#n for never bloom again 'it's like god fell asleep in the middle of the day he built my self esteem' was a close second

[basiltonpitch]

25, 38, and 57 for the Spotify wrapped ask game! ❤️❤️

25. california by chappell roan: come get me out of california / no leaves are brown / i miss the seasons in missouri / my dying town

38. never bloom again by waterparks: i never thought i'd let myself give what you took / but i sent it off in gift wrap / now all that's left here are my lonely words, dear / i'll paint you pretty with my syntax

57. vampire money by my chemical romance: get your finger on the trigger, tap the barrel of the gun / hair back, motherfucker! jet black, so cool / sing it like the kids who are mean to you

send me a number between 1-100 and i'll give you the corresponding song from my 2024 wrapped & my fave lyric from it !!

[trulylino]

=> City Of Stars - L.F

Pairing: Lee Felix x gn!reader

Genre: Fluffity fluff

Summary: You and your boyfriend Felix go on a late night walk together.

Warnings: None!

Word Count: 1.2k

Masterlist

“Y/n c'mon! Just a little further now!” Felix gushed as he dragged you up the steps which seemed to go on forever.

“Please Lix, I’m gonna pass out if I take one more step, my feet hurt so bad.” You pouted as reluctantly ground to a halt. You could see the top of the hill from where you were but you just needed a moment. Felix was acting like a marathon runner, you guessed all those hours in training had paid off, but you, however were not suited for what felt like mountain climbing.

"OK, let's go," you huffed as you took another step up the cobble steps. A rather impractical design really, although they looked straight out of a fairytale, what with the head height hedges lining either side along with the soft fairy lights which were strung through them. Felix's bright smile illuminated the stairs almost as much as the moon up above you. Your heart melted a little bit at that.

"I can't believe you've never been here before y/n-ie, it's so pretty, especially at night."

"Bet it won't be as pretty as you," you counted grinning as you reached the top. You were greeted by a small garden of sorts, although you supposed it was more of a park. Gorgeous blooming trees and beautiful flowers decorated the darkened landscape and you were just... awestruck.

"I stand corrected," you chuckled, mostly to yourself but Felix most definitely heard.

"I did not bring you here just to be insulted. I would've brought Hyunjin if I had known."

You smiled at the cute pout that now adorned his face, laughing at him, "Oh c'mon, like he'd be any better."

Felix shook his head at you before casually (not really, he is not nearly as slick as he thinks he is) grabbing your hand, intertwining your fingers together. His hands are oddly warm, in great contrast to yours. Who thought it would be a good idea to go out in the middle of the night, to the top of a hill no less, in early spring time. Oh yes. Your stupid boyfriend. You fondly smiled to yourself, you loved him really and he knew it.

"Hey, what are you all smiley about?" He questioned, turning to face you. His face was a little pink from the chill, his nose turning an adorable blush colour. His freckles were beginning to show more strongly again from spending more and more time in the sun due to it being warmer in the day. God you loved this boys freckles. You were so wrapped up in your thoughts about your boyfriends skin you almost forgot to answer his burning question of the day. "Hmm? No answer. I'll just have to assume it's because of me then."

"Hey! That's not fair," you sulked, "And I was thinking about the time we played Just Dance and you fell over trying to do Rasputin." Well that was a complete lie.

"No you weren't."

No. You weren't.

You and Felix had been together since he was a trainee, albeit secretly for a while, although his members caught on surprisingly quickly. The late night facetime calls were probably the most obvious giveaway. The way he would be still giggling at 2am, despite having early training the next morning. The way he would have dark circles the next day and be practically falling asleep in the studio. The way he somehow regained that energy right before the end of the day when he knew he would be able to see you. The way his knee would bounce uncontrollably when he was excited to talk to you. This boy had far too many gives for them to not find out.

Chan was the first to notice. Typical leader, and he had quietly talked to Felix about it, promising not to tell the company. So, you met Chan. You got along. And then slowly but surely you were introduced to the rest of the group. You were pleased to fit in so well with your partner's friends but if you were completely honest, you were grateful to be finally getting some alone time with him, despite feeling like you were going to get frostbite. That was just an excuse to cuddle up to him anyway.

"We're here!" A squeal broke you from your daydreams.

You looked up to see a clearing which contained a single bench overlooking the entire city. You could see everything, and you mean, literally everything. Felix lead you over to the bench and pulled out the blanket he had been carrying in his little bag. You would literally die for this man.

You plonked yourself down slightly off centre, leaving room for Lix, making sure to cuddle up to him properly, his arm draping round your back and gripping your waist. You could stay like this literally forever. If this was how you were to go, you would not be complaining.

For the first time you took in the comfortable silence, the perfect gradient of the sky, going for deep blue at the bottom to a magnificent black at the top, contrasting perfectly with the bright, white crescent of the moon.

And the stars. Oh the stars. Flawless. They had always amazed you but these were just without fault. Your eyes ate up the scene so much you didn't even notice Felix looking right at you with the same look in his eyes as you. He just loved you, like you loved the stars.

It was a better analogy, he thought, than saying that you were his sun. However necessary the sun was, it could hurt you, and you only really missed it when it was gone. The beauty of the night sky however, he longed for it. Whenever it was there he jumped at the chance to see it. You were like the stars. Perfect. Bright, but not blinding. Ethereal. There was a mystery about you which he hoped he would one day uncover. Something undiscovered, just waiting for someone to find it out.

You leaned your head on his shoulder and he turned his head back to the sky. Then you heard a faint hum. The melody broke the silence like a ripple on an otherwise still lake. But you recognised this tune.

"City of stars... are you shining just for me?" His mellow voice softly reverberated in your ear drums, scratching an itch you didn't know you had. You closed your eyes.

"City of stars... there's so much that I can't see."

This man was absolute.

"Who knows? Is this the start of something wonderful and true?"

Your life couldn't possibly get better from here.

"Or one more dream that I cannot make true?"

You opened your eyes, now facing Felix, him doing the same to you. You shared a simple sweet smile before leaning forward to give him a soft, innocent kiss. His lips were home to you. Warm, despite the cold outside, welcoming.

You both turned to face back towards the sky, not expecting the star which went flying across the skyline.

"Make a wish Lix," you whispered.

"You too y/n-ie."

So you did. You knew what you wanted right away. It was what you had always wanted.

I wish for Felix to be happy forever.

Little did you know, but Felix had wished for the same for you.

A/N: Thank you for reading! This was inspired by Felix, Chan and Lia's performance of City of Stars which I would highly recommend you check out <3

Credit: Header by @is2y00n

[ncssian]

A Favor: Bonus Scene (Gwynriel)

takes place immediately after Part 19 of A Favor. <1k words

***

Gwyn wakes to blackness with someone’s legs tucked between hers. She freezes for a second, struggling to remember where she is, when it comes back to her: she’s in Nesta’s boyfriend’s cabin. Those are Emerie’s legs. No one attempted anything nefarious while she was asleep, as far as she knows, but her mouth feels thick and dry, and she has a pounding headache from the singular can of beer Emerie got her to chug.

Groaning, she untangles herself from Emerie and clambers to her feet. Water. She needs water.

In the dark kitchen, the clock over the oven tells her it’s nearly five in the morning. Shuffling around until she finds a glass, she fills it up from the fridge and downs it in one gulp. She’s halfway through her second glass when the lamps over the kitchen island flick on, and she nearly chokes in surprise. Coughing, she spins around to find Cassian’s brother looking just as surprised to find her there.

Gwyn composes herself, wiping spilled water from her chin. “Oh, hey,” she croaks.

Az is fully dressed, thank god, but his tangled hair is damp like he just came out of the shower. He nods, mutters a “hey” back, and heads for a cabinet. Gwyn stands awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen with her half-finished water, knowing she can make a run for it if she really needs to, but not wanting to be thought of as a weirdo. She still feels the sting of embarrassment whenever she remembers her first meeting with Cassian.

Besides, Az is cool, right? He’s not nearly as hulking as Cassian or as intimidating as most men she’s interacted with, and he moves with a cadence that almost feels nostalgic.

It makes the nosy part of herself ask, “Did you just wake up?”

Az stiffens like he wasn’t expecting small talk. “No,” he answers curtly, getting out a mug and turning on the coffeemaker. When Gwyn waits for more, he adds, “I didn’t go to sleep in the first place.”

Has Gwyn lost her ability to interact with men, or did she never have it? She frowns curiously at Az’s back. Or is it just this man?

Maybe it’s because Nesta and Emerie are only one shout away, or maybe it’s because she can’t feel a lick of aggression coming from Az, but Gwyn pokes, “Why not?”

He shrugs, watching coffee pour into his mug. “Just ‘cause I couldn’t.”

His bluntness nudges at some long-forgotten memory in Gwyn’s head, making her even more curious. She sets her glass down and crosses her arms, determined to find out who he reminds her of. “Something troubling your soul?” she prods. “My grandmother used to tell me the sleepless were those who carry lots of darkness around with them.”

Slowly, Az leans his fists on the countertop and looks at her directly for the first time since he entered the kitchen. A sudden jolt of recognition passes through Gwyn at his frank hazel stare. “You talk a lot, don’t you?” he says.

She remembers now. Remembers where she knows that odd demeanor from, and regrets lingering here for so long. “I’ll stop bothering you, then,” she says, forcing a light laugh. “I’m gonna head back to bed now.” She spins around on her heel, hoping to book it out of there.

“Gwyneth Berdara?” His voice halts her in her tracks. He sounds slow, inquisitive.

She freezes with her back to him, which is answer enough. “It is you,” he says, recognition lightening his tone.

And he’s Az, short for…

Turning around warily, Gwyn smiles a tight smile. “Azriel.”

He points at himself. “Remember me? From—”

“Third grade, yeah.” The same kid who fell off the monkey bars and landed on her head. “You were held back a year because you were a little…” She taps her temple.

“Dumb?”

“I was going to say ‘funny’.” The kid she remembers would trip over his own shoelaces, giggle at random things like clouds passing by, and was generally an easy punching bag for the students of Ms. Quinn’s third grade class. But wow, has he grown up. Gwyn has a feeling he doesn’t get easily bullied these days, not with the muscles and stunning beauty.

Azriel laughs out loud at Gwyn’s response, and the sound shocks her. “You were funny, too,” he notes with a growing smile, leaning against the counter with his coffee forgotten. “What did everyone call you? Was it Freckleface?”

Gwyn feels her face turning red, likely highlighting those very freckles right now. Gone is the reserved Az that play-fights with Nesta and broodily eats cookies, replaced by a goblin that only wants to torment her. She’s horrified. “There’s no need to bring that up again,” she tries to encourage. “It wasn’t a very creative name in the first place.”

“Eight year olds aren’t known for their creativity, Freckleface,” he retorts. “Besides, we had lots of other names for you. Bigfoot, Gwyneth the Friendly Giant, Carrot Top,” he counts them off on his fingers.

“That’s enough!” Gwyn holds her hands up in surrender. “Please stop.” No one deserves to relive their elementary school nightmares like that. “If we could go about our lives pretending we’ve never met before, that would be great,” she pleads.

He hisses in a breath, pretending to think. “I don’t know. It would be hard for me to forget the girl who made me eat dirt on the playground.”

She makes a sound of protest. “You nearly broke my neck! I think we’re even.” She really hopes they’re even.

He stares her down for a long moment, then shrugs. “Eh.”

Her eyes widen. “What does that mean?”

Azriel ignores her question, saying instead, “It was nice running into you.” He grabs his coffee and winks as he heads for the door. “See you around, Freckles.”

***

a/n: gwyn is tall 🤝 azriel is a little shit

tags: @hellasblessed @sjm-things @thewayshedreamed @drielecarla @valkyriewarriors @superspiritfestival @aliveahaahahafuck @cupcakey00 @sayosdreams @rainbowcheetah512 @claralady @thebluemartini @nessiantho @missing-merlin @duskandstarlight @lucy617 @sleeping-and-books @everything-that-i-love @cassianscool @swankii-art-teacher @wannawriteyouabook @awesomelena555 @julemmaes @wickedqueenoffantasy @poisonous-bloom @observationanxioustheorist @gisellefigue08 @courtofjurdan @theoverlyenthusiasticwriter @wolfiixxx @cass-nes @seashade @royaltykxx @illyrianundercover @queenestarcheron @monstrousloves-explodinggalaxies @humanexile @that-golden-lyre @agentsofsheilds @mercy-is-alive @cassiansbigwingspan @laylaameer01 @verypaleninja @maastrash @bow-dawn @perseusannabeth @dead-on-the-inside666 @jlinez @hungryreadingaddict @anidealiveson @planet-faerie @shallowhighwaters @ghostlyrose2 @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens @rarephloxes @readiajin @nessiantrashh @live-the-fangirl-life @ifinallygavein @xoblivisci @sjmships @jungtaekwoonie-is-life @lysandra-tiara @lanyjoy-13 @frosted-crackers @post-it-notes33 @loosingdreams @fromthelibraryofemilyj @18moneytoad

[sleep-i-ness]

Wrong Door (Sirius Black x reader)

Synopsis: Your roommate wakes you up in the middle of the night because she can’t get into the flat. Or so you think. (Muggle AU) FOR MY 500 WRITING CHALLENGE

A/N: do not follow what reader does in this in real life. IF SOMEBODY PASSES OUT DRUNK AND DOESN’T WAKE UP, CALL AN AMBULANCE (usa people i don’t know what you do. call an uber to the hospital?)

WARNINGS: Alcohol, really shitty first aid, swearing

BANG! Y/N bolted upright. Fuck, were they being burgled? She checked her watch, groaning at the time. It was 3 in the bloody morning and she had an 8am class. She swore lightly under her breath; she’d clearly fallen asleep while studying on the sofa, a textbook on her lap and an empty bottle of wine in her hand.

She wasn’t one for going out in middle of the week, unlike her roommate Marlene, so being woken up in the early hours of the morning was a common occurrence. Usually Marlene would just stumble back into the apartment, tripping over everything lying in her way. Tonight, she had clearly decided to break the fucking door down.

Y/N heard a key fiddling at the door, and she sighed. That was when the pounding on the door started. Time for her to go help Marlene out.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she grumbled, extracting herself from the cocoon of sheets and cushions.

The banging didn’t lessen, and Y/N groaned as black patches clouded her vision momentarily. Mentally reminding herself to grab some water on the way back from the door, she trudged over to the hallway, propping herself against the wall for two seconds as she swayed slightly. Her fingers clasped around the latch and she pulled it, swinging the door open.

“You’re not Marlene.”

“You’re not James. Did he bring you over or something?” The brunette stranger rambled, pushing past her as he stumbled into the apartment. Y/N was too taken aback to protest at first, watching the man walk in as if he owned the place. “You can close the door, y’know. I didn’t bring back a girl this time because James said he’d literally kill me if I kept him up again. What a hypocrite.”

The man reached out to hang his jacket on an empty patch of wall, staring at it blankly when it fell onto the floor. He tried again, feeling for a hook that didn’t exist and Y/N watched him confusedly from where she stood by the still-open door.

“What on earth are you doing in my flat?” She found her voice at last; his audacity was astounding!

“Your flat? Love, just because James brought you over once doesn’t mean you can start claiming our stuff,” he seemed almost affronted, slurring his words as he let his jacket be on the floor. 

“No, this is my flat that I share with my roommate Marlene. Who the fuck is James? And, more importantly, who the fuck are you?” Y/N had to admit, she was getting a little riled at this point. This drunk man had just waltzed in and begun claiming the place as if she didn’t exist.

The man opened his mouth to protest before taking a good long look at the coral walls and pictures that hung all over them. He closed his mouth, paused, and turned to look at the hall table with their tatty fringed lampshade and geometric-print table runner. Y/N could almost hear the cogs whirring in his brain as he stared bemusedly at the room.

“Fuck. This isn’t my flat. Where am I?” He seemed honestly and completely confounded, scrunching his face up.

“You’re near Kensington, we’re a few roads back from the high street and the market. This flat block is number 48-53?” Y/N gesticulated as she tried to explain where exactly her apartment lay.

She was too busy explaining to notice the queasy expression spreading across the man’s face. He shoved back past her to stick his head out her door and promptly throw up all over her front step. Disgusting. And she was going to have to clean it up! He swayed back and forth, before collapsing backwards, narrowly avoiding falling feet-first into a pile of his own vomit. Y/N contemplated just leaving him there and shutting the door on him. But she knew deep down she’d sorely regret it if any harm came to him because she refused to help him. It wasn’t the dodgiest of areas, but the nights were bitterly cold.

“Hey,” she tapped him on his shoulders, calling upon her memories of first aid and how to deal with a drunk person. He didn’t stir, even as her taps got harder and she decided to take her chances and slapped him straight across the face. She gasped as a red handprint bloomed on his cheek, yet he still didn’t wake up. Hand still stinging, Y/N grabbed his arms, heaving as she attempted to pull him inside. Managing to pull him into the living room, she gently rolled him into the recovery position, ensuring that he was still breathing and that he wouldn’t choke on his own vomit. A dead man in her living room would be difficult to explain to her flatmate.

Y/N trudged to the kitchen, dragging her feet along as she pinched her eyelids to try and keep herself awake. She just needed to grab a glass of water to help with tomorrow’s inevitable hangover and a blanket for the drunkard. Somehow, she managed to complete the task, leaving her standing over the man now covered in her biggest blanket. She knew that she should go back to her room, but it just seemed so far, her legs protesting at the thought of moving an inch. Besides, the blanket was big enough to cover the two of them without having to even touch each other, right?

Sliding under the furthest corner, she quickly curled into a ball, eyes drifting shut before her head even touched the carpet.

:.

Waking in the morning, Y/N nuzzled further into the broad arms wrapped around her, sighing as she breathed in the stale scent of cologne and whisky. Her head pounding as she tried to recall the events of the night before that had led to her in a man’s arms. She startled, bolting upright as she remembered the drunkard who had stumbled through her door. And now she was in his arms. Fuck.

Seeing the man afresh with sober eyes, Y/N stopped to appreciate that he was actually really fucking attractive. It didn’t excuse him trying to break into her flat, but it helped, now knowing she’d cuddled him all night. God, that was embarrassing. How was she ever supposed to explain to the guy on the floor or Marlene what had happened. Slipping out from under the blanket, she tiptoed into the kitchen and slumped against the counter.

Coffee, she needed coffee. Then she could think about what had happened and how to sort out the man passed out in the living room.

Y/N filled the kettle up and spooned out the coffee granules into the cafetiere, frowning when her hand came into contact with air rather than her favourite mug. Fuck. It was still dirty from last night, probably abandoned on the table with her textbooks.

Meanwhile, Sirius groaned as he twisted under his covers. God, his head was aching, and his back was incredibly sore. Remus was going to kill him if he’d pulled a muscle; he was meant to be helping him move on the weekend. His mattress was uncomfortably lumpy; he knew he needed to get a new one, but he’d been putting it off. The bobbly fabric scratched his skin as he stretched out, flexing his fingers.

Hang on. Bobbly fabric?

Sirius cracked an eye open, flinching at the bright light. As his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight streaming in, his heart rate picked up. This was not his apartment. He was pretty sure they didn’t have such awful, tasselled cushions or green lace curtains.

Did he-? He glanced down, releasing a sigh of relief when he noticed he was still fully dressed. Okay, so not that drunk. So how the hell did he end up here?

“Here.” A girl stood in the doorway, an unimpressed expression on her face as she offered him a steaming mug of black coffee. “I didn’t know how you liked it, but I have milk and sugar if you need.”

Sirius nodded, still trying to process how he’d got here. She stared at him, waiting for something. He quickly backtracked the conversation in his head. “Oh, no, I’m good, thanks.”

He sipped at the scalding liquid, face contorting into an expression of pain as it scorched his tongue. His eyes trailed over the girl, surely he’d remember someone this gorgeous. “So,” he winced, “how did I get here?”

She pursed her lips, as if she’d tasted something sour. Okay so that had been a bad question to ask.

“You barged into my apartment, claiming it was yours, threw up on my doorstep and then passed out.”

Oh fuck. His head spun as it tried to remember the events of the night before. He did recall somewhat throwing up, but it was a blurry flash. “Sorry about that.”

She hmphed, stacking some scattered sheets on the small coffee table and collecting up dirty crockery. Sirius swallowed the coffee, grimacing at the awkward atmosphere. Funnily enough his parents had never bothered to teach him the etiquette for accidentally bursting into the wrong flat and passing out.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out, glad he didn’t have to feel the pressure of breaking the silence anymore.

JAMES: Where are u?

JAMES: When I said don’t bring a girl back I didn’t mean go back to hers

JAMES: Ur boss called. I said you were feeling under the weather. He said u should get over ur hangover & get into work

REMUS: Why did ur boss call me to ask if we went out last night? I said no btw

JAMES: He called again; said he’d fire you if you didn’t turn up before 11. I told him u were properly ill and I could send him a pic of the thermometer. I think I got you out of that one

JAMES: Mate, I’m getting a bit worried

Shit. When was that last one from? Okay, 11:15 and it was now 11:34. Sirius tapped out a reply to James, unsure how much detail to go into. I’m alright, be back soon. Yeah, that would do. He really couldn’t deal the endless mocking yet, once they’d found out what had happened they’d never let it go. So that would be saved for when the pounding headache had finally settled down.

His phone binged again. JAMES: We’re out of milk can you grab some on the way back?

Sure.

Sirius got to his feet, groaning as the room spun, beige walls all blurring into one. Rubbing at his face, he stumbled towards the kitchen, empty mug in hand.

“Hey, sorry, I don’t know your name.” He leant against the door frame, body sagging. God he was exhausted.

“Y/N.” Her tone was bitter, and Sirius couldn’t help the pang of guilt shooting through him. She’d probably stayed up all night worried he’d attack her or steal something.

“Well, thanks for the coffee, Y/N, and for not leaving me on the doorstep. I’ll get out of your hair now.”

He placed the mug down on the counter and slung his leather jacket on. She smiled at him, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes.

Y/N trailed him to the door, holding onto it as he stepped out, raising a hand goodbye.

“Bye.”

“Thanks, bye.” Sirius watched the chipped door swing shut, sunlight glinting gold off the battered number on the door. Hm, Number 51.

:.

Y/N groaned as the doorbell went. She’d just got settled into her studying. “Marlene, did you order something?”

“No. I’m broke.” Marlene yelled back, sticking her head out of her room. Her makeup was half done, mascara brush in hand and dress round her hips. “I can’t answer it like this!”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’m on it.”

She tipped the papers onto the floor, ignoring the mess they made. Future her could tidy that up. Trudging to the door, she grabbed her phone off the table. So that was where she’d left it.

“Hi,” she nodded at the delivery guy. He was holding a large bunch of flowers and Y/N bit back a sigh her eyes. Probably from another of Marlene’s boys. Honestly, she was thinking of opening up a flower shop, considering the amount of flowers Marlene’s newest was insisting on sending.

“Hi, I’m looking for,” the delivery guy scanned the list on his clipboard, “Y/N?”

She froze. Huh. “Yeah, that’s me.”

He tucked the clipboard under his arm, passing her the flowers. “These are for you. There’s a card with it.”

“Thanks.”

Y/N shut the door, staring at the bunch of vivid blooms in confusion. Who on earth would have sent her these? She racked her brains for any possible romance in her life, but nothing came to mind. With her luck, it was probably her grandma or something. Not that she’d be upset by flowers from her nan but a mystery lover was much more interesting.

She pulled out the gilded card from where it was tucked into the side of the paper, scanning the words.

