#never in my wildest dreams did i dare hope...

[writinginatree]

Talks & Tantrums

Relationship(s): Garrick Tavis/fem!Riorson!reader, Xaden Riorson & sister!reader, Bodhi Durran & reader

Summary: Time to tell Xaden that you're dating his best friend.

Warnings: Just some swearing and bickering

(Sequel to Kisses & Confessions, but can be read on its own)

Garrick gets up extra early to meet you in your room before breakfast and kiss you good morning. Addicted to the taste of his mouth as you are, one kiss turns to two turns to ten, until you force yourselves to pull away. It's time to get going. As much as you don't want to, you still need to have a talk with your brother, and the sooner you get it over with, the better.

"Maybe we should meet Xaden in the gym to tell him, in case he wants to beat the shit out of me for this," your boyfriend jokes as you leave your room.

Being able to think of him as that — your boyfriend, all yours! — still makes you giddy. A few days ago, you would have never believed you'd ever get to call Garrick yours outside of your wildest dreams. And yet now he is, and you will not let the looming threat of still having to tell your brother about it ruin your good mood.

"Nah. He might not be happy about it, but it's not going to be that bad."

Garrick sighs. "Let's hope so."

"It'll be fine. You know he's incapable of staying mad at me for more than five minutes."

"I think that time you put chili in his birthday cake he actually managed ten minutes. Who knows, maybe this will lead to a new record."

"The chili thing doesn't count," you say. "Xay knew I only did that because Bodhi dared me to, he was more mad at him than me. And even if he really is seriously mad at us, we'll just bribe him with chocolate cake. But he won't be, trust me."

Reaching the stairs leading away from the dorms, you find Xaden already waiting in the usual spot. The four of you — counting Bodhi, who isn't here yet — have made a habit of walking to breakfast together whenever possible. Technically you shouldn't, because of the whole more than three marked ones assembling is illegal-thing, but so far you haven't gotten in trouble. And really — being in the hallway at the same time on the way to breakfast can hardly be called assembling. It could be complete coincidence, not to mention that there's usually more than enough other people around. It's not like they can forbid marked ones from being in a room together. You're just not allowed to be alone in a room together.

Xaden doesn't seem surprised that Garrick picked you up from your room, but he does stare at your entwined hands, his expression darkening.

"Garrick and me are dating now," you say before he can start questioning you.

Xaden's frown deepens, and he crosses his arms over his chest. "Excuse you?"

You roll your eyes, and warn, "Don't throw a tantrum now, Xaden."

"If you want to avoid starting a fight, maybe you should try to be a little more diplomatic," your dragon points out.

She's right, you don't want to fight with Xaden, but that doesn't mean you'll be all nice and docile. You want to make sure he's aware you're serious about this right from the start so he doesn't get the idea he could talk you out of dating Garrick.

"Hush. I know what I'm doing."

Srian sends the mental equivalent of a shrug, apparently deciding that this isn't her problem. All the better. You know how to deal with your brother just fine; you don't need smartass advice from a dragon who's never even interacted with any human other than yourself.

Meanwhile, Xaden clearly deems a tantrum necessary. "Are you fucking kidding me? You can't just date my best friend!" he complains, glaring daggers at you.

Why it's you he's pissed at and not Garrick is beyond you — you'd been almost certain he would put the blame on his best friend —, but you're glad for it. You hate the idea of them fighting because of you.

"Oh, but I can. I can do whatever the fuck I want. And I definitely don't need your permission to get a boyfriend."

"I'm not saying you need my permission. But—"

"But what? Sorry, Xay, but you don't get a say in this."

Xaden clenches his jaw so hard you see the muscles straining as he takes in the way Garrick has his arm protectively wrapped around your waist, holding you close, the way you're leaning into him, hands fidgeting with his. Something in your posture or expression seems to convince him that no, you're not just doing this to irritate him. "Gods, you're actually fucking serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes," you and Garrick say in unison.

"Ugh. Fine."

Xaden's tone and expression make it clear he's not very happy about it, but, just as you predicted, he accepts that there's nothing he can do about it. You're sure that once he's had some time to really think about it, he'll realize that it's not such a bad scenario. After all, who could he trust more to treat his little sister right than his own best friend? Of course the downside is, that, should there ever be any trouble in your relationship, Xaden would be caught in the middle — but you're not going to worry about that just now. It's never going to come to that.

"But you better stay focused on the important things. If this relationship becomes a distraction—"

"It won't. We're perfectly capable of being in love while still staying professional. Right, Garrick?"

"Right."

"I really fucking hope so," Xaden says, still sulking. He shakes his head. "Gods, I can't believe this shit. Couldn't you have picked someone else?!"

You're not sure if he's talking to you or to Garrick, since he's leaning against the wall with his head leaned back, glaring at the ceiling. Neither of you feels like continuing the argument — and luckily, Bodhi spares you an answer.

"If you ask me, it was about damn time they get together," he grins, instantly guessing what you're talking about as he joins you in the hallway.

"Wait, you knew she likes me?" Garrick asks.

"Of course I knew. I had to listen to her drool over you day in, day out for the last year."

"Bodhi! Shut up!" you whine, jabbing your elbow in his side. It's embarrassing when he puts it like that, and it's made even worse by your dragon's very enthusiastic agreement. You never drooled over Garrick! And while you realize that you do talk about him a lot, Bodhi is definitely exaggerating. He's making it sound as if Garrick is the only topic you ever talk about, for fucks sake!

Xaden looks from Bodhi to you, then back to Bodhi, narrowing his eyes at him like a dragon staring down its prey. "Why am I getting the impression that you knew they're dating before me?"

"Because Y/N already told me yesterday, right after they got together," Bodhi says, chuckling as he adds, "You should have seen the lovestruck look on her face when she came running into class ten minutes late."

Xaden gives you an indignant look. "Seriously? Not enough that you start dating my best friend behind my back, you're also telling everyone else first?"

"I'm not telling everyone else first! Just Bodhi. Because he is my best friend. And I would have told you sooner, too, if I'd had time to talk to you between classes yesterday. Which I didn't. So..." You shrug. "Besides, I don't have to tell you shit."

"Yes, you do."

"Nuh-uh."

"Why don't we just go have breakfast," Garrick interrupts.

"Good idea," you agree and lean up to peck his lips — or at least you try. Xaden's shadows hold you back.

"Oh no. Absolutely not. No kissing in front of me," he growls.

"Just look away then!"

"Save it for when you're alone."

"You're not the boss of me."

"No, but I'm the boss of him," Xaden says, pointing at Garrick, then at the leadership patch on his own uniform. "Wingleader, remember?"

Garrick groans in annoyance, but he knows better than to argue.

You, on the other hand, can't stop yourself from meeting your brother's glare with one of your own. "I'm pretty sure what you're doing right now is called abusing your power."

While you often find yourself wishing you were in the same wing as the boys, it's moments like this when you're glad you aren't. Not that you generally have a problem with taking orders from your brother — when it comes to rebellion stuff, you're glad to follow his lead. But constantly having him breathing down your neck and being in charge of you? No, thanks.

He merely shrugs at your accusation. "Don't care."

"You're being childish, Xaden!"

"Terribly sorry for not wanting to see my sister and best friend be all over each other right in front of me."

"Nobody is forcing you to watch!"

"That's not the point! I don't want this kind of thing happening anywhere near me, no matter if I'm watching or not."

You look to Bodhi for help. "Tell him he's being ridiculous," you demand.

"Sorry Y/N, but he kind of has a point..."

"Oh come on! We're talking about one tiny kiss! It's not like I want to start a full-blown makeout session in front of you!"

"I sure fucking hope you don't," Xaden says, and pushes off the wall he was leaning against. "I'm going to have breakfast now. If you can't keep your hands off of each other, then please don't join me."

With that he walks away. Bodhi shrugs and follows him. So do you and Garrick, but not before using the chance to steal a kiss while their backs are turned.

[binsito]

warning: unprotected sex, mentions of m receiving oral sex, usage of the word "kitten" in a sexual connotation, very brief and minor degradation (reader referred to as stupid), nerd!seungmin in a college setting, semi public sex (sex in an empty classroom), i think that's all :]

nerdy college student kim seungmin who has never had a date nonetheless a girlfriend before in his life. too focused on his studies to even have a social life outside of his small squad of geeky friends.

he was used to being somewhat of an outcast, was used to the popular kids asking him for answers, especially the pretty girls with skirts that were way too short. at least sometimes he made some money off of selling his test answers or tutoring.

"don't you guys think he's kinda cute?.. he looks like he's packing.." you gossiped with your friends about him, they laughed and waved you off

"i'm serious you guys! i've seen his imprint before!" you defended but they were not entertaining you.

you were going to prove them wrong, if they weren't going to jump at the opportunity to fuck the cute nerd, then you were.

the next time you saw him, you asked him for help on a test, letting him know you could stay back after class ended so you two could work on it. you knew he charged for exams but you purposely didn't bring any cash.

class wrapped up and the two of you stayed back, there wouldn't be another class in here for the rest of the day so you were in the clear.

and as always, he did fantastic on the test, getting some questions wrong so it didn't seem so suspicious. you thanked him and he patiently waited for you to hand him his payment.

"oh no.." you feigned

"shit, seungmin.. i forgot the cash on my counter.. i'm sorry.." you pouted

"is there any other way i can pay you? i feel soo bad.. i don't wanna stiff you.."

seungmin had a feeling he knew what you were implying, he didn't want you to feel like you had to do that, he was gonna let it slide and just ask you to bring it next time but he also had a feeling you didn't really want to do that.

he also couldn't really help the blood rushing to his cock. he always thought you were the prettiest of the bunch, his heart always hammering in his chest whenever you would acknowledge him by name, even if it was just to get help on a worksheet.

you got underneath his desk on your knees, looking up at him with a pretty little smile. he knew this was definitely better than the fifty bucks he was going to charge you.

and you were so right about him.

his cock was nice and thick, tip red and drooly, a vein on his underside that was so sensitive.

and once he got over his initial shyness, he melted under your touch, enjoying the way your mouth took him, how you gagged on him and made a spitty mess of his cock. he had never been touched like this before, his hand could only do so much and even then he didn't get to touch himself often. pent up school stress surfacing and building up in the form of an orgasm deep within him.

and seungmin was demanding.

because how dare a stupid little kitten forget to pay him for all his hard work?

pulling you off by your hair and instructing you to get on the professor's desk because he wanted to fuck you there, that he wanted to teach you a lesson you'd never forget.

you knew the nerdy ones where always the most fun to mess with.

never in his wildest dreams did kim seungmin think he would be bending you over in an empty classroom and stuffing you full of his delicious cock. his hips slamming against yours as he dug his fingers deep into your side, you were a babbling mess on his cock, whining whenever he pulled out just a little too much.

"next time, don't forget okay? or i won't be as nice.." he growls

(he was hoping there would be a next time, that you would pull this stunt again.)

(you were definitely planning on it.)

"oh s-seungmin.. i don't want you to be nice.." you moaned, cheek pressed into the cold wood of the table but you were too busy enjoying the ridges of his cock inside of you to care about how uncomfortable it was.

he spanked you, wanting to see his handprint on your asscheek, his balls tightening at the sight.

"shit." he grunted

"i'm afraid you might fail this class if you don't let me tutor you.." he chuckled as he felt you clench around him, cunt so warm and velvety that he had to concentrate hard not to cum.

please refrain from reposting, modifying, translating, copying or stealing my work. - © binsito

[irisintheafterglow]

rn im so obsessed with dabi and gojo, so may i request a fic where reader, in the middle of the night, clings onto dabi/gojo while they sleep. like, they subconsciously cuddle them

I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE (finally writing for dabi) TURN IT UP !! also apparently i have the same birthday as him???? so like basically we're soulmates-

you don't know what else to say when you hear him slide open your window.

"ew."

"a pleasure to see you too, doll," he mutters in amusement, slipping off his shoes and leaving them on the ledge. "and here i was hoping you'd miss me."

"not in your wildest dreams." like clockwork, he makes to climb under the covers with you but you stop him with a sleepy but firm shake of your head. he gives you a look like you'd just told him to jump off a building.

"you serious?"

"shower first, then you can come in here."

"c'mon, sweetheart. i'm exhausted," he drawls and you nearly break, trying your hardest to glare at those stupidly bright eyes and infuriatingly soft smile. "let a man rest a little, yeah?"

"nope." you flip over to your other side as he scoffs at your back. when he believes you're asleep again, quiet footsteps creep toward the space beside you and the mattress sinks with the weight of his leg carefully positioning itself by yours. "shower or i'll freeze your balls off," you growl half-heartedly, very much still awake. he's not deterred in the slightest.

"you wouldn't dare." an arm drapes possessively over your lower torso and you fight the instinct to melt into him.

"wanna find out, hothead?" he clicks his tongue and lightly squeezes your hip. he was trying all his tricks tonight, but you'd learned how to pretend to be immune. "touya."

"mmm?"

"shower, please."

"the things i do for you," he murmurs in defeat, pressing a quick kiss to the top of your head before sulking off to the bathroom. you drift in and out of sleep during the time he's gone, vaguely registering the sound of the pipes creaking and the smell of his body wash. before you know it, the noise of the hair dryer ceases and your bedroom door creaks open again. this time, when he slips into the blankets with you, you don't protest as he pulls you flush against his body, your back against his chest. his chin finds the junction of your shoulder and his hair tickles the back of your neck. his warm breath exhales deeply against your skin. "you smell like me."

"ran out of shampoo," you lie and you can feel his mouth curl into an arrogant smirk. "and there's no way in hell i'm using twice's."

"it's okay to just admit that you miss me, baby," he teases and you roll your eyes. "say that you were sad and be done with it."

"go to hell," you grunt and you feel his chuckle over your body. after you finally drift off again, you turn to bury your face in his neck. his arms secure themselves around your body and you barely need the blanket anymore from how warm he naturally runs. he hums in contentment, bathing in the way that you didn't see him as the monster the rest of society did. he'd rather die than be a danger to you, to have you fear him in a way where he couldn't hold you closer when you needed him. he loved your biting tongue and your razor-sharp wit, but he also loved how you trusted him to protect you while you rested. he was safe for you.

and, even if he never admitted it aloud, you were safety for him, too.

if you enjoy my writing and would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee on my ko-fi! you can also check out my full masterlist here :)

[my-only-way-tocooperatewithlife]

Promises- Charles Leclerc

Welcome back everyone. First of all, I would love to thank you All for all the love and support that my blog has received in the past two month. I have never expected in my wildest dreams that you will like the How your life can change with a call story. Thank you really. ❤ All those comments, likes, reblogs they mean sooo much to me. Hope you will like this one too, I have some up in my sleeves left. Love you Kiki ♥

Charles Leclerc x Fem!Reader

Summary: You have known each other for years, you are best friends. But none of you are lucky with love. So after a midnight you two made a promise, that got kind of forgotten over the years. Or at least that's what you have thought.

