#moped-style seat

[entertainment-and-you]

Lyric Graffiti X: The Future of Urban Commuting

In a recent showcase, the Lyric Graffiti X has been introduced as the latest innovation in electric bikes, promising to revolutionize urban commuting. This high-performance e-bike boasts a robust 6061 aluminum frame and is equipped with 16-inch moto rims, CST dual sport moto tires, and a moto tube for enhanced durability and performance. The bike features the Mura MT5 four-piston hydraulic disc…

[fredwkong]

Dr. Li, Hypnotherapist

Austin couldn’t see any other solutions than booking a session with the hypnotherapist. He knew that he’d been moping for weeks, so when his friend finally snapped and told him to get some help, Austin had taken the referral and gotten on Dr. Li’s waiting list.

His thirtieth birthday a few years ago had been a bit of a wake-up call for Austin. Years of overwork and poor diet were slowly reversing as he took better care of his body, and for the first time, he felt proud of his looks. He knew he had a long way to go, but he was hoping to attain proper hunk status before he turned forty. He knew that he gave off the impression of being a clean-cut, intelligent guy with a pretty classic sense of style and, he hoped, a charming personality.

And yet, well, that hadn’t been enough to save his relationship.

Thankfully, the referral from his friend fast-tracked Austin up the waiting list, and a week or so later he scheduled his first appointment with Dr. Li and showed up at the low-key office just outside the financial district.

Sitting in the waiting room, listening to the burble of the little rock fountain in the corner, Austin found himself suddenly overwhelmed with second thoughts. He didn’t have real problems, after all. He was just being a baby about the breakdown of a 4-year relationship. Surely someone else could use this time better than him. Plus, what if he couldn’t do it? What if the hypnotherapy didn’t work for him? Dr. Li’s reviews were fantastic, but everyone underreported their failed clients.

Just as Austin was about to stand up and leave, the door of Dr. Li’s office opened to let out a cute young man with a blissful smile on his face. The guy blinked owlishly at Austin for a moment, his eyelids fluttering slightly, then he licked his lips lasciviously and drifted out the door.

A smooth, resonant, eminently masculine voice came from inside the office. “Forgive Terry,” it said, “he prefers to remain in trance for a few hours after our sessions. Please come in, Austin.”

Nervously, Austin stepped through the door to find a well-built Chinese man in a suit lounging in a comfortable armchair. Across from him in the office sat a long couch. It looked perfect for lying down on. The man, Dr. Li, had a few grey streaks at his temples, but still filled out his suit like a much younger man might. As Austin came in, he stood up, putting aside a small notebook that he had been writing in.

“Welcome to your first session, Austin,” said Dr. Li in that smooth, rich voice, giving him a firm handshake. “Please have a seat on the couch and make yourself comfortable. Would you like anything to drink?”

Once the two of them were settled—Austin took a glass of water, while Dr. Li refilled a thermos of herbal tea—the hypnotherapist continued, “My job is to help you achieve your full potential and free your deepest desires. To do that, I will most likely put you into a trance to unlock your unconscious wishes and help your brain make important changes. But first, let’s just have a conversation. Tell me about yourself, Austin. What brought you into my office today?”

With cues from Dr. Li, delivered in his calm, almost musical voice, Austin found the story spilled out easily. His attempts at self-improvement had been dismissed by his boyfriend, then actively sabotaged as his boyfriend worried that Austin improving might cause him to move on. Finally, Austin had kicked him out, and then gone into a spiral of self-hatred that resulted in his friend recommending Dr. Li’s unique methods for achieving goals and moving past trauma.

As the conversation continued, Austin found that he spoke less and less as Dr. Li spoke more, voicing gentle encouragement and affirmations that seemed to resonate inside Austin’s head, crowding out distractions and thoughts. Austin’s eyelids fluttered as a tingling feeling washed over his body. He just felt…so relaxed. He should just listen to Dr. Li’s voice and sink deeper into this sensation. He should lie down on the couch. He should…

Sleep.

…

Wake up.

Austin’s eyes blinked open. He felt calm, refreshed, alert. He felt better than he had in a long time. I looked over at Dr. Li, struggling to keep his eyes from falling closed.

“Very good, Austin,” said the hypnotist, his voice causing a tingle of pleasure through Austin’s body. “You’re a natural at this.”

“I…am?” Austin’s voice came out fuzzy, surprising him. He felt so awake, but he couldn’t seem to think through anything. He just had to trust Dr. Li.

“Yes, you’re a very good subject.” Austin felt another tingle of pleasure. It felt good to be praised. “You told me some of your unconscious desires, and I think you have a lot of potential for us to unlock together. But to do that, we have to get you into an even deeper trance.”

Austin drifted for a moment before he felt the response bubble to the top of his mind. “Okay.”

“Very good.” Another twinge. “In that case, it’s time to sleep.”

…

“Fully awake now.”

Austin came awake with a deep breath. He lay in the feeling for a moment, savouring the deep calm in his body. Looking at his watch, he could see that over an hour had passed, but his memories past the first few minutes were hazy. He knew that Dr. Li had taken good care of him and should always be trusted.

“How do you feel, Austin?” Dr. Li asked, writing in his notebook. Austin thought he could see a dark spot in the crotch of the hypnotist’s slacks, as if he had been precumming while Austin was under, but Dr. Li was trustworthy and would tell him what he needed to know.

“I feel good.” There was just one thing bothering him: he couldn’t seem to get comfortable in his polo shirt. He fidgeted, pulling at it, but then he realised: it felt good to show off. He unbuttoned the neck buttons to reveal the top of his hairy pecs and immediately felt better. “What did we talk about?”

“It was a wide-ranging conversation,” Dr. Li replied. “Of course, you know I will tell you anything important that happens while you are in trance.”

Austin nodded.

“We discussed some of your unconscious desires, and I began to implement a few triggers to help you unlock your true self. Would you like me to explain them to you?”

Austin thought about it. It didn’t seem too important to spend a long time talking about the specific triggers, since Dr. Li was so trustworthy. “Nah, I kind of want to be surprised,” he said.

“I thought you might be.” Dr. Li smiled, looking up from his notebook. “One of your unconscious desires is to be externally controlled while you’re along for the ride. I think that hypnotherapy will be a very good fit for you.”

Austin couldn’t help but agree. It felt good to have someone else at the wheel. There was something about listening to Dr. Li’s gentle, deep voice that made Austin certain that Dr. Li had his best interests at heart.

After scheduling weekly sessions with Dr. Li, Austin left the office and started driving home. But on the way, he had the sudden thought that he should go to the gym. Usually, he preferred morning workouts, but he figured that an afternoon session couldn’t hurt. However, he hadn’t thought to pack gym clothes when he headed out of the house earlier.

While Austin pondered what to do about his lack of gym clothes, he pulled into the parking lot of his gym. As he engaged the parking brake, he turned to see a set of neatly folded gym clothes, and a new pair of runners, sitting in the passenger seat. The instant he looked at them, he suddenly remembered Dr. Li handing him the clothes while he was entranced. He had carried them out to the car and placed them neatly in the passenger seat without even realising what he was doing.

He felt his cock starting to harden in his boxers. Being unaware of his actions was hot. Going to the gym was probably something Dr. Li had told him to do, as well. Austin grabbed the clothes and jumped out of his car, pumped to get into the gym.

In the locker room, though, he felt momentarily confused. Usually, he wore knee-length shorts and a loose T-shirt in the gym, but the clothes Dr. Li had given him were a pair of short-shorts and a tight-fitting tank top that stretched over his thick torso. He felt a bit self-conscious looking in the mirror, but then he remembered it felt good to show off. The judgment of the skinny bros at the gym didn’t matter, because he was going to show off just for him.

The workout felt incredibly good. Austin was totally focussed on lifting while he was in the weight room. No other thoughts entered his head except for setting up his next workout and getting his form perfect. He even jumped on the elliptical, because good cardio is just as important as a good pump. After a couple of hours went by in a blur, Austin found himself walking out the gym’s front door, pumped, sweaty, and full of a pleasurable thrilled sensation.

Later that night, Austin was maintaining his Animal Crossing island when he was overcome with a need to email Dr. Li. Putting the game aside, Austin grabbed his phone and composed an email:

Doctor, I had a great workout today. I got a good baseline knowledge of my strength and endurance for my future sessions. Thank you very much for the new clothes, it felt good to show off my body in more revealing clothes. Austin

Sending the email, Austin watched the screen for a minute without moving until he heard the ping of an incoming email with Dr. Li’s reply:

Good boy.

Austin’s eyes rolled back as he felt a wave of pleasure through his whole body. It felt good to be praised.

For the next week, Austin went to the gym almost every day before work. Without his conscious control, his body implemented a push/pull/legs split, and after three days in the gym, he would find himself without the urge to work out for a day. Instead, he went shopping for new gym clothes because it felt good to show off and his old clothes just didn’t show off his body as much as he wanted. While he was out, he also bought a few new button-up shirts that he thought would show off his chest.

Each night, Austin emailed Dr. Li in the same thread and received a short reply from the hypnotist. Usually, it was some variation of “Good boy,” which made Austin feel wonderful because of how good it felt to be praised. Austin remarked in one email that he had gone out with friends and had two portions at dessert before going out to drink, which he felt badly about. Dr. Li replied, “Do you want to talk about cravings and portion control at our next session?” Austin thought about it, but he trusted Dr. Li to have his best interests at heart, so he replied, “Yes.”

Dr Li’s answer to that was, “Good boy.”

Finally, Austin’s next hypnotherapy session arrived. As he sat down on the couch, he could already feel the urge to fall into a trance again. It would be so easy to follow Dr. Li’s commands and sleep.

…

Wake up.

This time, Austin had no memory of time passing while he was entranced. He was lying on the couch again, and Dr. Li smiled at him as he sat up. “That was a very good session, Austin,” he said, his smooth voice strangely rough. “You fell into trance almost before you sat down.”

Austin nodded. “I was really excited to be hypnotised again, Doctor,” he said. The word “doctor” felt strange on his tongue for some reason. It was Dr. Li’s title, but Dr. Li deserved Austin’s complete respect at all times, and “doctor” just wasn’t enough.

Dr. Li smiled, seemingly at Austin’s discomfort, but that couldn’t be true, because Dr. Li had Austin’s best interests at heart. “You noticed some significant lifestyle changes last week, and you will probably continue to find things changing this week.”

“Yeah, I’m really excited,” Austin paused, feeling a word on the tip of his tongue, and then said, “Sir.” That felt right. When he called Dr. Li “Sir,” Austin felt that tingle of pleasure in his body, the knowledge that he had done something correctly.

Dr. Li’s smile widened. “Good boy,” he said in a low voice.

Austin shuddered. It felt good to be praised. “Thank you, Sir.”

In the waiting room, Austin nodded to another one of Dr. Li’s clients, a sullen young guy in a tracksuit who slouched into the hypnotherapist’s office. As they passed each other, Austin watched the guy’s face slacken, falling into trance before he passed the threshold of the office.

Austin went to the workout he felt the need to complete, but when he sat back down in his car, winded, sweaty and red-faced in his compression gear from a hard sprint at the end of his run, he still felt the need to run another errand. After a moment, the thought came to him: he had to go get his food prep at the grocery store. Feeling pleased that Dr. Li had responded to his concerns about his eating habits, Austin pulled out of the parking lot.

Usually, Austin had trouble resisting the allure of buying a fresh muffin or some other sweets while he was grocery shopping, but today the thought of sugary food repelled him. Instead, he found himself drawn to the spice aisle, where he grabbed soy sauce and a selection of various spices he’d never tried before. His mouth watered at the thought of all the vegetables and lean meat he’d be seasoning for his meal prep.

While meal prepping that night, Austin slowly came to the realisation that Dr. Li had apparently replaced Austin’s sweet tooth with a craving for intense spices. The aroma of his cooking had him choking slightly, but he was excited to get used to his new diet. And instead of craving a beer after dinner, Austin found himself sitting down on the couch with Pornhub loaded and an insistent erection in his new yoga pants. Getting off was the best way to get over his breakup, he thought, and started to browse.

While he was watching a video of a jock getting dropped into trance by the school psychologist, Austin realised that he needed to email Dr. Li. Still jacking off with one hand, he grabbed his phone off the coffee table and typed one-handed:

Sir, My workout went well. I hit a new deadlift PR. I’m going to measure myself tomorrow to update you on the size of my muscles. Grocery shopping and meal prep went very well, and I appreciate my new substitute cravings. Austin

When Dr. Li replied, “Very good, you’re making great progress,” Austin came hard. It felt so good to be praised.

Over the next months, Austin’s life continued to get better and better with Dr. Li’s help. Every time he slept and woke up, Austin felt like he was becoming more and more the person he was always meant to be. He was making great progress at the gym and improving his body composition, he loved to show off, and he felt more able to have fun with his friends than ever before.

One night, about a month into working with Dr. Li, Austin was feeling really good about his body. Almost his whole wardrobe had been replaced, his old gym clothes with shorter cuts and compression fabrics, and his work clothes with tailored pieces that hugged his growing body. Halfway through his evening jerk, all Austin could think about was how much he wanted people to see his sexy body. He ripped open his shirt and took a picture looking up his furry abs to his big pecs. He was so happy he’d decided to stop shaving.

He included it in his email to Dr. Li. His body was at least half the result of Dr. Li’s incredible hypnotherapy, so he figured the Doctor deserved to see the fruits of his labour.

It was only when Dr. Li replied, “Are you thinking of posting that online? I think it might be a good idea,” that Austin realised just how much he wanted people to see his sexy body. He stayed up a little late to set up several accounts on different sites where he could show off.

A few days later, Austin’s ex messaged him, but Austin blocked him. Before starting with Dr. Li, he would have been overjoyed to hear from the guy again, but he was too good to be the property of just one man. Most days that he worked out, Austin brought home a guy from the gym to help him satisfy his need to get off. On off days, he might have a few friends over, especially the guy who had referred him to Dr. Li.

Sleep.

…

Wake up.

Austin was a bit surprised when he woke up in a moving car. He was really good at going into trance these days. When he went for his sessions with Dr. Li, he would go into trance while sitting in the waiting room and not wake up until halfway through his workout afterward.

He was sitting in the middle aisle of a minivan. In the seat beside him was his friend, Dr. Li’s other client, while in the back seat sat Terry, the cute twink from Austin’s first session, the sullen guy who had his sessions after Austin’s, and some huge bodybuilder guy in a stringer tank, probably another client.

Dr. Li turned around from his seat in the front. Beside him in the driver’s seat was a big, muscular man. “Good afternoon, boys,” he said, his smooth voice washing over all of them like a wave. “Thank you for agreeing to accompany me today.”

That was right, Austin thought. He would do whatever Dr. Li requested. It didn’t matter if he didn’t remember, Dr. Li wouldn’t have done anything without confirming that Austin wanted to do it.

The van pulled up and parked somewhere. Looking out the window, Austin could see they were in a different city. A few men walked past the van, all in various states of undress, most of them wearing some kind of gear. Austin knew that he wanted people to see his sexy body, because it felt good to show off, but he wasn’t really much of a gearhead. Why should he cover up his body with something like leather when he could just undress and show off his hairy muscles?

Dr. Li looked around at all of them. The driver, too, seemed to be in a light trance now that he had stopped driving. The hypnotist smiled at them. “Well, are you ready, kinky boys?”

Leather Boy Austin shook his head, his last thoughts slipping away. They couldn’t have been very important. Stepping out of the van, he pawed at his fitted shirt. It was soft linen, not nice, solid, warm leather, and he couldn’t stand the feel of it against his skin. He efficiently stripped out of it, nodding to Dr. Li when the doctor passed him his pink leather chaps. It was too bad that a leather boy like him couldn’t wear it all the time. He just didn’t feel right when his furry muscle bod wasn’t coated in sexy leather gear.

As he sternly put on his gear, getting more and more into the leather boy mindset, Austin watched his rubber boy friend and the sullen sneaker boy get into their gear. The twinky pup boy Terry was yapping at the bodybuilder poser boy. Next to the van, Dr. Li was helping the husky pain boy put on his nipple clamps.

When they were all properly undressed, Leather Boy Austin helped Dr. Li herd the other kinky boys out into the street for the festival. The rest dispersed quickly, but Austin kept close to the hypnotist.

“I’m very glad to have you, Austin,” Dr. Li said, his voice once again resonating through Austin’s mind as they walked. “You were desperately in need of freedom from your own inhibitions when you first came to me. It took many sessions before you started to really blossom into the powerful young man I see before me.”

Leather Boy Austin puffed up his chest with pride at how good it felt to be praised. He was too stoic to respond effusively, but he grunted, “Thank you, Sir.”

“Oh, no need for formality between us now, Austin.” Dr. Li grabbed Austin by the elbow and jerked him around. Austin followed, because Dr. Li always knew what was best for Austin. “In fact, I think it’s time that I properly set you free.” The doctor grabbed Austin’s chin and roughly kissed him.

The kiss triggered all of Austin’s latent memories. He suddenly recalled all the hours of trance with Dr. Li, the careful programming of all his fitness habits, the thought patterns to make him show off and trust his hypnotist. He remembered how Dr. Li had installed the trigger to make him a kinky Leather Boy, but he could also knew that he could be triggered to be a flirty Dumb Boy, and a musky Ass Boy, whenever Dr. Li called him a flirty boy or a musky boy. He could taste the flavour of Dr. Li’s asshole on his tongue, from all the times that he had eaten him out while his triggers were implanted.

Most of all, he remembered loving every second of working with his hypnotist. Like Dr. Li had said at their first session, Austin wanted someone else to be in charge of him. It felt so good to be unknowingly under Dr. Li’s complete control, because he knew Dr. Li would take good care of him.

The sensation of his memories flooding back was so intensely erotic that Austin came into his leather chaps. He bucked into the kiss, tensing his muscles as his body was wracked with pleasure. Dr. Li held firmly onto his jerking body, and a few onlookers whooped and clapped. It felt so good to show off. Austin couldn’t believe that that thought had been implanted so deeply by the hypnotist in their very first session. The thought almost made him cum again.

Dr. Li pulled back from the kiss, and Austin felt two paths open in front of him. He remembered this session, too. These triggers were his own to think, just for himself. He could choose to remember all of the sessions, and he would remain lucid while under hypnosis in the future. He and Dr. Li would be equals from now on. On the other hand, he could lock all the memories away and go back to being unaware of the extent of Dr. Li’s influence over his mind, how the doctor could completely change his personality with a few words.

It was an easy decision.

Leather Boy Austin wasn’t sure how he had cum from a simple kiss from Dr. Li. He could recall that the kiss had been mind-blowing, but what he had been thinking about while they had kissed was hazy. Hopefully, the orgasm wouldn’t affect his performance at the orgy later.

“Thank you, Sir,” Leather Boy Austin grunted, smoothing his mussed hair back into place.

Dr. Li grinned at him in that slightly unsettling way of his. “You are a very good subject, Austin,” he murmured.

It felt good to be praised, Austin thought, shuddering with pleasure.

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

A part two for Changes was requested by @ali-r3n 💞 In part one the reader changes her style to be more like Chrissy's since Eddie has a crush on her.

She hopes this will make Eddie notice her but he doesn't want her to change herself for him and she's crushed to find out that he's not interested in her like that.

The first part of this fic was written so long ago and my writing style has changed a lot 💞

Now that you're all caught up here's the summary for part two;

After realising that Eddie will never be interested in you, you decide it's time to move on. There's a new guy at school called Jenson, he's a metalhead like Eddie and very much your type...

Angst, jealous Eddie, Eddie wakes up and smells the roses, Mutual pining, fluff. Mdni.

💌💞

After your humiliating experience with Eddie you do your best to avoid him. He didn't even want you when you dressed like Chrissy because she was his dream girl. Not you.

You had to accept that you would never ever be his type. Just his friend. His buddy.

Robin met you after school and she could tell by your face that you're big plan to get Eddie to notice you had gone out of the window. Steve watches you concerned as you wipe the make up of you face and attempt not to cry.

"Steve can we stop off for some ice cream. I think she needs it" Robin gestures to you and Steve nods.

"Ice cream and movie night. Does that sound good honey?" You nod and feel extremely grateful that you have such amazing friends besides Eddie.

You would eat ice cream and mope for a while and then you would finally try and get over Eddie. It was better this way, you couldn't stand the thought of him feeling pity for you because he didn't feel the same.

It would ruin your friendship and you never wanted that to happen.

...

Things are awkward with Eddie. Extremely awkward. You don't know what to say to him and he's being overly nice and just not himself with you.

Fuck, you wish you didn't say anything, didn't go ahead with your stupid plan in the first place.

Then to make matters worse principal Higgins calls you into his office. Grudgingly you make your way there and when you enter the office he's talking to a new student that you had never seen before.

He was tall, wild curls of long blonde hair and big brown eyes, he was wearing a Black Sabbath t shirt and leather jacket. Ripped black jeans and black boots. He's glaring at Higgins.

"I don't need a babysitter dude" the principal ignores this mysterious boy and gestures to you.

"Yn will be your guide around school. Your buddy while you settle in. You've been here for two weeks and you've barely made any effort to include yourself in anything Mr Jenson"

Jenson flips Principal Higgins the bird when he's not looking and you stiffle a giggle. He winks at you and you feel your body heat up, all the way to your toes.

"Fine. Lead the way pretty lady" he gestures to you and opens the door.

Hey maybe school won't be so bad after all?

"You can join me and my friends at lunch. We sit at the our own table, the Hellfire table. We play Dungeons and Dragons" you explain and he nods along as he follows you to the cafeteria.

Quickly you explain to the boys about what the principal asked you to do.

"Jenson is new and he needs some friends, people to show him around and get him settled" Eddie who's immediately suspicious of new students, studies Jenson. His big brown eyes sweeping over him and narrowing.

