drive-thru for nearly a year always seeing the same baristas. She loved that she knew them all by name and they knew her. They knew her order and it honestly made her day getting to see them. It was a big part of the reason she never bothered getting a coffee machine. The other big part was Miche.

From the moment she saw him, she was attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? He was tall, sun-kissed skin, silky blonde hair with a great smile. She would catch herself daydreaming at his arms flexing and twisting as he made her coffee. His voice was raspy, warm, and low, flowing like honey to her ears.

She loved that he was always noticing when something was different about her. Either a haircut, a new shirt anything like that. She couldn’t believe that someone could actually be that attentive. It didn’t even stop there. He always remembered what they spoke about the previous time. Remembering that she was learning to cycle and asking about her new bike.

This was why she couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment she started seeing him differently. She had an idea that her boyfriend did. Always asking to go with her to get a coffee, she was no longer able to have conversations with Miche like she used to. Each time she would laugh and joke, he boyfriend would start a fight out of jealousy. He didn’t have any reason to be jealous. There was no way Miche was interested in her. They were barely even friends. Just two people with similar interests.

She finally started getting coffee at different times in order to avoid having to bring her boyfriend all together. Most of those times, Miche either wasn’t working or he was at a different window. He was different then. He barely spoke to her and she thought maybe she had done something to upset him. Maybe he didn’t appreciate her flirting when she was in a relationship. Maybe he was in his own relationship.

When her boyfriend and her had finally had enough and decided to call it quits. She knew the first place she wanted to go. She didn’t care that Miche might not be interested or that he could have a girlfriend, she just wanted that little bit of happiness she always used to get from him.

As she pulled up to his window, she was disappointed to see that Miche wasn’t there. In one of the first times she’s ever come to get coffee, he wasn’t working. It was much later than she normally came here, so it was possible that his shift was over. She was even more surprised to find that the owner was the person taking her order.

“Hi, Erwin! I barely see you in here at all anymore.” She smiled already feeling better being there. “I was expecting to see Miche.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” He laughed. Everyone that worked there was beautiful. “He’s out sick today so I’m filling in.”

“Aww that’s too bad. I hope he’s okay.” She was genuinely concerned, but may have gone overboard in trying to mask her disappointment in not seeing Miche.

“He’s a big boy. I’m sure he will be fine soon.” He leaned over the counter to get closer. “What are you getting? The usual?”

She nodded, getting her card ready and handing it to him.

“Anything for him?” He asked.

“Nope.”

She pushed the card out further to him, but he ignored it, getting started on the coffee. The sounds of the coffee being made held her in her thoughts, lost as she looked at the steering wheel.

“We broke up.” She said, to herself, but also to Erwin.

“What’s that?” He leaned over to her.

“We… we broke up.” She looked at him and smiled. “My boyfriend and I. We broke up.”

“Oh.” He continued stirring her coffee, not sure what to say. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that.” She laughed, completely uncomfortable with how awkward she made everything. “I’m just rambling. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” He smiled. Pouring the coffee into the paper cup, he popped on the lid and handed it to her. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” She took the cup and handed him her card again, but he put his hand up.

“It’s on the house this time. A small pick-me-up.” He smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“If you’re working, I will be here.” She laughed and drove off.

The next day, she couldn’t bring herself to visit the café early in the morning. She had let herself stay up all night being miserable that she spent most of the day in bed. By the time four o’clock rolled around, she was feeling guilty that she’d told Erwin she would stop by and she quickly got herself ready to go. The café closes at five o’clock so she didn’t have much time left by the time she got dressed.

She pulled up to the window and Miche walked up to the counter, leaning over to her and smiling. He definitely didn’t look that sick so it must have been a quick cold.

“You look healthy.” She smiled.

“It was a quick bug. Are you getting the usual?” He brushed through his hair and she felt a shiver run through her. She nodded her head slowly as she watched him stand up straight, his muscles flexing as he pushed off the counter.

He looked different today. Almost like he was back to his old self. She watched him move quickly in front of the espresso machine, mixing her drink. He turned to look at her.

“Anything for him?” He called. She had no idea why that question coming from Miche made her smile, but it did. She was grinning widely back to him.

“Nope.” She shook her head and he was beaming back before turning back to her coffee.

She noticed Erwin walk over from the back and she waved. He moved over to Miche and they were whispering, Erwin nudging Miche with his elbow. Miche finally left her coffee stuff and moved back to her at the window.

“Hey, Y/N. Would you want to go cycling this weekend? With me.” He asked her leaning back over the counter. Her mouth opened, closing again quickly. She wanted to say yes, she would say yes, but her brain was short-circuiting and all she could do was smile at him awkwardly. “Sorry, maybe that came out as creepy. I’m sorry. I just—we both like cycling and you seem—”

“It’s okay. No—Yes! I would like that.” She smiled, her face burning with heat.

“Great.” He was smiling back at her. “Maybe we could meet here? Like eight?”

“That works.” She was so excited she couldn’t even contain it. She wanted to jump out of the car and yell into the sky. “I’ll see you then.”

She waved and drove forward, barely making it twenty feet before she realized she never got her coffee. How embarrassing. She looped back around, pulling up to the window. Miche was leaning over the counter, a bright smile on his face, his cheeks pink.

“I forgot my coffee.”

“I see that.” He handed her the cup and laughed. He couldn’t handle how adorable she was, his face was flushing as he smiled at her.

She waved again and drove off, this time with her coffee. She made it to the same point as before and stopped the car. Maybe she should be bolder. She didn’t have much to lose. Why not be really bold and just ask Miche to dinner. It doesn’t have to be some grand thing, but she could make herself known. She looped back around and pulled up to the window. Miche leaned forward again, smiling at her.

“Forget something else?”

“Would you want to have dinner with me? After we cycle.” She quickly looked down, worrying that maybe she was too forward. Miche leaned even further forward.

“I would like that a lot.” They both smiled, Miche’s blush deepening, but that glint in his eyes had her melting into her seat. She waved and pulled off again.

Again, she stopped at the same spot. What if he thinks they are eating dinner as friends? She never said it would be a date. She needed him to know it would be a date. That was important enough to turn around, right? She looped back around again, pulling up to the same window. Miche was waiting for her again, but she didn’t even give him enough time to say anything.

“I made that clear that it was a date, right?” She felt so stupid.

“Yes.”

They were both smiling. Miche was blushing, his chin resting on his hand as he looked at her. He was completely hooked, so totally head-over-heels for this lovely woman.

“Y/N?” He bit his bottom lip.

“Yeah?” She definitely noticed it.

“I get off in like ten minutes, do you want to have dinner tonight?”

“Yeah, I’d like that a lot.”