Warnings: overall fluff with a little hint of angst, best friend to lovers, alcohol usage, swears, , rom-com vibes, smut, mentione of cheating

Masterlist

Promise (noun): a verbal commitment by on person to another agreeing to do

“Guess who got cheated on?” You stopped at the edge of the dock, kicked off your shoes and picked it up from the tarmac while dropped your bag on the dark wooden flooring before continuing your way to the central area of the boat, where you stepped over the couch and sat between your girlfriends as the other five friends were sitting around in different furnitures holding cups with different beverages. They were waiting on you continuing your rant about that blonde haired bank worker bastard, who you have already thought is cheating on you but tonight this intuition turned into a real thing when you walked into his place finding him having a romantic dinner with someone else. “Oh don’t you dare to start that something was already suspicious about that man, and I did not deserve him or the girl is probably not even close to the level that I’m on and shit like this. Because, here comes the good part. It was not a woman he cheated me with, it was his colleague, a dude.” You were animatedly gesticulating, everyone was listening to you attentively and quietly till you finished and then all of them said the same thing at the same time.

“No fucking way.” 

“Can you imagine how embarrassing is it for me? Like first it’s embarrassing and infuriating to get cheated on. I would add it in a bracket that it’s not my first time to be in a situation like this, but with a guy? And I can still top it off, it was not that they were having a romantic candle lit dinner, but they were all over each other, and clothes were missing. I thought today I will see a man’s private part, hah jokes on me. I got two..” You were mortified by the whole story and you even felt worse when you were telling about your friends, because it was the time when it finally hit you what happened. Your pulse was drumming in your ears, your breath quickened as you were finished with your monologue, waiting for the group to answer something.

“Maybe they just wanted a threesome.” Your friend Eric snorted as he made the joke. You looked at him unamused and pushed him on his shoulders.

“And I would not have had a problem with it, if I knew for sure that I’m the one they are into and not each other.” You shrugged and got up from the couch walking all the way to the small fridge. “Do I look that miserable, that I can’t find a normal guy who is not lying, or turns out to be gay…”You turned around leaning back to the counter looking at the group sitting in front of you, all of them were quietly staring back at you. “ Oh fuck off.” You rolled your eyes before they started to laugh. 

“You are really pushing this whole dating thing. Be more relaxed. It will come when you have the time for it, okay?” One of your girl friends, Sammy walked closer to you and wrapped her arm around your shoulder as she leaned closer and kissed your cheeks. “You are beautiful, intelligent, funny and loyal. Guys are just dumb. But don’t give up, and you know what we say? No boys, no problem.”

“That’s true as no girls, no problem! “Eric shouted from the other side of the boat.

“Dude, have you heard of the phrase who is eavesdropping will get older quicker?” Sammy shouted back at him.

“Look at Leclerc, since he is single again, he seems so much happier.” Eric picked up the small red ball from his feet and threw it at his friend, which perfectly hit the back of his neck. Charles lifted his gaze up from his cup with a grin, as he lifted up his left hand with his middle finger and flipped off our friend. “And he spends more time with us than we can spend on his boat. It's an all win-win situation, my boy!” Charles was chuckling and shaking his head side to side.

“So, Eric, are you gonna open that tequila that you have been singing odes about?” Charles threw the small ball back at his friend. 

You were sitting at the tip of the boat, looking straight ahead of you, watching how the moon’s light flickers on the surface of the sea. It was calm, it made you feel calm as well. Some lights were on in some boats in the port, you could hear people chatting away as they were walking in the sea shore. The bass of the music quietly emerges from downstairs.

“Are you not cold?” The voice made you jump in your seat and you whipped your head around, seeing Charles warmly smiling down at you as he was having a hoodie draped over his left arm, as he had two bottles of beer in his right hand. “I brought you one of my hoodies, and beers if you want to talk about the evening or just in general.”

“Thank you Perceval.” You smiled at him and took the hoodie away from him. He rolled his eyes with a smile and sat down next to you. You knew each other since high school, you just moved here from France with your parents. He was the first kid when you stepped in the classroom who instantly went to you and introduced himself to you, just before dragging you all the way to the other side of the room, so he can introduce all of his friends to you. Who turned to be your friends too afterwards. Your group of friends stuck together even after Charles left for the F1 Academy, you have spent the summers together. When you graduated and most of you started to work, and did your licenses you went to most of Charles races that were close to you, cheering him on all the eight of you. 

“Are you okay?” He nudged you with his shoulder, you turned your head to look at him. He was quietly studying your face. 

“I just realized that I do push this whole dating thing. I did not even like that dude. He was just there to make me feel less alone. How pathetic.. ” You said with a sigh and turned your gaze away from his eyes and looked back in front of you, fixing your gaze at the water again. “Sometimes I guess I can be a little jealous seeing everyone with their partners. Like when we go to your races and I’m the only one sitting alone, or when we go out for dinner, and I’m the only one who does not belong to someone. And don’t get me wrong, I’m so happy when my friends are happy. I love to look at them being in love. I was so happy when I saw you happy in a relationship. It just sucks sometimes you know..” you turned your head his way and saw that he was looking at you, studying your face quietly. He was watching you the whole time, and as you turned his way he looked in your eyes and pulled his lips to a small smile and nodded.

“I get what you say. And it’s understandable, we are at the age when we want something serious, that we can build our life on.” He caressed your shoulder softly.” Do you still remember what we have promised to each other?” He popped the lids off the beer bottles and handed one over to you. 

“I’m not eating chocolate and drinking in front of you when you are having your race weekends?” You looked at him puzzled which he just answered with a small chuckle. “Or I’m not drinking whiskeys anymore, and I’m not putting on that Ferrari red stiletto high heels that makes me feel like the sexiest woman on earth but kills my feet in two minutes so you have to carry me home?”

“We have had this conversation before, you are the sexiest woman on Earth and it does not matter if you have those high heels on or not. “He clinked his beer bottle to yours and both of you took a swig of your drinks. “But I was thinking about something else. We have agreed on something five years ago on new years eve.” You looked at him with your brows furrowed, and tilted your head to the side. 

“No way you still remember that…” your mouth opened once you realised what he was talking about. 

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ New year’s Eve of 2018 ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

“Perceval…” you screamed as you saw your best friend coming out of the crowded house. You stepped closer to him, but the amount of alcohol and the choice of shoes did it’s magic so you ended up falling into his arms, he grabbed on your waist as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “It’s ten minutes before the countdown.”

“Bunny, no need to scream in my ears.” he giggled and helped you back on your feet, and kept his hand on the side of your hips to keep you steady. Probably the last three gin tonics and those other two tequila shots were probably not that necessary. 

“Another year has ended and I’m single, I think it’s a curse.” You sighed dramatically, and leaned back on the railings.”

“Oh come on, don’t be this dramatic.” He rolled his eyes, and picked two champagne flutes from the server’s plate. Handing over one for you.

“You don’t get it, I have had everything planned. Like I’m twenty now, in two months I will turn twenty one. I have planned that I want to have a serious relationship till my mid twenties, so I can start to have a family before I turn thirty. I have it planned, Charles.” You were animatedly gesticulating as he was watching you with an amazed look on his face. “I need to find a guy like you. I need someone to have the same personality as you, and most of your handsomeness.” 

“Bunny, I’m not surprised that you have planned it.” He chuckled. “Okay, I have an idea. We still have five years till we turn twenty five. In February 2022 our deal starts, we have six months from that to find someone that we can imagine to start a family. If we are single in September, we will get together.”

“You are crazy dude.” You laughed with your head tilted back. “I know for sure that you won’t be single.”

“Maybe, who knows. We have five years till that. So what do you say? Can we make this promise to ourselves? You know that I keep promises” People started to gather around you on the balcony, everyone was pretty drunk just as you two. Most of the crowd had some type of alcohol in their hands, mostly champagne. “Countdown will start soon Bunny, so you have to make a choice if you are into this promise or not.” He looked back at you and extended a pinky out to you. You knew he was serious about it. During your whole friendship since you were teenagers you only made a few promises. He promised you the day when he left for the Academy, that he will never forget about you, and that he will make it to F1 and not just that he will make it to F1 but he will make it to Ferrari. 

“Just don’t regret it.” You hooked your pinky in his as the countdown started. “Spending a whole lifetime with me can be a lot.” You winked at him, and he let out a small laugh. “FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO..” as the counting were going down behind you all

“Never, I already spent a part of my life with you, it won’t change a lot. I promise.” He said it just as the crowd screamed One 

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

“You can’t be serious about that, you remember.” You laid down on the boat looking up at the stars above you all as you chuckled.

“Never forgot a promise before, haven’t I?” He laid down next to you watching the twinkling stars above the two of you. “If I’m not wrong we are in July, so it means you have two months left.” 

“I would say the same for you, but let’s be honest. “You turned your head to him, and he turned to you too. “You can hardly stay single.” He rolled his eyes and pushed your shoulder slightly. 

“Hey, I wanted to ask something.” You broke the small silence between the two of you which made him turn his head to look at you again. “The others knew about it already, I just had no idea if you were gonna be in Monaco. But did not want you to feel guilty if you can’t participate..”

“Bunny, you are rambling again.” He grabbed your pinky with his pinky and squeezed it a little.“Take a breath and start again.” 

“I got called in for an audition, and it will be open to the public. Would you like to come to my show at that music bar? It's two weeks from today.” You spoke rapidly trying to get the question out as soon as possible so you may feel less awkward about it.

“Bunny! That’s incredible! Of course I will come.” He wrapped his fingers around your hand and lifted up to his lips. “I’m so happy for you!” He mumbled over your knuckles and laid a feather-like kiss on the back of your hand as he was looking deeply in your eyes, making you blush like crazy, the tip of your ears were burning, but you just could not tear your eyes off him. You swallowed thick and inhaled through your nose.

“I actually have something for you.” He let go of your hand and started to dig into the pocket of his sweats, closing the small sachet in his palm before he sat up pulling you up with him. “I saw this the other day and instantly thought that you might like it.” You extended both of your arms, as your plans were facing to the sky, wiggling your fingers, initiating that he needs to hurry up. “Someone is impatient.” He giggled and dropped the small black velvet sachet in your plans. It felt light, your brows were knitted and hooked your fingers in the mouth of the sachet opening it up. You turned the little bag upside down, letting the gift fall into your left palm. 

“Oh Charles, it's really pretty.” You picked up the bracelet. It was a black yarn bracelet with small beads knotted on it, and one heart shaped charmer on it.

“And that’s not all, wait let me help you put it on.” Quickly wrapping the bracelet around your right wrist. “Okay wait.” He pulled the sleeve of his hoodie showing all the different bracelets that he usually had on his wrists before tapping on one of the charmers making the one that you had on your wrist vibrated.

“Wait, what? Do it again.” He smiled and tapped twice on the charmer making your bracelet pulsate twice. “Wow, that's so cool.” You tapped on your charmer too.

“You can tap it as many times as you want, and it works no matter what. Even if we are on different sides of the world.”

“Oh so like when you are in Australia for example and I’m just waking up I can just tap it and I don’t have to write you Hi good morning text.” You were still tapping on your charmer. 

“Exactly. Or when I’m thinking about you, slash or miss you I can tap it twice.” He tapped his charmer twice, making yours vibrate twice too. 

“So we are gonna have our own little morse code between us.” He nodded, smiling back at you. You got on your knees and wrapped your arms around his neck pulling him in a hug, his arms wrapped around your waist, holding you tight to his body. “Thank you mon beau.” You whispered in his neck, nuzzling your nose further in. He turned his head and laid a small kiss on your jawline and pulled you back, laying down on the boat’s floor as your head was on his chest listening to his heart beat.

“Your welcome Bunny.” He raked his fingers through your hair making you sigh loudly. Physical touch were both of your love language, it was normal for you to cuddle up, or things like he was playing with your hair, or drawing shapes on each other's skin. 

———————————

You were back in the salon, running the day alone as Pascal took a day off, you just finished with your last client and started to clean up in the salon. Washing away the bowls where you have been mixing the colours, swiping up the floor one last time, gathering all the used towels and throwing them in the machine to and scheduled it to start in the morning before you will open the shop. You walked in the small storage picking up the fresh delivery of hair colours, you picked up the box and walked to the other side of the salon and sat on the ground and started to fill up the cabinet. The doorbell rang as the door pushed open, and someone walked in. You rolled your eyes as you checked the watch on your arm for the time. “Sorry we are closed!” You said behind the counter and picked up the now empty box before getting up and walked out. “Excuse me, we are closed.” You said one more time as you saw the brown haired man standing with his back facing you in the doorway holding up his phone to his ears. He turned around for your second call, lowering the phone from his ears and sending it your way. He was one of the most handsome men that you have ever seen. First thing that made your eyes go was his piercing blue eyes that stared into yours, they were deep and expressive, where you could get lost if you stare long enough. He was the typical description of a Greek god. 

“Excuse me, I have had an appointment for six o’clock.” He checked the time on his watch again. “I booked the appointment online yesterday with YN, I think.”

“Are you sure?” You asked back confused and started to walk to the reception table, to check your calendar. He unlocked his phone and slid over the counter top, showing you the confirmation email that you sent out yesterday afternoon. You facepalmed yourself, you remembered sending that mail out, and you also remembered telling yourself to write it up in your own calendar too, but when you were about to do your bracelet started to vibrate four times, making you drop everything and digging up your phone from the papers scattering around. Four vibrations meant, check your phone, I’m gonna call you. “I’m so sorry. Uhm, okay give me two minutes. Can you please take a seat? I’ve already packed everything, but I’ll be ready in a minute.” You rambled and ran around the counter, trying to get your scissors and the other essentials. 

“Take your time, I’m not in a rush.” He chuckled.

“Oh I’m YN by the way.” You extended your hand out for him which he took and squeezed a little, his hand was much bigger than yours, his skin felt a little rough but it was really warm. 

“Matthew.” His voice was deep and raspy. He took a seat at your station and you draped the cloak on him.

“So Matthew, guess from the name you are not born and raised in Monte Carlo.” You started the chat as you were working on his haircut.”Especially from that British accent.”

“Busted. Right, I'm from London. I’m just here for a conference.”

“Oh what do you do? Obviously you can’ ask back because you already know my profession.” You smiled at him through the mirror, and he chuckled.

“I’m in the british airforce, I’m an admiral, we are here to meet with some big army heads from France and Italy.” So an army guy, with uniforms, with muscles. Okay stop. You nodded quietly, continuing your work on his hair. You were chatting through the whole session, sharing some giggles and laughs, he had a pretty good humour. 

“Okay, so we are ready.” You announced once you untied the cloak and pulled it off his lap.

“Wow thanks, I really like it.” He checked himself and nodded as an approval before he got up from his seat.

“Your welcome, and I’m sorry for the inconvenience in the beginning. I forgot to write your appointment up.” You folded the piece of clothing and dropped it on the chair, you walked to the counter. 

“Don’t worry about it really, I’m just happy that I could catch you in time.” He took his wallet out of his pocket. “To be honest, I would love to see you in another time.” You looked up surprised at him as you were typing in the amount in the terminal. He was leaning on the edge of the table, looking into your eyes deeply waiting for your answer, with a cheeky smile on his lips. “If you are free tomorrow, we can have lunch.”

“Oh yea sure, a lunch that sounds good.” You stuttered.

“Check your calendar, just to be sure.” He winked at you tapping on the hard covered pink calendar sliding it over the counter. You let out a silent laugh and opened up the book checking the next day.

“Yep, my whole day is empty. For a hundred percent.” You looked up smiling at him. “I know a good restaurant like two blocks away from here. It’s the Salon Rose. If you take advice from someone who grew up here.” You closed up the book tapping on it nervously.

“Okay, let’s meet up in front of it just before noon?” 

“Sure. Yea, sounds good.” 

“Perfect. See you soon YN.” He tapped his card on the side of the terminal and stepped back before winking at you with a mischievous smile on his handsome face. You felt your cheeks getting warmer and you broke eye contact by looking down at the table and playing with the yarn bracelet when it started to vibrate, waking up from your daydreaming. 

