#maybe ill lock in for a booth one and post it here

[orangegloom]

i would make stimboards but i would be bullied by my tiktok mutuals for it

[peachbearies]

Pussy Fairy. E.Jaeger

𑁍┊synopsis: something about y/n with pink glittery eyeshadow made him go feral, now all he wants to do all day is lay in between her thighs.

𑁍┊Genre(s): Smut

𑁍┊Pairing: aged up(21)!Eren X F! Reader

𑁍┊Warning(s): Face Sitting, Overstimulation, praise kink, fingering, body worship, hair pulling, squirting, minimal spanking, dom! eren modern au eren.

𑁍┊Proofread: Yes / No. (to my best abilities)

Eren asked y/n to hang out with his friends, just an infrequent hangout he reckoned, he didn’t think something so modest would make him so fragile in his knees. Y/n was sitting at her vanity feeling empirical she grabbed her favorite eyeshadow palette along with her pressed glitter, getting an inspo from a fairy core post on her timeline she concluded to imitate this look. A delicate pink glittery eyeshadow look paired with soft peachy blush from cheek to cheek, soft orange highlight on her nose, and cheekbones. Eren was trying to contain himself when she got in his car smelling like sunflowers and clementines, so simple but effective.

Eren was at an expense for utterances. Y/n chuckles before pecking his lips “what happened love?” eren positions his hands firmly around her inner thigh “you” is his straightforward alibi “me? Did I do something wrong? Is my outfit not okay?” y/n started to become subconscious, but that's not what eren denoted, quite the contrary actually “no, you look intangible darling you eternally do, just this reliance of you trying new things has my heart scampering like when we first kissed” saying no more he puts the car in drive to meet Armin and the rest of his friends at an arcade.

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Once they made it to the arcade, Armin told them to just walk in they've paid for their cards with fully loaded chips on them, eren holding her hand tightly kissed her knuckles as they walk to find his friends. Y/n was only close to two of his friends and those are the ones he mainly hangs with. Armin and Mikasa. In the beginning, she thought Mikasa hated the idea of her hanging with eren, but come to the realization she was just overprotective of his wellbeing. Sliding in the booth eren throw his arm around her snuggling her close to him.

Whenever they would hang out with a group of his friends he knew how anxious she would get and always kept a hand on her to remind her he's there and that nothing will hurt her. “You guys came later! Was eren taking too long to get dressed?” jean poked fun at him.

Their relationship was always fun to watch. It was either they cursed and quite literally fought each other, or they were giving tough advice and playing like competitive brothers. Eren scrunched his eyebrows giving jean a cut-throat stare to which jean chuckled “quite the opposite” y/n answered “I was doing my makeup” Jean looked back at her giving off a genuine smile “it looks good, you look like a fairy” smiling y/n informs him that's the look she was going for eren removed his arm from her shoulder to go get a drink.

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The emotion in his head was making him dizzy he felt jealous, lust, love everything all at once like a booster shot. His mind was shortly interrupted by a hug around his waist, the aroma clouded his mind yet again. “Hey darling” he expressed, using his two fingers to remove the hair from her lipgloss. “Hi! Baby” she smiled eren was caressing her face so delicately as if she was a glass vase. She was perfect in his eyes compared to the shit he's done in the past, she's innocent like a bunny.

But she's changed him for the better, grabbing her hand he twirls her around seeing her skirt follow in sync with her body the combat boots she wore with the lace socks popping out the blue glitter-laced tank top she was stunning today. Eren dipped his head into her neck leaving soft wet kisses onto her now burning skin, her fingers petting through his long chocolate locks. “I love you” eren repeats on his skin “I love you too” his emerald eyes sparkling under the led lights of the arcade. Eren forgot about the beverage he ordered until it was sat right in front of him.

“What did you get?” she asked, eren sips his drink trying to remember what he ordered under impulses “I think I ordered a jolly rancher drink, with vodka” she looked up at him as he tried a few more sips to conjure his memory. “Yeah, that's what it is” she tried to grab the straw to taste but eren just kissed her lips over and over.

“That's all you get to taste I'm not letting you drink” eren smirks when he sees her pout face, with his free hand he grabs hers telling her to lead them to the game she wants to play. Seeing a ghostbusters game she drags him in the booth. He loved the excitement on her face it meant he was doing an amazing job has a boyfriend and a friend to her, and that's all he ever wanted. “Baby, this is my favorite game, I used to play this all-time mainly by myself cause my old friends didn't like this game” Eren's blood started to boil at the mention of her old friends.

They were toxic, but y/n wanted to see the good in people even though it was hurting her deep inside. Eren couldn't sit and watch them destroy the person he loved, even though they were friends at the time. “Your old friends were walking disappointments, dare to look down upon someone else when they're no better” cupping his cheeks in one hand, she kissed him softly before softly tugging his lips between her teeth. Though he knew she meant it innocently to calm him down, it made him wanna swerve on the highway to get home.

“Calm down babe, I know you hate hearing about them, but trust me I'm happy with y'all” her smile gave eren goosebumps, every time he saw that smile he thought to himself ‘is it humanly possible to fall deeper in love? Even though you're wrapped around their finger?” eren kissed her forehead in response. “Cmon get ready for us to win” his competitive voice commended.

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After winning the ghostbusters game, here they were at a claw machine where eren was determined to getting y/n a plushie. “You know you don't have to right?” she reminded him but everyone knew, with eren video games and arcades meant competition in his mind. Even when he was courting y/n it was a competition in being a better person for her, changing his old ways. To stop drinking so much, missing out on college parties even though she told him he could. He loved her and wanted to be the best boyfriend he could. Watching as the claw landed on top of the smiling corgi with a strawberry hat on she gasped when it was dropped into the box.

“I remember you wanting this from last time we came here” smiling she stands on her toes to kiss him softly. “Thank you, baby” after all the fun was done y/n was sitting on Eren's lap in the booth while they ate nachos. Jean looked over Eren's shoulder to see an old friend of theirs also known as y/n’s ex. But eren was too busy talking about his college class with Armin. But y/n had a keen eye so she followed his and landed on the source, she knew better than to let eren find out so she turned back which caused eren to caress her thigh over his large hand. “Something the matter love?” he asks her “no baby, I just saw a motorcycle game that looked cool, but I'm getting tired now” she started picking the piece of cotton from his shirt out of his hair.

“Yeah me too, let's go home y'all” jean suggests, they all begin walking out of the arcade bidding goodbyes to everyone just what she was avoiding her ex parked right next to Eren's car. She looked up at him but his eyes were burning holes in his chest and her ex wasn't backing down either. “Hello, eren and y/n, you look beautiful y/n why didn't you dress like that when we were together?” he questioned, eren gave him a sharp knife gaze to which her ex chuckled.

“Take it easy, I can't compliment her? Is that a crime?” he jokes eren smugly leaned against his car and across his chest “no, but to watch you suffer I'd gladly catch a case” his devilish smirk cascaded across his face. Her ex started to tremble at the expression on her boyfriend's face y/n grabbed his hand “can we go home?” she asked politely “yeah, let's go home dear” the aggression in his voice sent rivers in between her legs and shivers down her spine. Opening the door for y/n she got in after letting out a soft sigh, ‘how long was I holding my breath?’ she thought to herself.

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Eren cranked up the car placing his hand on her inner thigh, but close to her weak spot, she didn't say anything just thinking maybe he was doing it by accident, but she didn't mind either. She was comfortable with eren she trusted him. His fingers slowly crawled up her thigh to the waistband, of her panties snapping them across her warm skin his fingers were frigid against hers, a low gasp left her lips when his fingers slipped into her fabric as two of them disappeared into her slit. Her eyes lolling back before he's done anything. “You know how patient I've been?” eren mumbles, y/n looks at him in utter confusion, all she could see was his firm sculptured jawline, the stubbles from his beard coming back.

“Since you came out that house, wearing this beautiful outfit, and your elegant makeup, I wanted to cancel on them and drag you right back into the house” removing his hand from her needy core he spreads her legs open with his free hand, before removing her panties and throwing them in the back seat. Her wet core exposed to the cold air made her squirm to feel anything as if eren could read her mind his index finger slid up and down her core feeling her walls clench in anticipation. “Pretty girl, got all dressed up you look so lovely, dress like this more often and ill reward you hm?” eren pinched her clit between his two fingers making her body twitch the gasp in her throat quickly turned into an air pocket. “You're so beautiful my dear, you want these fingers inside of you?”

“Please?” y/n begged, without further ado, he preps his two fingers coated in her lubrication before sliding them into her needy hole. Her short gasp fueling his desire for her. “Look at you, baby, a beautiful mess for me” eren looks in her direction at the red light to further pound her with his fingers, the palm of his hand slamming against her clit “faster..” she begs her body heat getting warmer by the second “your wish is my command babygirl” eren knew what he was doing saying that word. It was her weakness, eren sped up his fingers as he curled them inside her sloppy hole. The broken syllabus of her saying Eren's name, seeing her squirm next to him fueled him, even more, to just get home fast.

“Eren—I'm coming” her legs were shaking too close but eren pulled out followed by her whine, his glossed fingers smack her inner thigh “keep them open for me pretty girl hm?” he placed his fingers on her tongue as she sucked her flavor off his finger. “Okay,” she whines “good girl” eren praises her. His fingers engulf back into her hole the tender buzzing between her legs resurfaced and she was on edge again. Eren was fingering her faster than he was a moment ago, his left hand gripping the steering wheel as he speeds home to ravish her. “Fuck—” she whispered “you're going to come for me princess?” he asked, she whimpered a small yes feeling her legs trembling to his touch.

“Come for me beautiful” eren decrees, her body shuttered under the drastic sentiment of his fingers coddled inside of her. She couldn't keep her eyes open due to the shock going through her body. His fingers swiped her clit left and right to procure another orgasm out of her, her whimpers twisted into short pants brandishing his wrist with both of her hands after riding out her second orgasm he discarded his hands from her pulsing clit and walloped her essence off his fingers, her legs fastening right after. “Taste as good as you look, princess, you did well for me” smiling at her broken form he just couldn't wait to ravish her at home.

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Getting home eren wasted no time holding her over his shoulders making her giggle at how needy he is for her. Getting a vigorous glimpse at his leather seats they were lustrous but he didnt have the time or thought to do anything, that all she had to do was wear glittery eyeshadow to get him pungent and irked. Throwing his metallic keys in the receptacle he kicked off his shoes and omitted hers simultaneously. “I love you, you know that?” Eren murmurs before positioning her on the bed “yeah, and I love you more” he cupped her face as their inflamed lips adjoined for each other her nails stroking his stern arms before coiling them in his chocolate locks, strands of his hair mashing against her forehead making her smile into their fervent session. “You’re perfect” Eren mumbles in her neck, vacating humid elegant kisses on her susceptible skin, the forlorn pants and stubble weakness for attention made him sneer against her skin.

His fingers draped around her throat holding her in place as his lips suck softly on his skin, Eren wasn’t an aficionado of hickies, but he did cherish to give soft bites and pulls from his lips on her skin, every time he did it gave her goosebumps. His free hand floundering to get her bra off he latched it off in a matter of seconds, he enables her out of her clothes the nimble air blowing on her body as he clasped his hoodie from the peripheries and over his head. Y/n was enthralled by his sculpted body, his abs defined all the way down to his v-line. “See something you relish princess?” His tongue cascade against his lower lip. “I see something I love” Eren grins “you’re cute” grabbing her by the ankles he heaved her towards the edge of the bed both of her legs upon his shoulder.

Frittering no time Eren hauled his tongue up her folds teasing her, while her head inundated in the pillow reaching out for his hands. Clutching her hand into his, while his tongue swirled around her folds already feeling unstable. Eren invariably said he could devour her for weeks and would never get depleted, now he was eating like he was famished weaving his tongue between her folds his green eyes looked Into her eyes with ardor and fascination, her legs coercing to close when he altered the pattern of his tongue to quick flicks.

She strived to say his name but was ceased by his lips engulfing her clit as he executed zigzags her mouth agape for seconds before she divulged all down his chin fidgeting for something to mellow her down. Eren wasn’t going to let her run away from her fourth orgasm so he dragged her in closer and inserted his fingers into her slowly. “Good girl princess” he gripes across her thighs, sweet kisses to her trembling thighs made him smile, hoisting his head up his fingers swirl inside of her repeatedly peaking at her g-spot. “Going to give me another one princess? Or better yet how about I make you squirt hm?” His eyes drifted darker, they were no longer a sour apple, they resemble the pine trees. “I can’t—“ she smothered grabbing his wrist with both of her hands.

She could feel the knot expanding in her stomach the pressure and feeling to squirt all over his hand along with the overstimulation made her shiver to the touch. “Yes, you can beautiful” Eren cupped her face in his free hand placing endearments on her lips and crown of her head. “Let me see that luxurious face as you soak up the sheets, let daddy discover it baby” his free hand encircled around her neck adding no pressure just to hold her in place. The tones of his palm slapping against her throbbing weak spot. Her pants were getting abrupter and tighter but her moans enhanced almost screaming out Eren's name and some mishandled cursed words. Her liquid soaking up Eren's v-line and mattress.

“Look at you, baby you’re so stunning darling” her drowsy face as her eyes started to cross, as she could see through her hooded eyelashes was Eren coming to land soft kisses on her forehead. Her body felt paralyzed she never knew she could do that. And Eren was the only one to get her to do it. She senses the weight of the bed sink next to her grinning she whirls over, solely to maintain his hand on her midriff and her thighs by his ears. Her hand striking the headboard for support, she didn’t know what he was doing candidly she thought he was complacent, not announcing she wasn't.

He pulled her waist sitting her down on his face, his tongue grazed over her folds making her twinge, “Eren..” she let out desperately “I may suffocate you” she weakly notified him, all distress left her mind once his hand clashed with her ass. Biting her lower lip she sat on his face thoroughly as he rumbled in happiness. She snickered at how much he’s enjoying this, it’s something new for the both of them. Trudging her folds on his tongue she glimpsed down at him seeing the fulfillment in his eyes she extracted the fringes of his hair from his glossy forehead. The traction drove her eccentric she needed more from him, placing his fingers on her bud he stimulated her at the pace she was moving. Which made her more frantic.

Her head lolled back desperately wanting more, she sped up for rhythm as Eren followed in pursuit, becoming greedy with his touch, she was approaching her now fifth? Sixth? Orgasm? She lost count after she left the car. Her forehead firmly pressed against the headboard has she comes undone. Eren cleaned her like a dinner plate he didn’t want any of her Essences to drop. Helping her up he lays her on her stomach, perching her ass up to him. He knew this would ultimately destroy her after they were through but he didn’t care.

She looked beautiful today. His tip taunting her entrance she moaned for him, “I hear you babygirl” his hand collided with her ass leaving a stubble print, her fingers grabbed purchase of the sheets when he rammed himself in without reluctance her toes spiraling until she fully adjusted to his expanse. Sex with Eren was either arduous or delicate, with no in-between. “Look at you taking all of me, lovely girl” fastening his hands around her waist the pitches of his low wails made her clench around him, his waistline hitting against her. She was a whimpering predicament underneath him as he demolished her for what felt like the tenth time.

Skin to skin colliding with the mixture of Eren's dirty talk, and her soft moans she tried to comprise, Eren wanted her to be loud, damn what their neighbors said he wanted to give it to her till she couldn’t fight it. “Cmon baby, utilize your words” he roared at her through his clenched cheeks, the repulse of his body denouncing against her as he continued to ravage her, “let me and the neighborhood hear those delightful little moans” he grabbed her hair placing her head on his shoulder for support as he placed delicate kisses upon her forehead. He slowly placed her back on the bed before he completely drilled her endlessly, she was now on the horizon of crying out his name out, her moans were boisterous than before, if someone didn’t know better they would’ve thought she was shouting for aid.

“Atta girl” Eren facilitated her, her body was simmering as the beads of sweat crept down her shoulder and onto the bed, he adored that face she makes when he ignites her into subspace, he hoists her fully one time holding his length inside of her, she gasped for air as her body started shuddering at the pressure. “Fuck..” was all she could let out as she came undone.“Pretty girl, you’d let me know if I’m being too harsh right?” Eren inquired out of serendipity, all y/n could do was nod. His lips kissed her temple down to her lips in a delicate manner “promise? I need words princess” he uttered in her ear. “Yes,” she let out in the form of a hum.

“Good, I don’t wanna hurt you, or get greedy just because you’re not saying anything okay? I love you” Eren soothed her, “I love you more” y/n responded. Eren slid his length out slowly as she whimpered from her high “sensitive aren't we?” He quips she turns over on her stomach to throw her arms around his neck he kissed her lips softly to savor every feeling he has right now. She wasn’t emigrating anywhere but he certainly kissed her like she was leaving tomorrow. Feeling her hand traversing to his member she brings in closer until he’s halfway inside of her. “You didn’t come” her eyes sparkled into his, the fingertips that were on her cheeks were now In her hair.

“This isn’t too much for you?, honestly just made this about you and how beautiful you looked today” Eren questions her, followed by a short ramble. “this is just perfect, this about us baby I love you” y/n giggles, Eren pressed his forehead against hers “m’kay, I love you more” Eren took the more vigorous approach, soft but drilling strokes, as much as he rushed it now he wanted to admire her. The way her eyebrows pleated when he strike the right spot, the way her lower lip fit merely prudent in between her teeth, the way she nestled his face in her hands, the strings of her hair attaching to her forehead he loved it, he’s never cherished someone as much as her. Picking up the momentum slowly his pants inaugurates to become in unison with hers the smirk on his face when his fingers flickered her bud his nose dusting against her neck.

“Come with me goddess,” he said in her neck, her nails digging into his back, she held on for dear life, her face plunged into his neck as she came, and he withdrew and did the same. Once his eyes were now on her she titters at his handsome crisp green eyes “Eren you’re so beautiful” he derides before kissing her temple. “That’s my line, I may have to litigate you” his craggy voice echoes from the bathroom, with her eyes close she shook at the touch of a calm cloth. “Shh, no ones here” he kidded, y/n smacked him with a pillow before giggling “such a fucking cocky bastard” Eren climbed on top of her “and you love it” he kissed her nose before presenting her his shirt as he put on sweatpants.

“Danger!” She screamed, Eren swiveled his eyes knowing precisely what she meant “don’t fret I’ll take you in the shower darling” y/n eyes enlarged as he pulled her back into his chest “respectfully of course” Eren gleamed in her hair before closing his eyes. “Maybe I should do red glimmer for the party on Wednesday”

“You’ll have to cancel right now if that’s your scheme, cause you’re not leaving you know how red gets me” he laughed, but his tone was far from a hoax “maybe I don’t wanna go” she chortles turning into his chest her nose prickled his collarbone, “deal” he smiled smoothing her shoulders in a circular motion.

“I love you Eren” she grumbled

“I love you more y/n”

♡ ·  ·  ·  · ────•.°本°.•──── ·  ·  ·  · ♡

[ohmygarlands]

No Goodbyes

(Warning: this story deals with heavy subject matter)

Gene rushed to the house on Evanview as fast as he could, barely stopping even for the red lights. As soon as he heard the desperation in Vincente’s voice, he knew it was serious. He slammed the car door behind him and dashed inside, tearing up the stairs to follow the sounds of Vincente’s sharp knocks against the bathroom door.

“Judy! Darling, please come out…” Vince begged, his hand on the doorknob.

“What the hell’s going on?” Gene asked, breathing heavy.

“She locked herself in, I can’t get her out!” He was becoming hysterical himself, “I don’t know what to do, Gene! I’ve never seen her like this.”

“Fuck!” Gene muttered, standing in front of the door, “how long has she been in there?”

“About a half an hour, I tried everything. I thought maybe she might listen to you…”

Vincente learned of their affair shortly after The Pirate. He saw them carelessly stealing kisses at the wrap party nearly a year ago. Oddly enough, it didn’t bother him anywhere near as much as he thought it would. He felt almost relieved. When Gene was in the picture, she was happy, stable, and much less erratic. It took a load off his shoulders and he was able to look the other way, sinking himself into his work. But when things started to go sideways and her moods became more turbulent than ever, he could look away no more.

Gene knocked twice first before trying the door handle, “Judy… it’s me,” he said as calmly as he could. He could hear her breathy sobs on the other side of the door, “Open the door…”

“I can’t,” she said in a strained voice.

“Why can’t you open the door, Judy?”

Vincente grabbed Gene’s shoulder, “Maybe we can jimmy the lock, I’ll go get a knife.”

Gene nodded before turning his attention back to Judy, “Judy, why can’t you open the door? Talk to me…”

“GO AWAY!!” She suddenly screamed.

“I’m not going anywhere, do you hear me?”

“Please, just leave,” she cried.

“Tell me what happened…”

“I can’t,” her voice was shaking.

When Vincente returned with a knife, Judy’s manager Carlton Alsop followed behind him. He too tried to get her to open the door but their attempts, including the knife, were futile .

“Vince, what the fuck happened to her?!” Gene asked, becoming irate.

“She came home from the lot, tired. I didn’t think anything of it. She said she was going to lay down for a while. All of the sudden, I heard her screaming and found her locked in the goddamn bathroom!”

Carlton bolted into her bedroom, in search of what he knew he’d find. When he returned, he carried an empty pill bottle. Gene’s heart dropped into his stomach.

“We need to get her out of there!” Carlton said, “keep talking to her Gene! Keep her alert. This was full yesterday, she needs a doctor,” he said frantically rushing for the phone in her room.

Gene could feel a lump forming in his throat as his eyes began to water, “Judy…”

“I just want to sleep…” her voice became soft and lazy.

“Then why don’t you unlock the door, and we’ll get you into bed. You can sleep as long as long as you like, please…” Gene begged.

Vincente turned to face the wall opposite the door, leaning his forearms against the wallpaper.

“They’ve done it, they’ve killed her! They finally killed my beautiful wife!” He cried.

Gene leapt up and grabbed Vince by the collar of his shirt, “shut the fuck up!!”

Just then, Carlton came back and broke them up. He pulled Vincente aside and tried to calm him down so Gene could focus his attention on Judy. Suddenly, the sound of a glass breaking followed by another loud sob came through the door. The three men looked at each other in horror.

“JUDY!!” Gene cried, sliding down to his knees with his hand on the door knob.

“Please just let me go…” She sobbed.

“Judy,” Gene’s voice became quiet, “don’t do this… I’m begging you.”

Judy’s cries became a little clearer, he could tell she was now up against the opposite side of the door. He leaned his forehead against it, “my life began when I met you, Judy, you gave me a purpose, you taught me how to live my dream. You never gave up on me, not once… and I’m not giving up on you. Not now, not ever…”

Judy’s sobs had settled to skipping breaths. He glanced over at Carlton and Vince, feeling their eyes piercing through him.

“Please, please unlock this door…”

A few moments later, he heard a click in the doorknob and Gene jumped up to open it, finding Judy leaning against the wall holding her legs as she cried. Gene could no longer fight his own tears as he gathered her in his arms.

“I’m so sorry,” she wept into his chest. Gene bunched her sweaty hair in his hands, sweeping it away from her forehead.

“Shhh,” he whispered, rocking her like a small child.

As her doctor tended to her in her bedroom with Vincente, Gene and Carlton made their way downstairs, giving them privacy. They went down to the kitchen and sat at the large island. His hands still shaking, he lit a cigarette, inhaling for what seemed like minutes.

“What do we do now?” He asked, the smoke falling from his mouth.

“She needs help, Gene.”

“Right, what do we do?” He repeated.

“You’re not understanding me. She needs more help than you or I, or Vince could ever give her.”

“How do you know? Maybe there’s something we can do.”

“She’s been getting worse by the day, Gene. Her moments of clarity and of joy are becoming fewer and farther between. Her mood swings are more violent than ever, one minute she’s laughing and—“

“The next, she’s in tears,” he finished his sentence.

“I visited her last week on Annie… I stopped by to see her, she was so happy to see me, she was all over me… I made a harmless joke about the feather in her hair and she completely lost it. It’s like she took on an entirely different personality, I didn’t even recognize her voice.”

“Then you know…”

“I didn’t know what to make of it. I remember what she went through when we made the Pirate.”

“This is different. If we don’t do something fast, she’s not going to make it much longer.”

Gene sighed, slamming his cigarette in the ashtray as his jaw clenched, trying to hold back another wave of tears.

“There’s a hospital in Boston I’ve been trying to get her into for several weeks. The second I realized the path she was going down, I reached out to their top doctor.”

“Boston?”

“They specialize in this sort of thing. It might be exactly what she needs.”

“It’s on the other side of the country!” Gene began to panic.“Why can’t we help her here? Her family is here, her friends… I’m…” he stopped himself, glancing down at the table in front of him.

“Los Angeles is like a prison cell to Judy, this is the last place she needs to be.”

“Have you told Vince about this idea of yours?”

“Yes…”

“And?”

“He’s not happy about it but he’s willing to let her go.”

Gene leaned back in his chair, he knew it would be best for her but after tonight’s episode, he had a very hard time pushing his selfishness away. He wanted more than ever to be with her, to hold her and never let her go.

To their sheer relief, the doctor informed all three of them that Judy had caused no serious harm and that they managed to get the pills out of her system before anything damaging could happen. Carlton left that evening shortly after the doctor did, and after making sure Vincente and Gene were both ok. The gentlemen had discussed further the notion of sending Judy to Boston. Carlton agreed to work with her doctor here to ensure they could set up an admittance appointment as soon as possible.

Sitting at her bedside, Gene watched as she slept. He gently swept his fingers up and down her bare arm, he knew how much that relaxed her. Her skin immediately responded to his scarce caresses. She rolled over and slowly opened her wet eyes.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping,” Gene whispered with a slight smile.