Sorry for breaking in and passing out in your flat, princess. Text me if you want to go for drinks at some point: +44 7xxx xxxxxx

A smile broke across her face. Maybe she’d take him up on his offer.

-

-

all hp tags: @missmulti @acciotwinz @1marvelavengers1 @samnblack @neymarlionelmessi7 @okkulta  @gredandforge @onestela@yourenotafailureoverall  @milkshakelol

sirius black tags: @holybatflapexpert @methamphetaminee @thefernandasantana @uglipotata72829 @cheapglitter @lozzybowe @persephonehemingway @blisfvlll @mads-bri @fific7 @electrasworld666 @ccosmic-illusion @anniewhoiam @20coldhearts @imcreepininyourheartbabe @whointhehellisbucky @isntmadrid @blackblossomqueen @wheezyreads @tugabooos @atomic-chickenwings @its-evita-here @inkandpen22 @Rue-123  @emilianamason @mesmerisedalien

[idreamofplaid]

Possibility

Square Filled: Ice Play

Characters: Sam x Olivia (OFC)

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Olivia’s fairy tale with Sam continues with a morning spent in bed on the first day of the new year.

Word Count: 4024

A/N: Thanks to @fangirlxwritesx67​ and @dean-winchesters-bacon​ my wonderful betas and just generally beautiful people for all their suggestions and taking the journey through the development of this story with me.

A/N 2: This is Part 3 of the series Surrender to the Truth. 

Catch Up:   It Begins (Part 1)      Texas Magic (Part 2)

Created for @spnkinkbingo​

Sam was holding Olivia’s hand in the elevator. His fingers were entwined with hers, and she couldn’t remember the last time she felt this happy. She’d never had a year start out with this much promise. Her heart felt light with possibility, inspired by the way Sam had kissed her at the stroke of midnight just minutes before.

When they reached the 26th floor, the car stopped, the doors opened, and the other two people in the elevator exited, leaving them alone. Sam let go of Olivia’s hand and turned to face her, pressing her into the wall. His mouth covered hers, and she felt herself going weak from his kiss. He could almost make her literally light headed, like she had lost touch with reality, her mind floating in a blissful place created for her by him. 

When his hand traveled below her waist to rest on her hip while he kissed her, she had the presence of mind to say, “Sam, the doors could open. Somebody could see us.”

He squeezed her ass. The way he was looking at her made her understand what smolder meant. “They could.” He paused for a minute, letting what he’d said sink in, and the idea of having an audience suddenly became very hot. Then, he raised his hand to caress her cheek. “Everybody on the other side of those doors should envy me because I’m in here with you.”

The bell dinged, and Sam let his hand drop from her face. They had reached their floor. He put his hand on her waist, very respectable for anyone who might see. Olivia thought about what they must look like to anyone who saw them, and it made her smile. They no doubt appeared to be a couple headed back to their room after the party.

The reality was they had two rooms, but maybe tonight they wouldn’t need them both. Olivia’s heart began to beat faster when Sam stopped at his door and took her hands in his. “Will you come inside with me?”

She gave herself a minute to enjoy that this was actually happening after weeks of dreaming about it, already the smile was blooming across her face. “Yes.” She uttered the word that was going to change her life, knowing that if she spent this night with Sam her feelings for him would grow even deeper, and she would be committing herself to a path that she would find difficult if not impossible to leave should things not work out.

He took off his jacket as soon as they were in the room and tossed it on the bed. Sam pulled the shirt from his tuxedo pants and started to unbutton it. Olivia couldn’t take her eyes off him. Sam opened the buttons to the middle of his chest, and he stopped, his hands hovering over the next button. He fixed his eyes on Olivia. “Do you want to finish for me?”

Olivia stepped out of her high heels and walked toward him, and Sam moved his hands so she could take the button in her fingers. She made her way down his shirt. With each button she opened, she exposed more of his golden skin. When the shirt was hanging open, she put her hand on the center of his chest and slipped her fingers beneath the fabric to feel his skin, as warm and soft as she remembered, over the firmness of his pecs.

Sam bent and kissed her again. This time his tongue touched the seam of her lips, asking for entrance. She parted them, letting him in. He put his hand into her hair and lightly grasped a handful while he kissed her. Olivia’s hand slid down his body to just below his ribs, and she let it rest there. She needed to touch him, remind herself he was solid and real; this wasn’t a dream.

He still tasted faintly like chocolate from the dessert they’d shared earlier. She pushed the white dress shirt off his shoulders and down his back. It fell to the floor, and she put her arms around him so she could feel the muscles rippling beneath his shoulder blades while he continued to kiss her and drag her deeper into the kaleidoscope of feelings she had for him. They were ever changing but always beautiful and fascinating as the form of them changed.

She heard herself make a noise somewhere between a sigh and a whimper as Sam kissed down her neck all the way to her clavicle that was peeking out from the v-neck of her dress. He sucked on it gently, and she started to ache for him in her core. 

Sam reached behind her and eased down the zipper of her dress. With just as much care, like he hadn’t undressed her before, he peeled the dress from her body, and it pooled on the floor. Sam lowered his eyes and looked down her body like he’d never seen it before either. 

“God, you are amazingly beautiful.” His words stirred something in her. She’d heard them before, or some variation. Usually when men said them, it meant “I want to fuck you.” This was different. Sam was looking at her like he actually saw HER, not just her body.

He held her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly, with just the right amount of passion to awaken something in her like a sleeping princess. Olivia hardly noticed him walking her in the direction of the bed while he kissed her; she was so lost in the way he was making her feel. Sam lay her down on top of the plush comforter and lowered himself on top of her.

The feel of him on her made her whisper Sam’s name into his mouth. His weight felt reassuring; she felt safe caged in his arms, even as the fire he had started inside her began to burn brighter and hotter. “Sam,” she called his name again.

“Tell me what you want,” he whispered against her lips.

He made her feel so secure, so wanted. She wasn’t thinking. “Make me yours.”

Sam kissed her more deeply, his tongue becoming more insistent as it circled hers. He moved his hand slowly down her body, taking his time to feel every inch of her skin. Then he slipped his hand into her panties and found her clit. He teased it while he kissed her, moving his finger over it slowly, until it was swollen and aching.

Then he started to move his finger in fast circles, causing Olivia to grab onto his shoulders and gasp, “Oh, God. Sam.”

He nuzzled his nose into her neck just below her ear. “Let go. Come for me, Liv. Make my hand wet. Show me how much you want me.”

Her walls clenched hard around the emptiness when she came. “Sam, I need you.” She sunk her fingers into his hair while her orgasm continued to tear through her.

Sam covered her mouth with his and kissed her while she climaxed. “You’ve got me, baby.”

Olivia kissed him back, her lips soft and weak from the pleasure he’d given her. “More, Sam. I want more of you. Give me all of you.”

Sam lifted himself from her to take off his pants and drag her panties down her legs, leaving her bare and wanting before him. She opened her legs, asking him again silently to give her what she needed. Sam positioned his cock at her opening and pushed inside just a little, testing her readiness for him.

Her body accepted him, stretching to accommodate his size. “Does it feel good, Liv? Am I still what you want?”

“Yes, Sam. Yes.” She pulled at his hair and raised her hips, trying to get him deeper. With a smooth motion, he thrust into her and sheathed himself completely inside her body. 

Olivia couldn’t have him closer than this, but it still wasn’t enough. She wanted even more from him, never had a man been so completely all consuming when she was with him. Every thrust of his body into hers pulled her a little more into the spell he had woven around her. By the time he came with her name on his lips, she knew she had passed the point of no return. She came with him, biting her own lip to keep from screaming. 

When Sam pulled out of her, Olivia felt the loss. He was still right next to her in bed, busy with removing the condom. There was nothing romantic about this moment, but she still felt the pull from within her to reach out and touch him to reassure herself he was still there. Olivia resisted the urge and focused on catching her breath. She could barely breathe after what he’d done to her, the feelings he’d stirred to life that Olivia suspected would now never die. One day she would feel him inside her without that thin layer of rubber between them. She would know exactly what she was feeling, be able to put it to words, and say it out loud.

When he finished the necessary business, Sam laid down next to her and put his arms around her. “Are you okay?”

Olivia nodded. “Y...yes. It’s just that was...intense.”

Sam gave her his softest smile, barely turning up the corners of his mouth. “Yeah. It was.” He shifted a little to grab a handful of the comforter under him and moved to pull it from beneath him. “C’mon. Get under with me. I don’t want you to get cold.”

The covers were warm, but Sam’s body was warmer. As soon as she was in the sheets with him, Sam pulled her close. He kissed the corner of her mouth and reached behind her to open the hooks on her bra that she was still wearing. He lowered his head to her breast and placed a single kiss on her nipple.

She shivered from the tenderness of it. Sam moved his mouth back to hers and kissed her just as tenderly there. “This is the best New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had.” Those were the last words he said to her before she fell asleep in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Olivia awoke to an empty bed. A bubble of panic rose up in her, and she grabbed Sam’s pillow. She could still smell him all over the bed. Where was he? Last night was too good to be true. She knew it. It was too much like a fairytale, or some romantic movie. Olivia sat up and held the sheet against her chest, suddenly very aware of how naked she was in Sam’s bed, and he was gone.

That was the moment Sam came strolling out of the bathroom with just a towel around his waist, slung low over his hips. He walked over to the bed and leaned down to kiss her. “Morning, gorgeous.”

The smile instantly spread across Olivia’s face again. Sam’s hair was still damp from the shower. She reached out to touch it, wanting to know how it felt wet. It was still soft; she curled the ends of it around her fingers. His hair was the softest thing about him, other than his lips, and Olivia felt a blush beginning to creep into her cheeks, remembering everywhere those lips had been on her body.

She’d been so focused on her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed the way Sam was smiling at her. “You’re even prettier in the morning,” he said.  Now, the blush that had been on the verge of happening bloomed over her cheeks. Sam kissed her flushed cheek. “Why don’t you take your turn in the bathroom? Breakfast is going to be here soon.”

“Breakfast?” Olivia sat up straighter and tucked the sheet around her like a sheath.

Sam rubbed his thumb over her bare shoulder with an easy familiarity and sensual reminder of the night before. “Yeah, breakfast. I ordered room service while you were still sleeping.”

Sam noticed the way Olivia was holding the sheet around herself. He lifted one side of his mouth in a flirty half smile. “I can look away while you walk to the bathroom. Or….” He stood up and finished his sentence. “You can have my towel.”

He untucked the fold of the towel that was holding it on his body, and it fell away from him. Sam held it out to her. She’d spent all night in bed with this man, allowing him to do all kinds of marvelous and memorable things to her. Still, the sight of him naked made her mouth fall open slightly.

Olivia’s eyes made their way from his hazel eyes that were the green of emeralds shining in sunlight right now, down over his impressively broad and muscled shoulders to the veins in his strong forearms. They moved down farther to his taut abs and the thin line of hair leading down to his cock that was large and thick even while soft and hanging between his legs. Her eyes finished their journey down his legs, as lean and muscular as the rest of his body, and back up to his face.

Sam was still holding his towel out to her. “Go ahead. Put it on.” It surprised Olivia just how well he could read her. She was not feeling nearly as bold or confident as he was on this morning after, but she could certainly appreciate, and was thankful, that he was. 

The towel was as damp as his hair, but Olivia didn’t care. She liked knowing she was putting on the same towel that had been around him just seconds before, and it was true she wasn’t ready to feel his gaze on her nude body in the bright light of morning. She told herself she was just being weird to feel self conscious at this point, after how intimate they had been with each other, but it made her feel vulnerable not knowing exactly where whatever this was between them stood.

Sam did turn his back while she got out of bed and put on the towel, but he made it seem like the most natural thing in the world. He was rifling through his suitcase, looking for some clothes, conveniently facing the other direction. Olivia couldn’t help herself. She snuck a peek at his firm ass as she made her way to the bathroom.

Once there, Olivia took a deep breath. She was still waiting for the coach to turn into a pumpkin. So many thoughts and feelings had been coursing through her that more practical matters had completely vacated her mind. Things like she didn’t have any clothes. The cocktail dress she’d been wearing when she entered Sam’s room the night before was still on the floor where it had fallen when he took it off her. 

Sam was thinking more clearly. There, on the counter, lay one of his t-shirts that he had folded neatly and left for her. Olivia ran her fingers over the Egyptian cotton, appreciating the luxury of it and the thoughtfulness of the man who’d left it there for her. 

She dropped Sam’s towel to the floor and turned on the water in the shower. She checked the stream to see that it was warm enough before she stepped inside. Rivulets of water ran down her body, and she turned so the water could cascade over her hair. She ran her hands through it, pushing it back from her face. 

Olivia closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of it. She luxuriated in the water running over her body for a minute or two before she began to bathe herself. The hotel had, of course, provided bath gel and shampoo in an almond scent that was divine; but Olivia wished she had her own that was back in her room. She wanted to smell pretty for Sam, the way she’d smelled last night. 

When she was done with her shower, she toweled herself off and slipped Sam’s t-shirt over her head. The v-neck was cut so deep it went nearly down to the top of her stomach, but she was covered. Funny, she was trying to cover herself now. Fortunately, it was also long enough to conceal her lack of underwear. 

Breakfast had arrived when she reentered the bedroom, and Sam was arranging food on a tray. He looked up; his eyes skimmed her body, taking note of what she was wearing. Olivia thought for a moment that she saw the flash of a memory in his eyes, or at least she hoped she did. 

His smile and the accompanying dimples shortly followed whatever he’d been thinking. “Get back in bed.” His voice was smooth and suggested a hint of a request, just enough to not be an unmistakable direction he expected Olivia to follow. 

She climbed back into bed and settled the covers over her lap. Sam placed the tray over her legs. Considering how much food was on it, he must have ordered everything on the menu. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit and cream; sweet and savory were well represented. 

The clock hadn’t struck midnight yet; the fairytale continued. “Sam, what is all this?”

He sat down next to her on the bed. “I wanted to make sure you have something you like.” 

Sam noticed Olivia eyeing the strawberries. He picked one up, dipped it into the cream, and held it to her lips. She took a bite, and Sam’s eyes didn’t leave her mouth as she chewed. When she swallowed, he kissed the corner of her 0mouth and licked his lips, tasting the bit of cream she’d left there. He lifted his darkening eyes to hers and said, “Strawberries may be the sexiest food there is.”

He was doing it to her again. All her words bypassed her brain and went directly out her mouth. “When you’re holding one, they are.”

Sam picked up a pancake, rolled it, and dipped it into the cream. He painted Olivia’s bottom lip with it then kissed it off. “Maybe it’s pancakes.” His whisper was suggestive, and he tapped the rolled up pancake against Olivia’s lips. 

She opened her mouth to take a bite and kept her eyes focused on him while she chewed. Then she answered, “They’re good too.” 

They ate breakfast together from Olivia’s tray, alternating between feeding themselves and each other. The looks they shared became longer and more lingering throughout the meal. Between bites of food, there were sweet and sensual kisses that danced on the edge of passion until finally falling over that edge to open need for each other. 

Sam’s tongue tangled around Olivia’s, the intensity of the kiss increasing until he broke it to move the tray from between them. He put it on the floor, not bothering to take it back to the table. The only thing he kept from the tray was his water glass which he put on the bedside table.

With nothing in his way, Sam pulled Olivia close and kissed her with her body pressed against him. She could feel the heat radiating from him. Her own body was heating up in response to the way he was moving against her, and when he eased his hand inside the “v” of the shirt to cup her breast she moaned.

“You like that, baby?” Sam pushed the shirt out of the way, freeing her breast, closed his mouth over her nipple and began to suck. Olivia sank her fingers into his hair and held him to her. 

He swirled his tongue around her nipple and licked her like she was the best thing he’d tasted that morning, even sweeter than the cream at breakfast. Sam pulled off her nipple slowly, raising his eyes to meet hers. “Do you know how hot you are?”

Her only reply was the raising and lowering of her chest as her breathing got faster. Sam reached for his glass on the bedside table and pulled an ice cube from it. He ran it down the side of her neck, and she shuddered at the cold. Sam continued dragging the ice down her body to her exposed breast.

He touched the ice to the tip of her nipple where the heat of his mouth had been, and she arched her back into it. “You are so sensitive, Liv. I love that about you.” 

Sam pushed the other side of the shirt open and latched his mouth onto her nipple while he continued to tease the first with the ice. She was clenching now, yearning to feel him inside her. “Sam, please.”

When the ice had completely melted, he moved his hand down between her legs to stroke her clit with his cold fingers. After a few seconds, Sam moved his mouth from one breast to the other. His mouth felt even hotter on her chilled nipple. “Oh, God. Sam.”

Olivia was so caught up in the sensations he was producing in her body, she didn’t realize what he was doing until she felt the ice cube touch her clit. She grabbed at his back, and when he eased it lower and pushed it inside her; she thought she might come undone. Sam circled his fingers on her clit while the ice melted inside her. He released her nipple so he could watch her. 

When the ice had turned to water that leaked from her onto the sheets and her orgasm started to wash through her, Sam caught her mouth with his. He kissed her through every shake and spasm of her body. He felt her body go lax when she was spent, and he slowed his kiss.

Her soft little breaths filled his mouth. Her kiss was equally soft, weakened from the intensity of her orgasm, but her desire for him was still strong. “You, Sam. You.” Olivia’s hand closed around his hard shaft through his sweatpants. “I want you.”

Sam had no intention of denying her. He stripped off his clothes in a matter of seconds, and pinned Olivia’s wrists over her head, encircling them in one of his strong hands. He entered her with one deep, smooth thrust. Sam started to move, using the sounds she made as a guide to let him know when to speed up, slow down, or go deeper. 

This time they came together. Sam grunted just before he let go with his release, and Olivia urged him on with her whimpers of pleasure. She contracted around him, milking him for everything he had. 

Sam collapsed over her but kept his full weight off her, holding himself up on his forearms. He took a few seconds to catch his breath, then slipped from her and rolled to the side. He lay on his back next to her, his arm over his head. “That was incredible.” His breathing still hadn’t returned completely to normal.

Olivia looked at the ceiling for a moment before letting her eyelids flutter closed, enjoying the sound of his voice and the warmth of his body beside her. “You’re going to wear me out, Sam.” She smiled as she said it, her eyes still closed.

She opened them when she felt Sam shift position. He was propped on one elbow, looking down at her. “I’ve got an idea.” 

He looked almost boyish the way his hair was falling in his face, and he was clearly pleased with whatever he was thinking. Olivia smiled up at him. “What’s this idea?”

“It’s New Year’s Day, so most everything in town will be closed, but the parks will be open.” Sam leaned down to kiss her softly, then continued explaining what he had in mind. “There’s a park by the river where I’d go to think when I used to come to Austin. I’d like to show it to you. We could take a picnic. What do you think?”

Olivia reached up to brush his hair back from his forehead. “I think I’d like that.” Her heart was fluttering in her chest. This year was off to a very promising start. 

Everything: @gambitwinchester​ @princessmisery666​ @peridottea91​ @logical-princey​ @emilyshurley​ @beenlovingromansincedayoneish​ @fangirlxwritesx67​ @waywardbaby​ @atc74​ @shaniquacynthia​ @tumbler-tidbits​ @fandom-princess-forevermore​ @terrarium-jpeg​ @emoryhemsworth​ @crashdevlin​ @jules-1999​ @cosicas-cuquis​ @sammyimpala-67​ @queenoftheunderdark​ @dean-winchesters-bacon​ @timelordy-fangirl2​ @sweetness47​ @hobby27​ @awesomesusiebstuff​ @kickingitwithkirk​ @sandlee44​ @supernaturalgrandma​ @volleyballer519​ @kdfrqqg​ @lizette50​ @sorenmarie87​ @lovealways-j​ @mrswhozeewhatsis​ @spnbaby-67​ @wayward-and-worn​ @asthesunwentdown​ @vulgar-library​ @petitgateau911​ @thinkinghardhardlythinking​

Sam/Jared: @girl-next-door-writes​ @stunudo​ @feelmyroarrrr​ @idabbleincrazy​ @evansrogerskitten​ @focusonspn​ @autumninavonlea​ @durinsbride​ @deansyahtzee​ @waywardnerd67​ @fullmooner​ @sams-sass​ @beskaradberoya​ @fromsamwtocordellw​

[azure-bliss]

shinran oneshot

Fandom: DC

Pairing: Shinran

Excerpt: 

“Shinichi,” she whispered, warm blue orbs losing focus as she looked at him, though her smile remained. She rose her hand to caress his cheek (she’s so, so cold). “You found us.”

Her chapped lips met his, and then, “Arigato.”

A/N: I swear that this was supposed to be fluffy but brain said nope, angst-infused it is. Also, I’m no expert in medicine nor the Japanese police system, even criminology for that matter. Spare me. Enjoy!

Day 9

“I should write a book.”

Shinichi’s first instinct was to snort, as he was reminded of Kogoro-ojisan’s—who he should really be calling otousan nowadays—intention of becoming a mystery novelist, much like his actual father. Kudo Yusaku had made millions writing his thrillers, and today, years after the older Kudo patriarch decided to publish his final novel, he was still adding money to the Kudo fortune.

Perhaps his mother playing the titular character in one of Night Baron’s spinoff adaptations, Lady Baron, played a huge factor too. His parents were weird that way, almost like a tag-team, because the moment Kudo Yusaku announced his writing retirement, Kudo Yukiko came out of hers.

It was as if they thought that the world could not handle more than three (he was pretty sure his popularity was on par with his parents, despite his lack of big screen appearances) famous Kudos at a time.

“Finally jumping on the full Kudo experience?” he teased, adjusting himself on the hospital bed where his wife sat, left arm wrapped around her whole frame, right palm covering hers.

Eyes focused on the little bundle in her arms, she hummed before answering, “A best-seller for sure.”

As if on cue, their newborn squirmed before revealing twin orbs that matched his mother’s, unfocused eyes looking up to the woman who went through hell and back prior to his birth.

“Anata,” she called, her tired voice laced with a hint of excitement. “He’s beautiful.”

 Day 1

He stood in an abandoned room of an equally abandoned motel located just 50 km on the outskirts of Tokyo, the very location that had him and nearly the whole Tokyo Metropolitan Police Taskforce wrecking their brains and exhausting their resources to find. The identified suspect was one Seisaku Miyazaki, a serial rapist and killer with a tendency for flairs. The 27 crime scenes he left always had distinct blood splatter to them, resulting from either gunshot wounds straight to the temple, or intraoral ones.

Shinichi had never seen a crime scene so gruesome in his life.

As soon as Shinichi stepped into the room, the first thing he should have registered was the blood-spattered left wall and Seisaku’s limp and lifeless body on a chair in the same left corner, his riffle trapped in between his legs.

Instead, Shinichi’s frantic eyes zeroed on the figure on the bed in the middle of the room, merely 10 feet away from Seisaku’s body. The woman had her back against the headboard with an ungodly amount of blood running down her bottom half, arms cocooning a small bundle wrapped with a violet-colored cardigan—the same one she was last saw wearing before her disappearance.

She had her eyes on her baby, as if the newborn was the only person who mattered, seemingly unbothered by the chaos unfolding before her. It took the lead detective a full five seconds to notice that the newborn—oh God, their newborn—was not crying.

He was beside her in her flash, holding her tighter than he should. His wife was again, unbothered, but he noticed that she closed their baby more to her semi-naked chest. The cuts and bruises on her face and torso did not go unnoticed by him. All of Seisaku’s victims had the same markings, but unlike those women who bled from their heads, she was bleeding from bottom down.

Kudo Shinichi screamed for the medic.