You were not sure about how much you should dress up, because the La Rose it's not the fanciest place in Monaco, perfect for a lunch date with someone just as fine looking as Matthew was. You picked up a white summer dress that made your olive brown skin stand out even more. The dress was not something too fancy, but still felt cute in the Monte Carlo summer. He was already waiting outside the place, tapping away on his phone and just lifted his gaze up when you were a few steps away from him. 

“Bonjour!” He greeted you and stepped closer giving your two kisses each side of your face while giving you a hug. “ You look lovely.” He commented as he checked you out, making you blush a little, his right palm settling on the small of your back. You gave him a quiet thanks and let him lead you in the restaurant. You were surprised, the date wasn’t a flock afterall. He is an intelligent man, with many interest, and hobbies. Who was really serious about his job which is understandable considering the amount of time that he has devoted just for this. He was talkative and funny, and he was tentative. Listening to whatever you were talking about, asking questions, laughing with you about the jokes you have made and all the funny stories that you have told him about your life in Monaco.

“So you tell me that you are doing some part time job, which is not something you get paid for. How does it work?” He asked as he was paying the bill at the end of your lunch. Not even letting you think about getting your card out to split the bill.

“Oh, there is a pub where I usually went with my friends when we were younger, and we obviously still go there. And occasionally I sing there. Actually I’m gonna have an audition there for a record company at the end of the week. When are you going back to London?”

“You are lucky, I’ll leave next Monday.” He smiled and opened the door for you. You started to walk down the street, the time was already late afternoon. The lunch turned into an early dinner actually. But you were having so much fun not even caring about the time anymore. It has been a long time since you have had a date like this. “May I consider your question as an invitation?” He wiggled his eyebrows at you making you giggle and blush.

“Would you like to come to my audition night?” You stopped in front of him, looking up at him. There was a significant height difference between the two of you. You were not considered small, but you were just under the average height so it was not hard for someone to be taller than you. But he was really tall, there was like at least a head between the two of you. 

“YN, I would love to.” He smiled at you warmly as he lifted his free hand up to your neck, tilting your chin upwards more with his index finger. He leaned closer just as your foreheads were touching, your breath got stuck in your throat, you could not break away from the eye contact. He tiled your chin a little bit more to steal a kiss from you. “I actually have to go, we will have a gala later. “ He mumbled against your lips, you nodded slowly trying to wake yourself up from your clouded state. “I’ll text you later okay?” You were still silent and nodding which made him chuckle as he pushed one more kiss to your lips. “Bye YN.” There you were standing totally dumbfounded, touching your lips as you were watching him walking away, leaving you alone on the busy street of Monaco.

————————

“YN!” Eric grabbed on your shoulder making you jump in surprise and turned around seeing your friends around you.

“Hey guys, I have the usual table booked for us.” You pointed at the big table just next to the small stage. “Uhm, and this is Matthew. “You turned halfway to the man who was towering over you and pointed at him and back at the group. “Matthew, that’s everyone. Oh wait, where is Charles?” You got on your tiptoes looking for the familiar hazel eyes, but you can’t find it.

“He is coming, he just landed an hour ago in Nice, he dropped his bags and now he is on his way. Don’t worry he will be on time.” Sammy squeezed your shoulder and smiled at you. “ Okay, come Matt, let's sit down, let the girl get ready.” You smiled softly at him, and he leaned down and kissed your forehead before following the others.

“Welcome everyone! Good to see that tonight we are nearly packed again. Always good to see new faces, and of course our regulars. Hello guys.” The owner of the bar was holding the mic squinting his eyes as the lights were blinding him. “Okay so tonight is special, because our gem, our favourite little birdie, has her audition. So please welcome her, and all of us wish her luck, YN!” He turned to you, extending his palm out so you can grab on it helping you up on the small stage. You were frantically checking the crowd, seeing all your friends, you were about to start to panic when you could not see him when the bracelet vibrated and a hand lifted up in the air. He made it, he is here, and he was looking at you with the biggest, proudest smile on his lips. A wide grin appeared on your lips and you let out a sigh before lifting the mic to your lips.

“Hello everyone. Thank you for all of you coming in here tonight. It really means a lot. I’m really nervous so excuse me if I’m talking really fast.” You giggled and took a seat at the small stool in the middle of the stage. “Okay so for tonight we have prepared a few acoustic songs that we would like to share with you. Hope you all will enjoy it.” You looked back at your boss over your shoulder who was giving you a thumbs up as he settled with the guitar in his lap. The familiar accords of the Taylor Swift song started and you swallowed before taking a deep breath and lifted your gaze up from your shoes and fixated at one point in front of you. 

We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January And this is our place, we make the rules And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you dear Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years? Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out, and take me home You're my, my, my, my Lover

You were looking at him, the whole time. He had a warm smile on his beautiful lips, his eyes were sparkling, never leaving yours at all. He was bobbing his head and leaning side to side at the rhythm of the music with the group sitting around him. He was silently singing the lyric-s with you, not breaking eye contact for any second. 

Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out, and take me home (forever and ever) You're my, my, my, my Oh, you're my, my, my, my Darling, you're my, my, my, my Lover

Your smile was wide, reaching your ears nearly when the crowd erupted with cheers and whistles mixed with the clapping. They loved it, they loved you and your performance. You were over the moon when you got off the stage as you had ended the night, and walked back to the small staff room, where you were instantly greeted by the manager of the record company.

“Let me tell you little one, you are spectacular. You have potential. I’ll have recorded everything. And I’ll call you soon.” He shook your hand and squeezed your shoulder one more time before walking out of the room.

“You were amazing.” He appeared in the corner pulling you closer to him and wrapped you in a tight hug. “Everyone loved you.” He whispered in your hair and kissed the crown of your head before letting you go.” And you look beautiful.” He looked up and down on you, it was nothing special. A white short sleeved shirt, and you topped a spaghetti strap black dress on it. But for him you could wear your pjs and he would still say you are the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.“Oh that’s a pretty big bouquet.” He pointed at your right hand as you were awkwardly hanging the followers upside down. 

“Uh.. yea I got it from Matthew” you tucked a piece of hair behind your ears as you turned around and placed it on the small table. The smile froze on his face when he heard the name. He met the guy just before your performance, he had a frown on his face the whole time. He was quiet and kept distance with everyone during the night. 

“Oh Matthew, yea I met him. Seems like a cool guy.” He scratched the back of his neck and shifted his weight from one foot to another. You have mentioned Matthew to Charles but somehow you did not want to tell a lot, because you just do not want to admit to yourself that the sparkle that you have had at the beginning is not there anymore for you, especially now that one of the most important person is next to you, you can forget about everyone.

“Yea he is really nice.” You felt the awkwardness of the whole situation. “We should probably go back to the others.” You stepped closer to him, wrapping your arm around his waist and he pulled you close to his body and smiled down at you. You were chatting with your friends sitting between Matthew and Charles, who were laughing with the guys while the other guy was sulking on your left, quietly sipping on his drink. 

You went to the bar asking for another round of cocktails for you and your other girlfriends when he appeared behind you.

“Okay Y/N, I can’t do this!” The volume of his voice made you jump, you snapped your head looking at Matthew who slammed the two glasses on the table making the cocktail spill everywhere. 

“What do you mean?”

“You need to choose, me or him!” He pointed at Charles in the distance who was staring at us intensely, trying to figure out what the conversation could be about. He did not trust him, and he definitely did not like how he was treating you, especially now. 

“You make me choose between you and my best friend? “ you furrowed your brows.” What are you? Eight?” You tilted your head to the side with an amused grin on your lips. There he is, the real Matthew, it was too good to be true. “Do you hear yourself? You make me choose between someone who I know for like ten years over a dude who I know less than a week.” 

“I’m serious,I don’t like this dude, how he is wrapping you up in his arms. You even left your bouquet that I have got you. So what do you say? Me or that French dude?” He crossed his arms in front of him and blocked your vision. Charles got confused and got up from his seat actually was about to walk closer to you to check if everything is okay. 

“He is Monégasque not French, you conceited prick.” You picked up the tray full with cocktails  and started to walk back to your table and slid it over to your friends.

“You good?” He grabbed your wrist as you tried to walk past him. “Come on.” He pulled you after him outside to the balcony, closing the door behind him turning around watching you pacing up and down. “Okay, would you please tell me what was going on between the two of you?” He hesitated because had no idea if you are gonna lose it and erupt with anger or start crying or maybe both. You stopped and looked at him.

“Am I that incredibly unlucky? Or are all the guys just dipshits?” You threw your hands up in the air dramatically. “You would think when a guy is like twenty eight or twenty nine so at the end of his twenties they probably develop some intelligence. But no.” You shake your head as you start pacing again. “He knew it well, he was aware about the situation and he said he is fine with it. And all of the sudden he is not fine with it and even tries to make me choose.” You were rambling fast and walking in circles. 

“Bunny I really tried to follow you but you lost me honey. What are you talking about?” He grabbed both your hands, linking your fingers together, keeping you steady and standing. 

“I’m talking about the fact that Matthew made me choose between himself and my best friend. He stared at you for a second before he started to laugh. “Who does something like this? I know this guy, what? Five days max. And he is already starting to control my life, just because he took me on a date?”

“Do I have to ask who you have chosen?” He chuckled, shaking his head side to side. 

“Of course I choose you. I have and I will always choose you Charles.” You tilted to the side of your head, watching a smile spread on his face. “You know usually best friends are not that happy or at least they are not showing that they are happy when their friend had a break up.” You rolled your eyes and shook your head giggling. He stepped closer caging you between the balcony railing and his body, he squeezed your hand making you look up at him as he was towering over you. 

“If you were heartbroken and crying because of a break up I wouldn’t do this. But I know that you were waiting for the point when you can finally end it with him. And you are not mad because you broke up. You just mad about what he was trying to do with you. “ he tucked a piece of hair behind your ear and caressed your cheek. His eyes never left yours. “So would you like to have that drink we talked about before?” His index finger hooked under your chin and lifted it up. You inhaled a sharp breath before swallowing thickly and nodded, which made him smile wider and pulled you back in the bar.

You woke up in the next morning with a slight headache, squeezing your eyes tight as the light hit your face directly. You grabbed on the edge of the blanket and yanked it upwards while you turned on your other side nuzzling your head further in the pillow. 

“Stop moving around that much.” His arms wrapped around your waist keeping you in place. His voice was low and raspy.

“My head.” You moaned and pushed your head more into the crook of his neck, which made him stiffen up, and suck in a short breath. 

“The amount of tequila you have had with Sammy, I’m amazed that you could walk home and I only needed to carry you to bed.” He chuckled and kissed the top of your head. “I’m gonna make coffee.” He got out of the bed, while you used the extra space and you spread more on the huge bed as you watched how he picked up a black sweats from the wardrobe putting it on, leaving him shirtless. You planted your head in your palm as you were watching his toned, sun kissed back before he turned facing you, as a cheeky grin spread on his lips. 

“It’s an ego booster when you just spread on top of my bed in my shirt and boxer while you look at me like that. “ he walked closer and closer each word just to stop in front of the bed, he bent over to have your faces at the same level. Your ears were burning from his words, it’s not the first time he caught you staring, as it was not the first time you crashed at his place in his bed wearing only his clothes. “Got busted Bunny.” He kissed the top of your nose and got up and walked out of the room. “Oh!” He stopped and picked up the lacy clothing hanging from the door handle, and dropped it to the pile of clothes next to the wardrobe.” You should get another colour set of those lacy bras, like black. Or red. Yes, definitely red, like those stilettos you have.” He turned back to wink at you and continued his road to his kitchen, disappearing at the corner. Your head fell between your arms with a long grunt. You were blushing like crazy, he had made you blush before for sure but he had never flirted with you that openly about something, especially not about your underwear. You gathered yourself together before heading to the kitchen following the scent of freshly brewed coffee. He had already poured the coffee in two mugs, you sat down silently at the dining table and picked up the mug and started to sip from it slowly, hoping to the gods that it will help ease the pounding headache. He was still in the kitchen gathering some food, it was freshly baked goods. This man went down to the bakery in the corner, got you fresh chocolate au pain and came back to the bed just to cuddle with you. Without a word you snatched the sweet baked goods from the tray, it was still warm. You sighed and moaned loud when you took a bite from your favourite breakfast item. He watched you with a smile on his lips, loved to see you happy, all he wanted to do to make you happy all the time. You picked up your mug again and took a sip of it when he broke the silence with a question that had been on his tongue the whole night yesterday and since the morning he woke up. “So when can I take you out?”

“What are you talking about?” You looked at him confused and lowered the mug from your vision studying his face with a puzzled look on your face. 

“We have a deal still running.” He tore apart the pastry and took a bite of it. “God this is still so good.” He moaned as the buttery crispy pastry laid on his tongue just before the dark, slight bitter chocolate overtook his taste buds.

“Charles, I don’t understand you, what are you talking about?”

“What’s the date today?” He slides his phone over to you on the table. You have had your eyebrows connected and had a puzzled look on your face still not understanding what’s going on. You picked up his phone and the screen lit up, showing the time and the date, your attention was caught by the choice of the background, it was not that black and white photo of him doing donuts on the track anymore, it was a picture of you two, it was taken in Monaco, his back was facing the camera while you were turning slightly back and smiling widely. You really loved that picture, it was set as your background too.“It’s the 1st of September.” You slide the phone back to him. “And?” You took the last bite of the pastry, finished it and washed it down with the last bit of the coffee. 

“Can you please repeat?” He tapped his right ear with his index finger, just as he could not hear it before. 

“Charles, you are starting to get on my nerves. It’s the freakin 1st of September. “As soon as you said it again it hit you. His smile only got bigger as he saw it on your face as your mouth opened slightly indicating that you have got what he was talking about. “Oh.” 

“So what do you say, how about I pick you up at six and take you to our favourite restaurant?” He got up from his chair and walked around the table picking up his and your empty plate also. “We can celebrate that our deal has come to an end. I’ll show you what a proper date should look like.” 

You were adjusting the silky skirt on you, hoping the wrinkles would disappear, those wrinkles which weren’t even there, you were just nervous so you tried to keep your mind busy. You are going to go on a dinner with Charles, no you are going on a date with Charles, he has said it by himself. But it still felt unreal. All of different thoughts were running on your mind with 200 kph. Does he really want this? Do you really want this? What if it’s gonna end bad? It supposed to be a stupid promise that you made fuck face drunk five years ago. But it was a promise and Charles Leclrc is a man of his word. What if it’s gonna end well? What would it mean if it’s end well? Are you gonna go on other dates? Will you be a couple? Will he try to kiss you tonight? Oh how many times during your teenage years you wanted this man to kiss you, you were full with all those confusing hormones, but you can’t say that the feeling that now you have had is because of those teenage hormones. What if you will have much more than a kiss? YN! Jesus! Get yourself together! A knock on a door made you wake up from your thoughts, causing you to jump a little. You ran to the door and placed your hand on the door handle, closing your  eye for a second and took a deep breath before you pushed down on the handle and opened it wide. He was leaning on the wall next to your entrance, with the most flirtatious, cheeky smile you have seen on his lips, his eyes were shining.