You do your best to explain who everyone is and point out Chrissy and the cheerleaders, you feel that pang in your chest about Eddie again.

Jenson scoffs and turns to you. "I'm not interested in the cheerleaders. I'm interested in you, beautiful"

Wait what? You nearly choke on your can of soda and meet Jenson's eyes.

"Me?" he nods and leans closer to you, so close you can smell his spicy cologne. "Wait, what was I talking about again?" You're kinda dazed by him if you're being honest.

He smirks then leans back in his seat.

"I think I like this table" his gaze stays on you and you hear Eddie mutter something under his breath.

"This table is only for Hellfire members" Eddie's voice is tight and full of dislike. Jenson pouts and turns to you.

"You'll sit with me this week yeah? Help me get settled and all?" You nod and avoid Eddie's livid gaze.

Things will be okay after all...right?

💞

For the next week you accompany Jenson at his table. Eddie isn't happy about this.

"Eddie he's not a Hellfire member, unless you want to see if he's any good at d&d" you suggest and Eddie shakes his head vehemently.

"I don't want him in Hellfire" he pouts and it's kinda adorable. Fuck, no it's not adorable, you're trying to get over this stupid crush.

"Not even for me? He's kinda dreamy" Eddie stills at this and you look away from his fierce gaze. What's his problem anyway? Feeling brave you point out to him that you finding Jenson dreamy is a good thing.

"Things have been weird between us since...well since the other week. You made your feelings clear and I need to move on. We can still be friends and there will be no awkward tension or anything like that" Eddie looks like he's about to say something else but Jenson shows up and the conversation stalls.

"Hey princess" Okay this time Eddie definitely does stiffen and his eyes flash as they turn to Jenson.

"I call her princess, no one else does dude" Jenson snorts and claps Eddie on the shoulder.

"You can't own a name dude. Anyway she likes it when I call her princess. Don't you honey?" Oh shit. You look between the two of them and feel torn. Eddie was your friend and Jenson well maybe someday when you were over Eddie he could be more than your friend?

"Shouldn't you be chasing that cheerleader you like Munson... leave Princess to me" Jenson winks at Eddie.

Your stomach sinks as Jenson goes to wait for you at a table. How could you forget Eddie mooning over Chrissy? It hardens your resolve.

"It's just a name Eddie. Why do you care so much anyway?" you ask him and he doesn't answer. Sighing you head over to Jenson and the knot in your stomach tightens even more.

💞

Eddie is quieter than normal during today's lunch. Dustin can sense something is wrong with him but Eddie's moods could be unpredictable and he didn't want to cause his hero anymore upset.

He didn't like seeing Eddie like this though, he had a funny feeling it was to do with the blonde metalhead currently taking up all of your attention.

Doesn't Eddie notice the way your gaze still strays to him? Don't you notice the longing way Eddie gazes at you?

Then again did Eddie even realise the way he looked at you? Why were the two of you such pining idiots?

Jason who is passing the Hellfire table nudges Eddie and smirks, "Aww freak, looks like you're not the apple of her eye anymore"

Shit. If looks could kill Jason would be dead. Eddie flips him off and Jason walks away laughing.

"Asshole" he huffs and Mike chuckles. "He's right though Eddie. She definitely has a type though doesn't she?" If possible Eddie's eyes narrow even more yet Mike doesn't notice.

Dude, stop talking Dustin begs but Mike carries on oblivious. "If you didn't spend so long pining over Chrissy then you wouldn't have lost your chance dude. It sucks, I'm sorry" Eddie deflates and whispers quietly.

"Do you really think I don't have a chance anymore?"Mike shrugs and Dustin tries to give him a hopeful smile but it doesn't seem to help Eddie who settles back in his chair with a glum expression on his face.

He watches you and Jenson and sighs. "you're right Wheeler. I wasted my time pining over the wrong girl"

💞💞

Even with Jenson being sweet and obviously interested your stupid traitor heart still aches for Eddie.

Robin who likes everyone has her reservations about Jenson. "I saw him flirting with some other girl yesterday, I think he's messing with a lot of girls hearts"

The thought of Jenson doing this should hurt you but it doesn't. Fuck. This was hopeless. How would you ever get over Eddie if you couldn't open your heart to someone else.

"Munson was in here yesterday. I mentioned that Jenson dude and he kinda ranted a bit" Steve says as he stocks the video tapes on the shelves.

"He's been weird with Jenson since I started hanging out with him"

Robin exchanges a knowing look with Steve and they both say at the same time. "He's jealous"

Hope briefly encompasses you then deflates. Eddie being jealous of Jenson? That was ridiculous. Plus Eddie still liked Chrissy didn't he?

"No he's not" you shake your head adamantly but there's no changing Steve's mind.

"Honey, I'm a guy and I know when a guy is jealous. Munson is jealous of this Jenson guy. He's another metalhead honing in on his girl and Eddie is like a feral raccoon warning him off"

A feral raccoon you stifle a smile at Steve's description of Eddie. Speaking of Eddie he comes into the store with Chrissy. Oh.

Suddenly Steve's thoughts seem completely wild and far fetched. See. You try to communicate with Steve that he's completely wrong.

"I really think you should just ask Eddie" Chrissy replies to Eddie and you wonder what. Was he going to ask Chrissy out? You don't want to stick around for that.

You gather your things at the same time Eddie spots you and freezes. Chrissy smiles at you warmly and you return it even though your heart is threatening to beat out of your chest.

"Dude, did you hear that Jenson was in here wanting to ask princess out" Steve suddenly pipes up, completely out of the blue and Eddie's eyes widen as they meet yours.

Jenson hasn't asked you out. If Steve was trying to make Eddie jealous then it wasn't going to happen, you're kinda tired of hoping for something that wasn't meant to be.

"I'll see you tomorrow, gotta get home and cram for this biology test" you hurry out of the store and tj your car.

Blasting out Black Sabbath helps clear your thoughts and you're relatively more relaxed as you get home.

There's the telltale sign of Eddie's van and you nearly jump out of your skin when it comes careening around the corner.

Eddie parks the van and jumps out. His eyes are wild and he jogs over to you still looking panicked.

"Don't date him" he says breathlessly and you pause unsure if you've heard him right. Did he seriously rush all of the way here to say this and why?

"Excuse me?" What the hell was going on?

"Don't date him. He's not right for you, he's egotistical and smarmy and...and he won't treat you right or love you the way you should be loved" you raise your eyebrow and when you speak your voice comes out all shaky.

"And how should I be loved Eddie?" He softens when he gazes at you and reaches out to caress your cheek.

"Like you're everything. No other girl compares to you and you're the best thing that's ever happened to a guy. Like you're the one and you always have been"

A small part of your anger comes roaring back and you groan exasperated. "Eddie. I practically told you I was in love with you. I have been for years and you basically rejected me and now that someone else shows interest in me you get a clue!"

He shrugs sheepishly and nods, "Robin said I was the world's biggest dingus. I fucked up okay? I know that and I know that it was the shittiest time to realise how I feel but I'm begging you, give me a shot and I'll never break your heart again. I promise you that"

You've always wanted to hear him say these words and you're torn between wanting to kiss him or yell at him some more.

"What about Chrissy?"

"Chrissy was a dumb crush, even if she was interested I don't care. I'm over that. Jenson helped me see what's been in front of me all along... It's you. It's always been you"

Well damn. You're still confused though because didn't he just come to Family Video with Chrissy and she was telling him just to ask someone something.

As if Eddie reads your mind he begins to explain. "I ran into Chrissy when I was heading to Family Video and she mentioned I was unusually quiet and everything about you poured out. She was telling me to just ask you out when we were heading into the store and then I saw you and I choked"

You bite back a smile and move closer to him, the need to kiss him feels a little overwhelming now.

"You really are an idiot Eddie but you're my idiot" you add affectionately and he kisses you. It leaves you momentarily stunned at how amazing it feels but then you're kissing him back.

When the two of you break apart you're both breathless, eyes shining and happiness written all over your faces.

"Shit, uh I was thinking maybe I could take you on a date. Maybe we could go to Lovers Lake and camp out for a little bit. Thought it would be romantic sweetheart"

"It's a date" you press another kiss to his lips and head into his van leaving a dazed and smug Eddie strutting to the van once he realised what you said.

💞

[april-first]

Guide to the Bravern Flower Shop Verse

Posting this for archiving purposes and for future/new fans who won't experience any of this live (or maybe ever, if Twitter breaks) just encounter it as older, out of context fanart on Pixiv or social media.

So. If you’ve ever looked up Japanese Bravern fanart (or fanfic) on either Pixiv or Twitter you must have stumbled upon a certain flowershop AU. It’s official (made and named by the staff, got referred to as such in the 2nd talkshow apparently) and it’s called 花屋バース. Details with links under the cut!

The contributors

Kamokamen, original/main character designer (Twitter @ sangsilnoh)

Oobari Masami, director (Twitter @ G1_BARI)

Ura Ryuuta, chief animation director (Twitter @ matatabeat)

The origins

"happy new episode release" bonus arts by the main character designer

and their two Yotsuba&! joke tweets:

Isami works at a flower shop called Brave Flower

Smith is the single father of the "mysterious girl" Lulu who is in kindergarten

This spiraled into a whole AU that has Actual Lore because the staff kept adding to it.

My main sources were 2 different tweet compilations made by Japanese fans and the very broken Twitter search. I got into the fandom when Episode 9 aired (before that I was just watching the show weekly and nothing else) so backsourcing all of this was not easy, and unfortunately I can’t guarantee this post has every relevant tweet. For example I found nothing about Smith’s job. It might exist, it might not, who knows. But the staff was very clear that they just wanted everyone to have fun coming up with ideas when they were tweeting about Bravern-the-character.

Isami & Bravern

- Isami and Bravern drive a motorcycle with a sidecar (ART!) called Brave Thunder

- according to the director Bravern wears a helmet

- Bravern exists in that miniature form which was designed by the director, completely unexplained (first appearance of "easy-to-draw Bravern-kun" | official plushie version which he brought to the 3rd talkshow | non-flowershop AU maid uniform update! also designed by him | "bunny day" update)

(T/N: this is not actual canon, but in the Animedia (May issue) interview’s Q&A section the director said Isami has the impression of someone who has a much older brother who passed away when he was young. JP fandom said nope this is the happy AU so he’s alive)

Smith & Lulu

- Smith and Lulu drive a "granny bike" called Spar Kaiser

- Lulu's seat is a child bike seat dubbed "co-pilot seat"

(T/N: answering a fan’s question, the character designer who designed Smith’s weird shirts once tweeted he’s probably using a translator app to scan the text on them.)

Other characters

- as far as I know there’s no "official" flowershop AU version of Superbia

- some time ago the director made a miniature design for him as well, but people usually draw Superbia in a humanoid form in this AU which was designed by the character designer

(T/N: not flowershop AU related, but Superbia speaks in Hiroshima dialect.)

- Miyu has a moped (a modified old Honda Super Cub) and she rides around town with Hibiki to get McDonald’s

(T/N: also not flowershop AU related, but Hibiki considers Isami a younger brother, according to the 3rd talkshow reports.)

- Satake was Isami's homeroom teacher and he was the one who taught him how to properly ride a motorcycle

- it was due to Satake’s influence that Isami chose an American-style Japanese bike which he bought secondhand for cheap for the fun of repairing and customizing it

(T/N: the tweet linked above is from March, but at the 3rd staff talkshow we learned that Satake’s bike in canon is a Honda CBR250RR. At the 2nd talkshow the staff said he gives off the impression of being a good cook, and the director shared he must be single because of the bike & red jacket combo.)

ADD ALT TEXT if you share this on other sites as screenshots. I genuinely can't be assed to care about credit, but I care a lot about accessibility.

I’m collecting the interviews and talkshow fan reports, and I'm also reading Lulu’s spinoff novel so eventually I’ll post summaries of those. (Unfortunately I don’t have time to do more than summaries.) In the meantime you guys could MTL this collab café report/article if you're interested! (I checked googletranslate and it’s readable)

[actually-safer-to-kiss]

The Pink Moon

Summary: Reader's anxious attachment style gets in the way of her enjoying the full moon.

Couple: Spencer Reid/Fem!Reader

Category: angst, somewhat hurt to comfort

Word count: 1.3k

The night is chilly and humid. You wrap yourself in a blanket while watching your chunks of Amethyst and Rose Quartz charge in the moonlight. You stare at them like they’ll hop off the ledge when you look away. Just as fast, you find yourself distracted by the moon behind them, glowing softly against the clear, dark sky.

Spencer comes to mind. You remember (once again) that it’s been nearly 13 hours, and you’ve barely heard from him. The Pink Moon is about relationships; you hoped he would spend time with you tonight for that reason alone, even though you were definitely not in a relationship. Instead, the crisp wind that grazes the back of your neck reminds you that he’s not here; no one is here tonight to keep you warm.

Your Tarot deck is in front of you. It seems easy to start a reading. But the idea of them saying anything about Spencer, explicitly calling you out for being such a lovesick fool so quickly, is something you know you couldn't handle right now.

You started seeing each other a couple of weeks ago after Penelope introduced you. You were shocked that the young genius at the FBI was easy to talk to. You had been in constant communication since he asked you to dinner after work just days later. His gentle gestures and calm tone were something you were not used to.

Now, he’s in Richmond working on a triple homicide case, as he said on the phone this morning. He’s likely surrounded by people who need his help. And you mope while wondering if that’s the last phone call you'll get from him. You're worried, actually expecting the case to be solved, the killer to be locked away, and Spencer to get home safely and not even bother to tell you.

Your list of past relationships is short. You could recall three if being together for a month counted. When your exes learned about your witchy tendencies at the start, they were for it. They were friendly when they asked about the Tarot and the significance of different colored candles on your altar. But it would fizzle out one way or another, usually after discovering your practices did not follow into the bedroom. Text messages and phone calls were then hours apart until they stopped altogether. And you were left to pick up the pieces again.

~ ~ ~

Science and behavior were some of Spencer's passions. He spoke about what he does for work and how he’s assigned to analyze things from a killer’s journals to how they present bodies upon being found. You wondered for a minute if you were in over your head when you agreed to dinner; and if such a logic-based personality could entertain your interests and beliefs. 

As you spoke, though, Spencer leaned in to listen, fingers laced under his chin, not even looking away. Like your exes, he admitted he didn’t know much about Tarot. “Oh, bullshit,” you remember saying.

“What?” He laughed.

“I’ve got insider information.” You replied while tapping your temple. “Penelope said you knew everything. She said she even quizzed you on the cards. You didn’t miss one.”

“Well, that’s true —”

“Aha!” You point.

Spencer had to hold back another laugh. “But I couldn’t tell you what they mean in sequence. Like, during an actual… reading. I think that’s the lingo. Garcia taps into something I simply can’t.”

“Hm,” You lean back in your seat. “So, is this a sign to do a reading for you in the future?”

Spencer pursed his lips. “Perhaps.”

The rest of the night took place in a nearby park, where you both stood under a tree, and Spencer gave you what was equivalent to a lecture on constellations and how they had been a storytelling method as far back as the ancient Greeks. You lapped up the lesson, watching his hands move and his fingers crook as information flowed out of him with ease. It was like he was a textbook in a corduroy jacket. It only reinforced that he was being himself from the moment you met. And you liked that about him.

The first kiss came shortly after, but it wasn't easy. You made what Penelope would later call “embarrassingly obvious" flirting attempts that Spencer was not understanding. You dropped it until he walked you to your apartment door. This was the first time the entire night that silence hung awkwardly between you. You tried once again and hugged him goodnight. You attempted to pull away, but his arms were still wrapped around you, not moving. You didn’t question, simply held on, keeping your arms where they were for another two, three, four seconds. 

When Spencer let go, you saw his smile was different. It was lazy, and his eyes were darker when he finally asked, “Can I kiss you?”

Your response, however, could be seen as less than polite. Instead of an enthusiastic yes, you poked his chest, an acrylic nail right into the corduroy. Despite moving away from it slightly, his arms around your waist helped you move along with him.

“Was I not obvious enough in the last hour?”

He raised his brows in genuine surprise. “Wait, no!” The gentleness of his demeanor shined again when you admitted what you wanted. And “Oh, thank God” was all he said before his hands rose to enclose your face in his warm palms and bring your lips together. And you enjoyed the crisp clarity that Spencer liked you as much as you liked him, and he wasn’t afraid to show it.

~ ~ ~

Your heart races with the memory. The wind blows at the back of your neck again, cooling you down this time. You pull your crystals off the balcony ledge and hold them in your hands, and keeping them close is more soothing. They can't get away from you here. Then you pick yourself up and prepare to call it a night. Your phone says it's tomorrow. It was easy to assume Spencer was asleep. 

However, the universe added a twist by having his name pop up as you look at the time. Your phone vibrated, waiting for you to decide. You placed the crystals in your pocket. “Hello?”

“Hey!” The enthusiasm behind his voice makes you swell, and you hate to admit it. “Sorry that I’m calling you so late.”

"No, you're fine! How’s the case?”

“Good, we’re at the hotel packing up. Should be leaving in the next 30 minutes.” 

“Oh, good,” you swallow. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Thanks.” He chuckles. “You’re looking at the moon, right?”

A smile creeps up on you. “Yeah. I am.”

“Me too.” The background noise of his team chatting is notable, but Spencer keeps talking. “I’m sorry I’m not there. Last minute calls are part of the job.”

“I know there are people who need you. It’s understandable.”

“I know.” He says. Silence reigns again. “I was doing some research on the Pink Moon on the drive. And apparently, it’s a good time to nurture relationships.”

“That is true.” You say. You feel like you should say more, but nothing comes to mind.

Spencer fills in the gap. “Doesn’t feel as nurturing to just be talking over the phone after not getting to speak for 13.4 hours, you know?”

“You think you can make it through the night?” You ask, sounding like such a confident smartass. When in reality, your heart is pounding in your ears.

“I’ll try my best to.”

“I will too.”

Silence is becoming more familiar between you, but a calmness in your core convinces you not to worry. So you sit in it, listening to Spencer as he breathes and even chokes down a yawn while the wind blows through on his end. “I don’t want to hang up.” He whispers.

“Me either.” You look up at the sky. The moon stands out against the stars, but you recognize some patterns in the glittering specks. Your heart continues to pump and you wonder if Spencer can easily pick up your deep breaths like you can with his. “Tell me about the constellations you can see.”

[jamdoughnutmagician]

Teenage Dreams (13 going on 30 AU) - part 5

Eddie Munson x Reader

<- Previous Part Next Part ->

Word Count:2,200

SERIES MASTERLIST

Masterlist // Eddie Munson Masterlist

*dividers by @saradika-graphics

There’s a quiet natter around the board room table, with all of your co-workers discussing their next big headline or article for Star Magazine.

“Taking the reins:How to be more dominant in life (and the bedroom!)”

“Summer’s hottest bikini styles to cause a splash”

“15 ways to drive your man wild in bed”

Michael stalks around the room, and suddenly everyone falls quiet as they wait to hear what he has to say.

“There’s no easy way to say this, so I suppose I’m just going to come out with it.” he huffs before continuing. “The numbers are in and it isn’t looking good, we’re falling just below 500,00 issues of Star Magazine in total circulation. Diamond Magazine, however much it pains me to say this, are closing in on close to a million.” 

There’s muffled whispers that scatter between everyone at the table until Michael speaks up again.

“I just got off the phone with corporate and there has been talk of a redesign.”

“You want to redesign Star Magazine? Diamond Magazine does almost everything we do, and we’re the ones that have to redesign?” comes the disgruntled reply of one of your colleagues.

“Either we redesign and try to boost our readership, or they pull the plug and we’re all out of a job.”

“But redesigning our magazine could be a death sentence.” Nancy chimes in.

“No, Nance, it doesn't have to be that way. It’s a chance to have some fun and really shake things up around here. Diamond magazine can have all our second-hand, cast-off ideas, we can do a complete overhaul here, and prove to everyone that Star Magazine still has some sparkle left.” you say, piping up from your seat.

Michael comes up by your side with a wide smile.

“It’s refreshing to see some enthusiasm around here for once. It sounds like you’ve got it all figured out, Y/n. I’ll be leaving this is yours and Nancy’s very capable hands, and trusting my dynamic duo to come up with something new and fabulous.”

As you walk out of the boardroom you spot Nancy in the corner whispering to one of her co-workers. Perhaps it’s wrong of you to eavesdrop on conversations that you weren’t a part of, but nonetheless you hang back, just out of sight of Nancy’s gaze.

“..And I need you to hire the best photographer, and I do not want Y/n to find out about this.”

“Understood, Ms.Wheeler.” 

“I mean I don’t even know what’s going on with her anymore, but I’m getting real tired of this whole new act that she’s putting on all the time. We need to go ahead with our own presentation, and let Y/n fall on her ass like the loser she is.” Nancy giggles cruelly.

Suddenly it’s like you’re back to being thirteen years old again, hanging out with the popular girls, thinking they’re your friends, only to find out the harsh truth, that they’re all laughing at you behind your back.

 You walk through the door of your apartment after work, slumping down onto the sofa. The gnawing pit of upset and embarrassment eating away at you. If that was how Nancy felt about you, then surely that was how everyone felt about you. Maybe you were some ditzy loser who had ideas above her station, and maybe you were to blind to see that everyone else could see right through you.

As you pull your knees up and hug the couch cushion to your chest, you suddenly feel so alone and isolated. No, you were not about to let Nancy win, there would be no more sad moping around for you. You find your feet taking you across the city to the only other apartment you felt safe being in.

You knock your fist against the dark wood door of Eddie’s apartment, silently praying to yourself that he was in.

To your relief the door swings open and there he was. The reassuring brown eyes of your best friend.

“Sorry to drop in on you un-announced like this, but do you wanna go for a walk?”

