#olivia feels like Everyone's against her. that the World's against her

[ghostsessioned]

Oh and the fact that when Alex decides she can't do it and Olivia later tells her that " I think you act like you care about me, but you don't " and she immediately says she does, but Olivia disregards it. In situations like that I find that they won't hold anything positive/assuring as true, they just can't believe it. Because they get to a point where it's just like well, I deserve this, and it is the only way.

FUCKING YEAH. WOW. imagine being led on for YEARS, talking to someone you thought you could trust, someone you could rely on, that would be There and Help You, only for that feeling to be shirked out from under you because they got cold feet or second guessed themself. terrible feeling

[dearreader]

and the arguments that i have won against you in my head; in the car, in the shower, and in the mirror before bed…

yeah i’m so tough when i’m alone and i make you feel so guilty and i fantasize about a time you’re a little fuckin’ sorry-

and i try to ꪊꪀᦔꫀ𝕣ડ𝕥ꪖꪀᦔ why you would do this all to me. ‘you must be insecure. you must be so unhappy.’

and i know in my heart: hurt people, hurt people. and we both drew blood, but man those cuts were

ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴇQᴜᴀʟ!!

and i try to be tough. but i wanna scream ‘HOW COULD ANYBODY DO THE THINGS YOU DID SO EASILY?’

and i say that i don’t care.

say that i’m fine.

but you know i can’t let it go, i’vetriedi’ve triedi’vetried for so long… it takes s⃞   t⃞   r⃞   e⃞   n⃞   g⃞   t⃞   h⃞ to forgive but i don’t feel ₛₜᵣₒₙg

[flwrstqr]

𓈃 ★ PRINCESS DIAIRIES | PARK SUNGHOON

synopsis you are a shy, awkward teenager living with your artist mother. your life is turned upside down when you discover you are the heir to the throne of genovia. at first, you're reluctant to accept your new identity. as you face challenges at school, with the media, and within yourself, you struggle to balance your normal life with your royal duties. sunghoon, who has secretly liked you for a long time, finds himself falling even more for you as he sees you grow into your new role. as you navigate your new life, you and sunghoon grow closer, sharing quiet moments and, most importantly, falling in love.

word count 6.8k+

meet the cast best friend's brother!sunghoon x quiet kid/princess!fem reader (feat haneul from kiss of life + other ocs)

genre high school au, royal au, angst, fluff, romance, best friend brother au, unpopular to popular, crack, princess diaries based

warnings swearing, kissing, small grammar errors, everyone being mean to yn at first, some annoying characters, mentions barfing, yn being played by a boy at one point, some second hand embarrassment scene 😓,

danielle's note 𖥔 so i just watched like princess diaries yesterday and i ended up falling in love with it so i wanted to write a long ass au for this. plus like i had to cook up a good plot so 😈 sorry if this is ass but anyways i hope u guys enjoy this (this fic is for my fav hoon stan ><)

﹙⠀ PLAYiNG . . . ⠀good luck babe by chappell roan, feather by sabrina carpenter, saturn by sza, i love you so by the walters, obsessed by olivia rodrigo, xo by enhypen, break up with your girlfriend by ariana grande

YOU WAKE UP TO THE SOFT CHIMES OF YOUR ALARM, gradually getting louder until you reach over and silence it. You fumble for your glasses on the bedside table. Once they're on, the world comes into focus: your room adorned with vibrant art pieces that was made by your mother.

You stretch and get out of bed, your feet touching the cool floor. Your school uniform is laid out neatly on the chair by your desk: a skirt, a crisp white blouse, and a blazer. You put on the uniform, the fabric feeling stiff but familiar. As you stand in front of the mirror, you run a brush quickly through your hair. Makeup isn’t part of your routine; you prefer to keep things simple.

Heading downstairs, you hear the familiar sounds of your mom humming along to music in her studio. You grab your backpack from the hook by the door and slip on your shoes. The house smells of fresh paint and coffee, a comforting mix you've grown up with.

“Have a good day at school, sweetheart! Also, don't be nervous during the speech!” your mom calls from her studio, not looking up from her canvas.

“Thanks, Mom. I will,” you reply softly, even though she can't see you.