It was only then did he hear a soft cry, and he released a breath he did not know he was holding.

“Anata,” she called, finally removing her gaze from their son to look at him “He’s beautiful.”

Her face was pale and hollow, but there was no mistaking the warmth in her eyes and the gentleness of her smile.

His heart both bloomed and broke for her.

“Ran,” he choked out the name he’d been desperately calling for the past few hours. “You’re going to be okay.”

When the medic team finally appeared, his wife first handed the closest medic the baby, “Take care of him, onegai,” she requested, sounding too much like a plea. “He’s a good boy.”

Releasing her son’s warmth, the brunette fell back onto her husband, who caught her naked shoulders, throwing her full weight onto his.

“Shinichi,” she whispered, warm blue orbs losing focus as she looked at him, though her smile remained. She rose her hand to caress his cheek (she’s so, so cold). “You found us.”

Her chapped lips meet his, and then, “Arigato.”

With a sigh of relief, she shut her eyes, and rolled limp further into her husband’s embrace.

Shinichi’s world stood still, the only things registering in his mind were his wife’s cold body, and their newborn’s loud cries in the distant.

 Day 8

She was in pure fight mode, forcing her body to function and conscious to stay awake. Once she knew that her child was safe, all the injuries and agony finally caught up to her, and she welcomed the numbing darkness.

The last thing Ran remembered was Shinichi’s rapid heartbeat drumming her ears.

The new mother woke up a week later, on an unfamiliar bed, to the familiar but tormented eyes of her husband.

“Baby,” she mustered breathily, and her husband’s eyes all but softened.

She knew that they were safe.

   Day 10

It was another two whole days before she was deemed fit enough to hold her newborn.

“Anata,” she beams, “He’s beautiful.”

“He is,” the Heisei-Reiwa Holmes agreed. “The brat gave the doctors and nurses a fright with his fever, would not stop crying too.”

If his wife was worried, she did not show it. “Is that true?” she cooed, “But you’re okay now, aren’t you sweetheart? Your Papa found us after all.”

Day 0

Kudo Ran did not fit Seisaku Miyazaki’s victim profiles by the slightest. The females he preyed on were usually late teens to early twenties, lived alone, physically petite, and had questionable practices in their private lives.

Or, in the words of Seisaku himself, whores.

Catching the serial killer had been the detective’s top priority, with the death count at 27 and the most recent killings at the heart of Tokyo, it was one of the most challenging cases for him to date.

With half of the murders in Tokyo and the other half in Osaka, it was a no brainer for both Detective of the East and West to join hands, special taskforces from Tokyo and Osaka rallying under their (unofficial) command. The investigation had been ongoing for more than four months before special unit finally made a definite progress, being able to identify a potential victim, shadowing her day and night, coming in to save her just in time from being abducted, and arresting Seisaku’s paid minion.

Genzo Okubo was no Seisaku, the two detectives figured. The latter was confident, methodical, a true psychopathic mastermind, yet the man they caught fumbled with his words, sweated profusely, and most importantly, had little loyalty as he quickly confessed to everything.

The unit rejoiced, but Shinichi and Heiji knew that it was too simple, as if Seisaku wanted Gento to be caught.

By the time they were finished with the guy, it was already 2 a.m.

The lack of miscalls from him wife caught him off guard.

He tried not to panic, reasoning to himself that Ran was probably at her parents’, fell asleep, and his in-laws forgot to inform him. After all, it would not be the first time this had happened. If anything, the Mouris had not stopped fussing over their daughter, and with this case constantly on his mind, Shinichi had not really been the doting husband and father-to-be that he ought to be. Their six-year-old twins were away with his parents somewhere in New York, the elder Kudo couple wanting to give the once-again new parents space to get ready for the youngest Kudo’s arrival.

Halfway through dialing Eri’s number (because his mother-in-law was a light sleeper), Heiji burst into the break room with a suspicious package in his hands.

“Kudo,” the dark-skinned detective panted, as if he just ran up flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator, “that bastard’s got Nee-chan.”

Inside the package were two things: a picture of a very pregnant Kudo Ran, blindfolded and gagged, and a lone platinum wedding band.

  Day 10

“He panicked.”

“Hmm?”

“Seisaku-san, he panicked.” His wife stated, the name of her kidnapper rolling of her tongue like she was mentioning a student of hers. “I started having contractions, started bleeding too. He mumbled something about ‘not following his plan’.”

Shinichi rose his brows, puzzled by Ran’s statement, but he let her continue.

“I think,” she paused, readjusting her hold on their son when they boy started to writhe, “that he was halfway out when Seisaku-san decided to shoot himself.”

Her voice was cool, too indifferent, and deep down, Shinichi knew that his wife may be scarred for life.

“Three sounds,” she gulped then snickered. “Me screaming during the final push, the baby’s cries, and the riffle going off.”

Shinichi held her tighter.

“His blood was everywhere, Shinichi. On the walls, the carpet, the bed, my face,” There are now cracks in her voice, the memories flooding her overwhelmed mind as she remembers it all again, “On our baby boy.”

“Ran…” He trailed off, not knowing what to say. His wife and son were alive, but the trauma she went through was something he wished on no one, not even Seisaku himself.

“I didn’t want him to get cold, so I wrapped him with my cardigan. Not the most hygienic, I know, but I didn’t exactly have many choices,” a chuckle. “He locked the door, so I couldn’t escape, and I couldn’t exactly kick the door open, my energy was spent on giving birth. So, I started breastfeeding the baby, burping him…making sure he was alive long enough for you to find us.”

Something in him shattered even more.

Ran averted her eyes away from their son to look at her husband, their faces only a few centimeters apart.  There were no tears in their eyes, the pain and regret that remained in their hearts too crushing to be expressed by mere crying. “I’m safe, our boy is safe, because you found us. None of this is your fault, so please, Anata,” she kisses him before continuing, “don’t blame yourself.”

Shinichi could not imagine what life would be without her. She was his wife, partner, lover, best friend, soulmate, the mother of his children, his world, his everything.

“Okay,” he promised simply, capturing her lips for a second time before kissing her forehead. “I love you.”

He felt her smiling into his neck, and at that moment, nothing was wrong; they were whole.

They stayed like that for a few more moments, savoring the peaceful yet short time they had with their baby boy before one of the nurses took him away for the night.

    Day 11

 “Your book,” Shinichi remembered far into the night. “What are you going to write about?”

A mischievous look twinkled in Ran’s eyes, and the man knows that his wife will heal just fine. “Kidnapped 101.”

- end

A/N: Nope, not their firstborn. And I also imagine that Ran has had her fair share of getting kidnapped so might as well write a book on it lmao. 

[scarletdawnxx-blog]

Nightmare Chapter 2

Continuation 

When you finally woke back up it was dark out. Blinking you could see you were in the med bay. Sitting up and groaning, you grabbed your head, it was pounding and the bright lights weren’t helping.

  “You really overdid it today,” Bruce said from behind you.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. can you dim the lights please,” you asked the A.I. that ran the complex. Instantly the lights dimmed and your brain thanked you. Bruce handed, what you suspected was something to sooth your throbbing head, along with a glass of water to you. Thanking him and taking it willingly.

  “What happened in there today? That man will need a padded room for the rest of his life after you got to him.” Bruce asked, taking the glass from you and looking you over.

  “I don’t know. I was able to feed him fear without touching him. That’s never happened before. I was able to magnify it, I felt his mind breaking in my hands.” You said looking down at your hands noticing a little dried blood on them.

“Your powers seem to be growing, but also looks like they are taking more out of you, you will want to work on not only mental but physical stamina. I’m going to suggest increased training time for you as well as meditation. But first, nurse what I can only guess is a massive headache, and get some rest.” Bruce said with a smile. 

You nodded and hopped down from the table. Ignoring the hunger pains in your stomach and going straight to your room. Rushing to your bathroom you scrubbed your hands nearly raw trying to get the man’s blood and sweat off. You looked at yourself in the mirror, uncomfortable with what was staring back. You were never the type who wanted to hurt people, you had wanted to become a doctor for crying out loud. But today, you had enjoyed hurting that man, it made you feel powerful, strong. You liked hearing his screams. You turned your shower on, hoping it would clear your mind, sat on your bed in just your towel and fell back, too tired to move. You were woken by screams again. Bucky’s screams. You must not have been asleep long, because your hair was still damp, and your towel was still firmly wrapped around your body. Not bothering to put clothes on you quietly made your way to his room again and calmed his mind. This time was easier and didn’t take as much out of you. Your abilities were certainly growing.

In the weeks that followed you took Bruce’s advice and increased your physical and mental training. Seeing how far you could push your mind, body, and abilities. You no longer needed to touch someone to use your powers. Some you needed to at least be able to see to affect them, except Bucky now. You didn’t even need to be in the same room as him to quiet the nightmares. They were barely able to begin before you quieted them. Like an invisible thread held the two of you together now. His attitude had been changing. Like a weight was being lifted off of him. He smiled more, laughed more, joined the group as a whole more often. More and more you could feel all the hurt he had endured replaced with something else, a sense of calm and belonging. Natasha was the only one who knew the change in Bucky was your doing. That was until one night Steve caught you sitting outside of Bucky’s room. A Blanket draped across your lap, your nose buried in a paper about something called the X-gene. Wondering if it could be the key to understanding your abilities.

  “What are you reading?” He asked, sitting down next to you, leaning against the wall.

  “An interesting paper that could help explain why I am, the way I am,” you said, setting it down in your lap. “What are you doing up in the middle of the night?”

  “Why are you sitting outside of Bucky’s room, looking like it's where you plan to sleep?” He asked back. You stared at him, not really sure what to say, looking down at your hands, almost feeling ashamed that you had been caught doing something wrong. “Does it have anything to do with the fact Bucky’s nightmares have almost stopped and I have been seeing my best friend come back? With what happened with the Hydra agent last month? The bruises on your neck?” You looked up at him shocked. How did he know about the bruises? Had Nat told him? “We saw them when you passed out. Bucky had caught you before you hit the ground and carried you to the med bay. We saw them as Bruce was looking you over. He knew you had been in his room, he knew he must have done it.” Steve explained.

“His screams had woken me, he didn’t know what he was doing, I didn’t want the team finding out, thinking he was crazy and a danger,” you offered.

  “How many nights have you sat out here quietly taking care of him?” his eyes looked sad, like he had failed in some way.

“Not as often as when he first arrived.” You looked back down at your hands in your lap “I think I might be able to help him though, to end the nightmares once and for all. To remove what Hydra did.” You confessed. “I’ve been reading and developing my abilities. I think I could remove the programming.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to give him false hope?” Steve asked, searching your eyes.

  “I want to at least try and help him. Steve the screams, what he feels all the time, it's overwhelming, like drowning all the time.” You closed your eyes, taking a steadying breath.

  “You are a good person Y/N, even if your abilities scare me a little sometimes,” he joked, nudging you with his shoulder. “When do you think you would be ready to try?”

“Soon, do you think he will let me? I’ll have to take a walk around his mind, every thought, every memory, every emotion he has. I’ll know it and feel it all.” You asked.

  “I don’t know, but we have to at least try.”

  You both sat in silence for a little while longer before Steve bid you good night and headed back to his room. Bucky was deep in peaceful sleep, so you made your way back to your own bed. Would he let you help him? 

Even without the invisible tether that you felt with him always, you two had grown close over the last month. He pushed you harder than anyone ever had in training. You were grateful to him for it. A friendship was blooming and he was more at ease every day, yet the nightmares always returned, and the constant threat of Hydra always lingered. As long as what they had done to him remained, he would always be at risk and you swore that he would never fall into their hands again and you would protect him at all cost. 

Your powers had been steadily growing since the incident with the Hydra agent. You could now walk through someone’s mind like you were watching a movie. Nat had volunteered to let you practice on her, the first few times were difficult. She had lived so many lives through her spying it was hard to see what was true or not, but soon you could flush it all out and even learned how to plant false memories and change the emotions attached to others. You could even leave suggestions for future behavior. Essentially brainwashing them to do whatever you wanted. The first time it happened it made you sick. You erased it from Nat’s mind and felt like you had betrayed her, but if that information got out, that you could mind control people now, bend their minds to your will, there was no telling how people would weaponize that. You didn’t even trust Tony and Steve with that info.  God forbid Nick Fury ever learn about it. You saw what being someone’s weapon did to a person and you would not let that happen to yourself.

  A few months after that first night Steve caught you outside Bucky’s room he sought you out again, asking if you were ready to approach Bucky with your plan. The Hydra attacks had become more frequent and the last lead you had all those months ago you had unfortunately turned to mush and he was no use in figuring out their plans. He had been secretly sent to a mental facility and you had locked yourself away for a week after hearing the news. You wished you had never received this power, or learned how to use it. It was Bucky who finally pulled you out of the slump. Convinced you that if you didn’t learn to control it and accept it, it would eat away until there was nothing left of you.

“What if I make it worse, or I ruin his mind completely?” you worried to Steve.

“We have to at least try. I hate to say it but as long as his mind is susceptible to Hydra’s influence, he is a liability and in danger and I can’t lose him again.” Steve said, rubbing his hand along his face.

  “Lose who?” you both turned and saw Bucky leaning in the open-door frame, arms and legs crossed, looking oh so casual.

  “Hey Buck, what are you up to?” Steve asked, giving his friend a smile and hoping he hadn’t heard the conversation.

  “Was just passing by,” he said with a shrug.

“Well since you are here there is something Y/N and I would like to talk to you about.” Bucky’s eyes flicked from Steve to you, and you wished the bed would swallow you whole.  

“Sounds serious,” Bucky said with a tone that was trying to keep the mood light.

  “Well as you know, Y/N powers have been growing, and we think her powers could help reverse what Hydra did to you.” Steve said hoping Bucky would agree without a fight.

“No.” he stated simply

“No?” Steve asked. “Buck we have a chance to get that crap out of your head and you say no?” he was getting angry.

“No, I’m not gonna let Y/N walk around my brain, she’s been through enough, I’m not going to expose her to the crazy that is in there,” He motioned to his head getting more heated. He knew she had been using her powers on him to quite the nightmares, he hoped that she hadn’t gone further than that, trusted her that she hadn’t gone further than that.

“That is shit Buck and you know it,” Steve yelled.

“Hey! Language.” You reprimanded him. “You two will not engage in a screaming match in my room.” You stood and placed yourself between the two super soldiers who were nearly chest to chest at this point. “James, I really think I could help you, I want to help you,” you said, turning to him and he just blinked at you. No one called him James, not in a long time, not even you. Always calling him Barnes or Sarge.

  “You can’t know that for sure, I do want to be rid of this but what if it doesn’t work,” What if you can never look at me the same ever again. He wanted to say.

  “Will you at least let me try?” You asked, searching his eyes. Forgetting that Steve was in the room anymore. All you felt and saw was Bucky. You wanted to reach a hand out to his face, to try and soothe and comfort him. Steve, however sensing he was not needed or really wanted, quietly slipped from the room.

  “What if I hurt you again,” Bucky asked quietly.

“Hurt me, you have never hurt me.” You stated.

  “That’s not true, we have never spoken about it, but I know those bruises on your neck were from me. I know you came into my room that night. What were you thinking, I could have killed you.” He sat down on your bed, shoulders hunched, looking at the ground, not able to meet your gaze.

  “You did nothing wrong, you didn’t even know you were doing it, so deep in that nightmare. I couldn’t let you lie there and scream.” You said and stood in front of him. “If you don’t want to do this, that’s fine, we will find another way, but know that I will never let anyone or anything hurt you, not even the nightmares.” You said quietly. 

Bucky wrapped his arms around your waist and hugged you tightly. This wasn’t the first time he had touched you. He had laid you flat out a few times in the training room, but this was more… intimate. He was so tired, tired of fighting, tired of not being able to trust himself or his mind. You placed a hand on top of his head and stroked his hair. “Please, let me try.” You asked again. “As long as what Hydra did to you is still in there, you will never find peace. I want to help you find peace and calm.”

  “You have already,” he whispered. “I know you what you have been doing almost every night,” He admitted to you and you felt the guilt.

“I’m sorry, I know it is an invasion of privacy, I never went further than quieting the nightmares. I would never…violate you like that.” You told him.

“I know, you are a good person Y/N.” Bucky said looking up at you.

“I know that until Hydra is out of my head, I will be hunted and put the team at risk. If you think you can do this, then let’s do it. Just try not to make me any crazier than I already am” he said, giving in. You sighed in relief hugging him back, standing there and not letting go until he did.

[happylady215]

Have I fallen in love with him...?

Mitsuhide x Reader

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

(English is not my first language. So, I'm sorry if there's any bad grammars 😅😅)

✧༺♥༻✧✧༺♥༻✧✧༺♥༻✧

(Reader POV)

Spring has come. Many beautiful flowers were blooming. Spring is the most beautiful season. Besides enjoying the beauty of flowers, spring is the season where you meet the people you miss or your true love.

…. At least, that’s what I heard from people around here. I was in the middle of preparing to open my teahouse. I have a teahouse located in Azuchi. My shop is not always crowded, but, many people like the food here. This teahouse is the last legacy of my parents. My parents… they died 3 years ago, and it makes me a little lonely everytime I remember them.

While waiting for customers to come, I drink a cup of hot tea. “I’m bored…” The spring wind blew and hit my face. It feels really nice. I closed my eyes, remembering something. “Speaking of spring, it always make me to remember that person…” Yes, spring is the first time where I met that person, my only childhood friend that I missed a lot. “I really want to see him again…”

.

.

.

(Around 10 years ago)

I was playing in a meadow full of flowers. At that time, I found a very large cherry blossoms tree. “It’s so big..!” I thought, while staring at it in amazement. My feet move automatically into that direction. “I wonder how old the tree is?” “I don’t know, maybe almost a hundred years old?” I hear someone answered my question. I was startled and immediately turned my body.

There was a boy who seemed 2-3 years older than me. His eyes were golden, he has silver hair and long lashes. Where did he come from? I’ve never seen him at all. Ah, he actually handsome too, but, why does his smile looks sly like… a fox?

“So you see me as a fox, huh?” he grin.

Wha-?! How did he know what I was thinking about?!

“Are you surprised because I know what were you thinking?”

AGAIN?????

“H-hey, how did you know what I was thinking?” I asked him.

“Because I’m ‘Satori’, a mhytical creature who can reads people minds. But don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

Is he being serious? Or just joking? I can’t tell. He just keep smiling.

“Don’t lie to me, there’s no way you’re a monster or anything.”

“Oho? I thought you will get scared with this kind of thing, little mouse.”

“As if! I won’t get scared by that! And, ‘little mouse'?? Did you see me as a little mouse?”

“Didn’t you see me as a ‘fox’ too, earlier?”

Damn, he’s right. I tried to search another topic to change the subject.

“Hey, where are you from? I’ve never seen you. And, are you a noble? Your clothes looks expensive.”

That boy paused for a moment.

“I’m just a merchant son. And yes, I’m not from here, I came here to visit my distant relatives. But sorry, I can’t tell you where I come from.”

“Oh, I see”

“Then, what’s you’re name?”

“Hmmm? Why do you want to know my name, little mouse?”

“You don’t want to be called ‘fox’ forever by me,right? And I don’t want to be called ‘little mouse’ by you either.”

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first before asking other people names?”

Ughhh..! how long will he tease me like this?! How annoying!

“My name is (y/n)… (full name). "

“My name is Mitsu, nice too meet you little mouse.”

“Hey, didn’t I tell you that I don’t want to be called ‘little mouse’? And introduce yourself properly, will you? At least, tell me your full name.”

“Hoh~? Since when I will call you by your name? And since when I will introduce myself properly?”

“OH, WHY YOU-“

.

.

Since that day, Mitsu and I always meet each other and play together. We always meet under that cherry blossoms tree. We became close friend very quickly. He always tease me until make me angry, but he actually has gentle side too. He always cheer me up every time I feel sad, he always protect me whenever someone bully me. But, one day he must return. That day, he came to me to say goodbye. I’m sad. Of course. He’s my bestfriend, how could I not sad?

“Mitsu… will you come here again…?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can we meet each other again…?” my body is a little bit trembling, trying to hold back my tears.

Mitsu noticed that, and then, he hugged me. And slowly, he gently stroked my head.

“Little mouse, I promise that someday we will meet each other again. No matter how long it is, we will meet. I will find you.”

“You’re not lying, right?” I hug Mitsu tightly.

“This time, I’m not lying.”

I can’t hold back my tears anymore. I’m crying while hugging Mitsu. Mitsu kept silent and still stroking my head. He’s gentle touch make me comfortable, it makes me feel calmer.

“Good bye, (y/n)…”

And that’s the first and last time he called my name.

.

.

.

(Back to present)

“Iss..? Miss..? Excuse me? Hello?”

“Huh? Ah!”

“Oh my god, are you tired? You shouldn’t have to open your teahouse if you’re exhausted, dear.” Apperantly there’s a customer who wake me from my nap.

“Oh, no. I’m perfectly fine. Do you order as usual?”

“Yup, as usual, please. I’ll sit on the bench outside, okay?”

“Okay, please wait.”

I can’t believe I fell asleep, and my customer is the one who wake me up. Gosh, this is embarrassing. Why did I dream about that again? Even though I try to forget it. ‘We will meet each other again’ he said. Hah, how funny. It’s been years and we haven’t meet again.

…….

Oh, come on! Why am I keep missing him? This longing makes me uneasy.. Can we really meet again? I’ve been waiting too long. Was it just a lie that time?

.

.

“Thank you for your visit, please come back anytime.” I bowed my head to the customer who just walked out of my teahouse.

“Excuse me.” Ah, I guess there’s another customer.

“Yes? May I help you-“ I gasped. My eyes widened staring at the person in front of me in disbelief. Otherwise, that person also looked at me with a look of disbelief.

“M-Mitsu…?”

“Little mouse…? Why... Are you here...?”

Yes, there’s no mistaking it. This person is Mitsu, my childhood friend that I missed a lot since that day. I didn’t answer his question. Instead, I immediately run to him and hug him tightly and can’t hold back my tears once again. Finally… finally, we meet again..! I’m so happy.

“Little mouse, we should go inside first.”

I think my eyes a little bit swollen, it hurts a little. Fortunately, today only a few customers came here. I’m glad they didn’t have to my ugly appearance, now. “Little mouse, how did you ended up here? Aren’t you not from Azuchi? I tought you live in another village a little bit far from Azuchi?” Mitsu ask me while comforting me. His voice sound very gentle. “This teahouse is mine, Mitsu. Our family decide to move to Azuchi, not long after you return to your home. I think it’s 3 months after that.” “Oh, I see… so that’s why I can’t find you..” he mumble. “Did you said something, Mitsu?” “Ah, no. it’s nothing.”

And after that, he explained everything. That time he can't tell his real name because he actually on a secret mission with his father. His real name is Mitsuhide, Akechi Mitsuhide. Oda Nobunaga’s left-hand man that called as ‘Silver Kitsune’, many bad rumours surrounded him. I can’t believe that the ‘Silver Kitsune’ is my childhood friend!?

“How about your family? Are they healthy as usual?”

“Ah, about them… they died 3 years ago because of illness.”

“…. I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. By the way, why did you keep calling me ‘little mouse’? Did you forget that I don’t like being called that??”

“Hooh… You hate it? I thought it’s cute, though.” Finally he smile again.

“Geez, it’s not cute!”

“I’ll call you whatever I want and you can’t deny it.”

He’s teasing me again.

.

.

Since then, Mitsu always came to my teahouse when he wasn’t too busy. We chat and spend time just like when we were kids. Oh, how miss am I to feel this atmosphere.