“Sure.” Eddie nods with a smile, sliding on his leather jacket.

You walk beside each other, down the streets as you fall into step with Eddie.

“So you’re getting married huh?” you ask, hoping to break the silence between you.

“Yeah, in a little over two weeks now.” Eddie replies, his eyes cast down on the pavement as he scuffs his sneakers as he walks.

“So Chrissy’s like your soulmate, right? That’s why you’re marrying her?”

“I don’t know if I believe in soulmates, I think that’s kind of a childish concept.” he says honestly.

“But you get butterflies whenever you’re around her, don’t you?” you pry. 

“I don’t think I’ve gotten butterflies about anyone since high-school.” he laughs softly.

There’s so much that’s happened between you now that you’ve both grown up, different lives taking different paths.

“What happened to us, Eddie?” you sigh, your footsteps halting in the street. “I mean, how come we never stayed friends?

“Okay, so we’re having one of those kinds of talks.” he says as he nods over to a nearby bench, motioning for you to sit beside him. “I guess things kind of fell apart right after your thirteenth birthday party. You were shoved into the closet..”

“Yeah, then everybody ditched me like yesterday’s leftovers.” you finish. “That’s the last thing that I remember.”

“Look, we don’t have to get into this, it was such a long time ago, right? I mean, it hardly even matters anymore.”  Eddie says, picking at the loose threads of the hole in his dark jeans.

“It matters to me, Eddie. Please just tell me what happened.” you plead.

“Well, I let you out of the closet, and I was going to play you your birthday song on the guitar, but you, and with quite the impressive amount of force for a thirteen-year-old girl might I add, threw at me the princess castle that I had spent weeks putting together for you.” he huffs quietly, running a hand through his dark curls. “After that you just stopped being my friend, so I took the hint, and we never really spoke to each other after that.” He looks so hurt just from remembering what happened, his big brown eyes suddenly without their usual joy-filled sparkle.

You feel awful. How could you have been so cruel and uncaring to the boy who was your only friend in the world. The guilt hits you and you feel your heart sink into the pit of your stomach.

“It’s fine, let’s just forget about it. It was a long time ago, it doesn’t matter.” Eddie brushes off.

 “Stop being so nice to me Eddie. I don’t deserve it.” you mumble, shaking your head. “I don’t have any real friends, I’m pretty sure everyone hates me, I don’t talk to my mom and dad. I’m not a nice person, and the thing is..I’m not the girl I used to be, I’m not thirteen anymore, Eddie.” you say, your voice shaking with emotions.

You get up from the bench, needing to just get away. To walk away from Eddie, and away from the guilt and upset. It all feels like too much for you to deal with. You can’t look at him, because all you can see is the big sad brown eyes of the thirteen year old boy that you shut out of your life.

The next day you buy yourself a train ticket that takes you away from the city all the way back to your small town neighbourhood.

The bustling life of the busy city soon passes by your window, changing into green fields that whizz by like a blur.

You can’t help but look at the group of young girls who laugh and chatter quietly amongst themselves, and think about the young girl that you used to be, about the woman that you are now, and what happened in the in-between years. Were you ever going to be able to go back to the way things used to be? Or was this how your life was to be from now on?

You let yourself into your childhood home, the key clicking into the lock easily. The house was quiet, as you stepped through the threshold. You look around, and it’s almost as if nothing has changed, not a single cushion, picture frame, nor silly little knick-knack was out of place. 

Wandering down to the downstairs basement you come face to face with the dark door of the supply closet that Nancy and her gaggle of minions had locked you in all those years ago.

You sit down on the floor inside the closet, closing the door behind yourself, hugging your knees to your chest, as the heaviness in your heart spills over and the tears stream silently down your cheeks.

I just want things to go back to the way they were. You wish, closing your eyes and lean your head back against the shelves behind you with a soft ‘thunk’

Suddenly the door swings open, and there in the doorway is your mother.

“I missed you so much.” you sob, throwing your arms around her and crying into her shoulder.

“Oh darling,” she coos softly, rubbing her hand up and down your back. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

After spending the night unrestfully trying to sleep in your childhood bedroom, you shuffle downstairs to the kitchen where your mother is already up and preparing breakfast.

“Come on down, darling, I hope you're hungry! I’m making pancakes.” she smiles as she sets down a small stack of pancakes drizzled in syrup and decorated with a generous scattering of strawberries and blueberries in front of you.

You cut yourself off a piece to enjoy before taking a sip of your orange juice and then set your glass on the table as your mother sits opposit you at the kitchen table, her cup of coffee billowing little trails of steam in her hands.

“If you were given the opportunity to do-over anything in your life, anything at all, what would it be?” 

“It’s a little for philosophical questions like that, don’t you think honey?”

“Mom, please.”

“I wouldn’t change a thing, nothing at all.” she smiles, sipping from her mug.

“Really? You never made a big mistake, like something that ended up changing your life?

Your mother shakes her head at you before answering your question.

“Well, I know I made a lot of mistakes, but I don’t regret making them. If I never made the mistakes in the first place, I would never have learned from them. Making mistakes is what life is about, and if you think you can go through life without making mistakes, then I’m sorry, but you’re not living life right.”

You nod, finally seeing your mom’s point of view. Something that thirteen year-old you would have scoffed and laughed at.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around too much recently, mom.” you mumble hanging your head down.

Your mother reaches across the table to take your hand.

“You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

Back in the city, after staying with your parents for a few days, you’re in your apartment pouring over your old high-school yearbook.

You look at all the photos, and see a picture of Eddie and his band performing at the school’s end-of-year show. He looks in his element, frizzy hair haloing around him, and his hands are working the strings of his black and red guitar to perfection. The rest of the band all looks amazing, but Eddie as the centrepiece of the picture is what captures your imagination. Suddenly you know what you have to do to save Star Magazine.

Underneath nearly all of the pictures in the yearbook is a little credit to the head school’s photography club, Jonathan Byers. He had been a quick fling of Nancy Wheeler’s back in the day before she ditched him when she decided being seen hanging out with him was tainting her ‘cool girl’ image. 

You’d personally never had a problem with him, quite the opposite really, he was always very kind and sweet to you, and although your paths never crossed all that much, you often gave him a smile and a little wave as you passed each other in the halls. 

Racing to reach for your little black book of phone numbers, you desperately hope that the number you have listed under Jonathan’s name still works.

Putting the phone to your ear, you listen as it rings a few times before it picks up.

“Hello?” the voice on the other end answers cautiously.

 “Jonathan, it’s me Y/N, from high-school!”

“Y/N? Yeah I remember you! What can I do for you?”

“I need a guy who’s good with a camera, do you think you can help me out?”

“I think I might know a guy, yeah” he laughs down the line. “You just tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, I knew I could rely on you!”

If Star Magazine wanted a rebrand, then a rebrand they were going to get.

@paybacksawitch @penguinsandpotterheads @mrsjellymunson

@ali-r3n @aphrogeneias @eddiesxangel

@munsonology @onegirlmanytales @xxbimbobunnyxx

@optimisticallygarbage @nailbatanddungeon

[berryhobii]

Holly molly! I have just discovered you and let me tell you, you are fantastic. I think I speak for the readers when I say we can see ourselves though your work, and that makes us feel represented. Thank you so much! <3

I have an idea for a drabble, and since you are accepting requests I hoped you could write about it: a really independent reader having a horrible day but not wanting to let anyone know and fiance!Yoongi noticing and being her rock/support

Thanks for your request! Long haired Yoongi has been plaguing me for months and the thought that we won’t get that back for a while has me sliding down a wall😭😭enjoy this cute little thing about Yoongi being an awesome fiancé during reader’s small overstimulated breakdown. I also added a bathtub scene because why not?

~

Your horrible day started when you got to work that morning. You actually felt really good about how you dressed and did your hair today. It was a successful wash and go style. Months of trial and error had made you an expert in managing an effortless style. Apparently for your boss though, your hair wasn’t deemed “professional” for the workspace. He called it unruly and told you to get it together by tomorrow.

Then you accidentally spilled your morning Starbucks on your brand new blouse. The lid wasn’t all the way secure so when you lifted it to your mouth, it opened and got all over you. At least your pants didn’t get ruined and good thing you liked iced coffee instead of hot.

You kept backup clothes under your desk just for that though. The incident with your shirt caused you to be 15 minutes late to your meeting. It felt awkward as you slipped in the room, everyone’s eyes staring daggers into you as you shuffled to your seat. Thankfully, it wasn’t your turn to present so you still had a chance to impress them with your work.

But it also turns out that karma was an evil bitch because guess who left their flash drive in your laptop at home?!

Embarrassment couldn’t even begin to describe how you felt, your smile waning as you apologized for your mishap and promised to have it by tomorrow.

After a berating from your boss which was packed with micro aggressions, you went back to your desk to have a mini breakdown in peace which didn’t even get a chance to start since you found your chair gone once you got there. One of your coworkers explained that they needed extra chairs for a larger meeting so they “borrowed” yours. And was it just a coincidence that yours was the only one missing despite your desk being nowhere near the door?

Your brain was on overdrive, nerves overstimulated and tears ready to flow down your face. Everything was too much right now.

Deciding take a half day, you rushed out to your car, dropping your brand new scarf in a muddy puddle caused by the rain yesterday.

You wanted to scream so badly but you fought back the emotions. You’d be home soon.

Yeah. Home. That’s where you needed to be.

At least your parking spot was free…….and no it wasn’t. A moped was in its place. Great. Why the hell did those things even need full parking spaces? They were half the size of a car!!

You found another after double and triple checking it wouldn’t get your car towed because that would just be the icing on the cake.

Your apartment was warm when you entered, the scent of your favorite candles hitting your nose. That could only mean one thing…..

He was home.

Your body itched to seek him out and melt your worries in the warmth of his embrace, to let the world fade away under his nimble hands, and let your brain finally turn off as his deep voice lulled you to sleep.

But you couldn’t….

Growing up, you never had a very good support system. Your family often minimized your worries and needs, forcing you to care for yourself. You had no one to express your emotions to, no one to depend on in those dark moments. You only had yourself and while you convinced yourself that was okay, you knew deep down it wasn’t.

Then you met Yoongi. At first, you kind of ignored him, not feeling vulnerable enough to have a relationship yet. Your last one was with a guy who tried to guilt trip you into becoming a stay at home wife but that was never your style. You didn’t want to be dependent on someone like that. You wanted your own money and career to fall back on and develop. That guy kind of put you off relationships as a whole.

But Yoongi was never like that. He never tried to force you to do anything you didn’t want. He cooked and cleaned, did laundry and never complained. You did your part as well but even on those days where you didn’t, Yoongi would just pick up the slack. You’d always feel bad, insisting you’d do more housework but he’d just wave you off.

“It’s fine. I got it. I’m at home all day anyway. If you touch that broom, I’m gonna chain you to the bed but you’d probably like that.”

Yoongi was genuine. He never pressured you or made you feel like you needed to constantly be on guard.

A part of you wished you could be as laid back as him. He completed you. Calmed the storm that constantly brewed in you. Dissipated all of your irrational fears.

He was there for you. Always.

So why could you never stop that bubbling feeling that you were being too needy? Yoongi’s made it perfectly clear that you could rely on him to be a shoulder to cry on. You knew that. You did.

But you just couldn’t.

You could hear him clinking around in the kitchen, probably making himself some lunch. You could also hear music so there’s a chance he didn’t hear you come in the door.

You quietly shuffled through the living room and down the hall to your bedroom. Once inside, you softly closed the door, leaning against it as you felt your body ready to break down. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest, the weight of the day finally crushing you.

You inhaled a shaky breath, tears pricking at your waterline ready to fall but you held them back. You wouldn’t cry. Not over this.

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. 1,2,3. You’re fine. Everything’s fine.

A small knock to the door behind you made you pause.

Did he know you were home?

“Bubs, are you in there?” You used to think that pet name was so silly. Just use your actual name, right? But over the years, you’ve grown to adore it. You’ve never been called so affectionately before, not even by your parents.

“Yeah. Sorry.”

Yoongi just hummed. You could hear a little bit of shuffling before it went quiet again.

“I went to the grocery store today and there was a sale on those bulk yogurt drinks you really like. I almost got shoulder checked by this grandma. I didn’t know old people could move so quickly.”

You felt yourself chuckle a little, your fingers twisting your engagement ring around.

“But guess who got the last pack of them?”

“Did you really fight a grandma for yogurt? You’re a grown man, Yoongi.”

“Hey, I wasn’t about to let an old lady punk me.” You could imagine his cute little frown and pouty lips. “Don’t worry though, I gave her my signature sandwich recipe and she gave me a coupon for some meat. We’re having chicken tonight.”

He was so ridiculous. So silly.

He was yours.

Slowly turning around, you grabbed the door handle and opened it, finding Yoongi sitting crossed legged on the floor. He stood when you came into his vision.

His long bangs were tied up in a little ponytail with a tangerine hair clip holding it back. To most outsiders and strangers, your fiancé could look cold and distant and he sometimes acted it but to you, you knew he was gentle and cute. The most compassionate and kindest person you’ve ever met.

You two stared at each other for a few beats before he slowly raised his arms, a wide and gummy smile making his eyes crinkle up.

You couldn’t hold it anymore. The dam finally broke.

You practically threw yourself into his embrace, the tears endlessly pouring from your eyes. Your fingers twisted in the back of his crewneck, holding him tightly as if you’d fade away if you let go.

He wrapped his arms tightly around you, shushing you as he pet your hair gently.

“Today was awful, Yoongi! I s-spilled coffee on m-myself and I was late to my meeting…” You cried into his shoulder, words stuttering as you tried to talk through your tears. “And then I didn’t even have my flash d-drive and my boss told me my hair isn’t‘professional’, whatever that means….” His hand rubbed at your back, remaining silent to let you get everything out. “And I dropped my new scarf in a puddle and there was this dumb little moped in my parking spot! It’s just been an awful day!”

He kissed your temple, rocking you two side to side in an attempt to calm you.

“I know, bubs. It’s over now. I’m here.”

Yoongi let you cry, just holding you and whispering how much he loved you.

After your cries had dwindled to sniffles, Yoongi slowly pulled back to look at you. He pouted his lip at the sight of your wet lashes and red eyes. You looked drained.

His hands cupped both of your cheeks, gently rubbing his thumbs under your eyes to wipe away the streaks.

“My poor baby. You must be so tired.”

You sighed shakily, fluttering your eyes closed. “I am.”

His forehead bumped against yours. “Why don’t I run you a nice bath? Then we can snuggle on the couch? How’s that sound?”

That sounded absolutely amazing.

You opened your eyes. “Will you join me?”

His smile was sweet and full of love. “Of course.”

~

Your body sunk into the warm water. You normally preferred your baths hot as hell but Yoongi had sensitive skin and you didn’t want to irritate that. The temperature of the water didn’t matter much when the heat of your beloved was pressed into your back.

His smooth hands ran all over your body—not in a sexual way but in a soothing and grounding way. Although your body did tingle when he grazed over your nipples.

“Do you feel a little better?” He asked, kissing at your shoulder.

You sighed, “yeah. Thank you, Yoon.”

“Anything, bubs.”

“I’m sorry I’m still kind of bad at coming to you. I was already overwhelmed and I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Look at me.”

You leaned your head back on his shoulder, craning your neck to be able to make eye contact with him. And what beautiful eyes he had.

“Never apologize for that. If you need a moment by yourself, that’s okay. And when you’re ready to find me, come find me. I’ll never turn you away. When I proposed to you, I promised to help you shoulder all of your bad days and I meant that.”

You smiled, moving to press a kiss to his soft lips, your hand coming up to hold the back of his head. His hair felt soft underneath your fingers. “I know. Thank you. I promise to be there for you too.”

“You already are. Just do what you feel is right and when you need me, I’ll be there. You can ruin as many sweaters as I have.”

You snorted a laugh, rolling your eyes. “What am I going to do with you?”

His arms wrapped around you, pulling you closer. “You can love me.”

“I already do.”

“Good.”

…..

“Yoongi, are you getting a boner?”

“No.”

“I’m trying to relax, Yoongi! How can you get horny at a time like this? I’m getting out.”

“You’re pressed up against me naked! You should take it as a compliment. Come back!”

…….

“Does that mean bath time is over?”

“Get in here before I change my mind!”

“Yes ma’am.”

[sashaisready]

Chapter Eight - She said stop

Bucky Barnes Mob AU x Femme Reader

You're hard at work in Pepper's Bakery when notorious mob boss James 'Bucky' Barnes darkens your doorway one typical afternoon, and life is never the same again.

Warnings: Drinking, some noncon kissing/groping with minor character

18+ - see Masterlist for full list of warnings

Chapter 9

Series Masterlist

It had been three weeks since the phone call and Bucky had not been back to the bakery since. Neither had any of his men.

You knew you should be relieved. You had been uncomfortable having such close association with a mob boss and being on the periphery of his world, you couldn't get used to being followed or having watchful eyes accompany you everywhere you went. You weren't confident schmoozing in high end restaurants or being someone's arm candy. This was a clean break, it was over.

But...you missed him. You didn't want to admit it to yourself, but you did. You missed looking up as he came in and finding his smile in the doorway. You missed the way he looked at you, gazing at you intently as you spoke to him. You missed the fluttering in your stomach when he joked with you, the jolt of electricity when you passed his card back and your hands grazed. You missed his shocking blue eyes, the way a single glance from them made you feel like a deer in headlights.

You had thought about texting him. But what would you say exactly?

Hey! I know I rejected you but can you come back to the bakery and flirt with me? 🙂

Hi! I'm sorry I said no to the date – I'm a big coward and I'm scared you'll think I'm unsophisticated and boring (and maybe slightly scared of your job? Idk) xx

I know you hate me and I get it but can you just come to my apartment for a few hours and lie on top of me?

You sighed as you adjusted the cake stands and began to wipe down the counter.

"That's it" Wanda snapped.

"What?" you asked.

"You. You haven't stopped moping and sighing since that call. And as you're not going to call him, we are going out tonight. No arguments" she said sternly.

You scoffed. "Out where? I'm not in the mood Wa-"

"I just said, no arguments" she interrupted, folding her arms. "You're going to put on a tiny dress and we're going to get drunk and dance and maybe hook you up with a hottie. This place is closed tomorrow for Pepper to do her audit so we don't need to get up for work - no excuses".

You roll your eyes, knowing full well she'll wear you down eventually so you might as well give in now and save yourself the bother.

"Fine..." you huff. "But you're buying the first round..."

"Good" she sang triumphantly. "Let's get you cheered up..."

*

Later that evening you strolled into a nightclub at Wanda's side. You liked dancing but clubbing wasn't really your scene, still - it felt good to be out and getting your mind off things. You were wearing a blue dress, one of your favourites. Not too revealing but it highlighted your best features and you felt good in it. You wore heels, they were a decent height – but still comfortable and not the ridiculous type you couldn't walk in. Wanda had styled your hair and you'd both gone to town on her impressive make-up collection, carefully accentuating your eyes and lips. You both drew a few admiring stares from men as you strolled in which caused Wanda to shoot you a wink.

You hadn't been here before, it was somewhere Wanda had heard about. It was busy – but not too packed. The atmosphere was lively and buzzing, a mixture of people dancing and splayed over the seating areas enjoying their drinks. There were a lot of handsome guys here, none quite as handsome as Bucky (you couldn't help but think), but still easy on the eye.

There was a VIP section in the far corner, roped off and protected by a couple of burly bouncers. You couldn't see much due to the angle of the seating (you supposed privacy was a VIP perk) but a throng of beautiful girls dressed up to the nines were being ushered inside.

"Drink?" Wanda shouted over the music as she gestured with her hand to her mouth.

You whipped back around to face her, nodding enthusiastically as she drags you over to the bar.

Wanda ordered two fruity cocktails, handing you one as she pulls out her purse to pay. You push her bag away from the bar.

"I'll get these" you said firmly, retrieving one of the hundreds from your own purse.

"I have built myself up something of a nest egg recently..." you wink.

Wanda laughs and takes her drink as you hand the money over to the bartender.

"Can you break this okay? Sorry..."

Working with cash yourself you know it can be a pain when someone gives you a large bill.

"No problem..." he laughs as he takes it from your hand.

You sip your drink eagerly as you lock eyes with him. You suddenly feel a flash of recognition, but can't place him. He had dark hair and glasses, and seemed to look back at you with the same hazy recollection as he handed over your change. Was he a customer? Maybe.

You were just about to ask if he ever went into the bakery when Wanda hurriedly pulled you to the dancefloor. The mystery man was suddenly forgotten as you followed her, stuffing the bills back into your purse.

Unnoticed by you, the barman watched as you disappeared into the crowd and hummed thoughtfully, then craned his neck to peer over at the VIP area.

Wanda was right, this was just what you needed. You were letting loose on the dancefloor, the alcohol sweeping away all of your inhibitions as you moved to the music with your best friend. Your mind began to clear and soon enough you weren't thinking of anything, no Bucky, no work, nothing. Only the song that was playing and the freedom that you felt in that moment.

You and Wanda took turns going to the bar over the next few hours, bringing back all manner of elaborate cocktails and shots as you slowly began to feel intoxicated. All on Bucky's dollar, of course. You weren't a lightweight by any means by hadn't drank like this in a long time. The bartender you recognised had been replaced with another, and you'd already forgotten his face as you enjoyed your night.

After some more dancing Wanda mouthed that she needed the bathroom and you nodded, asking if she wanted company. Just as you asked her - a cute blond guy appeared next to you, grinning and dancing close. He had a sweet smile, very all-American and clean cut. You smiled back at him.

Wanda's eyes flitted between you and the blond, then grinned and shook her head at you – implying she was fine to go by herself. She gave you a knowing look and shot off to the Ladies, leaving you alone with him.

The music was loud so he leaned over and spoke into your ear.