“I’m so sorry, darling,” she said, her voice so weak it broke him all over again. He shook his head and moved his fingers up to her face, running his thumb along her eyebrow and down her cheek.

“What’s going to happen to me?”

“Well, you’re going to go see some more doctors, and we’re going to sort everything out, I promise you. You’re going to be just fine.”

“But what if I’m not?”

“I’m sorry, Garland, that option just isn’t on the table.”

“I’m so scared,” she began to cry again.

“I know you are, baby, I am too…”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“I told you I’m not going anywhere… We’re going to get through this. I will do whatever I need to to make you better.”

“ I love you,” she reached for his hand.

“I love you…” He leaned in, placing a soft lingering kiss against her forehead.

Gene couldn’t sleep. He laid in bed, more wide awake than he had ever been. He stopped checking the time when it passed two a.m. The only thoughts that went through his mind were of Judy. Their intertwining lives had become more strained than before. Carlton was right, her moods were all over the place, particularly so when she started filming Annie. Regretfully, their time together had been much less frequent. He was in the thick of post-production work for one of his biggest features, On the Town, which at one point took him away from her all together. They saw each other when they could but part of him couldn’t help but to place the blame on his absence. He helped her navigate through the flames on The Pirate, but as Carlton said, this was different. She was falling deeper and deeper into an illness that he couldn’t even begin to understand.

He threw the linen sheet that was covering him from the waist down to the side and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He knew if he laid there a minute longer, he would drive himself to hysteria. Instead, he decided to drive himself to a bar. He threw on a sweater and grabbed his keys. He stumbled into the Mocambo, the club was nearly empty except for a few couples huddled anonymously in the back of their booths. He sat himself at the bar and signalled for an Irish whiskey. He was handed his drink when a sudden slap on the back startled him, making him spill a little on his sweater.

“What the fuck?” He hissed, turning to find Frank beside him.

“Sorry, Shanty, didn’t mean to scare ya. I just saw you come in, what the hell are you doing here this time of night?”

“I was thirsty,” he flatly replied, downing the remainder of his drink.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here, listen,” he began, taking the seat beside him, “I got a favour to ask you…”

“What?”

“I’m planning a romantic getaway with Ava and I’m in need of the perfect locale, that’s where you come in,” he grinned. Gene shot him a side-eyed glance.

“Your boat!” He blurted, “are you planning on using it this weekend?”

“No,” he answered, tapping his fingers on the bar to get the bartender's attention.

“Well how ‘bout it then? May I borrow it?”

Gene took a moment to answer, sighing.

“I’ll be your best friend!” He begged, pathetically.

Gene shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t care, take it.”

“That’s my boy!” He pulled Gene in by his neck but Gene pushed him off.

“What’s got your panties in a twist?” He asked, backing into his seat.

“Forget it.”

“Uh oh, troubles with a certain brunette we both know? Just tell her she was right, buy her some flowers, you’ll be outta the dog house in no time.”

Gene snickered, if only the solution were that easy, he thought.

“Sure,”

Frank paused for a moment, looking at him analytically. He was a little taken aback by his whitewashed and expressionless face, “What’s going on with you? Are you alright?”

Gene shook his head ‘no’, tightening his lips.

“I’m failing her, Frank.”

“What?”

“Ever since her and I collided nine years ago, she gave me somebody to be. She never gave up on me, she never let me fall, I exist because of her. And now… she needs my help and there isn’t a goddamn thing I can do for her.”

Frank crossed his arms, his elbows resting on the bartop, he took a deep breath in before trying to respond, “I heard about what happened,”

Gene furrowed his eyebrows, how the news about her travelled so quickly, he didn’t know. It was one thing he fucking hated about this town.

“You never know what’s true and what’s fiction in those god awful columns. But it’s true, isn’t it?”

Gene closed his eyes as a single tear fell down his cheek, “I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life.”

“Listen, I don’t know the whole story, but I do know one thing, you’re not failing her, Gene. Mayer is failing her, even Minnelli is failing her. You? You are providing her with an escape. She once told me a long time ago now that she forgets ‘Judy Garland’ exists when she’s with you. You make everything she’s ever been afraid of disappear.”

“Then why can’t I make this disappear?”

Frank didn’t have the answers Gene was looking for. He and Gene sat silently together, and he watched as Gene drowned himself with another double. He saw to it that he didn’t drive home that night and instead opted to take him back to his place where he could dry out in relative peace. He didn’t want Betsy to see her husband like that – Gene had moved into his own bedroom, their marriage as they knew it had ended months ago but they both decided to remain under the same roof in order to keep things simple and beneficial to Kerry – but Frank wasn’t sure how much of Judy’s situation Betsy was privy to, nor did he want her to see how it affected her husband.

Gene and Stanley Donen were overseeing the editing process for On the Town in a building clear across the studio lot. He kept quiet while Stanley interjected his thoughts. Gene was usually the vocal one, especially when it came to perfecting a film that he poured his blood, sweat and tears into. Gene quietly excused himself, making his way through the large doors that led outside to get some air. As though it were on queue, Judy appeared right in front of him. His heart sank as it always did when he saw her, but when it was an unexpected encounter, it hit him differently.

“Judy…” he spoke.

“Oh, thank God I found you!” She said breathlessly, placing her arms on his elbows.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” He asked, putting his arms around her waist without a care for who may be nearby.

“They’re making me go away for awhile…” her brown eyes began to fill, “to Boston. I’m being admitted to a hospital there for a rest.” Gene’s reaction was a blank one which took Judy aback, she didn’t know he had been in on the conversation between her husband and Carleton.

“I’m, I’m leaving tomorrow,” she continued.

“What?!” He exclaimed.

Judy’s face crumpled before a stream of tears fell from her eyes.

“Ok, ok…” he pondered, trying unrealistically to figure out a last minute way he could make all her troubles vanish into thin air. He knew she would be leaving, it was only a matter of time. But the suddenness of her departure threw him completely. Judy pressed her cheek against his chest and he held her. “You’re leaving tomorrow?! I didn’t think you’d be going so soon… I thought we could… I,” he stumbled and Judy pulled back, looking up at him.

“You knew?”

Gene softly nodded, “Of course, I knew.”

“Do you think I’m crazy?” She asked him, her tears suddenly stopping.

Gene exhaled deeply through his nose, “No, baby. You’re not crazy, you’re just… tired. You need rest, you need routine,” he paused, “you need help.”

“You don’t think you can help?” She asked, her tone beginning to change in an uncomfortably familiar way.

“Don’t.”

“I just asked a question.”

“Don’t try to pick a fight with me the day before you leave, I know exactly what you’re doing and I’m sorry, but it’s not going to work, not this time,” he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. Judy raised her head slightly and his lips travelled naturally to her mouth, holding her in his warmth.

“Let’s get the hell outta here,” he whispered.

“What?”

“I want to take you out tonight… on a proper date. A romantic dinner, maybe a stroll along the pier, just the two of us. What do you say?”

“I have so much to do, Gene,” she murmured, closing her eyes.

“Please… I’ll get on my knees and beg if I have to, I need you.”

Judy widened her eyes and coyly smirked, “that’s a tempting offer,”

“I’m a desperate fool, what can I say?”

“Pick me up at our usual spot at 10. Don’t be late,” she smiled, pulling away from him.

Judy and Gene walked hand in hand along the beach, each carrying their own shoes as they felt the cool sand between their toes. The moon reflected beautifully on the Pacific and they stopped for a moment to admire the sight in front of them.

“I have to hand it to you, Mr. Kelly, that was probably the nicest evening I’ve had in a long time,” she cooed, wrapping her arm around his waist.

“Oh, my darling, you don’t think it’s over do you?”

Judy looked at him with an eyebrow raised, “We’ve had a lovely dinner, walked along the beach, hmm, whatever else could you possibly have in mind?” She purred seductively, leaning her forehead against his.

“Judy Garland, you vulgar little thing, you,” he teased, Judy’s mouth dropped. “I was merely pointing out that we have a lot more beach to walk,” he said, holding his arm out parallel to the shoreline. Judy laughed that delicious laugh of hers and for a split second, Gene all at once felt like everything would be O.K. again. He pulled her into his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder. As they stood there quietly, listening to the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, the opening bars of Bing Crosby’s Only Forever faintly travelled from a radio belonging to a couple in the distance. Judy’s mouth quickly shaped into an evocative smile.

“What?” Gene matched her expression when he looked down, catching her.

“Listen…” She whispered.

Gene was quiet, cocking his head to the side, “What is it?”

“You don’t remember?” Judy asked him, wide eyed, “The night we met, all those years ago, this is the song we shared our first dance to at the Copacabana.”

Gene closed his eyes and hung his head in shame, “Of course it is…” he murmured.

“My knees were shaking,” she reminisced.

“My heart was racing,” he added, pressing his forehead against hers, “you were the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.”

“I looked like a duck,”

Gene laughed, pulling her in closer against his body, “a swan.”

“What was going through your mind when we were dancing together that night?” She asked as they swayed back and forth to the faint music.

Gene let out a smiling sigh, “well firstly, I was scared to death that I’d be mauled if I even made the slightest wrong move with you. Remember there was a circle of eyes upon us?”

It was Judy’s turn to laugh, “Oh, yes, I remember that, all too well. What else were you thinking?”

“Well… there was one brief moment that I can remember so vividly. We were cheek to cheek, moving slowly on the dance floor, much like we’re moving right now, and I must have cracked a joke or something –I’m assuming about how uncomfortable it was with everyone watching,” his voice became whisper-soft, “and you pulled back to look at me, almost as though you just needed me to see that I could make you laugh. I can’t explain it, but in that moment, you made me feel like I was the most important person in your world. What was I thinking? Well, darling, I never wanted to kiss somebody so badly in my entire life,” he smirked.

She pulled back in his hold, just as she had done at the Copacabana, only this time, she placed her lips on his and they kissed to the sound of Bing Crosby and the waves hitting the shoreline. Her tongue sweeping over his was euphoric. Their mouths always melded perfectly together and it took all of his willpower not to devour her right then and there. When their lips finally broke and their foreheads leaned against each other again, he spoke.

“What were you thinking when you locked yourself in the bathroom last week?” His question was so quiet it was barely audible. Judy’s eyes opened and found his peering back at her. The sound of his heart pounding was deafening in the silence between them.

“I didn’t want to die…” she explained. “I have a lot to live for, I have my baby,”

“You have me,” he interjected.

“I can’t explain what I was thinking, darling, all I could hear was constant noise in my head and I just wanted it to stop. I’m so tired. I just wanted to go to sleep, and stay that way.”

Gene breathed out through his nose, his eyes closed as he processed her response. He swallowed hard in an attempt to keep his own emotions in check.

“That’s why I need to go away… I need to sort out that constant noise in my head. Everyone thinks I’m crazy. I’m not. I’ve never been more ashamed of anything in my entire life than I am for trying that, you know.”

“I know, baby. What can I do? I need you to let me help…”

“You’ve done more for me than I could ever ask for.”

“It doesn’t feel like it,”

“Then you’re just going to have to take my word for it,” Judy placed her palms on his cheek and raised his face to hers, “you know what you could do for me?”

“What’s that?”

“Take me somewhere… with a bed.”

Gene laughed, halting his tears from spilling.

Room 204 at the Roosevelt was their room, it always had been, and by chance, it was vacant when they arrived at the front counter. They no longer cared who saw them in the foyer, Judy was already in the paper for a suicide attempt, and she joked in the car on the way there that the bar couldn’t be set any lower with the media.

It was their bodies melding together now, even more perfectly than their mouths. Gene had rolled over and turned on the soft bedside lamp when Judy climbed on top of him. Their future was a complete blur and the likelihood of being with her again any time soon was becoming dimmer and dimmer. He wanted to soak up every second with her and memorize every square inch of her incredible body. When the soft yellow glow illuminated the room, he was met with her tender smile as she placed her hand over his sternum. He drew in a sharp breath as she lowered herself onto him. Her smile shifted into an “O” and her eyes closed as her head fell back. He slid his hands up her thighs to her sides to grab a hold of her hips  as she rocked back and forth in an intoxicating rhythm.

He loved the way she rode him but the sensation now was too overwhelming and he was becoming more and more uninhibited with every stroke. He pulled her against his chest and swiftly flipped her onto her back, making her squeal laughing.

“You drive me crazy when you do that, you know?”

“I know,” she purred, sliding her hand down his cheek. He turned his face into her palm and placed a gentle kiss on the little creases.

“I don’t know how I’m ever going to let you go,” he murmured.

Judy slid her hand to his mouth, pressing her index finger to his lips, “Don’t.”

Gene leaned forward and kissed her, reaching down for her wrist to bring it above her head as he entered her once more. Their fingers intertwined and the soft moans against his lips let him know he had effortlessly found her spot.

“No letting go,” she breathed in tune to their rhythm, “no goodbyes,”

“Whatever you say, Garland,” he purred.

They made love for hours, alternating between kissing, caressing, fucking, and laughing until the sun had begun to poke out over the horizon. The thin ray of sun that shone through the hotel curtains illuminated a perfect line up Judy’s spine as she laid on her belly with her arms tucked underneath her body. Her eyes were growing increasingly heavy as Gene’s fingers scarcely traced the beam of sun on her back.

“What time do you leave?” He whispered.

“Not until later,” she replied, her voice cracking.

“You should get some sleep.”

Judy unravelled one arm from underneath her torso and reached for Gene’s wrist, gripping it as though she were just trying to anchor herself to him. He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on each knuckle. By the time he reached her thumb, her breathing had deepened and she was fast asleep.

With a smile on his face, Gene’s eyes fluttered open and his arm immediately fell to Judy’s side of the bed. He shot up when he realized it was empty. When he went to grab his watch from the bedside table, he noticed a folded note standing on it’s side.

No Goodbyes.

See you soon, my darling.

All my unbridled love,

-J

[taeyohonic]

Just a Taste – Chapter One

Summary: Being asked to take a blood test just to work at a merchandise booth should have been the first read flag for you. But you just gave them a sample of your blood in exchange for a very much needed paycheck and a summer job during BTS’ world tour. After the youngest member of the popular kpop band finds himself in a difficult situation, you come to realize that this wasn’t the last time you shed blood for your idols. or: You becomes the new donor for seven bloodthirsty idols, who seem to be way too interested in their new food source.

Pairing: OT7xfem!Reader

Genre: Fantasy, Smut, (Fluff)

Warnings: blood, they aren’t very nice to you...

Words: 2.7k

Chapters: Prologue, Chap. I, Chap. II, Chap. III, Chap. IV, Chap. V, Chap. VI, Chap. VII

“What do you mean ‘all the bags are gone’?”

Your supervisor does not look amused. The girl with an abnormal amount of glitter on her face does not look amused. Hell, even you don’t look amused. The stadium hasn’t even begun to let the fans in and your merch booth ran out of the official “speak yourself”-bag ten minutes ago.

This job is in the top three most gruesome things you had to do for money. But money was tight, and you didn’t want to survive another summer on ramen and cheap wine. The job ad was harmless at first glance. Just another sales job. But they promised good pay and international traveling, which was enough to let your eyes linger. There was no company mentioned, just a post box.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise when BigHit responded to your application a week later. With Bangtan’s rising popularity and the massive size of their tour, extra staff had to be hired. Still, the ARMY in you couldn’t contain her excitement. This was a big deal for you. Touring with one of your favorite kpop bands, traveling to Japan and getting first dips on all the merchandise? This was a no brainer. Hell, you would have even paid them to tag along. So you dressed to impress when you attended the interview, keeping your giddiness locked behind a professional smile.

“You want what?”, you ask – disbelieve coloring your voice.

“A blood test”, the interviewer repeats nonchalantly without looking up from her questionnaire.

Was this normal procedure? You had only ever worked in your aunt’s bookstore during senior year of high school and at a fast food place all through undergrad. Neither asked for your freaking bloodline.

“What? Do you discriminate certain blood types?”, you say in mock humor. A laugh disguised as a cough rings through the room, as the cute guy in the back of the room tries to hide his amusement. His eyes are locked on your features.

“We just want to make sure all our employees are healthy. You’ll be travelling to a foreign country, working long hours.”, the woman in front of you replies, ignoring your bad attempt at a joke. She continues: “You don’t have to – of course.”

“But then I won’t be asked back for a second interview, am I right?”

The woman looks you in the eyes for the first time since entering the room. She doesn’t look as evil as she sounds. “No”

So, you guess you’ll leave with a bit less body fluid than you anticipated.

There wasn’t a second interview. The test results came with a pre-signed contract.

***

“What the fuck is up with this boy today?”, Joo-Won swears as his eyes are glued to the screen in front of you. Your shift is officially over. Most of the merchandise is packed up, all the sold-out item IDs are sent to the head quarter and you already got a notification that the next delivery will be arriving first thing tomorrow morning. Now you’re sitting together with some crew members, a half-finished soju bottle in your hand and an empty carton of take-out on your lap. The guy at your job interview turned out to be quite fun.

Joo-Won introduced himself during the briefing on your first day in Japan. He is responsible for the ARMY Bomb stands, which seems to be a very big deal around here. This is his third tour with Bangtan and he seems to know nearly every henchmen in this operation. So it came to no surprise when a stage assistant invited you both to watch the concert from one of the twelve monitors backstage. Of course, you didn’t look too out of place with your name badge and the Love Yourself-hoodie you may or may not have purchased with your employee discount.

The stage assistant, whose name you can’t remember, is fuzzing with screen number five as you take another sip of your afterwork drink. You stare not really focusing on anything. Just blank nothingness.

“You did see this as well, right _______?”, Joo-Won asks breathlessly.

You can only nod. The Fake Love performance just ended. And even though all seven idols were on fire, the youngest was just out of control.

“What did we just see?”, the boy continues.

“Rudeness”, you answer and empty the bottle with a hefty swing. You knew Jungkook would lift his shirt. You were prepared as you had seen their comeback stage more times than you’d be comfortable to admit. This was not news to you. But the aggression in his stare, how dark he growled his verses, the hard edges on his mouth, not even hinting a friendly smile, was making you uncomfortable.

Before your new friend can respond his headset beeped. Joo-Won answer, his eyes still on the screen.

“Yeah?” After a beat his eyes flash to you. You squirm uncomfortably in your seat.

“_________ is with me”, he says and you need a second to register your role in the conversation.

Joo-Won’s stare lingers on your face – a silent question in his eyes.

“Sure, sir. I’ll bring her to you right away.” Then he ends the call sifting, so your knees are brushing against one another.

“Care to explain, why Bangtan’s prime management wants to speak with you, _______?”, your friend asks, no judgement in his voice. What?

***

“So, I have to sign another NDA?”, you ask the manager in front of you, trying to swallow your nervousness. This is the Sejin, Bangtan’s right hand advisor. Every fan knows him from countless Bangtan Bombs and can easily recognize the fathering care in his work.

“This one… is more specific”, he explains and moves the stack of papers to you. You try to calm your excited fingers as you grab at the legal document, flipping through it.

“And it’s time sensitive”, Sejin adds and searches your eyes for attention. You give it to him.

“Time sensitive?” The papers abandoned on the table. “Is something wrong with the boys?”

There will come a time and place when you reflect on the choice of calling these men “the boys” as if they were your closest friends. But it’s not today. Today you just see a glint in his eyes.

“Yes, it’s Jungkookie”, Sejin starts and your memories flash to their concert an hour prior. How Joo-Won and you both discussed how beastly the youngest looked – how aggressive.

“Wh-what?”, you answer in question. The manager’s hands move on top of yours.

“He is ill and … you might be able to help him. We can’t transport him. And we are not sure he’ll survive an ambulance ride.”

Your brain blanks as you stand up in a swift move. This is simple: One of your most cherished idols is ill and his trustworthy manager tells you that you’ll be able to help. This is a no brainer.

“Take me to him”, you order, not even caring that Sejin’s words are not making any sense. How can a twenty-four-year-old college dropout help the golden maknae? What even is his illness?

Sejin’s smile should have been another red flag. “Slow down, _________”, he sooths and moves around the table so he is standing in front of you. “This is important. You have to sign the documents. You’ll have to transfuse blood to him.” He is handling you a pen. “There are health risks. This isn’t … the most optimal environment for a blood donation.”

Jungkook needs your blood – memories of your job interview come back.

You sign the contract, not even reading all the small-printed clauses on the pages. Before the ink is even dry, Sejin is moving you through a long corridor. His hand rests on your neck – squeezing reassuringly. A glimmer travels across your body and you try to ground yourself. Of course you are nervous. This is reasonable. You’ll donate blood to one of your favorite idols. Maybe you’ll see him, when he gets better. Hell, maybe he’ll even thank you in person! Meeting Bangtan is the closest form to aspiration you have at the moment.

“When is the nurse coming?”, you question the logistics as you move towards the farthest door labeled “BTS”.

“Which nurse?” You look at Sejin in surprise – if not a nurse, who’ll take your blood?

“Then a doctor?”, you ask and Sejin shakes his head, a humorless chuckle escaping him while you both come to a halt in front of the door.

“There is… no time I’m afraid”, he answers – with remorse in his voice. There is a sinking feeling in your stomach, some of the fog lifted. How the hell should you give Jungkook your blood if there is not even a transfusion station here?

Sejin knocks at the door, ignoring your thumbing heartbeat and opens the door, softly pushing you into the room. “I’ll explain everything; I promise.”

***

The starving vampire smells your sweet blood as soon as the door opens – Sejin a mere decoration in his vision. Jungkook’s whole body turns towards you while your eyes nervously shift across the room. Time slows down as the maknae swiftly moves straight to you. His muscles ache and he cannot even recognize his swallow breathing. His stare is fixed on the nap of your neck – deliciously soft, milky. Not even the slightest imperfection in this human before him.

You do not even sense Namjoon’s and Seokjin’s presence as your eyes take in the predator advancing towards you. The older ones seem frozen as their youngest stops just a breath away from you. You look mouthwatering – clad in one of their merchandise hoodies, hair pinned in a mess at the top of your head, some bold eye make-up, but otherwise barefaced. You look… just right.

Before Jungkook’s grin spreads across his face, Jin takes action – trying to move between the sarved vampire and this … girl. What the hell was Sejin thinking just throwing her in here? Did he want this human dead so badly?

But the oldest is too late – Jungkook growls aggressively as he snatches you against his firm chest. All the air leaves your lungs – your breasts pressed painfully against solid muscle.

“Ahh”, you groan. As soon as the noise leaves your mouth, his lips descend against the white of your neck. The maknae hisses in pleasure; and then he is biting – hard.

Your scream misses the volume and you feel tears on your cheeks as you gaze into Seokjin’s overwhelmed eyes – hands outstretched.

Blood flows freely into Jungkook’s mouth and you hear a sickening slurping sound. The pain is blazing against your skin, every fiber of your body vehemently trying to get away from the maknae. But your fingers don’t push him away. No, the curl around his biceps – acting against every rational though inside your brain. You cling to the man sucking your blood as if he’s merely leaving a love bite.

The pain in your body slowly ebbs and you feel a bright bliss surrounding you. You’re not even sure if you are still standing at the door. There is no room – just lips against your neck and whimpers in your throat… and Namjoon’s voice far, far away.

“Jungkook stop now.”

“This is an order.”

“Jin, help me.”

“Let’s lay her down.”

“Is there a pulse?”

***

“How do you take your coffee?”, Yoongi asks while starring at you with such indifference in his eyes you’re not sure your answer even matters.

“Uhm- I” His sigh interrupts you as he makes his way from the couch across form you to the kitchenette. The whole room is dimmed in a soft light, the furniture a clean white. You feel your head spin as you try to recall what happened. Weren’t you backstage? Didn’t Jun-

“Jungkook”, your voice more of an accusation than a whisper. Yoongi’s back stiffens, but he continues to brew hot water over a ceramic filter and soon a soothing smell of coffee drifts towards you on the white leather.

“Jungkook sucked m-y – he su”

“-cked your blood. Damn girl, how hard did you hit your head when you fainted?”, your favorite rapper asks – his body finally turned towards you.

Slow, leisure steps are taken and then he sits in front of you, taking you all in. You must look like a mess; grease and sweat from your shift in the booth, plus the incident with the youngest vocalist in the band. All the blood. Your stomach turns around uncomfortably.

Yoongi is looking into your eyes and for a split second you see something other than complete boredom behind his stare, but as soon as you try to pinpoint the emotion, it vanishes.

“That’s what vampire do”, he continues and you heart reacts before the triggering word even registers in your brain. Vampire. No way.

“Go-ood one, Yoongi-ssi. This… this isn’t – some romance novel for teenagers”, you scoff, disbelieve in your voice while your heart beats hard against your chest. Without missing a beat, the idol is in your face – literally just millimeters away. The air is stuck in your lungs as you try to calm yourself.

“You know what I hate, dumb human?”

His fingers draw lines across your face – just a feathering touch, barely more than an illusion. You can only shake your head; afraid your voice will give out if you try to answer verbally.

His face moves down to your neck as his hands frame your face – no longer brushing but locking your head into place. Then his mouth dives into your neck, just resting against your pulse. You can feel the sinister smile against your skin as you shiver.

“Talking to dumb people”, his lips vibrate and you feel goosebumps traveling across your body.

“You have all the proof, but your silly little brain still doesn’t – connect the pieces”, Yoongi trails small kisses across your collarbone; a stark contrast to his insulting words.

“Do you really think our little maknae just has a blood kink?”

He moves to the other side of your neck, while titling your head forcefully to the left. You can’t move your body – muscles frozen into place. You’re just passively… enduring what your favorite idol does to you. Now his teeth are grazing your right earlobe, as his voice drops another octave into a threatening growl.

