#murphy x mc

[ratanslily]

🔥 murphy x black!mc 🔥

for @chocolatekiss85

[thestonelady]

For day 1 of @rc-appreciationweeks event

Hand assets from Xorerrrty

[ilovetoplaythesethings]

“He’s afraid of being unworthy of love”

Whyyyy? I love him so much. He’s one of my favorite LI’s in the whole RC universe.

[judediangelo75]

Day One: Quidditch

I said I was gonna attempt this challenge for @hphm-ship-week and by the corner of Jesus' pure white robe, I was gonna do it. I'm cutting it close with Day One and I might have gotten a *little* inspired to write this one.

I'm not gonna do a lot of yapping, I'm half-dead as is. Hope you guys enjoy this Kendrick Lives AU installment. (Might as well be my new main storyline).

Word Count: 8,316

Featured MCs: David Willows, Phoenix Lang ( @that-scouse-wizard ) and Katriona Cassiopeia ( @kc-and-co )

Main Pairing: Talbott Winger x Judith Harris (Talith)

Side Relationships: Merula Synde x David Willows (subtle), Murphy McNully x Katriona Cassiopeia (subtle), and plenty of friendship

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Whenever Quidditch season rolls around in the magical school called Hogwarts, you can expect a lot of excitement and hype. The students would crowd their section of the respective house with colored face paint or some Quidditch-afflicted gear to cheer on the players on the field. There was always a sense of friendly rivalry, with its occasional resentment when it comes to a reigning champion. But nothing comes from it. 

The Quidditch pitch is the last place you would ever expect a Ravenclaw loner to be.

Let alone amid the Hufflepuff House section. Wearing one of their player's jackets magically sized up to fit his frame. Next to a Slytherin witch wearing a matching jacket to the boot.

But that was before he started dating a Quidditch player.

Talbott would've gladly flown under the radar during his school years at Hogwarts. But fate decided that would be too boring for him. He was given two years of peace until his third year. Where two Hufflepuffs were searching for him, Hogwarts Curebreakers.

David Willows and Judith Harris. The latter is more infamously known as "Scarface". 

Granted, Talbott knew about these two Hufflepuffs... but Judith proved to make a bigger splash than her Housemate. From what Talbott understood, Judith had the habit of hiding the left side of her face with her hair for the first few months of their first year. It wasn't until a fateful day in October, that a group of Slytherins and Gryffindors found a new target. Judith tried escaping the group, only for one of the boys to grab her by the ponytail, causing her hairstyle to fall apart.

Revealing the most nastiest burn scar anyone has seen. On a child, nonetheless.

To make a long story short, those group of boys learned quickly not to piss off a girl—a Hufflepuff girl, at that.

After that day, rumors about her scar spread across the school like wildfire. And she was christened with her new nickname, Scarface.

But that day in the Great Hall was the first time Talbott properly saw the young witch face to face. Even Talbott's impeccable poker face couldn't hide the surprise upon seeing her face. The large scar covered about half of her face and went back to her ear. Surprisingly, her brow was present, but a bit spotty in some places. Her eye was forced into a permanent glare, he could barely make out the gold of her iris (even though that particular eye looked a bit paler than its twin).

But that wasn't the thing that stole Talbott's attention. It was the almost painfully shy look on her face. Her brows were drawn close together as her lips were pulled down in a timid frown. Her fingers were fiddling with the multiple solid plain rings she had on. Her eyes...

Talbott could see that she was nervous, but there was a particular warmth that seemed to be reserved for just for him. It was confusing but...

He couldn't help but secretly like it. Even though he wasn't ready to admit it.

Took a while for the Ravenclaw to properly acknowledge his feelings for the Hufflepuff witch. With the encouragement of Andre and David, he finally asked Judith out on a date. While it left a lot to be desired (*cough* Tonks *cough*), Talbott enjoyed being close to his date. Amid their growing closeness, that meant Talbott was slowly being sucked into the world of Quidditch. Granted, Andre has been trying to get him to come to a match and teach him the mechanics of the game since the start of their friendship, but Talbott turned him down almost every time. But now with Judith as his blatant love interest... Talbott couldn't help to be a little curious about the sport the wizarding world seem so crazy about.

Honestly when Talbott learned that Judith was the famous "Tigress", he was skeptical. Tigress is one of Hufflepuff's Beaters, one of their best Beaters in many years. With the few snippets of information, Andre tried forcing down his throat, Talbott knew that Beaters were strong. They had to be to beat back iron spheres formerly known as Blooders (Andre would be happy to know that he was learning something, at least). Tigress, like her fellow Beater Hound (who Talbott came to learn was David), was incredibly strong with a deadly aim. A lot of people say it was as if she could interpret the Bludgers movements, knowing when and where to strike. 

Talbott couldn't keep the suspicious look out of his eye for anything when Judith said that she was Tigress during their date. He never asked her about her scar but he had eyes. And he could see that her left eye left her a little impaired. It was the one time he made the girl feel subconscious about herself during their date, which he internally slapped himself for as she turned the left side of her face away from his view.

"I know it sounds hard to believe that I'm Tigress, but I have no reason to lie to you. After my... incident, it took some time to even learn to properly walk. My coordination and balance was terrible. Before, I could only see the vague shadows of shapes. After you helped me become an Animagus, it surprisingly helped my vision in my left eye, though not by much. The outline of shapes are a bit sharper if it's close enough to me and I can kinda see colors if it's bright enough, but there are times my vision will get a little blurry. My dad, along with my little brother and stepdad, spent a lot of time helping me adjust to my scar after I first got it. I was determined not to let it hinder me, though. Papa was the first to train me to be a Beater. I spent the entire summer before second year so I would have a chance to prove myself... to show that I won't be a liability if I was chosen."

Talbott felt like a bastard for doubting the girl, something that she probably felt for years. After stumbling over his apology, he asked if he could watch her play or at least practice if she was comfortable with that. He wanted to understand her and be there for her if she would let him.

And to his pleasant surprise, she readily agreed. 

During that time, Quidditch season was long over. Normally around that time of the year, Judith and David were trying to break the latest curse that befell the school in hopes of finding their brothers. But Judith was human.

A human who was very familiar with stress.

Beating dummies with Bludgers seemed to be one of her many stress relievers. The first time he was invited to watch her practice, he was silently surprised. It was slowly starting to warm up as winter turned to spring in Scotland. Judith was already stretching, seemingly counting the seconds in her mind before switching forms. A yellow sleeveless crop top molded to her upper body and a pair of black athletic tights hugged her legs with black running shoes adorned her feet, presumably for comfort. Her long locs were maneuvered into a low ponytail by a yellow silk ribbon. Granted, Talbott had only seen Judith outside of her usual class robes only a handful of times, but he had rarely seen her show so much of her body and skin until recently.

While being only 15, Judith had muscles a lot of guys in their year and possibly older wished had. But the muscles didn't make her seem like a boy, rather it added to the curves her body was slowly displaying as she matured into a young woman. The dress she wore to their date made him feel like he was hit with the Stupefy spell. Her workout outfit seemed to have a similar effect.

But watching her practice?

Nothing could get him to look away from her. She easily slipped into the familiar notion of her practice exercise. She had three Bludgers sent out, each coming towards her with terrifying speed. Talbott couldn't remember all the details of Quidditch but he can safely assume getting hit by one of those iron spheres meant an overnight stay in the Hospital Wing. But Judith stepped into her swings with the confidence and swagger of the best duelists or even a Quidditch pro. Confident, focused, and calculating. He did take note that she would duck on a rare occasion when she took a misstep and leaned into her left side.

Gods know how much time has passed until Judith whipped out her wand and froze the Bludgers, which dropped to the ground with a frightening thud.

'I would love to never know what it's like to smack with one of those...'

Judith grabbed a water bottle before walking around and sitting next to the awestruck Ravenclaw.

"So what do you think," she asked before taking a swing of her water. He watched as her throat worked around the deep gulps of water she was taking in.

"Is it possible I can come to more of your training sessions?" Judith capped her nearly empty water bottle with a quirked brow.

"You actually like seeing me train? Watching me beat a bunch of Bludgers into some dummies can't be that entertaining," she insisted. Talbott felt a blush work its way onto his cheeks.

"I beg to differ... so is that a no," he said with an embarrassed cough. Judith narrowed her good eye at him before giving him a nod.

"You can come. I don't mind."

It soon became a part of Talbott's routine to sit in on Judith's practices. Talbott finds that she does alternate her routine. And got to witness the relationships with her Quidditch mates. 

Sometimes it'll be just her and the dummies. 

Other times, David would be present to train with her as well. Talbott could see the playful energy between the two Hufflepuffs, almost as if they were siblings. Most times, they would practice beating a Bludger to each other, while others the dummies will be involved. There were plenty of jabs and playful ribbing in their conversations. Whenever they were done, they would join Talbott in the grass for a quick chat until Judith's eyes would get droopy and David would give her a piggyback ride back to their Common Room. 

'Hate to cut the conversation short, mate, but this one needs her rest. C'mon Little Tigress. Time for your cat nap.' Talbott watched in quiet amusement as David shifted on his knees so he could allow the girl to crawl on his back before standing. The young witch yawned, nuzzling the back of her best mate's neck with an annoyed grumble.

'Mmmm... I'm not little, you stubborn git. Later bird boy...' With a cute little wave to the Ravenclaw, Judith allowed herself to be toted away to their shared Common Room. (Talbott would deny blushing at that nickname if you asked him)

Maybe even one (or both) of her on-sight Beater teachers, the fierce Erika Rath or the mischievous Phoenix Lang, would be present. Which he found strangely interesting as Erika and Phoenix were both well-known Beaters of the Houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor respectively, prodigies in their own right. Erika seemed more of the stern one of the two, more in charge of her training exercises while Phoenix would fill in the gaps where she could. Those sessions tended to be more intense as Erika tried to push Judith into using her left side more, which frustrated the Hufflepuff Beater greatly. Talbott knew it wasn't his place to question her mentor's methods but he couldn't help but to worry how close Judith would be to getting hit by the magical sphere of iron. The hits she was able to get in weren't always perfect as far as accuracy and impact. There were times when Talbott would witness Judith would drop to her knees with tears in her eyes. The first time it happened shocked him to his core, his heart ached at the sight.

'I-I-I can't! I can't see well, Rath!' Pale green eyes narrowed briefly before letting out a soft sigh. With a brief spell, the Bludger in use fell to the ground as Erika walked up to her mentee. The older witch rested a hand on her shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze as she glanced over to where Talbott was seated.

'Talbott, was it? Can you stay with her while I find Phoenix? I... I'm not exactly good at "comforting" as I would like to be.' Talbott nodded replacing Erika by the crying girl's side as she disappeared into the castle. 

'Little bird...?' Watery gold eyes glanced at him before Judith roughly started wiping her face to get rid of the evidence of the tears that seemed neverending.

'I-I'm sorry, I... I was hoping you wouldn't have to s-see me like t-this. I promise I'm not this weak-' The girl's ramble was brought to a halt as Talbott grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a hug, tucking her face against his neck. The soft gasp that escaped her tickled the sensitive skin there.

'I want you to breathe with me, little bird. Can you do that for me?' Judith remained still for a moment before giving a shaky nod. Talbott took a slow, deep inhale, feeling the girl do the same. They held it for a few seconds before slowly releasing it. They did it a handful of times before Talbott felt the faint tremor in the girl's body disappear. He gently pulled her away from his neck to look at her face. The tears were still there, but they seemed to have slowed significantly. Gentle hands cupped her face, thumbing away the tears and dried tear tracks that remained. Shaky hands wrapped around Talbott's wrists before Judith leaned into his touch. With one last caress to her scarred cheek, Talbott pulled away a bit only to be surprised by the ironclad grip on his wrists. Judith's eyes reminded him of a wounded Hippogriff, wild with an underlying hint of fear.

"D-don't go... please, don't go...' she whimpered. Talbott leaned in again, brushing a soft kiss to her sweaty brow.

'Shhh, darling. I promise I'm not leaving you. But it would be best if you rehydrated, little bird. Let me grab some water for you.' Judith blinked slowly, recognition flashing in her eyes. She gave a timid nod before letting go of his wrists. Silently deciding not to get up and leaving his little bird's time, Talbott got out his wand to use the Summoning Charm instead. Judith took the bottle with a small thanks before taking small sips. When Talbott was sure she was okay, he tilted her chin up so she could look him in the eye.

'I'm not sure where your head is, exactly. But I want you to know that you're not weak. You're one of the strongest people I know and even strong people can cry sometimes. They can get overwhelmed sometimes. And that's okay. I would never think less of you, and you shouldn't either. I won't let you. Do you understand me, little bird?' Talbott watched as her eyes widened, the scar tissue surrounding her left eye stretching a bit. Judith pursed her lips before giving a nod. That wasn't good enough for the Ravenclaw wizard.

'Words, Judith. I need to hear you say it.' The girl winced at the firm tone before letting out a shaky sigh.

'I-I understand, Talbott. I... I'll do my best to take it easy on myself in these moments.' Talbott gave her a small smile before placing a small kiss on her cheek.

Not even a few moments later, Phoenix came into view while Erika trailed a few paces behind. The Gryffindor Beater fell to her knees before the couple, cerulean blue eyes studying the Hufflepuff's face intensely.

'Judith! Erika told me what happened, are you okay?!' Judith blushed as Phoenix cupped her face, fussing over her. Erika sat down by her rival, silently watching her with a hint of worry. Judith cleared her throat, pulling away before resting against Talbott's chest.

"I-I'm fine now... I just got overwhelmed, b-but Talbott helped me calm down.' The eyes of the older Beaters were suddenly trained on their "guest", who blushed under their intense gaze.

'I... I'm not too familiar with what caused her anxiety, I just knew I couldn't stand there and watch her cry. Judith means a lot to me. Great players can have bad days and she's entitled to have those days...' Phoenix gave the boy a delighted grin while a glimmer of respect can be seen in Erika's eyes.

'I think I like this one for her, Rath. What do you think?' The Slytherin Beater gave an amused snort at the matching blushes that could be seen on the duo's faces.

'As long as I don't always have to find you whenever she gets overwhelmed, he can stay.'

'HEY! I resent that!' Erika let out a short laugh at Phoenix's disgruntlement. Deciding that her student/adopted little sister needed a well-deserved break, Phoenix dragged the girl to head to the Great Hall for some lunch. Just as Talbott was going to head to the Owlery, a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

'Wait.' The wizard turned to find Erika's eyes boring into him. And to his surprise, her stern gaze softened around the edges.

'I just wanted to say, thank you. Normally I don't care what people think of me, especially those who would just be stuck in the sidelines and nothing more. But I see that you care about her. I'm not trying to be a hardass on Judith for shits and giggles. We both are well aware that her left side is a weakness. I suffer from a blind spot, obviously not on the same level as Judith but you get the idea. If people are within that area, they're more than likely to get hurt. I don't want Judith to have to deal with that struggle, or even worse, have that blind spot used against her. I hope you understand.' Talbott's brows rose in silent surprise before nodding.