Stepping outside, the morning air is cool and crisp. You take a deep breath, adjusting your backpack on your shoulders, and start walking to school. You keep your head down, not wanting to draw any attention to yourself.

YOU ARRIVE AT SCHOOL, spotting Haneul leaning against the bike racks, her face lighting up as she sees you. She's waving enthusiastically, and you can’t help but smile back. Haneul, like you, is considered one of the "losers," known for being a "nerd." But she’s your best friend, and that label doesn’t bother either of you much.

“Hey,” you greet her, adjusting your backpack.

“Morning! Ready for another thrilling day of high school?” she jokes, rolling her eyes.

You both laugh and start walking towards your first class. As usual, you pass the popular girls, Eunae and her two "minions", who are gossiping loudly by their lockers. Your eyes dart towards your crush, Siwoo, who’s with them. His blonde hair is always perfectly styled, falling just above his eyebrows in a way that frames his sharp, expressive eyes. Those eyes, a deep shade of brown, seem to hold a confident, almost teasing glint. His smile is captivating, often described as a blend of boyish charm and genuine warmth, making him instantly likable to many (such as you). Your heart sinks as you see him kissing Eunae. You roll your eyes, trying to forget it.

“Ugh, seriously?” Haneul mutters, noticing the scene as well. “She’s so fake.”

You nod in agreement, but your attention shifts as you catch sight of Sunghoon, Haneul’s older brother, standing nearby. His dark hair, slightly tousled, falls naturally around his face. His eyes, a striking shade of hazel, are often focused.

You give him a small wave. Sunghoon notices and waves back, his smile warm and genuine. The bell rings, snapping you out of your thoughts.

“Come on, we don’t want to be late,” Haneul says, tugging at your sleeve.

“Yeah, let’s go,” you reply, falling into step beside her as you make your way to class.

CLASS TIME BEGINS, and your heart races as you try to focus on the lesson. When Siwoo stands up to give his speech, you can't help but be mesmerized. His blonde hair is perfect, shining under the classroom lights, and his confidence radiates as he speaks. You know Siwoo isn’t the brightest student, more of an athlete than an academic, but that doesn’t matter to you. He’s cute, and that’s enough.

As he finishes his speech, Eunae and her two friends erupt into loud cheers, their high-pitched voices echoing in the room. You roll your eyes internally but feel a pang of nervousness as you realize your turn is coming up. Public speaking has always been your weak point.

When your name is called, you stand up, feeling the weight of everyone’s eyes on you. Your legs feel like jelly as you walk to the podium, your heart pounding in your chest. You hear Eunae giggling with her friends, and it only heightens your anxiety.

"Look who's next," Eunae whispers loudly to her friends, making sure you hear.

You take a deep breath and start your speech, but the words come out in a stutter. "S-so..."

You push up your glasses, hoping it will give you some confidence, but it only makes things worse. The giggles turn into outright laughter, and you can feel your cheeks burning with embarrassment. Your stomach churns, making you feel like you’re going to be sick.

"Oh my God, she can't even talk properly," Eunae says, loud enough for the whole class to hear. More laughter follows her comment.

In the far corner of the room, you notice Sunghoon watching. His eyes are calm, and there's a hint of concern in his expression You feel like you're about to barf and, in a panic, you rush out of the classroom. The laughter follows you, echoing in your ears.

Once outside, you lean against the wall, taking deep breaths to calm yourself. Tears prick at your eyes as the embarrassment washes over you. You feel utterly defeated, wishing you could just disappear. You were always the invisible one, what should you expect?

AFTER SCHOOL, you walk home, the events of the day replaying in your mind. When you step inside, the familiar smell of your mom's cooking greets you. You head to the kitchen, where she’s stirring something on the stove.

"Hey, sweetheart," she says, looking up with a concerned expression. "I heard you barfed in class today. Are you okay?"

You sigh, dropping your backpack on the floor. "Yeah, it was just… really embarrassing."

Your mom walks over and gives you a comforting hug. "I'm sorry that happened. Kids can be really mean sometimes."

You nod, feeling a bit better with her support. "Thanks, Mom."