“That we just hire a college dropout because of her work ethics?”

His words hurt, but you’re more concerned with the information behind them. They know about you, must have read your file. Shame colors your cheeks and Yoongi’s nose inhales deeply against the red of your skin.

“You smell fucking delicious”, he moans and places an open mouth kiss against your rosé cheek. You can feel his saliva on your skin and a whimper of your own escapes your throat.

“You like that, dumb human? Knowing I’d love… nothing more than to bite in your flesh? Drain you dry?”, he slurs. You both know that this is nothing more than a rhetorical question – your heart, your breathing and the wetness between your tights enough evidence.

But before he can act on his words, a searing pain flashes through your brain.

“Argh”, you groan pressing your head against his cold hands with virgo. The dead skin of his fingertips sooths the throbbing in your brain temporarily. But he knows that your time is nearing its end.

“Human, listen to me”, he whispers, his previously threatening tone making place for urgent whisper.

“When you wake up” What? His hands still a vise to keep you grounded, while the pain in your head expands to your whole body. “Damn human, focus!”

He searches your eyes for recognition, but your stare moves around the room – now noticing how alien the light looks, how… clean the colors are. Is this? Are you still sleeping? How?

“When you wake up”, Yoongi’s voice nothing more than a vibrating hum in your ears, “Say no to Namjoon.”

Now he is shaking you. “Say no”

***

“Good morning, sleepyhead”, Namjoon says after you open your eyes – the morning sun blinding you momentarily.

“I made you coffee”, he adds as he pushes a steaming mug in your hands. The familiar smell takes you back to your dream, to Yoongi, his words, his plea – and you gape at the leader in front of you.

“I thought we could talk?”

_______________________

A/N: What do you guys think? I am so thankful for the feedback you guys sent me. It means a lot! I hope you like this chapter as much as i do! I’d love to hear from you again! love, dana

taglist: @m0chilattae @gali-005 @fangirls94 @dinopowa @toddsgirl27 @littlemanismoon @dkck99 @slutkoo @subtlepjiminie @coffeebeanismylife @iloverubberduckiez-blog @geminidrawsstuff @olivialovemason88

[dirt-cup-draco]

Platonic!Fred x Reader- Spark

Hey can u do a post war ,platonic angst list 45 24 an 17 w/ fred weasley ?

Fred sighed deeply after another long but fulfilling day spreading whatever joy he could with George there to be the positive one when he couldn’t quite manage it. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy, for Merlin’s sake he should be dead! He was thanking the gods every second of the day, yet he couldn’t help but feel like something was missing. 

“You missed a spot,” George poked fun as Fred drifted into his own mind. Fred rolled his eyes but his grip tightened on his cane as he leaned against one of the shelves, using the rag attached to the bottom of his cane to wipe at the window where some kid had put their sugary fingers all over. 

George watched Fred as he slouched, cleaning halfheartedly. “What’s been going on with you lately? It’s like you’re not really here...” George’s voice was soft and loving and Fred was grateful for his twin’s strength and compassion every day. 

Fred shook his head, shrugging his shoulders as he hobbled to his brother. His leg ached more than usual today and it had put him in a sour mood. “Just been thinkin’ about when we were in school...” 

“Good times,” George smiled fondly, a glint in his eye that had never left. It was hard to find that same spark in Fred these days. 

Fred hoped that he had placated his brother’s worries and he was certain he had, as he had made it halfway up the stairs before George surprised him. “Is it Y/N?” 

Fred’s cane rattled out of his hand and clanged against the swirling stairs. Cussing he gripped the rail, trying to move his trick knee so that he could begin his descent but George jogged easily to the steps and grabbed his twin’s cane, bringing it up to him. With a flick of his wand, that was more for show than necessity, the doors locked and the lights went out as they finished ascending the last few steps into their shared apartment. 

“I take your silence as a yes...?” George asked cheekily as Fred sank into the nearest recliner with a huff. 

“No,” Fred said but George raised his eyebrows in a look that told him: I know better you git, tell me the truth. “Fine, maybe. Yes. I don’t know! She keeps sending letters...” 

“And you haven’t answered any of them,” George pointed out, making his way to their cluttered dinner table, lifting a stack of letters that got larger everyday. Guilt coursed through his veins. 

“I just-” 

“Can’t deal with how you broke her heart?” 

“Seriously, George?” Fred had to ask as his brother drove in the point. He was right though. It’d been months since he’d last seen you and you had tried reaching out every day after. 

“I love you Freddie, but she’s been everything to us, to you, and you broke her heart...” 

“Why do I have to be the one to make things better?” Fred scowled. “Dont act like you can’t reach out either,” 

George’s eyes lit up with an untold secret and a sly smile worked it’s way onto his face. “I have, actually,” He admitted with pride. “We get tea, you know the place, every other week,” 

Fred’s eyebrows scrunched together in the center of his forehead as he thought of George sitting across from you with tea in your hands. Did you still blow on the tea before every sip in the hopes you wouldn’t burn your tongue? Did you still trace the patterns on the teacups because you found them pretty? Did you still try to give mock lessons about the grounds in the bottom of your cup like you did after you’d grown tired of Trelawney’s  classes? 

“H-how is she?” He asked, sitting up in his chair as it groaned beneath him. 

“You’d know if you checked her letters,” George pointed out, tossing one of the neatly addressed envelopes into his brother’s lap. “She asks about you a lot, but she also tries to hear it from you. It breaks her heart that you’re shutting her out like this...” 

“She’s better off-” 

“Without you?” George scoffed. “Being a fool is a part of you and me but I didn’t think you were daft Freddie,” 

Fred frowned that same frown that seemed to take up more time on his face than his smiles did and it hurt George to see how his injury and PTSD from the war had changed him. Fred was still a child at heart and George knew it but he had aged incredibly fast in the past few months. It had been two years since the war but something had happened and it was like a switch went off. 

“We were doing so well,” George explained, kneeling before his brother, hands gripping the arm rests. “All three of us... What happened that ended all of that? What happened to you?” George begged softly with Fred. His brother’s pain was his, yet it seemed Fred was determined to shut him out.

Fred stared at the wacky pattern of his neat slacks, not knowing what to say. What could he say? He was worried about your safety because one night you’d woken him from a nightmare and he’d thought you were a death eater? That he’d held his wand to your throat and it had taken him crucial minutes to realize that it was you? That he’d left you crying in your bed while he laid on the couch unable to sleep? That the very next day he’d broken up with you, forced you out of the apartment? 

“Right after you were injured... and the months following- Y/N she never gave up on you. Even when you wouldn’t wake up, even when mom started to lose hope. Even when they wondered whether it’d be better to take your leg. Y/N knew what she was signing up for and she stayed Fred.  She never gave up on you. So why did you give up on her?” 

“I’m going to bed,” Fred decided. The questions were too much and the guilt was much worse. When George called his name in exasperation, he shut the door a little louder than he normally would. 

--

George found you sitting in your spot, already sipping at your tea. When you found him coming your way you gave him a grin and waved him over, pointing to the drink you’d already ordered for him. 

“In a rush?” George asked, lowering himself into the booth seat across from you. You shrugged, a gentle flush coloring your cheeks. “I have some...news. Thought it might be nice if we could get right to it without being interrupted,” 

George’s brow wrinkled and he fixed you with a long stare. “Everything okay?” His stomach was immediately in knots. He didn’t like surprises, hadn’t in ages. He loved surprising others but he didn’t respond very well to them himself. His mind kicked into overdrive when he wasn’t aware of something and his anxiety got the best of him. 

You reached forward, hand finding his as you gave him a reassuring smile. “Yes Georgie everything is fine. Everything is better than fine actually.” You grinned and it was the most radiant George had seen you since you and Freddie had ended things. “I’ve found someone,” 

George didn’t mean to choke on his tea, but how else was he supposed to react to such news? He hadn’t even known you’d been dating! “Wow!” He settled on, still trying to gather his bearings. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t hoped you and Fred would fix things. “I’m happy for you,” 

And you knew he was. George was one of your best friends, and you wanted him to know that you were doing well. You’d only hesitate because you didn’t want him thinking he wasn’t happy with him, or Fred. You loved them both dearly, even if the latter refused to speak with you. “He’s so great,” You gushed. 

“When do I get to meet the guy? I think he needs the Weasley stamp of approval first,” George pretended to look stern and tough but he couldn’t quite manage it. You smiled and he did too. George liked seeing you happy, no matter who it was with. 

You wrinkled your nose. “I don’t want to scare him off so meeting him might have to wait a while...” 

George scoffed playfully. “You’re embarrassed of lil ol’ me?” His mind twirled about for a moment longer and he felt more subdued when he asked, “Are you going to tell Fred?” 

“I-I... Well I don’t know,” You answered honestly, biting your thumbnail as a server came over and offer a refill which you gladly accepted. “Do you think he’d even care? The guy, he’s a muggle and well, I just don’t know when is a good time to introduce him to anyone, let alone my two- my only best friend,” You sighed, feeling glum.

Could you consider Fred your friend? You had no ill feelings towards him, you understood the war had changed him in a way you couldn’t understand. Your relationship had been a casualty of the last battle and you had come to terms with it. That didn’t mean you had come to terms with losing him completely. You wanted to be close to him like how you and George were. 

“Y/N, he cares,” George squeezed your hand, understanding where your mind was wondering. Suddenly he perked up. Why hadn’t he thought of this before?” “Come ‘round for dinner this Sunday, yeah? I’ll talk to him,” 

George could sense your hesitation, and you were very hesitant, but you knew that you’d have to see him. You wanted to see him for Merlin’s sake! You just thought he’d have answered one of your letters by now. 

“Alright,” You tried to smile. “Sunday then,” The things you did for George. 

--

“Y/N’s in a relationship,” Was the first thing George announced upon coming home and Fred didn’t think he’d heard his twin right. 

“With who?” Fred asked, sitting up straighter in his seat. “I mean that’s great! But still, who?” 

George shrugged, tossing his jacket over the back of the recliner Fred was seated in. Fred swatted it away onto the ground. “Don’t know. Some muggle guy, I guess,” 

Fred thought for a long second. Would you be happy with a muggle? You adored magic and the magical world, would a non magical partner be the best for you? He supposed if the muggle took it well then it didn’t matter... “Is she happy?” Fred asked, standing on quaking legs as George busied himself with tidying the kitchen. 

George paused in his busy work and looked to his brother, a smile playing at his lips. “Yeah Freddie, happier than I’ve seen since- y’ know,” It hurt, but not as much as Fred thought it would. It was good to know you were happy. Fred cared a great deal about you but he had laid awake for endless nights wondering what would become of you two if he looked at your letters and replied. Maybe you two would have gotten back together if he’d done it months ago but now he didn’t know. Now, he wasn’t sure what he wanted from you. For starters, he wanted to see you.

“She’s coming for dinner Sunday night,” George suddenly declared. 

“What?!” Fred stumbled over his feet for a moment, taken off guard. Yes he wanted to see you, but that didn’t mean he was ready to!

“It’s been forever!” George whined. “I want my two best friends back. I don’t care if you’re dating or not... I just want you to be friends again,” 

Fred pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. “Alright, Sunday is fine,” The things he did for his brother.

--

You stood in the shop with sweating palms while George finished up the grunt work before locking the doors. He’d sent Fred up earlier to check on dinner and so you would be a bit more comfortable upon arriving. 

“You can go up if you want,” George commented as he tossed the last few sickles from the register into the safe for the night. 

“That’s alright,” you deflected, looking around the joke shop that you hadn’t been in since Fred had broken up with you. It was bittersweet being back. There were a lot of good memories and a few not so great ones. If you could go back... You weren’t sure you’d change anything. You loved Fred, that was true, but somewhere along the line you’d realized that you two had done your time and you simply weren’t meant to be. That didn’t make it any easier being here, however. 

“I’ve finished up, do you want me to go up first?” George asked, wrapping his arm around your shoulder so he could rub your arm. 

“That’d be great,” You smiled as George took the lead. You ran your hand up the railing as you went, relaxing at the familiarity of it. 

When you got upstairs you were met by a sight that had you gnawing on your lip in an effort to keep your laughter bottled up. Fred was surrounded by a few pots, which were all boiling quite violently, and a steady stream of smoke was beginning to rise from the stove. The windows were open but it did nothing to mask the smell of burnt food.

“I leave you alone for ten minutes-” George began, rushing to Fred’s side. 

“That was your first mistake!” The frustrated boy interrupted and you rolled your eyes as you tried to fight your smile. You shooed them to the side and turned off all the burners, opened the stove and turned it off. You removed everything from the heat and tossed them into the sink, the water from the faucet sizzling and popping against the extremely hot pots and pans. 

When all was said and done you stared at Fred with an amused grin. “How have you been managing without me?” 

“A mystery to us all,” George lamented. “Guess that means we’re getting take out?” 

--

Fred admired your constant calm, it was what had drawn him to you in the first place. He was always going, always laughing, always doing something. You, on the other hand were happy to just relax and take in the moment. You looked before you leapt and Fred needed someone like that in his life. You’d always been the reminder to slow down and he appreciated that as he watched you take care of his kitchen blunder. 

“Alright?” George asked, nodding to Fred as you all gathered at the table to eat the food he’d ordered. Fred found it hard to answer with your eyes on him. Especially when they drifted to the pile of letters that had been cleared off the table and now remained on their coffee table. 

“Y-yeah, thanks,” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “So! Y/N, how’s the new boy toy?” 

“Fred-” George began but Fred held his hands up in surrender. 

“I’m just curious! Really, I just want to know how you’re doing,” Fred looked you in the eye for the first time that night and you seemed suspicious of him for a minute before you seemed to realize he was being genuine. Your shoulders drooped in relief.

“I’m doing well and Marcus is really great,” You smiled softly, thinking of your boyfriend. “He’s been a nice reminder that there is magic in the world- even for muggles.” 

George fake gagged and you smacked his arm, your smile not fading in the slightest. 

“And you? How have you been doing?” You asked. There were a million things you wanted to ask Fred but this seemed to be the safest option. 

George felt relieved when the two of you spoke politely. There was an underlying tension, from unanswered questions and a past that Fred had run away from, but other than that dinner was smooth sailing and he was glad that his idea hadn’t ended up in ruins even if it had started off rocky with the burned dinner. 

“This has been lovely,” He announced, setting his napkin on his plate as he stood, walking to your chair so he could press a kiss to your cheek. “But I am exhausted, have a good night Y/N,” 

Fred looked panicked but George sent him a pointed glare. Talk to her!

“Goodnight Georgie,” You gulped and watched as your mediator vanished to his bedroom.

Fred took a steadying breath. “Want a drink?” 

--

“Did you mean to forget me?” You asked after three strong drinks and Fred shoved himself deeper into the recliner. You were sitting quite stiffly on the couch, a throw pillow in your lap. You fiddled with the tassles for a second before taking another swallow of your drink.  

“I never forgot-” Fred started.

“You never wrote me,” You interrupted. “Are you afraid to lose me?”

Fred narrowed his eyes and you blew a piece of your hair out of your eyes. He seemed to be reprimanding you for interrupting him. You thought you had the right to ask questions, he had been avoiding you for months after all. “I figured I’d already done a pretty good job of losing you after I’d kicked you out... George didn’t talk to me for a week after that. Then you started sending letters and I just felt so damn guilty I couldn’t bring myself to read them, still havent’,” 

“Clearly,” You remarked, topping off your glass and then his. 

“Y/N,” Fred sighed. “What do you want me to say?” 

You shrugged. “I don’t know... I don’t mean to seem bitter. I really am happy right now, I just still have a lot of hurt from how things ended between us I guess,” 

“I admit that I probably handled it the worst way possible,” Fred conceded. “All I could think about was how scared you looked and how I didn’t want you to ever feel fear like that again. I’ve been seeing someone to help me work through all the damage the war did and it helps but George wakes me from nightmares still and I haven’t stopped lashing out. I care about you a lot, that hasn’t changed, but I think the way I care about you has- if that makes sense,” 

Fred was rambling a bit, but you understood what he was saying and where it was all coming from. You had been scared shitless that night, no matter how many times you’d reassured him it was you he hadn’t seemed to understand that until George had been woken from his sleep and calmed his brother enough that he could come back to reality. It hadn’t been a deal breaker, but Fred had made it clear you weren’t going to be coming back. 

“It does... I feel the same.” You agreed, running your fingertip along the rim of your glass as you avoided looking at Fred. “I was mad at you, did you know that? Not because what happened, but because it didn’t seem to matter all we’d been through- you just kicked me out and didn’t speak to me again... I wouldn’t be here right now if George hadn’t done something,” 

“That isn’t-” 

“True? Fred please, I know you better than you want me to. I know you arent thrilled, I’m not either... But I am glad this is happening. We need to talk about this. George is right about wanting his friends back because I want my friend back too,” 

Fred lit up a little bit. “You want to be friends? Do you think we could? Can you still love me?" 

You stood and Fred followed. You grabbed the hand that wasn’t gripping his cane and squeezed affectionately. “I don’t know,” You answered honestly. “But I do still love you, even if that love has changed. You’re an idiot Fred but you’re my kind of idiot and I’d like for us to be friends again” 

He smiled a smile that reminded you of when you two had been in school, running around and getting into trouble with hands linked together and hearts beating in unison. It was a smile that gave you hope that you two could be friends again and that the past would simply stay put. 

“I’d like that too,” Fred pulled you into a hug and you could feel him leaning against you as he let himself relax for the first time all night. 

The spark between you was gone, no fireworks to be had when you brushed your hands together or made eye contact. Despite that, there was still a glowing ember in the fire of your friendship and as you two embraced and healed old wounds it grew brighter, igniting once again.

It was good to have your friend back. 

Tag List: @angelinathebook @thehumanistsdiary @cleopatera 

Requester (is that a word?): @slytherinlovesgryffindor

[shhh-no-ones-home]

for the road (2/2) steve clark x reader

+++++++++

part 1 part 2

sorry this took so long, like i had mentioned in the other post, our internet cable was cut and it took a few days for it to get fixed. on top of that i had a few essay finals to finish and just didnt have time to get back to this. it is here now though and i hope you all like it!

she edited for the most part but if i missed anything, sorry, lol.

again i dont usually add songs from the artists to their own chapters but i think this one works pretty good with the story so youre getting it anyways lol

Song: stagefright by def leppard

tag list: @cynic-spirit @lifeisabitchandsoareyou

+++++++++

as soon as i turned around from locking the shop there was a taxi outside, parked on the curb with a woman leaning against it. she offered me a smile.

"are you y/n?"

she asked and i nodded.

"the band is waiting for you."

she said opening the door for me. i politely thanked her before sliding in and buckling the seat belt. the car smelled like apples, making me feel much less nervous than before. the ride to the venue was pretty silent though and i watched out the window as we passed by the tall city buildings. as the venue came into view my eyes got wide, i had never actually been to this part of town before. I looked at the venue in awe, it was much larger than the places I usually attended concerts at. the metal gates opened in front of us and she drove in, straight to the back doors. a large man in all black was waiting there with his arms held together in front of him. i was definitely back to being nervous again. he opened the door and peered down at me.

"You here for Steve?"

He asked and I nodded, pulling the ticket out of my pocket and showing it to him.

"yeah uh, he gave me this."

he looked over it before helping me out of the cab.

"Right this way."

He said, hand moving to be placed gently at my back as we walked inside the venue. I was a little unnerved at first, being alone with the man and all but marched along anyways. the halls were brightly lit as we walked, the white concrete shining against the floor tiles. i watched as roadies and crew members walked around us, gaining my attention as the man kept pushing me forward. When he reached a door at the end of the hall I smiled, seeing Steve sat against the couch's arm rest with his guitar in his hand.

"Here we are."

The man said, dropping his hand from my back and standing firmly beside the door. He never looked back at me as I stepped into the room shyly. I waved to the guys before Steve noticed me.

"Y/n!"

He said excitedly, standing and offering me a hug. I gladly took it before he escorted me to sit at the couch.

"Was the ride here alright?"

He asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, for the most part. Thanks again for inviting me. I'm excited to see you guys play!"

I said, wide smile on my face.

"I'm happy to hear that, i really hope you like it. we've been working on something new for the set."

i made an impressed face.

"sounds exciting."

then i heard one of them laugh.

"you say that like shes seen our other sets."

he had darker curly hair.

"so?"

steve said sitting a little closer to me, his arm falling behind my back to rest on the couch.

"im sav."

the man offered his hand and i shook it.

"y/n."

steve cleared his throat.

"right, thats rick savage he plays bass, my partner in crime phill collen, plays guitar, rick allen who is our man behind the kit, and of course you already met and talked to joe elliot our lead singer."

they all offered hellos around the room as steve introduced them.

"its nice to officially meet you all, i appreciate you guys coming into the shop earlier. i put the record in the window after you left and six people stopped in to buy a copy."

i joked, making steve laugh lightly.

"happy to help."

sav said. then a man with a clip board and mic around his neck stepped in looking rushed.

"alright guys its time to mic up, its almost show time."

they all nodded before leaving the room one by one to follow the man.

"hey ive gotta go but ill be back right before the show starts so you can come with us to the side of the stage okay?"

i nodded as he stood.

"okay."

he touched my shoulder lightly before walking off. i sighed to myself for a second before getting up and walking around the room. it was super neat. the painted bricks were covered in signatures from all sorts of rock stars. they were littered about in varying colors of permanent marker, some of them with small messages and dates next to them. part of me wondered how long it would take to fill before they had to paint over it or start on a new set of walls. then i heard a knock at the door, it was steve with a guitar now around his neck.

"hey, you ready for the show?"

he asked with a wide smile.

"lead the way."

i said stepping out of the room and following him back down the hallway.

"so i know this isnt exactly date material but how are you so far?"

i let out a short laugh.

"im doing great, this is all fantastic."

he seemed content with that answer as we stepped up to the side of the stage.

"im glad to hear that. if you arent busy afterward would you maybe wanna go get something to eat? before we have to head out?"

i twisted my body a little in excitement, holding my hands in front of me, smiling like an idiot.

"id love that."

he touched my arm gently.

"great!"

i leaned forward and kissed his cheek lightly, making him blush.

"alright guys, showtime."

the man who had called them out earlier was back, ushering them into a line.

"ill be here when youre done."

i said, earning a nod from him. i watched as they all ran out one by one, the crowd screaming as the backtrack blared through the speakers. they all just lit up as they began playing, joe speaking into the microphone and asking how the crowd was feeling. it made be giggle, not being to contain my excitement anymore.

°°°°°°°°°

when the set was done steve was quick to get offstage and into a new set of clothes. he was all sweaty under the stage lights during the show so i could understand why. he had grabbed my hand and practically ran with me down the hall and out the back door, making me laugh. when we were in the cab i had arrived in he calmly told the woman where to take us, his arm making its way behind me to hold me around my waist. the drive to the late-night restaurant was filled with small conversation and light smiles, he really was an interesting person. when we pulled up he helped me out of the cab and walked with me on his arm inside.

"two?"

the waitress asked, him nodding and following her to a booth across the diner.

"so, what can i get you two to drink?"

she said, setting the menus down. i looked at her and smiled.

"coffee please."

she nodded and looked to steve who look at me a little curiously.

"two coffees i suppose."

he let out a short laugh before she walked away.

"its a little late for coffee dont you think?"

he asked, looking over the menu. i sent him a look.

"says the person who ordered one as well."

he laughed and shook his head.

"i guess we all have our vices huh?"

i smiled at him, looking over the menu.

"hey, ive been meaning to ask you-"

"you two ready or do you need some more time?"

i looked from steve to her.

"cheese fries please."

i said, handing her the menu as she wrote it down.

"same."

he said with a smile, handing her his menu too. she nodded before walking away.

"now, what was it that you wanted to ask?"

he folded his hands together and leaned into the table, giving me his full attention.

"well i was wondering what the rest of tonight would look like."

i laughed light heartedly.

"its not exactly like you guys are staying here. i know you said it was a date, and i really like you but i dont necessarily wanna have too much fun, ya know?"

he nodded slowly, the waitress bring us our food and us thanking her.

"ive kinda been thinking about that too. and i really like you too and would love for this to happen."

he motioned between the two of us.

"but i dont want to make you wait for me."

i laughed a little bit as i ate.

"i dont think id mind too much. waiting that is, ive been single this long its not like it would be much different."

i joked, making him smile at me as he took a drink.

"so, what? we do this? for real? keep in contact until tour is over and then what?"

i shrugged.

"we make it work."

i said matter-of-factly. he studied my face for a second.

"okay, so we're really doing this."

he said with a wide smile. i nodded.

"i guess we are."

then it hit me.

"oh, here!"

i grabbed one of the survey cards out of the napkin holder and began writing.

"heres the numbers you can reach me at. the top is my house and the bottom is the shop. if you need me ill be at either of those places."

he looked over it before folding it and stuffing it into his pocket.

"hopefully you dont get too tired of me before tour is over."

we both laughed.

"i dont think i will, if you wanna call everyday be my guest. id love to hear about the places you visit. makes my small corner of the world a little bit bigger."

he sent me a genuine, heart melting smile.

"then i will absolutely do that for you y/n."

we both finished our drinks and got up, taking the ticket to the register and him paying the waitress. we said our thanks before climbing back into the cab out front. the drive back to the venue was full of cuddles and soft touches, talking back and forth about what he would be doing and where he would be going in the next couple weeks. it all sounded so interesting and i wished i could go with him. when the cab came to a stop at the back door we both got out, his hands making their way to my waist as i leaned into the car.

"ill be looking forward to seeing you next month."

he said softly, pushing my hair out of my face.