“Mitsu- ah, no. I mean, Mitsuhide.” I still not used to call him by his real name.

“You can call me ‘Mistu’ like you always do. I don’t mind at all.”

“Oh, okay. Mitsu?”

“Yes?”

“Are you aware that you have been called ‘Silver Kitsune’? Did you know that there’s many bad rumours surrounded you?”

“Of course I’m aware, little mouse. Because I’m the one who spread those rumours.” He answerd it calmly. He seems very calm I must say.

“What..?! Why did you do that?”

“It’s just part of my job as Lord Nobunaga’s left-hand man, you don’t need to know the details.”

“… still… Don’t you ever feel angry or qualmish by those rumours?”

“What do you mean?”

“People said you have intimidating and cold gaze that makes people scared of you, no ones know what you think, people called you ‘Kitsune’ or ‘Snake’ and anything. Don’t you feel angry?”

Actually I’m the one who angry to hear such rumours.

“Oho? I didn’t know that my rumours became that much. How fascinating.” He chuckle.

“Hahh… nevermind, forget it.”

“But it seems, that you angry with those rumours, little mouse?” It seems he read my mind.

“Of course, I am.”

“Oh? Please do tell the reasons.” He seems interested to hear my reasons.

“Because they’re wrong. You maybe often to tease and trick me, but you never do anything harmful to me. You always protect me. You have gentle side too, you know? You actually care about other people, but you never let anyone see that side of you. I even like it when you’re beside me, Mitsu. I love your gentle touch when you stroke my head. It makes me feel safe and comfortable. But yeah, I’m always comfortable when we’re together.” Unconsciously, I smiled when telling the reasons.

Huh? Why is he even silent? And also lowered his head instead? “Mitsu, what’s wrong?” When I was about to touch him, he slightly back away from me while covering his face. “Hey, what’s wrong with you? Are you sick?” I feel a little bit panic because he didn’t answer me at all.

“Ha…. Haha…Hahahah….” He chuckled.

“Mitsu?”

“Oh, dear. You've never changed a bit since we’re a kid, huh? Always being a straight forward and speak what’s in your mind.”

He finally showed his face. And I’m a little bit surprised what I saw.

His cheeks were painted with blush to the tips of his ears. This is the first time I’ve seen him like this. The usual Mitsu I’ve known always looks calm and cool.

Ba-thump Ba-thump…!

Oh,god why my heart is pounding right now? I feel my cheeks become hot too.

“Little mouse.”

“Y-Yes!?” dammit, why am I become nervous suddenly??

“Why are you blushing too? Yo’re like an innocent teenager, you know?”

“Hah? Shut up, and stop smiling you-“

“But that’s why I like you since we were kids.” He take one of my hand, and lifted my chin with his other hand. “(y/n)?” this is the second time he call my name.

“Yes?” I felt my cheeks became more hot, because he brought his face closer to me.

“I like you since childhood. You are my first love, who I always miss since then. (y/n), I love you from the bottom of my heart. Will you be my life companion forever?”

“Are you teasing me right now?”

Without any warnings, he suddenly pull me closer and kiss me. He kissed me slowly and gently. It feels nice, I don’t hate it at all. Instead, I feel very happy. It feels like my heart could explode anytime.

After that he release me.

"Do you think I was teasing or lying to you, right now?” he smirk.

My heart is pounding harder right now. What is this feeling? What is this euphoria? I can’t think anything but him. Have i… Have I fallen in love with him….?”

.

.

.

[jj-ktae]

·19· Immersed - Prompt Game -

Title : Immersed Pairing : Park Jinyoung x Fem!Reader Genre : Romance, fluff, kinda explicit  Words : 1895 Summary : Sequel to Intoxicated | The morning after. Prompt : N°47. “How drunk was I?”

 PROMPT GAME - MASTERLIST -

Immersed

You open your eyes to a sunlit room and familiar bedding.

Your head is a mess of realistic dreams and improbable memories. Flashes of Jinyoung coming in the middle of the night, confessing and caressing your face appear behind your closed eyelids. 

It had to be real.

You blame the confusion on your hazy state, but the moment is cut by the same person who was previously kissing your face in your so-called dreams.

So it wasn’t a dream.

“Up already?” He asks, his steps feathery as they allow him to come closer. He sits by the bed and raises a hand to put your top’s strap back on your shoulder. “It’s still early.”

You rub the sleep from your eyes. The previous night is long gone and so are the worries coming along with the beginning of a new story; Jinyoung is your boyfriend again. 

Rare are the moments when Jinyoung is so bare. His eyes are shining, his smile is pure and his body relaxed. He looks so appeased, now.  “You look tired” is all you can utter as an answer.

To this he acquiesces, his brows raising swiftly. “I couldn’t sleep,” He replies, his face naked of any inquietude. “When you fell asleep I could only observe you and then morning came.”

He waits for a reaction, anything that could ring the alarms of a potential regret on your side. He doesn’t want you to come back to your sense and utter words he wouldn’t bear hearing twice.

Instead, you nod. Jinyoung is in front of you, content and almost beaming. He doesn’t know you wouldn’t bear spitting the same horrendous words twice either. You see it, how his pupils brush the edges of your body, from your forehead to your legs, comfortable under the fluffy blanket.

He must have been suffering so much.

“You should be resting, what were you doing?” You try, yawning and stirring. You’re not a mess though, you’re exhausted and your eyes burn but it doesn’t matter.

Jinyoung is here.

“I rushed to the bakery and got some of your breakfast favourites. Your fridge is empty so…” He is walking on eggshells, he doesn’t want to invade your private space so soon but he doesn’t know how else he should act.

He has always been this way with you. 

“I haven’t been doing the groceries for a while now.” A month to be precise. Going back to a solo life turned you into an uncaring person, someone who is too upset to be cautious about healthy diets and self-care.

“How come…?”

He wants to hear it. Jinyoung hopes, he hopes so hard that you will be sharing the same struggles. if only you knew how he lived without you. Rich or not it doesn’t matter; when you feel empty from the inside, nothing matters.

And you do, you say exactly what he dreads yet wishes to hear. These words confirm your feelings. Because if you were hurt it means you cared.

He hates to feel his stomach churn when you speak, he feels selfish and like a jerk, but he can’t do anything about it. 

“Because there was no point trying so hard without you.”

You’re destroying your own property. What you worked so hard on building crumbles like a sandcastle, fragile and threatening to break. You missed him, so much it was pointless forcing life into your body.

Jinyoung wants to sob, he wants to yell and thank the skies for allowing such a miracle to happen but he knows better than to act like a fool.

Why should it matter? His brain screams and manoeuvres his body on its own. He pulls you into a hug before you can ask what is wrong and sighs, he sighs so hard he almost becomes breathless. 

“I’m here now. If you let me be here you won’t have to try so hard. I promise.” 

Your worries are no strangers to him. There is this lingering thought, the one screaming about his family situation, the one you told him about last night, the one which is responsible for such a dramatic moment when it could have been much simpler. 

“No matter the outcome, I will never make you regret taking me back. I’m sorry you’ve been under so much pressure but I promise- hell I swear it will be worth it.” 

It makes you smile. The smile which holds feelings; the one you save for Jinyoung only. It was a terrible mistake, leaving Jinyoung was a terrible mistake.

“I’m sorry for being so stupid. I know I told you this last night, but you look like you need some confirmation that I still want this. I still want you, Jinyoung.” It’s a simple sentence but he needs to hear it. Reassurance is nothing but a luxury he can’t afford, right now. 

It has the perfect effect you think. Jinyoung’s face lights up, like the sun found his face and his instilling life onto his skin, turning the pale hue of a restless night into golden halo and pink mist.

“I love you. I love you so damn much.” 

It is useless to speak. Jinyoung doesn’t need to hear more anyways, for his hands are already grabbing your shoulders to pull you against him. He picks you up like a rag-doll, your weight nothing compared to what he has been carrying for the past month. 

You are not going to change your mind. You do want him back into your life. 

Jinyoung never really thought about when he became so dependent on someone’s attention and affection. He never pegged himself as the fool, the one living through the eyes of his lover. He has always been acting upon reason more than passion and would curse at whoever was to look pitiful for such mindless matters.

Here he is though, thankful for your heart and feeling privileged. He takes nothing for granted though; he is willing to fight for both his professional and personal future. If he can’t have both he already knows which one to leave behind.

And it’s definitely not his personal future.

You part from him between snuggles, almost tearing yourself and already craving the touch of nascent facial hair.  “You have to promise me though-”

“Yes. I promise. I will talk to my parents. If they can’t understand though, don’t blame me. Don’t give up on me for something even I would give up anytime.”

He hides his face into your neck, not strong enough to look into your eyes. The sword of Damocles feels heavy over his head. 

You grab his head, stopping his worst attempt at being manly. 

Your hands find his face, soft fingers cupping and framing his delicate face with a tenderness he was dying to experience again. “I won’t. No matter what, I won’t. I know you’re scared and you might even think I can break up with you anytime but I get it. I understand. I will not leave.”

Jinyoung feels a weight being lifted off his chest. Like someone literally took the stress, the apprehension, the inquietude and threw it away.

So he smiles, so bright his eyes transform into slits and dig wrinkles by their corners. His happiness is as stunning as his whole existence.

He doesn’t speak; dialogue is unnecessary when he can touch your scalp and tilt your head, words are bothering when they prevent him from kissing you the way he does, speaking is futile when his tongue can draw the feelings into your mouth.

You let him be, you heart hammering warnings of exalted bliss as he kisses you senselessly. 

It makes you groan, his warmth tickling your muscles and waking up your body. 

You grab his wrinkled t-shirt, craving the contact and yearning intimacy just as he pulls your top’s straps down. He lets his fingers dance on your skin, forming a path of goosebumps in their wake and drawing desire so easily it hurts you almost viscerally. 

He releases your mouth, his own reddish and swollen with neediness as evident as his affection. “I love you more than a month ago. I need you even more.”

The kisses are messy yet unhurried. Jinyoung takes his time through disorder, lips unable to follow a simple task and too eager to feel more. He sighs, his lips wandering freely over your own until they clamp around your tongue to suck on the flesh. 

It makes you shiver, jolts of electricity hitting your nerves so strongly it makes you jump against him, limbs uncontrollable. Jinyoung halts when he feels your nails scraping his nape. The feeling is still intact, it turns off every last bit of control he has.

It is now or never. He doesn’t want to jump on you, not right now, not when he wants to hear about a month he wasn’t part of; not when he wants to see his reflection in your iris. 

“Let’s eat.” His will power is stronger than he thinks when he finds the courage to strip himself off your presence, his hands leaving your skin and mouth turning cold from what is left of your essence on his fleshy skin. “Eat something and tell me about you. Tell me what you have been up to. I want to know everything.” 

You look disappointed but recover quickly, skin still on tenterhooks. “Alright..” You acquiesce, avoiding his prurient gaze. 

“Come on, I got you too much as usual.” Jinyoung explains, hand clasped around s in a possessive manner. He doesn’t leave your side, even when you gasp because there are way too many things on your minuscule table. 

He shrugs, not the least sorry. This is nothing, he could buy you a whole island if you asked. “I’ll bring what’s left to the office, don’t worry about the waste.”

It is foolish but it doesn’t bother you. Unconsciously you missed the feeling of intense and unshakeable love, the one responsible for Jinyoung’s folly. It screams comfort, it flatters your ego and makes you laugh, taking Jinyoung aback. 

“I’m glad to have you back.” You utter, happiness almost breaking into sadness. How could you think about living without him?

Jinyoung breaks into giggles, embarrassment blent with bliss. “Sit down, sugar.” 

The nickname blooms scarlet onto your cheeks; Jinyoung rarely uses this word unless he wants exclusive domination. And oh god how he loves the feeling.

Yet you cannot give up on a few retorts. “You were less of a show-off last night when you came, completely intoxicated.”

Jinyoung is too euphoric to take offense. He scoffs, instead. “How drunk was I? I remember everything, I don’t think I was that wasted. You’ve seen worse.”

“I had never seen you cry.” You conclude, making his face fall. It brings back memories of sorrow from times when he couldn’t accept his fate. He swallows heavily, the sound too loud and you can see it in his eyes, the silent plea.

Please don’t ever make me feel this desperate again.

“Alright,” You conclude, pulling on your joined hands to find your couch. A cup of coffee which you know must be your favourite is placed into your hand by your boyfriend who wasted no time letting your hand go to pull on your knee and stick your bodies together. 

“I’ll be fine as long as you stay next to me.”

And he kisses you again. 

[awstenknyght]

Never Bloom Again

A/N: i have decided that this will lead into Bad Idea. josie finds out kath cheated

Warnings: alcohol, drugs, self harm, tell me if i missed something. also emily being a little bitch, but what’s new

Song Used: Never Bloom Again

Tags: @buttons-and-gulons @piper-koko-barnes-rogers @thatsmycigarbutyoucanborrowit @brooklyn-is-here @the-cowbi @trans-witch-cauldron @and-shes-calling-a-cab @lxwkey-as-hell

All the girls in Los Angeles look like you from a distance

Josie stepped up to the mic. She’d only been on tour for a few days, but she already missed Katherine more than anything. 

“Hey guys!” she was met with a chorus of applause. “This one’s called Powerless. Its for my wonderful girlfriend Kath. I wish she could be here with me now.”

She strummed out the first few chords and began to sing. “I really wouldn’t mind a 20 hour drive…”

I tried to give you space until i stepped away

From your brain but now i just miss it

After the show, Josie flopped onto her bunk. Everyone else had gone out to a bar, but she decided to stay in the bus and call Katherine.

Josie pulled out her phone and clicked on the familiar contact. It took a while, but soon a very disheveled looking Kath came onto the screen.

“Baby!” Josie cried, wishing she could reach through the screen and kiss her.

“Hey Jo,” Katherine responded, her voice hoarse. She kept looking at something behind the screen, but Josie thought nothing of it. “How was the show?”

Josie grinned and launched into an excited recap of her day. “How about you? Did you have a good day?”

Katherine’s cheeks turned bright red. “Uh yeah, it was great.”

Josie frowned. Kath wouldn’t stop looking at something- or someone- behind the camera. “Is someone there with you?”

“No!” Katherine shook her head quickly before clearing her throat. “Hey, I'm getting kinda tired. Do you want to call in the morning?”

Josie swallowed and nodded. The screen went black before she could say goodbye.

All the girls in los angeles look like you from a distance

And now i’m kinda thinking that i’ll never bloom again

Josie sat at a bar stool next to King. Mouse, Moth, and Bruiser were all playing pool. Well, Moth and Bruiser were playing. Mouse was doing her best to distract them from the game, which included climbing on the pool table and bonking their heads with one of the extra poles.

Josie took her phone out and checked it again. There was still nothing.

“You okay?” King asked hesitantly.

“Hmm? Oh. yeah i’m fine.” she said, barely looking up. 

“Are you sure? You haven’t looked up from your phone since we got here.”

“It’s just-” she let out an exasperated breath. “It’s been a week since i talked to Kath. And last time we called she was kind of… off.”

King nodded and downed his drink. “She’s probably fine. If you’re really worried, maybe try calling her again?”

Josie pulled out her phone and tried calling. Nothing. Maybe she just fell asleep. She decided to send a text instead.

Hey baby, you okay?

Kath responded surprisingly fast this time. 

Yeah, just a bit tired.

Josie frowned. Being tired never kept Katherine from calling before. Well, at least not before the tour-

I never thought I’d let myself wear the weak look

but I guess if the shoe fits

Josie didn’t talk to Kath at all for the next week. Then a week turned into a month, a month into two, until Josie was outside their apartment door, waiting to go in.

Josie took a deep breath before pushing the door open. “Kathy? You home?”

No response. Josie set down her bags and walked into the kitchen. There was a note on the counter for her.

Hey love!

If you get home before i get back, i’m just at a friends house. Can’t wait to see you again! <3

Josie tried not to be disappointed. It wasn’t Kath’s fault. She turned back, deciding to start unpacking, when something caught her eye.

Sitting on the counter was a small charm bracelet. Not just any charm bracelet though.

There's a million pairs here

String along my soul, dear, 'til my breath feels useless

“Em!” Josie ran up to the taller girl and jumped onto her back. “Happy birthday baby!”

“Jesus christ J, be careful!” Emily responded. 

Josie climbed down. “Sorry babe. Look what i got you!”

Josie handed her a small charm bracelet. It had six charms already on it, and room for more. “D’ya like it?”

“Thanks baby! I love it!” Emily smiled as she slipped it on. She gave josie a kiss. Cherry lipstick and alcohol. The combination might seem repulsive to others, but to Josie it was perfect. It was emily. 

It's like god fell asleep in

The middle of the day he built my self-esteem

Why was Emily’s bracelet in their apartment? Unless-

No. she’d never. She’s not like that

Josie needed to clear her head. Only one thing could help with that. She rushed to the bathroom.

'Cause I'll keep hopping on these planes

'Til we're sharing last names and a softer scene

Josie turned the corner into the alleyway. Emily was waiting there, just like she promised, with a familiar smirk.

“I knew you’d come crawling back.”

Josie looked down. She didn’t mean for it to get this out of hand. But her hands were shaking and she knew only one thing that could stop them.

“Em, give it to me. Please-”

“Nope! Kisses first baby,” Emily responded in a sing-song voice. “You know the drill.”

“Please Em, i don’t want to do this again-” she was cut off by Emily's lips crashing into her’s. She tried to pull away, but emily had her trapped and wasn’t letting go.

Cherry lipstick and alcohol. Josie wondered when the taste stopped being home and started being hell.

Instead of tying our breath in knots again

You're chopping it down in heavy seconds

Alone was never easy after you

Katherine walked in the door hours later. Josie had come down by then. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes were puffy and red. Katherine noticed immediately.

“Baby! What happened? Are you okay?”

Josie held up the bracelet. “What’s Emily’s bracelet doing here?”

Kath froze. “I- I don’t know.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me!” Josie yelled, standing up so she was almost eye to eye with Katherine. “Are you cheating on me?”

“Josie, you’re not in a good mental state. Come on, lets go to sleep.”

“No! Answer me!” Josie’s voice finally broke. “Are you cheating on me?”

“Baby-”

Josie shook her head. “I knew it.”

With that, she grabbed her bags, still packed and waiting by the door, and ran.

Cause all the girls in Los Angeles look like you from a distance

I tried to give you space until I stepped away

From your brain and now i just miss it

Josie’s hands were shaking. She needed more. Just a bit, just enough to calm her nerves.

It had been three weeks since- since the incident. Josie tried to stay away from it. But without Kath to lean on, it was all she had left.

“So Josie, any new songs we should get ready for?”

Josie snapped back to the present. Right. The interview.

“Uh, I’m working on a new one. Called Never Bloom Again.”

The woman smiled widely. “What’s this one about?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see!” Mouse cut in. Thank goodness for mouse. Josie hadn’t released any news about the breakup and she wasn’t ready to talk about it now, especially not with this far-too-cheery-to-be-real interviewer.

Josie excused herself to the bathroom as soon as possible. She needed it bad. As soon as it was back in her, she was able to relax. 

I’m so screwed.

All the girls in Los Angeles look like you from a distance

Now I'm kinda thinking that I'll never bloom again

Josie sat across from king in a small diner. Mouse had forced them there. In her words, “Just because you’re both sad and alone doesn’t mean you can become shut-ins. Go be sad and alone together.”

So there they were. Being sad and alone together. 

“Did you relapse?” King asked after taking a drink.

“Yeah,” Josie sighed. “You?”

“Duh.”

They were silent for a while after. “Why wasn’t I enough?”

Josie looked up. King was staring at his phone. Josie grabbed it out of his hand. “Don’t say that. It’s not your fault B cheated, it’s that bitch Katie’s.”

King nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. “Can I have my phone back?”

“Not if you’re gonna keep looking at pictures of B.”

“That’s not fair, you still have your phone!”

“Well I’m over Kath.” Josie said, but she sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anything else.

“Mhm,” King said, grabbing Josie’s phone and turning it on. The screen lit up with Katherine’s face. “Completely over her.”

“Fuck you,” Josie said, kicking him under the table. He kicked her back. Soon they were full on fighting under the table and laughing loudly.

A few minutes later, after being kicked out of the restaurant, they began walking home. Josie was finally smiling again.

'Cause this is what you've done, you've done to me

Josie’s heart was racing. She had blacked out and woken up to far too many notifications. 

She logged into twitter to see what all the commotion was about and froze. 

It’s official. No more lies. Me and @ watch_what_happens are done. Sorry

Had she sent that? She didn’t remember it. Then again, she didn’t remember anything from the past hour-

She had hundreds of notifications; press, friends, family, and fans all wanted to know what went down.

But one stood out.

Blocked number

Guess that means i win?

'Cause this is what you've done, you've done to me

Josie stepped up to the microphone and took a deep breath. “This is never bloom again. It goes out to two wonderful exes. I hope you’re having fun together.”

She nodded to mouse and began strumming. She could feel her hands beginning to shake again.

No. Not now.

She tried to focus on the song. It was the last one in the set. She could do it. In and out, sing the words, go through the motions.

“You're not alone 'til it stings like this

I'll fake asleep until I'm dreaming

I guess you messed me up, I'll pay for this

And sleep it off without your kiss”

Josie finished the song and ran off stage. She needed something, anything. She opened the bathroom cabinet. Empty. Her bag was gone too.

Mouse must’ve found it.

She collapsed on the floor, shaking. She needed something to ground herself. Something shiny caught her eye. A small blade in the corner of the room.

It would have to work.

I never thought I'd let myself give what you took

But I sent it off in gift wrap

Josie slowly stood and tried to leave the trailer. She had been spending every night there for god knows how long, but she was done now. She had an actual family now, one that wanted her, and she was ready to go. There was only one problem.

Emily.

The sleeping girl rolled over, reaching out to where Josie was only moments earlier. She woke up with a start, noticing the lack of warmth next to her.

“Baby? Where you going?” Emily asked in a sugar-sweet voice.

“I told you Em. I’m leaving.”

Emily sat up. Her tone turned harsh. “No you’re not.”

“I can’t keep doing this Emily. I’m leaving and I’m not coming back.”

Emily grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down to the bed. “I don’t think you heard me sweetheart. You're not going anywhere.”

With that, she kissed Josie. Hard. Josie gave in and kissed her back. The taste was addicting. And as much as she wanted to leave, she would always come back.

Just as Josie was starting to drift off to sleep again, the sugar sweet voice returned. 

“You’re mine.”

Now all that's left here are my lonely words, dear

I'll paint you pretty with my syntax

It was too loud. Everything was ten times louder and Josie didn’t know what to do.

The show had just ended. The fans were cheering and Mouse was trying to tell her something. But she couldn’t hear a thing.

She was in her head again.

Josie pushed through to the bathroom. She could still feel the scars from the last show. Or were those from last night? She couldn’t remember anymore. Not that she cared.

Once she had it in her again, her hands stopped shaking. It seemed less loud now. She pushed open the bathroom door, ready to put on her fake face on and pretend, when something stopped her.

Right outside waiting for her was none other than Emily and Katherine, holding hands.

Josie’s face hardened. “What do you want?”

Katherine opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Emily just smirked. Josie tried to push past, but Em wouldn’t budge. 

“Kathy, sweetheart, why don’t you wait by the car? I want to talk to Josie alone.”

“Jo, I’m so sorry, I made a mistake, I-” Kath was cut off by Emily’s sharp gaze. She nodded and ran off.

“What were you doing in there?”