'I understand... you didn't have to explain your methods to me, but... I appreciate it either way. I'll do my best to be there for her whenever it gets too much for her.' Erika gave a firm nod, before turning on her heel back into the castle.'

Talbott had thought long and hard over what he had seen and what Erika had told him. He hated to see the haunted look in Judith's eyes as she broke down on not doing good enough. He was no Quidditch player so he wasn't sure how to help the girl. He went to the only other Quidditch player he knew for any advice. Granted, Talbott knew that Andre was no Beater, but he knew he had to try. Luckily for him, Andre knew two people who could help. Unluckily for him, Andre saw it fit to drag his ass out of bed on a late Saturday morning. The only day Talbott will grant himself the luxury of sleeping in. With no damn coffee.

'KC, McNully!' The two Ravenclaws, who seemed to be in the middle of a game of chess, looked up to find the Seeker Reserve dragging over one of their fellow Housemates who seemed to have rolled out of bed.

'Hey, Andre! What can we do for you?' the commentator asked with a bright grin. Andre gave a fond smile, clapping a hand on the disgruntled Ravenclaw's shoulder.

'Oh no, honestly, you've helped me enough mate. It's my friend here who could use your creative expertise on the matter of Quidditch.' Talbott shrugged Andre off with an embarrassed glare. The strawberry-blonde girl raised a cool brow, flustering Talbott further.

'My apologies. I asked Egwu for help on a Quidditch issue and this overexcited bloke dragged me out of bed before I had a drop of caffeine in my system.' KC let out a hearty laugh.

'A man after my own heart. Tell you what, I made a pot of coffee this morning. I grab you a mug and you tell us what you need...' Talbott quickly understood what the witch was subtly asking for.

'Talbott. Talbott Winger.' KC grinned, getting up from her comfortable seat to loop an arm around the wizard's arm.

'Katriona Cassiopeia, feel free to call me KC if you want. It's a pleasure to meet you, my fellow coffee fiend.' After Talbott had a bit of caffeine fix (and an introduction to one Murphy McNully), he felt more level-headed about broaching this topic.

'So, what seems to be the problem? Looking to join the Quidditch team? While I don't know you at all, I can see you being a Seeker for some reason.' KC pointedly ignored Andre's offended squawk in the background, eyes solely trained on Talbott.

'No, I'm not looking to join. I didn't get into Quidditch until recently...' Murphy raised a brow, curious.

'Because of our local Pride of Portree fanatic here?' Talbott gave an amused snort.

'He wishes. Egwu has been trying to teach me about the sport or at least drag me a game since we became friends.' KC blinked, confusion flashing in those bright blue eyes.

'So why the interest now?' Talbott coughed into his fist, slightly flustered.

'I'm kinda dating a Quidditch player. A Beater, to be exact.' Murphy gave a knowing smile.

'Is it Judith Harris?' Talbott was glad he didn't sip his coffee when the Quidditch announcer spoke because he was pretty sure he would've spit it out all over his chessboard. Either that or choke.

'Wha-?! Did Andre tell you?!' Andre waved his hands in alarm as Talbott rounded on him with a glare. Murphy laughed, waving off the outburst.

'Well, it's simple really. There are two Beaters to every team. It can't be Rising Star here, seeing how you just met her. And I doubt you know the other Beater on Ravenclaw's team seeing how you're coming to learn the sport and its players. Even if you heard more well-known players like Erika Rath and Phoenix Lang, more well-known as Rath and Fireball on the Pitch, they don't seem like your type per se. And again, you probably don't know the other Beaters on those two teams so that rules Slytherin and Gryffindor from the running. All that's left is Hufflepuff's Beaters, Tigress and Hound. Or as you normally know them as Judith Harris and David Willows. Both are well known enough outside of Quidditch and are in the same year and you and Style Wizard here. Plus, David seems more like a lady's man so that leaves just Judith. It's really simple when you think about it.' Talbott narrowed his eyes, slightly put off at how well someone he just met was able to pinpoint his crush with just one detail and how much he could talk without seemingly taking a breath.

'Yes, it's her...' KC chuckled, giving the boy a grin.

'I think it's cute. But one thing I'm not understanding is why she would need help. She's a phenomenal player. From what I hear, she has a bit of a religious training schedule to stay up to par with anyone on the field.' Talbott sighed, suddenly feeling unsure about exposing what he knew. Technically, Katriona and Judith were rivals. While he may not know much like the average Quidditch fan, he does know not to reveal secrets to potential rivals or enemies. 

But the memory of Judith crying flashes in his mind's eye. He didn't want her to continue to suffer from anxiety attacks if he knew he could find help for her.

'I haven't seen her play but I've seen her train. And she's earned every right to be known as a phenomenal player. But... she's not one without struggle. Can I trust you two with what I'm about to tell you?' KC and Murphy watched as those red eyes carefully studied them both, heavily guarded with a glint of worry beneath the surface. Andre wore down his bottom lip with his teeth at the intense silence. He placed a hand on Talbott's shoulder.

'Tal, mate. I wouldn't have brought you to them if I didn't believe they could help Judith. Let alone hurt her.' Talbott's hands curled into fists on his lap, his gaze stubbornly switching between the wizard and witch sitting across from him.

'I trust you, Egwu. But I need to hear it from them.' KC's eyes softened.

'Hey, Judith and I may be rivals on the Pitch but it's all friendly competition. I wouldn't actively try to hurt someone who pushes me to be a better player myself.' Murphy nodded.

'I wouldn't do anything malicious to harm the girl either. I met her father on the day she tried out for the open Beater position years ago. She's a force in her own right but it's not strange to have flaws. It's not unusual for players to come to me for advice. I do my best to be unbiased so I'm not spilling any secrets to other teams to give them an advantage. Talbott let out a small sigh.

'Thank you. I'm sure you're well aware of Judith's scar. The thing is... she's semi-blind in that eye. While she can see shapes and colors, it's only with certain exceptions. She's been training to strengthen that weakness but she still experiences some difficulties. Maybe she has days where that particular eye would cause everything to be more blurry and of course, that can be a danger to anyone, including her. It overwhelms her to the point she would experience an anxiety attack...' Talbott sighed, running a hand through his messy bedhead.

'I told her that it's okay to have bad days and she should take it easier on herself. But I feel like this cycle will continue if she doesn't find a more effective way of handling this... s-so, will you help?' KC and Murphy looked at each other for a few moments before turning back to the wizard with a nod.

'Of course, Talbott. It might take a little time for us to brainstorm something but we'll help you two. Besides, it would be nice to get to know Judith more outside of our matches.' Talbott let out a sigh of relief at KC's words, giving the pair a small smile.

'Thank you...' Murphy gave Talbott a nod.

'Of course! Once we're ready for you, we'll send you an owl for you to bring Judith to the Quidditch Pitch later on. Don't worry, Talbott. We'll help your girl out.' This time Talbott did end up choking on his next cup of coffee, much to the amusement of the three people surrounding him.

Much to Talbott's surprise, Talbott received an owl the next day from KC. He did find it odd that it said to come to the Quidditch Pitch at night, but he decided to trust his fellow Ravenclaw. Judith accepted his invitation to meet him at the Changing Tents just outside of the Pitch with a bit of wariness.

'Not that I don't like spending time with you Talbott, but why are we out here?' Talbott gave his little bird a small smile.

'I want to help you train. Especially with... your struggle area...' The Hufflepuff narrowed her eyes as they reached the entrance of the Pitch.

'How do you plan on doing that?' Talbott stopped in front of her, taking the time to grab her hand. Judith couldn't fight the blush that crept up to her cheeks as the boy laid her palm over his chest while looking into her eyes. She could feel his heart quicken but his face gave nothing away.

'Do you trust me, Judith?' The young witch didn't have to think about it.

'I do.' Talbott smiled, bringing her hand to his lips to place a soft kiss to her palm.

'Then trust me when I say that I'm looking out for you. Now come on.' Judith stumbled over her feet to follow her crush, fanning her face to cool down her intense blush. They continued to walk until they were in the middle of the field. When she finally got her blush under control, she looked up to find that they were not alone.

'Judith! Glad you could make it!' Murphy greeted with a grin. The witch next to him stepped up to offer a handshake.

'Hey there, Tigress. Nice to officially meet you outside of a match.' Judith took KC's handshake with a befuddled expression.

"McNully, Rising Star, it's... nice to see you too. But, what exactly is going on here?' Now it was KC's turn to give a smile.

'Your boy here came to McNully and I for some help. To help you matter of fact in regards to your blind spot.' Talbott glared at KC's small tease before looking at the surprised face of his little bird.

'You told them about my blindness?' Talbott bit his lip at the question. He couldn't decipher her tone for it gave nothing away. Her face even more so. Outside of the pinch of her brows that signifies her confusion, he wasn't sure how the girl felt about exposing her secret to one of her rivals.

'I did. I-I... I wanted to help you in some way. But I wasn't sure as to how. I know Rath is doing her best but maybe you needed a different approach. I'm not a Quidditch player, let alone a Beater so Andre led me to two people who possibly could provide that. Please, don't be mad, little bird. I know it's your secret to tell, but I couldn't stand to see you like that again. Frustrated and feeling hopelessly lost to yourself over something that you couldn't have helped. I'm sorry if I overstepped.' Judith stared at him for a few seconds longer before bringing him into a hug. Talbott looked down at the girl in surprise but didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her. 

'I'm not mad, bird brain. You have nothing to apologize for. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me, and if you think that KC and McNully can help, I'm more than willing to hear them out.' Talbott squeezed her tighter, hiding his smile in the crown of her head.

'Great to hear that! Now, Talbott if you could remove yourself from my fellow Beater Babe's person, I want to show her what we came up with.' Talbott blushed, taking a stand by Murphy as KC looped her arm with Judith's to pull her to the crate with Beater Bats and a Bludger. There was a few metal practice dummies just a few yards away. Talbott turned to the handsome blonde commentator with a quirked brow.

'Care to share what you and Katriona came up with?' Murphy gave a smirk.

'Nope! For once, my lips are sealed this time. Just watch this lovely lady at work.' Talbott sighed, watching as the two witches converse with one another. He could spy Judith fiddling with her fingers, one of her nervous ticks, before grabbing a bat. KC already had the other one in hand, with her wand in her opposite hand.

'Now I'm gonna enchant the Bludger and we're gonna practice for a few minutes. Remember, don't be too hard on yourself and I'm right here with you so you don't have to experience so many close calls, alright?' Judith nodded, allowing herself to face forward with her left just as KC cast her spell. To Talbott's surprise, the Bludger began to glow a bright yellow, almost like a mini sun, zipping through the air before making its way towards the Hufflepuff Beater. Talbott watched with bated breath as he watched the familiar motion of Judith's swing and-

BANG! And-

CLANG!

Judith's smile was brighter than the glowing Bludger that night. And Talbott couldn't have been more happy to see the pure joy on his little bird's face.

While Judith was big on her training, both day and now night, that wasn't the only thing she did to improve. There were some instances where there were no bats and Bludgers involved. Those days were usually with her Captain, Orion Amari. Talbott found those practices a bit strange as the pair would be sitting on the ground meditating (something Judith would strong-arm him into doing as well), balancing on their brooms on a single leg, or being Inspired Broom Surfing. 

'Training is great to hone your skills, but a clear and steady mind can elevate one's game to substantial heights.' Talbott turned to find Orion standing beside him as he watched Judith surf on her broom. He regarded the older Badger with a raised brow, his silent question loud in the ears of the captain.

'I've known Judith since she was just a second-year student. Seen as a small, skinny, and shy Hufflepuff girl by many but I saw the fire in her eye. A spirit beaten down, but not broken. She wanted to prove herself. Something that is admirable but I could sense it was deeper than that. You saw it too, right?' Talbott froze as Judith's words flashed back to him.

'I promise I'm not this weak...'

'Yeah, I did...' Orion gave the young Eagle's shoulder a warm squeeze.

'You're good for her, you know? I noticed a shift in my Beater. She's not as hard on herself as she used to be. Her smile is brighter. And that only happened a little after you started coming around. And I greatly appreciate that...' Talbott swallowed around the emotional lump in his throat.

'I-It's nothing really. I would do anything for her...' Orion smiled, giving Talbott's shoulder another squeeze.

'The people who love her can see that. Trust me when I say that it means a lot to them and to her...' With that Orion hopped on his broom to surf alongside his student. Talbott watched as Judith gave her captain a bright smile, feeling one make his way on his own lips.

'She's so beautiful like this. In her element. Happy and healthy...'

Seeing her go through these different motions made him think of what she said on their date. How much she represents and values balance in her life. It just made her all the more intriguing and endearing to him.

It wouldn't be until their 5th year when he got to see her practice with her team. While they were real matches, Talbott always found them to be interesting and exciting. Seeing her play in action made him realize how good his little bird was and how well she and David worked together on the field. Even down to the Dobbleganger Defense, one of the most difficult plays for a Beater. The pride he would feel upon hearing the praise of her skill by the Quidditch commentator warmed his chest.

He couldn't wait for the girl's first game of the season.

Of course, he could've done without the pressure of meeting the girl's family. Talbott knew about her father through many sources. A former Beater-a Ravenclaw Beater at that, Talbott knew about her little brother, a Slytherin wizard in his third year if he remembers correctly, who he would see cling to her whenever he could get the chance. How he managed to avoid the little brother up until now is beyond him, but there was no avoiding it when the first fame of the season came around. It was Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw.

There was usually a pregame party happening in the Courtyard before each game but Talbott knew his little bird well enough that she wasn't always one for mingling with others, at least not often. The next best place she would be is the Quidditch Pitch. 

Flying to the pitch was much faster than walking, and Talbott wanted to spend every second with the Hufflepuff Beater before her match. It wasn't until he was flying overhead that he realized that she wasn't alone. Part of him wanted to turn around and transform back into his human form so he could walk into the stadium instead. But Judith, ever so keen with her surroundings, spotted him. She waved him down with a bright smile, while the two males with her looked up to find him circling in the sky.

"Come down, love! I want you to meet my family," she called. After hesitating for a few seconds, he swooped down to land in front of the trio. The man and young boy looked at the eagle with a well-timed head tilt, though Talbott could see the suspicion in the man's pale gold eyes while there was a youthful glint of curiosity in the boy's near-black eyes. He looked to his little bird who gave him an encouraging smile. With that, he allowed himself to transform back into his human form. The boy flinched back before staring at him in awe. The older male version of his little bird only smirked.

"Like mother, like son," her father chuckled. Talbott eyed the man suspiciously. 

"I'm sorry?" Gold eyes regarded him with a knowing glint.

"Ah, you don't recognize me, don't you son?" Talbott's brow furrowed, racking his mind.

Has he met Judith's dad before? There's no way-

'Talbott, this is Kendrick Harris. He's my best friend from when I went to school. And his daughter, Judith...'

Talbott's eyes lowered to find a familiar necklace. The cord was decorated with dark red beads with a tooth of an animal of some sort.