She pulls back and looks at you seriously. "There’s something I need to tell you. Your grandmother is coming over for tea next week."

You look at her, confused. "Grandmother? But we never talk to her."

"I know," your mom says, her tone softening. "This is the first time we’re going to meet her. She’s your father's mother. After your father passed away a few months ago, she reached out. She said she wanted to speak with you specifically."

You blink in surprise. "Me? Why me?"

"I don’t know," your mom admits. "But I think it’s important to hear her out. She might have something to share that’s meaningful to you."

You take a deep breath, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "Okay. I’ll talk to her."

Your mom gives you a reassuring smile. "It’ll be fine." You nod, trying to push aside any other thoughts on your mind.

YOU WALK INTO THE CAR MOTOR PLACE, the familiar scent of oil and rubber filling the air. Your heart races as you see your Mustang in the garage, a little closer to the dream car you’ve been saving up for. It still needs a lot of work, but you’re determined to have it ready for your 17th birthday.

As you approach the car, you hear the final notes of a performance. Sunghoon finishes his set and the crowd disperses, girls whispering excitedly about how hot he is. But he pays them no mind. Instead, he walks straight toward you, his eyes lighting up with a genuine smile.

"Hey," he greets, his voice smooth and warm. "Checking on the car?"

You nod, unable to help but smile back. "Yeah, it's coming along slowly but surely."

He glances at the Mustang, then back at you. "It's going to look amazing when it's done. You've been saving it up for a while,"

You blush at the compliment, feeling a flutter in your chest. "Thanks, Sunghoon."

His smile widens, and he leans a bit closer. "If you need any help with the car, just let me know. I'd be happy to lend a hand."

"Really? That would be amazing," you reply, feeling a warmth spread through you at his offer.

Sunghoon's eyes twinkle "Anything for you," he says softly, before giving you one last smile.

YOU STAND AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE GRAND MANSION, your eyes wide with awe. The sheer size and elegance of the mansion are overwhelming. Fancy maids and butlers bustle around. You clutch your cheap, simple backpack, a gift from your mother three years ago, and adjust your school uniform nervously. Your hair is a bit messy, and your glasses keep slipping down your nose.

As you step inside, the grandeur of the place hits you like a tidal wave. The floors are polished to a gleaming shine, intricate chandeliers hang from the high ceilings, and every piece of furniture looks like it belongs in a museum. You can't help but feel out of place, a small figure in this space.

Just then, you hear the soft click of heels on the marble floor. You look up to see her, your grandmother, a woman you've never met before. She descends the grand staircase with an air of grace and authority, her posture perfect and her gaze steady. She's dressed in an elegant gown, a deep shade of blue that compliments her dignified demeanor. In contrast, you feel even more self-conscious about your plain school uniform.

"Hello, dear," she greets you with a refined smile. Her voice is smooth and cultured, a stark contrast to your own uncertain tone. You mumble a shy greeting in return, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Please, sit," she says, gesturing to a plush armchair near the grand fireplace. You sit down cautiously, feeling the softness of the cushion beneath you. A maid approaches and places a delicate china teacup in front of you, the steam rising in gentle curls.

Your grandmother takes a seat across from you. She reaches into a small velvet box and retrieves a necklace and charm, the gold catching the light in a mesmerizing way. "Here's a gift," she says, handing it to you, "has been passed down through our family for generations."

You take the necklace. The charm is intricate, a tiny masterpiece that speaks of history and legacy. You swallow hard, feeling a lump form in your throat. You play around with it nervously as your grandmother eyes you quietly.

As you sip your tea, you can't help but make a bit of noise, your lack of manners showing. Your grandmother eyes you critically but says nothing about your manners. Instead, she clears her throat, the sound resonating in the quiet room.

"I have some news for you," she announces, her tone serious and measured.

You stop stirring your tea and look up, pushing your glasses up your nose in a nervous habit. "What is it?" you ask, curious.

She takes a deep breath, her gaze steady and unwavering. "You are the Princess of Genovia."

For a moment, the world seems to stand still. You choke on your tea, coughing violently as you try to process her words. "What?" you exclaim.