“None of your fucking business,” Josie retorted with a glare. What did Emily want from her anyway?

“Oh, we both know that it is my business,” she said with a smile. “Come on baby, did you really think it was that easy to escape it?”

Josie winced. “Don’t call me baby. You lost that right a long time ago.”

“But babe, don’t you miss it?” Emily moved closer and grabbed her hand. Josie didn’t push her away. “We had so much fun together! Don’t you want to go back?”

“I-” Josie’s head was spinning. Snap out of it. “No! What about Kath?”

Emily leaned in closer. “It can be our little secret”

“Katherine’s smart. She’ll figure it out.” What was she saying?

“Will she?” Emily asked in an innocent voice. “You wouldn’t have known a thing if i hadn’t left you that little… clue.”

Josie’s eyes widened. The bracelet. Suddenly, she could feel Emily pulling her somewhere. Before she knew what was going on, Emily was straddling her, their lips locked together.

And she wasn’t complaining

~

aha-

[x-reader-theater]

Doubt {5}

Relationship: Lucifer Morningstar x Non-Binary!Reader

Summary:  You work with someone to figure out who pushed you, and you and Lucifer have a heart to heart over music, and the people he surrounds himself with.

Warnings: Cursing, Graphic Body Horror, Lucifer being a Bastard

Word Count: 3037 words

A/N:  Sorry for the late update! I have been super busy today, and haven't really had the time to upload. I really, really like the chapter, and it's the first time I'm directly tieing into the first season in a notable way! I really hope you like this and, if you do, please like, comment, and reblog! I keep forgetting to thank her, so for the past few chapters as well as this one, THANK YOU @mystic-writes​ FOR EDITING THIS WHOLE STORY! You are amazing, and 30k+ words is no easy feat. So, thank you. So much. You are amazing. 

If you prefer to read on AO3, you can do so here, but please still reblog and share.

[Prev.] <= [First] => [Next]

Chapter 5: Broken Hearts Club

"What do we have to talk about, Amenadiel?" You ask, still holding the glasses of water. "Because I have your brother, naked and pliable in his bed, and I would really like to get back to that." 

Amenadiel goes to speak but stops himself as he thinks about what you just said. You sit down on one of the bar stools that like the island connecting Lucifer's kitchen to his living room. Amenadiel shakes his head and addresses you again. "I want to know who pushed you from heaven." 

You perk up at that. "Oh? Why?" 

"Because. They could do it to other angels. And I don't want that to happen," he replies and you roll your eyes. 

"So, you don't want to find out to get me justice, you just want to stop it from happening to others?" You ask, and when Amenadiel doesn't move you huff out a laugh. "Should have known you're too much of an angel to think of me. A fallen." 

Amenadiel steps forward and says loudly, "It isn't like that!" 

You get up from your chair and shush him, putting one of your fingers up towards his face. His breath fogs up the glass you're holding. "Shh!" You lean in close to Amenadiel, and whisper back, "Fine! But we do this alone, or we don't do this at all!" 

Amenadiel nods and you nod back, before turning on your heel back to Lucifer's bedroom. You feel that same chilling wind, and when you look back, no one's there. 

You huff out a disbelieving laugh and push your way into Lucifer's bedroom where you see the man asleep. You, quickly and quietly as you can, set the water down and climb into bed. 

When you lay down next to Lucifer, he reaches over and drapes an arm around your waist, pulling you into his chest. 

"Everything alright?" He mumbles into your hair. 

You smile and nod, kissing his chest. "Yeah. Just thinking." 

"Really, because I heard noises in the other room…" Lucifer says. 

You shake your head this time and reply, "No. Just, talking aloud."

Lucifer nods and kisses your head again, and before you can go to sleep, you hear him ask, "So. How was your first time." 

"Messy," you say with a laugh. 

[Now Playing: Church by Lyle Lovett] 

You walk around downtown Los Angeles, watching as lawyers and business people run around each other to get to where they need to go, the tall office buildings that loom over the streets of LA. 

But, right in the middle of the tall buildings made of glass, is a beautiful church. Stained glass windows rise up the sides of the weathered stone, and you see one particularly old one melting out of its frame. 

You also see someone sitting on its steps with a cigarette in their mouth. Getting closer, you notice the white collar. Your eyebrows raise and you walk over to the man. 

You sit beside him, and he looks over, taking the unlit cigarette out of his mouth. "A priest with a smoke. How ironic," you say, pulling your knees to your chest. 

The man smiles and puts away the cigarette. "Heh. Yeah, this is just a little ritual. Something to… take my mind off things," the man replies.

"And what do you want to take your mind off of?" You ask, leaning your head on your knees. The man looks at you confused, like he's afraid of telling you, and you smile sweetly at him. "Would you believe me if I told you I was a fallen angel?" 

The man huffs out a laugh and shakes his head. "To be honest, I would believe just about anything right now," the man says and you smile. He sighs and looks over at you, hurt and pain in his eyes. "There's a boy I've been taking care of. Connor is his name. He's at this youth center most days, but the owner is a drug trafficker, getting the kids there to do his bidding. Selling drugs. And I don't want Connor involved."

You nod. "So, what are you going to do?" 

The father sighs and looks away towards the pavement "I'm going to talk to the owner, see if we can work something out." 

"Alone?" You ask. The father looks up at you like he's unsure. "I'm sorry, father…" 

"Father Frank Lawrence." 

"Father Lawrence. But you don't exactly have any authority there. You may have some pull here at the church, but in this youth center, I highly doubt anyone's actually going to listen to you," you say. 

"So, what should I do?" The priest asks. 

You smile and place a hand on his shoulder. "I have a friend, someone who does favours. His name is Lucifer Morningstar. And I think you should ask him for help." 

[Now Playing: Mariners Apartment Complex by Lana Del Rey]

Lucifer moans lightly and sits up, running his hands over your shoulders and back as you get dressed for the morning. He sits up and kisses your shoulder, up your neck, and eventually at your cheek. You turn and kiss him lightly. "What are you doing today?" You whisper to him, not wanting to break the moment. 

He wraps his arms around you sleepily and places his head on your shoulder. "The detective and I will probably have a new murder we need to figure out." 

You smile and kiss his forehead lightly. "That sounds good."

You feel him smile against your skin, and you lean back into his chest. This is wonderful. This right here makes everything that ever happened, worth it. But you don't know if Lucifer feels the same way. To him, sex is just sex. It doesn't mean anything. And, it shouldn't mean anything to you. But with Lucifer, he's the closest thing you have to someone like yourself. You have never met another fallen angel before, never met anyone who has gone through the same things you have. 

You smile tensely as Lucifer pulls away from you and starts putting on his own suit to get ready for the day. 

Eventually he gets up, fully dressed, and places a kiss on your cheek before leaving you alone. You wait a couple more minutes to make sure he's not coming back, before you walk out into the living room, put your hands together in front of you and you pray. 

The wind whips up around you, and standing there, is Amenadiel. 

"You ready to begin?" Amenadiel asks. You nod.

[Now Playing: Fallen Angel by Poison]

"So, who are we meeting?" You ask, walking down a busy LA street with Amenadiel. "Is this another angel you reached out to?"

"She reached out to me, actually," Amenadiel says, and you laugh. 

"Huh," you say, with a small smile. You have to admit, you're a little excited to see who it is. You've been missing some of the angels from heaven. You remember sitting with Israfil, the angel of God's fire, in one of the many gardens in the silver city, talking about plants and how to take care of them. Israfil wasn't able to touch the plants though, because harming another creature in heaven was strictly forbidden. So, he sat, and watched the flowers bloom, but he could not touch them. 

You walk into the small cafe, and immediately you are greeted by two, large, round eyes staring at you from the other side of a window. You tilt your head, and a cat falls from the shelf it was on, and lands on a table in front of the window, looking at you. 

"What is this place?" You ask Amenadiel. 

"I have no idea," he says. 

You pay for 30 minutes in with the cats with Amenadiel, before the two of you go inside, only to be greeted by four cats all running up to the two of you. They rub up against you, sniffing you, one even tries to climb up Amenadiel's pants. But, Amenadiel just ignores them, walking over to a table someone's sitting at while a cat is in their lap and they're looking out the large windows. 

Amenadiel sits down across from them while you pick up one of the cats, and he says, "Hello, Azrael." 

The Angel in question turns and smiles at Amenadiel, who does not smile back. "What, no more Rae Rae? Are you too old for that now Di Di?" Azrael asks and you walk over to the two of them. She smiles at Amenadiel who rolls his eyes, before looking over at you. "Oh. I know you." she says, and you freeze. 

That's right. Azrael is the angel of death, the one you see before you die. You don't remember anything from before hell though. 

"I'm sorry but I don't remember," you say. 

Azrael nods. "Yeah, yeah, I watched you fall." 

You perk up at that. "You did?" 

She nods. "Yeah! You fell like, a long fuckin' way. Though, you changed course halfway through." 

You look at her confused as she says that. "What do you mean I changed course? Like I turned and instead of landing in San Francisco I landed in LA?" 

Azrael shakes her head. "Like, you were going to fall in Asia, but you were moved over LA."  

You stare at her, your hands letting go of the cat you're holding onto, which just lands itself in your lap and cuddles up. "But, you didn't see anyone move me?" She shakes her head. "Right."

"So, what's your name, anyways?" Azrael asks. 

"[Y/N]," you offer and she nods, thinking. 

"Yes, a few of the others mentioned you. I don't really have time to make it up to the silver city, but sometimes they come down here and see me! Isn't that sweet?" She asks. The cat in her lap reaches up and claws at her sweater, pulling on some of the threads from the large crocheted cat on her chest. Azrael doesn't seem to notice. "Though, there was someone who kept asking about you. Theliel I think it was."

You frown, and when you look over at Amenadiel, he's frowning too. "The Angel prince of love?" He asks, confused. 

Azrael shrugs. "Seems so. They were asking about you a lot. Would come down to earth every few years. Sometimes twice in a year." 

Your frown deepens and you mutter, mainly to yourself, "I've never even talked to them before…" 

Azrael shrugs and leans back, letting the cat in her lap climb up her chest and sit on her shoulder. Amenadiel sighs and turns to you, saying, "I'll try and get into contact with Theliel. See if we can arrange a meeting with them here on earth." You nod and Amenadiel turns to Azrael, who's just sitting there contentedly petting her cat. "Thank you Az-" Amenadiel cuts himself off and looks kindly over at Azrael. "Thank you Rae Rae." 

She smiles and you wave as the two of you leave. When you walk out into the main room, you stop and turn around, and when you look back at the seat Azrael was in, she's gone. 

You smile and walk outside with Amenadiel. 

[Now Playing: Would You Be So Kind by Dodie] 

You walk into Lux late that night. You took the long way home, deciding to walk around the city for a bit before coming back. It's still packed when you get back, though it's not your night to work. You order a drink from Maze at the bar, and chat with her about things that have happened tonight, before taking your drink and going upstairs to the penthouse. 

The elevator is empty, like it normally is, but right now it feels almost… lonely. You should tell Lucifer what's happening, but he already has a lot going on. He's working with the police. He has Chloe. 

Your shoulders fall as you think this, leaning up against the wall of the elevator. You said Lucifer was jealous before, but now, you are. It's nothing you would hurt anyone over. You would never go after Chloe, but whenever you think of her and Lucifer together, something in your heart breaks. 

You want Lucifer to be happy. And if it's not with you, that's okay. You'll move on. But your heart wants him now. And maybe later. 100 years down the line, you'll forget it ever even happened, you'll forget you ever liked Lucifer, move on with someone else. Because, well, you do have eternity. What is 100 years compared to the rest of time? 

The elevator’s doors open on Lucifer's penthouse and you see Chloe and Lucifer laughing and playing the piano together. They're playing something simple, something you don't quite recognize. 

The doors close behind you, but the two don't notice you. You turn around to call the elevator back, pressing the down button over and over again, trying to do so quietly, but it seems they heard you. 

"Ah! Angel!" Lucifer says, stopping his playing. 

You flinch and turn around slowly, a sheepish smile on your face. "Sorry, I didn't know…" You point back with your thumb towards the elevator and say, "I'll go now." 

"No! No. Don't go," Chloe says, standing up from the piano. 

"Wh-what?" Lucifer asks as she walks away toward the elevator. 

"I should really get going. I don't want Dan to have to stay with Trixie too long, and I need to sleep eventually," Chloe says and you move out of her way so she can wait for the elevator instead of you. 

Lucifer breathes out and leans toward her with a smirk. "Oh come now. You don't have to sleep." 

She rolls her eyes and when the elevator doors open, she walks in. "Thank you Lucifer. That was very nice." 

She presses a button, and the doors close behind her. Lucifer sighs and doesn't say anything for a few moments. You lean up against the wall and slide down it, not saying as you bring your knees up to your chest. 

You look over at Lucifer, who isn't saying anything. You get up and walk over to him, sitting down beside him at the piano. You press a note, and Lucifer looks over at you, an eyebrow raised. 

"Do you play?" Lucifer asks and you smile and shake your head. 

"I wouldn't remember if I did," you say with a small laugh. "But in heaven, we used to sing. And while there wasn't any accompaniment, it was…" You smile and look up at Lucifer. "Fun." 

Lucifer smiles and turns to the piano. "Here. Do you know this?" 

[Now Playing: Vienna by Billy Joel]

He starts playing the intro and you nod. 

"Okay. Ready?" He asks, and your smile widens. 

You take a deep breath, and you sing. 

"Slow down, you crazy child, you're so ambitious for a juvenile, but then if you're so smart, tell me why are you still so afraid, hmm?" You smile and lean into Lucifer, who laughs and starts singing. 

"Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? You'd better cool it off before you burn it out. You've got so much to do and only so many hours in a day, ayy."

You join Lucifer and the two of you sing, "But you know that when the truth is told that you can get what you want or you could just get old. You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh. When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?"

You smile with Lucifer, and he points to a note for you to hit. You press down on the key and he smiles as you laugh. 

"Slow down, you're doing fine. You can't be everything you wanna be before your time. Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight, tonight." You lean in and kiss Lucifer's cheek, and his smile widens. 

"Too bad but it's the life you lead You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need though you can see when you're wrong, you know you can't always see when you're right, you're right.

"You've got your passion, you've got your pride,  but don't you know that only fools are satisfied? Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true, ooh. When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?" 

You and Lucifer laugh as he goes into the instrumental, and you lean your head on his shoulder, laughing into his very expensive suit. 

He leans into the music more now, closing his eyes and swaying, almost knocking you off his shoulder. You lean back and listen to him play, closing your eyes and swaying to the music.

"Slow down, you crazy child and take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while," Lucifer starts without you.

You jump in and continue with him, "It's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two, ooh. When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?"

Lucifer drops out and lets you sing the last part. 

"And you know that when the truth is told that you can get what you want or you could just get old. You gonna, kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh. Why don't you realize, Vienna waits for you?"

You lean into Lucifer again, him adding in a beautiful set of harmonies, "When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?" 

He plays out the final notes, and you let out a breath. Lucifer's eyes close as he finishes out the song and he smiles and presses the final notes, letting them ring out through the penthouse, echoing off the stone walls and glass windows. Lucifer takes his hands off the keys and places them in his lap, also letting out a breath. 

You laugh a breathy laugh, looking away before looking up, and see Lucifer's eyes are on you, those red, goat slitted eyes and you lean up, kissing him lightly, gently, before pulling away. 

"Goodnight, Lucifer," you whisper quietly. He goes to kiss you again, but you stop him with a hand and get up, walking to the elevator, and getting in as soon as the doors open. 

"[Y/N]..." Lucifer breathes out. 

"Lucifer…" You whisper back.

[musedblues]

Born To Love You [Part: 5]

summary: When Gwilym ropes you into a lie, the truth becomes painfully obvious. When Joe makes things harder, there’s no telling if he even has a clue.

w/c: 5k

a/n: I hear a lot of you wishing and hoping for a happy ending but it's just not coming... yet. I AM sorry in advance. And I'm also in love with everyone who's stuck around so far and said such lovely things. Thanks as always, dears! Can't wait to hear what you lot think of this one 💖

Part 6

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"Wait, just one second!" Gwilym jogged across the car park, slinging the bag he carried off of his shoulder in a hurry to find it's contents. Simultaneously, he stopped Joe in his meander off the set. Gwilym hoped his friend's slow pace meant he didn't have anything better to do.

"I need you to do me a favor." Gwilym addressed the auburn-haired fellow, close enough by now to bypass standard greetings. Joe nodded, wordlessly accepting whatever it was while Gwilym dug around in his bag until he found what he was looking for.

"Y/n knows I'm off with Ben, but we've got to go a bit earlier than planned. Can you please take these things back to her?" Gwil started, unveiling a much smaller bag full of toddler essentials, some of which you'd be missing if Gwil left town with them.

"Sure thing," Joe agreed, albeit pensively. Gwilym let out a breath and a thank you as he clasped his bag back together, in a rush to see a game with Ben a few towns away.

Ben had invited you on the surprise sports venture, too. But Olive hadn't been easy to handle the past few days. And you knew you'd be spending most of the game toting the kid around the parked cars to keep her whines from upsetting spectators.

Cold rain had come to stay, and your best attempts at keeping the babe from going stir crazy were wearing thin. When there was a knock at the door, you figured Gwilym was there to trade goodbyes with Ben in tow. But no one came hurling in after the polite warning, and you opened the door to find a slightly more pleasant surprise.

"Hi." Joe shrugged, not quite smiling. Seemingly not quite sure why he was there. "Gwil and Ben just left. He wanted me to bring you this." Joe extended the small tote of emergency toys and distractions.

"Oh, thank God." You sighed. The majority of your time spent with Gwilym had usually included trading such things back and forth. You thanked the heavens that Joe was the middle man, taking the bag from his grasp. Inside were two teething toys you'd been missing all day long. You'd give them to Olive as a last-ditch attempt to soothe this evenings lackluster.

But when you glanced down to the babe at your feet, she was using your legs to steady herself as she stood, waving to Joe with a smile on her face. Hardly a trace of her moodiness remained as Joe let his brooding smile bloom into a real genuine one as he waved back to your daughter.

"I just picked up dinner. Let me fix you some?" You suggested, offering without thinking. It was your nature to extend such invitations at times like this one. But everything was always different with Joe. You couldn't tell up from down when he stood just near. And he didn't even try and put up a fight, even though it looked like he wanted to for a nanosecond. He agreed. When Joe stepped past the entrance and into your rented living room, whether he knew it or not, he crossed a very real line.

As you led him toward the kitchen, you rambled only about the things nearly finished cooking in the oven. A mix of veggies you'd never whipped up before. A dish, according to Joe, he'd always wanted to try. You joked for a while about fate, and how everything seemed to always happen for a reason, from dinner plans to trips to London.

When the time came to eat, you noshed between conversation, leafing through topics with ease. You'd done this before, together. And you realized your heart hadn't tried to beat out of your chest the whole time he was near, that afternoon. Because ever since Joe's birthday, you'd never shaken the steady ache for him. You'd settled into the feeling now, and having Joe around was strangely a comfort, his presence aided your pain, now, even though he caused it all the same.

Olive was finally content, for the first time in a week, with the toys you'd finally got your hands on. It wasn't always that you felt fine enough to leave her be in front of the telly, but she was perfectly gratified watching an old film, curled against the pillows and blankets you set up for her. And because you could see her perfectly well from the balcony, and the air was surprisingly warm for an autumn evening, you invited Joe to step out for a drink.

He followed your lead with caution, watching where you moved before he moved too. Joe thanked you for the drinks and settled across the tiny table in the only other chair you weren't occupying.

And yet, past the anxious glares, held breaths, and hidden blushes, your conversation never faltered. He asked about your life, you asked about his. You complained about silly things, he joked along with you. Olive fell asleep against her throne of blankets as you sipped your drinks, afraid for the bottles to empty, surely signaling the end of the evening.

The time on your phone read one in the morning, but you pretend you don't notice. And if Joe did, he pretended he hadn't, either.

The fun (if that's what you could call it) ended only when the front door creaked open and Gwil crept inside. He turned his gaze toward the patio as if he'd been expecting to see you and Joe there all along.

"I should go. It's late." Joe hummed, resting his drink on the table between the two of you.

But Gwil popped his head out into the warm night with a sweeping wave of his hand.

"No, no it's fine, finish your beer. I'm knackered. G'night." Gwilym spoke as if he'd rehearsed the line one too many times, his voice flat and dull. He hadn't even looked right at you the entire couple minutes he'd been home. As he shut the sliding door and turned to head to bed, the man gave a little expression of assurance that was too obviously forced. Your fake husband's hurry off to bed without you, and his strange insistence for Joe to stick around was barely coy.

As you and the man with fossil toned eyes settled back against the patio seats, an awkward silence nearly suffocated you. It was not suddenly strange. It had always been strange. Only unavoidable, now.

"Is everything... okay?" Joe dared to ask in a low, wavering tone.

"Everything... is simply not as it seems. Much worse, really." You laughed a little, barely, but it wasn't funny. And Joe clearly realized just how serious you were.

But instead of asking or pushing you to go on, Joe just gave a micro nod, as if he already knew. And when you changed the subject, giggling over something Lucy said, Joe let himself laugh too, as you both took the last sips of your drinks.

When Joe left, he lingered in the doorway as you said goodbye, and he exchanged the exact same parting phrase. And when he walked away, you let yourself wish for a nanosecond that he wasn't leaving.

///

"I'm going out with Ben again! Don't know when I'll be back, okay bye!" Gwilym spun out of the door, dressed to the nines, offering no explanation.

And all morning long, between a lazy breakfast and a lethargic movie marathon with your daughter clamoring from one lap to another, you and Gwilym never spoke much about anything to each other. While you realized there wasn't much more to discuss or argue over than hadn't already been hashed out, you hadn't expected Gwilym to just up and leave without a good reason or proper goodbye.

You cursed his name under your breath as you turned off the telly. As you ate lunch alone, you noticed the sun was peeking through the clouds for the first time in forever, and Olive was waking up from her nap with a bored cry.

You could go out too, ya know?

///

"Here, some leftovers." You extended a neatly wrapped plate of food to Joe, who stood wide-eyed in his maroon doorway. You'd never been to his Airbnb before now. You'd had rules you wouldn't let yourself break, before now.

Joe took the plate with a meek thanks, then asked if everything was alright.

"Yeah, yeah. I simply couldn't finish those by myself," You explained. Gwilym was missing dinner, again. "And it's finally nice out. Is there a park around here?" You wondered, shifting Olive in your arms.

"Uh... uh yeah. Just a block away actually. That way." Joe pointed, stuttering in place. You looked in the direction he pointed and hummed. As you turned slightly, planning to go enjoy yourself for once, you looked back to Joe.

"You comin'?"

"Oh, uh, ye-yeah. Sure. Hang on." Joe looked to the plate of food in his hand and nodded before spinning inside, leaving the front door wide open.

You totted Olive back to the rented car Gwilym had left behind, biting back a smirk.  

Joe came out moments after you'd situated Olive in her seat, sporting an old sweatshirt and a curious expression. He gave you directions to the park he knew was around the corner while your knuckles went white around the steering wheel.

How was something so easy, so hard? Being around Joe was like choking on a breath of fresh air.

And while you subconsciously relished the sound of his voice telling you where to go, you were both disappointed when you arrived. The park was small and flooded with rainwater from the week long downpour. Joe started to apologize on behalf of mother nature. You just backed out onto the road and said something about knowing a better place, offering to bring him along if he still so desired.