"You... you were my parents' best friend. You came to my house that one time with..." he whispered, eyes watering. He turned to the witch next to him, finding that same warm look from that day in the Great Hall. The same look he got as they sat in the grand old tree on his parents' old property when they were children. Judith gave him a tentative smile, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"L-Little Bird?" He watched as her smile grew.

"Yeah, it's me Bird Boy." He didn't hesitate to bring her into the circle of his arms, hugging her with all the strength she could muster. He smiled the joyful laughter in his ear.

"Talbott! You're gonna squish me," Judith giggled, hugging him back despite this. 

"You're the powerhouse Beater, little bird. If anything I should be worried about you breaking my bones with your bear hugs," he hummed. Kendrick let out a laugh at that, bursting the bubble the two teens found themselves in.

"As strong as my little girl is, she has one of the gentlest souls on this Earth. You should know," he said, with a kind smile. Talbott blushed before nodding.

"And I have you to thank for siring such a soul, Mr. Harris." Kendrick chuckled, waving him off.

"Call me Kendrick, Talbott. I'm not that old... plus, from what I heard you've proved me right. That you'll be good to my daughter and earn the right to be with her." Talbott and Judith balked at the elder Harris with blushes staining their cheeks.

"PAPA!" Kendrick raised a brow at his daughter's outburst.

"What? I'm the more tame parent. Ava had tried planning you two's wedding when you guys were toddlers," he said with an amused smirk.

"W-With all due respect, K-Kendrick, we're not officially together," Talbott stuttered. The man chuckled.

"Not yet, anyway." Judith groaned.

"Papa Kendrick, quit it. I already have to share Juju with her friends, I'll probably never see her if she gets a boyfriend," Nuri whined, finally chiming into the conversation. Talbott noticed the genuine discontentment on the boy's face. Judith huffed, extracting herself from Talbott's arms to snatch up her little brother. She placed her hands on his cheeks so she could meet his eyes.

"You listen here, Riri. No one will keep me from seeing and spending time with you. You're my little brother and will always hold a special place in my heart, understand," she said sternly. Nuri gave his sister a shy smile, before hugging her back. 

"I understand, Juju..." Kendrick and Talbott smiled at the sight before the man cleared his throat.

"The stands should be filling up soon, best if you boys find some good seats. You go ahead and change, baby girl. And remember, I'm proud of you no matter the outcome." Judith smiled at her dad, giving him one quick bear hug before the man went to the commentator booth. The three of them stood ready to go their separate ways before Judith stopped her brother.

"Before I forget, here you go, Riri." Talbott watched as the Hufflepuff took off her jacket, casting the Enlarging Charm before handing it to Nuri. She pulled the younger boy down to kiss his forehead, before making her way over to Talbott's side to kiss his cheek.

"Hope to see you two in the stands," she said before jogging her way out of the Pitch. 

The two wizards made their way up to the stands. Talbott could see Nuri eyeing him from the corner of his eye.

"What is it?" Nuri flinched, a bit surprised to be caught before deciding to speak up.

"This way is the way to the Hufflepuff Stands. You're a Ravenclaw, shouldn't you be sitting with them instead?" Talbott turned to look at the Slytherin wizard with a cocked brow. The boy didn't sound dismissive or hostile, just... curious.

"I want to support Judith. She's the whole reason why I got into Quidditch in the first place. It doesn't matter to me if it looks like I'm going against my own House. I'm here for her, and will always be here for her." Nuri smiled at the wizard, handing him the jacket her sister was wearing. Talbott took it with uncertain hands.

"Why are you giving me this," he asked as they made their way up the stands. Nuri paused on his next step and gave a shy smile, long fingers messing with a ring on his right hand. The same nervous tick as his little bird.

"My sister always gave me her letterman jacket whenever she played as a way for me to be comfortable sitting in with the Hufflepuffs ever since I came to Hogwarts. I'm going to be honest, I'm pretty selfish when it comes to her, and having to share her has been difficult for me. But as I got to see her interact with others and see those people care and love her too, I began to loosen up. While this is my first time officially meeting you, I can see how you look at her. Like she's the sun. The center of your universe. Papa Kendrick seems to like you a lot and he doesn't like the idea of sharing her love with any boy. Consider this my way of showing you that I'm willing to give you a fair chance. People who love my sister tend to be my favorite people, and I think you could be one of them." Talbott felt a flush wash over his face but he couldn't help but return the smile Nuri was giving him.

"Thank you. That means a lot and I would like to get to know you better too, Riri." The Slytherin boy sent the older wizard a playful glare.

"Okay, that's a step too far. Only Juju can call me Riri. My real name is Nuri. Nuri Lockheart." Talbott laughed at the look, it reminded him so much of Judith so he knew this look well enough to know that the boy wasn't actually upset.

"Heh, got you. I'm Talbott." The two wizards shared a smile as they continued their way up and reached the top of the stands. Talbott took the time to study the jacket, a letterman jacket as Nuri called it.

It was mainly black, with two stitched designs on either side of the torso. There was a gold honey badger symbol on the left side with two Beater bats in an "X" formation on the right. The sleeves were white and a bit baggy, looking like they would fit over his wrists thanks to the yellow cuffs with black and white lines. The same cuffs outline the collar and the bottom of the jacket. It even had decently sized-pockets. He flipped it over to find the word "TIGRESS" stitched on the back, the word beautifully made with gold yarn in impressive calligraphy. Talbott slipped on the jacket and immediately smiled.

The scent of his little bird lingered on the piece of clothing and he felt as if he was being embraced by the girl himself.

'If I could get away with it, I would never take this off...'

The duo decided to sit in the center on the bottom bench, only to be surprised to find someone already there.

"Merula?" The girl's head snapped up to find the two wizards standing beside her. And it didn't escape Talbott's attention that she was wearing a matching letterman jacket as himself, only it was obvious the jacket was made for someone much bigger than her.

"What are you doing here? Ravenclaw is on the other side and Slytherin isn't playing today," she snarked. Nuri frowned at the clear dismissal but Talbott knew better.

"The same reason why you sitting in the Hufflepuff stands. We're here to support someone we care about," Talbott clapped back. The witch blushed, grumbling.

"Fine, whatever. It's not like these seats are taken..." Taking that as an obvious invitation to join her, Talbott sat down next to the self-proclaimed "The Powerful Witch of Hogwarts" while Nuri sat beside him. Within minutes, the stands were starting to fill with eager Quidditch fans and casual watchers for the game. Even though there were some weird looks from the Hufflepuffs at the two newcomers who sat in their section, no one said anything to them. There was a buzz in the air until the crowd quieted with the sound of Murphy's voice.

"Welcome Hogwarts to the first game of this Quidditch season! Are you ready for this year's competition?" The crowds roared with approval and to Talbott's personal surprise, he was right there with that.

Talbott had to admit, he was excellent at getting the crowd going as he introduced the two teams. Ravenclaw had already made their entrance and waited in the middle of the field. It was now Hufflepuff's turn. He watched as the Hufflepuff team flew in, zooming through the stadium. He watched with bated breath as the team briefly paused in front of their stand, to the joy of the students there. Judith found him and Nuri easily, her eyes reflecting her surprise at him wearing her jacket before giving them a large grin. He could see the two top canines of her teeth were capped in gold before they zoomed off to meet their opponents in the middle of the Pitch. Despite being in his own heart-melting moment, he did notice that David, who was beside his fellow Beater, gave Merula a grin of his own followed by a cheeky wink. Talbott pretended not to see the blush on the pale girl's face.

Madam Hooch made sure to set the rules between the two teams, the captains of each team gave a firm handshake, and soon the balls were in.

The game has begun.

Talbott had to admit, it was the most fun he had in a while. Despite not fully knowing what was happening (Talbott was so grateful that he befriended Nuri as he was able to explain the mechanics of the game to him), the energy was contagious. Even Merula was standing and cheering for the team. The players were fast, it was sometimes hard to keep up with the action, even with his 20/20 vision. Sometimes he opted to just watch his little bird, who was her own beautiful force of nature. He watched as her mind was constantly at work, deciphering the patterns of the Bludgers before deciding on a play. Often passing the iron sphere to David, who used it to scatter the Ravenclaw Chasers. Other times, taking out unsuspecting players with a hit of her own. His favorite moment was the well-executed Bludger Backbeat, seeing her use the scarred side to knock a Chaser off their broom while dropping the Quaffle for Orion to steal for a goal, putting points up on the Badger's board. He was so caught up in watching her, he almost missed a stray Bludger making its way to him-

"Talbott, get down-" Nuri tried to warn him, but before he could pull Talbott down, it was deflected to the Ravenclaw Seeker (whom Talbott was sure spitting out some colorful language as they were so close to catching the Snitch). Talbott could only stare in a daze as Judith hovered over him on her broom. 

"You okay, Talbott," she quietly asked. Talbott, still in shock, gave a mute nod. Judith chuckled, leaning in to kiss his cheek before flying back into the fray.

"Awww, what a sweet moment from Hufflepuff's fiercest hunter, Tigress. Saving her handsome beau from a Bludger gone rogue before comforting him with a kiss! And who said romance was dead?" Talbott buried his red face in his hands as the crowd around him cooed along with Murphy's sentiment. Before Talbott knew it, the Hufflepuff Seeker managed to catch the Snitch, signaling the end of the game.

"Give it up for the Hufflepuff team! They will move on to the next round to face off the winner of the Slytherin and Gryffindor match!"

The next hour was a blur. With the win, of course, everyone on the Hufflepuff team had to accept the congratulations from fans and their rivals alike. Speaking eagerly amongst each other and toasting with some Butterbeer. Judith spent some much-needed time with her brother and father before they had to leave.

But soon, the field was empty and it was just Talbott and Judith. The young witch didn't get a chance to say a word as she was swept up in Talbott's arms, sinking into his warmth.

"I'm so proud of you. You were amazing." She smiled.

"How can I not? I have my number one fan cheering me on, wearing my letterman jacket better than I ever could." Before Talbott could say anything, most likely to refute the claim judging by his blush, she placed a single finger to his lips.

"Seriously Talbott. You helped me in more ways than you could ever know, and I wanted to show you by playing my absolute best. Your support, whether on the sidelines during my practices or in the stands at one of my games, means everything to me. Thank you." The boy beamed as he kissed her forehead.

"Anything for my champion..."

[linkysmommy]

“I’d take the hurt over and over again if it meant that someday, I’d get to meet you.”

Thank you so much @somewillwin for the gorgeous, stunning commission of Lincoln McQuoid and my ILW MC, Orion Murphy! It’s so beautiful, I’m so in love 🥰🥹💜

[where-the-wind-travels]

darlene and giselle hss:ca prom looks <3

i have absolutely no idea how i'll make them both fit together in a single edit........ but it doesn't matter it's their last year at berry high these girls need to look and feel like princesses for an occasion like this

bonus og hss darlene homecoming & prom looks (+ my actual hss mc and his bf at prom because no darlene isn't my mc) below

dynamic: girl who does not like pink x her pink-loving partner who persuades her into being just as much of a freak for pink as they are (gi still prefers colors like green, teal, and purple, but damn if darlene's influence hasn't made her view pink in a different light)

also i shared giselle's og hss prom look in her timeline but sadly she doesn't have a look for homecoming :( because as of book one she is still in the closet

(don't have the actual in game prom photos because i've never done a dylan x caleb playthrough skfjd before that it was dylan x aiden but... well...)

[lifeofkaze]

A Search for Balance

CHAPTER 44: FIRE IN THE SKY

Find the masterlist with all chapters of this story here, the previous chapter here, and the next one here.

A/N: Katriona Cassiopeia still belongs to @kc-and-co Warning: canon-compliant mentions of violence against minors

The victory party was in full swing, but Orion didn’t feel like celebrating. The high of the match had faded, leaving him feeling strung up and drained from a night of little sleep. 

Ever since Murphy and Katriona had invited him to the World Cup, he had been looking forward to it, yet none of it had turned out like he had expected. In his eagerness to fill the emptiness inside him, he hadn’t questioned what had looked to be an act of generosity, and now he was back where he had begun, his heart filled with a longing for Lizzie that he didn’t know how to deal with. 

Not sharing the high spirits around him, Orion kept to the side of the party. He busied himself watching the fireworks flashing across the sky, nodding at familiar faces as they passed him. Luckily, most of them were too ecstatic to bother him in his gloom; it had been a while since he had seen any of his friends, too, but it was just as well - the party was noisy enough without any of them bothering him on top. 

More out of habit than anything, he scanned the crowd for Lizzie. He found her standing close to the World Cup trophy, talking to a witch covered head to toe in Irish colours. Lizzie seemed to know her because she put a hand on the woman’s arm before suddenly turning to walk away. When she paused abruptly, the Irish witch whispered into her ear before yelling something Orion didn’t understand. Then, she raised her shirt up to her shoulders, flashing the hollering bystanders and vanished into the crowd. 

Shaking his head in astonishment, Orion looked back to where Lizzie had been but found that she had disappeared. When he spotted her again, she was headed for the exit, Skye’s unmistakable blue head right behind her. Then, the two of them were gone. 

Without thinking, Orion made to follow them, but he didn’t make it very far. Katriona materialised by his side, her brows drawn together in an angry frown. 

“What is going on? Why is Lizzie leaving?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What did you do?”

Orion sighed wearily. “I did nothing, my sweet but quick to judge sister-in-the-stars.”

At that, Katriona blinked. “You didn’t? Why?”

Hadn’t he been so tired and frustrated, Orion would have laughed at the absurdity of her question.

“How can I cause disturbance in waters that I do not go near? I’ve kept my distance from Lizzie since you so kindly abandoned us at the fire yesterday.” 

Katriona tilted her head. “I repeat my question - why?” 

“Because there is no use. Every word we share is another twist of the knife in both our hearts. When Lizzie and I parted, we did so hoping to heal, not cut ourselves even deeper.” 

Katriona snorted. “All I hear is yada yada yada. I thought we were over this - if you want something, you’ll need to go and get it. You want her. She wants you. Wherever is your bloody problem?”

“The problem,” Orion said, irritation rising in his chest,” is that she has left. Lizzie chose to go and stretch her wings, and as much as it pains me that she has flown beyond my reach, I know she deserves it. She earned it. I will not be who keeps her from her destiny.”

“Not that again.”

“Yes, that again. We played with fire, knowing what happens when you hold your hands into a flame. Who are we to complain now that it burns? We were never meant to be. It was a lie we told ourselves because we didn’t want to listen. We should never have put our careers on the line for this fever dream. What have we to show for breaking every single rule I can think of? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” 

“The rules, the rules, all I hear is the rules,” Katriona answered hotly. “Sod the rules, I say! If they don’t suit you, bend them. You always did. Where’s your creativity gone?” She grabbed Orion by the arm and pulled him toward the exit. “Come on, Lizzie’s hasn’t gone for long. You can still catch her if you hurry.”

Orion spun away from her, his anger at her, which had been simmering beneath the surface since he had seen Lizzie and Skye at their camp, finally spilling over.

“I don’t want to catch her! Don’t you get it? I want to forget her, and you should support me rather than make everything worse. She and I aren’t meant to be - never were and never will be. The sooner you, and I, and everybody else, accept it, the easier it will be to finally move on. Maybe - just maybe - Lizzie and I can both actually be happy for once.” 