“Hello there princess.” He pushed himself away from the door and checked you out from toe to head, and looked deep in your eyes. You felt the heat rushing into your cheeks, he was so handsome looking in your favourite baby blue linen shirt that he had slight unbuttoned at top showing his sun kissed chest underneath it. “You look wonderful. Are you ready?” You blinked a few times to get yourself together and nodded small, picking up the keys from the small table next to the door.

“You look really handsome, I have to be honest with you.” You swirled the white wine in your glass around as you were sitting on the balcony at your favourite restaurant, it was a place where you usually went to for special occasions, like birthdays or your graduation, or for your first date.

“I can see, you are already flirting with me.” He laughed a little and picked up your hand by your pinky. “We should slow down your wine portion, otherwise you soon will sit on my lap try to steal a kiss.” You choked on your wine and started to cough.

“I would have thought that you would try your shot on that one.” You gathered yourself together and leaned back in your chair. A small chuckle escaped his lips, he leaned forward lifted your hand up to his lips and kissed you ring finger while he was looking deeply in your eyes. You felt heat rushing to your ears spreading slowly out on your cheeks. The way he was looking at you was so intense, like you were the only person in the whole room that he was seeing. Which was true but your were always the only person for him that he saw no matter where you were.

“Bunny, you have no idea how long I have want to shoot my shot with you.” He mumbled into your skin which made you heart stop for a second before jumping forward in a crazy speed. “I love how I can make you blush. You are so beautiful when you blush Princess.” You lifted up your other hand and started to fan your face, you felt like here and there you can just bust into flames. 

You were used to the nicknames, Bunny was your favourite one, next to Princess but tonight both of them felt like something else. It has so much love, and lust behind them, which made you squeeze your thighs together. “I’m gonna pay, and we can walk down to the yacht if you are in it.” He let go of your hand before giving one more kiss on the back of your hand, you silently were nodding trying to compost yourself.

“Thank you for the dinner. I was so nervous about this whole night. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not nervous because of you. I mean that’s not true. I’m rambling again.” You giggled at yourself and ran your hand through your hair anxiously as you dropped your shoes on the deck and walked after him all the way to the steering wheel. He started the engine and slowly backed away from the shore heading to the open sea. “I was nervous because I could not imagine a date with you. I still can’t imagine that you really want this to happen and not just because it was a promise that we have made many years ago. I was a nervous wreck before you knocked on my door and when I opened it I thought I would faint. The way you look, the way you looked at me. God I have told you before you are handsome, but tonight you are something else.” You were still talking as he was driving the yacht quietly, with a smile on his face which got bigger and bigger each of the sentences that left your beautiful lips. He turned off the engine and pushed the button for the anchor before starting to walk your way as you were still rambling about all that nonsense.

He grabbed your waist with one hand and made you turn around and face him.

“Princess, can you please listen to me for a second?” With his free hand he grabbed the side of your face after he tucked that piece of hair which was dangling in front of your face. As soon as you felt his warm palm on your cheek, words dried in your throat. You closed your mouth slowly and nodded, letting him speak as he wished. “You overthink it. Way too much.” He was caressing your cheek with his thumb as his eyes were studying your face. “It’s not that complicated actually. And I think now I have nothing to lose, I can only win from this, because I feel how I make you feel. I feel that under all those thoughts, and confusion and emotions, you have the same feeling for me, that we have been pushing deep down for so many years, we even went to find the same feeling with other people, because we were confused and we were so afraid. After all those years, on that new year’s eve when we made that “stupid little promise”” He drew quotation marks in the air and chuckled his own words.” I was already fallen. I have already fallen for you, I just could see it in your eyes, it was not the right time for us. And afterall I think I made the right choice. But now, it’s our time. And if you let me, I will show you that you do deserve all the love, the attention, the commitment. Because I want that, and I want that with you. YN, you are one of the best thing in my life. I wake up everyday thinking about you and go to bed thinking about you. That bracelet was the most genius idea to buy in my life. Only problem was that if I could I would tap it the whole day, because when you are not with me I miss you like crazy. With tonight, I’m not asking a lot, we don’t need to jump right away into this whole thing. We can take everything step by step. I promise to you that I’m gonna love you with my whole heart forever. All I’m asking is to let me show you how much I love you. Because I do. God I love you so much.” 

There you were standing in front of him, in the middle of the night under the sparkling stars in the middle of the open sea. Glamorous Monte Carlo was shining behind you, those lights were sparkling in his beautiful green eyes. You were standing there, looking up at him, entirely frozen, trying to understand and process what he said. He was studying your face quietly, his finger was still stroking your cheek. Tears welled up in your eyes as the time passed and you started to wrap your head around all that information that he has said to you.

“Bunny, please say something.” He whispered and let his forehead touch yours, never breaking eye contact with you. You cleared your throat and planted both of your hand on his cheek, his stubble was prickling on your soft palm. You pushed his face a little away from you which only made him more confused.

“Say it again.” You whispered, your voice was so quiet it was nearly not even noticeable. “Say again that three words.” 

“I” he leaned closer a little grabbing on your jaw and tilting your head a little upwards. He could feel your pulse in his palm. Your heart was beating in your throat with such a speed. “Love” he leaned more closer your nose were touching you could feel his hot breath on your cupid's bow, his lips were hovering over yours “You” He said the last word and you launched forward and closed the distance between the two of you. You sighed in relief as you felt his warm lips on yours, his stubble above his lips were tickling your skin. His hand that was on your face just pulled you much closer to him, as it slid all the way to the back of your head and raking his fingers through your hair, while with his other arm that was still on the small of you back pulled you close to is body if it’s was even possible because you were already so close. You moaned on his lips as you got on your tiptoes, trying to get closer to him as much as possible, your right hand slid to the back of his neck and grabbed on his hair which made him moan on your lips too.

“I love you” You whispered on his lips as you broke the kiss off with heaving chests. You let out a small yelp when he grabbed the back of your thighs and picked you up, before putting you down on the small table next to the controlling panel. You were silently watching each other, his hand was still on your cheek as yours were on his shoulders. Both of you were smiling ear to ear, you were so happy. “Can I be honest with you?”

“Is it really a question?” He answered right away, kissing the tip of your nose, before pecking your lips. “Please be honest with me, just as we’ve always been.”

“Do you really want to take things step by step?” Your finger was drawing shapes on his chest that was showing from his unbuttoned shirt. “ Because all I can think about is how much I want to rip this shirt off you and finally kiss all those parts of you that I have been dreaming about.” 

“Aw, cute. You have had some wet dreams about me huh?” He chuckled, his left hand went behind your head and grabbed your hair at the nape of your head and pulled it a little just so you will tilt your head upwards, a small sigh left your lips before you inhaled sharply.

“I may or may not bought that set that you have suggested.” You are not gonna give this game in that easily. If he can tease you can do it as well. Your fingers were busy opening the buttons one by one, all the way to the end and you opened the shirt when you finished and slid your palm over his abdomen. Now it was his time to inhale a sharp breath as he felt your slight cold fingers on his hot skin. You could feel under the pad of your fingers the soft skin that you have had some luck to touch a few times when he was shirtless but this time it was different. With each breath he took, lust and desire just spread through both of your bodies, clouding your minds.“And it’s perfectly matching your car.” You could see he swallowed thick, he did not break eye contact with you, it was so much more intense than the one you have had before..

“Calculated move.”

“I thought that maybe if none of my charms are working on you then maybe my panties can change your mind.” You giggled over his lips. 

“Do you really want this?” His voice got softer and he tilted his head to the side, trying to read any discomfort or something that would indicate you are changing your mind.

“Charles, I think it's bullshit if we are all gonna act like we have never met before and started to date. We have known each other for years, we can’t have the same pace as with someone I have never known.I trust you with my whole heart, and I know if you promise something you are gonna keep that. “You hooked your finger in his belt loop on his trouser and pulled him closer to your body, between your legs. “So please, get over that chevalier shit and kiss me and let me take your clothes off because if you keep me waiting for another second I’m gonna go crazy.”  He laughed at your last sentence before pulling your closer to his body and closed his lips over yours again, but this time to a much heated kiss, he was still so loving with you but you could feel that he wanted you too. Without waiting for him you already grabbed the side of your shirt and pulled it upward, throwing it over the dashboard and pushed on his body to take a step backwards from you letting you jump down from the table, pushing down your skirt letting the light fabric fall down to your ankles, leaving you just in your underwear. He has seen you in your underwear many times, there was a time when accidentally he saw you for a second without a bra too, but those times were different, because then he identified the whole picture as his beautiful friend. But now all he could see was the sexiest woman on earth who was waiting for him to take it to the next step but all he could do was just look at her completely mesmerised. The fabric and the style of the garments were so beneficial on you. “I’m not gonna bite, you can come closer.” He shook his head and leaped forward picking you up by your waist, lifting you up which made you instantly wrapping your legs around him. One of his hand grabbed on your butt and squeezed it a little making you let a yelp out on his lips that made his smile wide. 

“You look so fucking sexy.” He said between kisses as he was walking down on the deck all the way to the big sunbeds with those big fluffy cushions, he lowered the two of you as he got on his knees and get on the centre of the bed before sat down with you still on his lap. “I was right about the red. Belle, you are hot as fuck.” He looked up and down on you once again, still can’t get enough of the scene in front of him. Pulling off the shirt off him that you threw somewhere next to you on the floor, before grabbing on his shoulders and pushed on him, making him to fall back on the pillows. Without waiting another second you jumped forward and started to kiss the soft skin on his neck from the base of his ear and continued your way down to his chest. A low grunt escaped from his throat as he tilted his head back on the bed in to the pillows when you climbed off his lap, lowering yourself down on him, continue the track of kisses from is chest down his lower abdomen. His breath quickened and even had a sharpe inhale when you kissed your way down on his happy trail and hooked your finger once again into his jeans. You looked up at him through your lashes seeing that he was looking back at you, his eyes were so dark, full with lust as he was holding on his breath waiting for your next step. You licked your lips before turned your gaze back to the trousers and started to work on unbuttoning it.

“May I?” He cleared his throat and nodded as you hooked your finger in his trousers and boxer at the same time feeling the soft flesh under your finger, which made warmth spread all over on you ending its way between your legs that you had to squeeze together. He lifted his hips up, to help you pull down on his clothes, leaving him in the end completely naked for the first time. You sat back and looked over at him, from his handsome face that was smiling at you the most cockiest was possible, to his sculptured torso that you have loved so much all the way to the lowest part of his that you have never seen before. You swallowed down the moan that nearly escaped from your throat when you saw his member. He caught your wrist and pulled you down on him catching your lips with his into a searing kiss. You were about to sit on his lap when he pulled your leg underneath for you and pushed you under him, he pushed your legs apart with his knee and planted both his palm next to your head.

“Babygirl, I cannot be the only one who is naked, it’s not fair don’t you think?” He mumbled in your ear and started to plan wet kisses from the behind of your ear all the way down to your neck and went down to your chest. You pushed you upper body forward, arching your back to get closer to him which he answered with a small laugh. “We are not running anywhere Bunny, we have all the night. And I’m not planning to rush it with you.” You raked your fingertips all the way down on his chest which he grabbed before you could reach his lower stomach and lifted it up above your head caging both of your wrist with his big hand. “Now it’s my turn to play.” He said and give you a peck on your lips. With his free hand he took your breast out of the lacy bra and softly massaged it. You moaned to the feeling of his calloused fingers getting closer and closer to your nipple. “You are so perfect. Such a good girl.” He kissed you neck one more time before latched his mouth on your breast, sucking on the soft skin leaving slight marks over it, he played with your pebbled nipple first with his tongue that made you moan out loud and arching your back more before he bit down on it that caused to yelp a little. “All those beautiful sexy noises and we haven’t done a lot yet.” He looked up at you as he was laying down between your legs on his stomach.

“If you want to hear all those other noises, and me screaming your name, you better hurry up my love.” You planted yourself on your elbows and watched him as he laughed and started to kiss his way down on your stomach all the way to your panties. Your breath quickened when he kissed the waistline of your lacy underwear, pushing your legs up a little, planting your feet on the bed, he kissed his way the inside of your thighs while he was having an intense eye contact with you. He hooked his fingers on the side of your underwear and started to pull it down so that you helped him with just lifting your hips a little. Once it disappeared he sat back on his knees and looked at you. The way he looked at you made you feel the most beautiful woman on the whole Earth, not feeling any insecurities that this is the first time when he sees you that way, spreaded all hot and wet, full with lust.

“Bunny, you are magnificent.” He whispered as he leaned forward and grabbed the side of your face and kissed you deeply, you exhaled through your nose when you felt his member pushing down on your fold making the both of you moaning out in each other's mouth. You pushed him back a little and grabbed on his shoulders to make him lay down, you slid yourself up and down on his hard cock that was laying on his stomach. Lustful moans were leaving your mouth at the sensation, you felt like you can’t take it anymore you just need him inside you. Now.

You lifted yourself up, leaning on your hand that was on his chest and grabbed the base of his cock and positioning at your entrance. You slowly lowered yourself down on him, gasping as the tip started to stretch out your inside. You both gasp at the new feeling as you slowly lower yourself down on him, all the way till he completely disappeared in you. You were sitting quietly, staring at each other, you were taking small breaths as you were still adjusting on the feeling of his huge size. Once you felt like you can move you leaned forward down on him and kissed him, instantly his arms wrapped around you and pulled you down on him as he planted his feet on the bed and started to roll his hips slowly but tender. Your head fall into his neck as you were panting and moaning. You planted both your palms on his chest and pushed yourself up so you could sit up normally, the whole feeling, him inside you in this position was different. One of his hand grabbed your waist as the other grabbed on your breasts and started to play with you nipple once again. The feeling was overwhelming, you dropped your head back as you were riding him slowly.

“Look at me beautiful’ Charles panted underneath you “You look like a goddess. Such a good girl. You feel so good wrapped around me.” His hand left your breast and slid up to your neck, grabbing on it which made you gasp in surprise. His other hand went from your waist all the way down between the two of you and laid his finger on your clit, making you moan loud. “Can you please be my princess and come for me?” You nodded frantically as he picked up the pace with his thrust and his finger started to draw circles on you clit.

“Holly shit.” You gasped at the new feeling and let your nail dig into the soft skin on his chest.

“You are doing amazing, baby. Let me feel you come on my cock.” He pulled you closer kissing your lips as he picked up his pace, making you moan in his mouth. You felt the familiar feeling of your orgasm slowly appearing in you but when Charles changed the pace of his fingers again on your sensitive clit you knew you don’t have a long time before you are gonna come.

“Charles. I…I’m gonna cum.”Whimper left your lips when he turned the both of you around making him be on top once again.

“Come on baby girl. Come for me.” He whispered on your lips as his thrusts got more quicker and deeper at the same time. You were on the road of orgasm and you were racing on that road. With a few more thrust you were at the gate of your orgasm, and one more movement of his finger and you came all over his dick while you were screaming his name. With a few more thrust he was following you and with a low grunt he released himself inside of you before fall on the top of you caging you in his arms. Both of you were panting, heads clouded by full bliss between each others arm. After a few minutes he pushed himself away from you, and grabbed on your chin turning your head to his way. You looked at him with those shining eyes, and a small smile on your lips.”Are you okay?”

“More than okay. That was one of the best orgasm of my life.” You giggled and wrapped your arms around his neck. “ I love you.”

“I love you” He whispered back and closed the distance between the two of you with a kiss.

“Where are they?” Eric checked the time on his phone once again as they were waiting on their two best friends to arrive at the small BBQ party. “I can’t believe that they are living like five minutes away and they still manage to miss the time we have agreed on.” He was shaking his head side to side with a grin on his lips.