She nods, her expression grave. "Your father was the Prince of Genovia, which makes you the next heir."

"No, no way," you stammer, shaking your head, "I'm just… an invisible me. There's no way I'm a princess."

Your grandmother's gaze softens slightly, "It's true, my dear. Your father never had the chance to tell you, but this is your birthright."

The weight of her words presses down on you, a crushing force that makes it hard to breathe. Your life, once simple and predictable, has been changed.

"No," you whisper, your voice trembling. "This can't be happening."

Your grandmother is about to explain further, her lips parting to speak, but the overwhelming reality hits you like a freight train. You stand up abruptly, your chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound that echoes in the grand room. "I need to go," you say, your voice breaking.

Without waiting for a response, you turn and rush out of the mansion, your footsteps echoing in the vast hallway. you push the door open, the bright sunlight outside momentarily blinding you. You stumble down the steps.

You walk quickly, almost running, trying to put as much distance between yourself and the mansion as possible. How can this be real? How can you, an quiet girl with a simple life, be a princess? You are the Princess of Genovia. And your life will never be the same again.

THE NEXT DAY, the reality of the previous day’s still hangs heavily over you. You can hardly focus on anything, your mind constantly drifting back to the shocking news. You try to go about your usual routine, but everything feels different, surreal.

As you sit at the kitchen table, pushing your breakfast around your plate, you hear a knock at the door. Your mother goes to answer it, and you strain to hear the conversation. Your heart skips a beat when you hear your grandmother’s voice.

“Hello, my dear,” she greets your mother politely. “May I come in?”

“Of course,” your mother replies, sounding a bit nervous.

They walk into the kitchen together, and your grandmother’s presence fills the small room. She’s dressed impeccably, her elegance stark against the worn, cozy surroundings of your home.

“Good morning,” she says to you with a gentle smile. “I hope you’re feeling a bit better today.”

You manage a nod, but the tightness in your chest doesn’t ease. You notice your mother looks anxious, avoiding your gaze.

“Please, have a seat,” your mother offers, gesturing to a chair. Your grandmother sits gracefully, folding her hands in her lap.

“Yesterday was overwhelming, I know,” your grandmother begins, her tone soft but firm. “But we need to talk more about this. There are important things you need to understand.”

You remain silent, feeling a mix of resentment and curiosity.

“There’s a royal ball in two months,” she continues. “It’s an important event where you’ll be formally introduced as the Princess of Genovia. It’s crucial for our country and for you.”

Your mother takes a deep breath, finally looking at you. “I know this is a lot to take in,” she says. “I should have told you earlier, but I wanted to protect you. I wanted you to have a normal life.”

You feel a surge of frustration. “You knew? All this time?” you ask, your voice shaking.

Your mother nods, her eyes filled with regret. “Yes, I knew. I’m sorry, honey. I thought it was for the best.”

Your grandmother reaches out, placing a hand on yours. “I understand that this is a lot to accept. But you have a duty, a responsibility to your heritage. This is your birthright.”

You pull your hand back, feeling overwhelmed. “I’m just a normal girl. I don’t know anything about being a princess.”

Your grandmother’s expression softens. “You may feel that way now, but you have the potential to be a great leader. We will help you every step of the way. You won’t be alone in this.”

Your mother’s eyes plead with you. “Please, sweetheart. Give it a chance. We’ll support you in any way we can.”

You sit in silence for a few moments, the weight of their words pressing down on you. The idea of being a princess, attending a royal ball, and stepping into a completely different world feels terrifying. But there’s a small part of you that’s curious, that wonders what it would be like to be this new identity.

Finally, you let out a shaky breath. “Okay,” you say reluctantly. “I’ll do it.”

A FEW DAYS LATER, the sun casts a warm glow over your grandmother’s mansion as you arrive. You clutch your simple backpack, feeling out of place yet again as you step into the grand foyer. Your grandmother greets you with a kind smile, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

“Today’s the day,” she says, leading you to a large room filled with mirrors and high-end beauty products. “I’ve arranged for the best stylists to give you a makeover. They’ll help you look the part of a princess.”