"You wanna dance?" he asked.

You turned to face him and nodded enthusiastically, he smiled and took your hand – and the two of you moved to the music for a few songs. Occasionally he gave you a little spin or dipped you, which made you giggle. His hand felt nice in yours and you allowed yourself to get swept up in the warmth of him, powered by the booze in your veins.

"I'm John, by the way. John Walker." he said into your ear.

You smiled, leaning to him and telling him your name.

"I think you're very pretty" he shouted over the music, just as the end of the song dropped out, meaning his voice carried loudly across the dancefloor. A few fellow clubbers turned to look at him, and you cackled as he hid his face in mock embarrassment.

"Thank-you" you replied bashfully.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked.

You nodded – but then realised you hadn't seen Wanda in a while. You surveyed the room for her as John went ahead of you to the bar.

You soon saw her curled up on a sofa with Vis, who must've shown up at some point while you were dancing. They were making out heavily as usual and you rolled your eyes, smiling. Wanda caught your eye and grinned at you, pointing at John and giving you a thumbs up. You rolled your eyes again, miming 'get a room' as Vis saw you and gave you a wave.

You chuckled at your friends' antics as you got to the bar. John had ordered you a gin and tonic and moved it in front of you as he paid. You furrowed your brows slightly, he hadn't asked what you wanted and you didn't really like gin much. You weren't a big fan of people making decisions for you without checking. Still, you didn't want to be rude so accepted it – giving him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, you were a bit tipsy and wanted to go with the flow.

John smiled at you as you sipped the drink. You smiled back, feeling a bit shy and unsure of what to say. The evening's beverages had gone to your head a bit, making you feel a bit unsteady on your feet.

"I meant what I said" he shouted over the music, leaning into you. His breath was hot on your ear and you realised he was slurring slightly. "You're really pretty".

You blush, smiling up at him. "Thanks, that's sweet of you".

Without warning he pins you against the wall of the club, shoving his tongue into your mouth and harshly groping your breast with his hand. The kiss is rough and sloppy, he tastes like stale beer. He misses your mouth initially so you end up with his saliva spotted across your cheek.

You gasp and roughly push him off of you.

"Hey! Stop, John!" you shout angrily, wiping your mouth and adjusting your bra where he had felt you up.

He rolls his eyes and moves in again. You move your head to face him and glare daggers at him.

"I said stop". 

He scoffs. "C'mon don't play hard to get, honey. You've been rubbing up against me on the dancefloor and you let me buy you a drink. We both want this".

Your jaw clenches as you feel your rage simmering.

"We were just dancing, I didn't sign a contract to do anything else. And I don't even like gin" you scold.

He laughs mockingly at you. "All girls like gin..."

You raise your shoulders in disbelief. The worst part was you had thought he was cute and probably would've made out with him eventually. But not like this. And not now he's behaved this way.

You roll your eyes and go to move away from him but he pushes your shoulder hard against the wall and tries to continue the kiss. You hit him, hard. The back of your hand strikes his cheek with a loud 'thwack!'. The sound rings out even over the loud music and he cries out, staring at you in disbelief.

"I said stop..." you repeat defiantly.

His eyes harden, he glares at you with fury and his face contorts into an ugly grimace. You feel your breath hitch as he bares his teeth.

"You little..."

But he halts as a gloved hand comes down hard on his shoulder and yanks him away. John is suddenly jerked backwards.

"She said stop..." warns a low voice.

"Who the fuck asked you-" John yells as he turns to face whoever dared touch him.

Both yours and John's faces fall as you realise who it is, but for slightly different reasons.

Bucky. 

[writingsfromhome]

The Ex-Text

Main: the ex

A/N: The main bits: both you and Harry are the exes of cheating partners (you found out when he texted you). Invited to your exes’ wedding, the two of you decide to road trip it together but it’s not what you thought it was going to be.

Prologue (text) / Main (ex) / Epilogue (what’s next)

————————————————————

I did not expect him to be good looking.

Okay, maybe attractive is a better word. His hair could use styling, his razor blades a sharpening, and his suit could use some tailoring. But he was fit.

“Is this what we’re going in?” Harry, he’d told me his name after I’d responded to his text, points to my blue Volkswagon.

“I don’t see you with a better car,” I didn’t like the hint of judgement in his tone.

Here was the guy who’d sent me what Taz and I called the Ex-Text. Really it was an Imploded-Life Text but it didn’t have the same ring.

I’d held out an hour and then gave in, texting him back: yes. the nerve

Are you going

Ofc not! I’m not a clown

What if we went together. Like flipping them off by going together

Are you still in the revenge phase?

Nah I’m over it. If they’re inviting us we should show up.

The idea of saying fuck you by showing up was appealing.

I should know your name first.

Harry. Styles if you want to search me first

…you barely have any photos of you. I’d continued looking at his online profiles, thinking the idea through before responding. I’ll go if I can drive. You can pay for the trip.

It was a plan: we would drive the 4 hours to Exeter in my Volkswagon and hopefully not want to die in the process.

“We should get a move on. Wedding’s at 3:30,” I get into my front seat and he folds his long legs into the seat beside me. The wedding itself was probably happening as we drove but to be there we would have had to drive through the early morning or stayed over night. Both Harry and I agreed we didn’t want the extra fuss. We would just show up for the reception.

“What’s that smell?” Harry sniffs the air.

“Peaches and cream,” I point to the car freshner dangling from the mirror.

“Smells like a teenage girl threw up a lung filled with peach juul.”

“That’s colourful,” I was starting to regret inviting him on a 4 hour road trip. “You’re not going to be this cheery the whole way through right? Because I was hoping to spend a lot of it moping.”

“Sarcasm,” he snaps his fingers. “My favourite.”

“We’ll get along just great then!” I start the car and get on.

“So why did you agree to this?” Harry asks after only a few minutes of silence.

“I dunno,” I drive carefully as I merge onto the freeway. “I guess it doesn’t hurt to show my ex I’m doing fine.”

“So what did you do when you found out? Trash his things? Set his car on fire?”

“Umm,” I bite my lip. This was embarassing.

“Did…did you beg for him back?” Harry goes with his judgey voice again.

“No. I’m not that pathetic,” I glance at him. He’s fidgeting with his sleeve. “I didn’t do a lot actually. Mostly just ignored him, then cleared out the flat when he was gone. Um…I dunno. I always thought I’d be that American country girl crazy if my man ever cheated on me. Turns out I’m very English.”

Harry laughs, it sounds genuine. “I guess we’re not all Carrie Underwood.”

“Hah! No. What did you do? When you found out?”

“Ehm,” he rolls down a window and rolls it back up. “I didn’t find out she was cheating. She’d actually told me she met someone new-“

“Really?”

“Yah,” Harry fidgets some more.

“How long were you two…”

“Three years or some.”

“Shit,” I didn’t know. I didn’t know a lot about this stranger who shared something this big with me. “I was nearly two years when you sent me those texts.”

“Yeah…we were both blindsided though.”

“Understatement.” I clench my jaw when I remember the feeling of getting those messages. The way my stomach dropped and my life turned upside down. “So you two broke up after that. Then you decided to text me?”

“Funny story,” he says and I know it wasn’t going to be. “I was hung up over it. I sort of stalked her on the internet and her new boyfriend. And I found his instagram with you on it…I reached out to you.”

“Oh,” so I was a casualty in his search for answers. That doesn’t feel good. This whole time I thought he’s been kind enough to let me know from one cheated person to the other.

“Yep,” the silence descends when I don’t respond. It ticks by and I glance at the time. It’s only been 15 minutes.

“So what do you do Harry?” I could barely find anything on social media about him. I was curious.

“I’m a teacher,” he says. I can’t help the sharp look I throw his way.

“A teacher!?”

“Don’t be so shocked.” He mumbles.

“I thought teachers were cheerier, that’s all.”

“Oh and all your teachers were cheery growing up?” I could tell this was a sore subject for Harry. Ha, subject, I smile to myself at the pun.

“Oh no,” I recall my year 7 teacher. “Mr. Harkner hated children. I got in trouble all the time.”

“You? Ms. Troublemaker?” Harry uses the same disbelieving tone I had minutes earlier. It makes me realize he was maybe quite petty.

“Exactly,” I try not to let his attitude bother me. “I never actually did much. Just happened to be wrong place wrong time, and he knew out of all my friends I was the easy one he could pick on.”

“Hmph,” Harry stares out the window.

“What? You find some relatability in the story?” I tease a bit, gauging how uptight he was. Plus, he wasn’t making much an effort to talk. And it would be an awkward 4 hours if we rode in silence.

“A bit,” he glances at me. “It’s just that I treat all my students like that, not just the easy targets.”

For a split second I think he’s serious but when I glance at him I remember what he said about sarcasm.

Game, set and match; guarded and sarcastic. I really did know how to pick a road trip partner.

“That’s good. Fair treatment and all that.” I reply with a smile. Out of my periphery I see him look at me for longer than a glance, and then look back to the window.

He doesn’t return the question.

“So what do you teach?”

“Business. But I studied design. I applied for the digital art position but they stuck me with business.”

“Digital art that’s cool,” I worked with digital artists a lot but because he didn’t seem to care about my side of things I don’t divulge.

It grows suffocatingly awkward as we’re plunged into more silence. I ask him if he wanted to put any music on.

“Sure,” he switches on the radio. I tell him he could connect his phone but he tells me he’d rather the radio.

“So you like pop?” I try for conversation again after listening to obnoxious music for another 20 minutes.

“What?” He snaps out of his daze.

“Pop music,” I motion to the stereo. “You put it on, seem to enjoy it?”

“Oh,” he shrugs. “I just listen to whatever’s on as background noise. You can change it.”

“Yes please!” I hand him my phone from the dash. “Could you connect that and open Spotify. I’ve got a road trip playlist in there.”

He fumbled with the phone like he’d never held one before. “Oh. Uh, you’ve got a few texts.”

“Ooh, from who?” I focus on merging into the exit I needed to take.

“Taz?”

“Oh, my best friend.” When he doesn’t check the message I look over. “What does it say?”

“You-you want me to read your texts?” He looks like I’d told him to flip through my nudes.

“Yes!?” He was kind of really odd. “What’s it-“

“Text me before you head out. And, serial killer vibes? And, you better be driving because I haven’t heard back. Is this about me?”

“Duh Harry c’mon,” I chuckle. “She’s being protective, don’t take it personally. Can you just text her and say everything good with a thumbs up and heart?”

“Uh yeah I guess-“

“Merge into far left lane,” the speakers interrupt.

I wait for Harry to send the text, and go into my Spotify. When Rihanna comes on I smile and finally start enjoying the drive.

“Isn’t this pop?” Harry asks.

“Not-well,” I think about it. “Kind of, in the sense she’s popular. But this playlist is curated. It’s different than turning the radio on and just letting all the rubbish play on.”

“Curated,” I can sense Harry’s judging tone. I choose to ignore it. The song fades out and Taylor Swift comes on next. I also ignore his snort.

We drive another half hour in mostly silence. We comment on the scenery, the few trees that had changed colour, or when we drive by Reading and he asks what went through the namer’s head when they named a town Reading. That started a conversation of places with weird names but Harry’s still very guarded. It leaves me confused how a guy like him would agree to coming to an event like this, and reach out to me to join.

“So Harry,” I turn down the volume a little when we hit traffic. “Why did you agree to this?”

He stutters a bit, the question took him by surprise. “I just want to show Vanessa I’m over it. Say fuck you to both of them. And show her friends and family that I moved on too. I know they all pity me. I’m pretty sure some of them knew about it when it was happening.”

I notice how he can’t name the cheating by its name. “And…have you moved on?”

“Well,” he drums his hand on the door. “Yeah. It’s been over a year.”

“Well I still want to punch his face when I think about him sometimes. I wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t.”

He goes quiet, maybe this is it? He’ll actually open up?

“I don’t think we’re in the same boat.”

Nope. He just closed off even more.

“If you say so,” I keep poking the bear. “If you hadn’t texted me I wouldn’t have gone. I really don’t care what him or his family thinks. They’re all dead to me.”

“But you want to punch his face,” he tries to trip me up.

“Yeah? It would give me some pleasure to do it. Some closure that I got the last…move. But I don’t obsess over it.”

“You’ve moved on? You have a boyfriend?”

“No,” I had gone on a few dates too early and had some regrets. After the fifth bad date in a row I had decided to focus on myself this year. “I’m enjoying being single, on purpose. Just focusing on myself. I’ve been in relationships since my early 20s so…it’s been interesting just being solo.”

“I feel like that’s something girls just say-“

“Then you’re very misogynistic and mistaken,” I cut him off. I’ve had a dozen conversation with men just like this when I told them this piece of info. Including my dad. “Of course it’s a bit hard at first when you’re so used to having a significant other. And sure it gets a bit lonely from time to time. But you learn so much about yourself. And you really learn to appreciate yourself. Have you kept on with the dating then?”

“Uhh,” Harry chuckles, a deep throaty thing. I smile involuntarily. “I don’t know if I’d call what I do dating but…I get around.”

Ah. More things slide into place. Bitter ex, left by his girlfriend. Jaded and jilted. Now he uses as many girls as he can to fill the void she left behind. But he never gets to the root of his issue. Because he won’t face how badly his ex left him like.

See, spending a year alone does wonders on understanding yourself and others too.

“You’re quiet. You don’t like what I said?” Harry asks.

“Oh no,” I laugh. I’d gotten too in my head. “I was just thinking about it all.”

It goes quiet again. None of us talk and my playlist plays on until it ends. It had an hour and a half of music, right on cue as my phone shows we had less than two hours left of this.

“You have any more curated playlists?” Harry asks after a few minutes of silence.

“Why? Did you enjoy the first one so much?” I try to meet his edge with some light teasing but it doesn’t do much to soften the sharpness.

“There’s a services coming up. Can we stop?” Harry ignores me.

“Sure,” I mutter. His wish is my command.

Harry disappears inside once I park and I wander around. I want to buy something at the Starbucks, and catch Harry ahead in line. I excuse myself and join him, he looks surprised to see me.

“Thanks for saving the spot,” I say as I catch a few people shoot me a look.

“I didn-“ I loop my arm through his and raise my eyebrows before he can protest. He seems to understand, although he untangles his arm from mine and moves up with the line.

“We should fill up on gas too,” He tells me. I’m surprised he noticed, he seemed lost in his thoughts for most of the trip.

“Yeah! Thanks for the reminder. Hmm, what are you ordering?”

He shrugs. “Coffee?”

“Anything to eat? I love their cakepops—have you had one?”

“No,” he seemed disturbed at the idea of eating something called a cakepop.

He goes up to order and I do too, settling on an oat latte and a sandwich which I scarf down as Harry fills up on gas. I feel better on the caffeine back on the road.

“So how’s Van?” I ask when we’re back on the road. “I’ve seen her—I mean she’s beautiful. But I don’t know much about the woman my ex cheated on me with.”

“I dunno,” Harry shifts uncomfortably. “That’s a weird question.”

“Not really,” I counter. “It’s not like we have much to talk about, we don’t really know each other too. I’m curious.”

“You know we don’t have to talk?”

I glance at him and our eyes lock. It’s strange, because I’d mostly been looking at his side profile this whole day. His eyes are intense, I’d consider then green but he turns away before I could figure them out any more.

“I know that. Only because you’re doing a really job at it.”

He huffs, I guess it’s supposed to be a laugh because what comes out after is, “For the way you come across, your sarcasm is a nice surprise.”

“What’s that mean?” It was the first time he indicated he was actually paying attention to me, to what I was saying.

“You have this nice single girl thing going on. Even thought the last guy you dated cheated on you and probably ruined your life. Yet you’re this cheery positive girl next door. But your sarcasm gives it away that you’re not all that.”

His analysis shuts up anything I would have said. He’d read me like a book. And here I thought I was doing such a good job at reading him; that he was so indifferent to me just because he was barely talking to me.

I couldn’t deny what he was saying. Taz, the only person I let my sarcastic side out to, had told me many times I was too much of a people pleaser. That Ethan cheating on me should show me no matter how much I please, I can’t convince people to like me or to stay if they don’t want to.

The problem was I didn’t know any other way to be. And it frustrated me. And I had a constant playlist of commentary in my head of how I really felt but I bite my tongue so much it no longer resembles one.

I feel naked.

“That’s an interesting take,” I don’t agree or disagree. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. “Doesn’t really answer my question but sure.”

He doesn’t say much. Then he answers, “She is beautiful, that’s what caught my attention when we first met. Back then we were working at the same school. She was in administrative team. She quickly moved on to doing work for the school board itself but when I first saw her I thought Women like her are why men have always been tempted to cheat with their secretaries. It’s ironic…”

It was. It was also stupid. But I let him continue.

“I kept finding excuses to come by her office and talk to her. One thing led to another and when she left the school, we decided to proper go out. She’s smart, sweet when she wants to be otherwise she can really make you beg. She laughs at all my jokes, she was really good with my family. And we shared the same taste in likes—we always agreed on what to do, holidays, date nights, all that. I thought I was going to marry her…”

Harry trails off. His description had veered into the emotional as his words became coated in nostalgia, anger and regret. I pretend not to notice but it was a small car and the silence grows awkward instead.

“Thanks,” I croak. I clear my throat with a swig of coffee. “Thanks for sharing that. At least now I know Ethan didn’t leave me for an empty vessel hey?”

The joke lands flat and I take another swig of my coffee. Harry’s hand drums the door handle again, deep in thought maybe?

I let him be and focus on the drive ahead as the road gets busy again. I wonder if anyone else on this strip of road was also going to the wedding.

I thought it was so weird Ethan had invited me. Maybe from his perspective, it had ended okay despite the way we actually ended? Because I never had the explosive reaction, or the accusatory one, or anything that comes off as angry and hurt. Maybe my dissociated and passive acceptance of what he did made him think I was okay.

I wonder how his family felt, his mum adored me. She used to come to our flat sometimes just to hang out with me. His dad wasn’t really in the picture but I assumed he’d be at the wedding. And his brother who was a lot younger but we’d bonded over video games since I’d recently left a job in that industry. He’d really liked me too. Even though I told Harry they were all dead to me, I did miss the feeling of hanging around his family. They often gave me that warmth my parents hadn’t growing up. And being an only child, it felt nice to bond with his younger brother. That was one thing I took away in my year of reflecting and being alone. Whoever I dated next, I wanted him to have a nice family. One I could get along with. Or at least, that would be a bonus.

“So are you close with your family?” I ask, curious about this guarded and sullen man.

“What?” His confusion makes me giggle, the question made sense in my head but it must have sounded random.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about how I used to be close to Ethan’s family. Before everything.”

“Oh,” he nods. “Yeah. I’ve just got an older sister. But we’re all very close. My mum’s always made sure we have a safe place to come home to.”

“That sounds really nice,” I feel a bit choked up with him saying that. I imagine it, the tenderness my mother never had.

“It is.” He agrees. “You?”

I wasn’t expecting him to ask me back; he hadn’t returned a lot of my questions this trip. Of all the ones he had to return… “No. I’m an only child of divorced parents. We’re sort of scattered. Phone calls on birthdays and Christmas. That’s it. Not that we were very close before the divorce either.”

“Yeah divorces are hard,” Harry says with an emotion I can’t distinguish. “So you spend your holidays alone?”

“Eh,” I try to act nonchalant. This had always been a sore spot for me. “Kind of. Some years I had visited home but my dad sold our childhood home some years back. My friend Taz—the one your texted, usually invites me to hers. Christmas with found family is what we call it.”

I can sense his gaze on me for a while. I try not to fidget, but when the silence goes on too long I look at him and flash a half-smile.

“I’m understanding the sarcasm a bit better now.”

“I-“ I laugh. He’d caught me off guard. He was good at making me underestimate how attentive he actually was. “You should teach English with how well you’re reading me.”

“So I am getting it right?” He says with excitement, it’s a new expression on him. His grin, when I look, looks nice on him. He looks a lot more alive, and for that I don’t berate myself too much for giving that away to him.

“Just remember,” I raise my finger. “I can read you too.”

“Okay well don’t hold back on my account.” He crosses his arms, his body shifting to turn to me.

“Nuh-uh,” I shake my head.

The directions recalibrate just then and his voice is drowned out by the AI. Some roads had cleared up and we were less than an hour out. The proximity had both of us falling silent.

I start to feel the beginning of nerves. I didn’t so much care about Ethan but seeing his family, seeing our friends in common, seeing a part of my past I’d tucked away for good. I wondered if it would bring up any new emotions.

“For a minute there I forgot where we were going,” I try to make light of the intense silence we’d fallen into.

“Me too,” Harry lets out a small laugh.

“I’m suddenly feeling a bit nervous,” I say. I wanted to see if Harry would open up if I did. But he doesn’t say anything at all. Getting him to open up was like prying teeth out. “Are you nervous?”

“No,” he answers too quickly. He must realize this because he goes back on his answer. “A little. Only cuz I don’t know what to expect.”

“Well, they did invite us so,” I shrug. Harry clears his throat, his fingers tapping away on the door. “We just show up, stick up our metaphorical middle finger, eat their food, and then we don’t even have to wait for the dancing. We can leave before if you want?”

“Yeah we’ll see,” he mumbles. Despite our progress in the car he was back to closed off. I sigh, and decide to ignore him.

I ask him to put on the ebook I was recently listening to. It was the latest in my kick of reading more classics. I was making my way through Frankenstein, it wasn’t my favourite but I liked the storyline.

We don’t talk for much else of the trip but Harry grows more fidgety every time my phone gives an update on the route. By the time we take our exit into Exeter he’s practically vibrating.

“Hey,” I put my hand on his knee at a red light. “You gonna be alright?”

His knee stills under my hand. He doesn’t meet my eye as he nods. “Yeah yeah. I’m alright.”