Katriona blinked at his sudden outburst, her face illuminated by the green and gold explosives in the sky, but Orion wasn’t done. It was like a dam had broken inside him, all of his frustration spilling from him in a rush of words.

“Every time Lizzie and I try to be together, we part hurting. Every time we try to love each other, we break each other’s hearts. We made our choices - both of us - and all they ever do is lead us away from each other, every single bloody time.”

He took a deep breath, dipping his head back into his neck. His eyes searched the sky, but the stars were eclipsed by the fireworks rising from the tents beyond the party area. When Orion spoke next, he felt light and heavy at the same time.

“It’s time to let her go,” he said, more to himself than to Katriona. “Let her go and be free. Both of us.” 

Katriona’s face was a play of light and shadow as the fireworks flared again, but Orion could see the spark of sympathy in her eyes. She placed her hand on his arm again, lightly this time, but Orion shook her off. He wanted to tell her to, please, leave the matter alone but paused.

All of a sudden, the light seemed to have changed. The sky was still glowing in the distance, but it wasn’t fireworks anymore that were lighting the darkness. It was a flickering orange sheen, which was growing brighter by the minute. Orion thought he could hear the faint noise of thundering, but it didn’t sound like fireworks being set off. 

Slowly, the music began to die as more and more people noticed the change in the air. A murmur rose among the crowd. Suddenly, Murphy was there, reaching for Katriona’s hand with an alarmed look on his painted face. 

“Do you know what’s going on?” he asked, his voice strangely loud in the strained silence. 

Katriona opened her mouth to reply when a new sound cut through the atmosphere that made Orion’s blood run cold.

Screams. 

Sharing a look, the three of them followed the throng of people into the open, where they would be able to see better. They were met with sounds of confusion and panic as witches and wizards darted to and fro, some headed for the woods in the distance, some straight for the cause of the commotion. 

Now that they were outside, Orion could discern a row of cloaked and hooded people in the distance. They were marching in succession, setting tents on fire as they went. They kept their wands raised in front of their faces, hidden by what looked to be silvery masks and joined by a constant stream of equally dressed people coming in from both sides. 

Above them, four shapes were floating through the air. They were weirdly contorted, limbs twitching, and movements too unnatural to appear human. When Katriona realised how small two of the hovering shapes were, she drew a sharp breath. 

“Come on,” she said with a pressed voice. “We need to see if we can help.”

They fought their way through the people running in the opposite direction from them - away from the hooded group of wizards - but soon had to give in to the fact that Murphy had no space to manoeuvre his wheelchair. 

The dark figures had turned from them and were walking in a different direction, but the general commotion seemed to have spread beyond their wake. Emotions both good and bad had been running high over the last couple of hours, and now all of it was breaking ground. Fires were blooming everywhere, the air thick and biting with their smoke, and the sounds of screams and hollering were storming in on Orion from all sides. 

“Let’s go and find a meeting point,” Murphy suggested. He had to shout to be heard above the racket. “Maybe someone will be able to tell us what’s going on.”

Orion was about to agree when the atmosphere abruptly changed. Where everything had been black shadows and flickering flames before, the campsite was suddenly cast into a pale green light. An eerie silence settled over the burning field as hundreds of faces turned skywards. Moments after, screams erupted all around them, followed by the cracks of several people Disapparating in panic. 

Slowly, Orion raised his eyes to the sky. 

“Oh my God,” Katriona whispered next to him. Her voice was hoarse. “It can’t be…” 

She reached for Murphy’s hand, who watched the image of the skull with a snake winding from its gaping mouth with his lips tightly pressed together. He nodded. 

“The Dark Mark.”

Orion was still watching the sign of He Who Must Not Be Named - the symbol the whole wizarding world had hoped to never see again - when a sudden explosion in the distance made them jump. As if the sound had kicked time into motion again, people began to run, away from the fires, the explosions, and the skull in the sky, without looking left or right. Standing completely still amid the people fleeing around them, Katriona turned to Orion. Her face was ghastly pale.

“The explosion,” she said, her blue eyes wide with fear. “That was by our camp, wasn’t it?”

She clapped a hand in front of her mouth.

“That’s where Skye and Lizzie are.”

[thewayhavenchronicle]

Prompt, if you’re taking them: “please. Please just listen to me” for whoever!!

so this got away from me jfdkls

Rating: T+ Pairing: Ruth Bihari x Ava du Mortain Word Count: 1557 Content Warnings: Referenced CPTSD & Panic Attacks 10. "please. please just listen to me."

"Ruth."

Ava's heart pounds in her chest like it's trying to break through her ribs, aching to throw itself into Ruth's arms.

The woman in question doesn't look up from the cut on her hand, watching the blood drip downward as if in a daze. Ava waits another heartbeat, and then clicks her tongue, moving forward to wrap a dishtowel around Ruth's hand to help stem the bleeding. Her touch is gentle as she cradles the injured hand, kneeling carefully in front of her, avoiding the pieces of broken glass from the shattered pitcher she'd dropped trying to wash it.

Ava goes still when Ruth flinches, heart rate spiking fiercely as the air suddenly smells of adrenaline and fear. She looks up at Ruth's face, apology already falling from her lips, only to find that Ruth still isn't looking at her.

"Are you... afraid of me, Detective?"

"—what?"

Her voice comes out in a rush, and her eyes finally come up to Ava's face, leaving the mess on the kitchen floor. Ava leans away a little, trying not to flinch at the wild-eyed terror in those deep, dark brown eyes. Her breath is coming fast and ragged, and her gaze darts away a moment later, back to the shattered glass, which she immediately tries to go back to cleaning up.

"I'm — I'm so sorry, Ava. I don't know what happened. I'll clean it up, I swear, I —"

"Ruth. It's alright," Ava murmurs, unsure of what sort of state has come over her. Ava reaches out and curls her fingers under Ruth's chin, nudging until Ruth looks at her again. "It wasn't important. What's important right now is bandaging your hand."

Ruth shakes her head, squeezing her eyes shut with a rough sigh. "No. No, it doesn't matter. I need to clean it up."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter? Of course, it matters. You are injured. That matters far more than whatever it was that broke."

Confusion crawls up her spine like the tickling feet of insects when Ruth doesn't even seem to hear her. Ava tries to get Ruth's attention again, cupping her cheek and watching the way she reacts, sighing heavily as her eyes drift shut, brows drawn low. Ruth leans into the touch, reaching up with her uninjured hand to hold Ava in place as if she is trying to ground herself.

It's almost an exact mirror of their positions after the House of Mirrors a few months ago.

Though the part of her fighting valiantly to remain numb screams at her to pull away, to leave Ruth to handle this herself, the part of Ava that is overwhelmed with affection has her staying still, stroking her thumb across the detective's cheek to swipe at the few tears that fall from her eyes. She can hear as Ruth's heartbeat starts to even out again, tension seeping from her frame the longer they sit together like this. It's not long until Ruth slumps on the tile, head bowed as she lets out a ragged, heavy sigh.

"...sorry."

Ruth breaks the silence with a barely audible rasp, hard even for Ava's ears to pick up. Long, dark curls fall into her face as she leans forward a little more, clearly trying to hide. Beneath Ava's palm, she can feel Ruth's face start to heat up even more.

A moment passes, and then Ruth leans back again, tilting her head back and avoiding Ava's gaze. Ava watches as a wall slides into place behind her eyes as she pulls Ava's hand away from her face. She huffs a half-hearted, bitter laugh, shaking her head ruefully as she moves to press on her wound with her good hand.

"You ever think you've buried something so deep that you surely don't need therapy or anything else to get over it?"

...well.

Ava almost wants to laugh at the question, but she doesn't want to break this strange atmosphere hovering over them. Ava has been cagey about her own past — of course she has — but Ruth has been just as non-forthcoming about her own. She isn't related to anyone they know the way Saoirse is, so she's been a bit of an enigma since they met 8 months ago now.

Ruth sniffles, using the towel soaking up the blood on her hand to protect her skin as she sweeps the glass into a pile. Clearing her throat, she sighs softly and says, "Can't tell you how many times me accidentally breaking something because someone startled me got me in trouble as a kid. My dad — well, my stepdad, he wasn't my dad — he used to..."

She trails off, frowning deeply as a memory passes behind her eyes. She shakes her head as if trying to shake off the cobwebs of the memory.

"Cops have a saying in some places that if you beat someone with a phonebook, it won't leave bruises. I... don't know if that's true, but he was always careful to leave the bruises where my clothes would cover them. Same with my mom, before..." she clears her throat, sighing harshly. "Before the incident."

Ava reaches out and gently nudges Ruth's hands away from the pile of glass. She's a little relieved when Ruth lets her take over the cleanup, shifting so she's leaning against the cabinet, elbows resting on her bent knees as she tries to keep pressure on her hand.

Once the glass has been thrown away, or at the very least just set aside where it won't cause any more damage, Ava returns to her place in front of Ruth, settling on her knees in front of her. Ruth's eyes stay on her hand, even as Ava dips her head to try and catch them.

"The incident?" she presses after another beat of silence.

Ruth hums, lips curling into another bitter smile. "Mm. My stepfather murdered my mother when I was 16. I found her in a puddle of her own blood, surrounded by shards of broken glass. She —" Ruth hisses, letting out a sharp breath as her face shifts into a glare. "I could barely recognize her. It — broken glass can remind me, sometimes. I guess when I cut myself it made me... remember."

"...that sounds incredibly distressing."

Ruth snorts. "Only a little. I'm used to it — usually I'm alone when it happens. I'm just sorry you had to be here to see it, small as it was."

"Why?" Ava's brows draw together, and she is still frowning when Ruth's gaze darts up to hers, peeking at her from under her lashes. "You have nothing to apologize for, and yet you keep doing so."

Her eyes drop back to her hand as she shrugs. "It's not worth getting other people involved. I'm — I'm not really worth all that fuss."

"Not worth it?"

Ruth chuckles softly. "You can't seriously expect me to believe that I'm as important to this team as Saoirse is. I'm not special — I'm just stubborn as a mule and too smart for them to easily get rid of me."

"You're not — you really think —"

Ava's jaw snaps shut with an audible click when she stammers. Ruth isn't looking at her, eyes fixed on her hands, brows still slightly pinched at the middle. Her dark curls fall into her face still, curly fringe falling into her eyes where it must have gotten wet when she dropped the dish. Sighing shakily, Ava inches closer, reaching out to brush her hair from her eyes. Ava's touch lingers against her skin when Ruth's eyes close as if to enjoy the moment, leaning into the touch as Ava brushes the back of her knuckles against her cheek.

"Please—" Ava starts, and then cuts herself off, gritting her teeth for a moment. Forcing herself to relax, Ava focuses on her hand as it settles against the side of Ruth's neck, feeling the way her pulse jumps at the touch. "Please, just... listen to me."

Ruth's eyes open and find Ava's, drawn together as if by gravity. They look at each other for a moment — Ava watches Ruth's eyes as they drag across her features, lingering on her lips for long enough that Ava's lips begin to tingle with the knowledge of the attention.

"You are... You have become an integral part of us, Ruth. Saoirse as well, but you were the one who had the greatest hand in tracking down Murphy. You were the one who found Saoirse when he took her. You were the one who had the most contact with the leader of the maa-alused." Ava shakes her head, eyes wandering over Ruth's beautiful face. "You have a place within my—our heart that no one else could have. Do not let that voice in your head drown out the reality of our situation. I... we need you."

Ava's eyes have long since dropped from Ruth's, focusing on her own hand on Ruth's skin instead. She watches Ruth swallow thickly, releasing a quiet, shaky breath as her good hand reaches up to loosely grip Ava's wrist, nudging her hand until she cups her cheek again.

Ruth's eyes dart between Ava's, back and forth as if she is looking for something... and then she smiles a little and turns to press a kiss to the heel of Ava's palm.

"...thank you, Ava."

I love you.

[mskinkyafro]

I’m really novice/brand new to the HP and wizard world lore and fandom but I’ve been obsessed with the Hogwarts mystery game for the past month. I guess I’ll need to finally finish the last three movies of the franchise 😂🤷🏾‍♀️

Also I need JC to let me romance a Murphy with this Beyond update bc he and my Mc go together real bad. 😌

[dovahkiin-19]

Hogwarts mystery fans asking JC why our character can’t date the quidditch characters:

[unknowncountrygirl]

Curse Breaker’s Gambit Ch 8

Final Chapter 

The team clanked their glasses together.

“Thanks for the drinks, Murphy!” Iris smiled after taking a sip.

“I should be the one thanking you, I still can't believe we're wizard chess champions! When we set out to compete, our odds were 10.6%!” Murphy cheered.

“Shows you how far those predictions will get you.” Tulip chuckled. “Because Celine and her team have been unseated, and we're the ones with the large trophy.” She patted the five foot tall trophy that was sitting on the table. “It really is large, isn't it?” Iris laughed looking up at the large trophy.

“I wonder if it was hand sculpted or if they used a mould.” Badeea pondered as she ran her fingers over the joints of the trophy.

“Either way, it's ours! And I think we can all agree, it's all thanks to Iris.” Tulip cheered.

“Thank you Tulip, it wasn't easy to defeat her, but somehow I pulled it off and I think the only reason is because of the three of you.” Iris lifted her glass of butterbeer. “To our chess team.”

“Here's to you Iris, and those lucky enough to have you at our side.” Tulip cheered as they all raised their glasses and clanked them together again.

“Badeea outfoxed her opponents by using her imagination.” Murphy said. “Tulip proved playing from the heart is as important as playing with your head.” He looked to Iris, “and you helped me realize my dream without letting my enthusiasm get in the way of the team.”

“And just like those fickle little pieces on the chess board, we needed a leader, a Queen if you will, who understood our unique abilities well enough to turn them into strengths.” Badeea added happily, looking towards Iris.

Just as she was about to say something, the door opened, and a bunch of Hogwarts students came in, cheering loudly, Penny leading the way.

“Your Patronus said you won! I thought you guys deserved a party!” Penny smiled as she walked up and gave Iris a hug. “It's party time!”

The party was loud, everyone was happy that Hogwarts had brought home another trophy for the case and had taken it away from Beauxbatons. Murphy talked t anyone who would listen about how the team had managed to come up with a way to counter the dreaded Dragon defense, and how Iris had executed it beautifully.

Skye was currently drinking the Slitherin boys under the table with spiked butterbeer, and Iris was chatting with a few of her female friends, along with Tulip and Badeea. Murphy's eyes happened to be burning and he more then likely had bloodshot eyes to match how lousy he was feeling at the moment.

There was a lull near the fireplace, and he took the opportunity to roll himself near the fire. Murphy parked himself in the corner by the fire, and transferred from his chair to the booth, and leaned back. He had hardly slept the night before and just wanted to close his eyes for a moment.

“Sleeping during a party?” Iris asked him, and he peeped one eye open.

“Well, I didn't exactly sleep well last night.” He admitted to her as she slid in next to him. “I like your skirt.” He grinned.