“Look who has arrived!” Sammy pointed at the balcony window where the two of you walked out hand in hand saying hello to the others. “Wait a fucking minute!” She raised her voice making everyone stop at what they were doing. “As I can see the date went well.” She crossed her arms in front of herself as your other girlfriends stopped next to her looking at you with the biggest smile on their lips.

“They went on a date?” Eric asked

“Remember that they had that promise thing, many years ago?” She pushed on the shoulder of our friend who looked at her dumbfounded before nodding.” So by the first of September their deal came to an end, both of them were single, so our Lord Perceval took the chosen one of his heart on a date.” Sammy winked at you making you blush and look down on your feet, trying to hide that you got busted. 

“What can I say, I keep myself to my world. If I promise something I better keep that.” Charles said with a wide grin on his lips and pulled you closer to his body and kissed the crown of your head.

“Pay up Big Ric.” Sammy extended her palm out to Eric with a victorious smile on her lips.

“What did you do?” You asked surprised seeing your male friend digging in to his shorts for his wallet with a frown on his lips and took a hundred euro out and handed it over to the girl. “You bet on us?” Your eyes went wide as you understood the scene in front of you.

“Oh honey, we did it many years ago. But hey Ric, I think you are still short by another fifty, because as I can see that the summer dress can’t hide, they even had some extra fun.” She nodded to your way again, as you took your ponytail on the left side of your neck trying to hide the small hickeys that were showing. Damn it Charles. With a huffle he threw another fifty euros on top of the other banknotes. “Thank you very much! It was a pleasure to do business with you Sir. I hope you learned to never do a bet with me.” She winked at him and walked away counting on the notes as she was whistling away as all of you were laughing at them. You looked up at Charles on your side watching him chuckling with his friends, his smile was reaching his eyes making small wrinkles appear, which made him more attractive. You were studying his handsome features quietly with a smile on your lips, and you were just amazed that how you got so lucky. You have had a spectacular life, a great job with a side job that was basically your hobby. You have the biggest most supportive and cohesive friend group since you were kids that made your life so much better. And finally you have someone next to you, who you love with your whole heart and can imagine your life with, someone who you were waiting for the whole time till now. Someone that you were head over hills in love with.

“Bunny what’s going on in the pretty head of yours?” Charles made you wake up from your staring.

“I was just thinking how lucky we are that we have each other. I have people in my life that I can count on no matter what and when. People that I will have in my life for ever. And now I have a partner, the most handsome man on Earth who can be the biggest goofball ever with who I can plan my future, our future. Someone who I love so much.” 

“You are my everything. You are my future Bunny. I love you so much.” He grabbed both sides of your face as he was looking deeply in your eyes, and pulled you closer to a kiss.

Maybe your love life is not that miserable after all.

Feedbacks are always apprecited :) Love you ♥ If you want to be added or removed from the taglist, please let me know :)

Taglist: @mytinycrazymind @vividwritinglove @ophcelia @freyjhasdesiredreality @lord-sharl-perceval @o0itsjustme0o

[hawkinsbnbg]

‪Steve was such an embodiment of a golden retriever that Eddie could hardly hate him even when his Munson Doctrine said otherwise.‬

‪Once Eddie got to know him better, he knew he was done for.‬

‪The guy wasn't only a pretty face and fine muscles, he was also kind and a goddamn sweetheart.‬

‪And Eddie? He was a sucker for Steve Harrington. ‬

‪Had been since high school and never thought he could fall any deeper until Dustin literally force introduced him to Steve who took one look at him and invited him to his house.‬

‪As if they were good friends and not two strangers who had just talked to each other for the first time.‬

‪"We actually talked once before all of this," said Steve absentmindedly as they were chilling out on the lounge chairs by the pool.

‪Sometimes, the night breeze would sail past them and Eddie would be able to smell Steve's citrus cologne mix with the chlorine that came from the pool. ‬

‪Also, he'd never admit that the sight of Steve in that white snug T and those stupid tiny green shorts made him a little bit dizzy.‬

‪"When?" Eddie was bewildered. Because if he had interacted with Steve, then he sure as hell he'd remember it for the rest of his life.‬

‪"On my first year," Steve gave him a meaningful look. "You seemed to hate me a lot the moment we met so I didn't try to approach you anymore."

‪Eddie remembered it now. That day, Steve had come to buy from him but since he didn't sell to underages, he decided to scare the younger boy away and then forgot all about it once he returned to his trailer.

‪Turned out, his tactic worked a little bit too well and now, Eddie finally understood why Steve never came to him and it was always Tommy or Carol's brother instead.‬

‪"Thanks for that anyway," said Steve quietly.‬

‪"For what?" Eddie frowned slightly in confusion.‬

‪"For denying me the weeds," Steve gave him a warm smile. "I had been goaded to buy them from you but now thinking back, I'm glad that I didn't get them. Because I knew the moment I went back with a bag of weeds, those people would encourage me to buy drugs next. It'd go on until they got me addicted and my life would be much more different if I was sent into rehab by my father."‬

‪Though Eddie knew this was what he hoped his little conscience would do to those teenagers, he still didn't expect Steve Harrington of all people to thank him for it.‬

‪And he didn't expect his heart to leap into Steve's hand without his consent, either.‬

‪"It's nothing," Eddie cleared his throat slightly and picked up his beer bottle so he'd have something to do instead of flailing his hands around like an idiot. "It's just one of my rules that I don't sell to underages."‬

‪"And thanks to you, many guys like me can have a better life," Steve raised his beer into the air. "Cheers for Eddie Munson."‬

‪Eddie though blushed at the lovely smile Steve sent him, still held up his bottle and clinked it with Steve's.‬

‪After that night, they started hanging out together more often. Sometimes, it'd be at Steve's place, and some other times, it'd be in Eddie's bedroom at the Munson trailer.

‪Steve even chatted with Wayne about basketball, on which Eddie would never in his wildest dream expect to walk in when he returned from a gig one late night.‬

‪Gradually, it became their thing to spend time together whenever they could.‬

‪Yet, Eddie didn't dare to consider them as anything but friends.‬

‪Sure, they hung out all the time in each other's bedroom, they shared forehead kisses and cuddles, they brushed each other's hair, and they even lived in each other's wardrobe.‬

‪But, clearly, Steve was as straight as a ruler and Eddie wouldn't ruin their friendship just because of his stupid feelings.‬

‪So Eddie did what he thought was the best. He tried to move on.‬

‪But he had failed the moment a random girl walked up to Steve and started flirting with him.‬

‪An ugly thing reared its head inside Eddie and caused him to see Red.‬

‪He just stormed over and pulled Steve away from that girl, out of the bar, and into the back of his van without much thought for the consequences.‬

‪Fuck the consequences. Because Steve was his and his alone. Anyone could fuck off.‬

‪"Eds? Did something happen? Are you okay?" Steve looked at him in concern.‬

‪That got an amused huff out of Eddie. Of course, his sweetheart would worry about everyone but himself.‬

‪"No, I'm okay," he took in a deep breath to calm down. Then, he met those hazel eyes and decided to be honest for once. "I was just jealous."‬

‪"Of who?" Steve’s brows pinched in bafflement.‬

‪"Of that girl," Eddie licked his dry lips and watched Steve's gaze flick down to them before meeting his eyes again.‬

‪"Why?"‬

‪"Why?" Eddie parroted back before giving out the answer that had been locked inside him for years. "Because I like you, Steve."‬

‪"Oh," Steve breathed out.‬

‪"Yeah," Eddie snorted bitterly and braced himself for the imminent heartbreak. ‬

‪He waited for Steve to either turn him down gently or punch him in the face for taking advantage of their friendship for his greed and selfishness.‬

‪He knew Steve would never do that. But it'd hurt far worse if Steve got upset enough with him to resort to pure violence.‬

‪Instead, all Steve did was ask with a raised eyebrow, "So are you gonna kiss me now or do I need to do it first?"‬

‪Eddie didn't need to be told twice to cup Steve's face and lock their lips together.‬

‪This could be another good dream for all he cared.‬

‪For now, Eddie didn't want to drown himself in yet another existential crisis until he was done making out with his darling.‬

‪Until they stumbled into Steve's bed, until Eddie was permitted to do everything to the other man, including blowing his back out that he knew it wasn't a dream. Because Eddie never made it this far in his dreams before.‬

‪"So are we boyfriends now?" Eddie asked again just to make sure as he cuddled and shared lazy kisses with an adorably sleepy Steve.‬

‪"Mhm," Steve hummed under his breath, all rosy cheeks and blissed out.‬

‪"Just so you know," Eddie traced his forefinger on the soft outline of Steve's chin. "You're gonna be stuck with me for a very long time and even if you try to kick me away, I'd find a way to get back to you."‬

‪"That sounds perfect to me," Steve yawned and snuggled up to him.‬

‪"Yeah?" Eddie tightened his arms around Steve.‬

‪"Uh-huh," Steve planted a small kiss on his jaw. "We're in this together now. And you're gonna see how clingy I am very soon. Just don't regret it, Munson."‬

‪"I'd never, sweetheart," Eddie whispered back and gave his lovely boyfriend another smooch on his forehead.‬

‪As Eddie slowly drifted off, he just knew he was the world's happiest and luckiest man to have Steve in his life.

‪And that was a blessing he'd never take for granted.‬

[maracujatangerine]

82. Taking Note

CW: mental health issues, institutionalised slavery, dehumanisation, box boy universe, pet whump

The pale light of an overcast winter’s day flattened all the colours; the yellow curtains, the violet saintpaulia on the windowsill, the pet’s own blonde hair, everything taking on a washed-out tinge of grey. Coriander sat at the kitchen table, pen in hand, staring at a blue notebook. Miss Lydia had asked it to choose one of the notebooks at her bookshop yesterday.

“Perhaps you would like to try writing down your thoughts?” She had suggested, gently. “It is not for me to read. I promise that I won’t. Cross my heart, and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye!”

She laughed, but the look in her brown eyes was serious.

“You can write down anything you want, and it will be for your eyes only, okay?”

The pet had nodded and told her that it understood. Now, Miss Lydia was out. She had gone for coffee with Cecilia, and the pet had elected to stay at home.

The notebook it had chosen had a Japanese-style drawing of a cresting wave on the cover, the white tips of the wave rendered with splashes in glossy silver. The white pages were neatly lined in black.

The radio was on in the background, a piece by Händel tugging at some half-remembered string at the back of the pet’s mind. Cory knew that Miss Lydia had left Radio 3 on for the pet’s sake, but that she wouldn’t mind if it changed the station, just like she hadn’t minded that the pet had chosen to stay behind when she went out.

It used to agonise endlessly over such small decisions. Did Miss Lydia want it to say yes or no? Would this thing make it a better pet, or would that?

Nowadays, more and more, it felt like it could trust that its owner said what she meant. If she needed it to come, she would let it know. If she gave it a choice, she truly wanted it to make up its own mind.

That was an unprecedented freedom. Generosity beyond its wildest dreams. It knew it was extraordinarily lucky.

It should be happy, should it not?

And it was grateful, it was!

But happiness eluded it

In the beginning, everything had brought it joy. Or, well, at least relief.

Having its wounds treated, feeling its body healing, aches and pains receding to the back of its mind and gradually fading away.

Hunger, the dull gnawing of an empty stomach, the weakness and loss of focus that comes with days and days without enough food to eat. The terrible fear of feeling your own body consuming itself to stay alive. No more!

In its life with Miss Lydia, Coriander could still feel hungry, sometimes. At the end of a long day, before lunch at work, out on a hike in the woodlands. But it never felt truly hungry. That bottomless need for sustenance was a thing of the past.

These things brought relief. The joy came later.

Miss Lydia gently petting its hair, and Coriander genuinely wanting - and daring - to lean into her touch.

Playing the tin whistle for Miss Indira and the doctor responding with enthusiastic applause.

Laughing together with Miss Lydia without the pet having to carefully guard every word to avoid angering its owner.

Working at the shop and being given a nod of approval from Miss Carla at a job well done.

Sitting in the garden and watching flowers bloom from seeds they had sown together.

These were all things of joy, of beauty. Miss Lydia was consistently fair and kind. The pet felt healthy now, strong, even. Its damaged shoulder still impeded its daily life, its scars ached sometimes, and the nightmares refused to go away, but these were mere trifles in the grand scheme of things.

So, why wasn’t it happy?

It should be. It had been.

But now, lately, it was like some undefined malaise had taken hold of the pet. A depressing weight that suffused everything, that stole joy out of everything, just like the grey winter light leaked the colours away.

Looking down on the pages, the pet realised it had written the same sentence over and over.

Why did this happen to me?

Tag List Part 1: @cupcakes-and-pain @whump-em @whumpzone @wh-wh-whu @neuro-whump @carnagecardinal @cowboy-anon @whump-me-all-night-long @redwingedwhump @myst-in-the-mirror @haro-whumps @eatyourdamnpears @bloodsweatandpotato @pinkraindropsfell @whumptywhumpdump @theydy-cringeworthy @whump-in-progress @whumpsy-daisy @nicolepascaline @whumpcreations @briars7 @shiningstarofwinter @whumppsychology @alex-ember @miss-kitty-whumptastic @whumpy-writings @in-patient-princess @youtube-fandoms-bands @goblinchildindabog @mazeish @distinctlywhumpthing @inpainandsuffering @canniboylism @icannotweave @incoherent-introspection @kim-poce @broken-typewriter @the-monarch-whumperfly @whumpers-inc @grizzlie70 @lil-whumper @writingbackwards-blog @sunflower1000 @wingedwhump @thecitythatdoesntsleep @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight @onlybadendings @rabass @wolfeyedwitch @melancholy-in-the-morning

[sasslett]

FFXIV Write 2024 Day 3: Tempest

She watched as Varrus flitted between their companions, each strewn about the streets of the mysterious city in the depths of the Tempest, each mulling over their own troubles and turmoils. She watched as he clapped his hand upon their shoulders and offered them smiles, offered them embraces, offered them reassurance. 

But, gods, how could he? In the state he was in, who was he to be comforting them? With the Light beating upon the cages of his chest, threatening to break free, to overwhelm him at any given moment? 

He’d tried to hide it, of course - the fear, the pain - but she knew. She knew all-too-well. 

And it terrified her. 

But she refused to acknowledge it. Starkly pushed down her emotions as she’d followed him into the very depths themselves, as she’d pledged to stand by his side until the very end. 

It wouldn’t end there. Not that day. It simply… 

It simply couldn’t. 

She knew, as he finished speaking with Ryne, that it would be her turn next - that he’d exhausted all other allies to speak to. And, indeed, he glanced over to meet her eye - only for her to sharply avert her gaze. 

Yet, still, he approached; his footsteps upon the stone struck as heavy as her heartbeat in her chest as she squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to hold herself together. 

“Jess-”

“Don’t,” she gasped, fighting back the lump she felt forming in her throat. “Whatever words you have, save them. You know you don’t need to convince me. I’m barely hanging on, as-is; I don’t think I have it in me to hear what you have to say.” 

She knew it was folly; she knew he wasn’t about to be deterred. 

And, indeed, his voice reached her ears once more - his soft, sweet voice, the one she’d grown accustomed to hearing every morning as she awoke, the one that whispered sweet nothings in her ear every night she fell asleep in his arms. The one that felt like home.

The one she couldn’t bear to lose.

“Do you remember the night we met?”