"likewise."

i said back, looking over his face. he seemed so soft. his thumb grazed my cheek before he leaned down and kissed me gently. the moment our lips met i knew that was it. the wait would be worth it for sure. when he pulled away we both sighed as he rested his forehead against mine.

"ill for sure be looking forward to another one of those."

he joked, both of us smiling at each other like a couple of teenagers.

"well then, before we both have to go, heres one for the road."

i said before pushing forward quickly, kissing him again. it was deeper than before as he pulled me into him. i wanted to feel that forever. when the back door creaked open we both pulled away, it drawing his attention as the body guard stood there sternly.

"i guess thats my queue."

he grabbed my hands as he backed up, dropping them as he got further away. i watched him walk to the door, waving back to me before he was ushered inside. i covered my mouth for a second before bouncing up and down with excitement. i could wait a month, if that was the hardest part of this then surely i could handle it. and now i had tour adventure stories to look forward to. i smiled like an idiot as i slid back into the cab, telling her where to take me. i couldnt stop smiling the entire car ride. i couldnt wait for the month to be up.

[theravencawsatmidnight]

Just A Fan

Oc writing. I just really wanted to post the first part because I’m really proud of it. Like it? Let me know & ill share more of it 💕

Fic jumps between Cherry & Seto’s POV

W! This is going to be a kidnapped fic. SFW. (For the most part. No sex) its a different take. Instead of the fan being obsessed its the comic book artist.

Super Big Comic Con was was always in September, the last weekend of the month where all the fans and collectors gathered to share interest and spend all their money on prints, comics and whatever else they could find. Cherry had to rush through her homework the week before so she could focus on the con and only the con. She was a junior in highschool studying editing and art. She was a popular girl with everybody but she really preferred her own space to think and work on her ideas. One day she wanted to work at a comic book company in the editing department. Her name was Cher but she liked to be called Cherry. Cherry was about 5’4 with long cherry red hair and her fashion was usually lose tops with overalls and sneakers, she was thin with a tiny waistline and always had eyeliner on with little wings. She had a lip ring that was a shiny silver and a eyebrow piercing in her right brow to match. She always carried herself with confidence and opportunity. She had been saving up for the hotel so she could attend the con all weekend and it was finally time.

——-

Seto was just getting ready to leave his house to make his way to the convention. He checked all his rooms, his locks and finally his basement. It made him frown as he leaned on the stairway looking in on the empty room; it consisted of a fuzzy carpet, an expensive dresser, an even more expensive computer and a brand new art tablet. This was his ‘inspiration room’ but lately… it was missing what inspired him the most.

He sat down on the bottom step with his elbows on his knees as he scanned around the room he put so much money into, he was a very tall man, lanky and an even 6’1 with jet black hair he liked to keep long.

The windows were small and high up, one on each wall. He got up with a slouch not bothering to fix his short hairs in his eyes as he sulked to the little area under his stairs. It had a small wall so you could not see inside and a door with a lock on it. He lightly kicked the door open leaning forward to peek in, his hands in his pockets. It was the same carpet with a small tv built into the wall and a makeshift bed that looked like just blankets that were sitting comfortably on some chains that were attached to the wall. He needed a new inspiration, he was lonely. Poor guy, all those comics he drew for could not fill the empty hole in his heart

Cherry had packed her bag into her car along with some clothes for the hotel and was ready to go. She got in the driver's seat and left her hometown for the next city over on her way to Super Big Comic Con. It was a long drive, maybe an hour and a half but she checked into her room around mid afternoon and could still catch the first day of the con if she hurried.

The first thing Cherry wanted to do was walk the con and see what it had to offer. It was always a delight for her, comics, artists, figures, cosplayers, writers all in one place. She bought some prints and asked some artist for advice that would help her with her career choice. Most artist were very nice and told her its a great place to work which really boosted her confidence. Cherry was making her way through the con looking for one particular comic artist. He was her favorite and she had all of his books and even his special edition sketch books. His pen name was Kidd Nathers but he usually went by Kidd for short. He always showed up whenever he wanted which normally meant towards the end of the day. He always did it this way, his real fans would wait around for him. Made picking out his inspiration easy.

——

Seto sulked through the con, hands in his pockets and eyes half lidded. He loathed these cons to be painfully honest. Too many people congesting the walkways and fake fans trying to get free art. He was nearing his mid 30s and just had no time for it. Long hours of editing, drawing with no pay off. Sure he got paid very well but what's the point if he had no one to spend it on right? Seto was approaching his table to see one person waiting near it. Just one fan ? well okay. Looks pretty legit.

Seto slid down into his chair laying his arms on the booth and sorting out all of his prints with sticky notes on each one with a set price. He did not do deals, too many hagglers and what not. He ran a bony hand through his hair watching this girl check her phone a few times while she looked around. Must not know he sneaked up.

“Looking for me?” his voice had a tickle in it along with a subtle tease. His smile creeped up his face too.

Cherry jumped nearly dropping her phone, the little cherry phone keychain dangling around in the air . her hair whipped around and Seto raised an eyebrow once he saw her face, that smile once she realized who was talking to her. Eyeliner, piercings, that hair.. He rested his cheek on his palm while his free hand tapped his booth. “Sorry i'm late, i didn't want to come. “ he said with a cheeky smile.

“Kidd!!!” Cherry hurried over placing her hands on the booth with a big smile on her face that made her lip ring shine in the light. “Oh my gosh your here! I was beginning to think you would skip this time around but something told me to wait it out , i love your work!!!”

Awww .. you're so nice. “Thank you ,I'm flattered” he tapped his index finger on his face under his eye. “Big fan, I take it? And i show up when i want but it appears you already know that “ he told her , leaning back to stretch. He was wearing a long white top with a stretched out neck with black jeans and boots.

Cherry could not hide her blush; she was so excited. “I just!!! I watch all your interviews, well . I read them since I know you said once you don't like in person interviews but you said you like to show up late to cons or not go at all. Im happy your here, if its any recollection, i love your work and its made my whole day to see you let alone talk to you. What you do is truly amazing.”

Seto folded his arms behind his head letting out a soft laugh and a big smile. He was touched by her words it gaver him a pleasant high , something he had not had in awhile. It was only the first day of this con and he was already feeling a … connection.

“Thank you, that means the world to me, these cons are a hit or miss for me, its the only time i really leave the house.” he faked a laugh .

“Aw cmon! Surely you go out!”She teased while looking through his prints.

“Okay okay” he leaned on his booth with his arms folded while smiling up at her, “ya caught me” he was lying. “See anythin ya like…?”

“Cher!! But i go by Cherry! And well. Everything but i only have maybe $80 left so i can only get one print.”

Cherry….. “Thats a nice name and nickname, pick whichever you want and ill sign it for you Cherry”

Cherry had picked a jester girl with a chain around her neck with a big hammer behind her back . Seto signed it for her and even put it in a print holder for her,

“Thank you!” she beamed while looking at the print.

“My pleasure”

“Will you uh be here tomorrow and sunday?” she asked looking at him.

“Mmm.. yeah, i will. Just for you “ Seto teased, poking at the girls arm.

Cherry giggled and waved goodbye to the comic book artist leaving Seto all alone. He felt good inside, this feeling in his chest was telling him something. Should be an interesting Convention for once.

[trashi-bee]

Caught Red-Handed, Pt.1?

Pairing: Reader x Rude asf! Nikki x Vince x Tommy

Warnings: 18+ pls, language, mentions of alcohol, degradation, choking, hair pulling

Lil Summary: Reader works at a diner that the boys frequent, becomes infatuated with them and follows them home (based off of early 80′s Motley) 

Also! I got a lot of inspiration from @thewritingdoll​ when writing this! (she wrote a piece that included reader! breaking into somebody's house and I really wanted to write something of my own that incorporated that! xox) .. also for some reason I tried to edit this post and I deleted like all the text so sorry if you’re seeing this again but I had to reformat it lol 

You felt so pathetic, being so easily tempted by the three most deplorable boys to step foot within your little diner. They came every Sunday morning, smelling of jack, sweat, and whatever whore they were with the night before. 

At first you hated them, fucking despised them. They were loud, disrespectful and refused to treat anybody with an ounce of respect. 

“Fill up my cup, would you kitten?”, the blonde haired stunner you’ve learned goes by Vince quips, flashing you a sly grin as you stroll towards the group with a pot of fresh brew in hand. Pouring a cup of coffee has never felt so strenuous, simply being in their presence makes your face flush and your knees go weak. 

As soon as you’ve finished your assigned task you turn to leave, only to be held back by a hand placed on your forearm. “What’s the rush, baby?” Nikki’s mischievous olive hues lock with yours, “a little company would be appreciated, sit down”. Being ordered by a drunken punk should make you furious, but instead you feel your sex throb at the thought of how else he could boss you around. 

“I’d love to stay, but my boss-“ you’re interrupted mid sentence, Tommy pulls you towards him and places you in the booth. “Don’t be silly, we’re the only people here”, he interjects, you turn and realize he’s right - had you been that preoccupied with your thoughts that you failed to realize you were alone? alone with the boys who crept their way into your dreams and flooded your head with all the possible ways they could use you. 

“Oh.. right, I guess I could stay for a minute”, your mouth goes dry and your heartbeat increases tenfold, why did they have this effect on you? 

“We’ve been coming here every Sunday for a few months now, long enough to tell you’re never very busy, yet you always find a way to avoid us when we come in- no need to be scared, kitten, we don’t bite'', Nikki intervenes once again, he’s undoubtedly the leader of the pack.

You’re caught off guard, searching for the perfect excuse, just as you feel a mischievous hand crawling up the side of your upper thigh, making its way towards your core. “I- uh- I haven’t meant to stay away from you guys, I’m just usually the only worker here”. Tommy smirks from beside you, aware of the damage he’s causing. 

Thankfully, you’re pulled from the situation when you hear the familiar ring of the door being opened on the opposite end of the diner, in walking an elderly man, making his way towards the counter. You slide out of the booth and take your still warm pot of coffee along with you, heading towards the man that saved you from utter humiliation. 

You’ve barely left his side, forcing small talk to pass the time, ignoring the three boys across the room. After what felt like an eternity, they finally left. You weren’t sure if you were relieved that you’d finally have some peace and quiet, or disappointed that more hadn’t happened. 

The weeks continued to pass and they continued to come every Sunday, hitting on every living and breathing piece of ass to pass their table, yet they became more courteous towards you, no longer making snide remarks and ogling you as you bent over to refill their mugs.. and honestly, it hurt more than you’d like to admit. 

As time passed, your desire to be mistreated and degraded by the ill-mannered boys increased, it took over your every thought. Not only was Sunday difficult, but you found yourself thinking about them every day of the week, you had to see more of them, learn more about them. And that’s when you followed them home. 

You’d come to learn they lived together, and that they didn’t really have a schedule as they played in a band together. Partying throughout the night, waking up in the afternoon and doing it all over again the next day. 

You’ve been watching them for a while, unsure of when exactly you’d be able to sneak inside their apartment as they were really hard to track- then it hit you.. the only time you were sure they’d be away was Sunday morning. 

You took off your Sunday shift for the first time in months, sad you wouldn’t be seeing them this week but overjoyed that you’d be able to rummage around in their dirty little play pin. 

Getting in wasn’t too difficult, as their door had been kicked in by the cops so many times they had to nail it shut and leave the window open in order to enter. The interior is exactly what you’d imagined it to be, broken glass strewn across the floor, ripped clothes covering the few pieces of furniture they own, a vast array of stains decorate the carpet, the air smells of Jack Daniels and a strong musk, their natural odor, and it’s so fucking intoxicating. 

You have no idea where to start, so you wander down the hall in front of you, entering the first room you find. A dresser overflowing with leather pants and band t-shirts, a bed lying on the floor and posters covering the wall. In the corner, a white bass. This was Nikki’s room. 

What now? Do you take something, or play it safe? Would they notice if you took a few mementos? A shirt or two couldn’t hurt- the idea of lounging around at home in their clothes sounded fantastic, you had to take something, anything. 

Getting down on your knees in front of the overfilled dresser, you pulled open the bottom drawer, pawing through the mess and taking in the scent that enveloped each piece of apparel. 

That’s when you heard them, entering the apartment through the same window you’d crawled through only moments ago - how could they be back already! You’ve calculated this so perfectly, they’d never missed a Sunday at the diner, ever. You were fucked, absolutely terrified and with nowhere to hide, there was no getting out of this. You froze in place, a single set of footsteps heading towards the room you were in, how would you explain this? Would you have to quit your job? You’d never be able to face them again. 

“Well, boys, I guess we know why our little pet wasn’t at work today”, Nikki calls out, staring you down, a playful and arrogant smirk growing on his lips. “Care to explain why the fuck you’re in my room, bitch?”, you open your mouth to respond, but nothing comes out, embarrassed and defeated, you look towards your feet. 

“Lost for words, little girl?”, you hear him step closer, so close that you can smell the bittersweet scent of alcohol that radiates off his body. The other two enter the room to find what Nikki’s discovered, the waitress from the diner down the road standing in their apartment, caught red-handed. 

Calloused fingers reach underneath your chin, forcing your head upwards so that you’re staring into the eyes of the Nikki Sixx, your lips only inches away from his own. “I asked you a question, didn’t I? I expect an answer, little one”, you search your head for something, anything, biting down on your lip and batting your lashes, you decide on the safest option available, “I partied here a few days ago and left something behind, I came back to get it”.

The three men laugh in unison, causing your stomach to do flips, they didn’t believe you. “If you were here, we would’ve noticed, do you think I’m dumb, bitch?”. You shake your head, cheeks flushing and your sex throbbing at the derogatory names he’s been referring to you with. You’re in the most vulnerable position you’ve ever found yourself in, the three most filthy boys in the city towering over you, enclosing you. Nikki peers behind you, an evil grin spreading across his plump lips “you were going through my dresser, weren’t you?”, you feel Vince run his digits through your hair, grabbing at your locks and pulling you back to look him in the eyes “little fuckin’ thief, huh?”.

Nikki looks you over, he says nothing but his demeanor shows that he demands a proper explanation. The grip Vince has on your hair tightens. Nikki places his hands on your waist, pushing the fabric of your shirt up to expose a few inches of skin. The fear you felt moments ago now mixes with excitement and lust, an intoxicating mixture of danger and pleasure. 

“I think I’ve figured it out, boys, little miss shy wanted to gather a few treasures to keep for herself- gather a few shirts to smell as she toys with her pussy at night, thinking of the sleazy boys from the diner fucking her stupid”, a whimper passes your lips, Tommy chuckles, “I think that’s exactly what this little bitch was up to, weren’t you taught not to steal?” Your eyes meet, his grin matching Nikki's, pure evil. 

“Only a twisted little whore would follow us back to our house and rummage through our dirty clothes” Vince chimes in from behind, pressing his stiff member firmly against your ass. The hold on your hair is finally released, your head falling forward, just in time for Nikki to wrap his hand around your neck, his free hand pushing apart your lips, two fingers reaching the back of your throat. Your eyes water as you choke on the thick digits invading your mouth. Drool drips down your chin and onto your clothed chest, Nikki pulls his hand free, smearing the spit that covers his fingers across your face. 

“See, we could make a big deal out of this-“ Nikki gestures to the space around him, alluding to the space you had broken into “..Maybe tell your boss you took off your shift to break into our lovely home, or, which I think is the better option, you could finally let us have a little fun with you”.

Your eyes light up, ecstasy pumping through your veins. Primal instincts had taken control, you were nodding your head in agreement before you had even considered his propositions. “Do anything you want to me- anything”.

[thefairygodmotheryoudeserve]

Thank You, Dear Last Night’s Mental Breakdown.

| Barista!Han Jisung Au |

 💌  Requested? Yes --  @jone-00​

🌸  Genre: Fluff, a hint of a hint of Angst. As much angst as a Strawberry flavored La Croix has Strawberry.

✏️ Word Count: 2,600

!GIFS ARE NOT MINE!

T/W: Mentions of a mental breakdown, doesn’t go into detail.

A/N: Get ready, you bean. We about to enter some emotional and fluffy territory. Bring yo shades-- to look cool AND to make sure people can’t see you crying.

Also I’m sorry if this secretly sucks and I have no idea. Leave your thoughts so I can improve and know what’s good and what isn’t! I read all feedback and they all are important to me! <3

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

You breathe out, the light sunshine kissing your lashes as your eyes flutter open. The buzz of your alarm fills the air.

Your eyes glide softly to the dress you hung up on your bedroom doorknob. The early sunrise sets the warm shadows of your room across the lightly pleated skirt. The fabric’s rosy pastel-pink hues are cast onto the white paint of your door.

You breath in, and out again. Let’s begin.

You had a mental breakdown the night before. They aren’t an irregular thing for you, but you wish badly they are. After crying, trembling, and crumbling slowly for hours, you stopped suddenly. You clenched your fists and stared, determined, into your very own eyes through that mirror.

I’m not going to let you fall apart like this anymore. I can’t-- I won’t.

So you stood up, breathing shakily. Scared, you started making preparations for what you were determined to be a better tomorrow.

What can I do that would make my younger self proud? You jot down ideas that would suddenly come to you as you set clothes out, put trash in a bin, and tried your best to write reminders.

“Making your younger self proud” has always been a way to measure how happy you are with where you’re at in life. You saw it in a newspaper, or maybe your mother heard it-- it might have even been a popular Tumblr text post, who knows! You just know it’s been your compass to point you in the right direction for about three years now.

You have an emotional attachment to the things you went through as a child, and if you could go back in time and just hold her, and tell her everything would be okay, you would. Doing things that would make younger-you smile is your way of doing that.

I’ll go to the cafe in a pretty dress that makes me feel happy, you wrote carefully. You remembered as a child dreaming about romantic cafes and old books. You sighed, releasing pent up air, feeling your muscles relax, little by little. If I did that, I think that would make my younger self proud...

By the time you made it to your bed that night, it was only 9:12pm. You fell down in your bed and closed your eyes, feeling your space. Your favorite-but-forgotten dress that now hung there on your door; the sneakers you once bought yourself and have finally decided to wear; the alarm clock that, for the first time in three years, was set for 6:00am; and a notebook full of ideas to return to the person you never were but always wanted to be, that sits on your bedside table.

You fell asleep, muscles relaxing. You, melting into your bed, almost becoming one with it.

* * *

Fast forward to where we started-- you are sitting upright in bed and staring at your dress. It seems to stare right back at you. Can you really do this, Y/N?

“Can I do this?”

Yes. I will.

You swing your legs over your bed, and you feel the fear begin to fall away like an old skin being shed from a new body. Suddenly, you feel light and happy, slipping on the bright-white wedge sneakers. The dress glides down your body, the fabric sending shivers up your spine as it falls into place.

As you pull the zipper up the side of your torso. you think about what you’re going to order when you get to the cafe. I haven’t been there since my mother came to the university to drop me off. I miss her... what did she order that day? I hope I can remember once I get there.

* * *

The jingle of tiny bells above the door tickles your ears as you swing the glass door open. The cafe is mostly empty, other than a mother and her child quietly sitting in a booth by the window. Succulents and aged books lined hanging shelves on either side of the room. The hanging lights gave the cafe a soft industrial feel, and the glass pastry displays made the room that much sweeter. Mom had chosen this cafe because she said it felt like a secret place that only few knew about... She liked how special it felt because of that. You smile softly at the thought of your mother. I think ill come here more often. I miss her.

A boy from behind the counter snaps his head up to look at you, his blond bangs tossing lightly as he does so. “W.. would you like something?”

You snap out of your daze and realize how long you’ve been just standing there in the doorway, staring at everything. You lock eyes with the boy.

“Oh! Uh-- yeah, I’m sorry! Ahm...” You stutter.

“Don’t worry about it!” He waves it off.

You brush your hair behind your ears and walk to the counter. You quickly read his name tag. Jisung.

His bright smile puts you at a light and airy ease. Maybe I wasn’t as awkward as I thought I was being...?

“Have you been here before...?” He tilted his head to the side like a little kid, eyebrows raised curiously.

Wow. That was attractive.

“Um, kind of... i’ve only been here once. When my brother-- mother!-- brought me... yeah, haha..”

Sparkling conversationalist.

...Wait-- don’t insult yourself! Be positive, Y/N!! You can make your younger self proud today!!!!

You open your mouth to speak, but you don’t know what to say, so you immediately shut it again.

Why is talking to pretty boys so hard?

NO! JUST GO FOR IT! F L I r T !! WHAT DO YOU WANT IN LIFE, HAH?

“...So anyway, that’s basically all we’ve got at this cafe right now.” He looks at you, smiling patiently.

Wait, has he been talking to me this whole time? Agh! I haven’t even been listening!

“Oh! I forgot, we also have--”

“Do you come here often?”

Well. You just made things worse, didn’t you?

“What?”

CODE RED CODE RED CODEREDCODEREDCODEREDCODEREDCODEREDCODEREDCODEREDCO

This is not a thing that makes your younger self proud, Y/N. This is the opposite.

YOU JUST ASKED THE BARISTA IF HE COMES HERE OFTEN. YOU NOW HAVE PERMISSION TO RIP OFF YOUR ANKLES.

You watch in horror as he stares at you, frozen to the touch, with those eyes.

“Oh! Did you ask me if I come here often? I thought I didn’t hear what you said at first. Yeah-- I work here actually! Thanks for asking!” I smiles, oblivious to your failed flirting.

“Oh, um. S-sure thing!”

Mission... not abort..ed?

Well-- This means I don’t ever have to think what happened ever again! Wonderful.

You aren’t sure if he’s actually dumb or if you just suck at reading him-- but either way, there’s no escaping the situation now. Unless you’re willing to literally sprint out of the cafe and run all the way back to your apartment, lock the door, and cry in the shower.

But, unfortunately for everyone else, you aren’t willing to do that.

“Um, when my mom came here, she ordered something really specific, but I can’t remember what it was called or anything...,” You say hesitantly.

“Yeah-- Don’t worry at all! Do you remember what it looked or tasted like at all?”

His enthusiasm encourages you and you feel brighter. “Yeah! Uh, it had strawberries in it, and a special kind of cream-- I think? And then there was this special topping she got on it. It was green? The topping? Sorry if that sounds totally dumb, but I just now that it-- they-- were green, I guess, haha!” You feel your heart start to beat faster the more you talk to him. Why am I nervous? and stuttering?? It’s just a drink, jeez.

Suddenly excited, his eyes squint with a wide smile. “Ooohhh! Were they mint spirals, maybe? I love those soooo much!!!”. You don’t even know what those are, but that isn’t gonna stop you from nodding excitedly with him. It would have been hard not to. When he smiles you kind of just want to join on the thrill, I guess.

You notice a whisper of heat brushing against your cheeks as he turns to the chalkboard behind him and points at a meticulous drawing of a fluffy pink drink. “Did it look like that??”

Excited to have found your mom’s favorite drink, you nod, a big smile leaving your eyes in the shape of giggling crescents. “Yes! Yeah! That’s exactly it, I think!”

His sunshine-smile turns half shy. “Great! I’ll get that just for you then...,” He softly says. He turns his back to you as he hurries around behind the counter to concoct the drink.

Were his cheeks flushed like that this whole time?

... Whatever...

You carefully sit down at one of the pretty little cafe tables closest to the counter so you can be ready to grab your drink as soon as it’s ready. You have maybe a few minutes, so you pull your notebook with the chestnut leather cover out from your purse. You open the middle of the book to where you urgently wrote down the ideas the night before.

things that would make my younger self proud of me:

- keeping a journal

- keeping my body clean

- wearing the clothes that make me feel peaceful

- waking up at a time that makes me feel happy

- wearing the clothes I’m scared others will judge me for

- going to the cafe in a pretty dress that makes me feel happy

- talking to people I feel like talking to but am scared to

- going on a cute date say sike rn

Smiling to yourself, you use a pencil to put a check next to the third-to-last one. You thought of scratching it out, but you didn’t want it to be gone from your precious list completely... you feel you’ll be coming back soon. You like how it feels.

Nevertheless, you are glad you’re here. You’ve gathered the courage to come here when it’s been so hard for you lately! You look down at your lap and give a sigh of relief. Closing your eyes, you take in how it feels to be here.

It’s different, but warm here. It smells of both exotic and familiar flavors. The lullaby effect of the fluffy low-fi music overhead mixed with the gentle metallic sounds of Jisung working behind the counter is somehow comforting. You lift your head and peak over at him slyly, watching as he leans against the mixing machine. He seems to be waiting on something.

You watch almost in shock as he slowly peeks over his shoulder to look at you, making quick eye-contact on accident. You smile instinctively-- not even knowing why.

He turns his face back to what he was doing as soon as this moment happens and you notice a smile he’s hiding and the blush that’s growing on his face. You turn your body to see more of his turned-away face from where you’re at, and as you do, you spy the massive smile he’s desperately trying to hide. Oh dear, he’s adorable.

Bubbles rise in your stomach and your lungs seem to fill with cotton candy as his undeniably-cute, blushing self hits you all at once.

-- o h. Oh n o.

You lean back in your chair again, suddenly very worried.

No? No. No!

It always gets bad once I get crushes on people.

You make an immediate promise to yourself to not at all drop any hints that you kind of want to mayhaps hold this almost-stranger’s hand. Flirting is fine when you don’t actually like the person-- once you genuinely develop feelings, it’s absolutely not a good idea anymore. Everyone knows that. Good, cute things with crushes only happen in fan-fiction and Wattpad stories.

Sike.

All of a sudden, you notice the sound of clinking and whirring has stopped from behind the counter.

“Am-- uh-- am I interrupting you... at all, or something?”