“I know you do.” Iris smiled, taking a sip of her extra sweet butterbeer before pulling at the bottom of her sweater, pulling it over her head to show that she had worn the matching top underneath. “I also know you like this top too.” She winked, and Murphy could do nothing but smile like a fool. His favorite outfit, on his favorite person, in the glow of a fire... It all was just everything he could have ever imagined it would be. He was just about to lean in and try to give her a kiss when she said, “you know. I wish it would have been you.”

“What?”

“That faced Celine. It was you who had the dream of playing in the tournament, and you were such a fan of hers. I wish you could have had your moment in the spotlight, to show everyone how great you are for once.” She told him.

“Well, regardless, you took her on and you won with grace.” He told her, “and I'm proud of you for being not just my friend, but for making your name in the Wizarding chess world.”

“I wouldn't have done it without you-”

“Iris!” Murphy and Iris's attention was pulled from each other to the wizard coming their way. Archie Brewer, captain of the Slytherin team, beater, six foot five inches of muscle, and hair of a golden retriever. “You're looking good as ever.” He greeted, pulling up a chair to sit across from her and Murphy.

“Hey, Archie.” Murphy said through pursed lips. He knew that Archie had a thing for Iris, well, most people had a thing for Iris so that wasn't the only reason he didn't like the guy. It was he was charming, and handsome, and the kind of guy that all the girls swooned for.

“What's up?” Iris asked kindly.

“We're about to take this party upstairs, gonna' do spin the bottle.” Archie smiled at her.

“That's a problem, since I can't go up the stairs.” Murphy pointed out.

“I was talking to Iris, not you.” Archie explained further. Murphy felt Iris let out a long huff and sat her drink down with a clank.

“Now, Archie.” She began, and Murphy saw her sit up a little straighter and place her mug of butterbeer down. “Why would I go upstairs, and take a chance of kissing the guy I want, when's he's right here?” Archie's smile grew from ear to ear, and Murphy felt increasingly uncomfortable. “Murphy?” Iris looked over at him, leaning towards him, “you want to snog?”

His brain. Shut. Down. He knew he sat there for a second, lips flapping in shock at the blunt question, before his brain caught up with the rest of him.

“Yeah.” He nodded, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her to him. He had heard the ballads of first kisses feeling like fireworks and the palpable energy one feels and he thought that it was all just blowing smoke.

Until he kissed Iris. He swore he saw stars.

He felt one of her hands on his chest, and then the warm fingers of the other caress his face. He tried not to get distracted by that, and focus on her soft lips. With that said, he also had to squelch any temptation to open his lips and french her straight away. So he pressed his lips against her's, alternating between light brushes of and more powerful kisses, the latter Iris seemed to enjoy a bit more.

Murphy's head spun when he felt a light brush of Iris's tongue along his lips, a non-verbal way of asking permission to take the kiss further. He weighed the response of continuing in public, or if he wanted to sneak away somewhere a little more private.

“Do you... Uh, want to-” he tried to articulate the words he was looking for but found himself just starring into Iris's blue eyes.

“Do I want to...?” She asked.

“Uh... Privacy. You want to find somewhere more private?” He finally asked.

“Well,” Iris looked around the tavern. “It looks pretty dead in here since most everyone went upstairs.” Murphy peered around and indeed, there was just a few people in the pub, none of which were looking their way.

“Well then.” He cleared his throat, “before we get back to that, does this mean... You and I are... Ya know....”

“Well I sure would like to think so.” Iris told him, running her fingers over his cheek, her nails lightly tickling his skin. “You?”

“There is nothing I would like more, my Queen.” He winked, wrapping his arms around her tightly, just enjoying being close to her.

“Just so long as you never call me that again.” She said in his ear.

“No guarantee's, afterall, chess is what finally brought us together.”

“Then it's only fair I call you the King.” She joked.

“I think it's fitting since the Queen is more powerful then the King.” He pulled back enough just to press a kiss to her forehead. She smiled, but shook her head, instead of keeping the conversation going, Iris pressed her lips against his again. They sat cuddled in the corner until Madam Rosemerta kicked them out and they had to return to Hogwarts, trophy in tow.

In Murphy's mind, he had two trophy's to show off to the world, one was meaningless metal, and the other was Iris.

His Queen.

[freshlyrage]

Running Like Water

Chapter 32

pairing: Javier Peña x OFC (written as xReader)

fic warnings: NSFW Explicit Smut (18+ MDNI) language, strained family relationships, mentions of drug abuse, discussions of insecurities and body image issues, daddy and mommy issues

fic tags: Best friends younger sister, Life-long crush, Friends to lovers, Unrequited love, slow burn, Push and Pull, Small Town Dynamics, Secret Relationships, latina MC, Fluff and Angst, OFC!Jessica Alba face claim, sorry Lorraine I'm bringing you into this, Time jumps, 2 year age gap, pre-canon

word count: 6k

A/N: I fear its safe to say I don't do well with change. I moved back to school and couldn't find my groove. Who knew I just needed a little ovulation and commute to work time to bang this one out. Chapter 33 will be arriving shortly.

Well Javier was on the floor. Without a complaint. The two of you didn’t stay too long at the fair considering each ride had a wait time of forty five minutes. In the car you decided to keep your hotel but still be open to staying over, when it was appropriate.  So now you’re on his bed, back in one of his shirts. Surrounded by him. Criss crossed while he’s sat up on the floor. 

“You could come up here.” You offer, removing your rings and placing it on his nightstand. Already claiming his space as your own, too natural for you. The offer has him quirking a brow. It was a test, you know he shouldn’t. Shaking his head.

“I shouldn’t.” He settles into the mattress, pulling the blankets to his shoulders. “We could talk like this.” Grunting from adjusting his newly relaxed body. You move forward on your stomach so that he could see you. Resting your head on your arms. You smile feeling like two kids at a sleepover, whispering and peering over the bed to see if the other fell asleep yet.

“Good you passed that one. Let's continue shall we?” 

The game of 21 questions was more like two hundred questions and it continued all the way into the house. 

Did you date?

I thought you asked me not to tell you about all of that.

I said I don't want to hear about Camila or Daniela or whoever.

You remember their names?

Yes, I couldn’t sleep and thought about a Camila under you. He flexes his jaw at that. 

I went on two dates, which were set up by my partner Steve Murphy and his wife. They ended with goodbyes after dinner. Never spoke to them again.

I went on some dates too. 

I don’t want to hear about that. You pinch him on the elbow and he shrugs. We’re different about that stuff, I hate to hear it. You nod and get the urge to apologize but fight it. 

Now in bed he clears his throat, “Alright. Tell me what your apartment looks like?”

You smile, “It’s a steal for the area. I actually have a bedroom for the price of a studio. My rooms a bit more eclectic than my one here. My bedding is white but my room walls are a burgundy color. There’s no closet so I have a clothing rack. None of my living room furniture is new… it’s all second hand from stoop sales or whatever. My birds shit without batting an eye so I opted not to be dumb about that. What did yours look like?”

His eyes are closed for a moment like he’s trying to imagine it. “Hmmm.. it was dim in there, always. The kitchen and living room were open, a few steps to lead you to the living room. I had a leather couch and a desk. My television was pretty nice. Nothing was really– mine. I tried not to make it feel lived in because I didn’t want to get attached to that place–that world.” There’s a face that you’ve never really seen from him until you’ve been here. It’s one nearly blank but you know the way his face moves, there's a small crease in his brows and he clenches his jaw. Like talking about Colombia pained him and he has to conceal it. Almost like a child admitting to their faults after a spanking. Quiet, embarrassed, unsure, and on the verge of breakdown. “You would have hated it there.”

Probably. You just nod the best you can while laying down. Waiting for his question. 

“Um…” He closes one eye, like it’ll help him think. He opts to go silent for a moment like he conjured a question but was waging his options. 

Should I? Is this a line I shouldn’t cross? Is the wound still open? “Have you heard from your father?” 

You frown for a second. Off put and taken off guard. Remembering the day, remember the rolling grass, low hanging branches and the cold demeanor from the one person she needed warmth from. Hearing urgent and violent words like I love you. Promising to take care of you. 

“No. I never went back there. He never called me even though I’m sure my grandmother told him I moved to Louisiana. I stopped needing him after I got to know him.” You rarely thought of him, just the concept of being without a parent. Then you became an educator and realized that anyone you call family is your own. Your students taught you that, so did Javier years earlier but you suppose maybe you weren’t ready to accept it yet. 

Javier hums to himself, staring at the ceiling. Contemplating if he should really share the way he had felt. Afraid it would break some rule in this delicate game you’ve got going. Wondering if you’ll furrow your brow and turn you back to sleep or internalize what’s climbing up, up, up his throat. 

“If this is… against your rules you don’t have to say anything or we could move on…”

“Okay.”

Again he can’t look at you. How is it that you reduce him to a shy young boy? 

“There’s nothing more that I want in life than to be the father of your kids.” There he goes leaping over the bounds to which he’s left in, but he can’t help it. It’s all he thinks about, all he thought about three years ago and it plagued him every time you spoke of your own father. He doesn’t see you but he can feel your eyes closed, silent, internalizing it all. After all, you'd never turn your back on him. “No one will ever know you like me. Love you, sure, but not as much as me. You’re too easy to love. But I know that you could show me what a mother looks like and I could show you what a father looks like. Our kids will never be in pain the way we were. Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable or-or confused. It’s all I thought about when I was away. And I’m so sorry for ever making you think I didn’t want you in that way.” Because he should have known that it was a deep point of insecurity for you, a deep well created by your parents. Urge to be loved, to create something and love it in a much fiercer and kinder way than your parents did you. Lorraine being able to have all that you wanted came like slice to the stomach. 

Sniffling, you rub your face into the crook of your arm. Hiding from Javier. He looks this time and he doesn’t try to hold your hand like you’re itching for. 

“Thank you… I—.” You wipe your face. Not willing to open the can of worms this could conjure if you just told him straight up that you’d be willing to start now. Fuck the trial, fuck trying to learn each other again, let’s start a family. Be irrational but be happy. You decide to keep it together. You thank him and he knows it’s genuine, you see it in his eyes. He understands your reluctance. “I found that I don’t have the need for many people in my life-“

“I need you.” He says before you. Like he did when he said he loved you. Throat bobbing, he pulls his sheets over him. “I’ll wait for you, until you need me again.”

“Can never get enough of each other huh.” Chucho chuckles while washing his hands in the sink. Boots clean and squeaking against the floor. It was a part of his routine, cleaned his boots every night even if he worked the next morning. 

Last night you fell asleep with your face buried into the crook of your arm. Hand dangling off the mattress, grazing Javier’s neck. Need to touch, woke up with a sore arm. Bleary eyed you notice there’s no-body by the bed. Silent but the sound of running water. 

That’s how you found Chucho, ready for the day at 8 am. Embarrassingly you pad into the kitchen in Javier’s shirt and boxers. 

You shrug, he hands you a cup of coffee. Nodding a thank you, “We have established clear boundaries. We are just spending quality time. We have a lot to make up for.” You say it with a bit of a half awake half still dreaming slur that has Javier’s father beaming. 

“Well if that’s what you’re calling it nowadays, so be it. I won’t be back until four pm.” He places his cup down and starts walking away. Your jaw drops and you nearly run after him. But you know he’s fucking with you, his shoulders bounce. 

“It’s not like that!” You call and he waves a hand at you over his shoulder and steps straight out of his own home. Screen door slamming with a brisk breeze. 

You hear a sneeze, “What’s not like that?” Your head snaps and eyes lock with Javier’s. Freshly showered, hair so wet it droops on his forehead. He looks younger this way. Grey shirt loose with jeans to match. Socked feet, he looks like he doesn’t want you to go anywhere. At least seeing him like this makes you want to find a nest for yourself in his bed. You can’t help but smile at him. 

He’s skeptical of your cheery mood. Brows furrowing, nostrils flared but a hint of a smile. He’s cautious, like he knows you’re up to something. You aren’t, at all. You’re just giddy and it’s only been two days and you feel your boundaries loosening. Just wanting to find that place you yearn for. Just run to him now, kiss him, tell him to put a baby in you. Grab, pull, lick, love, whatever came with it. You decide to control yourself a bit. 

Your eyes drop to his hands, he’s holding three VHS tapes. Your brows furrow just the same, wondering what movie he wanted to see with you. It wasn’t a thing the two of you ever did. Your time spent was short and only for conversations and kisses. And pot, back before everything. You had to stop smoking after getting your teaching gig. 

You want to say something bratty like, assuming I’m staying for some home videos? But you can’t even do that, lord when did you become such a softie? “Big plans?” Is all you can manage to croak.

He shrugs, “Are you staying?” He says it without shame, you know it must take a lot for a man to nearly beg. You know he means please stay. 

You look at him once more and down at your boxer clad legs. Shrugging. “I suppose”

Eric Fredricks' family owned a Haitian restaurant off main street. It was a small take out spot that had been bustling with business since 1961. Eric was your classmate. A friend of everyone, known for his large digital camera he carried around school. The loud, goofy kid shoved his damn camera in everyone’s faces. Annoyed or not, he would always say, “When you fuckers are forty you’re really going to appreciate these recordings!” 

Well, each year he cut, edited and burned these tapes as his own NR rated yearbook videos. Selling them around school and you bought one each year. He was chill with the price for you just because you always perked up in front of his camera. Ready to gleam and answer whatever stupid questions he had like;

“Andrea, how does it feel to be the worst lacrosse player in Laredo history?”

“Or Andrea, what are your thoughts on today’s LHS Chilli special? “ 

You always answered with the same slapstick humor he had. You thought you lost these tapes years ago. Javier seemed to remind you that you left them at his house, might’ve been when Javier was in Houston.

 He was right, your mother’s VHS player stopped working in 1982. You remember popping these tapes in and watching them during your winter break from Miami. Chucho snoring on the lazy boy, saved him from watching the closest thing he had to a daughter do a keg stand with her skirt flipped up towards her chest. 

“I’ve never seen these.” Javier grunts when he straightens back up and walks to sit next to you on the brown couch. A couch with the tendency to swallow you whole. You remember Javier on his knees before you, pillow covering your spread legs while he unlaced your boots. 

“Well you left so…” You grab the control and snicker, pressing play.

“Hah. Hand me that.” he gestures to the pack of cigarettes on the side table. You shake your head no and settle into the seat. “Cmon.” 

“No. No smoking in the house.” You snap at the tv, “Watch.” 

It’s Eric’s face, he’s sitting in his bedroom. “Hello. I’m Eric Fredricks. I’m fifteen and my passion is digital media. The yearbook club is full of hacks and strokes, so I’m going to make my own. The date is September 21st 1979. Ok bye!” the film glitches and the camera makes its way down the hall. Faces of people who you haven’t seen in years. Hairstyles forgotten, thank god. Winks at the camera, sly comments from Eric behind it. He asks questions in his interview segment that would never make it to the school's video yearbook. 