“Of course I do,” she whispered - for how could she forget? It was the day her life had changed, the day destiny saw fit to set her upon her path, one that led her to that very moment, in a conjured city beneath the waves on a world entirely different from her own. 

“Well, call me crazy, but I knew, then and there, that you were the one. The one who owned me, heart, body and soul. The one I’d been waiting for all my life. The second our eyes locked, my life as I knew it was over. It hasn’t been easy. It hasn’t been without pain. And damn if there aren’t times I regret ever dragging you into this mess - how I wished you were safe and sound on the Source right now, instead of here, preparing to look death in the eye at my side. But I know you; I know you’d never be happy in such a life. I only hope… I only hope your journey has been everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

“It has.” Only then did she dare to open her eyes - nearly regretting it the instant she did, as she met his gaze, the warmth of his golden eyes rivaled only by the hot sting of her tears, threatening to spill over. “Beyond my wildest dreams. And,” she balled her fists by her sides, unable to stop the tears from flowing, “it’s not over yet.”

“No.” Gently, he reached down, grasping her hands between his as he lowered his head to nuzzle her cheek. “Your journey is not over, my love. No matter what happens in there… you must live. Survive. Make your mark on history.”

She leaned forward to press her forehead against his. “No,” she choked, “not without you. My place is by your side, through life or death, and I don’t intend to change that.”

“Jess…”

Whatever protest he had, she wouldn’t hear it, instead tilting her chin to press her lips against his. His taste was a familiar comfort, his touch her home - and she was not about to lose him. Not so long as she stood and breathed, Ascian madman be damned. 

“Now come on,” she murmured softly, just as soon as they broke apart, “We’re getting through this, one way or another. Together. No matter what.”

“No matter what.”

And with that, she summoned the last shreds of her resolve, her hands still firmly clamped in his as she turned her gaze on Amaurot’s Capitol building… where she would see their journey through to its end. 

[randomingoftherandomness]

Fic: There's something broken about this; But I might be hoping about this (Qiubing)

A/N: @snicker-doodles I hope this satisfies :)

Also tagging @xinyuehui 🐈

Title is from one of my favourite songs by Hozier

--

"What an ominous marriage"

"Look at that head of white..."

"--heard that the General himself requested this marriage--"

"Is it true that the other groom has gone mad from grief?"

Qiu Qingzhi knocks his cup of wine to that of his colleagues, accepting their congratulations even if he can hear the questions their smiles aren't asking outright. There'd been much gawking in the streets when he had rode ahead of the procession and he wasn't a fool to think that their invited guests would behave any differently.

The whispers reach his ears. Probably despite the best efforts of the lips they were uttered from. Qiu Qingzhi inclines his head before turning to direct a maid to check on Li Bing in their bridal suite.

He will tough it out for another half a shichen before he ropes in some of his subordinates to play interference with some of the drinking games starting up around the courtyard. He would rather not leave Li Bing to stew alone in their room. Well, Qiu Qingzhi thinks a little exhaustedly as he pours himself a cup of tea, more alone than he thinks he is.

To his old friend, this marriage may seem like a shackle. To him, it was all he could have ever wanted.

Li Bing had barely said a word to him in the two weeks he had taken to pull together this wedding. Hadn't even said a word about how the sanction for their marriage came from the Empress herself. Had barely acknowledged the gifts and dowry he had brought to the Li residence and was still very much in mourning.

Not even to say anything about how there was a tacit agreement to reduce the fanfare of the wedding procession, even though Qiu Qingzhi would have very much rather given him the mile of red and then some.

Qiu Qingzhi would have loved nothing more than to give Li Bing the wedding he deserved.

Instead, they make do.

In his wildest dreams, Qiu Qingzhi had never dared to hope that one day he would get to perform his wedding bows with Li Bing. Never, in a million years, even in his darkest days did he ever think he would be the one to hoist Li Bing into his arms as he crossed the threshold of his residence.

Li Bing looked beautiful -- looks so beautiful in red. Even in the simplest robes they could manage to pull together to not break taboo, all eyes were on him.

As the other groom, he didn't need to wear a veil, and for that, Qiu Qingzhi is grateful. With delicate gold woven through the whites of his hair, Li Bing makes for a simple and understated groom on his wedding day. But to Qiu Qingzhi... To him, he glowed.

"General."

The maid he had sent to Li Bing bows, stepping close to inform him that Li Bing had only taken two mouthfuls of the sweet porridge he had had the kitchen make. Now, that won't do. Calling over his subordinates, he asks them to help with the guests while he instructs his steward to get the chef ready to prepare any meals Li Bing may want to eat.

It won't do for his groom to not have enough to eat on his wedding night.

Tomorrow, he will send Li Bing off right to the city limits to lead his father's funeral procession back to their hometown. Everything red will be traded to white and as Li Bing's husband, he will follow suit and mourn just the same. Qiu Qingzhi won't follow outright, but he has ordered men to shadow the procession and will be tailing them from a distance.

And at the 100th day mark, Qiu Qingzhi will worship at his father-in-law's tomb. There will be a place for his funeral plaque at the altar in the main hall where Li Bing will call home. In due course, Qiu Qingzhi will tell him that they should move back to the Li residence.

It will be alright.

[use-your-imagination98]

GH Couples Inspired By Taylor Swift Songs

Had this in my drafts for FOREVER. thought it was a good time to post it haha. 

Alan and Monica: The Last Great American Dynasty

And they said

"There goes the last great American dynasty"

"Who knows if she never showed up, what could've been"

Luke and Laura: My Tears Ricochet

Even on my worst day, did I deserve, babe

All the hell you gave me?

'Cause I loved you, I swear I loved you

'Til my dying day

Luke and Tracy: Better Man

I know

I’m probably better off all alone

Than needing a man who could

Change his mind at any given minute

Laura and Scotty: New Year’s Day

Please don't ever become a stranger

Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere

Laura and Kevin: Lover

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue

All's well that ends well to end up with you

Kevin and Lucy: Delicate

This ain't for the best

My reputation's never been worse, so

You must like me for me

Frisco and Felicia: Closure

Yes, I'm doing better

I know that it's over, I don't need your

Closure

Mac and Felicia: Ours

And life makes love look hard

The stakes are high, the water's rough

But this love is ours

Robert and Anna:  It's Nice to Have a Friend

Call my bluff, call you "babe"

Have my back, yeah, everyday

Anna and Valentin: Sparks Fly

My mind forgets to remind me, your a bad idea

You touch me once and it's really something

You find I'm even better than you, imagined I would be

Sonny and Brenda: The 1

But we were something, don't you think so?

Roaring 20s, tossing pennies in the pool

And if my wishes came true

It would've been you

Sonny and Carly: Haunted

​​You and I walk a fragile line

I have known it all this time

Sonny and Alexis: Blank Space

So hey, let's be friends

I'm dying to see how this one ends

Stone and Robin: Sad Beautiful Tragic

We had a beautiful magic love there

What a sad beautiful tragic love affair

Robin and Patrick: This Love

This love is good

This love is bad

This love is alive back from the dead

Lucky and Elizabeth: Tolerate It

While you were out building other worlds, where was I?

Where's that man who'd throw blankets over my barbed wire?

I made you my temple, my mural, my sky

Now I'm begging for footnotes in the story of your life

Nikolas and Emily: Happiness

There'll be happiness after you

But there was happiness because of you

Nikolas and Elizabeth: Dress

Our secret moments in your crowded room

They've got no idea about me and you

Ned and Alexis: Stay Stay Stay

You took the time to memorize me

My fears, my hopes and dreams

I just like hanging out with you

All the time

Alexis and Julian: Death By A Thousand Cuts

I get drunk but it's not enough

'Cause you're not my baby

I look through the windows of this love

Even though we boarded them up

LuLu and Dante: Wildest Dreams

Someday when you leave me

I bet these memories

Follow you around

Sam and Jason: It’s Time To Go

15 years, 15 million tears

Begging 'til my knees bled

I gave it my all, he gave me nothing at all

Then wondered why I left

Sam and Dante: Cardigan

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan

Under someone's bed

You put me on and said I was your favorite

Chase and Brook Lynn: Mastermind

Once upon a time, the planets and the fates

And all the stars aligned

You and I ended up in the same room

At the same time

Spencer and Trina: Invisible String

And isn't it just so pretty to think

All along there was some

Invisible string

Tying you to me?

Cameron and Jossyln: Karma

Addicted to betrayal, but you're relevant

You're terrified to look down

'Cause if you dare, you'll see the glare

Of everyone you burned just to get there

Elizabeth and Franco: Red

Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes

Tell myself it's time now, gotta let go

Maxie and Nathan: Enchanted

My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again

These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon

[desi-yearning]

@desi-lgbt-fest Day-4: Ten Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

A Single Spark

TW: Homophobia

Today I'm here with a real life incident, the first one that I was reminded of as soon as I heard this theme.

It was back in 10th grade, all of us were back to offline classes after the dreadful online ones. 2 years ago, we'd been juniors who looked up to our seniors in 10th grade but now we were those seniors who were looked up to. I didn't realise this much until I finished grade-10.

My school regularly conducted sessions related to hygiene, communication etc and this time the topic was about sexual health. A well known gynaecologist was invited to take up the session for the 9th and 10th graders together. We went to the school hall, I was sitting next to my then best friend.

The gynaecologist first spoke about the importance of sexual wellbeing and how to protect ourselves from STDs etc. Soon after the topic shifted to impulsive and reckless sexual behaviours in teenagers. And that was when she began talking about how teenagers are simply thinking that they are homosexual because they have been staying with people of their same gender for a long time. How it is only because of people they are surrounded by that they think they are not straight. Not being straight is simply now a trend and a trap that young children are falling into without knowing anything. She continued to say that homosexuality doesn’t exist, it is just a misbelief and a phase. She proceeds to urge us not to fall for such things and stay away from people who suggest all this.

And by this time, I was enraged. My best friend was already out to me but I was still closeted, she knew I was an ally nevertheless. There were already rumours going around that both of us weren’t straight and that we were dating each other, so I decided not to risk anything. I controlled myself until the QnA session when I suggested to her that we go and actually question her about it. My best friend was scared, she was anxious about speaking out to everyone but I asked her to trust me with it and I assured that I’ll be the one questioning the gynaecologist and she can just sit beside me. I went forward, took a deep breath and held the mic that was given and asked her why she would simply call it a phase when people from the community are actually existing. And I stated a bunch of article numbers that came up to my mouth because I forgot what the actual one was and said some random lines about how homosexuality was legalised in India. (I mean who would know I was bluffing-) I never in my wildest dreams expected what followed. The entire hall began clapping. They haven’t done that for anyone else, not even for the so-called doctor herself. It was so loud that she had to shout and quieten everyone. It was such a proud moment for both me and my best friend but our happiness was short-lived because the response we got from the gynaecologist obviously wasn’t anything positive. It was after this that I realised how many allies are actually present among us and how their voices just aren’t loud enough to be heard.

Though the gynaecologist’s response made us feel like we went two steps back, what followed after that day was definitely 10 steps forward. Almost a year later, I spoke to a junior anonymously and she told me how that one question changed the entire trajectory of things at school. No one has ever dared to question someone about their homophobic ideas in public but we did. That was enough to begin something that won’t be dying anytime soon. Sometimes all that people need is a tiny bit of revolution, the hope towards change. It is all just a matter of a single spark.

[literallyjusttoa]

let me skip the pleasantries (and spelling probably) and ask the important questions

polldona headcanons

genuialy would love to see what your brain thinks about them because they seem to be in you mind a lot

I was about to pass out but I have decided to postpone that bc of this ask this is a very urgent question. Here are my thoughts.

DRAMATICS. These two are dramatic about anything and everything. This leads to situations that are very silly (“Apollo, where did my favorite calligraphy pen go?” “I stole it.” “*gasp* How DARE YOU-“)

Any fights between the two can be equally dramatic, but they tend to fight quick and cool down even quicker. Despite outward appearances, both Apollo and AoD are very introspective people, so it doesn’t take long for them to reflect on an argument and come to a compromise. The main issue is that they both have very sharp tongues, so if they want to insult they can cut deep.

Poetry is a love language and they both engage in it heavily.

Apollo and AoD can go from insulting each other to showering each other in praise and encouragement in like 0.5 seconds. They give the people around them whiplash.

Apollo has made it his life goal to broaden AoD’s theatre horizons. AoD insists that no play will ever beat the works of Shakespeare. (This is a lie, they fall in love with every piece of music Apollo sings for them, so many musicals have now topped Shakespeare’s works)

AoD is human everytime I draw them, but I figure they haven’t done a whole bunch of regular human activities. Apollo loves traveling with them. And AoD likes having context for the odd comments all of their tree siblings used to make about the outside world.

Side note: Human!AoD came from the Magical Girl Au, but I’m thinking outside of that AoD should just be a nymph? I like them being a dryad.

AoD still claims they never search any of their information up online. Apollo has yet to actually see them search something up on google, but he is determined to catch them in the act.

AoD has no idea how to act around Apollo’s children and it’s a bit hilarious.

Austin: hey, you’re dating my dad, right?

AoD: Yes. Hello … young child.

Austin: …

AoD: ��� How do you do?

Ok that’s all I’m actually passing out now, hope this fulfilled your wildest dreams!

[blackjackkent]

Unsurprisingly, we get into a conversation with the Emperor as soon as Ansur is dead (again).

"Ansur. I never thought I'd see him again."

Hector is spitting mad about this whole situation and not bothering to hide it. "How much more of your past are you not telling me about?"

I was assuming nobody but Wyll actually witnessed the interchange between the Emperor and Ansur, that it kind of took place inside Wyll's brain with Wyll as the conduit. So I'm also running on the assumption that Wyll - fried within an inch of his life by the whole experience - gave Hector the Cliff's Notes version right after the battle ended, and Hector is now furious as a result.

He is sick of this creature lying to him and manipulating him. He is sick of surprises. He is sick of the fact that his rapidly crumbling alliance with the Emperor still had enough weight that it required fighting a beast like Ansur rather than allying with it. How dare you? he thinks angrily. How dare you allow this to happen?

And he is doubly angry, really, that all of this madness means that he cannot properly enjoy the revelation that is happening here. The Emperor is Balduran? One of the greatest historical figures in all of Faerun? Someone he has read about countless times in his studies in the monastery library?

He feels sick with this desecration - of the dragon, of his own knowledge, of his own joy in that knowledge.

"My past is past," the Emperor answers calmly. "I concealed nothing from you. I simply left out the details that were not pertinent to our cause. But it seems you are interested in them."

Hector scowls. Once, when the Emperor was still the Guardian and Hector did not know the threat it posed, that unflappable placidity appealed to him; now he just finds it infuriating. "You literally founded Baldur's Gate," he says between his teeth, as if stating the obvious to a particularly aggravating child. "Of course I'm interested."

If you cared about me as anything more than a tool, I suspect you would know that already. Further evidence that we are right to turn from you, he thinks bitterly.

"Such sentimentality..." the illithid says disdainfully. "Very well."

(A/N: Another flashback sequence!)

"It's like I always told you. I was just like you. An adventurer who yearned for greatness. And in mortal terms, I achieved it. As captain of the Wandering Eye, I acquired enough gold to found Baldur's Gate. I stayed for a while to watch my city grow, but it was not enough."