You nod, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. As you take a seat, a team of stylists and beauticians file into the room, each one carrying various tools and products. They begin their work, chatting amiably as they discuss your transformation.

For nearly four hours, you sit patiently as they work their magic. Your hair is trimmed and styled into a sleek, elegant look that frames your face perfectly. Your eyebrows are shaped, making your eyes look bigger and more defined. They remove your glasses and fit you with contact lenses, giving you a clearer view of the world without the barrier of frames.

As they finish up, you catch glimpses of yourself in the mirror, hardly recognizing the person staring back at you. Your skin glows, your features are more defined, and you look… different. Beautiful, even.

Just then, your grandmother walks back into the room. She pauses mid-step, her eyes widening in shock as she takes in your transformation. You stand up and turn to face her, feeling a rush of nerves.

“Oh my,” she breathes, her voice filled with awe. “You look absolutely stunning.”

You blush, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment. “Really?”

“Really,” she confirms, stepping closer to take a better look. “Your hair, your eyes, everything… You look like a true princess.”

You smile, feeling a warmth spread through you. The stylists beam with pride, knowing they’ve done an excellent job.

Your grandmother reaches out to gently touch your hair. “This is just the beginning, my dear.”

As you walk through the grand halls of the mansion, you feel different. Lighter. More confident. You catch a glimpse of yourself in a large, ornate mirror as you pass by, and for the first time, you see not just a girl, but a princess.

THE NEXT DAY, YOU SIT NERVOUSLY IN THE BACK OF THE LIMO, your fingers fidgeting with the hem of your skirt. You’ve been riding in this luxurious vehicle for a few days now, but it still feels surreal. The thought of people judging you for your sudden change in appearance and status makes your stomach churn. Today, you’re picking up Haneul and Sunghoon.

As the limo pulls up in front of their house, you take a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. The driver opens the door, and Sunghoon steps inside. His jaw drops as he sees you, his eyes widening in shock.

“Y/N… you look…” He’s completely speechless, his gaze fixed on you.

Before he can finish his sentence, Haneul appears, her voice breaking the silence. “Sunghoon, get in already—” Her words trail off as she sees you, her eyes widening in surprise.

Sunghoon finally finds his voice. “You look amazing,” he says, blush creeping up his cheek.

Haneul, on the other hand, doesn’t share his enthusiasm. She crosses her arms, her expression turning sour. “So, what’s the deal? You get a makeover and now you’re one of those popular girls who’ll ditch us?”

Your heart sinks at her words. “Haneul, it’s not like that…”

“It sure seems like it,” she snaps, her voice filled with hurt. “You think you’re better than us now?”

Sunghoon, sensing the tension, tries to intervene. “Haneul, that’s not fair. Let’s hear her out.”

You feel a mix of frustration and sadness. “I haven’t changed on the inside. I’m still me. There’s just a lot going on right now.”

Haneul raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”

The limo moves closer to the school, and you feel the pressure mounting. “I can’t explain it all right now, but you need to trust me.”

As the limo approaches the school, you grab a hat from your bag and put it on, hoping to avoid drawing too much attention. You quickly get out of the car, pulling Haneul aside while Sunghoon steps out slowly, still in shock.

“Haneul, listen,” you whisper urgently, glancing around to make sure no one is overhearing. “I need to tell you something. Please, just hear me out.”

Haneul crosses her arms, still looking skeptical but nods for you to continue.

You take a deep breath, lowering your voice even further. “I’m a princess. The Princess of Genovia.”

“What?” Haneul whispers, her anger dissipating into surprise.

“It’s true,” you say, your voice trembling. “I found out a few days ago. My grandmother told me. My father was the Prince of Genovia, which makes me the next heir.”

Haneul’s expression softens as she processes your words. “Really?” she asks, her voice filled with wonder. “You’re a real princess?”

You nod, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders. “Yes. And it’s been overwhelming. I didn’t mean to hide it from you.”

Haneul’s face breaks into a smile, and she reaches out to squeeze your hand. “Why didn’t you just say so? That’s amazing! I’m sorry I was so harsh.”

"I'm sorry, I couldn't tell anyone." I say, shrugging.

Haneul giggles. “So, does this mean we get to visit a castle?”