“What does Eric do now?” Javier asks. It’s easy to forget that he missed so many crucial moments. He missed the infamous lunch box incident in 81', Laredos first soccer championship, the halloween rager that led to the assembly—all of that. You wonder if that’s normal, for the development of a person. To be plucked out of childhood and forced to be an adult while everyone else got to worry about if their drivers test aligned with their basketball practice schedule. Burdened with the responsibility of a person's livelihood is no place for a seventeen year old. 

You bring your knees to your chest, finding the most comfort when you're guided and held. “Last I heard he was doing media production for Saturday Night Live. Like in New York City.”

He feels it too, you see the way his brows quirk. How he almost frowns. “That’s crazy—how different things went for everyone else.” You knew at that moment that the tape would be mere background noise. 

“You— you know you made a name for yourself too.” 

Hm. 

You weren’t sure if that’s what you wished to say. He doesn’t get upset with you for it. He chooses to let it slide and for that you’re grateful because you hadn’t had a clue about what to say to him. 

“Yeah.” He chuckles but doesn’t seem to be that amused. He pinches the bridge of his nose, leaning his head against the back of the couch. There’s not much to be said anymore. Lorraine changed the fabric of his being, so did the DEA. And maybe you too. His hand splayed on his knee, knuckles red from repeated trauma to the area. You opted to abandon the topic in general. Seeing his stomach tighten up under the thin fabric of his t-shirt when the choice was your hand on his. Small, soft, against his. 

The two of you relish in the harmless intimacy, you give each other this. Tiny touches could be enough. 

The two of you watch the bootlegged documentary in mostly silence. Rotating who strokes the other with their thumbs. You think about turning your cheek, kissing him. Pressing close and making out for a bit. A casual make out, breathy and gripping. You decide against it. This would be so easy if it was anyone else but him. 

It’s not because you feel like you can’t control yourself—it’s not like a make out with Javier Peña would have your panties at your ankles. You could control yourself more than that. What it is—is that you’ll take advantage of those little liberties. Sneaking kisses at any time and when you go back home, you’ll be lost without it. 

Maybe you’re doomed anyway, because if this doesn’t work out you don't know what you’ll do knowing you can’t just hold his hand. 

Your brother comes out on halloween with a fang induced lisp drunkenly reciting the alphabet backwards at a party while Eric cackles behind the camera. It makes you laugh so hard you cry, missing being young. Missing your brother. 

Lorraine pops up. High ponytail with red cheeks from gym class. Hands on her hips, it’s wrong for such an evil person to be so beautiful. You look at Javier and there’s a frown on his face. 

He wonders why she was so bad to him, what he did to deserve to be plagued by her. He regrets knowing her, it’s hard for him to watch her smile. 

Then you show up and Javier’s eyebrows raise. “I remember that day.” He mutters. There you are, looking the same just with that baby fat at the apple of your cheeks. Your hair was the closest to its natural brown, your pants were severely high waisted and your shirt a lacy shawl like thing. You’re at a locker taping a flier about lacrosse tryouts when the camera rushes you.

“Andrea Diaz! How does it feel to be Laredos worst lacrosse player?” Javier snorts next to you, squeezing your hand. That’s what he would do, come up to you and ask the dumbest, rudest questions. There, a fifteen year old Andrea rolls her eyes and rolls her thumb to secure the tape. 

Crossing her arms, “I’ll answer your dumb questions if you’re nicer about it.” You cringe at the sound of your own voice, sounding awfully juvenile. Javier’s entire demeanor goes soft. All it took was the sound of you—back then, for him to forget the panic in his gut when watching Lorraine in her prime. 

“Alright sure-sure- Andrea Diaz how does it feel to be the sexiest girl in all of Laredo?” Eric had quite the country accent, it made every line delivered feel like that of a typecasted movie star. 

Quirking a brow, “I wouldn’t know. I could ask your mother.” 

“All right that’s enough! You’re impossible to please ,woman!” Eric yells from behind the camera and it fades in little blocks to you getting set up for a keg stand. 

You’re in a skirt and a flowing yellow top. Stumbling a bit, Daniel holds your shoulder to keep you upright. You try not to think too hard about the images you’ve left in people’s minds while you were drunk. Javier is getting more and more tense each passing moment. His hold on your hand becomes just a hold and no longer a soothing stroke. 

You’re cringing at yourself, flipping your hair and chanting that you could do it while Daniel holds your waist. Hands trailing over your stomach, you almost forget that before Javier you had your fair share of hookups, him your most consistent. 

The date on the corner March 1st 1980. 

Drunkenly you lean forward and another one of your peers holds your other leg while another shoves a tap in your mouth. The entire party off screen and on, start chanting your name with whoops. That’s when your skirt flips and exposes the plain blue panties. 

You cover your eyes. 

“I don’t like this.” Is all that Javier can say, on the screen no one covers you until a random classmate of yours, Jenna? Or was it Jessa? Runs to your aid and calls all the men pigs before holding your skirt in its place. You’re dropped down and again you stumble backward into the arms of your pseudo boyfriend. 

And then you yak all over the floor.

 “Jesus christ I forgot about that.” You rub your eyes afraid to look over at Javier. 

“Did—anything-“

“No. Well I think we went to someone’s room and made out. Then I walked home.” 

His head nearly falls off his shoulders. “He let you walk home like that?” Javi grits, letting go of your hand. 

You shrug, “Dunno, high school shit.” 

“Why didn’t you call me?” 

Your brows furrow, he’s being ridiculous but you know he can’t help it. He wanted—wants, nothing more than to take care of those he loves. You watch the video back, seeing your young eyes and wish to take care of her too. You can’t even imagine him. He only lets you know the surface level of his concern for you. You know it’s more than wishing you had called him. 

You had before, panicked and blushing using the party home phone. 

You decide calling him ridiculous would be in bad faith. You just lean your head on his shoulder. Moving your hand from his and holding his bicep instead. He looks at you out of the corner of his eye. Face softening along with his tense shoulders. “I don’t know. I was sixteen and stupid. And drunk.” Your cheek feels too good there. 

He’s studying you. You wished you could read him in these moments. When he’s so in his head, he’s taking you in completely. “Can you? Now I mean.”

Your lips quirk and the apples or your cheeks redden. Pulling your brows because sometimes he’s too sweet it gives you a toothache. “I live in New York, Javi.” 

“I know.” He’s close enough to kiss. “But I want you to call me anyway. If you ever feel unsafe or unsure—i know how twisted a human can be—i’ve seen-“

There it is. He’s cut off by a kiss on his shoulder.

 “I will.” It’s a featherlight whisper and he does that thing again. That look, this time with a bit of restraint. The two of you focus on the screen again.

Twenty minutes into the forty-six minute video the two of you revert back to telling stories about the students on the screen and laughing at how high school, your high school experience really was.

“This is great, hottest couple in the school right in front of me.” Eric laughs, camera pointed at the ground then quickly shot up. Blurring than focusing on Javier at his locker. He looked so young, red cap on his head with a Righteous Brothers t-shirt. The image of him as a seventeen year old in your head had been fading for a few years, but now you’re watching him living, breathing and moving as himself. Smiling once he sees Eric approaching him. 

“What the fuck was I wearing?”

You laugh, your cheek pressed to his shoulder. “Don’t know but I was obsessed with you anyway.”

He makes one of those grunts where you can’t tell if he’s annoyed with himself or with you. You nudge his shoulder with your chin. “What?”

“Makes me feel like such an asshole.”

All you could do was sigh. You know he’d give it all to do it over again. You look at Lorraine and there seems to be love there. It never fails to make your blood boil. You know that loving Javier can make you feel sick, crazy or desperate. But you suppose her love was selfish. For a while you felt like your own love was selfish, not caring for the consequences. But you suppose it was just a natural progression. Miles away from scheming to keep him forever, by ways of manipulation. The look in his eye isn’t the same since you left him. 

A young Javier takes Lorraine’s jaw in his hand and kisses her cheek. She rolls her eyes. “He’s obsessed with me.” She smiles and he mumbles a yeah. Your cheeks heat in a rage that’s so juvenile, you want to turn off the entire thing. Maybe this was a shitty idea. Watching your most insecure and turbulent years in front of you. You were obsessed with him, crying furious tears. Avoiding contact. While he was content with her. It’s a nerve that will always be left exposed. 

He clears his throat. 

“Were you?” You bite. Removing your head from his shoulder, he sinks at the loss. Leaning forward to get a full image of your face. His brows are pulled together in confusion until they soften when he notices this is nothing but you showing him you are still so into him. 

He bites back a smirk and you want to smack it off of his face. “Was I what, querida?”

You swear you will-

“Obsessed with her.” Firm, no room for it to sound like a desperate question. This definitely breaks one of your rules. But fuck it, he’s flawed and so are you, 

He shuts an eye and shakes his head no. “I liked her. She was pretty. She was my girlfriend…”

You frown, that title belonged to you. 

There he is, an inch away from your face with such intensity. “But I would fuck her, and picture you. I imagined that you’d blush the whole time and would pretend like you couldn’t handle me just so I can fuck you harder. Would have to bury my head where she couldn’t hear because I’d come and say your name.” Your cheeks turn cherry red, just how he likes. Cunt pulsing, it betrays you. You’re so flustered and angry with him you want to lean forward and bite him. He doesn’t waiver, he leans much closer. You shudder, feeling crowded by his body. He has the strength to do what he’d like with you, you’re sure you’d put on a fight until you’re unable to lie anymore. You had been soaked the whole damn time. “What? Have I broken your rules?” He whispers, nose nudging your own lightly. You can’t help it, your mouth parts searching for his—

But he backs away and laughs at you. He laughs! Shaking his head like you’re some bastard child. Leaning back cooley and pressing play again. Lorraine’s voice ringing through the speakers. 

Absolutely not. 

You sit in silence. Staring at him while he’s glued to the image of him and his ex girlfriend. Your chin quivers, and you clench around nothing.

“G-give me the remote.” You blurt. Chest falling, bubbling with anger. He doesn’t look at you but smirks. He ignores you. Eyes welling with tears. “Javi.”

More silence. More her. You reach for his hand and he doesn’t look at you. He isn’t looking at you… so you pounce. 

Jumping into his lap, clawing at him while he laughs and hurriedly finds different ways to keep you away from the remote. You’re seeping through your underwear and onto his boxers, your cunt rolling against his crotch unintentionally.

 Your brows screw—“Just—Javi please turn it off.” He chuckles again and he’s all of this without focusing on the pain you’re in. Emotionally, sexually, whatever. You reach around him lifting your hips to get ahold of the controller but you lose again. Bouncing on his lap a bit. He grunts.

“Javi— Please- I’m not kidding.” 

The tv shuts off with a wiring tone and his eyes finally land on your own. All the playfulness leaves when he realizes. And you feel like a heat sick kitten, rubbing on yourself this way. His brow raises, eyes falling to your tear stained cheek and down your grinding hips. You drop your face into his shoulder. At first he doesn’t touch you, he just watches you. Nose nudging your cheek. Wondering why after everything you’d give it up just to come quick like this. 

“Hey… hey.” He whispers at the shell of your ear. “Fuck—Andrea—“

You can only whimper into the crook of his neck. Taking your feel for the girl in those tapes, for the girl who dreamt of him while he did the same. It drove you crazy, it made you violent and horny. “Baby…” His big hands span from your shoulder blades down to  the small of your back and then splayed on your ass. Spreading you and rolling you harder. He grunts again. “Andrea… I can’t—we said we wouldn’t—I'm sorry for teasing you—cmon.” His hands move from your behind, come to your front, at your waist and lightly push  you away from him. 

He’s impossibly hard now, his tan cheeks have a bit more color now. He’s sweating. Feeling embarrassed, you freeze. Eyes dropped to his lap, cunt begging you to move again. You feel the length of him under you, mocking you. You shouldn’t. You know. You know he’s sorry for how rushed and stupid Christmas eve was. You’re still ticked off by it, but he’s doing so good for you. 

“I’m sorry… we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” Is all you can muster out. 

“You know I want to.” He rushes, leaning forward so he can hold your face, it just makes him shift against you again. Your brows furrow at the release. 

“Okay…” A drop of sweat builds at the nape of your neck, the both of you are so turned on you’ll fuck each other if you keep this up. “Can we…can I…” You swear if he brings up your rules again you’ll crawl in a hole and die of embarrassment. 

He juts his chin at you, egging you to complete your sentence. 

You think you’ll die before you say it. Your face brightens real red and you shimmy out of his hold. You crawl off his lap and mutter to yourself. “Sorry, it’s stupid. I should just go.” 

He catches your wrist and sits you back down next to him. “Tell me.”

“It’s stupid! And gross probably.”

“We aren’t children.” 

You’ve been so open sexually until now. You felt twenty two again, never having orgasmed with another person, afraid to tell him what you wanted. He gave you it all. 

“Can we— or can I touch myself?”

Javier’s eyes darken, “You want to touch yourself.” 

God it’s like he’s trying to humiliate you. 

“Yes.”

He clenches his jaw so tight. “Can I watch? Or do you want to go to my room alone?” 

Idiot. 

“Can we do it together? Now.” You can’t let the moment pass. 

Well, he can’t either. His nostrils flare and he places his hand on his belt. Unbuckling so fast you can’t help but watch. You watch him unbuckle and unzip while you shimmy out of his boxers. His eyes glued to your movements. You feel filthy exposing yourself like this. He lifts his hips and pulls his jeans down a bit, the heft of his cock making a print through his underwear. You remember leaning down and pressing your lips along his bulge once. You’d like to do it again. 

You circle your fingers along your clit over your panties. He palms himself. 

“Tell me what to do.” You whisper. 

“Oh.” He reaches into his boxers and pulls his length out. Your pussy clenches at the sight, a thatch of hair at the base and curved. You touched yourself to the thought of it. You pull your panties down and lift one leg up on the couch, spreading yourself open. “Give me your fingers.” 

You furrow your brow but remove them. Bringing your hand to him. His free hand grasps your wrists and he takes no time, he puts the same two fingers in his mouth. You gasp, while he sucks, stroking his dick at the same time. Your fingers are impossibly wet when he stops. Your wrist is still in his hold. “Don’t put any fingers in until I tell you. Just play with your clit for a little.” 

You nod, bringing your fingers back to it. Moving in tight circles. Javier’s fist is dry, working his way up and down his shaft— your lips gather with drool—you want to-

“Spit on it. If you want. Or I can.” He reads your mind. You take no time, moving to your knees, your knees knocked together giving you a tighter squeeze for your fingers. Feels even better. You lean into his lap, back arched like a kitten. 

Javier groans at the sight. You desperately want to put your mouth on him—my rules, my rules. Spit drips from your mouth and onto the red head of his pretty cock. His hand comes to the back of your head and you moan, wishing he’d push down and force himself into your mouth. But he just strokes the back of your head instead. You lean back into the arm of the couch, you’re no longer side by side. Your whole body is barred for him, you bring your free hand under your shirt. Grabbing your breast and rolling your fingers over your nipples. 

He uses your spit and moans audibly now. Grunting in his low baritone, you collect your slick and use it for slip. Your stomach tenses, “Put your finger in. Middle.” You nod and feel even more unsatisfied. “Fuck, I missed that pretty little face you make when something goes inside your cunt.”