"I grew restless again. The sea called to me, and I ran to her with open arms. Life at sea was not easy. Our last adventure was ruinous. My ship was destroyed, my crew lost, but my spirit was far from broken. I was determined to return in triumph once again. I heard of treasure in Moonrise. I strove to find it."

"What I found was an illithid colony, where I acquired a tadpole much like yours and became a mind flayer, enthralled to the Elder Brain."

"It was Ansur who found me, Ansur who pulled me from the brain's domination, Ansur who brought me home. He sought to cure me of my sickness, called on every healer he could find, nearly broke his spirit in the attempt."

"But he failed to understand - I wanted no healing. I was not sick."

Hector listens to this impassively. It tells him little he did not already know, but fills in extra details in the tapestry. And again he feels that spark of rage that he cannot enjoy this moment of learning, that it comes wrapped in agony and fear. "Ansur. Stelmane," he says coldly. "Do your allies always die?"

"Stelmane's death was not my fault," the Emperor snaps. "Ansur's death was born of necessity. And make no mistake - I grieve them both." It shrugs, turns away. "Even after he had exhausted all possibility of reversing my condition, he still clung to hope. I tried to convince him of my reality - I was on the cusp of greatness beyond my wildest dreams. But all he could see was a mind flayer."

A long pause. Its voice lowers. "He came to me as I slept - a mercy killing, in his mind. I saw the tears. I felt his grief. I had no choice but to kill him first. It was an act of self-preservation."

Because you wished to remain a monster. "Is being an illithid really worth the loss of a friend?" Hector asks flatly.

The Emperor matches his tone, its lavender eyes narrowing to slits. "Put simply - yes. And being alive is even more so. Do not think that I am ignorant of what I have lost. I may not regret my actions, but I do regret that they were necessary." It shakes its head in a sharp motion heavy with finality. "While the past is beyond my influence, the present is not. It is time we move on."

It vanishes in a burst of light, swallowed back up by the Prism.

[promiscuouspomegranate]

Illicit Ivories

TWs: Stalking, Manipulation, Carnell is condescending, bullying (sort of), forced kissing, and angst (kinda).

(There is so much tension between you two, and you are CRUSHING!.!.! This is softer, but if there was a part two.. you’d see 💀 Enemies to lovers enjoyers come feast !! Yet again, another sleepy write pasted from notes.)

Each callus on my hand faintly whispered a story of my musical past, from begging my parents to buy me a violin in 4th grade to my first piano solo in middle school and restless evenings rigidly practicing sonatas for Macherów’s entrance exams. Every little chipped fingernail, bloody finger, and tear shed was all I could offer to such a grand university. Yet–although I am not entirely loyal to any god–I found divine intervention, and an accidental performance with a professor allowed me into the school of my wildest dreams.

The campus was nothing to write home about, but it was the prestige and education that set Macherów apart. Many of the contemporaries graduated from Macherów–except for a select few who decided to dabble in the University of the Muses would help them excel. Yet, I firmly believed that only the world's elite musicians came from Macherów. Those who failed to get in were better off playing piano for an elementary choir recital or tuning instruments in a music shop.

I gripped my sticker-covered violin case and headed toward an empty practice room. For, I believe I finally found my Melpomene to my Thalia. Carnell was an ostentatious, melodramatic, and horrendously talented musician I despised more than any mediocre musical performance. He relished competing with me in every aspect of music and boasted whenever he bested me.

The professors must have been severely intoxicated or praying for my unraveling–perhaps a bit of both–when they announced a graded concert. I remember hearing people gossip and whisper amongst themselves when I saw two names written in bold.

“Carnell and Y / N – An original duet composed by both.”

“Fucking Cosend must’ve been behind this,” I mumbled and pulled out ink-stained, crumpled sheets of paper, “He’s a madman, but fuck.. he knows how to arrange a good performance.”

I heard the door open and rolled my eyes as Carnell entered, his glasses at the tip of his nose, his long, black hair pulled back with a blue ribbon, and his pristine clothes tightly fitting his scrawny body.

“Wait.. fuck no. No! Y / N, he is not fucking attractive,” I thought and glared daggers at Carnell.

“I hope you intend on putting more effort into your appearances as well as your playing,” He advanced to the piano and smirked at me, “Have you tuned your instrument yet?”

“I’d worry about your piano playing; try not to hit the C sharp key so much this time,” I took my violin out of its case and began to warm up. I slightly blushed when I realized it was out of tune, “Don’t you dare fucking say anything.”

“I knew you wouldn’t take things seriously, as per usual,” He hummed to himself and took out the composition he worked on, “Now, you need to start with an E. Do you need assistance finding the right fingering?”

“I will fucking kill you with my bow,” I grumbled and positioned my fingers, “I hate you.”

“Oh, but I thought I was the miserable wretch? You are quite amusing, Y / N, full of contradictions and lacking in musical proficiency,” He laughed the way he usually did and smiled his stupid smile. His laugh always came from his stomach but sounded elegant despite its volume.

His smile was always mischievous at first as if he knew something you would never understand. Then, he showed his teeth, and his nose slightly crinkled. It softens his rigid, upper-class ego and looks. It made him look friendly and…

“You played the wrong note again,” He chimed, and I snapped back to reality.

“Whatever,” I muttered and resumed playing.

•

I took a spoonful of fruit as my friend knowingly smirked at me.

“You love Carnell; you’re so in love,” They loudly teased, “At the end of the duet, you should confess your passionate, animalistic desires to your lover!”

“S– Fuck off! Don’t talk so loud,” I blushed and covered their mouth, “Fuck you so much.

“Not as much as you want to fuck Carnell. I wonder what he’d say if I told him that in class today,” They grinned and gasped, “What if I told Carnell for you?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I loudly whispered and glared at them, “Stop talking about Carnell, I don’t like him.”

They burst out into uncontrollable laughter, and I felt my face burning.

“Oh shit, he’s right there,” They froze and pointed behind me.

I jumped and turned around, seeing nobody there. My friend started laughing again, and I splashed my water at them.

“The way you jumped! You sprang out of your seat,” They fluttered their eyelashes and spoke in a high-pitched voice, “Oh, is that my dearest Carnell waiting for me? How I wish to kiss his chapped lips and play with his ugly hair!”

“His hair is not ugly,” I scoffed, “You should focus on Lila’s horrible outfit choices.”

“Lila dresses like a sexy librarian, okay? She wants me so bad,” They groaned and slammed their hand on the dining hall table, prompting some people to look at us.

“But.. does Carnell talk about me in class? Seriously, don’t tease me, or I’m telling Lila that you’re not interested,” I pleaded, “I will finish the rest of your theory work, please!”

“You are so desperate,” They smiled and leaned in, “But.. I might have heard that he got caught practicing a song with your name on it.”

“You’re fucking with me,” my jaw dropped, and I giggled, “No, you’re actually fucking with me.”

“It was so Carnell worded too,” They took a bite of their all-melon fruit salad, “To my dearest Y / N, or some corny shit like that. Anyway, let me know when you two make out during practice. I might’ve pressed my ear against the door once or twice, and oh my gosh… You wear your heart on your sleeve. Don’t worry, he does too. Normally, he’s an asshole to everyone.”

“I’m going to kiss him today,” I stood up and gathered my belongings, “I know I’ve said that a thousand times, but I’m going to do it.”

“Well, good luck with that,” My friend hugged me and dreamily sighed, “I wonder if Lila needs someone to massage her back after carrying your entire class.”

I rolled my eyes and hugged them back before going to the practice room. I was incredibly excited to work with Carnell; I felt my heart pounding as I reached the door.

“Carnell, do you like Y / N? C’mon, just tell us, dude,” I heard an unfamiliar voice say as I listened in on the conversation, “There’s a rumor going around you wrote a song about them.”

“Oh, you honestly believe I would dedicate one of my songs to someone so vulgar and disorganized? Please,” Carnell scoffed, and I could picture his eyebrows furrowing, “I would rather dedicate a song to bile than write a measure in her name. She’s a terrible musician; you haven’t had the displeasure of working alongside her. Her head is always in the clouds, which is probably why she’s so breathless and air-headed whenever we rehearse.”

I felt my heart sting as he continued.

“I look forward to the end of this concert so I can get back to focusing on real music,” Carnell sighed, “Her saccharine, sappy, and utterly abysmal compositions make me want to cut my fingers off and never play any instrument again.”

“Damn, that’s harsh,” The voice laughed, “You suck.”

I heard footsteps approaching and hid inside a different room. I waited until the person was gone and went into our practice room.

“You’re late, Y / N. Right when I assumed you were beginning to take our practices seriously,” He playfully teased.

“Sorry, I guess I’m too much of a fucking airhead to remember anything,” I felt my emotions get the better of me as I clenched my case, “Maybe if I weren’t so stupid, I’d do a better job composing.”

I could see Carnell was taken aback and dropped my case on the ground.

“You know, Carnell, I actually really fucking liked hanging out with you. I thought our dynamic was fun,” I felt hurtful tears trickle down my face, “You– Carnell, I can’t believe you’d say that shit about me. I.. I liked you in a stupid, high school crush way. I was going to buy you fucking fresh-cut roses for the concert and shove them into your hands.”

“Y / N, I–”

“No, fuck you. I don’t want this duet to happen. I’m going to Cosend and telling him I quit,” I stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind me.

I felt myself crying as people whispered and pointed. I pulled out my phone and called my friend.

“Pick up,” I muttered and shoved it into my bag when they didn’t answer, “Damn it, they’re probably too busy fucking harassing Lila.”

I stormed off to the school gardens and took a secret path my friend showed me. I sat under a massive oak tree, pulled out a sheet of music titled “To Carnell,” and began to tear it into pieces. I cried and felt an irrational hurt in my heart.

“Fucking prick,” I wiped my eyes with my sleeves and took a deep breath, “I’m never talking to him again.”

I heard frantic footsteps and poked my head up. I caught a glimpse of a navy blue vest and immediately knew it was Carnell. I gathered the torn-up paper and stumbled to my feet. He panted as he stood before me, gripping a bunch of papers.

“What do you fucking want,” I croaked and mentally cursed myself for sounding so pathetic.

“Y / N, please, listen to me,” He took a deep breath, and I noted that he seemed slightly manic, “There’s a confession I have yearned to tell you ever since freshman year.”

“That you despise me and think I’m stupid,” I mumbled and tried not to cry again, “I got the message.”

I looked at his face and felt shocked when I saw how wide his eyes were. I stepped back and felt like something was terribly wrong with him.

“Oh my word,” He laughed, not as he usually did, but breathlessly and erratically, “This feels so unreal. I can barely believe that you reciprocated my feelings. Obviously not to the intensity I have, but still, you love me.”

He shoved the papers in my hands, and I looked through them. They were dated back to freshman year and were all dedicated to me. The content varied from musical compositions, dramatic sonnets, and poetry to ink-stained confessions with details that sent shivers down my spine.

“You are my muse,” He took a step closer, “When I laid eyes on you for the first time, I thought that the heavens were deceiving me. How could someone so perfect be at this university? When I heard you play for the first time, I had to excuse myself from the classroom. I bit my lip so hard it started to bleed. The crimson red reminded me of your favorite pen–the one you still use despite it being taped.”

He grabbed my arm, and I saw an eerie smile creep over his paling face.

“Your conversation with your friend at lunch today, I overheard it,” He leaned in closer, “You confessed you wanted to kiss me. Well, let me confess something as well: ever since I’ve laid eyes on you, I’ve thought of ravishing your body.”

“Carnell, please stop,” I mumbled and tried to pull away, “You’re freaking me out.”

He feverishly placed a kiss on my lips, and I felt my eyes widen. He quickly pulled away and whispered words of excitement.

“Hah! This– You are so much better than I ever dreamed of, my beloved,” He tightly embraced me, and I could hear him smelling my skin, “I-I need more of you. We need to finish our duet, dear.”

[ladysternchen]

Yet Were Its Making Good, For This- Part Two- Revealed

Even in his wildest dreams, Mablung would not have dared hope for the chance to share one more kiss with Elu, a kiss without hiding and most of all, a kiss to which they could both consent, that was not not a desperate, heart-wrenching farewell. As their lips touched, however, the scene of that last time played again before his eyes, keen and cruel, and Mablung drew back sobbing, turning his face away in despair.

“Oh Mablung…” 

Elu merely breathed those words, his concern very apparent, with his hand still resting on Mablung’s cheek. 

“I…” Mablung began, but words failed him. And after all, how could he ever explain to Elu that it was the memory of their last kiss that so upset him now? He could not even voice it within his own head. 

“I cannot bear to say.” he managed at last, tears now cascading down his face.

There was a curious look on Elu’s face as he gently made Mablung look up.

“I think you don’t need to say it. I think I know.”

“How?”

Mablung felt deeply shaken. He had chosen to bury this memory, and Lord Námo himself had given him leave to do so. Nobody knew of that kiss, not even Melian. Then how…

“I know that it was you who found me.” Elu went on “And by your reaction, I think I can guess what you did there, in the smithy, when you were alone with my body and had nothing to lose, but a farewell to gain.”

Mablung could not look away from Elu’s light-grey eyes, and he thought he would drown in his gaze, and be quite content to do so.

“This time, though…” 

Elu paused to tenderly grace Mablung’s lips with his, waiting for Mablung to react, to tell him without words whether or not he was comfortable. Mablung did not know what he wanted, nor what he would be able to bear. After a moment, Elu again drew back a little and continued:

“This time, I am kissing you, and I’m alive, and breathing, and my heart beats.”

Mablung sobbed helplessly as Elu took his hand and pressed his palm tightly to his chest, so that Mablung could feel his heartbeat beneath his fingers.

“And it is because of you that it does so.”

Mablung blinked, bewildered. As Elu went on, there was a quaver in his voice and tears shimmering in his eyes.

“You see, there would have been a way for Melian to be with me, even had I refused Lord Námo’s offer for good. Maiar, after all, need no bodies. Or at least Lord Námo assured me that we would find a solution everyone might live with. But you… I knew that all was taken care of, that Dior reigned over the Iathrim and called to Olwë as High-King. I knew that my people were looked after by them both, and by who better? Beleg left the Halls healed, saddened and grieving, but hale. Even Elmo went from Mandos free of the shadow of our bond. He could finally be himself. He doesn’t need me anymore. This hurt to admit, even if I was tremendously relieved.”

Elmo made a noise as if to protest, but Elu paid him no heed, continuing instead:

“So really, there was no point for me to leave Mandos. I cannot overcome my grief, I am not healed, as they put it. So really, it makes no difference for me where I mourn my children, and curse my own stupidity. 

But you, Mablung, you left the Halls on my bidding only. Even after all I made you go through, even after death, you left me in Mandos because I asked you to, because I didn’t want you to refuse life on my account. You were so loyal, so true that you once again put my will above your wellbeing. And I would not have been able to bear to be myself had I abandoned you after that. I knew nothing of the statute, I knew not that we would be allowed to be together. Even less did I know that my… my wonderful wife would be prepared to agree to it. I should have known of course, but it truly never crossed my mind. But I did know that you had always wanted to be by my side regardless. That was the reason for my return in the end. I love you, Mablung. I have always loved you and dearly missed you, and I will be eternally grateful to the Valar and all the elves -and  people pretending to be elves- who made it possible for us to now explore this love fully. Come here. It’s alright. I’m never going to leave you again.”

With those last words, Elu wrapped his arms around Mablung once more, and Mablung leaned his head against Elu’s shoulder. They both cried openly now, and Mablung was holding Elu so tightly he knew he must hurt him but he could not help it. And Elu returned the embrace, cradling Mablung, his lips pressed firmly to the top of his head.