You laugh, “Maybe one day. But for now, I need you both to keep this a secret.”

Haneul nods “Absolutely. My lips are sealed.”

YOU SIT IN CLASS, your hat pulled low to avoid drawing attention. Your fingers tap nervously on your desk as you try to focus on your work. The day has already been overwhelming, and the last thing you want is more eyes on you. But as the class progresses, you hear a familiar, smug voice from across the room.

“Sir, Y/N is wearing a hat, and I think that’s against the school dress code,” Eunae says, a smirk playing on her lips.

Your cheeks burn with embarrassment as the class turns to look at you. The teacher glances up from his desk, adjusting his glasses.

“Oh, well, that is true,” he says, his tone regretful but firm. “Y/N, unfortunately, you have to take your hat off.”

Taking a deep breath, you reach up and slowly remove your hat, letting your hair cascade down your back. You can feel everyone’s eyes on you, and you brace yourself for the inevitable laughter or teasing. Instead, you hear a murmur of whispers filling the room.

“Oh my god, Y/N, you’re so pretty! Can we be friends?” one girl exclaims.

“Your hair is gorgeous!” another student adds, their tone filled with genuine admiration.

You look up, seeing the mean girls from your class suddenly smiling at you, their previous disdain replaced with a strange, almost predatory friendliness.

“I think it’s a wig,” someone whispers, a hint of skepticism in their voice.

Before the whispers can escalate, Haneul’s voice cuts through the noise. “I think her hair is gorgeous,” she says loudly, her tone firm and supportive. “But let’s get back to class. We have more important things to focus on.”

Her words have the desired effect, and the classroom falls silent. The teacher nods approvingly and returns to the lesson. You glance at Haneul, gratitude evident in your eyes. She gives you a reassuring smile, and you feel a sense of relief wash over you.

YOU'RE WALKING TO SCHOOL ON AC RISP MORNING. Sunghoon is beside you, his hands tucked into the pockets of his uniform.

"So, YN," Sunghoon begins, his tone casual, but there's a hint of something more beneath it. "Do you have any plans for Saturday?"

You glance over at him, raising an eyebrow. "Not really. Why do you ask?"

Sunghoon hesitates for a moment, then looks at you with a mix of hope and excitement. "Well, my band is performing at this new place downtown. It's kind of a big deal for us, and I was wondering if you'd like to come."

You stop walking, "Really? That sounds amazing! I'd love to come."

A grin spreads across Sunghoon's face, and he looks relieved. "Great! It starts at seven. I'll send you all the details later." As you start walking again, the conversation shifts back to lighter topic.

"You know," you say after a while, "I've always wanted to see you perform. This is going to be so cool."

Sunghoon chuckles, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "I'm glad you're excited. It means a lot to me that you'll be there."

When you reach the school gates, Sunghoon turns to you, "Thanks, YN. For coming on Saturday. I know it's going to be awesome with you there."

You smile, giving him a gentle nudge. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. See you later,"

A FEW DAYS PASS, and you're walking through the bustling school courtyard, lost in thought about what you might wear on Saturday, when you hear someone call your name.

You turn around to see Siwoo, the school's star athlete and the crush you've harbored for as long as you can remember. He's walking toward you with that effortless confidence that always makes your heart race. The chatter around you seems to fade as he gets closer, and you can feel a rush of butterflies in your stomach.

"Hey, YN," Siwoo says, his voice smooth and casual. "Got a minute?"

You nod, trying to keep your cool. "Sure, what's up?"

Siwoo runs a hand through his hair, looking almost bashful for a moment. "So, I broke up with Eunae."

Your eyes widen in surprise. Eunae, the queen bee of the school and someone who has made your life particularly difficult, is no longer with Siwoo? You can't help but feel a tiny spark of hope. "Oh, wow. I didn't know."

Siwoo shrugs, his usual smirk returning. "Yeah, it just wasn't working out. Anyway, there's this beach party on Saturday. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

Your heart nearly stops. Is this really happening? You, the one who has always admired him from afar, being asked to a party by Siwoo? Without hesitation, you blurt out, "Oh my god? Yes?"