Reality crashes into your view again as you tilt your head up and to the side to lock eyes with Jisung. Ah.

“W--what?”

“Ahm, you just looked kind of... really worried about something.” He furrows his brows, confused. “Anyway-- here’s your drink!”

“Oh-- thank you! Yeah, I was just-- thinking about something! Haha!

He sets your drink on the table and pauses for a moment. “By the way, your dress is really pretty, I think.” Jisung Blush: Activated. “Don’t mean that in a weird way! I just thought you maybe might like to know...”

🎵 KISS KISS FALL IN LOOOVE 🎵🎵🎵🎵

“Oh, thanks! I actually tried this morning, haha!”

“Oh, yeah? Well I think you look great. But you already know that, i guess, haha..” Jisung Confidence: Boosted-- Reason: Compliment Accepted.

You feel your ears heat up as you avert your eyes, looking down at your drink. “Thanks again! It’s funny because I didn’t even have an occasion to dress up for. I just sort of did it to treat myself, I guess.” You smile softly, proud.

“Isn’t that enough of an occasion? I think celebrating yourself is a worthwhile thing.” He sits down across from you, muttering something about how nobody is going to show up to the cafe in a while.

You look up at him, smiling in agreement. “Right? It really helps to take care of yourself. I think it’s one of the best ways to pick yourself back up from something hard.”

He tilts his head like he did before, but this time with worry. “Are you going through something..?... Oh, you don’t have to answer! I pry without thinking first sometimes...”

“No, no! It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it to others, it’s good for people who need to hear it...” Why do I feel so comfortable with telling him about this..? I’m sure it won’t do any harm. He’s being genuine after all...

“Well, if you really do feel like telling me, we won’t be having customers again until about 10:30-ish. I’m all ears!”

Your heart said: Oof.

As soon as you start explaining the night before and all that lead up to it, he leans in, his hands cupping his face, intent on every word you say. You tell him about all the stress, issues, and fears-- both self-inflicted and otherwise-- that are holding you down lately. He nods and listens, asking clarifying questions.

You notice how his reactions remain compassionate when you talk about the hard things that are happening because of your own mistakes. A feeling of warmth and safety sets in after you finishing your monologue. You apologize for taking so long-- maybe thirty minutes?-- but he immediately tells you it’s all okay.

“No, please don’t say sorry!! I really am grateful when people share what they are going through with me... It helps me to connect with them better and find ways to help them feel better. Don’t be sorry.” He softly smiles and gently asks if you are all done.

“Yeah-- heh-- i’m done. Thank you so much for listening! I’m really grateful I have-- had-- someone to listen to me...” You rub your eyes worriedly, afraid you might have started crying at some point while telling him the whole story.

He stares down at the table for a moment, quiet. “Hey, wanna be random?”

You giggle. “Always.”

“Wanna go on a date?”

“What?”

“I understand if you don’t want to. You seem to be working through a lot of things right now... I don’t want to--” Jisung Blush: Reactivated And Intensified.

“Yes.”

“WhAT?”

“Yeah!.. I think that would be awesome.”

Jisung is suddenly beaming, which makes you instantly happier. Dang, mirror neurons are so cute.

[starspatter]

Heroes and Thieves, Ch. 14

Title: Heroes and Thieves Fandom/Universe: BTAS, pre/post-RotJ flashback

Summary: A story about second chances, healing, and having hope.

Rating: PG-13, for references to character death, child psychological torture and trauma.

Genre: Romance/Family/Friendship/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 2,526 Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Also on ff.net and AO3.

Lies, lies, lying little beast Lying little man on the corner of the street Singing "Why, I can't come out to play Can't come out and say that I'm afraid of what they'll say"

-Run River North, "Lying Beast"

————————–

Then.

Stephanie walked purposefully down the dormitory hallway towards her destination, which she had learned of through Cass after the other had shockingly announced she was now… “involved” with someone and asked point-blank for her advice.  Steph had been surprised (not to mention maybe a tad jealous) that she had been granted visitation rights before her – especially when she herself wasn’t even sure if she had reached an official “dating” stage yet with her suitor- er, tutor (although they had undergone several “study sessions” together by this point) – but nevertheless was happy for her roommate.  …Besides, her profile’s “single” status would hopefully change today.

Checking her hair and outfit, she nervously fixed and fidgeted a little in front of the doorway, before taking a deep breath and knocking on the entry.  After a moment, it slowly creaked open a crack to reveal a rather confused-looking Tim.

“Steph?  What are you doing here?”

“Hey!  I just came to ask you something quick, if you’re not too busy.”  She beamed her best and brightest.

Tim’s eyes darted anxiously aside as he swallowed.

“Uh, now’s not really a great time…”

“Who’s that, Tim?  A friend of yours?”

Stephanie blinked as a stunningly beautiful woman unexpectedly emerged from behind Tim, ravishing red locks and coquettish lips smiling cordially.

“Ah, you must be Stephanie! Tim’s told me a lot about you.”

Steph’s gaze shifted suspiciously to Tim, who looked like his world had just come crashing down around him.

“…Has he now?”

The stranger grinned widely as she extended her slender palm, revealing twin rows of perfect pearl teeth.

“I’m Barbara Gordon. Pleasure to meet you.”

Tentatively, Steph took it.

“...Nice to meet you. Wait, ‘Gordon’ – as in the new Police Commissioner?”

The woman nodded.

“Bingo, you’re looking at her.”  Her voice abruptly took on an authoritative tone.  “I’m here on official police business, conducting a top-secret investigation.  You wouldn’t happen to have seen any suspicious individuals around, would you?”

“Babs,” Tim cut in sharply as Steph started to sweat and panic.  “That’s enough.  Quit frightening her.”  (Although rather than relieve her apprehension, it only increased further at such informal address.)

…On a first-name basis?

“Kidding, kidding. I’m giving a guest lecture on Criminology over in the West Wing.  Speaking of which,” Barbara glanced at her wristwatch, “I should probably get going. Class starts in 10 minutes.  I just came by to say ‘hi’ to Tim.”

She began to gather up her things, bustling out the exit with a wink to Tim on the way, who only winced and shrank further in response.

“I’ll leave you two kids alone.  Take care, Tim.  I’ll stop by again some other time.”

Steph watched her figure’s wake until it was gone, silently envying sophisticated style and… mature body shape as it sashayed away.

“She’s awfully pretty,” she mused aloud, suddenly feeling even more self-conscious.  “What exactly is your relationship with her?”

Don’t tell me he’s actually into older women.  There’s no way I can compete with that.

Tim rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“It’s not what you think. She’s like an older sister.”

“…Seriously?”

How strangely ‘convenient’ all his supposed ‘relatives’ seem to be gorgeous supermodels.

“Trust me, there’s nothing like that between us.”

She gauged his earnest expression, before accepting assurance.

“All right, I believe you.” Her smile returned as she relaxed. “In that case…”

She fished around in her pocket, pulling out two tickets she won at the Theta-Kapa-Gamma Harvest Festival last week.

“Ta da~!  Tickets to see the monster movie marathon at the old Monarch Theater on Saturday!  You are free, aren’t you?”

Tim blinked as she practically shoved the tiny pieces of perforated paper in his face, fanning gleefully in invitation.  Temptation.

“I am, but…”

He gulped, hesitating as he seemed to desperately search for an excuse.

“I’m… not really a fan of old films…”

He mumbled lamely, appearing extremely uneasy for some reason.

Oh crap.  Don’t tell me I screwed up again.

Steph’s confidence sank in disappointment, recalling how she had once enthusiastically tried to engage Tim in a spontaneous water pistol fight going on in the campus courtyard (despite the season being somewhat ill-suited for the sport), having snuck up on him whilst the victim was reading unawares underneath the shade of a nearby tree, hitting him with a lighthearted squirt.  He had sat there, stunned, as he stared at the childish toy weapon in her hand, before wiping his soaked cheek with the back of his sleeve.  Slamming his book shut, he stated with such startlingly quiet, intense anger it took her aback:

“I don’t like guns.”

…Before standing up and stalking off in silence.

Still, she had hoped this would make up for it, that it could be something they’d both enjoy, spend some real quality time doing together (besides studying anyway, which she was starting to get sick and tired of as tests approached).  Who didn’t care for a good old-fashioned camp scare around Halloween?  …Maybe he just needed to give it a chance.

“Hey, don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it.  Have you ever even seen Dracula or Frankenstein?”

He shook his head.

“Whaaat, you’re missing out on some classics!  Come on, it’ll be fun.  We’ve both been working so hard, we deserve a break.  Cass has a pair of passes too, so she and Conner are going to be there as well.  We can totes double together.”  (Incidentally, it had been a little odd how her partner had been so fortunate as to receive the exact same prize at the booth’s trivia guessing game right after her, but she’d learned not to question Cassandra’s keen – if sometimes creepily uncanny – sense of intuition.)

Tim bit his lip, but acquiesced at her pleading puppy eyes, which shone with eager stars of anticipation.

“…Okay.”

“Great!  It’s a date then.”  She exclaimed excitedly as she handed him his half of the voucher.

“A… date.”

He repeated robotically, surveying the stub as if in disbelief.

“I’ll see you on Saturday then.”

She waved as she skipped off, emboldened by sweet success.  In her jubilee, she accidentally ran straight into Conner as he coincidentally came round the corner, heading back to his room as well.

“Whoa, watch it there!”

He caught her just before she fell (unlike before, this sturdy target was obviously a lot harder to knock over), and she blushed a tinge as she felt his huge, strong arms wrap around her shoulder.

Man, what is it with me and bumping into hot guys recently?  …Not that I’m complaining, mind.

She wasn’t sure whether to be overjoyed or embarrassed by this recurring situation, but settled for leaning towards the former.  Conner, on the other hand, seemed a little less thrilled upon realizing the person in his grasp.

“Oh, it’s you. …Actually, good timing.  I want to talk to you about Tim.”

He raised her up, but kept a firm grip on her collar as he drew her back round the bend.  …It was almost a little painful, the amount of pressure his paw was putting on her petite stature.  His countenance was severely solemn as he stooped forward to meet her level.

“…Look, I’m just gonna come right out and say it so you don’t get the wrong idea.  Tim’s… ‘delicate’.  I mean, really delicate.”  He frowned, icy blue irises flaring dangerously as his dense, digging fingers deepened into the folds of her blouse, contracting and contacting to the bone.  “You need to watch what you say and do around him.  I swear, if you ever do anything intentionally to hurt him, I will never forgive you.  You got that?”

She recoiled, reasoning he was likely referring to the gun stunt.

Is he… making a genuine threat?

Steph was somewhat scared now as his shadow loomed over her, backing her against the wall.  She nodded meekly.

“U- understood.”

“Good.”

He released her, and she rubbed at the sore spot on her skin, wondering if it was going to leave a bruise. She was also starting to wonder what the heck Cass saw in this big dumb brute.  He was admittedly attractive, sure, but personality-wise he was Tim’s complete opposite: loud, brash, obnoxious – not to mention arrogant – basically your stereotypical jock.  And yet…

“You really care a lot about Tim, don’t you?”

Conner sniffed.  “Of course I do.  He’s my best friend.”

…’Friend’, huh?

The way he behaved seemed to go far beyond mere “friendship” though.  He was almost acting like an overprotective guardian.  …Or a possessive one.

“Could it be that you’re… jealous?”

“Me?  Jealous? Of you?”  Conner scoffed.  “Why on earth would I be jealous?  Just because you’re the one getting him to finally open up and trust you, participate in a bunch of social activities he never normally would, even though I’ve tried so hard to motivate him to be more outgoing over these past few years? To convince him to talk to me about his problems?  To be the kind of stupid-ass cliché you huma- people find so damn popular just so no one else would dare to mess with him?”

He laughed like a bark, though it sounded slightly strained.  Pained. Stephanie softened at such a display of devotion.

…Maybe he’s not such an oaf after all.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’ve done a lot more for him than you give yourself credit for.  I’m sure he appreciates having you as a pal.”

She cautioned a comforting pat on his broad muscle.

“Don’t worry, it’s not like I’m trying to steal him away from you or anything.  Besides, you’re doing the same thing for Cass, aren’t you? Trying to help her break out of her shell?  Heck, I’ve noticed she’s been a lot more vocal ever since you two started seeing each other.”

Conner rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“You think?  I mean, I guess you could say that.  I dunno, it feels like I’m not really right for her…  She’s so serious and deep, and – and next to her I feel like a total doofus most of the time…”

Stephanie couldn’t help but sympathize.  They were a weird couple, to be sure, but then the same could easily be said about her and Tim.

“Hey, far be it from me to judge, but even if it doesn’t seem like you’re made for each other off the bat, I think you owe it to yourselves to try and explore those feelings at least. You never know, maybe it will work out.”

…It might’ve been her imagination, but the margins of his mouth seemed to twitch a bit at the word “made”.  He coughed as he replied contritely though.

“Thanks.  And, uh, sorry about being rough earlier.”

“It’s all right.”  She smirked.  “You were just defending your ‘delicate’ flower’s honor.”

A humiliated flush crept onto his visage.

“Oi, despite what you may have heard, it’s not like that.”

“It’s okay,” she giggled in understanding.  “I feel the same way about Cass.  …I suppose you could consider it even then?”

“Um… I suppose.”  He looked confounded by the straightforward confession, but shrugged, not wanting to think too hard about it anymore, lest things get overly complicated.  “So… We good then?”

She smiled.

“Yeah.  We’re good.”

…

When the weekend rolled around, Stephanie dragged Cassandra clothes shopping before the big day, insisting on doing her hair and makeup as well.  By the time they arrived at the cinema, the boys were already there waiting, checking their watches out in the cold.  While she sheepishly apologized on both behalves for being “fashionably late”, Steph figured it was worth it when she saw their slack jaws at how much fashion had transformed them.  The guys were dressed decently to impress as well, both sporting smart leather jackets (although Tim’s looked a size too big for him, and Conner still had on that ruddy black Superman T-shirt underneath that seemed like it came from a little kid’s closet).

She took the initiative in lining up with Tim to order snacks and soda, in the meantime telling the other two to go find four seats together.  Luckily they didn’t have to wait long, as there didn’t seem to be many customers despite it being a Saturday.  (To be fair those tickets were probably pretty cheap and undesirable to given away free at some college fest.) Although she kept chatting cheerfully to try and pass the time, her other company seemed even more uncomfortable than usual in the lightly crowded lobby, hardly able to carry a conversation – let alone the food – all the way to the viewing room.  She began to worry if this had been a mistake to bring him here, and prayed the darkness and drama onscreen would at least be able to distract him enough to loosen up a little.

Cass and Conner had saved them two seats near the edge, and she sidled in next to her girlfriend (for moral support) while Tim took the one closest to the aisle.  He kept glimpsing tensely around though, still just as jumpy as before.

“Hey, chill out a bit, will ya?  What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he muttered. “It’s just, in my experience, this is usually the part where the place catches fire, or some punks try to rob the box office, or…”

She stared at him, shaking her head.

“You fret too much.  Just try to relax and enjoy, okay?  Here, have some popcorn.”

He passed on the salted kernels though, and she pouted as she popped one in her mouth, chewing over whether she’d made the right decision after all. He looked almost claustrophobic, stressed.  In distress.

Things didn’t improve much as the motion picture started to play.  The first feature presentation in the lineup was indeed Frankenstein, and although Tim managed to remain relatively calm enough throughout the monochrome, monotone introduction, he started to stiffen at the famous “awakening” sequence.

“Quite a good scene, isn’t it? One man crazy, three very sane spectators.”

Out of the crook of her eye, Steph sensed her companion cringe every time there was a thunderclap, as lights flashed and machinery sparked with mounting electricity, while the movie madman merrily turned the wheel to “adjust the batteries”.  Together, he and his assistant unrolled the cloth covering the table to expose a humanlike form strapped to it, albeit with limbs limp and lifeless.  Tim’s claw clutched at his armrest as the stretcher was gradually lifted up through a hole in the ceiling towards the stormy sky, where pulses of galvanizing lightning presumably struck the subject repeatedly.

Stephanie divided concentration back and forth between the increasingly agitated boy beside her and the big screen in growing alarm as his breathing accelerated, gasping and wheezing audibly as he bent forward and put his hyperventilating head between his knees.  Cass and Conner were casting concerned looks as well, while other annoyed audience members revolved around and shushed to keep it down.  As her attention was arrested by the scientist maniacally screaming “It’s alive!” over and over again, she turned back one last time to ask if Tim was all right in a worried whisper – but there was no answer.

Tim was gone.

————————–

Oh Lord, whatever did I say? Whatever made me think that this was all okay? No one held me to the flame The hell if I could take the dark from my face

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

The Nuptial Necessity - Chapter 13

A 12xRose Human AU

Despite an unglamorous job description, Rose loves the work she does with The Thistle Foundation, a charity founded by her best friend’s great-uncle.  It doesn’t hurt that her boss, her friend’s father, is easy on the eyes.  With a great job, wonderful friends and a loving family, life couldn’t be better – except for having someone to share it with.

All of that is threatened, though, when the great-uncle dies – and sets a strange condition for his nephew to inherit, jeopardizing the Foundation and Rose’s future, sparking a chain of events that might just get her everything she dreamed of and more.

Chapters will be posted on Saturdays and Tuesdays.  Many thanks to my beta, @stupidsatsuma

Rated: Explicit, for eventual smut

@doctorroseprompts

AO3  |  Masterlist

—

Friday - the wedding, pt 1/2

“Rose.  Rose?  Rose!”

“Hmm?”  Rose looked up, blinking, at the sound of her name.  She’d been engrossed in examining her fresh manicure, and by the exasperation in her mother’s voice, it wasn’t the first time she’d been called.  “What?”

Scowl firmly in place, Jackie huffed.  “What’s wrong with you? You look like you’re in space, and not on Cloud 9.  It’s your wedding day- why aren’t you happier?”

“I am happy,” Rose forced a smile, conscious of the woman behind her doing her hair.  “Everything’s lovely, it’s a gorgeous day.  I’m fine.”

Her mother narrowed her eyes, and Rose calmly returned the gaze; she’d learned long ago how to deal with Jackie when she got like this, and refused to flinch.  Eventually the other woman nodded, though she still didn’t look satisfied. “Fine.  Now, I was thinking-”

-

Wrapping her dressing gown tighter around herself, Rose wandered down the stairs to the first floor.  With the reception only a few hours away the floor was a bustle of activity, as the catering company’s waitstaff finished setting out tables and placing settings in anticipation of the dinner to come.  Trying to keep out of the way she crept into the room, standing in the corner to observe the goings-on.  One long table was set for thirty in an L shape, the longer section by the windows. A DJ booth was set up in the corner near her, with a fabricated dance floor set up to avoid scratching the original wood flooring.

Keeping to the wall she made her way closer to the table, stopping behind the chair designated for her after the ceremony.  When I sit there, it will be as Mrs. Malcolm Tucker, she thought.  Viscountess Gallifrey.

She felt nothing.

Even standing here, the morning of their wedding, looking at their reception space, it didn’t feel real, tangible.

Her heart hurt.

“Ma’am?”

Startled, she turned to find a nervous waiter next to her, a tray of teacups in hand, clearly setting them at the places.  “Sorry,” she mumbled, and they did an awkward half-dance moving around each other.

Suddenly overwhelmed by the seemingly-loud sounds of the setup, she fled.

-

Trailing her fingers along the shelves Rose breathed deeply, letting the quiet air of the library soothe her nervous energy.  It smelled of smoke from a wood-burning burning fire, fine whisky, old books – and Malcolm.

From her very first visit to the room, way back in her first year at uni, it had been one of her favorite spots on Earth.  She’s spent countless hours in the library at her parents’ mansion, but it hadn’t been until she arrived here, in a room that had served that purpose for literally hundreds of years, that it brought her the joy and comfort she’d always instinctively known she would find amongst books.  Each one promised an adventure, travels through space and time, without having to leave a cosy chair.

Nothing changed; no telltale creak of the door, no footsteps on the carpet, nothing to inform her senses, but all the same, she knew suddenly that he was there, from the spark of electricity that raced across her skin.

“It’s bad luck for you to see me before the ceremony,” she murmured, not lifting her eyes from the copy of Sherlock Holmes in front of her.

“I don’t believe in luck,” Malcolm murmured, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his skin.  “Besides, I’m reasonably certain that only applies to the dress, not the bride.  After all, I saw Missy the morning of our wedding.”

Rose’s lips twitched, and she arched an eyebrow at the shelf.  “You’re divorced.”

“Exactly.  If the bad luck bit was true, we would’ve been married for much, much longer than only five years.”

She laughed at that, reluctantly turning around to find him grinning just behind her, looking inordinately pleased with himself.  “I suppose that’s fair.  If you’re not careful, though, you’ll get a reputation as a five-year husband.  What will the next Mrs. Tucker think?”  The idea of him remarrying was enough to make her breath catch, her heart physically aching.  But she kept her smile, not wanting to go there with him in front of her.

“Oh, there won’t be another Mrs. Tucker,” he said breezily, momentarily freezing before clearing his throat.  “I mean, I wouldn’t- not again. Twice is enough for me.  I doubt I would ever meet anyone who could change my mind.”

It was just wishful thinking, a projection of what she wanted that to mean, but for a single heartbeat she heard a soft, wistful tone in his voice, one that said I’m not letting you go, I love you, promise me forever.  “I suppose we’ll see,” she sighed.  “Why’re you here, anyway?”

His brow furrowed, and she waited as he searched his memory.  “Oh! Apparently you’re worrying everyone; Clara thought you might’ve done a runner.”

“I’m right here,” she shrugged, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, painfully conscious that under her dressing gown, she wore only a slip and lacy lingerie.  (A girl could hope – she wanted to be prepared just in case the wedding night turned into a wedding night.)  “Not even wearing my trainers.”  She held a foot out for inspection, earning herself a chuckle when he saw her fluffy slippers.

“I see that.  Can we…”

Rose let him guide her to the plush sofa in front of the fireplace, delicately curling her legs under her and adjusting the hem of her robe for decency, though it didn’t help when his eyes lingered on her bare thigh for a moment.  “What’s up?”

Malcolm sighed, leaning back and running his hands over his face.  “You don’t have to go through with this,” he said, bluntly but not unkindly.  “I’m asking far too much of you, and would absolutely understand if you want to back out.  You haven’t been yourself these last few weeks, and I can’t bear to be the cause of your unhappiness.  Truly.”

“You’re not!  You’re not.”  The idea was so absurd that Rose couldn’t help but blurt it out, hurt but not entirely surprised that he’d drawn that conclusion; hadn’t Clara warned her he thought just that last weekend?  “It’s just… this isn’t what I had pictured.  Not that I’ve ever spent that much time planning my wedding, or my future, but…”

“I know.”  He smiled wryly.  “I never considered marrying again- I thought, after the divorce, that I would spend the rest of my life alone.  And that… was okay.”  His eyes softened, and he reached out, fingertips barely grazing over her knee before his hand settled firmly on the couch next to her, not quite touching.  “I realize this isn’t ideal.  I don’t want you to regret doing this.  But… I promise you, I am a good husband.  We’ve always enjoyed each other’s company, and… we make each other laugh, and smile, and at the end of the day, that’s what makes a marriage work.  It’s not necessarily about the- the physical.  They say ‘marry your best friend’ for a reason.”

Rose bit her lip to keep from smirking.  “And how’d that work out for you?”

“I got Clara, so, brilliant.  Come on- it can’t be any worse than your current situation,” he pointed out.  “Besides, blokes seem to love married women, maybe this is just what you need.  So, what do you say?”

She gave into the laughter, settling her hand on his and running her thumb over his knuckles.

“I suppose I say… I do.”

-

Malcolm stared critically at the reflection in front of him, tugging on the hem of the waistcoat before smoothing it down.  The clock he could just see out of the corner of his eye told him he had twenty more minutes until it was time to go down for the ceremony, and the longer he was left alone with his thoughts, the more jittery he became.  It was almost as if by soothing Rose’s fears he’d absorbed then, making him doubt everything.

This is the right thing, he told himself once again, narrowing his eyes at the glass.  She agreed to it, and I believe her – Rose Tyler does nothing she doesn’t want to do.  This will make both of our lives better- easier- and won’t change all that much.  It’s a signature on the line and that’s it.

His romantic heart, usually kept buried deep inside him, locked away since before his divorce, continued to bleed all over his sleeve.  Why doesn’t she love me?  It was a ridiculous question, of course, his rational mind knew that- the greater question would be why she would- if she did- but at the end of the day a small boy with taped-up glasses who was a bit too much of an odd duck for the popular kids still lived in his chest, wishing people would like him while doing everything possible to keep them at arm’s length, or further.  That was part of why he and Missy had gotten so deeply entrenched in each other – they’d spent most of their childhood each other’s only friend, and they’d mistaken that for love.

Sometimes he wished he could go back to his teenage self, awkward and gangly at fifteen and overly devoted to Missy, and tell him that what he felt wasn’t love, not real love, not the kind the songs and poems and books and movies were about.  That he’d know it when he found it, mid-forties and utterly enchanted with his assistant.  But, of course, if he did that, if he saved himself the heartbreak of an ill-fated relationship and marriage with Missy, he wouldn’t have his daughter.  His beautiful, precious, wonderful, awe-inspiring little girl, who pushed him to be better just by believing that he was.

And without her, he wouldn’t have met Rose.

“Dad?”

Startling violently he spun on his heel, nearly falling over in his surprise at being yanked so thoroughly from his thoughts.  “Yes?”

“All right there?” Clara asked, unable to full mask her smirk as she watched him from the door.  “You should be more comfortable.”

“I’m fine.”  Brushing his hands down along his coat, he crossed his arms.  “What do you want?”