“My car’s vibrating,” I try to joke, gently, maybe get a laugh out of him. “I would’ve told you to skip gas if I knew you could power the car.”

“I’m not a child YN,” he says. My name in his mouth sounds foreign, he hadn’t said it once. It’s a weird realization to have as I get told off by him. “You don’t need to coddle me and try to guess my feelings. I’m fine.”

I plant my hands firmly on the wheel, my heart dropping. I thought we’d gotten to a friendly place, but turns out he was just as much of an arse than when we started 3.5 hours ago.

“Alright then,” I mutter. He ignores me. Nothing new.

But a few minutes of driving he apologizes. “I didn’t mean to be so rude after you drove us here. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” I wave away the apology. “It’s an intense thing we’re going to it’s alright.”

I know he’s looking at me but I ignore him. I was upset at the way he’d spoken but we were stuck together and I didn’t want to dwell on it. He was my only lifeline at this wedding, so I wanted to minimize the friction.

“It’s okay if you’re upset,” he says, unexpectedly kind.

“Guessing my feelings?” I glance at him with my eyebrow raised but the word feelings catches in my throat. He looks away first, and I’m embarrassed by my display of emotions. I take a subtle deep breath.

“Destination on the left,” my phone announces. I turn in where she says. The parking lot isn’t full, I glance at the time. 3:17 We were a bit early.

“We’re early,” Harry says out loud.

“D’you want to go in or just wait here?”

“Hm,” he glances at the few faces near the building. Mostly caterers move in and out of the building. “We can wait here a bit.”

“Sounds good to me.”

I turn the engine off and it’s suddenly very quiet except for the sound of Harry’s leg moving up and down, up and down. He catches me looking at it and he stops.

“Sorry.”

I shrug. I didn’t want another scolding so I say nothing. That is until he takes up tapping the dashboard.

“Can you stay still?”

“Oh. Sorry. I…I’ll stop.” He sits on his hands and I roll my eyes. “What?”

“Nothing.”

Harry stares at me silently, like he knew it would pull more out of me. And of course it does.

“Well, you’re just the image of fine right? So I don’t have anything to say!”

He sighs. “Yeah! I’m nervous alright!? Happy?”

Without driving and a seatbelt on, I can finally turn to him. “Harry. I’m not trying to prove myself right or something. If you don’t like talking about emotions that’s fine, you didn’t have to bite my head off about it. But it’s also okay to be nervous. Even though Van should be the embarrassed one to have done what she did and still ask you to her wedding. I know that’s why I don’t give a fuck about Ethan.”

He looks at me, actually looks, not like the glances he’d been giving all day. He opens his mouth and then shuts it. I wait for a response but none came. I should’ve known as much.

“My heels are in the back,” I finally say. “I should switch them now before we go in.”

I leave him with his undecided response and change my shoes. I apply a quick coat of deodorant, and check my makeup is still intact after being on the road. When I’m done, he’s still inside.

I walk up to his window and tap. He startles and opens the door.

“We going in? It’s now past 3:30.”

“Yeah,” he drags his feet as we walk up. When I reach the door first, he calls out to me. Again, my name sounding different out of his mouth.

“Hm?” I look at him.

“Are you sure we should do this? Do you really want to do this? I don’t know if it’s a good idea-“

“I did not drive,” I grab his hand and they engulf mine. Ethan and mine were the same size, it’s nice how neatly mine folds into his. “Nearly 4 hours to turn back and drive back.”

“But we don’t have to,” he tries to protest as I drag him through the entrance. “I’m sure Exeter has some fun we can do-“

“You’re not turning back. You have nothing to be nervous about!”

“It’s not-“ Harry stops himself and this makes me pause just before we follow the last arrow to the ballroom. I wait for him to finish but he looks embarrassed—like proper embarrassed. “If we go in we…”

“I’ve got your back,” I reassure him when he doesn’t finish that sentence either. “We’re each other’s plus ones right? We have each others backs. Now c’mon, I don’t want to walk in late either.”

Harry accepts what I’m saying. He rushes ahead to the seating plan and walks ahead to our seats. He fumbles with the table, slipping something in his pocket before pulling my chair out for me.

“Thanks?” I tell him.

“Yeah,” he looks around the room, a lot of seats were empty but it seemed the bulk of the wedding had made it out here.

“Oh my god Harry?” A slim bald guy finds his seat—at our table, and looks delighted to find Harry. “I saw your name on the chart I didn’t actually think you’d show!”

“Yeah mate why not,” Harry stands up to embrace him and in those few seconds he transforms to someone else. Someone I had not been driving with today. He has an easy smile and demeanor. I look on with an awkward smile on my face. “Everything’s cool right, just celebrating love.”

“It’s bloody nice seeing you,” he says when he steps away.

Harry was such a fake, but I don’t let my smile falter as the stranger’s eyes land on me.

“Oi Harry, this must be the reason you can come here to celebrate love!?” The stranger looks between us both. I clock on a second too late—Harry’s already introducing us.

“YN this is Van’s cousin, also Harry. Harry this is YN.”

“Nice to meet you.” I smile politely.

“You too! And I’m Vanessa’s very distant cousin. I’ve been living in Prague the last two years so I’m not around much. Actually I was convinced by the love of my life when he proposed to move with him.”

“Aw,” I say. He’s beaming and openly sharing his life story. So different from Harry. “Is he here?”

“No,” his face drops. “He couldn’t get the time off. That’s why I’m at this table…alone.”

“That’s too bad. He’s a really cool guy,” Harry tells me. “I’ve seen him fold his body into a trunk like-“

We’re interrupted when another couple joins the table. Coworkers of Van’s and luckily we don’t know each other. I still hadn’t had to talk to anyone I knew personally and I was hoping to keep it that way.

“Hey,” I lean into Harry when the table is distracted. “You didn’t correct her cousin, are we pretending to be here together together?”

“Yeah is that alright?” Harry asks. A part of me is annoyed he didn’t mention this earlier. I would have been more prepared with details. But it’s like he knew what I was thinking. “We started talking after everything, we bonded, reconnected in the summer and started dating. Okay?”

“Glad you thought it through,” I lay on the sarcasm heavily. Harry places a hand on my back, it’s warm and it tingles.

“I’m sorry. Just go with it right now?”

“Whatever.” I sit up straight and his hand falls.

When more guests arrive, so do the couple. I admit I thought I’d feel a stronger emotion but when I see Ethan walk in hand-in-hand with Vanessa, a big grin on his face, I feel a pinprick of disgust followed by a wave of relief. I really was over this chapter in my life, even though I never got to say my piece I was happy I was out of the relationship. As good as it once had been, the silver lining is that Ethan showed me his true colours before it got any more serious.

I glance at Harry, curious. His smile is plastered on his face but his eyes track the couple like a sniper. They’re devoid of the emotion his smile is trying so hard to convey. His back is straight as a ruler and the drink raised in his hand is second from cracking.

“Harry,” I put a hand on his arm and lean in to whisper. “Stop trying so hard.”

He catches himself when his eyes finally look into mine. I tell him he looks creepy, but he only clenches his jaw.

“You don’t have to torture yourself,” I lean in to say. By now the cheering had settled down as the couple join the wedding party at the front.

“I’m not,” Harry turns his head to reply. Our faces are a few inches away from each other. Definitely green, I conclude about his eyes. Encased in a black rim with flecks of something else. It was too dim to discern. “YN.”

There he goes saying my name again, so low and close to my ear a shiver runs up my spine. My eyes fall to his lips, shit, I look away entirely.

“You don’t have to lie to me,” I mumble.

“Oh quit whispering love birds,” Van’s cousin calls us out. “I’m lonely here, and bored. Tell me how did you two meet?”

As appetizers are served we launch into a jumbled story where we try to avoid the “after everything” Harry’s story mentioned.

“I think it’s shitty how you two broke up,” I hear him saying to Harry on the side. “I told her too! I told her he was a good one and you let him get away.” Harry tries to act nonchalant but he grips his arm. “Really! I think it’s really mature that you were able to come by-“

“YN!?” A voice I wasn’t expecting to hear breaks me out of my eavesdropping. I look up and Ethan’s mum stands over me. “Oh it really is you! I thought I had to change my prescription sitting up there! What a delight for you to come I had no idea Ethan and you were…friendly!”

“Oh it’s so nice to see you!” I stand up and allow the big embrace she gives me. It feels maternal in the exact way I missed.

“God I’ve missed you,” she clutches my hand. “Sometimes I consider just calling you up when I’m in town if you want to hang out but I didn’t think Ethan would like that. But now that I know you and him are on friendly terms I’ll speak to him!”

“Oh well,” I pat her hand. “I don’t know if I’d call it friendly but-“

“But you’re here!”

Harry chooses the moment to stand up. “You must be Ethan’s mum.”

“Oh yes,” she smiles kindly at him. “And you? Is this your date YN? He’s handsome.”

“Ohh yeah,” I smile at Harry but my eyes are flashing him a warning. I wrap my arm around him and lean in, giving in to Harry’s warm sturdiness. “This is him…”

“I’m happy you’ve found someone love,” I warm at being called a pet name. I really missed her. “I was really disappointed when I heard…well-“

“Water under the bridge,” I reassure her.

“I should tell the youngest you’re here,” she releases me from her hands. “He’ll want to say hello.”

“Okay,” I give in to one last hug. “I’ll be here.”

“She really likes you,” Harry notes when I sit.

“It’s nice,” I swallow down the emotions I feel and busy myself with the next course.

Some speeches are given, a couple toasts around the room. I’m in need of a better drink so I convince Harry to follow me to the bar even though he wasn’t drinking. There are a few people in front of us so we wait in silence.

In a quick second, Harry crowds my space and leans in to my ear to whisper something but my senses become so heightened with him draped all over me that I don’t register what he says. Until I hear her.

“Harry,” the two of us turn to the voice. Vanessa stands in her white midi dress—she must have changed from the wedding, with a short veil, and an angry glare. “Are you serious?”

“Hello to you too,” Harry nods. His hand stays glued to my lower back.

She glances at me and back at him. I look between the two of them. It’s like a Western standoff, waiting for the first person to speak.

“What’s going-“

“I can’t believe you,” she cuts me off. “What kind of petty bullshit are you still pulling!? It’s been over a year, and you show up with Ethan’s ex?”

“Not everything is about you,” Harry says as I say offensively, “I have a name.”

“Yeah YN, whatever. I can’t believe you’re here playing his game.”

“I’m not playing a game,” I was so confused. They invited us how could she be standing here pointing fingers? If they didn’t want us to come why would they invite us?

“She’s not—“ Harry’s hand presses into my back. “We’re together. Sure we bonded over you two but we’re together because we like each other. And she’s here with me.”

Harry looks at me and I look at him, a bit dazed. I could barely follow the conversation.

“You’re twisted,” she says with venom just as Ethan joins us.

“YN? I thought mum was mistaken. What are you doing here?”

I must look really confused as I look at him, his genuine question. I look at Van who looks pissed, and finally at Harry who looks plain guilty. Just like that, it clicks. It clicks and I can’t believe I was played. But before I could let it show that I was an outsider on this plan, like a loser, I play cleanup.

“I’m here with Harry,” I stand up tall, Harry hand feels suffocating on me now. “Your wife invited him did she not?”

“Is this some kind of joke?” He looks around the group. “Since when did you two start dating?”

“Since when was it your business?” I demand. “We’re both single, we can date. It’s not like I’m cheating on you with him. Right?”

Ethan backs down immediately. I’d played the ace I never pulled back when shit hit the fan. Ashamed, he makes a whatever motion.

“I just didn’t know.”

“Anyway it’s getting a bit stuffy in here. I’m getting air.”

I walk away, as far as I could which was right outside the front doors. When I reach the railing I let it take my weight. I couldn’t believe it. I was a clown.

“YN!” Harry’s voice rings out behind me. “YN let me expl-“

“Shut up!” I turn to him. “Nothing you fucking say is going to make this any better. Nothing.”

“I know I know,” he runs a hand through his hair. “Yet I want to say I’m sorry. I thought we wouldn’t catch much attention I-“

“You tricked me into coming! You-“

“What are you doing!?” Harry tries to pull away as I attack his suit jacket and come up with our name tags I remember he’d tucked away. One says Harry, the other Harry plus one. I throw them at his face but they’re only cardstock so they flutter pathetically to the ground.

“I can’t believe you tricked me into driving you 4 fucking hours because you’re still hung up over your ex! You—did you send me a fake invite? Oh my god did you-“ I pull up my email and yep. The sender might say Ethan but the email address is a fake one. I reach behind me to steady myself with the railing.

“How could you?!”

“It’s a fuck you to them right?!” Harry tries to convince me. “I thought asking you to be my plus one you would say no! This way you would come if I convince you and-“

“No!” I shout. The sun was starting to set and the golden hour casts over the entrance, on Harry’s face. His eyes flicker with specks of fire in a forest. He was a forest fire, and I’d caught myself in its midst. “You’re obsessed with your ex! Oh my god you made me complicit in your obsession?? You lied and manipulated me into your plan and I’m such an idiot to have thought…” to have thought I could come back from tonight mostly unscathed, to put the final period at the end of this story. Now I just looked like a petty psycho ex who crashed her ex’s wedding.

“This is so humiliating!” My tears of frustration pool out of my eyes and down my cheeks. “I look like a petty fool in there because of you! This is so fucking embarrassing!”

“Why do you even care what they think?“ Harry takes the step down so that’s he’s right above me. “I thought they were all dead to you.”

I slap him. It shocks the both of us into silence.

“I didn’t mean to-“

“No,” he holds his cheek. I’m sure it didn’t hurt that much but I regret it immediately. I wasn’t the kind of girl that did that, but I was in unchartered waters. I didn’t know what I was doing here! “I deserve that.”

“Why couldn’t you just tell me the truth!?” I ask, the shock of the slap leaving me tired. “Why did you lie for months?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s all?” I walk down a few steps. “All this and you don’t know? God.”

I walk away and out to my car. I just needed to be alone but I soon hear his footsteps behind me.

“I was just thinking about myself. You were just a means to an end,” his voice stops me in my tracks just before I open my car door. “I asked you how you dealt with everything. Well I’ll tell you how I did. I was the pathetic one asking her to take me back. I needed her to see she made a mistake. I made myself miserable, pushed away everyone in my life. Became someone I don’t even recognize. I can’t even listen to anything that’s not pop without thinking about her. It’s pathetic, and so am I. I’m a loser YN. I’m sorry.

I just thought you were my way in to show her—prove to her something I’m realizing now she doesn’t give a fuck about. It’s unfair to you, to treat you like just a-I dunno, a chess piece. I didn’t even think about telling you the truth. And the longer I spent time with you the worse I felt as I realized this was so wrong. I tried to say something before we went in but it just didn’t…I’m sorry. I’m an asshole.”

“You are,” I tell him without turning around. I get in my car and slam the door shut. I wasn’t going to soothe his ego, tell him it was okay. I felt humiliated, and betrayed, and upset. And he lied to me. I sit there and think about our entire interactions, the way he tried to keep me out and fidgeted anytime our invitations came up. His responses all of it I…it was right in front of me. But I wanted to believe he was a good guy. I wanted to be the nice one. Me and my people pleasing had fucked me over again. I knew something was up! Why would Ethan invite me? Why was I an idiot!? Why did I think coming here was a good idea?

I hit the steering wheel. It feels good so I do it again but when my finger crunches in a bad way the tears come. I cry, frustrated and angry. My makeup was ruined but it’s not like I was going back in there.

It must be a half hour later. The sun was mostly gone and a small knock on my window scares me.

Harry. I open my window a crack. “Hi,” he clears his throat. “I know it’s the last thing you want to do but you should come back in. If you want to come out of here alright, and I know I’m the guy who put you in here so you don’t have to take advice from me. But if you want to sell that you really came here with me and you don’t give a fuck about him, we have to pretend for at least an hour. A half hour. Then I’ll drive us home. And you’ll never have to see me again. Ever.”

He was right. I was angry because I knew he was right. Skipping out on the wedding after being confronted would just confirm to Van and Ethan that I was here for petty reasons. But I don’t give in right away. I let him try to convince me, almost beg me before I open the lock and get out.

“I’ll need five in front of a mirror.”

“Yeah,” this time Harry doesn’t rush in front of me. Nothing else to hide, he walks beside me back to the venue. He waits outside the toilets while I rearrange my face to something decent. I put in some eye drops to clear the red, and take his arm with a fake smile as we get back in.

“You alright?” Van’s cousin asks with a sympathetic smile. For a second I think Harry told him and I’m ready to lay into him right there but Harry clarifies.

“She’s alright. Just some cramps right love?”

“Right,” I look into his eyes, the ones I thought were pretty. Now they just looked the colour of a snake. “Thank you.”

The DJ calls the first dance and everyone looks on with awe. I zone out until Harry’s hand squeezes mine under the table. I snatch it out of his without looking at him, for maybe the first time in my life I don’t care if it offends him.

I’m not present as more couples join the dancefloor. Our table pushes us to go out too and after the millionth time I stand stiffly with Harry as we walk up. I begin to make out people I knew, friends and family of Ethan’s. I make out their surprised looks when they recognize me but I keep my head on Harry’s traitorous chest and dance with him. I hated his guts.

“Excuse me, YN?” After the second song we’re interrupted. I look over to find Ethan’s brother looking at us nervously.

“Oh my god! Look at you!” I immediately crush him to me and he hugs me back with enthusiasm. “You’ve been working out!”

“Yeah,” he takes my hand as I turn my back on Harry. He takes the cue and moves off the floor. I dance with Ethan’s brother. “I started going to the gym. Mum said all the time playing video games wasn’t going to get me a decent girl.”

“And has it?” I ask him, my previous gloomy disposition is replaced by all the love I hold for this kid.

“Not really,” he blushes. “But I’m only 20. I have time yeah?”

“Oh yeah, you’ll find a really nice girl.” I pat his cheek.

“I’ve got to get this!” Ethan’s mum is suddenly near us snapping photos. “Ignore me! Continue what you’re doing!”

“Mum,” he groans and I laugh. When she moves out and the music is in its last chorus he speaks again. “I hope the girl I end up with is even as half as nice as you are.”

“Aw,” my heart is so full right now. It also hurt that I had to cut off contact with these lovely people because of Ethan. How a guy like that came from a family like this is beyond me. “I’m sure you will, you’re too sweet not to.”

“Ethan’s gi-wife. His wife can be a bit mean. We all liked you better.”

I don’t have words to respond back. I rub his shoulder as the song ends.

“She treats him really bad, she’s not always nice to him when mum’s not around. You were so much better.”

“I…” I didn’t want to talk shit about them at their wedding. And I wasn’t sure why he was telling me this. “I’m sure Ethan knows what he’s doing kid. And we can still be friends, my number’s the same if you or your mum are ever around town let me know okay?”

“Okay,” he looks content. I give him one last hug before deciding I was done with the night. But as the dance music comes on, I bump into Ethan’s cousin and we catch up a bit. She also tells me Ethan was an idiot. Even though I wasn’t here for validation, it felt nice knowing people saw my side.

As I head to my table to find Harry, someone catches my arm.

“Why do you keep talking to my family?” Ethan demands. I could tell he was one too many drinks in so I try to make my distance.

“Well they’re coming up to talk to me. I’m just catching up. Despite what a bag of dicks you are, your family is nice.”

I shock myself with how blunt it comes out. Tonight was rubbing off on me—Harry but also everything he did.

“I-I don’t know why you came. Why you’re with him. Van says he’s immature and emotional.”

“Sounds like she had a type,” I raise my eyebrow. I was on a role.

“Then so do you,” he rebuttles.

“Well the great thing about you cheating on me is that we broke up and we don’t have a say in each other’s lives. Your family still wants to talk to me, and they can. I can look at you and see how pathetic I was to have dated you. And it’s alright.”

“What happened to the sweet girl I used to date? My family liked her, not this bitch you became.”

“You cheated on the sweet girl,” I remind him. His jaw twitches.

“There you are,” Harry slides smoothly in beside me. His hand curls around my waist and I lean into him despite wanting to throw it off. “Ethan.”

Ethan looks between us before continuing to address me, “Are you two dating to get back at me or something?”

“You think I care enough about you to do that?” I raise my eyebrow. “I don’t give a shit about you Ethan.”

“Van chose me,” he tries Harry this time knowing I wasn’t bullshitting.

“Good for you,” Harry says with a clear voice but his hand tightens on me. “Congrats. YN and I should get going.”

We walk away in silence to our table. He lets go of me so I can get my purse. My face feels hot as I shuffle through it for the keys. I’m emotional; I feel bad for the sweet girl, the person I still try so hard to be. I’m just a doormat, even Harry saw that and walked all over me.

I’m tempted to leave Harry here, drive home now. But I didn’t want to stoop to levels that low. I know he had no one here and wouldn’t have a ride home. Maybe I should tell him to take the train but-

I hated driving in the dark. I walk to Harry and hand him the keys without a word. He just follows me, but we’re stopped a half a dozen times to say goodbye to people. Van’s cousin, Harry, tells Harry to stay in touch and tries to convince us to visit him in Prague. We put a final show of love on for him, promising soon, before stepping outside and stepping away from each other.

Finally, in the car, I turn on the heating. The evening had taken a chilly turn.

“Music?” Harry asks but I decline. I put my audiobook back on, unstrap my heels, and curl up in the passenger seat. Silently we make our way back to London.

I’m not sure how much time has passed when I wake up. The heat and the audiobook must have put me to sleep. My chair is tilted further back than I had it before, a jacket—Harry’s suit jacket is draped over me. It smells like what I call man. Cologne and something musky. Ethan smelled similarly. Maybe that’s what betrayal smells like, I think bitterly.

I sit up and unfold the jacket from me. We’re in a parking lot, no, services. Harry’s missing and I peer out for a while but I don’t see him anywhere. I start to get worried, it was 9:30 and he couldn’t be missing but I couldn’t sit here any longer.