“I think it is time for us to leave you two.” Melian said after what felt like ten thousand years and only a heartbeat at the same time. “Enjoy your time tonight, Mablung, as I don’t plan on giving up on Elu all too often. But tonight he is yours, and then we shall work this out together. I mean, I’d say I’ll join you, but that would feel remarkably like fucking my little brother, with is… weird.”

Elu laughed and pulled Melian into their embrace as well. Mablung grinned, too, and wondered if he’d actually like that or not. He had never in his life even thought of being intimate with a woman, but if there ever could be an exception to that, that exception surly must be Melian.

The feeling in Mablung’s stomach remarkably resembled nervousness as he and Elu were finally alone. So much was yet unsaid between them, and for so much Mablung had no words, so he instead busied himself with unrolling his cloak and unpacking his things.

“Are you hungry?” he asked over his shoulder, even though he himself had no mind whatsoever for food. 

It was no surprise therefore that Elu declined the offer, too. 

“Right. I let you off tonight, but you’ll eat breakfast with me tomorrow.”

Elu sighed exasperatedly but chuckled all the same, which made Mablung turn at last. He was still almost astounded to see him truly standing there, after he had so long ago ceased to hope. For a long moment, they just looked at each other, then Elu said tentatively.

“I don’t know how you feel, but my head is swimming with everything that happened today. What if we just lie down and watch the stars together, like we used to? Or we just keep staring awkwardly at each other. How is it that nobody explains how odd this is when one is still in Mandos? And…” he added as an afterthought “… the others’ expectations don’t help, either. Not at all. I’m really sorry, Mablung, for making this so incredibly awkward.”

Now it was Mablung’s turn to laugh as he sat down on his unfolded cloak, and he was quite relieved when Elu joined him after a moment. Mablung could hear him curse under his breath.

“Do you have a comb? Melian and I shared hers ever since I was released from the Halls, but obviously she has it with her now and…”

Mablung remembered that only too well, that awkward time after his reembodiment when he had lacked everything he had taken for granted in his first life- spare clothes, knife, comb, cup and bowl… it helped not, either, that the customs of Alqualondë were so very different from those of Menegroth. Coming to think of it, he had no idea where Elu planned to live from now on, or whether he had given any thought to it at all yet. All that could wait, though, and he contented himself for the moment with handing Elu his comb, and watch as he undid the two thin braids that had kept his hair out of his eyes, then started to comb through his silver tresses. Mablung could not restrain himself and reached out, running his fingers through Elu’s hair as well.

“I’ve always admired your hair, you know that?”

Elu only smiled, then handed the comb back and started to re-braid his hair, this time weaving it into only one large plait. Mablung could not take his eyes off him, that sight being so painfully familiar and dear to him that it moved him almost to tears. 

“I still need to braid it for the night. I… oh, it’s embarrassing, but I seem to have forgotten how to sleep with it open without lying on it. I never thought one could forget. It’s only now that I have one again that I realise what a nuisance a body is.”

Mablung remembered that feeling very well. He had felt so very clumsy during that first time, too.

“It’s not embarrassing. Every single reembodied elf had to deal with that, or at least every one who rebuild their body with their hair as long as yours. I never got how you ever could sleep with it open, anyway. That you could made you all the more marvellous to me, though.”

Whatever was the matter with him, Mablung wondered as he felt his cheeks burn. Talking like that had always been Beleg’s domain, not his, and most certainly not Elu’s, who looked just as embarrassed as Mablung felt. A strange recklessness had come over him, though. Tonight, he would leave nothing unsaid. Tonight, he would talk about everything that came into his mind. If he were to truly bond after four Ages of this world as a bachelor, then he could not leave anything in the dark.

He therefore reached out again, and tucked a strand of hair loose from Elu’s braid and twirled it around his finger.

“You will re-learn, beloved.” He said hoarsely “If you wish to.”

There was the smallest involuntary intake of breath at being addressed thus, Mablung noted, but still Elu did not challenge the term. Instead, he wordlessly reached for the comb again, and started to unbraid and comb Mablung’s hair. Mablung would never ever have thought the act of combing to be so intimate. He had been a warden, and keeping his hair neat and orderly a necessity, not a pleasure. And never could he have thought that getting his hair braided could actually make his groin stir. He did not react to the sensation, however. Whatever Melian’s words before, they were not there yet.

At last Elu laid down the comb and  leaned back against a mossy boulder, spreading his arms slightly as he did so. Mablung followed the invitation, shifting closer to Elu and laying his head upon the latter’s shoulder. 

“I don’t even have a name to call you by.” he whispered, tracing the fine features of Elu’s face with the tips of his fingers, still somewhat in disbelief that he truly could do that again. 

Elu smiled wryly.

“Call me however you want. I don’t know myself. It will be Elwë in the end, I think. Elmo mostly goes with this, and Lord Námo called me that, and Olwë obviously does… Melian keeps with Elu. I promise I’ll answer to both.”

Mablung couldn’t help but notice how resigned Elu sounded. Was it that he was just weary of the endless discussions about his person in general, or because he did not even have a say in his own name?

“It bothers you.” he therefore stated calmly.

“No. I just… I don’t know who I am anymore. Truth be told, I don’t know if I ever knew.”

“I can imagine. And maybe you truly need to discover that anew. But Elwë you are still, my -our- star, named for the beauty of your eyes, or so Círdan claims, and your aunt. Do you know that your descendants still carry your star in their name?”

Elu nodded, too moved to talk properly.

“No crown this time.” he managed to rasp.

“No crown.” Mablung suddenly laughed. “Why is it that I seem to mourn that fact more than you?”

“Because I am relieved, to be completely honest. I think I feel free for the first time in my  entire life. I was always a little bitter about it. Born a prince, born to one day rule. I wonder if that was all everyone saw, what Enel saw when my parents presented him with me. Did he bless me, or the person I was supposed to become? A boy, right? An heir to the ancient line, a reason to rejoice before he had even seen me. I never strived to be loved by everyone, but… but if loved, I wanted to be loved for who I am, not for what I was born.”

Elu had talked himself into angry tears, leaving Mablung to wonder how long he had locked those feelings in his heart.

"Olwë should have been the firstborn, he is -and always was- so much better at all that.”

Mablung graced Elu’s brow slightly.

“It’s alright. Your family loves you for who you are and Melian and I love you for who you are- even if it always moved something in me to call you my king. But you be you now, you earned that. Still a circlet you will wear- I will make you wear one, and if it is one of flowers.”

“I am king no more, Mablung.”

“But you were. You said you needed to know who you are. Then you cannot deny who you were.”

Again Mablung caressed Elu’s face, tracing his jawline and the tips of his ears.

“Let us get ready for the night. I am exhausted, and you must be, too. I remember those first days and weeks after returning from Mandos to be tiring to say the least. Uh, the not remembering. I found that the worst.”

“What do you mean?”

Mablung frowned slightly.

“When I was released from the Halls, all was… strange. I could remember my past life, but it seemed then to be so far away, like a dream I once had. Obviously I could not recall my time in Mandos, though that was not blank either. But surely you must feel the same? Everyone I know who’s been re-embodied does.”

“I do remember Mandos. Quite clearly.”

For a moment, Mablung just felt utterly stunned. Then he chuckled.

“Honestly, you can’t do anything like a normal elf, can you?”

Elu grinned wryly and shrugged, but he still remained sitting with his arms around his knees. Mablung let him be, and rid himself instead of his clothes before lying down on the soft moss. It was a marvellous thing, really, how here in Lórien there would be no moisture creeping up from the earth, not like it had been in Ennor. Instead, the undergrowth seemed to be welcoming a weary traveller, eager to make a bed for them, for a while. 

[holdmytesseract]

2022 - what a crazy year this has been...

This year - on March, 10th, to be precisely - I posted my very first story on here: Knight in Shining Armor. I have never ever thought, that so many people are going to see, or hence, even like it! It was simply unimaginable for me. All the love this oneshot and every other fic of mine received over this past year... It's breathtaking. I feel so, so honoured. It means the world to me, honestly. Huge thank you to all my followers and friends, who are liking, commenting and reblogging the stuff I write. You are seen, loved and very much appreciated! ☺️🥰

I found myself surrounded by other fantastic people and brilliant, utterly talented writer. I love, love, love to be in this wonderful and crazy fandom. Sharing the thirst for our favourite Norse God is awesome and so much fun! I lost count on how many times you guys made me laugh, smile and expire. Calling out all my friends and mutuals at this point! And the SAS, of course! I LOVE you guys!

@lokisgoodgirl @fictive-sl0th @simping-for-marvel @vbecker10 @peaches1958 @mochie85 @muddyorbsblr @holymultiplefandomsbatman @mischief2sarawr @gigglingtigger @goblingirlsarah @lady-rose-moon @aagn360 @michelleleewise @coldnique @joyful-enchantress @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @kats72 @stupidthoughtsinwriting @theaudacitytowrite @xorpsbane

I hope I didn't forget anyone... In case I did, I'm so sorry. Please know that I didn't do this on purpose. I love you, too! ☺️❤

I also kind of stumbled into a new fandom... I'd never thought in my wildest dreams, that can love a series as much as I came to love TWD. I only started to watch it, because everyone said: 'Ohh, it's such a good series.' or 'It's one of the best and most famous series of all time!'. Truth be told, I struggled a lot to watch it in the beginning. I never watched something so horrific and, uh, yucky? before. All the blood and gore? I had a hard time getting used to it. But well, look at me now, being so deep down the rabbit hole, I can't even remember how to climb out of it again and simping for an archer with a crossbow in an angel-winged vest... 🤷🏼‍♀️ Calling out my fellow Daryl lovers, followers and mutuals at this point. 💙

My private life was somehow really crazy as well... A small rollercoaster ride, with up's and down's, but all in all, I'd say it was a good year. Gimme 2023 - I'm ready! 😁

Thanks y'all once again! Without you all, this blog wouldn't be as half as wonderful as it is! ☺️ I'm wishing you a very happy New Year! ✨🍾🥳 May it be a good one with even more awesome stories to write and to read! ❤

There's only one thing left, I'd like to say... I would like to call out a very important person. A person I owe so, so much... I am on tumblr for four years or so now. Over three, before I even started to post something. I was only here to read amazing stories. I never dared to post something I wrote. Never. I was way too insecure and afraid; thinking I wasn't good enough. I only shared my lil' fics with two of my friends. Absolutely nobody else. I wouldn't be here now, having posted so many stories and even creating my own AU - which I am so so proud of, or having such wonderful mutuals, friends and followers, if it wasn't for @youlightmeupfinn . She was my very first tumblr friend and made it to coax me out of my shell. She gave me so much confidence, encouragement and support, that I finally had enough bravery to post 'Knight in Shining Armor'. Truth be told: Without her, I wouldn't be here. So, a huge thank you and shoutout goes out to Tay! I love you, girl - and thank you so much! ❤

[beautifulhigh]

rules: share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able to and see if there are any patterns. 

Thanks for the tag @reyesstrand - I’m absolutely not procrastinating the last 15 minutes of my shift today...

Tenderness and rot share a border 

"We will shortly be commencing our descent into Austin Bergstrom airport where the local time is—"

TK turned away from the window and laid his head on Carlos' shoulder. "Do we really have to go back to normal?"

"It's called real life for a reason, babe," Carlos laughed softly, pressing a kiss to the top of TK's head.

my whole life I’ve been under her raincoat 

He never imagined this. Not even in his wildest dreams, those quiet moments where he dared to hope. It was always the hope that hurt the most, those dark nights and darker days between highs and hits. The moments where he fleetingly wondered but what if? and let the seed germinate the tiniest of roots before he pulled it out.

Maybe I will be happy. Pull it out.

Maybe someone might love me. Pull it out.

I'd like to be a husband one day. Stamp down that idea and put up warning signs. That one was dangerous.

because of lines we neatly drew and later neatly stumbled over

For a moment it was what he was used to. Turning over in bed in the middle of the night, a little stretch out across the sheets to the empty space that was there. For months this had been his life and so when his hand found cool cotton it was, for a moment, unremarkable.

He'd dreamt, more than once of course, of TK being on the other side of their bed again. Of him being in this space, their space, home at last and forever. Those nights and mornings when he had woken to an empty pillow he had to force himself to remember.

Now he didn't.

she has almost killed me with love for that boy

He doesn't know where this feeling has come from but it's not going away. He's pretty sure he doesn't want it to go away: not now, not ever.

He stares at the back of the New York Firefighter Captain's son, trying to work up the courage to do what he had wanted to do ever since he walked into the bar and saw them there.

Well, saw him.

  the small roar of a mind trying to clear itself      

"I don't even know why I'm here," Carlos said. "Well, no. I know why I'm here. I just don't know what I'm supposed to talk about."

"There are no rules here, Carlos," Rebecca said, "people usually come to me just to talk about what's going on in their lives and how they feel about it."

"I know that's what my husband wants. I just don't know if I can do it."

"Why not?"

That glamorous love lasts where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine

TK forced himself to pick up his feet as he walked along the corridor. The loft door was in sight, his keys had been in his hand and primed since entering the building. He was so close. On the other side of that door were the welcoming arms of his fiancé and then a few steps beyond those was the bed and he would probably manage to kick off his shoes before he fell into it and then after that he had no other plans than to sleep until he was woken up for food.

Carlos was probably going to wake him up for food. He usually did.

The tender things are those we fold away 

FDNY confirm: We will not look to 'put out' the Firefly  

A spokesperson for FDNY confirmed last night that they are officially calling off the so-called hunt for the person behind the popular Only Fans account, New York Firefly.

Since starting his account two years ago, Firefly has amassed a following making public videos talking about what it's like to be openly gay and serve the city of New York as a firefighter, all between posting the usual photos that you'd expect to see on Only Fans behind the paywall. Reality and raunchy? Sign us up!

People keep asking for my address and I keep handing them your name

"I cannot wait to get home," TK sighed, one hand drifting up to his head. The stitches were beginning to itch a little and the urge to claw at his hairline was almost too much to bear.

As if he knew, as if he understood, Carlos reached out and slid his hand into TK's, hooking their thumbs together and his fingertips resting over the pulse point in his wrist. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe Carlos just needed to know that he really was OK.

"You should go home, get some rest."

Carlos shook his head. "I can stay, already cleared it—"

"You need sleep."

Life, believe, is not a dream, so dark as sages say

He looked up as his mom took the seat across from him, her hands folded together in the way she always did before she launched into a topic of conversation she knew he didn't want to have.

"Mom, I don't want to talk about this anymore—"

"Mijo—"

"No, no you don't get to do that."

"Do what?"

"You only use Spanish when you're trying to guilt me into listening."

"And can you blame me?" she asked. "You're my baby. Why won't you talk to me about this?"

In the burned house I am eating breakfast 

He’s aware of a lot of noise, maybe someone shouting? But it’s all a bit fuzzy and he just wants to go to sleep and so he does.

Not really a pattern! Dialogue, expository narration, teasing hooks, establishing flashbacks...

My big thing, as anyone who has had feedback from me will know, is that I love a last line that loops back around to the beginning. So whatever the ending of the fic is I promise you that it will link to the beginning. Because of this, I usually end up going back and editing the first line of the fic once I have firmly established what the last one is going to be.

Share your first lines @iboatedhere @welcometololaland @rustandruin @bubblesandroses8 @kiras-sunshine