“Nice.”  She moved inside, rearranging her expression to appear more sympathetic, but unable to fool him – her eyes still sparkled.  “Now, I need to talk to you, it’s serious.”

Sitting himself down on the bench at the end of his bed, he watched her arrange herself on the loveseat across from him.  “I’m all ears.”

“So, I was talking to the reverend about the ceremony,” Clara started, smoothing the skirt of her dress over her knees.  “And he said there’s this rule- it’s really stupid, and it really sucks.”

Malcolm’s brow furrowed, confused.  Despite her attempts at appearing severe and serious, her tells of lying gave her away- what she was lying about he wasn’t quite sure, but the way she covered her elbow confirmed it.  (Once of his great accomplishments as a father, in his own humble opinion, was convincing her as a little girl that when she lied, her elbow would turn green.  Somehow, despite becoming a teacher, she’d never realized the truth; it was a foolproof way of fact-checking any story, which frustrated her to no end as a teenager, unable to tell how he always knew she was lying.)

“Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

“Okay, so, he said that the best man isn’t supposed to really know the bride, or at least, not be close to her.  You know, for perspective, so he can properly advise the groom, that sort of thing.”

What?  “I don’t follow,” he said honestly.  Clearly she had a reason for this, but he couldn’t see the point – it made no sense.  Why not just say you would rather stand up for Rose?  That, he could understand- he was Clara’s father, but after more than a decade of friendship, she and Rose were the sisters the other had never had.  But why string him along like this, until ten minutes before the ceremony?

“I’m sorry, Daddy, I just… don’t know what to do.”  Her eyes sparkled, bottom lip clamped firmly between her teeth, and when her gaze trailed behind him, he frowned, though it was the voice that made him turn to look himself.

“I may be able to help with that.”

Without thinking Malcolm rose to his feet, staring at the doorway with his mouth open wide, unable to believe his eyes.

“Brigadier?”

[seromreven]

title: i’ll take you there | prologue.

pairing: paul mccartney/female!reader/linda mccartney.

summary: the year is 1974. You’re the personal assistant of Paul and Linda McCartney. One spring day you meet the rather infamous John Lennon during the middle of his ‘Lost Weekend’ escapades. Spark fly and secrets unfold between the two of you.

warning: it gets explicit at the end. the third  — indicates when it starts if it’s something you’d rather not read.

also posted on ao3.

Your first meeting with the McCartney couple was in the summer of ‘71.

It had been a warm, sweltering, London summer, spent inside the offices of Abbey Road Studios. You were the intern of executive producer Robert Hardwell. A large sneering man, always ready to patronise you at every move.

The internship wasn’t more than being an assistant and secretary to his every demand. But you were good at what you did. And knew that even though his insults stung, you weren’t about to leave; it was Abbey Road.

It had been the dream of yours to work there ever since you were very little. And now you were there! In the flesh! You had worked your skin to the bones to get this far and you weren’t about to throw it away because of that man.

It was a Thursday at the end of July when you were called in the office of Mr Hardwell. The clothes you wore to work, neat and professional, felt restricting in the heat. The air conditioning in the lobby having been broken for days by now with no turn up from the called repairmen.

You quickly took a sip of water before getting up from your work desk and knocked before entering his chill office.

“Yes, sir?”

He barely glanced up from the paperwork on his desk.

“You need to run down to Studio Three and check something for me. They seem to be having technical issues and I need the details promptly.”

“Right,” you nodded and stepped back out of the office.

You quickly made your way down to the studio. It didn’t take long. While you had worked there for not even half a year yet; you had become familiar with the layout of the large building pretty quickly. You stopped in front of the door to the control room.

From the other side, you could hear loud chatter and the taint banging on drums. You tried to recall who was using the studio but ultimately failed in the endeavour; it was not part of your duties to know anyhow.

You readied yourself before knocking on the wooden door and headed inside.

“Hello?” You said as you carefully stepped inside.

In the control room, there was three men and a woman. The men had their backs to you but the woman looked at you as you entered the room.

You immediately recognised her. It was Linda McCartney! And so you assumed the dark haired man near her, who was leaned over a control table, must be Paul; as you recognised the other two men who were now also looking at you.

You recognised them from the cafeteria and felt a dread creep in at the sight at one of them. A malnourished looking man with greased hair; a man who had on several occasions thrown inappropriate comments at you. His coworker was nice but completely clueless.

Your heart raced. You were never any good with crowds. And this wasn’t just any crowd. It included an ex-Beatle and his wife! Now you weren’t completely awestruck, having been nothing more but a casual fan during the mania, but was still feeling stunned in their presence.

Someone coughed and brought you back to reality. “Hi… I’m [full name], Mr Hardwell’s assistant. He sent me here to get him the… specifics of your technical difficulties.”

“Right,” Linda nodded and looked to Paul, who you now realised had been looking at you before glancing to his wife. Inside the studio, the drumming had stopped and you glanced through the window. Two men stood there. One behind the drumset, and one with a guitar in hand. The guitarist looked familiar but you couldn’t quite figure out why. Maybe another band?

“We’re, uh, not quite sure actually,” Paul spoke and you quickly looked to him, the beating of your heart picking up the pace again. He scratched the side of his nose looking like he was deep in thought, “we were just recording in the vocal booth when the power went out. But only in that room.” Linda nodded along to what he said.

That sounded familiar you thought, “oh!” You suddenly erupted as the answer came to you. The greasy haired man blinked in surprise. “We’ve had that problem before,” you grinned, enlivened, and stepped to the control board.

“We had the same problem last year when Cliff Richards was here to record Tracks ‘n Grooves, y’know. The power just went off and people ran around frantically for hours almost before we figured out it was because someone had turned on this,” you pointed to a small button, “which interferes with this,” you pointed to another similar one.

“They’re not supposed to be on at the same time which some people,” you glanced at your coworkers, “should know.”

You pulled back from the desk feeling proud. At being able to help them but also, that you had remembered that. It was well over a year ago, and you had been out drinking with a friend afterwards which resulted in a pretty tough morning after.

Paul flicked the switch to off and immediately you all saw the lights return in the vocal booth. You nodded with your hands on your hips, “yeah, it’s a strange technical hitch. I don’t know why they haven’t managed to fix it yet but, it’s not my field of expertise anyhow.”

Paul hmm’d and looked to you. “I’ve recorded here before and haven’t experienced it before.”

You smiled politely, “then you had some good technicians on your team,” and did your best not to cast a pointing glance at the Greasy Haired Man, which you had decided to nickname him as you didn’t actually know his name.

“Well, I best be off,” you left before anything else could be said and your excitement could get to you. Besides you had work to do. Work that actually fell under your jurisdiction. Technical mishaps didn’t.

You quickly reported back to Hardwell and got back to your work, but never getting your brief encounter with the McCartney’s out of your mind.

—

The next day, you came into the office drenched. That morning it had promised nothing but clear skies and sunny smiles but it hadn’t been long after you had left your apartment when rain erupted from the heavens above, almost like it was punishing you for your hubris in not bringing an umbrella.

You shook as you ran inside the studio building, cursing under your breath. The rainwater was warm and the office was humid from the still continuing lack of air conditioning. All pointed to a rather bad day.

You quickly placed your bag at your desk before running to the nearest bathroom to try and dry off your hair and whatever the best you could with your clothes. Your coat had taken most of the water but it still hadn’t been enough.

You couldn’t afford to spend much time during that as time neared the start of your workday and you reconciled with the best you could do in that time frame must be enough and went back to your desk.

The day passed quickly by without anything else noteworthy happening except for the poor start of the day.

It wasn’t before when you were just about to leave when a letter courier entered the room that you took a paused from packing your bag. You stopped, hand still in the purse, and stared blankly at the man.

He saw you and came to stand in front of the desk, “You Ms [full name]?”

You carefully nodded a ‘yes’ and was handed an envelope. As he left, you carefully studied the text on it. Your name and office address were written in neat cursive. You turned it over and it had nothing but ‘The McCartney’s’ written on the back.

It took you back and you went completely still. Why would they send you a letter? Why would they even contact you? And if they did, why do it this way when you didn’t even work that far from the studio they currently used?

Your hand shook as you opened up the envelope and pulled out the letter. Its paper was crisp and a soft beige. The neat handwriting before was repeated in the content of the letter.

It didn’t say much. They invited you to come eat dinner with them the next day at a vegetarian restaurant you were unfamiliar with in Covent Garden. It stated time and exact location of the restaurant and that it would be paid for by them. It was written that it would not be taken in ill health if you were not to show up.

And, well, how could you refuse that? It was the McCartneys and, more importantly, free food. You had this weekend off so it aligned well enough. You rushed out the door, excited for the day to come.

—

The weather wasn’t much of an improvement from the day before. But this time you had at least been prepared in equipping yourself with an umbrella and a smart raincoat. You soon stopped outside of the restaurant and looked in, trying to see if you could spot them.

A silly attempt really, not much was to be seen other than plants and other visitors. Your nerves were high and were only to be mixed with excitement as you headed inside.

“Welcome! Table for one?” you were immediately greeted by the maître d’ and quickly shook your head.

“I’m meeting someone here. McCartney?”

“Oh! They told me to expect you. Come right this way,” she smiled and guided you through the fancy restaurant. It was warm. A comfortable warmth. And there was a lovely smell hanging in the air of something you couldn’t quite place.

The hostess stopped in front of a table and you stepped around the see the McCartney’s sitting side by side behind the table, Linda’s hand locked with Paul’s on the table. An empty chair stood on the other side of them; placed so you would be facing the middle of them.

You muttered your thanks to the hostess as you sat down and looked to the couple feeling anxious.

“H-Hi,” you managed to say and smiled, grimacing slightly at your own stutter. They glanced shortly at each other before looking at you, almost eerie in their synchronization.

They smiled kindly and it helped calm you down. The light behind the crowning their heads; making Linda’s look more golden and Paul’s a clearer brown.

“Hi,” Linda greeted and reached her free hand across the table. You shook hands, hers a wonderful warm against your cold one. Paul greeted you equally pleasantly, with a smile that made you feel shy.

Menus were handed out and you quickly ordered your choice of drink. You ordered a simple diet coke while they ordered some fancy wine you hadn’t heard of before.

“We…” Paul glanced to his wife, “just wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday. You ran out so quickly we didn’t manage to at the time.”

You laughed, “right, I did do that, didn’t I?”

They smiled and Linda leaned slightly forward, “and there’s something else.”

Paul continued, “we’ve been in need of… personal assistance lately and, well, we had a look at your resume and thought that you were pretty much perfect for the role.”

You blinked. They had looked at your resume? Had they really been impressed that much by the simple flick of a switch?

“I… am?” You stuttered. There was a pause before they answered as the drinks arrived. It was Linda who answered, “you are more than qualified. And the pay will be better, if that’s a cause for concern.”

It was time to order the food and while the couple was busy with that you wondered; was it something you were interested in? Working for the McCartney’s rather than Mr Hardwell in Abbey Road?

It wasn’t a terrible thought. While Abbey Road Studios were something you had always dreamed of being, it hadn’t turned out to be quite what you looking for. Working for the couple would also most likely open more doors than Hardwell ever could.

You nodded to yourself and ordered. It was a vegetarian chili con carne and frankly hadn’t sounded too bad.

“We understand if it’s something you need time to think about,” Linda continued from before.

You shook your head, “No need. I’ve already decided.”

They silently looked at each other, anticipating your answer. You grinned.

“I accept.”

—

It was a year, three months and nine days after you started working for the McCartney’s (you did the math) that something happened that would change your life and your relationship with the people in it forever.

It was a late Friday evening and the three of you had been drinking quite heavily. The kids had gone to their grandparents for the weekend, allowing the young couple to rest.

Through the year (and three months) you had become quite good friends and it almost felt like your working for them but rather helping out your friends.

You had been invited along for a fancy dinner and then drinks in their London apartment. After a short while you all had gotten drunk; enough for the next morning to be painful but not completely hellish. Enough to be aware of your actions and to remember them the next day too.

It was an hour into that that the conversation took a turn. Paul looked serious, the best one could look while drunk, and rested his hand on your knee while Linda lightly massaged his shoulders.

“We have…. something to ask of you,” he started and you glanced up from having looked at his hand on your knee, “it’s something we’ve thought… much about.”

You nodded, the force of moving it shook the rest of your body too and you tried not to spill your drink.

“We’ll really, really, enjoy it if you would, y’know, join us in… bed some time. Tonight?” He looked to Linda who lightly nodded and continued messaging his shoulders, though in slower motions than it had been before.

You gaped at them both, unsure of you had heard right.

Linda moved and placed her hand atop of her husbands, the one still rested on your knee. “You can say no and nothing will change from how we were at the start of the day,” she reassured.

“Oh… uh,” you looked back and forth between the hands on your knee and the bright eyes looking at you. Your heart beat harshly in your chest; feeling like it would break free of the confinements of your ribs at any moment.

You swallowed deeply, “I… don’t quite know what to say… I won’t lie and say that it’s nothing I haven’t thought about before.”

They were both gorgeous people and you were only human. A human spending every day of the week around them. Feelings were abounded to flutter about in your young hopeless mind.

Deeply you knew what to say, the answer was clear but in your wine riddled mind, it all just seemed… more than it was. That this was the end-all and be-all. Despite what Linda had said.

And perhaps more thought was needed on the subject before an answer is given but that passing thought was quickly ignored as you answered with a flustered nod and took a chance with, “I’d love to.”

You had never seen a bigger grin on Paul as you did now as he looked at you and then as his wife. She was more subdued in showing her elation but it was clear that it was there.

They both stood up. You remained seated, suddenly feeling heavy and locked in place. They seemed to understand. Linda took the wine glass out of your hand as Paul took the other hand into his own and gently helped you up.

Linda caressed your arm as you were guided to the bedroom. The ease they seemed to go about it helped to relax you as the three of you reached the room.

You reached the bed and Paul disappeared out of your peripheral view. You turned around to look for him but was suddenly pushed unto the bed by Linda. It was a light shove, ending with you giggling on your back on the bed.

The bed moved on both sides, indenting down as the couple sat on either side of you. They seemed less sure of themselves as they had otherwise been so far. Maybe they hadn’t planned this far? Maybe they hadn’t planned for you to share their affections?

You blinked in the brief pause there was as they stared at each other, silently communicating. It wasn’t long before Paul leaned over you with a dark look in his eyes. His breath tickled your skin and smelled of brandy.

And then he kissed you. You heart stilled for a beat before picking up its usual routine of trying to burst out of your chest.

The kiss started out soft but slowly turned more and more into something… hungry. One of his hands were rested beside your hip. The other caressing your cheek.

You had all but near forgotten about the third person in the room before you felt the buttons of your shirt getting undone.

You shivered and gasped into the kiss as a cold hand danced across your bare skin leading up to your bra. It tickled and you giggled slightly into the kiss.

Paul took it as an invite to lick your lips and let his tongue into the warmth of your mouth.

Linda caressed your sides as her husband busied you with his mouth upon yours. But it soon had to stop as the lack of air became evident.

Your face was warm and flushed as you breathed in the fresh air. It had been so long, too long, since you last had had such a good snog and your body was vibrating with excitement for more.

You started to lean up towards Paul but was quickly pushed back with a ‘tsk’ from the smirking man. You frowned and he said, “let’s get you undressed first, yeah?”

You slowly nodded and sat up, guided by Linda who still had her soft hands on your waist. You looked at her and she was completely naked, save from pants. You glanced at her breasts and felt yourself get warmer than you already were.

She smiled softly at you and unhooked your brassiere while her husband was fast at work on the buttons of your trousers.

Linda had begun to massage your breasts, causing you to moan at the soft touches, and the lower half of you were lightly picked up as Paul pulled down your trousers.

Soon after your underpants were discarded as well, leaving you completely naked as a shiver travelled through your body.

Linda stopped and you whined after the touch, causing the couple to smirk at each other.  

You straighten up and looked to Paul but was met with a hand on your cheek that turned your head to meet a pair of soft lips. They tasted like red wine and you knew it was Linda. You continued to kiss and started to caress each other, nothing was left untouched.

As you parted, salvia the only bridge between the two of you, you saw that Paul was now completely naked. The lowered lights and stray shadows in the bedroom making it a pretty picture.

Oh, how grateful you were at that moment. Two stunning people, naked and in your presence. You sneakily pinched your arm. Just to check it was, in fact, actually happening.

Your breath hitched as he back on the bed and made his way towards you. He paused as his shoulders met your knees and you silently watched as he looked to his wife who nodded.

When he looked back up at you; you finally understood what had caused the pause. You nodded silent consent and he smirked.

Soon you felt his breath on your pubic mound and felt the familiar wetness of his mouth as he made his way further down to your vagina.

An overwhelming sensation washed over you as he kissed and licked softly, the noises of it filling the room together with your strangled moans.

Minutes felt like seconds as you reached your peak and shivered as you orgasmed. Linda bent down from having watched silently the two of you and kissed your jaw as you moaned out.

It wasn’t over. Yes, the orgasm had felt powerful as it coursed through your body but with it came the feeling of fearlessness and you placed your hands on both sides of her face and guided her lips to yours.

You feel sideways on the bed but it went unnoticed as you continued with your starving kisses.

One of her legs had rested between yours and she started to grind down on your thigh to get any kind of friction she could get.

She moaned into the kiss and you groaned, at the sensation of her wetness on your thigh.

Paul was almost all but completely forgotten until when you heard him groan. In the small pause in your make out with Linda, you saw that he had started to stroke his erect cock at the sight of the two of you.

The sounds he made was beautiful, angelic even.

You hands crept down to Linda’s nether region as you had resumed kissing and you softly stroked; guiding her to a finish as Paul's moaning became louder along with hers.

She came and the pearls of soft moaning that escaped her mouth were enough for Paul to also cum and he sputtered upon his chest with his eyes shut.

You feel back into the bed, beyond exhausted, and fell asleep between the sweet embraces of the equally beat couple. Their sighing and the sound of their heartbeats lulling you to sleep.

[bumi-illustrates]

Reverie: Prologue

This story;plot, characters, ect. belongs to me. I have cross posted on Wattpad with the account Ali_on_Reverie so no trouble there. Have suggestions on how I can make it better? Please let me know! I will happily take all the feedback I can get! Thank you for reading! ~Ali I still remember the day the city was lost to beasts. It was a sunny morning. Not a single cloud disrupted the newly turned cerulean sky. Shades of blues and violets stretched down the ashen street as far as the eye could see. Tents selling trinkets, food and even some trying to coerce young children into their midst for games and prizes. All true signs the festival had finally begun.

The small hand I held squeezed mine, effectively capturing my attention.

“Michael! You weren’t listening to me. Again!”

I couldn’t help the sheepish smile that spread across my lips as I looked at her pastel face which was currently scrunched into a disapproving pout, “Sorry, Lacey. I got caught up in my thoughts again.”

If possible, her lips pulled tighter as she pulled her hand from mine to place both on her hips. She furrowed her snowy eyebrows as her nearly cerise eyes scowled up at me, “The doctors cleared me to come today. Don’t ruin this for me with all your silly worrying.”

“I’m your big brother. Worrying is what I’m supposed to do.” I countered, placing a hand on her shoulder with a light squeeze. I told myself it was to reassure her, but her and I both knew it was I who needed the assurance.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she flattened her expression, but kept her eyes on my own, “No, you’re supposed to be enjoying the festival with me.”

I sighed, squeezing her shoulder a bit tighter, “I-I know. I’m sorry.”

She smiled and unfolded her arms to wrap them around my waist. She looked up at me as she placed her chin flat against my chest. She visibly brightened as she shut her eyes as a large, toothy smile consumed her face, “Loosen up, okay? I’m not dead yet.”

I couldn’t help the sudden rush of paralysis that seemed to forcibly grip my body. Yet. She was right. Her health was on and off. The doctors were unable to diagnose her properly. Research was slow and it was more than likely her body would give out before a cure was found. Afterall, there’s no curing an illness that doesn’t exist. I vaguely registered Lacey’s grip falter on my waist and her eyes began to droop, “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

I barely made sense of her words as my own arms sluggishly moved to encircle her delicate frame. I couldn’t find the strength to look into her eyes, so I decided to keep my gaze set staring straight ahead. My eyes burned painfully as hot tears threatened to spill. My arms were growing steadily tighter around her and I could feel her worried gaze burning a hole underneath my jaw. The fabric of my shirt bunched tightly at my back and I slowly moved my eyes downward to meet my baby sister’s reassuring smile, “Let’s go visit dad. Please?”

I blinked, pushing away the heated saline my eyes were desperately trying to release as I gave a forced smile and tight nod. She returned to our previous position of tightly gripping my hand as we began to walk through the throng of the public. Some rushing to the next vendor to get to as many as they possibly could while others meandered, quietly observing the merriments. I could hear Lacey excitedly talking about the kiosks we passed, particularly the ones selling any kind of jewelry or crystals. She had always loved anything that sparkled. Mother called her ‘Little Crow’. No other nickname had ever fit so perfectly. When she was younger, Lacey would pick up anything and everything that even remotely shone in the light. She would then store it in a box and when it was finally full, she would use what was inside to decorate it.

The Festival of Worship was an excellent place to find jewels and anything that glitters. After all, it was rumored that the Goddess of Dreams adored twinkling trinkets. It was written at the temple that all the offerings given to Her were taken back to Her realm as a trophy and in turn, She would make the offeror’s wildest dream come true. The town’s people obviously didn’t have high expectations, or the municipality wouldn’t be crumbling to ruins beneath a giant gold temple.

“Michael, look! There’s dad!”

I almost lost my footing as Lacey sharply tugged on my arm, making a run towards our father’s booth. As our father’s ocean blue eyes caught sight of us, he began to wave with a large smile on his face.

“Lacey, my girl! The doctors finally let you out of the sick bay!”

“Too bad they let Michael pick me up! I don’t think he heard a single thing I said the whole way here!” She poked light heartedly.

Father’s slightly rounded gut shook as he gave a deep belly laugh, slapping a large hand on my back, consequently sending me stumbling forward a step, “Always the worrier, this one! Just like your mother!”

I grumbled as I gently pushed his hand away from me with my wrist, “I don’t understand how you aren’t worried. You do realize mom died because of the same thing, don’t you?”

He roughly moved his hand from my back to gripping the back of my neck and I found myself unable to stop from cringing slightly. As he began guiding us further into the booth and away from Lacey, he spoke lowly, “Listen, Mike. How is Lacey going to hold out hope for life if the people around her don’t? Do not misunderstand my feelings, boy. I loved your mother with everything I have, and I love you both just so.” I skeptically looked into his eyes, taking a slight notice of the wrinkles beginning to form at the corners. I couldn’t help but wonder where he was going with this, “Your sister will die. That much is certain.” I opened my mouth to scold him, but he held up his hand, silencing me, “You must come to terms with that. Now, if you take anything away from what I tell you here, let it be this, make her final days like her trinkets. Let the girl sparkle with all her might before she parts from this world. Our job is not to like what’s happening, or even to accept that it is happening. Our job is to make sure she knows she’s loved. If you want to be upset about the circumstances this family is in, do it away from her and when she’s in your presence, you pull your act together. You’re the older child, start acting like it, yeah?”

He placed a firm hand on my shoulder as I stubbornly decided to find the ground much more fascinating than him, “Stay back here until you’ve recollected yourself, I’ll tell Lacey I asked you to unpack some of the boxes. Join us up front when you’re sure you can keep a façade up. Ideally, you can find some happiness just being with her, but I understand it’s hard, so a façade will work fine, just make sure it’s believable, huh?”

He gave my shoulder a final pat before he began to walk back to the front of the booth where Lacey was currently fawning over one of his newest dream catchers. I caught the sound of their voices as they spoke. The noise of the streets in front began to fade as my hands clenched tightly into fists. I felt my jaw tighten as it locked firmly, pressing my teeth together uncomfortably. My eyes fixated angrily on the back of his head through the boxes that separated the front of the booth from the back. His once blonde hair was beginning to turn a pale shade of gray. His broad shoulders shook as his head leaned back slightly in laughter. I could barely make out Lacey’s snowy hair as she moved wildly in front of him, probably trying to get patrons passing by to stop and buy one of father’s dream catchers. Our booth started because mother loved to design and weave dream catchers. Every year at the festival, tourists and natives alike came to marvel at her creations. She had a knack for it and became something of a celebrity during the festival. When Lacey was no more than two years old, she would sit at the front of the booth with Lacey in her lap as she worked her materials to her liking. Father and I would be selling the dream catchers, sometimes the knickknacks would sell out faster than she could make them, and we would have to close the booth before the sun had even reached its peak.

Then the first person was diagnosed with a new illness. An illness that came in waves. One day the infected would be fine, the next they would be bedridden and on the brink of death. The symptoms were never the same, but there is one continuity, death. No matter the symptoms, each person infected will eventually die. Because the disease has no common symptoms, doctors and scientists have yet to be able to find a cause or a cure. Or a name.

I gave a forced sigh and loosened my hands. Closing my eyes, I took another deep breath in an effort to calm my rather active thoughts on the matter. There was no way I would lie about how I felt. Mother didn’t raise us to put up facades and hide behind false smiles. And I could never forgive myself if I dishonored her memory like that. Might as well make an honest man of dad. I thought bitterly to myself as I leaned over to pick up one of the partially unpacked boxes. I began pinning the dream catchers to a designated cork board to display them when what sounded like bursts of short hissing reached my ears.

“Pst. Pssssst!”

I lifted my head from my task and took note of the deep violet curtain that separated our booth from the ones next to us. Seeing nothing, I got back to work.

“Pssst! PSSSSSST!”