Joe didn't say no. He slumped deeper into the passenger seat, glancing to the buildings and people rushing by with umbrellas. His lips curled into a smile every time Olive babbled from the back. You noticed her in the mirror, and encouraged the girl to go on pointing things out in her own watered-down language.

By the time you made it to the park you'd become most acquainted with on your trip, you'd let yourself stop questioning the peace that had washed over the day, and tried your damnedest to embrace it.

Olive was content, truly happy as you pushed her in a swing just her size. Joe took photos of the slowly setting sun, painting the sky in streaks of gold and purple. And when he settled by your side once more, you picked up on one of those conversations the two of you had so easily. There was almost nothing you couldn't talk about. Almost. But your chatter wasn't enough to keep you warm when the wind picked up and turned Olives nose red.

Joe stayed with her while you went to search the car for an extra layer to keep your daughter warm, but you came up short. He was holding her close when you stepped onto the mulch, and it was Joe who insisted you go back to your rented flat to fetch another jacket or two.

You apologized on the ride, saying something about how you just wanted to have a good day. How you felt badly for dragging Joe into poorly made plans just because you didn't have anything better to do. Leaving out the bit about how you were secretly scared this would be one of the last times you'd get to be around the guy before you went home.

Joe just chuckled, assuring that you had nothing to apologize for, saying something about the spontaneous trip being a pleasant surprise, how he was still having a nice time. You couldn't understand why.

When you made it back to your rented flat, you wrestled Olive into a sweater, and asked Joe if he fancied a cup of tea before you ventured back out. He happily accepted the offer, sitting on your sofa like he was actually comfortable in the place that belonged to neither of you.

"Where is Gwilym tonight?" Joe asked through a humorless laugh. You rolled your eyes, looking back to see your daughter had roped Joe into helping her set up a team of blocks. He worked deliberately to balance a few, not looking your way.

"Your guess is as good as mine." You sighed, moving the kettle full of water and turning the burner on. Olive handed Joe more blocks, and he asked for her help arranging them. You pulled your phone from your pocket to distract yourself from the feelings sprouting in your chest; and to confirm your suspicion.

"He left forever ago and hasn't answered my texts." You sighed, glancing at the couple messages you'd sent Gwilym before you'd left on your own, simply wondering when he'd be back, hardly caring where he'd run off too. He'd seen your messages, leaving hours to pass without a response.  

When you rested your phone on the counter with a huff, Joe stood.

"Are you okay, y/n?" He asked, stepping over toys to meet you in the kitchen. You ran your hands through your hair, resisting the urge to pull it all out in a frustrated fit.

"I don't know. I really don't know." You admitted. How had you ended up here? "I don't know where Gwilym is. And I don't know why I'm so upset about it. I should be used to it! We've never spent this much time together. But he just had to tell-"

You stopped rambling just in time, casting your furrowed brow to your feet as you let out a laugh to disguise your desire to scream. After your vexation hung in the air for a beat too long Joe spoke up again.

"You don't have to tell me anything. It's not my place... I shouldn't have asked-" Joe started to take back his concern. You hated the way he subtracted the value of his words when he assumed they didn't sit well with you.

"I wish you knew how badly I want to tell you the truth." You stupidly confessed, looking up to Joe, exhausted by the effort it took to keep your eyes from locking with his.

Joe didn't ask what you meant or urge you to say anything further. He just clenched his jaw and seemed to make a decision. You watched him blink, just before he pulled you into a hug. A real one. Nothing like the sorry embrace he dealt you before you all left the woods, last weekend.

And you let yourself hug him back now, as you'd always wanted too. Because somewhere deep down you knew this was it. Maybe not the last hug, but certainly the best by far. Maybe not the embrace you wished you could convey your feelings through, but the closest you'd allowed yourself to come, yet. The closest you might ever be allowed.

"I'm sorry... for whatever it is," Joe spoke, in a low soothing rumble.

"I'm more sorry, trust me." You replied, voice muffled against his warm sweatshirt. You hated lying to Joe. Even though you hadn't known another reality since the day you met, it felt worse every day.

He was the first to break, moving away slowly like maybe he didn't want to. And you couldn't even fool yourself into believing you'd been imagining things. Not with the way Joe lingered so close, still. Not with the way his hand delayed on your arm, fingers nearly curling into a clutch. Joe was barely an inch from you. You could feel when he held his breath. You watched his focus zero in on your lips and you felt your jaw slack ever slightly. You watched him start to drift closer. And then the tea kettle whistled to life.

The hiss of steam became louder as your senses adjusted back to reality. Joe had yet to break his stare on you, but the spell had been broken, for good. Joe's breath felt colder, and your future seemed less bright than moments ago.

"I should go. I'm going."

He stepped back, yanking your heart out.

"Let me give you a ride." You breathed, turning off the stove and glancing to where you tossed the keys as Joe kept moving toward the door.

"No, that's okay. I'll get a ride." Joe nodded your way reaching for the handle.

"Joe," You spoke his name in a plea to stop him, though you didn't know why. Your stomach twisted in knots the longer you looked at him.

"Goodnight, y/n." Joe offered, before opening the door and closing it behind himself before you could follow and stop him in time. His absence was sudden and hung heavy in the air. Olive stood from her place on the floor and fixated her stare on the door, much like yours. When she realized Joe wasn't coming back, the babe broke into cries like she did when one of her parents abandoned her with the other.

Now everything was fucked. You'd truly and utterly fucked everything all the way up.

///

After putting Olive to bed, the quiet home made your thoughts much too loud. Instead of going on tossing and turning, you shuffled into the living room and flipped through telly channels. Hardly paying attention, just looking for the right noise to drown out the racket running through your mind.

The only sound that broke through your self-pity was the door creaking open. You didn't need to look at a clock to know it was the witching hour. Gwilym tried to keep quiet as he shut the door, but jumped in surprise to see you curled on the sofa, still mindlessly pressing the remote buttons.

"Christ, you're still up?" He asked, shedding his jacket and leaving it to hang by the door. You didn't respond.

"I'm sorry I never texted. I know I should have." Gwilym sighed. He was right, but your anger with him had long fizzled away.

"It's okay." You said simply, keeping your eyes on the screen in front of you.

"What's wrong?" Gwilym asked in a worried manner, moving to sit on the opposite end of the sofa, turning to face you. You glanced his way, considering his genuine expression, and then turned back to the telly, because you couldn't look at Gwil as you started to tell him about your night.

You left out most of the details, but you told Gwilym what happened. How you and Joe nearly kissed. How he left in a flash. How none of it mattered because you and Olive were leaving in a couple of days. You'd be out of the way and Gwilym could go on making his film without worrying about you muffing up the act he kept up off the set.

Gwilym chanted apologies as you retracted back inside your head. You stayed quiet, curled against a throw pillow while your fake husband offered to do something to make this all better. And while Gwilym decided your silence was submission, you both knew there was no use. Not anymore.

///

The next day you stayed in until the very last minute you were meant to be on your way to fetch Gwilym from the set. When you got there, you hurried in with your head down, taking the quickest route to his trailer.

Luckily, Gwilym was already on his way out, greeting you with an oddly excitable smile.

"What?" You asked anxiously, watching Gwilym reach out to your daughter in your grasp, tucking back a bit of her growing hair

"This was always meant to be our last big night out and I think we should still go to have a nice, big dinner. But I was thinking maybe you could stay another week or so. I've been thinking we could-"

"Gwilym. Please don't make this harder than it has to be." You grinned with a sorry shake of your head, moving to walk out with him.

"It doesn't have to be hard." Gwilym insisted, keeping his pace in time with yours.

"We have to go home!" You made yourself clear, stopping to look up at the guy with pleading eyes. He couldn't possibly want to keep this up, either.

"I can't do this anymore."  You implored. You'd met your wits' end. Your heart was no longer on the line. It was crushed.

You turned away from Gwil with tears in your eyes, in a hurry to make it back to the car. But it was too late. Ben came floating around the corner, his bright smile faltering when he noticed you, asking what the matter was. You shook your head out of fear if you opened your mouth, you'd only burst into sobs.

And as Ben moved away, he called out in concern to the guy who was meant to be following you.

"Gwilym, mate, why is your wife crying? Is everything-"

Gwilym's immediate and booming response stopped you in your tracks.

"We're not married!"

The battered up remains of your heart slammed to the ground as you froze in place. Oh shit.

"I lied. I'm at fault here, so don't go thinking less of her." Gwilym spoke to Ben, who went silent. As you stalled, stunned, Olive burst into tears, and a hand fell feather-light against your shoulder.

Lucy came into your view, and with one silent look, she escorted you further from the boys and out of the heavy stage doors.

Just as you turned to exit, you spotted a familiar face a few feet away. Joe was standing near the empty stage holding a canvas bag over his shoulder and looking at you with a slack jaw. You hadn't seen him since he fled your kitchen. And now, you knew he'd finally understood what you were trying to say to him that night. He'd clearly heard what just happened.

You were quick to snap your gaze away from his, and follow Lucy out of the place. Olive was crying in one ear, and you could hear Gwilym begin some sort of impassioned speech in the distance. The sun was bright, but not on your side, today.

Lucy slipped into your passenger seat as you buckled a fussy Olive into her car seat. She immediately settled when you handed her one of your old tshirts that was always a Godsend during times like these. Your daughter was subdued to tired whines as you shut the back door and hurried to the driver's side.

"What the fucking hell is going on, darling?" Lucy gave you a bewildered smile as you rested your head against the seat with a sigh. You pressed the heels of your hands to your eyes, pushing tears away. Lucy should be fumming. She should be in the middle of shouting horrid things at you. But she was reaching out to you. She was still a better friend than you, or most anybody deserved.

"Are you ready for a really long and stupid story?" You raised your brows toward Lucy who was literally on the edge of her seat.

You started with how you met Gwilym at one of your flatmate's wild parties. How you both got to know each other over summer bashes and started hooking up when you were both drunk enough. How you and Gwil gave each other a sober shot. You explained your decision to keep the baby you'd accidentally brought along, and how good Gwilym was to you. How you'd settled into a strange little family who slept in different places but spent every other minute together.

Lucy stopped you every now and again to ask questions and laugh out loud. Because the story was ridiculous. And you laughed too. Somehow Olive fell asleep to the tune of your storytelling, but Lucy was hanging on your every word.

"So you're not even really together then, are you?" Lucy realized, giving you a look.

"Never have been, no." You groaned. "He shouldn't have lied. But it's always been easier to leave all explanations aside. The lines were already blurred. We always sat too close together and held hands in crowded spaces. But we shouldn't have gone on lying." You began, turning further to face Lucy.

"I stooped to his level to save his ass. That's all that really happened. And I'm so sorry for it." You explained. Lucy offered you a sip of the iced coffee she'd brought along and placed in the cupholder between the two of you. You gratefully take a swig.

"So that's why everything exploded then. Because you're not meant to truly be together." Lucy spoke like she'd seen the light. But that wasn't exactly it. You and Gwil already knew there was no chance for the two of you. But you'd been friends and co-parents long enough to function as a pair.

"Gwil and I probably would have kept up lying without a hitch if... well, if it wasn't for Joe." You swallowed your nerves as you shot Lucy a timid smile.

"Oh my God." Lucy gave a hint of a nod as she gaped your way. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. The awkward air between you and Joe must have been noticeable. But to a girl who had become your friend, it was clear as day, now.

Slowly, and with a great deal of caution, you began to explain your scattered feelings. And describing your situation to someone who wasn't involved lifted a weight off your shoulders. It wasn't a heavy secret to carry anymore. But a broken puzzle full of pieces that weren't made to fit together.

"Well, shit." Lucy sighed, once you'd laid everything on the table. Your friend raised a brow and looked to you for one more answer.

"What now?" Just as she asked, you spotted Gwilym walking up to the car, sporting a long face.

"I go home." You glanced toward Lucy. She made a frustrated grumble as she opened the door and hopped onto the solid ground.

"Well keep me updated, please," Lucy asked. "And if you don't come to tell me goodbye tomorrow, I'll be pissed!" The blonde hissed, grabbing her iced coffee, and kissing the air in your direction.

"I love you." You giggled with relief.

Lucy left the passenger door open as Gwilym dragged his feet towards where she left. She stopped Gwil in his tracks with a hand in his shoulder. He seemed to brace himself, and you wondered what the others had said to Gwilym that left him in such a disposition.

Lucy simply brought each of her index fingers to Gwil's cheeks and turned the corners of his mouth up in a foe smile. She gave an approving nod before skipping back inside the studio where no one else had yet to come out.

Gwilym clamored into the passenger seat without a word. The smile Lucy gave him had slowly deflated and he looked to you with a thousand words on his lips that he couldn't yet form.

"Let's have that nice dinner, huh?" You offered softly, starting the engine to the car.

///

"How's things?" You greeted Gwilym in his trailer for the last time, asking one thousand questions in one. He was wearing that silly wig and eyes you might have mistaken for sleepy, if you hadn't known how vapid he'd been feeling the past twenty-four hours.

"Lucy is waiting for you outback. There's a bonfire." Gwilym flashed you a tired smile, taking Olive from your grasp. You realized he was staying put, and that you were only on set to fulfill your promise to Lucy. You nodded toward Gwil in thanks, and hurried out of the trailer, around the back lot to find the blonde girl dancing around a burning fire with a few of the stagehands. They each greeted you warmly, just like always.

And when she saw you, Lucy spun to throw herself in your arms.

"As the lovers collided so did the ocean waves." Lucy pretended to swoon hanging off of you. "Oh, did she heave-ho."

"My dearest darling, what will my heart beat for in your absence?" You smiled, holding Lucy up as she lost her balance in your arms. With a shared giggle, she was on her feet once more, looking you dead in the eye. The time for cheesy romance lines had long gone.

"I know I asked for a goodbye, but I've changed my mind. I want you to promise I'll see you again soon. Honestly." Lucy arched her brows and nodded your way. It wasn't a sweet sentiment. It was a genuine demand to keep your friendship afloat. You'd already RSVPed for her sister's gallery opening, anyhow.

"I promise." You agreed, clinging to her slim shoulders.

"Good. Because you have an event to attend in January." She pulled you into a tight hug, as the other's voices dissipated, leaving the fireside.

When you pulled away from your hug, everyone had slowly tricked away. But someone was approaching the abandoned party, stalling to stand alone. It was Joe.

Lucy noticed your perturbed gaze and gave you a final nod, before skipping away from the bonfire. How silly to let something burn with no one around to enjoy it, you thought, scanning the now-empty space. Joe was in his normal clothes, a tshirt, and jeans. He kept an unreadable gaze on you as he came to a standstill a couple of steps away.

"Where's Olive?" He asked like he was genuinely concerned by her absence.

"With Gwil." You sheepishly noted, daring to look Joe in the eye. You knew he knew everything. You even figured he might have known some things you didn't realize. This was your first exchange since he nearly kissed you. Since you nearly let him. The space between you now was just as cool as it wound up being that night.

"Well, I've got a train to catch." You decided because withering under Joe's frighteningly undecipherable gaze was about to make your chest cave in.

"I guess this is goodbye then, huh Mrs. Lee?" Joe's tone was mixed up, sad, and angry and confused all at once. Your heart plummeted at the sound of the name you asked him never to call you.

"I'm really fucking sorry for lying to you." You spoke up a little louder in an effort to keep your voice from cracking. "You don't deserve to ever be lied to. I wish we met differently, Joe. I'm so fucking sorry." You slowly backed away from the bonfire light and Joe took one step toward you, as if to ask you to wait up.

That's when Ben suddenly appeared, fuming. "Gwil deserved the family you lied about having, you know?"

You jumped a little, surprised by his appearance as he cursed at you. You hadn't heard or seen him coming. He was just there with balled up fists and a windblown wig. And Ben was right. Gwilym deserved the perfect life. The same one you'd always envisioned for yourself. He was a trophy father. And a damn good friend. You weren't.

"Whoa, Ben-" Joe spoke up, stepping a little closer to you, with actual fire reflecting in his glossy gaze. Your hurt feelings were ever so slightly numbed by his protective stance. But Ben was right.

"I know, Ben." You nodded. "I'm so sorry. Don't let my stupid actions affect your relationship with Gwil. He loves you, for real."

Your throat grew tight as you spun in a hurry to leave. The gravel crunched under your feet while you stormed back around the trailers to find Gwilym.

But you'd seen Rami first. He was still dressed as Freddie, and chattering to his assistant in a thick accent, past a fake mustache. You knew that somewhere past all the method acting, that Rami knew about everything that happened in the past 24 hours. Because Lucy knew. She knew everything.

You cast your eyes toward your feet, praying you wouldn't catch Ramis glare if he chose to look at you. Even though you knew he'd never broken his character from Freddie on set, you could feel Rami notice you.

"You're leaving?" The dark-headed man stopped you in your tracks, gently grabbing your shoulders and dropping his accent. The shift in character chilled you to the bone.

"Yeah, I gotta go home." You whisper looking into Rami's starry eyes. You could see he wanted to talk, but you could only pull him into a very tight, very brief hug. And it was then that you realized you were leaving this place. And these people. You tried to hide the tears building up in your eyes as you gave Rami a very weak goodbye and scampered off to the trailer you left Gwilym in.

He was changed back into glasses and a ball cap, packing Olives toys back in her bag. You didn't even realize that you'd let a couple of tears fall until Gwilym glanced up and gave you a look you recognized from days gone by...

"I'm so sorry Y/N." He opened his arms toward you. How was he to know that his castmates were going to become his very best friends? How was he to know you'd fall in love with them all as well? He was only thinking of himself. He was selfish. He hated to see you cry.

"Me too." You rang. Gwil had only panicked. He wasn't perfect. And you did love him. You tried your best to make that work. But it wasn't enough. You'd let him down and he uttered the truth from rock bottom, last minute. All you could do now was fall against Gwil's chest and reign your sniffles in. His heart broke as his hands carded through your hair. He didn't want you to leave like this.

But you did. You had too. Neither of you said very much as Gwilym helped you load up your luggage. Fuller, with gemstone decorated handbag Lucy gifted you the first night you met, and Olives new oversized plush penguin from the aquarium.

Gwilym held your hand on the rainy ride toward the train station. He hugged his daughter goodbye and promised you both he'd be home for Christmas. You clung to Gwilym before your train rolled in. You would miss his comfort in the months to come. Even when he was the one who caused you such trouble, he was the first to try and make it better. And his attempts were usually successful.

You watched him watch you leave, feeling all too much like something bigger than what the two of you shared had broken and shattered with your parting.

Olive usually cried on long rides away from Gwilym. Now, she slept soundly at your side while the roles reversed, tears staining your cheeks before the train was too far from the city.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

taglist: @sonic-volcano @imtheinvisiblequeen @redspecialty @itscale @stardust-killer-queen @joemazzelo @dancetohotspace @kiwi-hardy @joeneslee @borhapqueen92@im-an-adult-ish @johndeaconshands @seven-seas-of-ham-on-rhye@beepbeephardy @slutforbritdick @joemazzmatazz @almightygwil  @sadhwstudent @freakibanana @lelifesaver​ @drummah-in-a-rocknroll-band​

[rainandhotchocolate]

Secrets

A/N YOOO DAY 1 OF ADVENT This is based on a request for a Hermione x reader, where the reader is Ron’s twin sister and doesn’t know that Ron has a crush on her. It’s mostly real fluffy, and I’m going to write a second chapter I think if people enjoy the character! :) 

- Tagged users, i tagged Lily x reader in case anyone was keen on this too! Feel free to lmk to take you off it :)

Enjoy! (Hermione x Ron’s Twin Sister!reader, fluff)

Y/N grabbed hold of Hermione’s hand and dragged her down the stairs, careful not to let the invisibility cloak slip as the moved swiftly through the castle.

Y/N knew that Harry would kill her if he ever found it missing, but Ginny had promised to keep him occupied for the evening so that she could sneak it out of his dorm. Y/N hated to think what her younger sister was doing to keep him ‘occupied’, but pushed it from her mind as she focused on avoiding the trick step as the two girls continued down further towards the Great Hall.

“Where are you taking me?” Hermione hissed, her trademark nerves coming through on each word.

“Just lean into the surprise for once.”

“I’d rather not get caught out of bounds right as Dumbledore has returned to the castle.”

“Oh come on, you know that he’d hardly give a tough punishment to anyone friends with Harry,” Y/N teased her. She wanted to give her a kiss on her forehead, watch Hermione’s face relax at Y/N’s touch, but there was the very real chance that the invisibility cloak would slip at the slightest change in positioning, given that Y/N had grown about 3 inches and was pulling it way above their ankles if she didn’t remain in a crouched position. Hermione grumbled but didn’t respond, and Y/N knew it was because she knew Dumbledore wouldn’t ever really get them in trouble.

Eventually they reached the Great Hall, pausing momentarily to check that Ms. Norris wasn’t prowling anywhere nearby, ready to sound the alarm to Filch.

“All clear,” Y/N knocked her elbow lightly into Hermione’s ribs, and pulled her again before Hermione could make any sound of protest. Y/N pushed open the front doors slowly, slipping into the grounds. It was warm, or at least warm for May in Scotland. The iciness in the air had disappeared and there were flowers blooming throughout the grounds and in the potted plants by the green houses. Y/N continued to lead Hermione through the main courtyard and onto the soft grass, pulling off the invisibility cloak once she was sure they were out of the Castle’s main view.

“I’m not sure if this is my ideal date night,” but Hermione was smiling as she spoke, making Y/N grin down at her in response.

“That’s the point, Miss Granger, something you wouldn’t expect,” Y/N slowed her steps so that she could hold Hermione’s hand properly, “promise it’s just a little bit further.”

Hermione nodded, looking down the sloping hills and towards Hagrid’s hut.

“Ok close your eyes for a sec,” Y/N beamed at Hermione, stepping in front of her to block her view.

“Really, Y/N?”

“Come on, let me have this one night,” Y/N pleaded, pouting.

“Ok, ok,” Hermione laughed at the whine of Y/N’s voice and covered her eyes with both hands. Y/N watched her for a second before spinning on her heel and moving quickly down the rest of the hill. From her pocket she pulled out her wand and small package, placing this on the ground and standing above it. Taking a deep breath she flicked her wand over it. This better work, Fred, she thought, her nerves spiking as she thought of having made Hermione lose her 8 hours sleep for a fake spell.

After a split second where Y/N’s heart sat in her throat, the package moved. It hovered slightly, jumping up and then open, the packaging becoming bigger and bigger as it spun in the air. The spinning slowed as the packaging unwrapped itself, now as large as a picnic blanket, and placing itself daintily on the grass at Y/N’s feet.

“Fuck, yes!” Y/N exclaimed, realising after a moment that she would have startled Hermione.

“What’s going on?” She heard Hermione call, and spun around to see her moving down the hill towards Y/N, “Did you just yell?”

“Yes sorry! I, uh, well surprise!” Y/N threw her hands out awkwardly, stepping aside so that Hermione could actually see what Y/N had set up for her.

“What is all this?” Hermione stepped forward, gaping a little at the spread. On the banks of the black lake, a blanket lay across the grass, a small basket sitting in the middle. Hermione moved closer, peering inside, a smile playing across her face as she saw two butterbeers, strawberries, and a case of raspberry jam tarts, Hermione’s favourite.

“Well I know that we aren’t like, official official since we haven’t exactly told anyone,” Y/N laughed, and hoped it came across as easy going and not slightly nervous, “Anyway, I figured that wasn’t any reason to not celebrate our 6 months.”

“6 months!” Hermione yelped, wheeling around to face Y/N, “Oh my god I am so sorry I completely forgot, with everything going on I –“

“It’s fine, honestly,” Y/N grinned at Hermione’s now very flustered expression, “I didn’t expect you to remember, that’s why it was a surprise.”