I put his jacket on and step out. That’s all it takes. I find Harry sitting on the concrete, his back against the back passenger door, playing with a pack of cigarettes.

“Harry?” I confirm. I’d just woken up after all.

“Oh YN sorry,” he sounds tired. I spot a coffee by his feet but I eye the cigarettes.

“The smell of those gives me an instant migraine.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not smoking them. I used to I just…”

When he doesn’t finish the sentence, a specialty of his, I step out of the car and slide down my door beside him. The ground is uncomfortable but I settle in.

“You’re gonna get cold,” he says before noticing I was wearing his blazer.

“You’re not?” I ask.

He holds his coffee up, as if it were a small fire keeping him warm. We sit in silence for a little while, I don’t know why I feel bad for him even though he did all this tonight. Maybe it was like feeling bad for a sad puppy after they chewed through your shoes and you shouted at them. Maybe I just pitied him. I don’t know.

“I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to accept,” he pauses, swallows. “She wasn’t even good for me. She could be so hot and cold, I used to walk on eggshells sometimes just to figure out if she was having a good or bad day. It was exhausting.”

“Hm,” I say to that.

“I don’t know why I thought I hit the jackpot with her. I thought if I let her go I would be the idiot. But now I realize she just made me so emotionally dependant on her, I lost myself when I was with her and when she let me go. I confronted her tonight, about inviting me. She admitted she wanted to see if I’d show, if I was still in love with her enough to show up. She just sent the invite to taunt me.”

I don’t say anything again. I was trying something different after all, I was trying not to be the sweet girl who made everyone feel better. It wasn’t getting me anywhere.

“I’m ashamed of myself,” he says in a quieter tone. “I don’t know who I’ve become. Tricking you like that…I don’t know why you didn’t force me to just walk home.”

“It doesn’t excuse your behaviour, or mean I forgive you.” I caution. “But I know what being in your situation is like. And you’ve been in it for over a year. I can only imagine what life’s like for you. And I thought about it, trust me, but walking home would’ve been cruel.”

“You’re not mean enough,” Harry says with humour.

“Aren’t I?” I look back at him. I don’t understand his expression, I do feel bad for him. But I don’t give into it. I let myself feel my own feelings too.

“Honestly I think you could do it. It would surprise everyone but you could. You should,” he finally says. It’s weird how he got me after only knowing me for a few hours. Most everyone I knew viewed me as 2 dimensional. It was an odd feeling to be seen in more dimensions.

“You’re a good person YN,” he says and my skin flushes in goosebumps. “Too good for people like Ethan or myself. That’s why I was kind of standoffish on our drive, I felt worse the more I got to know you. I should’ve said. But you deserve better.”

I look away from him. Into the night. A few cars are parked around, a kid cries from one of them. I look up at the stars that are barely visible and feel like the moment is a bit surreal. Like I’ll wake up tomorrow morning and think this was all a dream.

“Oh here,” Harry hands me a bag. I take it from him.

“Wow,” I pull out a cakepop.

“They’re good. Really sweet though.”

“I know,” I bite into one, surprised he’d gotten it. “This doesn’t mean I forgive you. You’re selfish and manipulative and I still don’t like you.”

“I wouldn’t expect you not to,” he stands up and dusts himself off. He reaches out a hand to me but I decline. I wanted to sit out here alone a little longer.

I finish the dessert in the cool air, and watch the scragglers move around the lot. People come and go, and I internalize that. I didn’t have to break myself apart to convince people to stay. I had to learn to stop doing that.

When I finally get into the car Harry’s re-routing the gps.

“We can put your audiobook back on?” Harry asks. I shake my head and pull his jacket back over me. Pretty soon I would fall back asleep and close to midnight I would hop over to the driver’s seat as Harry drops himself at home. Our goodbye is short and I watch him walk in before driving away. A part of me feels like this isn’t the end of us, but I’m relieved to see him go.

The next morning I’m right. It does all feel like a dream, but a dream that I feel changed by. Last night was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I pick up the phone to call my best friend and let her know.

I was changing.

———

TAG: @tiaamberxx

[thesolarangel]

A touch of cinnamon and spice

Chapter 4

summary: Our boys awkwardly talk about their feelings.

3.569 words · Rated: EXPLICIT · Please read the updated tags on AO3!

Notes: Sorry, I totally forgot to mention this before: Robin and Steve are roommates! Also, Steve doesn’t know what D&D is! For the sake of this fic I will ignore the fact that they normally wouldn’t have their own bathroom at their dorm room. In case you didn’t know: putting a sock on the outer doorknob of a room means “Don’t come in, we’re doing spicy stuff!”

Read on AO3 here

Chapter 4 · November 6th 1987 

“Hey, I’m back!”

Jonathan shut the door and threw his backpack onto his bed.

“Hmm.” Eddie made a noise of acknowledgment but didn’t look up from his book. Not even his favorite story had managed to cheer him up, even though he had loved reading “The Hobbit” since he was a kid. Instead, he was staring at the sketch he had made of Steve, which he had kept between the pages… 

“Listen, you should come to the game with me.” Jonathan sounded determined. 

“Huh?” Eddie turned his head to see if Jonathan was joking. Football? Really? He wasn’t a fan of sports and Jonathan knew that.

“I just think some fresh air would be good for you… And to focus your mind on something else for a change…” Jonathan shrugged. 

Eddie frowned. It hadn’t even been a whole week since the halloween party. He had a hard time shaking off the memory of the kiss. Steve’s soft lips against his own and the fireworks in his chest… And the dreadful scene that unfolded in front of him afterward.

Since then, Eddie had run into Steve a few times in the halls or the cafeteria. He had tried to talk to him, but Eddie had bolted every single time. He had taken notice of Steve’s worried face, but he wasn’t interested in what he had to say. Eddie was still hurting and it was embarrassing. He shouldn’t care so much about a guy he kissed once. So he chose to mope about it in his dorm room and avoid leaving whenever he could.

“I gotta take some pictures for the school paper”, Jonathan went on as he prepared his camera with a new film, cleaned the lens, and stuck it into his camera bag. “You could tag along?”

“Ugh, alright.” Eddie sighed as he got up from his bed and stretched his back. “I guess I don’t have anything better to do anyway.”

…

The moment he stepped outside, Eddie regretted it. He had only thrown his leather jacket over his hoodie when he had left the dorm.

It had been an especially uncomfortable November day. The weather was grim and cold, large dark gray clouds were covering the sky. He pulled the hood over his unruly hair which helped a bit to keep the wind from his neck and face.

Unsure about how this could change his already miserable mood, Eddie grumpily accompanied Jonathan to the football field.

Jonathan took his place at the side of the field, all the way down the bleachers whereas Eddie was walking up a few steps, looking for a free seat. Despite the weather, it was very crowded since it was the last game of the season. 

“Hey, Eddie!” A familiar voice called his name.

Oh no.

Equipped with a dark blue coat and a burgundy scarf, Steve was sitting a few rows ahead. He was giving Eddie a small reluctant smile and offered the free seat beside him. His usually neatly styled hair was a little messy, due to the relentless fall wind. 

Eddie felt his shoulders tense up.

Just be casual, Munson. Like he didn’t consume your thoughts for the last few weeks.

“Hey,” Eddie said as his cheeks blushed slightly with embarrassment. He sat down, hands in his pockets, pretending to follow the game to avoid Steve’s view. Their college’s team had just scored a touchdown and everyone was cheering around them. Colorful banners and big foam fingers flew through the air as they shouted their team’s anthem.

After a while, Steve spoke up carefully: “Um, so I wanted to ask you… why did you leave the party so suddenly?”

Here we go.

“You seemed busy flirting with someone else, so I thought it was better if I left,” Eddie answered dryly. His shoulders felt tight as he waited for the impending rejection. 

“I wasn’t flirting though.” 

“Huh?” Eddie raised his eyebrows at him.

“I was catching up with some friends I hadn’t seen in a while. And when you were gone, I was so confused.” Steve said softly. “I was genuinely looking forward to meeting up with you again…” 

“Oh…” Something inside Eddie began to stir with hope. This was not what he had expected. 

Steve awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “I, um… I thought we had a moment that night.” And now it was him blushing and not looking at Eddie. “Sparks, fireworks, whatever you wanna call it…”

Eddie stared at his feet, letting his long curls fall into his face, hopefully concealing his flushed cheeks. He had to wrap his head around what he had just heard, but Steve sounded honest. After all, he could have just ignored Eddie and moved on, but here he was, talking to him, clarifying what had happened. It had all been a big misunderstanding.

“We did have a moment…” He glanced over at Steve, lips curling into a soft smile.

“So… are we good?” Steve asked, playfully bumping his shoulder into Eddie’s.

“We’re good, Stevie.” Eddie let out a huffed laugh. He sat upright again, relief flooding his body and he felt his shoulders relaxing. “Damn, now I wish I had stayed.”

“There’s always next time if you want.” Steve gave him a charming smile and their eyes locked.

One day Eddie’s heart was gonna jump out of his chest at how beautiful Steve was. He looked at him with kind eyes and this stupid grin on his face. 

What did I get myself into… he’s so pretty…

…

They watched together as Steve made a few comments about the course of the game. Eddie nodded along, pretending to understand the football lingo, but it gave him an excuse to look at Steve’s handsome face.

“So, how come Robin isn’t with you? The two of you seemed pretty inseparable.” Eddie asked, eager to find out more about Steve’s life.

“She’s currently at our dorm with her girlfriend, Nancy, the girl that you saw at the party,” Steve explained. “Also full disclosure, Nancy and I used to date in high school, but that didn’t work out, and now we’re friends.”

Their team scored another goal and the audience around them roared. 

“Honestly I have no idea what’s going on down there!” Eddie chuckled and gestured towards the field.

“Then why are you still here?” Steve laughed.

“It’s the excellent company for me, Stevie” Eddie smirked.

…

Eddie felt a few raindrops fall onto his nose and cheeks and he looked up at the sky. It had started to drizzle, but the dark clouds in the distance looked very ominous.

Those who were thoughtful enough to bring umbrellas and raincoats were fine, but Eddie groaned as his jeans and hood slowly got drenched.

What started as a light shower that was easy to handle, quickly developed into massive rainfall with heavy gusts of wind. Down on the field, the players kept slipping and losing their balance on the soaked lawn due to poor visibility from the rain and wind. 

At first, the announcer reported that they were keeping the game going, hoping the rain would subside soon. But with time, the injuries kept piling up and several players of each team had to be taken off the field to be treated by the paramedics. The breaking point was when one of the quarterbacks had hurt his ankle so badly, they believed it to be broken.

Once again, the announcer’s voice roared from the speakers: “That’s it, folks, we’re gonna have to pick this up another time! Please get inside safely and don’t rush!”

Steve nudged Eddie in the side: “Let’s go!”

…

Back inside, Eddie took off his hood and rubbed his hands together. He was completely drenched and freezing and Steve didn’t seem to have gotten away any better despite his winter coat.

Steve looked like a sad, wet puppy: Big eyes, hair deflated, wet strands hanging in his face, rain dripping from the tip of his nose.

“Are you okay?” Eddie chuckled, the sight that Steve presented was just too cute.

“I can’t go back to my dorm…” Steve let out a groan of frustration.

“Why not?”

“Robin has invited Nancy over to our room.” He glanced over at Eddie. “We have a deal: I watch the game, they can have some alone time…” 

“Ooh.” 

Steve looked at his watch. “I have like 2 more hours to kill at least”, he said with a frown.

“You can come to my dorm”, Eddie offered. “I can help you warm up”, he added with a cheeky smirk.

“You’re ridiculous”, Steve laughed but followed Eddie to his dorm room.

…

Eddie lent Steve some sweatpants, a faded Metallica shirt and showed him to the bathroom where he could get changed.

Meanwhile, he threw his own wet clothes on the radiator, slipped into comfy pajama pants, a Black Sabbath shirt, and then frantically tried to clean up the place. Once he was done, it was still a mess, but he hoped Steve wouldn’t pay much attention to it.

“Thanks for the change of clothes, I already feel so much better”, Steve said, stepping out of the bathroom. He was rubbing his hair dry with a towel which made the already very small shirt ride up at his waist and expose a gorgeous dark trail of hair from his bellybutton to the rim of the sweatpants. 

“No problem…” Eddie’s voice trailed off as he glanced at Steve’s exposed skin and the way his shirt stretched over his pecs and biceps. 

Steve put both hands on his hips and let his gaze wander around Eddie’s side of the room. Posters of his favorite bands, like Metallica, Judas Priest and DIO, magazine cutouts and a few concert tickets were plastered all over the wall. A large banner that said CORRODED COFFIN in black and red distorted letters had been hung in the middle. An acoustic guitar was placed next to the TV at the foot of his bed.

“Corroded Coffin is your band, right?” Steve asked and pointed to the banner.

“Yeah“, Eddie answered, delighted that he remembered the name. 

“I’d love to hear you guys play someday.”

“I’m gonna convert you to a true metal fan, just so you know.”

“We’ll see about that”, Steve laughed.

Next, he wandered over to Eddie’s cluttered desk in the corner. It was covered with drawings, weirdly shaped dice, pencils and books. He picked up one of his books and raised an eyebrow.

“Dungeons and Dragons, huh? Sounds kinky…”

Eddie snorted. “Right…” 

Steve sat down on Eddie’s bed, stretched out his legs and put the towel around his neck.

“Do you wanna watch a movie?” Eddie asked. He was happy to see that Steve had already made himself comfortable on his bed. “Here”, he took his blanket and threw it over Steve’s legs.

“Thanks. Do you have Star Wars?”

Eddie’s face lit up, excited that Steve was a fan, too. He went over to his stack of VHS tapes next to the TV. “Sure, which one do you wanna watch?”

“The one with the teddy bears,” Steve replied with a confident grin.

“Really, Steve?” Eddie rolled his eyes at him.

“What?” Steve shrugged. 

“You’re lucky, you’re cute”, Eddie commented while looking for the right tape.

The characteristic Star Wars intro blared from the speakers. The bright yellow writing on the starry sky slowly floated over the screen, introducing the premise of the story. Eddie sat down on the bed next to Steve, who, without saying a word, lifted the blanket and Eddie snuck under it with him.

Smiling to himself, Eddie felt himself buzzing with excitement on the inside. He was ready to take it slow, but he also really wanted to kiss Steve again… 

Throughout the movie, Steve kept asking random questions like “Who’s that old guy again?” and commented “I have no idea what’s going on…” when the rebels around Han, Leia and Luke met up to discuss their plan to bring down the empire.

“I thought you’ve seen this before?” Eddie laughed, but Steve just shrugged.

Eddie shifted in his seat and sneakily scooted a little closer to Steve, snuggling against his side. They were practically cuddling by now and Eddie felt the energy shifting slightly as Steve leaned into the touch. 

“Han Solo is so hot”, Steve remarked about thirty minutes into the movie. 

“Dark cheeky rebels do it for you then, huh, Stevie?” Eddie teased.

“Maybe”, Steve whispered and suddenly there was a broad hand on Eddie’s thigh, giving it a little squeeze. His heart started beating faster. They were so close… Breathing in Steve’s wonderful sweet scent and gazing deep into his longing eyes made Eddie feel warm all over. 

Steve’s gaze dropped to his lips. “Can I kiss you?”

“Next time sure is here faster than I thought”, Eddie gave him a cocky grin.

“Shut up”, Steve laughed and pulled him into a soft kiss. 

The way Steve kissed him was exhilarating, Eddie felt like fireworks were bursting in his chest. He tilted his head and kissed him back impatiently while tugging on his waist to get him to come closer. Steve climbed into Eddie’s lap, both of his legs on either side of Eddie’s. He was met with Eddie’s arms wrapping around him immediately. 

“For the record, it’s called Return of the Jedi...”, he mumbled between kisses.

“Hmm?” 

“The movie. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”

Steve looked at him confused and with kiss swollen lips and flushed cheeks. “Is this your idea of making me swoon?” He asked with a huffed laugh.

Eddie grinned and sealed their mouths again. Steve’s fingers wandered into his hair and started drawing patterns into the nape of his neck, sending shivers over Eddie’s sensitive skin. 

They made out with the movie still playing behind them, neither of them paying attention. When Eddie playfully bit into Steve’s bottom lip, then licked over it apologetically, Steve suddenly let out a small moan. 

Eager to find out what other sweet sounds Steve would make, Eddie did it again, this time biting a little rougher. Steve let out another soft noise of pleasure.

“Eddie…”, he whispered and then his lips were on Eddie’s again, kissing him hungrily. “Eds… I really like you…” Steve said in a low voice, rolling his hips slowly in Eddie’s lap.

“Would be strange if you hated me since you’re in my lap and…” he teasingly grinded his hips upwards and Steve let out a choked whimper “...hard.”

“You don’t seem unaffected by this yourself…” Steve licked his lips and gazed at Eddie from under his long lashes. Experimentally, he drove his hips down harder.

“Stevie…” Eddie groaned and his hands moved to grip Steve’s hips, guiding his motions. 

“God, you’re so hot, why are you so hot…” Steve was almost slurring his words between kisses and driving his hips down into Eddie’s crotch.

Eddie answered by pulling Steve into a filthy kiss, greedily sliding his tongue inside his mouth, earning him another moan. His hand found its way under Steve’s, well, his t-shirt and brushed over his nipple. The lewd noise that Steve made went right to Eddie’s dick. Something hungry was building up in his belly, yearning for more.

“You’re driving me insane, you know that?” Eddie growled against Steve’s hot skin while kissing down his neck, licking and biting gently. “Lie down for me, okay?”

“Okay…” Steve let Eddie maneuver him until he was lying on his back, splayed out, letting his legs fall open for Eddie to fit snugly between them. But instead, Eddie got up.

“Hang on a second…” he said, grabbed one of his socks from the floor and put it on the outer doorknob of the room.

“Woah, you have high hopes”, Steve chuckled and raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Well, Stevie, I’d say that’s entirely your fault, laid out like this on my bed, looking like a snack!” Eddie just shrugged and laid on top of Steve and kissed him again before he could say anything else about the sock on the door.

“I still wanted to tell you… at the party, hmm” Steve broke off mid-sentence as Eddie was attacking his neck with wet kisses. “You looked so hot… the eyeliner and no shirt, just the jacket… I couldn’t stop staring at you.” 

“You’re one to talk, I wanted to rip that tiny white shirt right off… that chest hair, lemme see, please?” Eddie was tugging at his shirt and Steve sat up so Eddie could take it off.

Eddie immediately buried his face in Steve’s beautiful chest hair. Steve was all broad and hairy, whereas Eddie was more on the lean side and just sported a few hairs on his own chest. Steve’s tanned skin was peppered with moles all over his torso like little kisses and Eddie was determined to find every single one and kiss it himself.

He let out a pleased sigh and began to trace the shape of Steve’s pecs and gently took his nipple into his mouth. He flicked his tongue over it, then the other one, making Steve squirm under his touch.

“Ahh oooh, Eds!” Steve bucked up his hips. 

Eddie came up again to kiss him and rubbed his crotch back against Steve’s whose hands flew to Eddie’s butt, squeezing, spurring him on to give him that delicious friction.

“Steve…” Eddie purred over him and propped himself up on his elbows, stroking with one hand through Steve’s hair that stood up messily from his forehead. “Stevie, baby” he whispered again to get his attention.

“Yeah?” Steve looked utterly ravaged, blinking up at Eddie, trying so hard to concentrate. Eddie knew he was close, he felt it and saw it in his gaze.

“As much as I’d love to mindlessly hump you, Stevie, these are my last clean pants. The ones you’re wearing and mine.”

Steve let out a small frustrated groan. “So what do you propose?”

“Good old-fashioned handjob?” Eddie suggested with a grin.

“I’m up for that” Steve smiled. “But first, take this off please, I wanna see you, too” he pulled on Eddie’s shirt and slid it over his head.

“You have more tattoos!” Steve’s eyes went wide as he traced the tattoo on Eddie’s chest with his fingers.

“I do,” Eddie chuckled. “Planning on getting more, too.”

“Hot…” Steve said in a low voice as he admired Eddie. He reached up to cup his jaw and dragged him down into another kiss.

Eddie helped Steve tug down his sweatpants and underwear as well as his own. He felt his excitement grow upon seeing Steve’s heavy cock again, this time hard and up close. 

His mouth began to water. Another time maybe…

“Here, let me”, Steve offered as he wrapped his broad hand over both of their shafts. Eddie moaned loudly when Steve began to slowly pump his hand, using their precum to ease the glide. 

“Steve… oh god”, Eddie rocked into his hand.

“Feels good?” Steve’s voice sounded rough and filthy. Eddie felt the blood rush through his veins.

“Yeah… you’re amazing” Eddie whimpered shakily. “I’m close, Stevie.”

Steve gently rubbed his thumb over the sensitive underside of his swollen cockhead, taking Eddie by surprise and with a sudden cry, he spilled across Steve’s stomach. Encouraged by this and Eddie’s wrecked noises, Steve moved his hand faster and soon he was shooting his own big load onto his tummy and watched it mix with Eddie’s.

Both of them were breathing heavily. Eddie bent down to give Steve a tender kiss. “I like you, too, you know… In case you didn’t know already.” Steve gave him a stunning smile, eyes gleaming, cheeks pink. Eddie peppered a few more kisses to the corner of his mouth and his cheeks. 

After cleaning themselves up, they cuddled up under the blanket again. They watched the rest of the movie while laughing, kissing, enjoying each other’s company and eventually Eddie asked: “Do you wanna stay here tonight?” 

Steve was sitting in his lap again, with his back to Eddie’s chest, Eddie’s arms around him. “Don’t you think Jonathan will be back at some point?” 