My eyebrows furrowed and my eye twitched in irritation.

“Michael! Pssst! Michael! Michael!”

Snapping my head sharply to look at the identical violet curtain behind me, I found an unmistakable face staring at me with a mischievous grin. Eyes like amber with threads of midnight hair framing a slightly tanned face poked out from underneath the makeshift wall. Her chin was supported by both hands with her elbows planted on the hard sidewalk beneath her. No doubt behind the curtain she was on her stomach with her ankles crossed and feet in the air. I couldn’t help the rather obnoxious snort that pushed itself through my nose.

“You are such a child. Get off the ground.” I scold, turning back to my pinning as I heard the curtain shuffle slightly.

“Come on, Mr. James! We’ve had this talk! You pooped on your party, but no way, no how I’m going to let you poop on mine!”

“So, what is it you wanted?” I asked, turning to look at her.

“Man, what is up with you? You’ve got a bigger thorn bush shoved up your backside than usual!” she complained, puffing out her cheeks slightly in disapproval.

“I’m just not in the mood right now, okay? We’ve got a lot going on.” I muttered, looking down at the work in front of me.

Jenna’s mom was best friends with my mother, so it stood to reason that Jenna and I grew up together. Normally I told her everything, but Lacey became sick almost a month ago. No one except the doctors, father and myself know. Father has always been a private kind of guy, especially after we lost mother. He wanted us to keep this to ourselves, the same way we hid mother’s for months before it was obvious, she was at her limit. I realized that during my little pity party, it had gone deathly silent save for the bustling of the festival. I quickly snapped my eyes up to find Jenna sitting on some boxes next to me. A flash of dread flooded my veins at the look in her eyes. It was so intense it sent a shiver through my heart, yet, I couldn’t decipher what emotion was dancing through her swirling pools of honey.

“I saw you pick Lacey up from the hospital.”

I felt a thousand needles suddenly pierce my already tingling body. My head began to spin and freeze up all at once. I could here my blood being pumped through my body, keeping me alive. Only, I didn’t feel alive. I felt cold and lifeless.

Before I could register what was going on, my chest felt heavy and soft, silky tresses were pressed against the side of my stiff neck. I could feel my shirt being gripped at my shoulder blades. My chest grew tighter and my eyes could no longer keep the burning, briny tears at bay. Though no sound escaped my mouth, I knew Jenna was aware of my tears because her grip on me tightened, as if she was trying to physically hold me together.

“It’s okay to cry, Michael.” Her voice was breathy, hardly a whisper, yet strained, as if she too, was trying not to cry.

I could feel more hot tears pool in my eyes as I bit my lip, trying desperately not to make a sound. My attempts failed as I let out a choked sob, quickly wrapping my arms securely around Jenna. My head fell to the crook of her neck and I could feel my emotions wracking my body, producing tremors. Jenna tightened her grip once more, placing her chin against my shoulder, her own tears dripping onto my shirt and soaking the skin underneath. But even though we found ourselves both in vulnerable positions, I found some form of comfort knowing I didn’t have to suffer without a friend. The rearing feeling of guilt in the thought of finding even a sliver of relief became a piercing stab planting itself deeply in my gut. Even with the pain of it, I couldn’t quench the small relief I was feeling.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

I felt her nimble fingers at the nape of my neck, gently using her nails to absent mindedly brush the hair there, “Don’t apologize. And I know it’s not what you want to hear, but your dad is right. I know this is hard, especially after losing your mom only two years ago. But besides that, Lacey needs you. For the time being, there is no cure. So, try to just think about the now. Love her and be with her before you have the chance to regret it.”

I pulled back from her, staring at her soft features, “How did you-?”

“I was on the floor longer than you think. I just didn’t want to make things awkward.” Her eyes were red from crying, but her lopsided grin was still bright and full of life.

I couldn’t help the small laugh that slipped past my barely upturned lips. Using the heel of my palms I wiped away the evidence of my tears. Jenna was still smiling at me when I looked fully at her for what seemed like the first time since she made herself known. I took a deep breath before releasing it, calming my body and easing my thoughts.

“I hate to admit it, but the old man and you are right. I need to focus my time and energy on being happy with Lacey.” I casually turned to stand next to Jenna rather than in front of her. With a quick swing of my arm, I wrapped her shoulders in a half hug and locked her to my side, “What say you, we take Lacey around the festival? We can buy her something sparkly, eat good food, play some games? Who knows? Maybe pulls some pranks on unsuspecting pedestrians?”

Jenna laughed and wrapped her own arm behind me to grip my shoulder, “Now that sounds like a good party! Let’s get to it!”

Letting go of each other, we made our way to the front of the tent where we found Lacey finishing up a sale and father standing behind her, beaming with pride. He must have heard us approaching because he turned his head slightly and smiled wider, “Michael! Finally finished that box, huh? And how are you today, Jenna?”

“Doing great, Mr. James! You’ve certainly out done yourself with all these beautiful dream catchers!” She gave him a quick hug before looking pointedly at all the dream catchers hanging from the makeshift rafters, he had rigged them up with some old wire fencing.

“Thank you kindly, kiddo! Remember, you’re always more than welcome to help yourself to your favorite!”

“Maybe later, dad. We were hoping we could take Lacey around to look at some of the vendors before tonight. You know, before the crowds really set in.”

His eyes widened a bit before a soft smile fell upon his face, “I think that’s a great idea.”

I returned his smile and gave a quick nod before approaching Lacey.

“Thank you, ma’am! Please enjoy the festival!”

A small click could be heard as Lacey shut the small money box located under a small table covered with a lavender tablecloth. I stepped forward into her peripheral vision and she turned quickly to look at me with that smile that looked so much like our mother’s.

“Michael! Did you see? I made my first sale!”

“I saw, and by the looks of the wad of cash you stuffed into the box, it was a good one.”

“She bought three of dad’s catchers! Three!”

I beamed at her, but the tightness in my chest was beginning to ebb its way back into me. How many more sales will she get to make? I shut my eyes and took a quick breath to shake the negative feelings away. This isn’t about that. Not now.

“How about Jenna and I take you to look around? You know, to celebrate.”

The expression that seemed to take over her entire body made a warm, gentle feeling spread over me, like a cozy blanket on a cold night. Or the first sip of hot chocolate while watching the snowfall. However, it was gone as quickly as it came. The realization that once Lacey is gone, I’ll never get to witness that adorable face she makes when she’s excited ever again. It will be gone, along with everything else I love about her.

“Michael! Are you ready or what?” Jenna’s voice called me back to reality and I realized they were already standing outside of the tent, staring quizzically at me.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” I tried to keep my voice from shaking, the looks on their faces letting me know that even if the tremor in my voice was there, it went unnoticed by the two girls.

As I moved to leave, father’s voice called me, “Son!” Before I could turn to look at him, I felt strong arms around my shoulders, “Thank you. And be careful out there.”

The look in his eyes caught my attention as we pulled away and forced an uncomfortable wave of confusion into my heart. Be careful? It’s the Festival of Worship. Why does he look sad? Shouldn’t he be happy? Why does this feel like he knows something? No. I took notice of a flash of knowing scatter through his vibrant blue eyes. I found myself skeptically narrowing my own at him. No. He does know something.

“Right. We’ll be back before sunset.” I spoke slowly, trying to gage his reaction.

He just smiled and it was as if the tension had suddenly burst into thin air. As if the moment had never happened, “No need to rush! You know the festival is always so beautiful at night! I’ll be fine running the booth on my own! Go on! Enjoy yourselves!”

My brows furrowed in confusion, but I didn’t want to worry Jenna and Lacey with, well, whatever that was.

“R-Right. Thanks, dad. We’ll be careful.”

I began walking swiftly towards the waiting girls, when his voice reached my ears once more. It sounded like a warning. My step faltered and I turned to ask what he had said, but his back was to me as he headed towards the back. A suffocating sensation gripped my throat. What the heck was that about? Deciding to ask about it later, I continued towards the girls, covering my mouth slightly with a fist as I uneasily cleared my throat. But even so, I couldn’t shake the feeling that was keeping me from nearly gasping for air. Get your answers later, I told myself determinedly, you need to focus on having a good time with Lacey and Jenna. That is your only concern. Don’t let your emotions take over.

As we began walking, a thought clicked into my head that cause me to groan involuntarily. This is what a façade is. Ugh! I’m such a liar. I ended the thought with a defeated sigh and looked up to the girls just in time, as Lacey grabbed Jenna’s hand and made a ninety degree turn towards a booth selling crystal pendants and figurines. I smiled slightly, happy to see her having a good time, happy that they didn’t notice my little self-berating episode.

“Michael! Look! This one looks like Sprinkles!” Lacey squealed, raising a small red cat figurine.

The cut of it had rather large ears and the tail was carved to be straight up with a small curve added to the tip of it. Running down the figurines back was a lighter stripe, almost orange. To top it off, a pair of tiny sapphires glinted slightly in the light, giving the crystal a pair of magnificent blue eyes.

My eyes were fixated on the tiny cobalt stones as I smiled, remembering our old cat that was inappropriately named Sprinkles. Lacey had picked the name. I still remember her explanation, “I love sprinkles! And I love this kitty!” But, even with the sweet name, that cat was the worst. Lacey was constantly covered in scratches and father couldn’t come within a few feet of the little monster without getting his ankles bit. Mother was allergic to him, so she stayed away from him. Surprisingly enough, that cat never really bothered me. He wasn’t exactly what I would have called friendly, but he would curl up next to me on the couch and nap. Never touching me, but always close. We more had an indifferent relationship. He minded his space, I minded mine.

“That cat was the worst!” Jenna laughed, speaking my thoughts.

“Aw, come on! He was just grumpy because he was old! Remember your grandpa? He was grumpy, too!” Lacey defended despite the laugh beginning to slip from her lips.

“Lacey, Lacey, Lacey.” Jenna smiled with a slow shake of her head, “Gramps was grumpy for a totally reason. Trust me. Living with Gram was no easy feat.”

At that, the laugh Lacey was trying to hold back erupted full force and the two of them practically fell into each other as the laughter consumed them. I chuckled slightly at the two before turning to the owner, “She’ll take it.”

After paying for the Sprinkles look-a-like, we continued through the streets. Vendors were lined up for about a mile on either side of main street. Behind the tents and booths, various sizes of brick buildings stood. Some stood tall, having recently been reinforced, while others had large cracks and faded color. Most of the buildings were erected with red bricks of varying shades, most of them housing units for the towns people. Any shop buildings or warehouses were built with concrete. The separation in color helped tourists know which buildings were public and which were private.

We continued to walk down the road. Typical asphalt, like most places. It used to be cobblestone, but times change, and the people decided they wanted to keep up with the times as best we could. Not that our tiny town is exactly modern. More like an old, forgotten city that someone took pity on and decided to try to care for it. The sidewalks in Spero were wider than what is normally found. The people here like to walk to their destination, and with the added width, what I assumed to be about double what most are, the festival is made the much easier. The vendors have plenty of room to stay on the sidewalk to stay off the road which leaves plenty of room for both pedestrians and the occasional vehicle.

The longer we walked and the more places we stopped; I couldn’t help but take in all the decorations. Lavenders, violets and indigos. A lot of blues and teals. But most appealing to me, were the little accents of gold and maroon. Some tents even had yellow curtains or streamers hanging down the sides of their set up. Above the tents were strings of lights. Some had more than others and some had decided against the lights and gone for hanging lines of decorative jewels surrounded by gold. The reflection of the sun on the metals and gems tricked the eye into believing it was glowing, even in the light of day. Come nightfall, they would reflect the lights of the other vendors and the entire town will glow as if fairies and mythical creatures lived here.

I had been so lost in thought I hadn’t realized we were already standing back in front of father’s booth. Lacey and Jenna were talking excitedly about everything we had seen and already planning their trip back through when the sun finally went down. Wait a minute. The sun. I finally got myself up to my thoughts and looked up. I felt my eyes widen and my heart skip a beat. What?

“Michael, what’s wrong?” Lacey asked, cutting off her conversation when she noticed me staring towards the sky.

“The sun.”

She and Jenna shared a worried glance, “What about it?”

My body froze in place as my eyes desperately snapped back and forth, up and down. Looking. Searching. What happened? The longer I stared, the more rigid I became.

“This isn’t possible.”

The words leaving my lips seemed so far off, like some one else had been the one to speak it.

“Michael! What’s wrong?” Jenna spoke forcefully. Not angry, no. She was scared. I was scaring her.

But I couldn’t help it. I was losing my grip on reality. This can’t be happening! This can’t be real! It’s not possible! I have to do something! I have to say something! Why can’t I move? Panic began to set in as my body gave in completely to the terror I was feeling. My limbs felt like anchors and my chest was constricting painfully. It was getting worse. It was becoming unbearably tight. Like someone had placed a vice around my chest and was just waiting for it to get tight enough to pop my body like a grape.

Lacey and Jenna were at my side now. Lacey pulling desperately on my sleeve, begging me to answer her. Jenna was in front of me, snapping her fingers in front of me, shouting at me, even go as far as to slap me across the face. They screamed and sobbed, begging and hollering. The commotion caused father to come rushing from the back of the booth. His expression turned, dark, hard.

“Get away from him!” He bellowed, taking one girl in each arm and pulling them away from me and back into the booth.

“But dad! What’s happening? Why isn’t Michael responding?” Lacey cried.

Before he could answer, a solid force slammed directly into my chest. The might of it must have knocked my body from whatever hold it was previously under, though not for long. I felt a hand grab my right wrist tightly, at the same moment I felt an arm from the same side wrap securely around my waist. I another foreign hand grasped my left hand, intertwining their fingers with mine. A shiver of disgust ran down my spine as a fourth hand gripped my jaw, forcing me to look forward. Whatever was holding me pressed itself against my back and I went stiff once more.

“People of Spero!” It was a she. Definitely a woman. Her voice was sharp, it cut right through me and my body jolted in fear. The arm around my waist tightened at my involuntary movement, but she continued, “Your angel has arrived!”

The ice in my blood quickly shifted to fire. Angel? What angel has four arms and attacks a human? Angel my foot! You’re nothing but a disgusting demon! I was suddenly able to move again, though not for long as I was spun around to face the thing holding me. She used my right arm to pull me closer to her, the arm around my waist moving to grip my neck. Not tight enough to cut off air, but enough to do so in the blink of an eye if she needed. I sucked in a sharp breath nervously.

“You, insolent little boy! Insulting the very being that currently holds your life in her hands is a fool’s move, child!” She hissed, baring sharp, incredibly white teeth.

I swallowed hard. She heard me! How?

A flash of amusement crossed her face before she narrowed her gamboge eyes at me once more, “And for further education, child, an angel, is not a being.” She spoke from further back in her throat now. A sound that reverberated up and down my spine with each word, a low husky drawl that was clearly a thing of nightmares, “Angel means messenger. And I am yours.”

[impandagrl]

I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In

Meeting a sweet, attractive, customer at work is an innocent enough coincidence. What could go wrong?

Home Is Wherever I'm With You - Part 1

This story starts off a little sweet and tame, but builds. I wouldn't call it a slow burn, but it might take a few chapters to get the feel for this fic. This is just where the story started, bear with me. If you'd like a list of known future tags/warnings, shoot me a message because they contain spoilers.

If you'd like to be tagged in subsequent chapters let me know. I have six chapters written so far, I'll be uploading them on a random as-I-have-time/energy-basis.

I would not have been able to write this story without guidance and encouragement from my wonderful, infinitely talented, and long-suffering betas @justawaywardwinchestergirl and Edge_of_Clairvoyance

I've tagged a few people who showed specific interest in the one thing I posted like a year ago; I have no idea if this is something you'd like, so I won't bother you with any other tags in the following chapters unless you let me know you want to be tagged.

This is my first A/B/O fic. I never thought I would be attempting this, but the story has been building in my head the last several months. It is just a story I wrote for myself. I wouldn't say it's traditional anything, although there is smut in later chapters. I do my best to separate the smut from the story so those who want to skip those scenes can do so without it interfering with following the plot. Or, I guess if you only want to read the smut with minimal plot, it would work for that too . . .

Warnings: A/B/O dynamics, Meet cute, Fluff, Possibly triggering if you've worked customer service, Mild Hurt/Comfort

“One large americano with a vanilla scone…” the customer in question came to retrieve their order, barely sparing her a glance. Well, they hadn't yelled at her, or tried to hit on her; she was going to call that interaction a win. She was still trying to shake off her encounter with one particular alpha earlier, whose deodorant had been overpowered by the sour tang of his ill-temper - the scent of which was still lingering in the air.

Her migraine was starting to flare up again and she still had several hours to go before this nightmare of a shift was over. She saw yet another customer approach out of the corner of her eye and mustered up the brightest smile she could before turning to face them. It wasn't their fault she was exhausted and in pain, or that she'd had to deal with a string of rude customers.

“Good afternoon! What can I get you?” her heart stuttered, but she was pleased to note she kept her voice and facial expression steady. He had to be one of the most beautiful people she'd ever seen. He had a smile for her as well and she braced herself against the counter, taking a moment to catch her breath under the force of it, combined with dazzling hazel eyes, gorgeous hair, and the perfect amount of scruff.

“Thank you, I'd like a medium black coffee. For here, please.”

“Coming right up! Would you like to try a quinoa muffin? The cranberry orange is delicious . . .”

His expression turned thoughtful and she found it almost as adorable as his smile. “Sure, why not? Thank you,”

“May I have your name for the order?” She waited expectantly.

“It's Sam.”

“That'll be $3.83, Sam.”

He gave her a five and declined the change.

She was granted another smile and a thanks when she presented him with his order a couple of minutes later and he took it to sit alone at one of the tables, grabbing two cream packets on his way over. In between helping other customers, she caught a glimpse of him reading from a worn, hardback book, taking careful sips of his coffee, but she didn't see him leave.

That cute guy with the nice smile stuck with her as a bright spot in her otherwise dreary day, but she didn't think much else about it.

Next week her Thursday shift was going a bit better, but that didn't mean she didn't get a thrill when she saw chestnut brown hair and twinkling eyes over the shoulder of the customer she was currently serving.

“Well, hello, Sam! What can I get you today?”

She was rewarded with a grin like pure sunshine, and she was surprised to note his eyes seemed more blue this time. “A medium black coffee, please. And, that quinoa muffin was delicious, did you say they come in other flavors?”

“Let's see, besides the cranberry orange, we have blueberry lemon, cinnamon apple, and coffee nut.”

“I think I'll try the apple - for here, please,”

She was heating up his muffin when he cleared his throat behind her. She turned to see a bashful smile. Gah, did he possess any facial expressions not specifically designed to steal her breath away?

“You know my name, but I don't have yours . . .”

“Oh,” She reflexively reached down to fix her nametag. The darn thing was always getting twisted around until it was unreadable. “Y/N, sorry about that.”

“No worries, just be glad I wasn't with the name tag police, I would've had to write you up,” the sarcastic humor on his face made it difficult for her to rein in her laughter to a polite chuckle.

She handed him his order and he looked - adorably - chagrined, “Sorry, that was terrible. I'm ashamed.”

“Not at all!” He gave her a reproving look that, even in jest, left her weak-kneed, “well, maybe a little, but there's no need to apologize: it *was* funny,”

“You're too kind. I'll see you next time, Y/N,”

Next time!? She would not say no to seeing him again, but did that mean he was specifically looking forward to seeing her again? Was this going to be a regular Thursday thing? She wouldn't say no to that either. She felt a fluttering in her stomach causing her to muse ‘uh oh, Y/N, I think you're in trouble. . .’

She couldn't believe she'd let her hopes get up so high, but she didn't even want to admit to herself how disappointed she was when the next Thursday came and went without any sign of her favorite customer.

The following Monday was hellish, and she could have sworn her week just went downhill from there. She couldn't help waking up a little hopeful that Thursday that Sam would make an appearance. She could use a pick me up.

Those good thoughts were driven from her head the moment she walked through the door. Her manager, Terri, was there freaking out because the GM had popped in for a surprise visit. The manager started in on her, insisting that she was late, even though she'd definitely arrived two minutes early. Terri then followed her around as she set up the store to open, criticizing every move she made. “Is it so hard to just use common sense?”

She swore she was going to end up punching her manager, or yelling back before the day was done, and she could not afford to be fired.

Then her coworker showed up (late, as usual, but of course Terri had nothing to say about that) and proceeded to spend most of the morning whining about personal stuff and avoiding doing any work, instead of actually pitching in to help her.

Of course the morning rush was brutal and didn't even slow down enough she could take a lunch break. Finally, a customer who had clearly asked for an iced mocha, went ballistic because, “I ordered a hot mocha! It's freezing in here, why would I want it iced? Are you deaf, or just too stupid to understand the difference between hot and cold?”

Terri swooped in, “I'm so sorry for the mix up! We'll definitely make it right, your hot mocha will be on the house! I'll make it myself; it'll be out right away.”

Y/N didn't hear any more, because she was heading for the restroom trying to keep her head up and hold back the tears until she reached her refuge. Damn it! The ladies room was locked. Not only would she have to wait, but whoever was in there would be able to see she was on the verge of crying when they passed her coming out. She turned, not sure where to go, and ran into a solid chest.

Two hands loosely gripped her upper arms and held her carefully as she caught her balance and looked up into Sam's face. His expression was full of concern (Yep, still too beautiful for words for those keeping score at home) and he didn't make a move to let go for a moment. “Hey, are you okay?”

She'd had such a suck-fest of a day, and he felt like safety, and care, and . . . home.  She nodded and then, ridiculously, the dam broke and she just burst into tears. He held her closer to him and shifted one of his arms so it was supporting her back. Within a couple minutes, she became aware that she was sobbing in a customer’s arms and, out of sheer mortification, forced herself to regain control, managing to mostly stop the tears. “Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!”

“You don't have to apologize.”

“That was so unprofessional . . . And I got your shirt wet,” she pointed to the damp patch in the middle of Sam's shirt, horrified.

“Honestly, it's fine, you've obviously had a day.”

She let out a weak chuckle. “You could say that.”

He steadied her and tentatively let go. He reached out a hand as if to touch her face, but pulled back at the last second, so that just the tips of his fingers brushed her cheek, wiping at a tear that was still streaking down it, “Do you have a break or something any time soon?”

She nodded, trying not get lost in his kaleidoscope eyes, “I'm supposed to get fifteen minutes for lunch.”

“Would you see if you can take it now, and join me?”

“I would be interrupting your reading time, I'm afraid . . .”

“You wouldn't be interrupting anything. If you don't feel up to it right now, I completely understand; I won't be offended, but I'd like it if you sat with me.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Sam nodded, “Thank you. I'll meet you in that corner booth?”

“Okay.” they both seemed hesitant to leave, but with a little nod Sam got in line to order, and Y/N went to let Terri know she was taking her lunch break.

Terri gave her a judgemental look meant to make her feel like she was slacking, but even her sour manager couldn't deny she was overdue for her break or legally say anything about it.

It was when she was grabbing her lunch from the break room that she stopped in her tracks as it dawned on her why that feeling of warmth and safety had come over her when Sam had touched her; why she even now felt uncomfortable standing still when he'd instructed her to do something. Her new friend was alpha. She really was in trouble.

But did that really change anything? She'd never met an alpha she felt that comfortable around - that's why it hadn't clicked right away. He was sweet and kind, and thanks to the best suppressants she could afford, she was safe from unwanted advances. And she was in a crowded coffee shop for crying out loud! She deliberated only a second, before heading over to wait at the corner booth.

Sam slid into the other side of the booth a few moments later with his plate and coffee. “I'm afraid you're probably sick of everything here, but I got two of the coffee nut muffins, just in case.”

She gave him a genuine smile, “I'll have one, thank you very much.” She caught a better glimpse of the book he had tucked under his arm. “The Two Towers? Are you a Tolkien fan?”

“Yeah, just rereading it for fun. You?”

She nodded, enthusiastically, “I love them. The movies are great, but they really short-changed several of the characters; there's just no beating the originals.”

“Oh, they butchered Faramir, for one!”

“Seriously! I was so pissed about that! I can watch them now, though. It sorta taught me not to demand perfection of movie adaptations. You have to treat them as separate entities. If you can't, don't bother watching them, you'll just be disappointed.”

“That sounds like good advice.” he chuckled.

“Sorry, I know I get too into that sort of thing.”

“Please, you don't have to apologize! It's refreshing, honestly, I've never been able to talk about Lord of the Rings around my brother.”

“Oh? Because he doesn't approve? Or he has a well-worn copy of the Silmarillion, and speaks Sindarin?”

Sam burst into surprised laughter, “Um, the first one, definitely! Although, I don't know, he's becoming more open about the ‘nerdy’ things he likes these days.”

“That's good. Life's too short to not enjoy the things you love. Are you and your brother close?”

“Yeah. I mean, we lost our mom young, and our dad passed a while back. We're all we've got.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be, he's pretty great. Just don't tell him I said that.”

“I would never!”

“What about you? You close with your family?”

“Um, I used to be. I haven't seen any of them in a while.” She didn't mean to sit awkwardly quiet after that, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

He seemed to read in her face the desire for a subject change, “So do you?

“Do I?”

“Have a well-worn copy of the Silmarillion and speak Sindarin?

It was her turn to laugh, “I always meant to read it, but I could never finish it.”

Their talk moved to other books on their favorites list and they were able to find quite a few that they had in common. Finally, she looked at her watch, “Shoot! I have to go, before Terri has a conniption. Will you be here next week?” The question had slipped out before she could think better of it, but he didn't seem to think it was weird or prying.

“I'm not sure. I travel for work, and I never know when I'm heading out. If I'm in town, I promise I'll stop by.”