“Javi…” You whine throwing your head back, fucking yourself with your small finger. 

“I know—fuck.” Pre-cum gathers all over the tips of his fingers. You’ll ask to lick his hand clean when you’re done. “I know your cunt wants my cock again—I’m sorry I can’t.”

“It’s not enough.” Your knees knock together in protest. 

“I know-I know. Add another baby. Ring.” You watch his stomach go taut so he slows down his strokes. Licking his lips at the sight of you adding another. “Mm. I miss you so much.” He shudders. 

“I’m right here.” 

“Please don’t leave me—fuck.” He whines, it’s so unlike him. You watch his tip surge through the tight hole he’s made for himself, he’s close but you’re closer. You can’t believe it’s him asking you this. “I want to follow your rules—show you I’m good—but please let me kiss you.” 

The ridges of your fingers aren’t enough, you use your other hand to circle your clit without permission. He’s so caught in his emotions that he doesn’t seem to care that you touched yourself without his command. 

He tells you what to do but truly he’s at your will. His eyes well with tears and his brows are pulled together. “Let me take care of you, I’ll do everything you say if you let me kiss you—“

“I can’t— I’m going to come!” Your back arches and it builds. You can’t see him now but you hear his pace, his fist slapping against his base. You writhe and shiver and it comes crashing down. You come hard, you mutter I’m sorry, over and over. And he groans at the sight, you can’t give him what he wants. 

You can try and give him something else. You catch your breath and open your eyes. Your own come dripping to the inside of your thighs. He watches in pain, “Baby—” You whisper, fuck that’s against the rules probably. He nods, submissive suddenly. “Come here, come on my cunt.” You want to be marked, he’s yours. 

“Andrea—“ still he’s fighting his need to follow your rules. 

You nod, “It’s okay, come here.” He lets his length go at once, it twitches at the sudden abandonment. You lean forward and grab his arms, and he finally climbs over you. Reluctant, “Please Javi. Let me have what I want.” Were you power tripping? Yeah. But it was always him in control. You open your legs and he clenches his jaw. “Do you want me to finish it?” 

He shakes his head no, you know he wants it. Still he tries to be good. You begin to touch yourself under him. He begins to jerk himself off inches away from your cunt. Your knuckles brush against each other and you're already climaxing again. He slaps faster, breathing heavily in the crook of your neck. 

“Fuck—move your hand.” You do and he’s coming all over you. It shoots and covers the new growth of hair, it's warm against the bare part of you. Dripping and he instinctively slides his twitching, softening cock between your folds. The two of you gasp when just the tip of his cock prods your hole. Gasping at the way you pulse for him for that one second like muscle memory. “Sorry.” He mumbles, taking a hold of his still twitching and leaking length. He panics and tucks himself back into his boxers before he relaxes himself on you. 

He’s catching his breath, you think he’s crying against your shoulder. 

“It’s okay.” 

You hold the back of his head, hoping to soothe him. 

He had done this for you countless times. You find no issue doing it for him.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

September Creator of the Month: Tveitertotwrites

Please welcome this month’s Creator of the Month: @tveitertotwrites

Each month, CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers or artists. The writer or artist is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page. Past COTMs can be found here.

Tumblr Blog Name: Tveitertotwrites

How do you want to be known on Tumblr? Megan

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog

Masterlist

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

I started playing in 2019, and my first book was Rules of Engagement.

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I joined the fandom in January 2022. I had taken a break from Choices for a while but went back in November/December 2021 and started trying to look for fanfiction for Open Heart as I wanted to see if there was more Open Heart content, so I turned to Tumblr and AO3 and decided to join.

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

It was the first thing I could think of. I’m not creative with naming things (if anyone remembers my original blog name, it was openheartfanfiction because I only wrote for OH and couldn’t think of anything else). So I was like, “I’m a fan of Aaron Tveit. His fans are called Tveiter Tots, so why not?”  I then added writing because most of the content I make is fanfiction.

4- Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it! 

It was actually a little intro to my account, but I had deleted it a while back so now it’s this. It is not my favorite. I would definitely redo it now that I have had more experience with text fics. 

5- Do you write fanfiction, create fan art, or are you one of those really gifted people who do both? 

While I would love to make fan art, currently, I only write fanfiction.

6- How long have you been creating for Choices and for any other fandoms?

I have been writing/creating Choices content since 2022. But I have been writing for Star Wars and Adam Driver Characters since 2020 (even though I am on hiatus from it, and I don’t know if/when I will pick it back up). I also wrote some Marvel fanfiction with a friend in 2021. More recently, I have started writing stuff for Aaron Tveit and Cillian Murphy characters on my non-Choices blog.

7- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to create for?

Right now, I would say either Red Carpet Diaries or America’s Most Eligible is my favorite. But I also like Open Heart, High School Story, and others. I want to create more for RCD and AME, but I think I like creating content for OH.

8- Share your first Choices fanfic or fan art that you posted with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were creating it today?

Since I already mentioned the text fic, I chose the next fic I did. It was for my Open Heart MC’s (Claire Evans) Birthday. And I would 100 percent go back and rewrite it. I like the idea of what I wrote, but I don’t like its execution, and I need to go back and rewrite it.

9- What is your favorite piece of fiction or art that you created? 

Right now, I have these two favorites. While I like writing angst, I enjoy writing fluffy stuff like these two fics. Plus, it’s my MC and OC who are besties (Claire and Adelaide), so I had to choose one from both of them.

10- Do you have a fic/art that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to do well but found it could use a little more love?

This was a fic that I wasn't expecting to get notes on. I was still very new to the fandom at the time and hadn’t really interacted with anyone at that point, so seeing people like it was a shock.

Something that I wish I could do better is the content I make for my RCD and AME MCs (Brooklyn Moore and Charlie Howard). I love that people like my OH content, but I don’t see many people liking content from those books (which is fine if you don’t like it).

11- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

Fluff. While writing Angst and Smut can be fun, writing fluff is a nice escape from real life.

12 - Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

Yes, I have put some things from myself into my MCs and OCs, like some personality traits, some physical traits, and some hobbies/things they enjoy. So, I do see myself sometimes, but not always.

13 - What element of writing/art do you struggle with most?

Either coming up with titles or writing bits in between the big parts. Usually, one of the last things I do is come up with a title because I can never think of one. Also, writing the “less important” parts in between the parts I want to write is what gets me sometimes and is why I have unfinished fics that I have abandoned.

14 - Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

I have some fics that I had done some previews for (last year or the year before) that I would like to finish at some point. Right now, I am trying to finish a Dancing with the Stars AU for Adelaide and Tobias, so that is my writing priority.

15 - If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to see your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you show them first? 

Maybe it depends on who it is. While I don’t think anyone would be too judgemental, I would still be very nervous to show them in fear of them hating it or something like that. I wouldn't show them the smut or some of my earlier fics but the fluff I would.

16 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing or art? Are there any artists that influence you?

Not really. I have liked a lot of people’s work, but I don’t think that it really influences my writing at all though.

17- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

I think my fic “Coming to You” would be fun to see as a movie. Seeing how Ethan and Claire’s relationship grows on screen when they’re in two different worlds would interest me.

19- Do you write original fiction or create non-fandom art? 

I have thought about trying to write an original fiction book, but right now I don’t. I do currently write some original screenplays as I am in college for screenwriting.

20-  What other hobbies do you have?

I like to paint and listen to music. I like to take drives in the morning to get coffee and relax or at night with my dogs. I like to watch movies and musicals (like Moulin Rouge and Six). 

21: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to)

Thank you to anyone who has read any of my fics or enjoyed the content I create. It means a lot, and I hope to continue writing content that both you and I can enjoy.

[jerzwriter]

Thank you to @alj4890 for this ask from this list! I've done all three of yours, and I'll be working on the others. Thanks to all who sent in requests!

Story: Crimes of Passion (Book 1 Timeline) Trope: There's only one bed... Characters: Trystan Thorne x Carolina Rose (F!MC) Rating: Teen Words: 2,000 Summary: A rainy night, a brokedown car, and a cheap motel lead to amusement and some discoveries.

Participating in @choicesjunechallenge2024 - Car and MHotel Original prompt from @creativepromptsforwriting's "There's one bed" prompts is highlighted below

Trystan x Carolina Masterlist Complete Masterlist

If Murphy himself had created a day, it would have gone something like this. Everything that could go wrong did, and as Trystan stood in the pouring rain, intently looking for… something… under the hood of Carolina’s car, he didn't foresee it getting better.

Carolina was seated in the driver’s seat, her frustration mounting by the minute. The thought of honking the horn and making the Drakovian know-it-all jump into the stratosphere crossed her mind, which brought a smile to her face.

She looked at her watch – it was getting late. While her little fantasy may have brightened her mood, it wasn’t going to get them out of this jam. Still soaking wet from before, she stepped into the drenching rain with her jacket lifted over her head and settled at her partner’s side. 

“Trystan,” she groaned. “It’s time to give up. You can’t fix this.”

He looked at her with vexation; his desire to save the day greater than he cared to admit. 

“I just need five more minutes…”

“What will five more minutes do?” She exasperated. “I looked at it for a half hour. Now you’ve been staring at it for 20 minutes without so much as touching anything. Besides, if I couldn't get it started, you're not going to get it started."

Trystan gasped audibly, clutching his chest as if her words had delivered a mortal wound.  

“Et tu, Carolina?”

“Et tu, nothing,” she said, trying - and failing - to contain a grin. “Let’s just be real. Who is more likely to know how to fix a car? A sassy but usually broke boricua from the Bronx with a string of shitty cars and hundreds of hours of her father’s mechanical tutelage….or the spoiled little prince who was chauffeured everywhere in his personal Rolls Royce?.” 

“Hey!” He snapped back. “That’s not fair! Sometimes, I was driven in horse-drawn carriages.” 

“I rest my case!” 

In truth, Trystan was tired of being wet and cold, so Carolina quickly convinced him that the car needed an expert and probably a tow truck. After leaving a note on the dashboard, the two of them made their soggy way to a roadside motel they had passed before. 

“Are you sure there is no place more… suitable?” Trystan groused.

“We're in West Bubbafuck, Your Highness. I am sorry, no Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton’s here.”

“I don’t require a five-star property, but I would rather not stay at the Bates Motel.”

“Well, it’s that or sleeping in the car, big boy! Personally, I’d rather not have a tractor-trailer driver careening into us at 2:00 AM. But I’ll let you make your own decisions.”

“You make entirely too much sense,” he sighed as they reached the front door of the motel’s front office.  

Carolina grabbed the door handle with a satisfied grin. “And don’t you forget that!” 

After securing a room, they walked down the outdoor corridor toward their room. 

“I can’t believe this place has only one vacancy tonight.” 

“Believe it or not, this area is pretty popular this time of year, and those who prefer not to camp, stay here. I’m sure it’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be.” 

“Really?” 

“Look,” she said, slipping the key into the door. “As long as it’s clean, has warm beds, and functional plumbing. We’re golden!.” 

She pushed the door open, and when the room came into view, Carolina lost that edge of positivity, but Trystan laughed with delight.

It was minuscule, so small they'd have to take turns walking in some places, as side by side would be impossible. But that wasn’t the real issue. The real issue was the one bed. The one twin-sized bed. 

“But look,” Trystan smirked. “The place is clean, I'll give it that.”

“Are you freaking kidding me!” She spat.

“Should I check if it’s warm,” he continued to instigate.

“I mean, one bed is one thing, but one twin-sized bed?”

“What’s the matter, Carolina?" he winked. "This is a great way for us to... bond.”

“That’s it!” She said, her hand already on the doorknob. “Being careened into by a tractor-trailer doesn’t sound that bad anymore.”

But Trystan reached over her and pushed the door shut. “Carolina, stop it. You were right; the car isn’t safe to sleep in overnight. This may be awkward, but at least we’ll be safe.”

“Awkward? I’m not concerned about awkward. Try impossible! How can the two of us fit on that thing? And this place is so small the floor isn’t even an option.”

“There’s always the bathtub,” he said, flicking the bathroom light on. “Or the shower stall?” he corrected with a sigh. “I could attempt to sleep atop that old console TV; it’s certainly big enough.”

The vision alone made Carolina laugh despite herself. “You’re not sleeping on the TV, Trystan. We’ll figure out a way to make this work.”

They took turns taking warm showers, which both had to admit felt heavenly. They also took turns using the small hair dryer to dry their underwear and shirts, their only options for sleeping that night. Trystan was sitting in the small sleeping area, holding a pair of boxers in one hand and the dryer in the other, when Carolina barged into the room, vigorously drying her hair with a towel and wearing another tied around her. They looked at each other with very distinct reactions: Carolina’s was one of amusement, but Trystan’s was... something else.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Carolina chuckled. “I bet you never thought you’d be drying your underwear by hand in a dinky little motel one day."

If she expected a reaction, she was about to be disappointed. The man sat on the edge of the bed, mouth agape, trying and failing to string a logical sentence together.

“Trystan,” she said, waving a hand in front of his face, when she finally caught on. “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she laughed. “Come back to Earth. I'm sure you've seen a woman in a towel before.”

“Not this woman,” he affirmed.

Carolina looked at him with amusement. “This woman isn’t all that special.”

“I think I can draw my own conclusions on that,” he assured as a blush settled on Carolina’s cheeks.

“Fine,” she sighed. “My shirt is dry enough. I’ll put it on if it makes you feel better.”

She marched into the bathroom, shirt in hand, as Trystan contemplated how he could be so stupid.

“I don’t know if that will make me feel better... or worse... if we're being honest.”  

Carolina emerged from the bathroom in her long, white, button-front shirt, damp locks falling down her shoulders.

“You know, you were wearing no more than a towel when I met you, but I was able to keep my composure.”

Now, it was Trystan's turn to blush.

“In fairness, we were too battling one another for you to give it much thought."

“Says you,” she winked, leaving him unsure of what to think.

“Are you flirting with me, Detective Rose?”

“Me,” she chortled. “No. I’m teasing you. There is a difference. Flirting is your domain.”

“Ah, but flirting and teasing are very close cousins.”

“Then you should know I don’t speak to most of my cousins,” she yawned, pointing to the bed. “So, how are we doing this? I really need to get to sleep.”

“Here’s what we'll do. I'll lay flat on my side, against the wall, and you figure out what you can do with the rest of the bed.”

"We’re obviously going to be touching," Carolina pointed out. "There’s no way to avoid that.”

“I know," he grinned lasciviously, playfully wiggling his brows.

"OK, Casanova," she smiled while tossing a pillow at him. "That touching means nothing. Do you understand?"

“Casanova was Italian, not Drakovian," he said with mock disdain. "Do you learn anything in America?”

“I know he was Italian! That’s not the point, you know... never mind.”

Trystan jumped onto the small bed, his back uncomfortably plastered against the wall as Carolina struggled to decide how she would sleep. Facing him would be just plain awkward, but facing away was bound to lead to unintentional spooning. She finally decided to face away; at least she wouldn't have to look at him if spooning occurred.