Siwoo's smirk widens, and he gives you a wink. "Great. I'll pick you up at seven."

As he walks away, you can't help but watch him go, your mind spinning. The butterflies in your stomach are in full force now, and you feel like you're floating. You finally manage to turn around and head to your next class, but your thoughts are excitement and disbelief.

For the rest of the day, you can't focus on anything. You keep replaying the moment in your mind, wondering if it was all a dream. But no, it was real, and now you have plans for Saturday with Siwoo.

YOU STEP OUT OF THE LIMO, adjusting your school bag on your shoulder. You take a deep breath, ready to face another day of classes and the usual high school chaos. But today, something feels off.

Suddenly, there's a commotion. A crowd of photographers and reporters seem to materialize out of nowhere, cameras flashing and microphones thrust towards you.

"Is it true you're the princess of Genovia?"

"How long have you known?"

"What's your next step as royalty?"

You stand there, stunned and overwhelmed. Your heart races as the realization dawns on you: the secret is out. You glance around frantically and spot Haneul, your best friend and the only person you trusted with the truth. Her eyes are wide with shock, and you can't help but wonder if she was the one who let it slip.

Everyone around you is whispering, their curious and excited gazes fixed on you. Some are even reaching out, asking for your autograph.

Before you can fully process what's happening, you're gently but firmly guided through the crowd by school security and pushed towards the principal's office.

You sit in the chair, your mind spinning with a thousand thoughts and questions. Moments later, the door opens, and your grandmother strides in.

"YN," she says, her tone calm but serious. "We need to discuss the next steps for you. I've already spoken to the principal about the necessary procedures to ensure your safety and academic success."

You nod, still in a daze. "What's going to happen now?"

She sits down beside you, her expression softening slightly. "Things will change, my dear. There will be more security, and certain aspects of your education will need to be adjusted to accommodate your new responsibilities. But don't worry, we'll handle this together."

The principal enters, looking a bit flustered but maintaining a professional demeanor. "We've arranged for additional security measures starting today. Also, your schedule will be slightly adjusted."

You take a deep breath, trying to absorb everything.

THE SUN IS SETTING OVER THE BEACH, casting a warm golden glow across the sand. The beach party is in full swing, with music playing and laughter filling the air. You’re sitting with Siwoo by a bonfire, enjoying the feeling of the cool breeze and the warmth of his presence. He’s been attentive all evening, and you can hardly believe that you're here with him, the guy you’ve admired for so long.

He leans in closer, his voice low. "I'm really glad you came tonight, YN."

You smile, trying to ignore the butterflies in your stomach. "Me too, Siwoo."

Just as the moment seems perfect, a sudden burst of light blinds you. You blink, confused, as you realize it’s the flash of a camera. Then another, and another. You look around and see a swarm of paparazzi emerging from the shadows, their cameras aimed directly at you.

"Princess YN, over here!"

"How does it feel to be the princess of Genovia?"

The questions come rapid-fire, and the crowd presses closer. Panic sets in as you realize your private moment is being invaded. You look at Siwoo, who seems just as stunned as you are.

"Come on, we need to get out of here," he says, grabbing your hand.

You run together, dodging through the throng of people and flashing cameras. He leads you to a small beach shed and pulls you inside, closing the door behind you.

Siwoo looks at you, concern in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

You nod, trying to catch your breath. "Yeah, I just… I didn't expect this."

He steps closer, his gaze intense. "Neither did I. But, YN, there's something I've wanted to do all night."

He leans in, and for a moment, you think he's going to kiss you. But something feels off. The reality of your situation crashes down on you. This isn’t how you imagined it, not surrounded by paparazzi and hiding in a shed.

You try to pull away, but Siwoo's grip tightens slightly.

Just as you're about to push him away, the door of the shed creaks open slightly, and the flash of a camera captures the moment. Realization hits you like a ton of bricks. This was all a setup. Siwoo purposely kissed you in front of the cameras.

"I can't do this," you say, your voice trembling as you push your way out. "I'm sorry."

Before he can respond, you slip out of the shed, the flashes blinding you once again. You hear the paparazzi shouting and the clicks of their cameras, but all you can think about is getting away. You run down the beach, tears stinging your eyes.