She smiled, “Thank you, Sam. Today was going pretty terribly before you got here. Not everyone would do what you did.”

“I'm glad I was there to help. You made my day too, you know? I'll see you next week, hopefully.”

She waved and rushed back behind the counter before Terri could come looking for her. Not even her snippy boss could bring her down the rest of the day. A hot, kind, sweet alpha, that made her feel safe, bought her muffins, whose smile was like the sun coming up, and he was a book nerd? Oh yes, she was in deep trouble.

This way to Part 2

@pinknerdpanda @neversatisfiedgirl @amanda-teaches

[xavierplym]

Babysitting Duties.

Chapter two, part two.

wc; 3.7k

Time to get lit.

“You did what?!” Olive pulls her phone away from her ear as Mel basically screams down the phone. “Olive, wait. Wait, wait, wait.” She rolls her eye as she holds her phone between her shoulder and ear to light a cigarette. “What was I supposed to do?!” The tall girl say abruptly, cigarette hanging between her lips. She continues to listen to her friend ramble on, if she rolled her eyes any more, they’ll do a 360. “Mel, honey. You’re making it out like it’s a bad thing,” she laughs to her friend, walking down the street minutes to their flat. “No, no. It’s not that, it’s just…” her sentence drifts as if she was still thinking, another eye roll from Olive as she takes a drag, she waits for her friend’s response. “The girls are gonna freak. I’m already freaking!” the friend on the other end of the phone groans dramatically and then laughs at herself. Olive cant help but chew the inside of her cheek, “Yeah, that’s true. But it’s not like I’m not going to warn them though!” “To be honest, there’s only one person I’m mainly worried about.” Mel mumbles and chokes back a laugh, Olive only sighs, breathing out the smoke. “Hope.” The friends say in unision.

Not that there was any problem with Hope, Hope was great. But the worry the two friends share is the fact she’s probably going to pass out when Noah walks through the door. You can say she’s a fan.

The two friends laugh over the phone as Olive keeps walking and turns a corner to the street she lives on, getting closer to her flat building, she sees a familiar figure exit a convenient store in the distance past her building. Olive loudly laughs and throws her cigarette, hanging up the phone. Shrugging as she walks closer to the figure, to get a laugh in response. The two friends stop infront of each other in front of their building still laughing. “How the fuck you gonna tell them?” Olive smirks to her friend and raises a brow, “Maybe I won’t?” She then turns to head to the door. “Oh Lord, that’s not a safe idea.” Mel laughs out following her evil thinking friend.

-

The two friends are dancing round their living room, hair wrapped in towels, wine glasses in hand and bodies covered in matching onesies they both bought as a half joke and now always wear whenever they pamper together. Olive moves to the kitchen to top off her glass and check her battery percentage, thinking intensely she looks to her friend who was checking her own phone. “Do I message him?” She says bluntly and causes her friend’s eyes to snap up at her, gulping down her wine. Her friend then smirks and brings her glass to her lips, “I would.”

Olive looks back to her phone, opening Instagram. She accepted Noah’s follow request when she was on the tube and left it at that, not checking her phone since. Once opening Instagram, she checks her notifications and is surprised to see Noah has liked her recent post. Not surprised because it was a cute message for her friend, Molly, wishing her a happy 21st birthday. It was more the fact they were all pretty embarrassing photos of not only Molly, but herself too. The first photo saying enough. A great memory they shared together and was captured at the most perfect time. It was only a couple of months back to Olive’s 21st birthday, everyone dressed in 70s wear and it was them two on the floor, Molly ontop of Olive, faces of shock and laughter, Olive holding her cup in the air and her drink splashing in the air. A bit of a messy photo, but a photo she cherishes the most with that one friend. Smiling to herself, shaking her head to the fact Noah has now seem such states. She heads to his profile and heads to send him a message.

She stares at the blank message box, not knowing what to say. She pulls a face, annoyed her brain is refusing to work. Sighing, she grabs her glass and takes a large gulp of her wine.

Olive (5:36pm): If you’re still down for tonight, meet us at 8 at Vodka Revolutions yasss

She presses send quickly before she backs out and locks her phone straight away, turning back and downing the rest of her wine, hoping that’d stop her nerves getting in the way for no reason. Her eyes shift back to her phone as her screen lights up, “what the fuck,” Mel’s lips go to a small oh shape, in slight shock also. “nahhh, already?” Olive slowly nods and then giggle at their reactions. She lift her phone and reads the message from her lock screen. “Sounds good, girl,” Her eyes shift from her screen to her friend who was watching her without blinking, Olive breathes out a laugh and carries on. “I’ll make sure I’m there 10 minutes early so I can get the first round for you girls,” Olive laughs and shakes her head, “Wink emoji, beer clinking emoji, kiss- fuck!” The two girls laugh and curse out of disbelief. “Reply! Replyyy!” Olive scoffs at her friend and unlocks her phone,

Noah (5:38pm): sounds good girl ill make sure im there 10 minutes early so I get the first round for you girls x

Olive (5:41pm): ooh, what a gentleman Rum and cokes all round x

Noah (5:46pm): my kind of ladies see you honeys later x

She pushes her tongue against her cheek and tosses her phone onto the couch, heading to prepare herself for the antics that will be tonight.

-

Olive hops off the tube, spinning on the platform loudly singing the lyrics to Mr. Brightside. She’s feeling free and comfortable, with her black wash mom jeans and light Hawaiian shirt tied to compliment her waist, rocking with her well-worn converse. Mel shortly gets off after her, following her friend with her flash on her phone filming an obvious snapchat video. Laughing loudly, Mel captures Olive spinning again and slightly tripping over her own foot, causing her to stumble. Olive lets out a loud awkward laugh and moves closer to Mel, pushing up her roundish glasses up her nose, slightly embarrassed. Also, not enjoying the fact she’s needing specs tonight after running out of contacts. You can say the wine has gotten to their heads already.

Running up the stairs on to a busy street of London, they see the location they need to be at to meet the rest of the group they’re with tonight. Entering the bar with ease, they try their hardest to keep straight faces so the bouncers don’t think they’re a pair of lightweights. Olive’s shoulders lightly shake as she quietly laughs and pulls out her phone, checking the time. “ “Okay.” She turns to her friend, who smiles widely when they make eye contact, earning a stifle chuckle from Olive. “It’s seven forty-ish. We’ve literally only have ten minutes to find them and tell them Noah is gonna join u-“ Olive is cut off by the sudden outburst of squeals and laughter. “Yas!” The group of friends speed walk over to each other and happily embrace in a group hug. Olive frees herself to know grab Molly by the shoulders and pulls her into her chest, “Happy birthday, my angel!” Molly laughs, ecstatic. Wrapping her arms tightly around Olive’s waist and sway side to side. “This is crazy! It’s been so long!” Molly pulls away and cups Olive’s face, squeezing her cheeks making the tall girl laugh. “We’re no longer allowed to stay this far apart for this long, all of us!”

The group laugh together and find a booth to settle at, before Olive got distracted by conversation, Mel lightly elbows her side and gives her a look. “Oh yeah,” She mutters to her friend beside her. “How did today go, Olive, man?” Hope quickly adds in, looking eager, causing the tall blonde to laugh. “Yeah about that guys,” The three girls faces drop. “Oh no! it went great! It was amazing, he was great…” “Knew it” Hope’s eyes pretty much go into heart shapes at the thought. “Hmm, yeah he was fab. He asked me after what was fun to do around here, as yknow” Shrugging to Mel, her and Olive nod to one another. “yeah, he’s on his own for a while before he has friend to visit.” Olive grips tighter to the Despirado bottle she bought just before sitting down. Her friends look at her intensely. “Well, yknow I felt bad and didn’t want him to not do anything tonight. So, I uh – haha.” She struggles to get her words out, looking at her friend’s faces. Mollys brows furrow in worry. Beth remains blank where Hope’s expression is just shock. “Yeah, he’s gonna meet us in like,” She pulls her phone out of her bag to see a notification. “Haha, well he’s probably gonna meet us in about 30 seconds as he’s now here apparently.” Hope pretty much chokes on her drink, covering her mouth with her hand where as the other two laugh. “Oh shit, mate!” Beth loudly expresses her words and hits Hope across the arm as she still struggles to catch her breath. Mel puts her head in her hands, not being able to cope with her friends reactions and chuckles, noticing faces turning to the loud girls. Olive can only chug pretty much most of her tequila beer and sighing in amusement. “Honestly guys, act cool for fuck sake. After getting over the fact he’s an actor, you’ll realise he is just someone the same age as us” She chuckles out to her friends who are in other conversations on how to cope. Olive stands up from her chair to head to the bar, in hope to meet Noah before the rest do. To pre warn, of course. As she heads over she turns back to look at her friends and she lowers her hand to silently tell them to chill and they only giggle to themselves and carry on with their conversations. She continues to head to the bar and chugs down the rest of her beer to settle her nerves. Mid-chug, she noticed the tall, messy haired man walk in. Hand running through his hair, looking around looking for a particular person. Not even finishing her drink, she raises her hand to get his attention, locking eyes his smile turns bright with amusement as he’s already seeing her chug down a beer. With the same hand, Olive points over to the bar for him to meet her there. Nodding his head at her with agreement, he makes his way through the growing crowed. Olive sets down her empty bottle on the bar counter and looks in both directions to see where a free bartender would be. A tall figure stands close to Olive, due to the crowd. She adjusts her specs and looks up brightly smiling knowing already who it is. As a bright smile is returned, a hand is placed on her lower back. “I can’t believe you’re chugging beer already, and without me!” He chuckles out his words, loud enough to be heard over the music. The speccy girl rolls her eyes and mockingly laughs, “Believe me, you’re going to want to soon.” He cocks his head and gives her a look in confusion, pushing her to keep talking. She gives an awkwardly funny side smile to him, “My friends are more than excited to meet you, as yknow,” His face goes slightly smug and she presses her lips together, not amused as he doesn’t get what she’s talking about. “I’m just saying!” smacking his shoulder lightly to then have a bartender take your attention away to get your order. As you were about to request, Noah buts in. “Six Rum and cokes, please, buddy!” His voice is raised slightly for the bartender to hear and he gives Noah a nod. Olive turns her head to look at him, brows furrowed with a false shocked expression, he mocks her look but not being able to stop his smile getting wider. “A man who keeps to his word. Such a daydream, you are.” Her voice slightly filled with sarcasm, he shrugs his shoulders and exhales a laughs. “I didn’t get a chance to get the first round, so not exactly keeping to my word,” The bartender returns with a try of six drinks, telling Noah the price. He bring out his wallet from his back pocket and hands him the cash. “But that isn’t my fault you guys aren’t patient enough.” He winks in her direction, grabbing the tray. Not having any free hands, he bumps her side with his hip, “You gotta lead the way.” He smirks down at her as he can tell she’s getting nervous, “I’m sure they’re going to be fine.” He tries to help as they walk to the direction to the booth the girls are at. “Oh, my friends are fine! But Hope is the one to watch out for.” She keeps walking but he stops for a moment, “Wait, what does that mean?!” He dramatically says, she rolls her eyes and turns on her feet to look at him with an amused smile. “She – She just, really loves Peter Kavinsky.” She says with humour and he returns with pushing his tongue to his cheek, raising his brows with confidence.

Getting closer to the booth, all four girls look towards Olive’s direction. Excitement taking over their expressions. Noah lets out a smiley laugh and lifts the tray of drinks, Beth and Mel raises their arms with joy, Molly laughing more and Hope’s face not changing since Noah’s came into view. “Yes, lad!” Beth cheers, standing from her seat as the two get closer. “Ladies! Good to meet you!” Noah can’t help being excited either, enjoying the energy he’s getting from the group. Going between Hope and Molly, he places the tray down onto the table. Hope looks over to Mel and mouths ‘Oh my god.’ Still in shock and trying to remain calm. Olive takes her glasses off briefly to rub the corner of her eyes to hide the laughter to Hope’s reaction. Coughing to grab the groups attention she stands next to Noah, reaching up to wrap an arm over his broad shoulders. “Ladies,” She speaks calmly and confidently, waving her other hand to his direction. “Noah.” He leans back with a chuckle, enjoying her way to introduce everyone, he reaches for a drink and takes a sip looking to the girl next to him. “Noah,” She looks back to him and then back to the girls, “Mel, Beth, Molly,” She then turns her head dramatically to Hope, who’s covering her cheeks with her hands to cover her bright smile. “That’s Hope.” “Oh! You’re Hope? It’s great to meet you, girl.” He sets his drink down and then leans over to bring her into a hug and places a light kiss on her cheek. Hope melts in her seat, “Wow, holy shit.” She couldn’t bring herself to say anything else and Noah’s shoulders shake holding back a laugh and rests his head on her shoulder briefly.

Hugs are passed around, welcoming the new member to the group for tonight and conversation flows between the group, all together as well as small conversations separately. Noah sits there comfortably, enjoying the girls talking amongst themselves as well as to him, getting him involved. “So Noah!” Beth grabs his attention, bringing her glass up to take a sip. “How did our lovely Olive do today for the video?” His expression becomes amused as he looks over to the girl next to him as shes waving her hand and looking away like an embarrassed child, “Beth, stop! You’re worse than my mum, I swear” Beth only shrugs and pouts her lips, not caring and her looks goes back to the hazel eyed man. “Hah, well.” He lingers, causing Olive to snap her head round to look at him, causing him to scoff. “she did great. Of course she did.” All the girls look towards Olive with pride, causing her to place her head between her hands, enjoying the praise. “It was lots of fun, it was great to see him squirm.” She chuckles evilly, Noah rolling his eyes he then nudges her not realising she was taking a gulp of her drink, making her spill her drink slightly onto her lap. “Oh shit! I’m sorry –“ He laughs loudly like the rest of the girls do, whereas Olive sits there acting not amused. “On that note!” Olive exclaims loudly, she washes down whats left in her glass, “I’m gonna get more drinks, because,” She gets up as she speaks and turns facing the group again. “Because, well. I want to get drunk.” She shrugs and scoffs, disappearing into the crowd towards the bar.

Everyone is a little bit intoxicated by now, more stories as well as jokes are being told. Laughing at one another is happening that little bit more as well as pictures and videos being captured of the night. The group are expressing the overdrive of confidence by taking it out on the dancefloor with the rest of the crowd. Singing loudly and badly but not giving a care in the world. Noah comes back from the bar after offering Olive a drink. He gets to the edge of the dance floor for the music to change. I Like It, Cardi B blasts out of the speakers and the groups of girls he has befriended are cheering and changing their dance moves. He breathes out a short laugh watching the sight, not being able to help his eyes falling onto Olive, for a woman he only met eleven hours ago, he couldn’t of enjoyed someone’s presence more already. Even for someone to dance terribly and not care, she did it so well and he couldn’t help for it amusing him. Holding two bottles between fingers, he now using his free hand to get out his phone, he was in temptation to record the moment before him. Mid filming, Olive’s gaze finds him as well as his phone pointing to their direction. Smile getting wider, she points to his direction singing along to the lyrics towards him. “Oh, he’s so handsome, what’s his name?” She shouts towards him, dancing more for the video. He shakes his head, being more entertained and taps on his phone before putting it back in his pocket. Looking back up to her direction he remains still for a moment, causing her to do the same. He suddenly yelps out the lyrics and walks into the middle of the dancefloor, joining his new friends.

-

3:20am and Noah, Olive and Mel are on the tube, dancing around the empty carriage. Incredibly intoxicated at this rate, like the rest of them were. Beth, Hope and Molly called it a night an hour before and decided to head back to the hotel after tight hugs and loving goodbyes.

“KiKi, Do you looove me?!” Noah awfully sings out, making his voice crack while swinging around the pole in the middle of the carriage. “What the fuuuck?” Olive laughs at her sights as she takes another snap of many she’s taken that night. Noah looks towards the girl, with his arm extended so he’s leaning to the side, “Are you ridin’!” Just as he was going to continue, the tube comes to a stop causing his fingers to slip and for him to fall flat onto his back, his arms fall back and he’s just laying there. The two girls, through tearful laughter, quickly rush to him to get him up. “Holy shit – are, are you okay?!” Mel is gasping for breath, not getting over what she just witnessed and Olive is just unable to talk as an inaudible laugh is coming out of her. “Dude, pft.” Noah straightens his posture and puffs out his chest, “I was meant to do that.” Not being able to hold back he joins in on the laughter and throws his shoulder around Olive’s shoulder, for slight support, and exists the tube.

-

Sunrise is starting to come through the buildings of London as the three are sitting out on the small balcony Olive and Mel share. “I’m pooped guys, I can’t hold on any longer.” Mel sadly admits and gets up from her corner, stretching she goes over to olive for a hug and does the same for Noah, expressing how it was a pleasure to meet him. He says the same, returning the hug and she heads inside. The two sit in a comfortable silence for a couple of moments, with the faint sound of music in the background coming from Olive’s phone. Noah leans his head back onto the wall behind him and looks toward the also visibly tired girl. “Tonight was a blast.” She look back at him with a light smile and sleepy eyes. “You don’t need to stay up,” He speaks gently, wanting to sooth her. She only shrugs and stands, he does the same and they’re stood face to face. “We have a very comfortable sofa bed if you want to crash?” She speaks quietly, not having anymore energy – but still filled with humour. He slowly nods, happily accepting the offer, not being able to help his intoxicated mind wonder and take in the details of her face.

Hey. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful angel. Love your imperfections every angle, Tomorrow comes and goes before you know. So I just had to let you know.

Soft lyrics fill the silence, Olive lips form into a smile as Noah stays silent. “Do I have something on my face?” Breaking the moment, he looks down at his feet. Somewhat feeling embarrassed. “I – sorry. Hah, you’re just – You’re just looking really pretty tonight.” Olive is taken back by the sudden compliment and feels her cheeks heat up causing the corners of Noah’s lip to curl upward. Breaking away from the moment, Olive looks through the window into the living room. “Lets go to bed.” Noah, again nods in agreement, cocking his head to the side as he watches her walk back into the flat.

[marvel-queens-world]

So Stupid

Imagine Request for Anonymous

Word Count: 1820

A//N: I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to post again but I’m just getting back into a routine because of work and I’ve been ill this week. I hope that you enjoy this imagine.

You and Sweet Pea had been best friends for a couple of years, which seemed very strange to everyone because you were from the Northside and he was from the Southside so it baffled your friends as to how you two even met let alone became friends.  You had met Sweet Pea when you ran away from home one night after yet another argument with your parents, finally having enough of them you just left with no idea were to go. You could have gone to Betty’s or Archie’s but you knew that their parents would take you home straight away to sort things out so this left you no other option but just to walk the streets. After a while you realised you had walked quite far and ended up lost. You had never been on this side of Riverdale which happened to be the Southside. That’s were you had met Sweet Pea, he just happened to be walking past you whilst you were sat down, crying.

“Lost by any chance?” He asks you.

“Is it that obvious?” You say, wiping your eyes dry

“Just a bit. Listen Princess, you don't want to hanging around here especially as you are from the Northside.

"How do you know I'm from the Northside?"

"I know everyone from this side and I've never seen you around so I know you aren't from him. I can help you get home."

He holds his hand out and you look at it for a minute before finally putting your hand in his. He helps you off the floor before introducing himself.

"I'm Sweet Pea." He says.

"Nice to meet you Sweet Pea. I'm Y/N." You smile.

After helping you find your way back home, he took your number, promising to keep in touch and he kept that promise as two years later you were inseparable, the only thing that kept the two of you apart was school but that was all about to change as Southside High School had been closed which meant all the students from there would be coming to Riverdale High and you were extremely happy about this because it meant that you got to spend more time with your best friend.

The weekend went by rather quickly and Monday morning was soon upon you. As you were getting ready for school, you heard the familiar sound of Sweet Pea's motorcycle. Quickly grabbing your bag, you ran outside to meet him.

"Well hello there. Fancy seeing you here on this amazing day." You smile.

"Someone is very cheerful this morning."

"I get to go to school with my best friend nothing is going to ruin this day even with your grumpy attitude."

"You love my grumpy attitude Princess. Now hop on I don't want to make you late for school or people will think you've come over to the dark side." Sweet Pea says.

You get on the back of his motorcycle, putting on your helmet and holding on to him. The truth was you did love Sweet Pea's grumpy because you loved to make him smile which was most of the time even when he was trying to act all serious. You pushed your feelings aside for him because you knew that there was no chance that Sweet Pea would harbour the same feelings for you, so you would keep denying it to yourself and everyone else around you that you didn't have feelings for Sweet Pea.

When you arrived at the school you noticed that there were a few people looking at you, ignoring them you lead Sweet Pea inside of Riverdale High where you were greeted by Veronica.

"Hey Y/N and this must be Sweet Pea. Nice to meet you."

You looked at Sweet Pea who hadn't really replied but he had this look on his face that you hadn't seen before, you quickly nudge him in the ribs before he can make a fool of himself.

"Hi." He mumbles.

"So since you are new to the school I was wondering would you like a tour of the school? Veronica ask.

"Its fine V I can show Sweet Pea round the school." You say.

"Oh it's no trouble Y/N I'm sure you have something else to do. Come on Sweets."

Before Sweet Pea can say anything she takes him by the arm and drags him away from you, he doesn't even glance back or protest to you, he just lets Veronica take him with her. Great you thought to yourself, you had been so excited about your best friend coming to the same school as you but know it looks like it wasn't such a good idea after all. As the weeks go on you hardly get anytime to speak to Sweet Pea alone as wherever he was Veronica was hanging off his arm and it was starting to annoy you. You had never seen this side to Sweet Pea before, he was always loyal to those who he cared about but then all of a sudden he'd ditched you as soon as Veronica had batted her eyelashes at him. Sweet Pea had stopped picking you up of a morning and taking you home, the texts and calls you use to share were non existence and it killed you inside but you didn't say anything as you didn't want to admit the feelings that you had for him were in fact real and unfortunately it had taken you this long to admit it yourself and it was too late because you had found out from Jughead that Sweet Pea and Veronica were now an item. You were currently standing next to your locker, pretending to look occupied when Betty came and stood next to you.

"So V and SP. Who would have thought that would happen." Betty says.

You don't say anything, it still hurt you inside that your best friend had ditched you for a girl he hardly knew a few weeks ago.

"Hello, earth to Y/N." Betty waves her hand in your face.

"Sorry B I was in a world of my own. What did you say?"

"You miss him don't you?"

"Who?" You ask.

"Don't play dumb with me Y/N. We've been friends for a very long time and I know when something is wrong, so please talk to me."
 "I hate him B. What did I do wrong for him to just ditch me like that?"

"You didn't do anything wrong and don't you get thinking that. Why don't we go to Pop's after school so that we can have a proper talk."

You nod and thank Betty for being there for you. The rest of day seemed to drag, you couldn't wait to finish school so that you could finally talk to Betty and get things off your chest. You had managed to go the whole day without seeing Sweet Pea and Veronica stuck to each others face which just made you want to puke. The final bell rang, you gathered your things and went to your lock where Betty was already waiting for you. After putting your things away the two of you make your way to Pop's. When you enter Pop's, straight away you see Sweet Pea sitting in a booth on his own. He's probably waiting for Veronica, you thought to yourself but you were wrong. You had been at Pop's for at least an hour and there was no sign of Veronica.

"Why don't you go and say something to him Y/N?"

"I don't know Betty. I have no idea what to say to him anymore." You sigh.

"Yes you do so go over there and tell him everything that you have just told me."

Knowing that this was probably the only chance that you were going to get him alone, you make your way over to him.

"May I sit down?"

Sweet Pea looks at you and nods. You slide yourself into the seat opposite him. You notice there is something different about him, he wasn't his normal self and that worried you. Not wanting to sit in silence you decide to break it.

"I thought that Veronica would be meeting you here." You say.

"That's very unlikely seeing as we aren't together anymore." He tells you.

"Oh I'm sorry Pea."

"Don't be I'm the one who ended things." He says finally looking at you.

"I don't understand, you guys seemed happy."

He doesn't say anything, realising it was now or never your finally ask him the question that you've been dying to ask for weeks.

Why did you ditch me Pea?" You ask.

"I didn't mean to Y/N, that was never my intention please believe me when I say this but when you have feelings for someone who doesn't return them its hard so when Veronica showed me that attention I thought it was for the best that I went with her but I was wrong because whenever  I did see you I couldn't shake those feelings away which is why I ended the relationship with her because I just didn't feel the same."

You don't say anything to him, you just stare at him, not believing the words that had left his mouth. Sweet Pea had feelings for you but didn't think you felt the same.

"Y/N, talk to me."

"We've both been stupid Sweets."

"What you talking about?" He asks looking all confused.

"I have feelings for you as well I have from the very first time I saw you but I didn't think that you would ever feel the same way about me."

Sweet Pea gets up and sits next to you, without another word he cups your face and kisses you. It was everything you had imagined and so much more. You couldn't believe that this was happening you finally admitted your feelings and he felt the same, you were so happy that you could cry. Sweet Pea pulls away and rests his forehead on yours and smiles.

"I can't believe how stupid we have been." He laughs. "Everyone kept telling me to just admit everything to you I just didn't listen to them."

"Maybe we should listen to our friends more and just grow a pair instead of being a scaredy cat." You smile.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about what I did. Can you forgive me?"

You grab the collar of his shirt and kiss him.

"Does that answer your question?" You ask.

"It sure does Princess. So will you be my girl?"

"Yeah of course I will Pea." You smile.

You spend the rest of the night in Pop's, catching up on what had happened since you last spoke, stealing kisses every now and again. You were so happy, not only did you have Sweet Pea as your boyfriend but you had your best friend back which made everything that little bit better.