Despite the various forms of discomfort, Carolina managed to fall asleep quickly, but Trystan had no such luck. As the hours ticked away, he had given up any hope of quality sleep, so he lay awake with a million thoughts running through his mind. He chuckled as he recalled the first time he and Carolina met and marveled over how much they had been through together in such a short time. He wondered if she thought his voracious flirtation was all a joke, just a part of his persona - because, in reality, it was in his nature. But the more time he spent with this rare and astonishing Rose, the more he knew he'd love for them to become so much more.

But, as far as he could tell, she didn’t return those feelings, and setting himself up for another heartbreak was the last thing he wished to do. It would be best to push those feelings aside and take nights like this for what they were - rare and precious gifts from the universe that he would always, always treasure.

He had just begun to doze off when Carolina's voice awakened him.

“Huh, what?” he blurted, but she didn't stir.

Incomprehensible words fell from her lips, with the rare mention of ice cream sundaes thrown in for good measure.

“Dear God," Trystan lauged. "She talks in her sleep!”

Now that free entertainment was being provided, he lost all inclination to return to sleep. He wanted to hear every unintelligible word she said, finding it equal parts amusing and adorable. It was all great fun until his heart nearly stopped... did she just say?

“Trystan,” she mumbled. “Yeah, he’s cute.”

A pompous grin appeared on his face as he validated his sleeping partner's nocturnal confession. "Naturally!"

“I don’t know,” she sleepily giggled. “Maybe one day.”

Now, he had no idea of the context. Perhaps she wanted to get an ice cream sundae with him one day? Or perhaps the topic in her head changed completely and had nothing to do with him. But Trystan was going to take the "Maybe one day" the very way he wanted. Perhaps he didn't need to give up. With hope restored in his heart, he easily drifted off to sleep.

When the morning light broke through the tiny space where the drapes didn't meet, Carolina was quick to wake. She was fully dressed and scrolling through her phone when the exiled prince began to stir.

"Good morning," she smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

He wriggled around in bed, rubbing his eyes before responding with a groggy voice.

“How do you say I slept like shit in English?”

“I slept like shit," Carolina laughed.

“Well," he said, rising on an elbow. "There's your answer.”

“I’ve already called for a tow truck, and I’m arranging a rental car. I’ll drive back to the City so you can sleep." She stood up and grabbed her purse. "I saw a little coffee shop just down the road. I'll go get us some breakfast while and give you some privacy to get dressed."

“Thank you,” he muttered, then he recalled the detective talking in her sleep. She was at the door when he called out. “Oh, Carolina?”

"Yes," she replied without turning.

“Has anyone ever told you that you talk in your sleep?”

He watched with amusement as her shoulders slumped, and he heard her breath escape her. Carolina had forgotten about that little habit. She turned to him in horror.

“All right, what. What did I say?" She ordered. "Just get it out, how much did I embarrass myself?”

But Trystan's warm smile was quite reassuring. “Not at all,” he insisted. “Though you were talking about ice cream sundaes quite a bit. How about I get you one when we’re back in the City. I know of a great place on the Lower East Side.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that," she smiled in relief. "But I'm getting the biggest sundae they have. I don't come cheap."

"I never expected you would," he smiled, and she was gone.

He fell back into the pillows with a look of wonderment.

"Maybe one day," he smiled. "Maybe one day."

@choicesficwriterscreations

Tagging others separately.

[narcosfandomdiscord]

narcos fandom smut alphabet - finished!

you know what goes really well with summer sunshine and narcos tv rewatches? SMUTTY FIC!

(they put that bisexual lighting on Isabella for a reason, after all!)

this was our first month of prompts over at @narcosfandomdiscord! for every letter of the alphabet, we had two smutty prompts that fanfic writers used for inspiration. 🥰 our group ambition was to create at least one fic per letter—26 new narcos smut fics during the month of July—and we totally smashed it, in large part thanks to prolific work from @salt-is-a-terrible-currency. happy reading!

if you prefer reading on ao3, check out our collection. all fics tagged as #nffalphabet on tumblr. and it's just that simple 🥰

if you have any questions, you can message us on tumblr or join our narcos fandom discord here!

🍰 Prompt List & Fic Masterlist 🍰

July 1 — A — angry sex, anal

Right For Once by @drabbles-mc — Steve Murphy x f!Reader, angry sex, 2.3k

Infuriating by @salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, angry sex, 1.5k

Our Man In Mexico by @hausofmamadas — Horacio Carrillo x Andrea Nuñez, angry sex, 2.5k

July 2 — B — blood, bound & begging

Final Warning by @purplesong1028 — Amado x Pacho, bound & begging, 490

Please (with your finger) by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, bound & begging, 1.2k

blood on vacation by @ashlingnarcos — David Barrón x f!Reader, blood, 1.8k

July 3 — C — cuffs, choking

If I go too far by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, choking, 737

mentirosos by @narcolini — Kitty Paez x gn!Reader, cuffs, 1.1k

July 4 — D — domesticity, “don’t make a sound or they’ll hear us.”

Taking Care by drabbles-mc — Diego Ramirez (Narcos OC) x F!Reader, domesticity, 2.1k

Lipstick's smudged by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, domesticity and “don’t make a sound or they’ll hear us", 447

A Few Moments by @purplesong1028 — Miguel Félix/Pacho Herrera, “don’t make a sound or they’ll hear us", 482

July 5 — E — edging, eldritch

The first time I felt a ghost by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, eldritch, 716

July 6 — F — fight or fuck?, friends with benefits

No relationship talk by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, friends with benefits, 422

Unbroken Rules by drabbles-mc — Horacio Carrillo x f!Reader, friends with benefits, 2.9k

July 7 — G — gag/gagging, gun play

Paper-thin walls by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader, gag/gagging, 361

Whatever He Wants by purplesong1028 — Amado Carrillo Fuentes x Miguel Félix, gun play, 416

July 8 — H — honor bondage, hatesex

Dress blues by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader x Gurney Halleck, honor bondage, 1.8k

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by hausofmamadas — Enedina Arellano x David Barrón, honor bondage, 2k

July 9 — I — infidelity, in public

Never meet your heroes by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, in public, 955

Don't Mention It by drabbles-mc — Javier Peña x f!Reader, infidelity and in public, 2.7k

No Strong Suit by purplesong1028 — Miguel Félix x Pacho Herrera, infidelity, 439

July 10 — J — jealousy, "just shut up already"

Unprofessional by drabbles-mc — Walt Breslin x f!Reader, jealousy, 4.3k

A bad idea by @artemiseamoon — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, jealousy, 2.3k

The ring by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, jealousy, 1.1k

July 11 — K — knotting, knocked up

Which time? by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, knocked up, 418

Secrets in the night by artemiseamoon — Horacio Carrillo x Original Female Character, knocked up, 3.5k

Someday When It's Over by drabbles-mc — Horacio Carrillo x Original Female Character, knocked up, 2.8k

July 12 — L — luxury, lingerie

Eres guapa by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, lingerie, 544

Desire by artemiseamoon — Enedina Arellano x Original Female Character, lingerie and luxury, 3.9k

Round-trip Ticket by drabbles-mc — Steve Murphy x Original Female Character, lingerie, 7.7k

July 13 — M — mirrors, "make me forget (all about him/her/it/them)"

Another brick in the wall by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, make me forget, 812

Favors Owed by drabbles-mc — Maria Elvira x gn!Reader, make me forget, 2.7k

Like Old Times by artemiseamoon — Judy Moncada x Original Female Character, mirrors, 1.4k

July 14 — N — nipple play, "no one does it like you"

No One Like You by drabbles-mc — Javier Peña x f!Reader, no one does it like you, 2k

Sore by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, nipple play, 580

July 15 — O — on all fours, one night stand

Cascade by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader, one night stand, 580

July 16 — P — praise kink, pulling hair

Dress blues, pt 2 by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader x Gurney Halleck, praise kink, 404

July 17 — Q — quiet (or trying to be), quickie

Sweet, sharp, addictive by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, quiet (or trying to be) and quickie, 464

July 18 — R — role reversal, ruined

Bad Guy Treatment by drabbles-mc — Steve Murphy x f!Reader, role reversal, 3.8k

What is she to him by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, ruined, 444

July 19 — S — submit, "say my name"

Stoke the flames by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader, submit, 387

July 20 — T — trapped together, tied up

On company time by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader, trapped together, 574

July 21 — U — upper hand, underwater

The Weight of It All by drabbles-mc — Walt Breslin x Sal Orozco, underwater, 2k

he keeps his rules. you keep him. by ashlingnarcos — Horacio Carrillo x gn!Reader, upper hand, 1.1k

Polkadots by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, underwater, 359

July 22 — V — virginity (loss or roleplay), video

Off the Backburner by drabbles-mc — Steve Murphy x f!Reader, virginity, 4.1k

In this moment of pretend by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, virginity roleplay, 435

July 23 — W — "we probably shouldn't do this", worship

Stay A Little Longer by drabbles-mc — Horacio Carrillo x f!Reader, "we probably shouldn't do this", 1.5k

Lunch break daydream by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader, "we probably shouldn't do this", 497

July 24 — X — exhibitionism, exes having sex

It's complicated by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Helena, exes having sex, 971

Not Yours Anymore by drabbles-mc — Steve Murphy x Original Female Character, exes having sex, 3.2k

no witness by ashlingnarcos — Walt Breslin x f!Reader, exes having sex, 2.4k

July 25 — Y — yearning, "you look good like this"

Superman (4) by @garbinge — Javier Peña x f!Reader, "you look good like this", 5k

Lost Time by drabbles-mc — Horacio Carrillo x f!Reader, yearning, 2.9k

If he closes his eyes by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x Original Female Character, yearning, 442

July 26 — Z — zipper, zeal

Things Like That by drabbles-mc — Danilo Garza x f!Reader, zipper, 2k

Zealot by salt-is-a-terrible-currency — Javier Peña x f!Reader and Nathan "Cable" Summers from Deadpool x f!Reader, zeal, 4k

(note: we hit the link limit on this post so from now on, links will be to fics + to authors on their first appearance.)

[garbinge]

Stuck Record

Steve Murphy x F!Reader From these August Prompts: A Stuck Record (Not from the original list I'm doing the challenge off of, but a previous August list from the same creator). A/N: No better birthday fic drop than a little Steve Murphy x reader sitch!!! The way @drabbles-mc has turned me into a total Steve Murphy fan girlie and I'm not even mad about it. I'm actually kicking my feet and giggling. Word Count: 1k Warnings: Alludes to sexual situations, cursing, fluff, but talking about angsty things, mentions of drinking.

Narcos Taglist: @drabbles-mc @justreblogginfics @narcolini

It was late, you had just gotten out of the shower. Not being able to sleep left you with a clean house and all that was left was to wash yourself of the sweat and insomnia. Unfortunately, not only was the hot water not enough to lull you into sleepiness but being a visitor in Colombia offered you nothing else to do in the late hours of the night. 

You got situated in your robe, soothed lotion onto your skin and moved out of the bathroom humming. Out of instinct you always looked at the front door when you passed it, hoping to see the doorknob move insinuating that Steve was home. But nothing. Just the silent, empty apartment. 

The silence brought an idea to your head. To pass the time you moved over to the record player that was on the shelf that ran along the window, behind the couch. You kneeled on the couch and flipped through the records you had until you landed on the Cyndi Lauper album and set it up on the record player. It took a minute to catch and play but once it did, it brought a vibe of serenity into your apartment. And waiting for your DEA agent of a husband to come home, a moment of peace and serenity were rare to come by. Your humming moved to follow the beat of the song as you moved to the fridge and poured a cold glass of wine. Bringing it back to the living room, instead of sitting down you moved to the music slowly, closing your eyes and paying attention to every instrument, every note, every lyric. Your mind got so caught up in the music, you didn’t realize you had drank nearly all of your wine, you didn’t need to fill it up because along with not paying attention to your glass, you missed the sound of the doorknob turning and the front door closing. 

Steve’s presence around you startled you slightly, causing you to jump and let out a gasp but instantly you melted into his grip and scent. You had never been happier to smell cigarettes and cheap knock-off cologne. 

“You’re running on empty.” Steve whispered into your ear as he hugged you from behind. 

“Been trying to pass the time.” You hummed back to him and began swaying back and forth. 

“Your husband leaves you waiting till the late hours of the night for him?” Steve’s voice was littered with humor as he talked about himself. 

“He’s busy with work.” You teased him back. 

“Too busy to come home to this?” His hands moved down your robe, feeling along your body slowly and sensually. 

“His loss.” You raised your brows and turned around to face him. “Your gain.” 

Steve looked exhausted, his eyes were heavy, his shoulders were dragging, now hearing the raspiness in his voice was clearly a sign of lack of sleep over romance. Your free hand moved up to his face out of concern. “You look worn out.” 

“You look amazing.” Steve’s eyes traveled down to look at you in the robe that was loosening up around you. 

“You should go to bed.” Your thumb caressed his cheek. 

“We should.” He leaned into your touch. “But first, let’s just, enjoy this.” He grabbed your glass and placed it on the coffee table and took your hand in his so it wasn’t left empty for a second. He moved you around, it wasn’t extravagant dancing, but it was sweet. You could feel how tired Steve was but you could also feel how much he missed this. How much he needed this. You grabbed him tighter and rested your head against his chest.

“I miss you.” You never said that to him anymore. Not because you didn’t mean it–hell, you thought it everyday, but because you didn’t want those words weighing on him. He had enough happening all around him and you didn’t want home life to drag him down more. But, you said it now because you felt like he needed to hear it and you were right. 

“You have no idea how much I miss you and miss hearing you say that.” Steve’s voice was desperate, like tears were going to fall from his eyes or he was going to scream from the build up of stress. But before he could do either, the song on the record changed and Time after Time began which caused him to let out a choked laugh as the tears sat in his eyes still. 

“What’s funny?” You smiled, pulling out from his chest to look at him. 

“This song. I hear it all day long on the radio.” Steve was smiling still and it brought a warm feeling to your heart. 

“Cyndi Lauper is on the radio in your car and at work?” You were confused since you were in a foreign country. 

 “They put the American station on because they think I’ll feel more at home, it’s them being assholes and in turn I end up listening to Time after Time all day.” 

You stared into his heavy drooping eyes, seeing the pain of his day, the last few weeks all there but the corners of his eyes being wrinkled in a smile made it all go away. 

“Well now everytime you hear it, you can think of me.” You matched his smile with your own and stood up on your tip toes to quietly speak in his ear. “In this robe.” 

The growl he let out was low and needy as he gripped you, the moment his grip got tighter, the record began to stick, repeating the song’s name over and over again until it snapped into no sound but the crackles and pop of a stuck record, causing both of you to fall over each other in a fit of laughter. 

“Even the record player can’t listen to it anymore.” 

“I was getting bored, anyway.” You teased him. “I think I could go for some real action.” 

You didn’t have to say it twice, before you knew it Steve was practically lifting you off the ground, guiding you to your shared bedroom where neither of you was going to catch up on sleep anytime soon and the record player would static and crackle until the early morning hours.