“I really am sorry, I would have-“ but she fell silent when Y/N leaned in and kissed her softly. Hermione’s lips were soft and sometimes had the faint taste of ink to them.

“You’ve got to stop sucking the end of your quill,” Y/N snorted, pulling away and kissing her forehead. Hermione flushed, turning back towards the picnic blanket.

“I still can’t believe you set this all up for me,” She sat down on the blanket and stared out at the black lake. Y/N had a suspicion that she wanted to get a proper glimpse of the giant squid before they graduated the next year. Potentially to ask if it’s living situation was adequate or if Dumbledore needed to do some upkeep.

“Well I have to admit, Fred helped me with a bit of it – but I promise I didn’t tell him about us, I just said it was for something,” Y/N explained as Hermione opened her mouth to protest.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to hide this from your family, wouldn’t you want to tell your mum at least?” Hermione pulled out the tub of jam biscuits and opened it daintily, peeling off the stickers on each edge carefully so that she could fold them into little squares.

Y/N shrugged, avoiding her gaze. They had both agreed to avoid telling anyone for the first little while. This was mainly because neither of them really knew they were anything but straight until they had all travelled home to see Y/N’s dad when he was attacked at the Ministry. Whilst Ron and Ginny were determined to cheer Harry up, Hermione had stayed with Y/N all night and they’d woken up looped together in Y/N’s bed in the early hours of the morning having fallen asleep.

That was their first kiss. And it still made Y/N’s heart flutter even though she remembered the concurrent stomach ache she got when she felt Hermione’s soft lips press against her own, Hermione’s curls falling between them and her hand in the curve of her back, and realised that she was definitely not straight. And perhaps during a severe death eater attack on her own father wasn’t the best time to bring it up to the family.

And it wasn’t like Y/N hadn’t heard the sneers from other students, wizards were in such small pools that it was basically to heresy to not continue the family line. Y/N’s mum had been pressing her about her future grandkids since she was old enough to know what a uterus was.

It just… never seemed to the be right time to tell anyone.

“It’s better this way, and anyway at least no one can use us against each other,” Y/N winked at Hermione who rolled her eyes whilst biting into another tart, “But this is our anniversary, so less downer talk and more romance thanks.”

They remained by the lake for what felt like an hour before Hermione looked up and saw the moon in full shining down upon them, the stars twinkling brightly in the clear sky. Y/N knew what it meant when she looked up at the sky, it was her little tell that she had begun thinking about other things, about tomorrow. It was her meditation but organisational.

“Ok, come on we can go now,” Y/N had sidled over to her, leaning her arms back and against Hermione’s thigh. Hermione jumped, turning back to Y/N.

“What, oh, sorry, I faded out again didn’t I.”

“Yeah,” Y/N laughed, “but also I know if we spend too much time out late you’re going to start thinking about how many hours sleep you’re going to be able to get and then stress about being tired during class.”

“You know me too well, Y/N,” Hermione smiled toothily, reaching out a hand to touch Y/N’s forearm. She felt a jolt where Hermione’s fingers sat, trailing up and down her arm.

“Thank you, Y/N.”

“Anytime, lovely,” Y/N tried to keep her confident façade but felt her ears starting to burn red at Hermione’s earnest gaze.

“No, honestly, just, I know that we were both not exactly experience with the whole, kissing a girl thing, but I know I’ve been unsure and confused and just. Thank you.”

Y/N could feel the blush creeping up into her cheeks and chest now and cursed her ginger genes internally. Hermione leaned in slowly, taking her face in both hands and kissed her again, deeper this time, opening her mouth and slipping her tongue against Y/N’s softly.

Y/N couldn’t help but moan lightly as it flicked across her tongue again and she could feel Hermione’s body moving closer to hers, making Y/N lean backwards and onto the blanket behind her so that Hermione’s body was lying on top, her bushy hair falling over her face and onto Y/N’s. Hermione pulled her closer, Y/N wrapping her hands around Hermione’s waist to make it easier for them to be as close as possible. Feeling Hermione’s breasts pressed on top of her own made her stomach flip over, sparks flying throughout her body. It was terrifying. And possibly the most excited Y/N had ever felt.

They pulled apart, both breathing heavily and grinning stupidly at each other.

“You sure you want to go?” Y/N whispered, tucking a piece of hair behind Hermione’s ear, which fell immediately back out and across her face.

“Unfortunately, yes, I will start stressing about my sleep schedule very soon,” Hermione laughed at Y/N’s pout, “But I can tell you I wish that I could stay longer.”

“That’s all I need to hear.”

Hermione sat up, holding out a hand to pull Y/N up from the blanket, brushing some of the bits of dirt and grass out of her hair. Y/N turned back towards the blanket and pulled out her wand. With a flick it packed itself back up, letting off a small popping noise that made Y/N’s heart jump, praying that Fred hadn’t done anything particularly annoying to her basket.

However, much to Y/N’s surprise, the popping noise was quickly followed by small lights that flew from the basket and hovered just above it, twinkling like stars in the night.

“Your brothers’ may be a bit insane, but that is some beautiful magic,” Hermione looked impressed, watching them move slowly into different formations and lighting the area around the basket, like a soft torch.

“They always mean well,” Y/N made a mental note to thank Fred in some way and picked up the basket, letting it light the way back to the castle. Thankfully, they easily avoided Mrs Norris who had been prowling along the entrance to the castle but was momentarily distracted by a flock of pigeons who were pecking for scraps along the courtyard walls. Even Peeves stayed out of their way, but Y/N could hear him in a nearby classroom banging around the walls and cackling something that sounded suspiciously like dungbombs.

Hermione’s hand stayed gripping onto Y/N’s own the entire way back to the common room, and even though it meant a slight loss of circulation when Hermione heard what could potentially be a teacher, Y/N felt a little giddy at the idea that someone like Hermione wanted to touch her that badly. Once they made it back into the common room Y/N slipped off the invisibility cloak and tucked it into her back pocket, letting it hang out slightly.

“Ok well, goodnight,” Y/N sung Hermione’s hand softly, looking up into her brown eyes.

“Good night, Y/N,” Hermione’s expression was neutral but it felt like her eyes were staring into Y/N’s soul, watching every movement she made. After a moment, Hermione leaned in, kissing Y/N softly on the lips and then the cheek.

“I know it’s weird that we have to like go from date to roommates, do you want me to like wait here or…?” Y/N hated this part, feeling unsure. It was one thing to see her every day, hanging out with Harry and Ron, hands touching underneath the Gryffindor table, but a whole other problem when they got back to the dorm rooms and Y/N was torn between wanting to relax and nonstop thinking about Hermione changing two feet from her bed.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but her face contorted into fear as there was a soft thump behind us. Y/N’s whole body went rigid, arms tensing by their sides as she dropped Hermione’s hand and spun around to see what had fallen.

“Lumos!” Hermione hissed beside Y/N, lighting up the common room and landing on a large stack of books that had fallen off one of the side tables near the far right windows. She lowered the wand so that it fell underneath the table, revealing two figures hunched behind it.

“Shit,” Y/N swore loudly, feeling her heart thump forcefully in her chest as she recognised the messy black and bright red mop of hair on each of the two boys. They stepped out, looking a little sheepish, moving into the light.

“What the fuck,” Ron swore loudly, staring at the two of them, his twin sister and best friend standing side by side. Having just kissed. Shit.

Taglist:  @maraudersandco  @northscorpio @seesaw-it   @lustfulcry @depressedcoffeebean @supercuteasalily @palaisdecouture @blackpinkdolan @fashionlive15 @creepysweet @sour-patch-kid

[bangtan-gal]

How to Break a Heart Step 1

Jung Jaehyun Sicheng | Kun | Jungwoo | YangYang | Doyoung | Ten

Summary: The biggest lie the universe has ever told is that everyone finds love at some point in their lives. Warnings: swearing, angst, fluff, implied smut, underage drinking and drug use Word Count: 3.1k  A/n: i will be doing a tag list for this series, so if you would like to be tagged, please dm, comment, or send in an ask!

Jung Jaehyun

Junior Year—2012

He was definitely an idiot, but for what it was worth, he was pretty dang cute.

“Have you ever noticed the way his eyes sparkle when he smiles?” You sighed, cupping your cheek in your hand. Your friend huffed beside you, not even looking up as she continued to work on the lab report. 

“Have You Ever noticed how you act as if you’d sell your soul to him?” She retorted, waving her hand in front of your face. You snorted, pushing her hand away and continuing to ogle at him. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he laughed at something his friend said. His hand was moving animatedly, coming dangerously close to spilling the beaker of chemicals everywhere. 

It would stain and ruin his clothes if it spilled.

“Believe me, if he was a succubus of some sort, I wouldn’t even hesitate to give him my soul,” you muttered. 

A string of cuss words fell from his friend’s lips as the beaker fell from the table and shattered on the floor. 

Green goop spread out along the floor and you were knocked from your trance.

“You shouldn’t date a guy for his looks, Y/N,” Lia reprimanded, still scribbling madly away at her lab report. “Especially not a guy like Jaehyun, whose thoughts are always on basketball and what kind of trouble he can get into next weekend.”

You sighed, glancing down at the worksheet in front of you and assessing the questions. You wished she wasn’t, but LIa was right. Jaehyun was only the glorious prince in the scenarios you created, not in the world that spun around you. In this world, Jaehyun only knew you as the student who sat behind him in chemistry and occasionally offered him help on his homework. Jaehyun was just a basketball player with a pretty smile.

Class ended as the teacher dismissed everyone so the mess could be cleaned up. You and Lia hurried down the hallway and exited the building silently. It was cold and the ground was covered in clumps of white. The wind was harsh against your face and you pulled your jacket up, looking over at Lia. She brushed her hair out of her face and then pursed her lips.

“What about Mark? Hasn’t he asked you out?” She asked. 

You stuffed your hands in your pockets and shrugged, following her through the parking lot.

“He’s my brother’s best friend, that doesn’t even feel right,” you huffed, blowing a piece of hair out of your face. “Plus… it’s Mark.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

You slid into her car, brushing the snow off your shoulders and hair. Lia started the car and then turned to you, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. 

“It’s Mark. The boy I used to play hide n’ seek with, the boy who put snakes and spiders in my backpack in middle school; Mark, who sometimes would hug me through my tears and paid more attention to me than my own brother ever did,” you explained. Mark was a good guy, but not in the way you wanted. He was a good guy in the way where he was like an older brother who threatened to beat up anyone who broke your heart. 

“Well, at least he has a heart, unlike Jung Jaehyun.”

You were trying not to fall asleep as you waited for class to start. You had been unable to sleep the night before, your mind repeatedly mulling over what Lia had said to you. Should you have given Mark a chance? But it just felt wrong. He was your brother’s best friend, that was almost worse than dating your brother. 

“Aye, Jaehyun!” You forced yourself not to perk up at the sound of his name or his cheerful reply. He was cute, but he was stupid and the epitome of trouble. Lia sat down beside you, smacking the back of your head teasingly.

“Damn, wake up,” she chortled. 

The bell rang and your Chemistry teacher stood up.

“Today, we’re going to be switching up some seat partners… due to an event yesterday,” he announced. Jaehyun and Johnny both chuckled. You sighed, sitting up in your seat and watching as the teacher’s gaze ran over the class. His eyes landed on you.

“Y/N.”

Shit.

“Could you switch seats with Johnny, please? Maybe you’ll keep Jaehyun in shape,” he huffed, sending an annoyed glance the boy’s way. Your throat closed up as you stood up, grabbing your backpack and bumping shoulders with Johnny as you passed him. You fumbled to sit down and then cast a stare over your shoulder at Lia. Her eyes darted between you and Johnny and then she shrugged. 

The whole time you found yourself aware of how close the boy was to you. His knees brushed against yours and if you shifted slightly, your shoulders would be touching. You couldn’t focus on the teacher’s lecture as he spun his pencil and would occasionally lose his hold on it and it would skitter across the table. You pinched your eyes shut, trying to remove his smile from your memory.

“Hey.” Goosebumps erupted along your skin as he leaned closer. “Were you paying attention at all?”

You opened your eyes and side-eyed him.

“No…”

He leaned back in his seat, a curious stare running over you. Then he turned around, brightly smiling at the boy behind him.

“What are we supposed to be doing?” He asked.

The boy didn’t look impressed.

“Weren’t you listening?”

“Damn, tough crowd,” Jaehyun muttered to you and despite the situation, you found yourself smiling. 

“You have a pretty smile.”

The compliment took by such a surprise that your smile disappeared. You looked up, meeting his bright stare. His dimples were on full display. Your heart thumped in your ears and you were certain your face was red.

Jaehyun tilted his head.

“Can I see it again?”

You should’ve been working, but when the boy overdramatically pouted, you smiled again as a small laugh escaped you. Jaehyun smiled back, his eyes flicking over your face. As the two of you continued to stare at each other, you couldn’t help but feel conscious. This was weird.

“It’s Y/N, right?” He asked.

You cleared your throat.

“Yeah, that’s me,”

He grinned. “I remember you—Freshman year in PE class, you told the teacher that he should be the one running instead of us.”

If your face wasn’t red before, it definitely was now.

A dry laugh escaped you and you nodded warily.

“Yup… once again, that’s me,” you squeaked. He threw back his head and laughed. 

“Damn, I remember really wanting to talk to you—that was so cool. I didn’t have the guts to though, you seemed kind of scary,” he murmured, shaking his head. His gaze dropped to the desk and he started to trace the worksheet. You ran a hand through your hair, teeth working on your bottom. He was scared to talk to you? Another smile bloomed on your face, but this time it was different, it was wide and goofy and all you could think about was how the two of you were basically in the same boat. 

“Well, I’m not all that scary,” you teased softly, unable to look at him as you started to work on the sheet. “I might bite a little bit though.”

It was a weird and tentative start, but it was a start nonetheless. The two of you started to talk more often and continued to work together in chemistry. It grew from there, becoming more than just homework. You talked before and after class, would go the extra length to see each other during lunch or study hall. Eventually, you got his number and the two of you started to hang out outside of school. 

You learned quickly that Jaehyun wasn’t the perfect prince you saw in your mind, but he wasn’t some heartless monster like how Lia tried to depict him. He was… well, he was human. He sometimes forgot about your plans, but always made up for it with paragraphs of apologies and horribly made cookies. 

wA day into your friendship with Jaehyun, you learned not to eat anything he made himself.

“I don’t think you understand how this works,” you grumbled, frowning at him. He frowned back.

“It’s four significant figures—”

“No, it’s three,” you argued.

“How?” 

“When you multiply, it’s the smallest amount,” you explained, pointing to the numbers on the problem, “so therefore, it’s rounded to three.”

Jaehyun groaned, collapsing against the table. “I fucking hate Chemistry.”

You shook your head with a laugh and laid your head beside his. “The year is almost done and then you won’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“Watch me fail the final,” he whined, turning to look at you. His face was extremely close and this close you could see just how long his lashes were. They curled up against his brow bone. You smiled, not realizing how obvious your visual trace of his face was. He had defined cheekbones, with a soft spray of freckles dotting along them and over the bridge of his nose. His lips were light pink, but were darker near the middle. 

Jaehyun smiled back at you.

“Hey,” you whispered.

“Hey.”

His lips were warm. They were soft. Your eyes fluttered shut as his fingers ran up your arm, your neck, and over your jaw. His thumb massaged the area underneath your ear as his fingers played with your hair. You felt dazed as you pulled back, eyes still closed and soft breaths escaping you. Finally, you opened your eyes, a tilted smile on your face. Jaehyun chuckled, pulling back a bit more, pink spreading along his face.

“God, I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” he muttered. You looked down, still smiling, Jaehyun’s hand dropped from your head to your hand, his fingers curling over yours. 

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Jaehyun twirled you around. It was a warm day, the sun bearing down on both of you. You were certain you’d never seen him smile any wider.

Summer had started a month ago, but your summer truly started today. Jaehyun had been gone on vacation in Northern Europe. Seeing him again was like a breath of fresh air. You’d missed his smile, his hugs, his laugh… you just missed him.

“I missed you so much,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “You don’t even know.”

You laughed. “I don’t even know? I missed you more than you could ever imagine!” 

He smirked and kissed you again.

“Maybe,” he chirped. His eyes ran along your face. Silence grew between you. You smiled nervously, tucking a piece of your hair behind your ear.

“What are you doing?” “Commiting you to memory,” he sighed. You snorted, elbowing him in the ribs.

“That’s creepy.”

He laughed.

“Fine, I was just thinking about how you’ve become prettier in the past month,” he explained, “or I have a sucky memory.”

You didn’t let your smile falter, even though your heart seemed to fall. Something wasn’t right. It was like there was something pulling in your gut. Jaehyun was acting the same, but there was a dark flicker in his eyes. A flicker that you didn’t like.

“Hey, you okay?” He asked.

You nodded, forcing your smile to widen.

“Yeah.”

He wrapped an arm around your shoulders. His smile was wide and dimples on full display. The kiss he pressed to your temple was soft and sweet. You leaned into him and brushed away the earlier look. Jaehyun was just tired. He’d been on a plane for 12 hours and came to see you right away.

“Oh yeah, I got you something,” Jaehyun said, “close your eyes.”

You obliged, letting your eyes flutter shut. There was a soft rustling and then Jaehyun stepped behind you. Something cold and delicate was placed around your neck. You opened your eyes slowly, glancing down at the necklace. It was rose-gold and glimmered in the sunlight. A rose-quartz hung at the end, a daisy dry-pressed in the center. It was stunning.

“I remember you talking about a rose-quartz ring you used to have and how much you loved it. And you love daisies because of Narcissus, that Greek myth dude,” he whispered. Your heart raced, tracing the gem carefully. Then you turned around, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips and pulled back with a grin. 

“Thank you, I absolutely love it!” You mumbled against his lips. Your arms wrapped around his neck and you stood there in your front yard, the two of you swaying back and forth. The light breeze tugged at your hair, twirling it around your head. Jaehyun’s eyes sparkled under the sunlight. 

He looked ethereal. 

Hell, he was ethereal. 

Your mind wandered back to before you started dating, when Lia used to tell you that he was toxic: that he was just a boy who ruined others lives. Yet, the only thing you’d seen from him was the exact opposite. He was sweet and caring and could be a total goofball at times. He’d always put you above him and would go to great lengths to make sure you were happy. You had never been happier before your time with Jaehyun; you always felt like you were on cloud nine with him. 

“How was Europe?” You queried. The two of you were still awkwardly slow dancing in your front yard.

He smiled and let his forehead rest against yours.

“It was really fun. You don’t realize just how pretty it actually is until you’re there,” he commented. His arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to him. 

“What was your favorite part?” Jaehyun thought for a second before opening his mouth.

“Is that Jung Jaehyun?”

Jaehyun turned around and then pulled away from you, smile widening as he waved at a group of his friends. You deflated slightly, watching as Yuta’s car pulled up against the curb. The three boys stepped out, all of them clapping him on the back and loudly greeting him. Johnny winked at you and ruffled your hair, treating you as if you were Jaehyun’s younger sister instead of his girlfriend.

“Hey Y/N,” Taeil chirped. 

“Hi,” you grumbled, your gaze flicking back to Jaehyun, wondering if he would shoo them away so you could spend more alone time together.

“I’m throwing a party tonight, the two of you should come,” Yuta jumped in, wide smile on full display. His hair had been dyed red at the end of the school year, but now it was mostly faded to a weird mix of deep brown and faded red. “Nine at my place.”

You opened your mouth, ready to decline, but Jaehyun beat you to it.

“We’ll see you there,” he hummed, fist bumping Yuta. The boy smirked and then glanced over at you before sending a sly look Jaehyun’s way.

“Unless you’re gonna be too busy,” he giggled. 

And sometimes you forgot why Yuta was the most annoying one of Jaehyun’s friends.

The trio drove off, leaving the two of you to awkwardly stand and watch them leave. As the car disappeared around the corner, you turned to your boyfriend, arms crossed over your chest. You raised an eyebrow. 

“Aren’t even gonna ask if I actually want to go?”

“Babe I just th—”

“You just thought that I’d want to spend my first day with my boyfriend at a loud ass party?” You snapped, taking a step back. Jaehyun grabbed your hand, dragging you towards him.

“Look, Y/N, I know you don’t like parties, but I haven’t seen my pals just as long as I haven’t seen you,” he huffed, “and I want to see them, but I also want to spend time with you. Just this once? I promise if you hate it, we can come back here and watch Finding Nemo.”

You sighed, staring at him through your lashes.

“Fine, but if we go home, you can’t complain about the movie,” you muttered. He grinned at you.

“Not even a little?”

You gave him a deadpanning stare.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

The second you stepped into the party, you hated it, but for Jaehyun’s sake, you didn’t give up on it right away. The reek of alcohol and the underlying smell of smoke underneath was sickening. Teenagers roamed around the house, each smelling like walking gyms. Johnny saw the two of you immediately and hurried over, wrapping his arms around both your shoulders. He smiled at the two of you. 

“Let’s get the both of you drink, shall we?” 

The last thing you wanted was a drink, but you followed them to the kitchen either way. Jaehyun immediately moved throughout the cabinets, making himself his own drink as Johnny turned to you. 

“Beer or vodka?” You crossed yours arms, eyes wandering boredly around the place.

“Just water.”

Johnny raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? How boring can you get?” “How much of a douche can you be?” You retorted. He snorted, reeling away from you as if you had physically hit him. No more comments were made as Jaehyun finally had a drink in his hand and made his way over to you. You told yourself you’d make it an hour before you went home.

Just an hour.

“Jae!” Lucas shouted, appearing between you two, “You gotta come reclaim your spot as King bro.”

Jaehyun laughed, teasingly pulling away from the boy. 

“No no, I’m content to just watch you idiots do it,” he chuckled. Yuta suddenly popped into the room, wrapping an arm around Jaehyun’s neck. He ruffled his hair and then grinned at you.

“You’re the idiot, considering how many times you won.”

That was the only coaxing Jaehyun needed to let himself be dragged through the dining room and the living room where the beer pong table was set up. You followed wearily, sending glares at anyone who brushed against you. Jaehyun handed you his phone and took off his jacket, moving to one end of the table. You sat down on the couch, clutching his coat tightly in your hands as you watched. 

You hated this so much.

You could already see how this would end. 

Jaehyun would be drunk off his ass by the end of the night and you wouldn’t see him for the next couple of days as he nursed away his hangover.

You watched the first several tosses, before your annoyance over took any pride you had in your boyfriend. You opened his phone to check the time and were greeted by a couple text messages. Some were from friends, one from his mom, and two from someone named ‘Sylvia.’ You weren’t one to snoop, but as his phone suddenly lit up from another next message from Sylvia, your curiosity got the best of you. You unlocked his phone.

Hey, I’ve missed you

Had lots of fun with you, never been with someone that fiery

Your stomach lurched and you didn’t even care to read the last message.

You stood up, tossing his coat and phone on the ground. Tears were brimming at the corners of your eyes and the sudden urge to puke was almost unbearable. Your hand covered your mouth as you glanced up, meeting Jaehyun’s stare. You saw it his eyes—that same dark flicker before they widened in horror, realizing exactly what had just happened. Tears were already sliding down your face as you desperately shook your head in disbelief. Then you left, sprinting from the house as if demons were hot on your tail.

Running away from the nightmare that had just occurred.

You stumbled out in the dark street, eyes darting around. None of the drunk or high teens spared you a glance as you started to hurry down the sidewalk. Your skin was flushed and your heart was racing as you tried to pretend that you were fine.  That what just happened was all a dream.