“I’m pretty sure he’ll just go over to Argyle’s and sleep there”, Eddie replied and gave him a suggestive look. “With the sock still on the door…”

“I guess I can stay then.” Steve smiled.

“Awesome! Let’s order some food and then… How about The Lost Boys next?” Eddie grinned.

…

Jonathan had been at the photo lab after the football game had been canceled and was now making his way back to the dorm. It was already dark out and he wanted nothing more than to lie down with a good book. As he approached his dorm, he noticed a white tennis sock hanging on the doorknob and he stopped in his tracks.

He did see Eddie and Steve sitting next to each other on the bleachers and he had hoped they’d talked things through. So hopefully it was them in there… talking.

He grinned to himself and turned around.

Jonathan knocked on the door, heart racing in his chest as he clutched his bag and waited.

The door swung open and Argyle, long dark hair flowing over his shoulders, stood in the doorframe. His face lit up once he saw it was Jonathan.

“Hey!”

“Hi,” Jonathan smiled shyly. “My dorm is occupied tonight, can I stay with you?”

“Absolutely, come on in!”

tag list: @starlady66 @fenharel-enaste @queenmeriadoc @elronds-pointy-ears @hbyrde36 @hammity-hammer @corrodedbisexual @spoookysix @rozzieroos @cranberrymoons

devider by @firefly-graphics

[jaysficarchive]

Villain's Wife Support Group

Chapter 1: Initiation

Synopsis: The wives of some of the most infamous villains in the world meet every Wednesday to share stories, give updates, and talk about love on the wrong side of the law.

Relationship(s): Various

Warning(s): Mention of SA, mention of child murder

Tag list: @floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @mayameanderings

"Hello, ladies, and thank you all for coming."

A group of women exchanged "Hello"s either taking or adjusting their seats. Most of them were older, a few young faces in the crowd. One could tell a bit of their personalities just from looking at the choices in decor.

People from all different parts of the country gathered in front of their computers for one purpose: a common type of spouse.

"Welcome, everyone," a small, round woman with dark brown skin and short black hair spoke. Dressed in a silky robe lined with fur, it was easily to tell she was relaxing after a long day at work. "My name is Christine. I'm the founder of this group."

Some of the others waved at her while others said hellos. The positive reception pleased Christine.

"This is initiation day where we basically introduce ourselves, talk about what we do for a living, maybe a little bit about ourselves then introduce costumed criminal we're married to."

A simple enough task. These people were just getting to know each other, after all. Making a good first impression was highly encouraged to most, critical to some.

"I'll go first. My name is Christine Chapel. I work as a cabaret performer under the name Belle Holiday, my favorite gemstones are amethysts and pearls, and my husband is the Music Meister."

Another woman with copper brown skin and the same jet black hair spoke next. "I'm Brandice Bivolo. I'm an elementary school teacher and my husband is the Rainbow Raider. A few of my hobbies are metalworking, playing instruments, and calligraphy."

Both her style and the background behind her could easily be described as bohemian, hipster. With all the crystal necklaces and bright, earthy colors of her clothes, it wasn't hard to see why someone like him fell for her.

The other members took turns introducing themselves. A notable face was Marina Lulit, a prominent Floridian socialite and wife of one K'an of Tenochtitlan. If what she said about him being the ruler of an underwater kingdom was true, she probably had lots of stories to tell.

Eve, an older Black woman from the Deep South, was the wife of Hollow, phantom of the railroads. Christine was a big fan of the ostrich feather lamp behind her; and of the overall vibes of her room in general. She must've had some truly wild stories--probably even moreso than her own with Music Meister.

Who could forget the ever gracious Mona Lisa Beauvais. It was for the better she be in this group since her fiance Riddler was still in Arkham. Her room was another's Christine admired--with its mix of old Hollywood and urban aesthetics.

Christine clapped her hands together. "Now that that's done, I'm gonna cut to the chase. This is a support group for all women and femmes who are either married or engaged to villains."

"Let's go over a few ground rules. First, when I say all women and femmes, I mean it. I will not tolerate any bullshit. Second, no child murderers or rapists. Made that very clear in the rules on Facebook. Lastly, be respectful about each other's tastes. We already deal with enough shaming from the media."

The other members nodded along in agreement, some even mumbling their support of Christine's ground rules.

"Anymore questions?" Christine looked around.

"When do we meet?" Brandice asked.

"We meet every Wednesday," Christine replied. "Make sure to let me know if you can't make it to a meeting ahead of time."

"What are we gonna do in this group?" Marina asked. "I mean, I know this ain't a club but we gotta do something fun every once in a while."

She's right, Christine said to herself. No one would want to spend the whole time moping and telling stories. "I do plan on having some events including a girls trip. Nothing concrete yet, of course."

After a few more questions and another run down of things, the members all exchanged goodbyes before going their separate ways.

Alone, Christine gently closed the computer. It was just her in a large, luxurious house. Sighing, she headed to the kitchen for a drink. Usually the house would be filled with the sounds of Music Meister playing his piano or singing to his favorite songs. Christine would join in, maybe even dance along to his voice.

Today, only silence. Just a few hours ago, Christine went through the worst moment of her life since the car accident--the trial of her husband. It wasn't being alone that distressed her; rather the amount of attention she got. In the span of a few hours, she went from a private citizen to having cameras and microphones in her face as she left the Gotham City Courthouse.

Heaven knows what they'd say about her and her relationship. All the wrongful insinuations, false narratives, invasive questions.

These were about to be the longest three years ever.

[footballffbarbiex]

Ok so I've had some thoughts bouncing around in my head since last night's game and Barcelona fans getting annoyed and blocking me (lol). But the thing that they and "pro João Félix" fans/blogs don't understand is that Atleti fans never started out this way with their feelings towards Félix. 

We were excited to have him here and welcomed him with open arms. He's our highest ever bought player and something like that doesn't happen for nothing. Of course, I still think Atleti were desperate to prove that they didn't need Griezmann after his departure (though he's proven that the only person who can replace Antoine Griezmann at Atlético Madrid is, well Antoine Griezmann) and that's why they spent the fee they gained from AG's departure on JF. I didn't think he was worth that amount of money though and I still don't. 

They saw a kid who had a good season at his club and saw potential, potential that I also thought he had. I, like many, many other Atleti fans, was excited for him to come and see what he could bring and at first he succeeded. He had a style that was nice to see and it was easy to see why so many young fans wore his name on their backs because they had hope of him becoming something big there. 

He wasn't, like Griezmann has said recently, consistent but when JF did score, he did it well and it left fans thinking "ok if this is how he is at the start of his Atleti adventure, what will he be like?" Sadly, we saw what he was like. He became more inconsistent, he became frustrated when he couldn't score (which is completely understandable because players in his position want to score) but it was his behaviour and attitude which changed following this. 

He seemed to go through a rough spell, even after winning the LaLiga title where he still hadn't shown what he was capable of to have merited that amount of money being parted with with only 10 goals scored throughout the whole season and maybe his injuries were contributing to that too. Fans were asking the same question but still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was young and still settling into the club and their football style and it wasn't something you would pick up overnight and adapt. 

But it didn't warrant him throwing things in frustration when he was subbed whether it was a bib, a water bottle or throwing himself into the sub bench seat. It didn't warrant him storming off down the tunnel when he was subbed. It didn’t warrant him refusing to go to the travelling fans end and applaud them along with the other players, simply because the match had not gone either his or the teams way. It didn't warrant him liking anti Simeone tweets purely because he was no longer getting started - something which a lot of his usual starter players also experienced; it wasn't just a João issue. Simeone wasn't targeting him. He wasn't bullying him. He was doing what any coach would. 

Past players such as Trippier have said that Simeone would die for his team and his club and the players would do so for him. He wants them to succeed, he wants them to do well and to literally go to war for him on that pitch and it shows - Atleti have the reputation they have for a reason (but have the least amount of fouls in LaLiga so far, so make of that what you will for the leagues most dangerous club 👀). 

But if you're not giving your all on the pitch, you are going to be subbed off. You're not started and you're made to prove yourself in training. I refer to Griezmann a few times in this post because he is Cholo's favourite, and there's no point in denying it. They have such a unique and wholesome relationship and I won't pretend that it doesn't exist. But even at the start of Antoine coming to Atleti, Simeone also handed his future favourite boy his ass and said "what are you doing? You need to be selfish. You can't be passing the ball, you're supposed to be scoring. You need to adapt." Yes it pissed off Antoine, he's famously said this, he went home and sulked and moped about but then he went back to training and did as he was asked and became their star boy. 

I understand the hatred that Atlético Madrid fans had towards Antoine when he was poached by Barcelona the years before he actually went. I understood why they continued to despise him when he left and why he was heckled when he came back. But he has proven that he belongs there. He's fought for his place in their eyes again. He knew the only way to make it an easy transition back to Atlético Madrid was through the fans.

But João Félix hasn't done that. He went to Chelsea and immediately dissed the fans. He made comments about how Chelsea already had a chant for him when in all the years of being at the Madrid team, they never did. He continued to like anti Atleti and anti Cholo posts on twitter and hint that he couldn't wait to get out from under his parent club. He was burning the bridge he was standing on and didn't realise the full consequences. 

All we, as a fans, heard was how Simeone wasn't allowing him to play the football that he wanted and I'm not sure if people realise this or not but you don't change a club's system to match one player who has not proven he even wants to be there. We continued to hear about how he did well under other managers before crumbling back to the way he was when he was under Simeone. He didn't work out under Simeone, Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and he's now faltering under Xavi - who, if you believe the rumours, didn't even want to sign João in the first place but was made to accept it by Laporta. It’s also worth noting that while Mauricio Pochettino was never his manager, his performance hadn’t impressed the new Chelsea coach enough to include him in his plans for the upcoming season which is why he was returned after the brief loan spell. This many head coaches cannot be wrong, can they? Or is this still just a Simeone issue?

But if he was doing this at Chelsea, that was nothing compared to what happened when he came back. His tactic changed. He upped it completely and alienated himself between his teammates and the fans further. I watched footage as he threw his clothing down and walked off, expecting the kit staff to pick up after him when other players were handing it to the staff or putting it into the boxes. He continued to run his mouth and then brought in his dad - almost for protection - because of the hostile environment that he had created. 

For many fans, they were open to the idea of having him back, hoping that he would, like Griezmann, have his redemption arc and actually enter his prime under us. But his return was stale and his disinterest to be there was clear after citing that he wished to play for his dream club Barcelona. But the real turning point for a lot of fans, was watching how João played on his phone and was distracted and animated during a minutes silence for a death within the club’s family. This was a total lack of respect to the club which, understandably, did not go down well. 

Last night was an explosion that has been simmering to a boiling point and everyone knew it was coming. But if Chelsea's behaviour was burning a bridge, then last night João was standing on the top of a building destined to be destroyed by explosives and he was pressing the detonation button with a grin. There is no way back for him now with his parent club. Any salvaging that could have taken place to mend the wounds that he has created is now out of the picture. If he comes back, he'll be lucky to even see the bench. 

And it's not just Atlético Madrid fans who think he has been consistently underwhelming, but press have done so too. Even recently he has learnt headlines such as

with articles stating 

The Portuguese playmaker has stalled at Barca and is still looking for the right place to revive his faltering career. Barca was supposed to be another new chance. Instead, he has endured the same troubles that have followed him for four years. And now, facing his parent club - in the shirt of his current employers - Felix once again looks like an expensive talent failing to live up to expectations. Felix's career has been defined by its inconsistency, an immense talent enjoying moments of undeniable class, followed by long stretches of underperformance - especially for a player who was so good as a teenager.

Felix has struggled for consistency. He has still been on the ball a lot, but those goals and assists that defined his first two weeks in Catalunya have dried up. He went 13 games without scoring, and has just seven goal contributions this year.

For long stretches, he has looked every bit the same immensely talented yet ineffective entity of the past few years. Call it another false dawn. But Barca aren't the first team to struggle here. There is, indeed, a pattern about Felix's career. A new season comes, as does a fast start - a few goals here, a highlight-reel assist there. The hype grows, the storylines are written. And then comes the regression, the weeks of mediocrity, before the cycle begins again.

While João may have only been 19 and still a child when Atleti came knocking, his agent certainly was not. In a way, I also blame Mendes for this. Many people have stated that agents do not give a shit about their clients because all they see is dollar signs when they get a whiff of talent and I think that he was hoping that João would be the next Ronaldo. While João may not have known fully about what it means to sign for the likes of the Madrid club, or what it’s like to be faced with their fans, his agent absolutely did and as long as he’s getting paid, he’ll continue to throw João to the wolves or allow him to implode as he’s doing now. 

Atlético Madrid fans may be throwing gasoline on him but he's the one that's holding the match. 

[hirocimacruiser]

Transform a powerless Mighty Boy with an engine swap

All parts of works are diverted from the heart

Mighty Boy, who remodeled the rear part of the Cervo coupe body into a cargo bed and put it on the market. Many people are still fascinated by its unique character. There are also many things that are used as the basis of modifications, and this is an example that is very neatly put together.

Photography: Hijiri Kamimura

AUTOGEL Alto Works Race Harmonic System/Alto Works Bumper & Meter/Brid Bucket Seat/Industrial Boost Gauge/CA72V (Alto Works) Engine & Mission/Suzuki Sport Turbine/HKS Blow Off Valve/Ultra Silicon Plug Cord / Intercooler for HKS C.D. City Tarpo II / Earl's Oil Cooler / Trust Levik II / NGK Racing Plug / Homemade Piping & Strut Tower Bar & Muffler / Air Cleaner for Moped Scooter

● Modified parts

Fully modify the interior without discomfort

The interior of this car shows a very high level of finish. Originally, it can be said that it is the extreme of the normal stage (the so-called extreme of cheapness of minicars), but the interior is upgraded without discomfort. One of them is the installation of BRIDE's leather packet seats, but if you just put them on, you will probably feel a sense of discomfort. However, it does not create a sense of incongruity as it seems that the lining has also been touched. The same goes for the instrument panel, and it's normal to add additional meters and other auxiliary switches to make it a mess, but the basic shape of the instrument panel is not compromised, and the meters and switches are skillfully built-in. The interior is clean and tasteless. The finish of these works (performed by the owner himself) is also wonderful, and it is hard to believe that it is the interior of Mighty Boy.

A chassis that matches the increased power

Since a car with only 29 horsepower will be equipped with an engine that boasts more than double the power, it is an absolute requirement to create a chassis that can handle it. This car is also compatible with the front and rear suspension by diverting it for Alto Works. Of course, it is not normal, but a vehicle height adjustment type is incorporated in the front. In addition, only the shock can be used for the rear, but since the spring is a plate panel, two more commercially available reinforced plate panels are used to withstand intense driving. In addition, in order to increase the rigidity of the front body, it is equipped with a self-made strut tower bar, but it is made to look like a commercially available product.

Koichi Ichikawa Commitment to Modification

I have finished the Mighty Boy that I bought for 80,000 yen 3 years ago. Some of my friends also ride Mighty Boy, so we all make various parts and specifications. Even with this car, we went through a lot of trial and error and arrived at the specifications we have now.

First of all, with regards to the engine, we repeatedly tuned the normal F5 A as a base, increasing the displacement while keeping it NA, but there were some things that were difficult in terms of power, so we created and transplanted the Alto Works one. calm down. The one currently installed is a 550cc engine, which is also FSA), which was installed in the first generation Alto Works. Instead of installing it as normal, we installed a Suzuki Sports turbine, diverted the intercooler for the city turbo, and made our own intake and vibes using SUS304 to connect them. and response.

Overcome Normal's biggest weakness

The Mighty Boy has a unique body style and lightness that is popular with some enthusiasts, but the biggest bottleneck is the extremely low engine power. However, even though it is a completely different engine, since the same Alto Works engine appeared, swapping that engine with Mighty Boy has become one of the standard modifications. However, there is no such thing as being able to swap easily with bolt-on. The swap is not only for the engine but also for each mission, but the mount position is different for both. Also, the shape of the subframe to be mounted is of course completely different. The engine can be managed by rearranging mount bushes, etc., but there is nothing we can do about the mission. After all, it seems that the mount position must be decided after cutting and pasting. In addition, remounting such as CPU wiring and fuel pump replacement takes considerable time and effort.

Of course, the suspension has also been modified to match that. With the current specs, the front part is completely transplanted from the original Alto Works parts from the brakes, etc., and combined with the suspension for the N1 and N2 races of a manufacturer called Auto Jewel. The rear is a combination of a two-ply reinforced spring and an Auto Jewel shock. All of these, including the engine, have been certified.

There are not many other examples of cars that do this. The reason is that the shape of the rear tire arch does not match the side. Surprisingly, this car uses the technique of sheet metal fenders to match the shape. In addition, the front and sides are also finished as if they were installed from the beginning by paying full attention to the angle of installation. The appearance is also a misappropriation of Alto Works genuine spoilers and works. It is modified by installing the front. It's not uncommon to see cars that use the same color scheme, but since the rear wing is the same as the Alto Works, the Alto bumper spoiler and side steps are also used for a moment.

How to wear aero for other car models?

In addition to this, the body has been lightly restored in addition to the all-pen, and the interior retains the original shape while adding a reclining bucket and adding a meter. In the future, I would like to do a full restoration while greatly reinforcing the body.

[abbygrabska]

The Idiot's Lantern

I step out of the tardis, brushing a stray hair back and looking around. It’s a shame Rose decided to stay with her mom for a while, but it might be better for right now.

���I thought we’d be going for the Vegas era.”

The Doctor pokes his head out of the tardis, “You’re kidding, aren’t you? If you wanna see Elvis, you go in the late ’50s! The time before burgers.” He goes back inside, “When they called him ‘the pelvis’ and he still had a waist!”

I giggle.

“What’s more, you see him in style!”

I look over at the tardis when I hear the sound of an engine. The Doctor rides out on a blue late-50s moped.

I laugh in amusement as he stops, with big sunglasses and a white helmet on his head.

He makes an Elvis face and does an impression, “You goin’ my way, doll?”

“Is there any other way to go, daddy-o?” I walk towards the moped, “Straight from the fridge, man!”

“Hey, you speak the lingo!” He hands me a blue version of his helmet, I take it and put it on.

“Yeah, well, I was obsessed with Marilyn Monroe when I was in middle school.” I sit behind him and wrap my arms around his waist.

We drive off down the street.

“Where we off to?” I shout over the noise of the engine.

“Ed Sullivan TV Studios, Elvis did ‘Hound Dog’ on one of the shows, there were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we’ll just catch it.”

“And that would be in New York?” I ask.

“That’s the one!” A red London bus drives past us, and the Doctor stops the moped. I look around and notice, we are in fact in London.

“Digging that New York vibe.” I tease him.

“Well… this could still be New York, I mean this looks very New York to me... Sort of… Londony New York, mind…” “What are all the flags for?”

We walk past two boys carrying a tv into a house.

“There you go, sir, all wired up for the great occasion.”

“The great occasion? What d’you mean?” The Doctor asks.

“Where’ve you been living, out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course.”

“What Coronation’s that, then?” 

The man seems bemused, “What d’you mean? The Coronation.”

The Doctor seems confused so he looks to me for help.

“The Queen’s.” He doesn’t get it, “Queen Elizabeth!”

“Oh! Oh, is this 1953?!”

“Last time I looked. Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best.”

I look up at the chimneys, “Look at all the TV aerials… looks like everyone’s got one. That’s weird, gran said tellies were so rare they all had to pile into one house.”

“Not round here, love. Magpie’s Marvelous Tellies, only five quid a box.”

The Doctor suddenly cuts in, “Oh but this is a brilliant year! Classic! Technicolor, Everest climbed, everything off the ration. The Nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future!”

I hear a woman shouting, “Someone help me, please! Ted!”

A man with a blanket over his head is being led into a black police car by two suited men.

We rush over.

“Leave him alone, it’s my husband!”

“What’s going on?” The Doctor asks.

The blanketed man is pushed into the back seat, as a teen boy runs out of his house, “Oi, what are you doing?!”

One suited man addresses the Doctor, “Police business, now get out of the way, sir!”

I look at the boy, “Who did they take, do you know him?”

“Must be Mr. Gallagher…”

The car drives off, leaving the woman, Mrs. Gallagher in despair. Another woman comes out of the house the boy came out of.

“It’s happening all over the place. They’re turning into monsters…”

A man storms out of the house, “Tommy! Not one word!” We all look at him.

“Get inside now!”

The boy, now known to me as Tommy speaks, “Sorry, I'd better do as he says…”

Mrs. Gallagher is still sobbing, but the Doctor puts on his sunglasses again and runs over to the moped, and kicks it to life, “All aboard!” 

I hop on the back and we ride off after the police car.

We drive around the corner and stop short at the market stall.

“Lost ‘em! How’d they get away from us?”

“Surprised they didn’t turn back and arrest you for reckless driving, have you passed your test?!”

The Doctor isn’t listening, “Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill’s England, not Stalin’s Russia!”

“That boy said people were turning into monsters.”

The Doctor turns to me.

“Maybe we should go and ask the neighbors.”

We knock on the door of the house that Tommy lives in, the door is opened by his father.

“Who are you, then?”

“Let’s see then, judging by the look of you, family man, nice house, decent wage, fought in the war, therefore, I represent Queen and country!” The Doctor holds up the psychic paper with a flourish, “Just doing a little check of her Majesty’s forthcoming subjects for the great day. Don’t mind if I come in? Nah, didn’t think you did, thank you!”

He barges past the man before he can protest and I follow after him.

We end up in the living room.

“Not bad, very nice! Very well kept! I’d like to congratulate you, Mrs…?” “Connolly.” She answers timidly.

“Now then Rita, I can handle this. This gentleman’s a proper representative!”

I set my jaw, staring at the man.

“Don’t mind the wife, she rattles on a bit.”

“Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more.” I interject faking an accent, “I’m not convinced you’re doing your patriotic duty.” I glance around at the flags, “Nice flags. Why are they not flying?”

He speaks after a nervous pause, “There we are Rita, I told you, get them up, Queen and country!” “I’m sorry…” She apologizes.

“Get it done! Do it now.”

“Hold on a minute. You’ve got hands, Mr. Connolly. Two big hands. Why is that your wife’s job?”

“It’s housework, innit?” “And that’s the woman’s job?”

“Course it is!”

I cross my arms and set a glare on the man, “Are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?”

“No! Not at all!” I hand him a string of flags, giving him an insistent stare, “Then get busy.”

He sets about hanging the flags, feigning enthusiasm. I am not convinced.

“You’ll be proud of us, ma’am! We’ll have Union Jacks left, right, and center!”

I narrow my eyes at him and smirk, “Mr. Connolly, it’s only the Union Jack when it's flown at sea.”

“Oh… I’m sorry, I do apologize!”

I smile at him widely, “Well, don’t get it wrong again, there’s a good man.” I speak with force, “Now get to it!”

He hastily gets back to work. I smile at the Doctor as I sit on the couch next to him.

“Right then! Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty’s leisure!” He speaks quieter to me, “What was that?”

“Reminds me of mom.”

“I’m the Doctor and this is Abby, and you are?” He looks at Tommy, who seems surprised to be noticed.

“Tommy.”

We shift on the couch, making room for Tommy between us.

“Well, sit yourself down, Tommy.” The Doctor motions to the other chair, for Rita to sit.

“Have a look at this. I love telly, don’t you?”

“I think it's brilliant.”

“Good man!”

We watch the program, apparently about fossils silently for a few moments before the Doctor turns around to check on Eddie, who is still hanging the flags.

I turn to Rita, “Now, why don’t you tell us what’s wrong?”

She seems reluctant, “Did he say he was a Doctor?” “Yes, I am.”

“Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?” Eddie overhears this last part, and interrupts, “Now then Rita, I don’t think the gentleman needs to know…”

Rita begins to cry, I move forward in my seat, “Tell us what’s wrong, and we can help.”

Rita’s sobs grow louder, and she just shakes her head helplessly. I go over and wrap an arm around her.

“Hold on a minute! Queen and country are one thing, but this is my house!” Eddie looks down and the flags in his hands, chucking them down, “What the… what the hell am I doing? Now you listen here, Doctor! You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!”

I look at him, “All the people are being bundled into…” Eddie shouts, “I am talking!”

I stand, raising my voice louder than his, glaring at him as I pull his tie to make him eye level with me, “Now you listen here, and listen good, I will not tolerate being yelled at by a man who has no ruling over my life. You are staring into a deep dark pit of trouble if you don’t let us help.”

He’s shaken, so I continue, “So I’m ordering you, sir, to tell us what’s going on!”

He tries to think of something to say but is stopped by the sounds of banging coming from upstairs. We both look up.

“She won’t stop.” He speaks with a degree of fear.

The banging continues, louder this time, “She never stops.”

Tommy starts to speak in a slightly shaky voice. I let go of Eddie’s tie and turn to the boy.

“We started hearing stories, all ‘round the place. People who’ve changed. Families kept it secret ‘cause they were scared. The police started finding out. We don’t know how, no one does. They just… turn up, come to the door, and take ‘em. Any time of day or night.”

“Show us.”

“Gran? It’s Tommy.” He opens the door wider, allowing all of us to see inside the darkened room.

“‘S all right Gran, I’ve brought help.”

His gran is standing by the window, slowly moving toward us. Tommy steps further into the room and turns on the light.

She has no face, all the features are gone, and it’s smoothed over.

The Doctor peers at the blank face. I stand near him, Tommy and Rita are close together behind us, and Eddie remains completely outside the room.

“Her face is completely gone.” He scans her with the sonic screwdriver, “Scarcely an electrical impulse left. Almost a complete neural shutdown, she’s ticking over, like her brain has been… wiped clean.” He puts the sonic screwdriver away, but still examines her face.

“What’re we gonna do, Doctor? We can’t even feed her!”

We are interrupted by the crash of policemen entering the house.

“We’ve got company.”

“It’s them, they’ve come for her!”

“What was she doing before this happened? Where was she?”

Rita hesitates as the policemen clamber up the stairs.

“Tell me, quickly, think!” “I can’t think! She doesn’t leave the house! She was just…”

Tommy is cut off by the entrance of a big burly man and some supporting officers. 

The Doctor attempts to buy some time by talking.

Much to my horror, the man punches the Doctor in the face.

The men take the opportunity to throw a blanket over Tommy’s gran and usher her to the stairs. Everyone runs after them as I attempt to wake the Doctor.

He suddenly wakes up as if nothing happened, “Ah, hell of a right hook! Have to watch out for that!” He stands and bolts down the stairs.

The Doctor pushes past them and runs to the moped as I go down the stairs as fast as I can in my shoes.

I pause at the entrance of the living room, noticing red, buzzing tendrils of electricity coming out of the television. The Doctor calls for me again. The tendrils are absorbed back into the television, prompting me to move closer. I turn the television set around to see the red electricity still buzzing along the aerial, and a large label saying Magpie Electricals. 

Tommy, Rita, and Eddie come back into the living room.

“How’d they find her? Who told ‘em?”

Eddie notices me, “You! Get the hell out of my house!”

I get up, “I’m going, I’m done! Nice to meet you, Tommy, and Mrs. Connolly. And as for you, Mr. Connolly, only an idiot hangs the Union Flag upside-down. Shame on you!” I grin cheerfully before running out of the house.

I enter Magpie’s shop, where the man himself is adjusting a TV set on the counter.

He looks up nervously as I come in, “Oh, I, I’m sorry miss, I’m afraid you’re too late. I was just about to lock the door.”

I shut the door behind me, “Yeah? Well, I wanna buy a telly.”

“Come back tomorrow. Please.”

“You’ll be closed, won’t you?”

“What?”

“For the big day? The coronation…”

“Yes, yes, of course. The big day.” He tries to make me leave as I approach him, “I’m sure you’ll find somewhere to watch it. Please go.”

“Seems to me half of London’s got a television since you’re practically giving them away.”

“I have my reasons.” “And what are they?”

Before he can answer me, one of the televisions on display tunes itself, and a woman appears on the screen, “Hungry! Hungry!”

“What’s that?”

“It’s just a television. One of these modern programs. Now, I do think you should leave! Right now!”

“Not until you’ve told me. How come you’re televisions are so cheap?”

“It’s my patriotic duty. Seems only right that as many folks as possible get to watch the coronation. We may be losing the Empire but we can still be proud! Twenty million people they reckon’ll be watching! Imagine that!”

I smile, not convinced in the slightest.

“And twenty million people can’t be wrong, eh? So why don’t you get yourself back home and get up, bright and early, for the big day?”

“Nah. I’m not leaving ‘til I’ve seen everything.” “I need to close.” “Mr. Magpie, something’s happening out there. Ordinary people are struck down and changed and the only new thing in the house is a television. Your television. What’s going on?”

He gives up, “I knew this would happen. I knew I'd be found out.” He locks the door.

I look at him, uneasy, “All right, then, it's just you and me… Are you gonna come clean? What’s really in it for you?”

“For me? Perhaps some peace.”

“From what?”

“From Her.” He glances over at the television screen.

I follow his gaze, “That’s just a woman on the tv, that’s just a program.”

“What a pretty little girl.”

I stare at the screen, “Are you talking to me?”

“Yes, I am, little one. Unseasonably chilly for this time of year, don’t you think?”

“What are you?”

“I’m the Wire. And I’m hungry…!” She bares her teeth- pinkish-purplish bolts of electricity shoot out of the screen and encompass my face, sucking.

“Magpie, help me!”

His voice is muffled.

Everything goes black.

Suddenly I can see again, there are dozens of people surrounding me.

The policemen let us out and we go back to Florizel Street.

I spot the Doctor staring at me. I run to him as fast as I can and jump into his open arms.

We walk down the street, watching the people.

“Is that Wire lady trapped for good?”

“Hope so. Just to be on the safe side though, I’ll use my unrivaled knowledge of trans-temporal extirpation methods to neutralize the residual electronic pattern.”

I think for a moment, before hitting his arm, “Just say you’re gonna tape over it.”

“I’m surprised you understood that.”

“The Tardis has been giving me lessons in whatever gibberish you’re always on about.” I grin.

We stop in front of Tommy, “Tell you what Tommy, you can have the scooter. Little present. Best keep it in the garage for a few years though, eh?”

Tommy looks over the Doctor’s shoulder, “Good riddance.”

“Is that it then, Tommy? New monarch, new age, new world, no room for a man like Eddie Connelly.”

“That’s right. He deserves it.”

I can tell he almost means those words, so I nudge his shoulder, “Go after him.”

“What for?”

“He’s your dad.”

“He’s an idiot.”

“No duh. As I said, he’s your dad. But you’re clever. Clever enough to save the world so don’t stop there. Go on!” I nudge him again.

Tommy runs to join his dad. They walk side by side and Tommy takes his dad’s bag for him. They continue down the street together.

We watch them fondly from a distance. The Doctor hands me a glass of orange juice. We clink our glasses together, smiling.

[afairytalestray]

Moscow 2005 HCs

My contribution to @storyweaverofgondor’s Cornucopia of Cats blogversary event. Thanks for letting me take part bestie, I had a lot of fun deep diving into this production!

Munkustrap is absolutely training Mistoffelees to lead the ball. The two of them are close friends, and Munk has made him second in command. Tugger is fully in love with Misto, but has kept it to himself because 1) The Fear, and 2) he thinks Misto likes Munk. But then he gets scared that Munk likes him back (because he’s a fool who is too wrapped up in his own feelings to see the Demestrap supremacy). He spends ages coming up with his song as a confession, but it doesn’t quite work, as everyone kinda takes it as a hype song for bringing back Old Deuteronomy, Misto included. 

Munk notices but. Tugger has put his whole soul into it (hello? Сказочный is literally the most beautiful and poetic adjective I want to cry. He walks on starlight? This song invented romance). At first Munk is a bit like, oh no, but then when he thinks about it, that could work actually? If you only know both of them on the surface level, no way in hell, but if you actually understand them, then yes. He talks to Tugger and convinces him to go for it, as he’s been moping ever since the Ball, at the same time realising he should take his own advice and confess to Demeter. (Demeter: fucking finally omg Munk)

Misto can and will sleep in any place or position, although his preference is snuggled up under Tugger’s mountain of fluff. The two grew up together after baby Misto was brought to the Junkyard, and have been friends since forever. 

(Elo note: If Ivan Ozhogin hitting that high note in Old Deuteronomy doesn’t make you feel things, then your soul may be irreparably damaged.)

Jennyanydots is Victoria and Tumblebrutus’ mum, and George’s adopted mum. She has a soft spot for Mungojerrie and Bombalurina. Bomba looks up to her a lot, and Jerrie wants a lot more hugs than he’d ever admit. Whenever he’s in the Junkyard, if he’s not up to mischief with Rumpleteazer, then he’s with Jenny. She makes everyone around her feel safe and wanted. Best hugs in the Junkyard are Jenny hugs, hundo p. She has a vintage samovar that is her most prized possession, Jerrie gave (stole) it to her.

Vic is besties with Jemima, and looks up to Cassandra and Demeter. Jemima adores Tantomile and tries to be just like her. Jemima enjoys the company of the older Cats more than the younger. She likes playing with her friends, especially Vic, but enjoys being scooped up into hugs more.

Bomba is one of the main protectors of the tribe. At first she can come across as a bit scary, but actually she’s very warm and caring, if a bit mysterious. She doesn’t ever share about her past. Demeter is the only one that knows about it, and neither Queen is telling. She loves the Bolshoi, and can often be found lounging on the comfy seats there (and refusing to move for the punters). In that, she’s taken over from Gus. The staff pretend to despair, but they’re very fond of their little invaders.

Plato knows the city of Moscow the best of all of them, and loves to explore. He knows the best and safest spots for the kittens to play in the winter snow, and the moment the first snowflake falls, he’s constantly badgered by them to take them out. 

Jellylorum loves experimenting with different looks and styles, and when she’s not in the Junkyard she likes to trot around ГУМ and ЦУМ to see the humans all dressed up. She might pick something up for Pouncival.

Pounce loves playing dress up and coming up with characters, especially with Jerrie. He loves making up stories and costumes to go with them. Old D is his dad, but he doesn’t know.

Tumble does not understand the Bustopher hype. I mean, he doesn’t even cartwheel? Where is the appeal? Misto, though – SPINS FOR DAYS! Tumble watches like a hawk when he dances, soaking up the expertise. He and Pounce share the same humans, who own a small pelmeni restaurant near the Pushkin Museum.

Demeter is besties with Misto. Platonic soulmates if ever there was. They can often be found together, deep in conversation or playing a game that makes no logical sense to anyone but them.

Skimbleshanks and Grizabella are brother and sister. They were never really alike, but he was deeply hurt when she left the tribe, and never quite forgave her for it. Griz abandoned her family to seek fame, leaving one day without a word. When she comes back he can’t trust her, and wants to protect the tribe from her. The kittens all love Uncle Skimble! Skimble travels all over Eurasia on the trains. He knows Felix in Staraya Russa on the Pskov line, and he’s acquainted with the Cats at the Hermitage Museum, with whom he shares mousing tips. Many of the Cats found their way to the Junkyard through Skimble and his train network, and many of them have taken trips to places like Finland, Latvia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan.

Cassandra is always cold. Tanto is always too hot. Demeter will often say she’s cold to get Munk to hug her (he always wants to, but is nervous of making her feel smothered).

Coricopat is quite often found literally hanging off of things precariously. He’s quite comfortable, and doesn’t get why others freak out when they find him hanging 5m off the ground by one paw. Jemima often copies him, much to the older Cats’ horror.

Jerrie and Teazer came to the Junkyard after Munk helped Teazer out of a sticky situation involving a pollicle. They don’t live there full time, they come and go, but Teazer always likes to be involved in Munk’s plays. He has a soft spot for her. Teazer would probably stay full time, and later on they do, but Jerrie isn’t ready just yet.

Cassandra is a bit of a loner, but well liked by everyone. She’s close with Vic and Misto, and loves flowers. Plato always seeks her out in spring when the first flowers start to bloom, and they go see them together. She and Tanto are friends, and she adores the kittens. Alonzo is always trying to impress her, but is a bit too shy to talk normally to her. 

Rumpus Cat is the OC of Munk and Alonzo. They made him up as Kittens, and would act out long, convoluted stories for hours on end. The Kittens now are unsure if Rumpus is real or not, and Alonzo will dress up as him from time to time, so he’s something of a Jellicle cryptid.

Alonzo frequents the Arbat, and the shopkeepers there call him Господин Коровка (Mr. Mini Cow ig), as he often surveys the street from the top of the cow statue. 

Munk often wishes he were a bit taller, but will never admit that to anyone. The Everlasting Cat communicated to Old D that Munkustrap would be the next Jellicle leader when he was a Kitten. Old D took him under his wing to train him up, and Munk adores him. 

Old D and Griz are Tugger’s parents, and Tugger and Old D are very alike. Old D was just like Tugger in his youth. Munk and Tugger are half brothers. Gus and Griza are Munk’s parents. Munk is a few years older than Tugger, who is a year older than Misto. Misto is probably the son of Macavity, but no one knows for sure. Munk notices they move in a similar way, but he trusts Misto fully and never mentions it.

Macavity was a former Jellicle, and was Pounce’s hero in the before times. He and Griz both left the tribe at around the same time, although not together. Mac was expecting to be named the future Jellicle leader by the Everlasting Cat, then went berserk when he wasn’t. Macavity was banished by Old Deut. He attacked Munkustrap after he was declared the future leader, and would have killed him if Old D hadn’t stepped in and fought him off. It was a traumatic experience for Munk, who was still quite young, while Mac was fully grown and much bigger. Many of the Jellicles had expected Mac to be named leader, but were relieved when it was Munk. Mac wasn’t disliked, but he was known to have a nasty temper and vicious streak. Although he kept them hidden, everyone was wary of him. None of them quite realised how bad he was, however, until he attacked little Munkustrap, who a lot of them saw as their own. This cemented their opinion of Mac, and he made an enemy of the whole tribe that day.

[nn1895]

AU August Fic 22

Surfers

 His friends had dragged him out to surf the thermal vents to take his mind off of ‘that surface mech’ that he’d been moping over.

 He was not moping.  He was just…remembering.

 Was he not allowed to remember cute bots?  Was it a crime to think about the serious, confused little frown on the mech’s face when Jazz had brought him to the surface?

     “Excuse me, do I know you?”  The half-drowned mech had sounded so baffled, Jazz had gasped out a laugh.  

     “Nah, mech.  We haven’t met yet.”  

     “Oh…”  The mech sputtered and cycled his optics.  “I beg your pardon.”  

     Jazz gently flipped the mech over so he was floating on his back and wrapped an arm around his middle.    

     “For what?” he asked as he towed the mech towards the shore.  

     The mech reached out and ran his servo over the delicate white fins on Jazz’s forearms.  

     “Pretty…”  

 How was Jazz supposed to just forget all of that?  It wasn’t like anyone else had come to help.  He’d heard the shock wave of the surface mech’s shuttle hitting the sea.  The others had retreated.

     “Jazz!  Don’t mess with it!”  

     “What if someone’s alive?”  

     “Then we’ll let the sea finish them off!”  

 It didn’t happen often - but Jazz had seen the shuttles and boats along the bottom of the sea.  It seemed like such a terribly lonely way to die.

 He couldn’t leave some bot - surface bot or not - to drown and sink to the bottom like that.

 “Hurry up PrettyFins!” Cliffjumper called back to him.  “Get your helm back under the ocean or we’ll all beat you there!”

 Jazz shook his helm and ignored him.

 Primus had gifted Jazz a quick-thinking processor with a truly devious bent.  He was the youngest bot to earn a seat on the Council.   He had been one of the warriors chosen to bring peace offering to their neighbors in the Serpentine Sea.

 Primus had also gifted Jazz a frame meant for conserving energy and long, heavy endurance journeys rather than quick sprints.  He’d earned the annoying nickname ‘PrettyFins’ because he had the biggest tail fin out of them all.

 Three kicks brought Jazz even with Cliffjumper, but the idiot only smiled and darted forwards again through the tangle of rocks and glowing crystal kelp.

 Jazz grumbled to himself and used his servos to pull himself through, collapsing his tail fin a small as possible.

 The mech had liked his tail fin.

     Jazz dragged the mech up on the beach as high as he could.  Then he looked down at him.  

     The mech’s optics were shut tight against the glare of the sun.    

     He wanted to see them.  

     Jazz flipped his tail over them and cast a hundred shards of colors over them both.  

     The mech opened his optics.  They were blue.  Blue like the shallows.  Blue like Jazz’s.  

     “You’re beautiful,” he said without a trace of mocking in his voice.  Jazz found himself turning his face away to hide his embarrassment like a sparkling.  

 His friends and family knew his complicated relationship with his frame - too slow, too colorful, and too noticeable.  It didn’t match Jazz’s quick, sly style.  New mermechs often assumed his frame matched his personality and tried to make a catch of him - a nice, homemaker, they thought.  Good for something slow and steady like carting around sparklings and fuel.

 The surface mech had only seen the colors and thought they were beautiful.

 And…if he had been anyone else, someone like Cliffjumper, he wouldn’t have been able to drag the mech so far from the shuttle to the shore.

 Jazz parted one last grove of kelp and arrive - after everyone else - at the thermal vents.

 There was one place in the ocean where his big fin came in handy.

 “Outta the way!  PrettyFins is up next!” someone shouted to his left.

 Jazz didn’t wait for anyone to move, he just aimed for the nearest jet and rocketed upwards.

 Freedom!

 No one was better at thermal surfing than Jazz.

 It was on the twelfth ride that it happened.

 Jazz was getting fancy now - twirls and tricks and fancy entrances.  This time he spun around the vent, just barely staying out of it, coiling tighter and tighter.  Then he let his fins catch just the edge - and he was spinning faster and faster upwards.  Beside him the other vents were packed with mech trying to beat his speed - below him were half a dozen mechs riding his thermal too.

 Then there was something ahead of him and it was coming down as fast as he was going up.

     Oh scrap. I’m going to die.  

 Jazz was too close, going too fast, he couldn’t stop.  His processor went blank as his frame acted.

 He pulled the fins on his left side and he started spiraling, slowing his assent.  He closed his tail fin tightly and slowed further.  

 It was just enough to give him time to circle around the massive object instead of crashing into it.  Below him he heard his friends glide out of the thermal, their fins slicing through the ocean like knives.

 There, in a bubble of glass, was the mech from the surface.

 The mech caught Jazz’s optics and there was      recognition    there.

 Then Jazz was dozens of lengths above him and looking down at a strange oval shuttle with a glass bubble.

 He dove out of the thermal and swam back down.  

 Inside the bubble, the mech was pulling things and pushing buttons.  His frame was still scuffed from the crash.  His face had the same serious frown as he worked.

 Then he looked up and saw Jazz again and his optics brightened to that shallows-blue and Jazz felt his spark stutter.

 It really was his surface mech!

 Jazz plastered himself against the bubble. He was trying to speak and wave his servos and smile all at the same time.

 The mech inside seemed to be having the same problem.

 Jazz slowed down and clung to the bubble as it slowly drifted down.  He leaned his helm against the glass and just smiled.

 The surface mech stopped too.  Then he darted forwards, releasing the controls and pressed his lips against the glass over Jazz’s.  He leaned back and clamped his servos over his mouth.

 A stolen kiss.

 Jazz laughed.  

 The sub drifted down in a lazy spiral, Jazz wrapped around it like a sea snake, tail fin fluttering above them like a silent sail.