That Jaehyun was just a dream.

Everything you gave him was only a daydream and now you were awake.

And Jaehyun doesn’t exist.

♡🎔🎔🎔🎔🎔🎔

[kunstellation-one]

I believe it was Ten too. After all, the boy’s known for “John’s banana” and “I like sweet and sticky things in my mouth” hahahaha and yeah, I saw Winwin eating ice cream and messing with Xiaojun. They’re both soooo cute and can you write a winwin drabble? Ya know coming home really late from uni or work and fucking the stress away? - crybaby

• sorry for such a late response but it’s been an oddly busy week lately? like a bunch of work popped up and now i have the time to finally respond to all my stuff~

• Ten is nasty. i will revisit this topic when i get around to planning the fic in my masterlist…. oh boy

• and hell yeah it’s winter and it’s cuffing season and i’ve been in the mood to write something like this! and the Love Talk gif i attached is NOT helping oml

[12:27am]

Lately, it seems like you and Sicheng never come home to your shared apartment at the same time– or at the right time. He slips into the bedroom at half past 3 am when you’re deep, deep asleep, or you walk into the living room at noon to find him napping at his desk with his textbooks as his pillows.  

It’s midterm season for the both of you, and you know things have been picking up for him at the studio, but you miss the nights you’d spend watching movies together on the couch, your head in his lap as he plays with your hair, or the lazy weekend afternoons where he’d play nothing and everything on the keyboard and you’d listen to the melodies until you fell asleep.

Of course, you also miss touching him. But when he’s stressed like this, he likes physical affection even less than usual. So you keep your hands to yourself, and you wait patiently for things to calm down.

You’re in the middle of something not that important one late night when Sicheng comes home and lifts you out of your chair and into his arms. It’s been so long since he’s held you like this, that you just freeze as he whispers, “I missed you.”

Finally recovering from the shock of being enveloped in his warmth, you wrap your arms around his neck and giggle happily. “What do you mean? I’ve been here all this time, babe.”

Sicheng chuckles, and you think he’s going to put you down, but he lifts your legs to wrap around his waist as he walks over to sit on the couch and places you square in his lap. “This is the first time we’ve both been free in months, sweetheart. What do you say to some quality us time?”

You snuggle into his arms as he turns on the TV and browses through Netflix for something to watch. “You know I’m always down for some of that.”

He kisses your forehead, and you feel his smile against your skin. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

At some point during The Lion King remake, you start dozing off, head dropping to his shoulder as your eyes flutter shut. 

He lifts your chin gently to kiss your nose. “Do you wanna go to bed?”

“No,” you mumble, reaching up to cup your hand at the base of his neck and tug him up to your level so his lips slot tenderly against yours. “I don’t wanna wake up without you again.”

“You won’t.” The kiss deepens, until his hands are sliding down your back to unclip your bra, and he’s sighing into you. Cold air tickles your belly as your sweater rides up and he reaches up to capture each of your breasts in his hand, pinching and massaging until you’re groaning into his mouth. 

He’s not usually rough, not usually so insistent, always asks you where you want his hands or his mouth before he does anything– so this feels special, his hands wandering where they will, burning your skin deliciously wherever they go.

“I’ve missed hearing these noises,” he murmurs, licking down your throat as you writhe in his arms and whimper his name. “I wanted to take you to the studio and fuck you against the mirror. And I wanted to pick you up after your stats class and have you ride me in the back of my car.”

His fingers find their way into your panties and push them aside easily, and he fills you with a single, long finger, just testing your pussy. “You’re soaked, sweetheart, with just a little bit of play? Didn’t you touch yourself all these months we’ve been busy?”

“N-no,” you admit, gripping his shoulders tight as he slides that one finger in an out of you. It’s not enough to have you clenching around him, but then he adds another, pushing in and curling inside you, and you exhale sharply. “It’s not the same as h-having you inside me, baby.”

“Oh?” Sicheng’s voice reverberates against your collarbone as he bites down on your shoulder. He likes to mark you like this, remind you and the world that you belong to him and no one else. Gently, he kisses the already-bruising bloom of deep red, and you gasp at the sensation of his warm lips against your cold skin. 

“That’s it, baby,” he coos, plunging his fingers in and out of you and massaging your clit at the same time, His mouth slips down to nibble at the swell of your breast, and he presses his ear to your chest, listening to your heartbeat speed for him. He loves hearing how your body can’t help but fall apart under his touch.

He kisses you again when he feels your walls begin to tighten around him, then withdraws his hand from your wetness. You whine. “Why’d you stop?”

“Because I want to fuck you and feel you cum on my cock, instead of on my fingers, sweetheart.” He leans back and pulls himself out of his boxers, grinding his hardness against your swollen lips. Both of you groan at the sensation. And then he yanks your panties off, lifting your hips up, and fills you up.

Panting, you brace yourself on his shoulders, his gaze dark and heavy and locked onto yours. He thrusts up just a little into you, and you gasp at how tight the feel of him inside you is. It’s been so long without him stretching you that it almost hurts. “Sicheng, w-wait…”

He grits his teeth, but he listens. Instead, his hands frame your body, squeezing your ass, thumbs brushing your sensitive breasts, and finally between your thighs to ghost across your clit. Each touch elicits a tiny moan from you until you’re shivering atop him.

“Are you ready now?” he asks, pressing a brief, searing kiss to your lips. His hands settle on your hips, impaling you even deeper onto his cock, and you nod.

He rolls his hips up into you, and you feel tears prick the corners of your eyes at how full you feel, both emotionally and physically, how much you’d missed all of him.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” Sicheng sighs, kissing away each teardrop until he’s down on your throat and nipping at your pulse. “I missed how good you feel wrapped around my dick. You’re like heaven, baby.”

He punctuates his words with a particularly rough thrust, and you melt in his arms as he fucks you. His teeth sink into your unmarked shoulder, and he sucks another set of hickies into your skin. One of his hands remains on the curve of your ass to guide you down on his cock as his other rubs your clit till you’re shuddering and crying out his name, walls quaking and pulsing around his cock as you cum.

After a few more thrusts, he pulls out with a hiss, the head of his cock throbbing with his impending release. “Baby–”

You don’t need him to ask twice. You slide off the couch and onto your knees and wrap your lips around him, sucking gently on the swollen head of his erection, fisting the rest of him. You can taste your own, almost-sweet wetness on him, and you moan. The vibrations make of that make him shiver, and then he warns you, with a long, sweet groan, “I’m cumming,” and a rush of warmth fills your mouth. 

It overflows and drips down your chin, and, eyes locked with his, you swallow, and gathering the excess with your fingers, lick yourself clean.

Sicheng’s eyes widen, and he shakes his head, leaning down to kiss you. He sweeps you up in his arms and you grin up at him as he ducks into your bedroom. 

“Did you think I was done with you, baby?” he whispers, placing you on your back with all the care in the world. His fingers creep up to your hip and nudge your legs apart. “I wanna see you all undone for me. Do you think you can do that for me again, baby?”

You sigh as his lips trail kisses up your thigh. When he sucks your clit into his mouth, your head falls back against the pillows.

“Yes…”

oh my GOD i want this. i wanna fuck the stress away!! it’s currently week nine of ten and finals are coming up and the second round of midterms just ended… sdfghjk

[sign-from-god-complex]

things are better here with you

or, the three times Virgil almost proposed and the one time he did

Summary: Patton deserved the perfect proposal. Virgil only hoped he could give them that.

Pairing: Moxiety with background logince

A/N: This is a sequel/companion piece to better things are here with you!! You probably don’t need to read that to make sense of this but it would probably give you some helpful context. Anyway, I’ve been working really hard on this fic for almost a month so I really hope you all enjoy it.

AO3 Link

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgil flopped onto the bed, burying his head into the pillow to muffle a groan.

He’d received Roman’s text last night—a welcome and long-awaited confirmation that he’d finally pulled his head out of his ass and realised Logan was as in love with him as he was with Logan. Unfortunately, that text came with some fine print. The bet they’d made, tipsy off of strong spirits and an even stronger sense of love—one that both would barely admit to if asked—had two sides: a confession and a proposal. 

And given the confession Roman had already undergone, it wasn’t hard to guess which side he stood on.

Virgil hadn’t necessarily intended to procrastinate the proposal for as long as he had, he’d simply been nervous—nerves he knew, as always, weren’t entirely justified.

Patton loved him. Virgil had less reason to doubt that love than he did the world ending tomorrow or the boat they were on sinking or Roman burning the house down while they were away or any number of other things Virgil worried about on a daily basis. 

A proposal was just so permanent, so serious, and despite knowing in every part of his being that Patton was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he wasn’t prepared for Patton to not feel the same. Logically—god, listen to him, he sounded like Logan—he knew there was no reason for that to be the case but he and logic hadn’t always been on the best of terms.

“Honey? You alright?”

Virgil pulled his head up to watch Patton slip into the room, towel wrapped around their shoulders and skin still glistening with moisture from the pool. He swallowed, his mouth dry, and attempted to give a response through the very gay haze that had overtaken him—preferably one which wouldn’t make Patton suspicious. If he was gonna do this, he was gonna do it right; he couldn’t spoil the surprise so soon.

Sitting up, Virgil ran a hand through his damp hair, shaking away the last drops of water. “Uh, yeah, I think I was just getting a bit overwhelmed? There’s a lot of people around, you know?”

He cursed himself for sounding so unsure but luckily Patton just smiled—kind and sweet and gosh, he was so in love with them it was unreal.

“Well, you could have just let me know, love,” Patton murmured, taking a seat on the bed beside him. They placed a kiss on Virgil’s forehead, alighting his face with a blush and making warmth bloom in his chest—soft and glowing. “I would have come out and joined you sooner.”

“Yeah, uh, I know, you just- I don’t know, you looked like you were having fun. Didn’t wanna ruin it.”

They sighed lightly. “You could never ruin anything, promise.”

The way Patton was looking at him was so gentle and loving, the entirety of their soul bared in that gaze as if they had nothing to hide—not from Virgil; not ever. It almost made him want to propose right now, to get down on one knee in the cabin they were in and try his hardest to explain to them that their love was returned tenfold, that he couldn’t imagine what his life would be like without them.

Patton deserved better though. Patton deserved… Well, frankly, if you had asked Virgil, more than he could ever give them but certainly more than that. Patton deserved an emotional, well-planned speech; Patton deserved to be wooed and romanced; Patton deserved the entire world and more.

If Virgil was going to propose, he was going to do it right. So, instead of falling to one knee, he pulled Patton in close, pressing their lips together and tugging them both to lay back on the bed beneath them. 

And Virgil started to scheme.

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

“I just feel like it would be nice, you know?” Virgil said, slipping on a dark purple blazer. It was one of the few dressy pieces of clothing he’d brought with him on their trip, knowing that this exact situation was always a potential outcome and wanting to be prepared. “We’re here, so we might as well take advantage of everything.”

Patton screwed up their face a little bit but didn’t argue. “If you’re sure, love.”

Virgil knew his partner was just looking out for him—the main restaurant on the boat was frequently busy and definitely more upmarket than either of them were used to—but if he was going to propose here it had to be somewhere nice. That's what Patton deserved.

He’d spent all his free time in the evenings—after Patton, ever early to bed, had fallen asleep against his chest—brainstorming and planning for the perfect proposal. He had a speech written out, a few different locations and settings theorised, and he did it all without Roman’s help, thank you very much. All and all, he was feeling pretty accomplished.

Zipping up Patton’s dress for them, Virgil pressed a soft kiss to the back of their neck, delighting in the way they giggled at the action.

Patton’s laugh was joy personified, no shame or fear or distrust hidden within it. He was in awe of them, every single day of his life—almost jealous of the way Patton loved with every fibre of their being and yet too enamoured with them to ever articulate as much.

Once Patton had assured that their hair and makeup looked alright, Virgil took their hand and pulled them out the door of the cabin, trailing them towards the ship's restaurant. 

Small talk on their way was almost stilted—the ring box tucked away in his pocket all that Virgil found he could focus on—and when they were finally seated, Virgil had worked himself up into something of a state. Tense muscles shifted, pulling open the menu and scanning the wine list as if he knew even the slightest thing about wine.

"Honey," Patton began kindly, pulling Virgil's gaze up from the menu he hadn't really been processing anyway.

They looked hesitant, almost, their mouth twisted and so, so pretty—painted in that perfect shade of pink which made Virgil want to tug them in and ruin all their hard work. Reaching out across the table, they took a hold of Virgil's hand, turning it over and trailing patterns over his palm in a way that was far too distracting.

"I know you wanted to take advantage of the fancy restaurant and everything but this is all a bit much for me, I think.” They gave a small smile and Virgil felt some of his nerves melt away. “What about we just go back to the cabin, order room service and watch movies on your laptop instead?"

Slowly, Virgil nodded. He wanted to feel disappointed but, in reality, he was simply relieved. The idea of proposing in front of so many people was terrifying and though he was willing—for Patton, Virgil found there wasn't much he wasn't willing to do—he didn't think getting down on one knee in the middle of a panic attack would be very romantic.

Possibly not one of his best ideas.

Patton smiled softly, watching Virgil's shoulders drop as he let out a breath and relaxed for the first time that evening. Grabbing his hand properly, they dragged him past the front desk and out the door—not even bothering to explain their absence.

And as Patton fell asleep on the bed beside him that evening—halfway through a Harry Potter film, clad in onesie pyjamas they always insisted were essential for movie nights—Virgil figured… well, there was always tomorrow.

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

It was early in the evening as Patton and Virgil strolled down the ship, breathing in the beginnings of the cool night air.

Despite this being a proposal plan, it wasn't quite in the forefront of his mind—Virgil far too distracted by the peaceful look on Patton's face. They had their eyes shut, hand clasped gently in his, trusting him completely to lead them to wherever their destination was.

Their pace was slow, one foot in front of the other. Virgil didn't want to rush them—this was all about taking your time and being in the moment, after all—but at the same time he was slightly anxious that he'd underestimated how long it would take them to arrive and they were going to miss it and everything would be ruined and Patton would break up with hi-

"Love?" Patton questioned, "Are we there?"

Virgil realised with a jolt that in his panic he’d stopped walking and picked up the pace again, pulling them in through a doorway and further towards the front of the ship.

"No, just- just a little bit further."

Patton squeezed his hand reassuringly, humming their response.

It was less than a minute before Virgil pulled them up to the door, dark wood obscuring what lay beyond—for Patton, at least; Virgil had been integral in setting it up. He dropped their hands between them, still staying close enough to them that he could feel the warmth they exuded radiating against his skin.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now. It's just through this door."

Patton's eyes fluttered open, blinking a few times to adjust to the light before focusing back on Virgil and giving a nod. "Mmm, okay, ready."

Pulling open the door, the two of them were greeted by almost a little cove, fairly lights borrowed from the restaurant strung up around them making it feel almost magical. Everything was cast in shades of pink and red from the sun just beginning to set on the horizon in front of them, pulling long shadows across the ground and illuminating the look of complete amazement on Patton’s face.

It was breathtaking. 

Whether Virgil’s awe was due to Patton or the view, of course, it’s entirely impossible to say.

"V, oh my goodness!" they gasped, taking a step forward, so, so cautiously, as if this was nothing more than a hallucination that could disappear before their eyes, "How did you even organise this?"

Virgil bit his lip. "Uh, it took… some convincing, yeah, but… you know. You're worth it."

The shy smile that spread across Patton’s face was accompanied by a blush, soft and pink and delicate as a dusting of icing sugar across their cheeks.

Entirely unable to help himself, Virgil pulled them in closer, cupping their face and pressing a kiss against their lips. It was feather-light—almost nothing more than the suggestion of physical contact—and Patton giggled, filling Virgil's chest with sunlight and his heart with love.

Hand in hand, the two made their way over to the sofa that he’d set up for them earlier, piled with cushions and champagne set out on the table in front.

He poured them both a glass, noting the way the fizz didn’t even compare to the bubbling feeling in his chest, the feeling Patton inspired in him each and every day. Distantly, he thought about saying as much but at that moment Patton leaned into him, tangling their limbs together and resting their head against him; it sent a wave of affection crashing over him like the ocean in a storm—unexpected and strong enough to knock him off his feet—and he found himself unable to speak at all.

The sun was dipping down beneath the horizon now, the silence calm as the water beneath them.

Virgil was swirling slow patterns into Patton’s skin, listening to their breathing as it melded in with his own. The wind chill was slight and yet even as the stars appeared, lighting up the night sky, Virgil couldn’t imagine anywhere warmer than this—wrapped up in his partner, blanketed by the love he was so grateful to know.

Snaking his hand down into his pocket, Virgil thumbed over the top of the ring box, tensing ever so slightly and yet so aware that Patton could probably feel every motion he made. Finally—the night covering them, keeping him safe yet edging him on—Virgil took a breath.

“Patton?”

There was a beat. No reply.

Drawing his eyes away from the night sky, Virgil glanced down at his partner. Patton’s eyes were closed, eyelashes barely fluttering and lips gently parted. Undeniably asleep.

There was a moment where Virgil wanted to laugh, to break out into hysterical giggles mere inflections away from sobs, but he didn’t want that to be what his partner woke up to—just thinking of the concern they would undoubtedly display already making his chest ache. Instead, he sighed softly, the breath just barely moving strands of hair away from Patton’s face and he untangled himself from their embrace.

It took Virgil a little bit more effort than he would like to admit to bring Patton into his arms, lifting them up from the couch so they could return to their room undisturbed. He also was not quite as smooth as he had hoped he would be and as soon as he’d reached the door—barely managing to open it without dropping them entirely—Patton squirmed in his grip, making a slightly discontented noise as they became vaguely aware of the situation.

“Shh, I’m just taking you back to our room,” Virgil whispered, words barely an echo in the space around them, “Go back to sleep.”

This seemed to satisfy Patton as they buried their head further into their boyfriend’s chest, gripping at Virgil’s hoodie and causing his brain to short-circuit in the wake of just how cute Patton was.

“This was good,” they mumbled, words muffled and slurred from exhaustion, “Love you s’much."

Virgil closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling slowly and deliberately. His eyes were shiny when he reopened them and he blinked a few times, trying to keep any tears at bay.

“Yeah, I love you too.”

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

Virgil ran a hand through Patton’s hair, smiling as his partner responded with a sleepy whine, shuffling further over in bed to wrap themself around him. They were like a little octopus or a koala bear, clinging on so tightly as if Virgil could disappear at any moment—as if there were anywhere in the world he’d rather be.

It was the last day of their cruise. Later, they'd be pulling into port to Roman's overexcited welcomes and Logan's dry snark and Virgil would have to explain that no, they weren’t engaged and yes, Virgil was exactly as much of a coward as everyone thought he was all along.

It had been stuck his mind since the moment he woke up—Patton’s chest still rising and falling in time with their breaths, leaving Virgil alone with nothing more than thoughts.

He knew it was ridiculous but he couldn’t help but feel like maybe it was all a sign. None of his proposals ever seemed to go right so maybe it was for a reason; maybe they weren’t supposed to be married, maybe Patton was destined to find someone better than him—someone who could match his sunshiny disposition in a way he deserved.

The grip on his torso slackened slightly and Patton pulled away to meet his gaze, sweet and loving and still on the edges of sleep.

“Virge, darling, what’s wrong?”

The words were soft and quiet, settling lightly in the air around them. It felt so tender and so gentle that Virgil could almost feel himself folding, softening into Patton’s grip with tears in his eyes, mumbling his explanation but he refused to let this be the way he proposed. 

“It- it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Patton frowned—not mean but upset nonetheless—and Virgil felt something in him tighten.

“No, not just right now, something’s been on your mind for days at this point. You don’t have to tell me, hon, I just… I worry about you.” After a beat of no reply, Patton sighed, almost abashed—as if they had any kind of reason to be embarrassed. “I know it’s silly, you’re supposed to be the anxious one in this relationship, I should-”

Virgil held up a hand, cutting off Patton’s nervous rambling. “No, no, just- give me a second.”

There was a beat. Patton just lay on the bed, gazing up at him with so much love and concern in their eyes Virgil felt breathless with it.

“All this time I’ve just- I’ve been trying to make this perfect for you, you know?” Virgil asked, knowing perfectly well that Patton couldn’t understand what he was talking about and yet feeling like he had to get something out there or he’d simply explode. “You deserve perfect.”

Patton giggled—fond and a little confused. “Silly, I don’t need perfect; I’ve already got you.”

And what could Virgil possibly say to that?

“Marry me?”

Patton’s expression changed in the blink of an eye, their eyes widening, mouth dropping open in shock—shock but not revulsion, not horror; they loved him, he was sure they did. He had no reason to be afraid, no reason to be scared and though it was intrinsically his nature to be anxious, all Virgil could feel was all the love he had for them in return.

“What?” they asked, their voice hoarse and disbelieving, tinted with shades of hope Virgil prayed he wasn’t imagining.

He scrambled up, reaching to grab his hoodie from the edge of the bed and, from its pocket, Virgil retrieved a box—a small, black, velvet ring box.

And on the floor of their cabin, Virgil got down on one knee.

“Oh.”

The exclamation was breathy, awed, a smile spreading across their face and tears filling up their eyes. Pulling themself up from the bed, Patton moved to sit on the edge—clearly trying to resist falling to the floor to join him before he’d even finished speaking.

“I had this whole speech planned out, you know? Cause I’d been thinking about this for ages, even if I’d only worked up the courage to actually do it recently. God, you’re just-” Virgil cut himself off with an incredulous laugh. “You’re amazing, Pat. You’re my best friend, the person who knows me better than anyone else ever could—ever tried to. I’ve been in love with you for longer than I can even remember being alive and I don’t want there to ever be a time where that isn’t true; I don’t ever want to be without you.

“So, Pat—sunshine, love of my life—will you marry me?”

It would be a lie to say Virgil had never seen Patton smile this wide; Patton smiled all the time for more reasons than Virgil could possibly count. Little kids playing on the street to a bumblebee landing delicately on a flower outside their window could inspire a smile from them and truly, Virgil adored that.

There was just something about this smile.

Maybe it was the way it was coloured with incredulity—brown and blue and white and gold, shimmery and unwavering—or the way it was focused solely on him like the single beam of sunlight on a cold winter day.

Maybe it was the way Patton was dropping to the ground in front of him, cupping his face and kissing him with that smile again and again, bright and giggling. Maybe it was the tears in their eyes, the choked off sobs from too much emotion and too much love as softly, sweetly, Virgil wiped them away.

Maybe it was just Patton.

“Is that a yes?” Virgil asked, the smile in his voice entirely evident. The ring box was set off to the side now, Virgil’s want to cradle Patton’s face in his hands, to hold them in his arms and never let them go obscuring his sense of order in situations like these. 

Patton feigned thought for a moment, their hand coming up to rest on their chin. “Hmmm, I don’t know…”

At Virgil’s joking glare they simply laughed, bringing their faces so close together Virgil would barely have to surge forward to kiss them. They didn’t move though, just looking into Virgil’s eyes with an expression of absolute adoration and maybe it was a little silly, a little ridiculous, to be gazing at each other like that but Virgil could not find it in him to care.

“Yes,” they sighed—soft, breathless and so in love, “Gosh, yes. There isn’t anything I could want more.”

Later, when his fiance’s head is resting on his chest, their ring glinting softly in the light streaming in through the curtains, Virgil would only have one thing left to do.

To ‘Prince Pining’: hey, buy some champagne. i think it’s time to celebrate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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and @max-is-tired you asked to be tagged in this one too!