THE NEXT MORNING, you pick up the newspaper on your doorstep and your heart drops at the front-page headline:

THE DAILY BUZZ

PRINCESS OF GENOVIA HAS A BOYFRIEND?

Photos of the Princess in a Beach Scandal

Your stomach churns as you see the photos of Siwoo kissing you splashed across the front page. The headline is bold, the images intrusive and unmissable. The story details the scandal that erupted at the beach party, with paparazzi capturing every moment of your private exchange.

You arrive at school, clutching the newspaper in your hand. Whispers follow you through the halls, eyes lingering on you with curiosity and judgment. You can hear snippets of conversations as you pass by.

"Did you see the photos? I can't believe it's true!"

"She's really the princess of Genovia, and now she's got a boyfriend?"

The words sting, but what hurts more is the realization you have yet to face: Sunghoon. You had forgotten about the whole performance on Saturday. You scan the hallway and finally spot him by his locker, his face buried in a book. As you approach, he looks up, and your heart sinks further. His eyes are cold, filled with disappointment and hurt.

"Sunghoon," you start, your voice barely above a whisper. "I—"

But before you can continue, the bell rings, echoing through the corridor. You glance at the clock, realizing you have to get to your private class. You want to stay and explain, to apologize, but you know you can’t afford to be late.

"I'm sorry," you manage to say, but Sunghoon has already turned away.

YOU RETREAT TO YOUR ROOM, hoping for some quiet time. Hours pass as you lie on your bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything in your mind—the paparazzi, the headlines, Sunghoon's hurt expression.

As the night deepens, a realization slowly dawns on you, one that sends a jolt through your heart. You don't have feelings for Siwoo. The excitement and attraction were all lies, fueled by the thrill of being noticed by someone so popular. But when you think about Sunghoon, it's different. You remember all the moments you've shared, the way he makes you laugh, the way he genuinely cares about you.

Sitting up, you take a deep breath. It’s Sunghoon. It’s always been Sunghoon.

YOU PACE AROUND YOUR LIVING ROOM, your heart heavy with the weight of the misunderstanding. Mustering the courage, you pick up the phone and call him.

"Hey, can you come over? I really need to talk to you," you ask softly.

There's a pause on the other end before Sunghoon finally agrees.

When he arrives, he looks weary, the pain still evident in his eyes. You take a deep breath and begin, "Sunghoon, I'm so sorry. I need to explain what happened. Siwoo was using me, and I didn't realize it until it was too late. I didn't meant to skip your band performance."

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I… I believe you."

"I know, and I'm so sorry," you repeat, your voice earnest. After a moment, you look at him, your heart pounding. "There's something else. Can you come to the ball with me? It's the Genovia Special Ball, and I want you to come with me."

Sunghoon looks at you, surprised. "What?"

You smile a little and repeat yourself, "Will you come with me to the ball?"

After a few moments, he nods slowly. "Okay, I'll go."

THE DAY OF THE GRAND BALL HAD FINALLY ARRIVED, but instead of excitement, you were overwhelmed with stress. Your grandmother was incredibly upset about the whole situation, her stern words echoing in your mind. The pressure of becoming a princess was suffocating, and in a moment of desperation, you decided to run off.

As you hurriedly packed your things, you noticed a letter on your desk. With trembling hands, you opened it and began to read.

"Dearest Y/N,

If you’re reading this, it means the time has come for you to embrace your destiny. I know it seems daunting, but remember, you are stronger than you think. You have the heart of a lion and the grace of a swan. Being a princess isn’t about perfection; it’s about kindness, courage, and love. I believe in you, and I know you will make me proud. Trust yourself, and remember, you are never alone.

With all my love, Dad"

Tears welled up in your eyes as you read his words. You realized, you couldn't run away from reality and you had to face it.

Meanwhile, at the ball, Sunghoon was waiting anxiously. He felt betrayed and worried as you hadn't shown up yet. Your grandmother, too, was nervous, glancing at the door every few minutes, hoping you would walk through.

Sunghoon paced near the entrance, his eyes darting to the door every few seconds. "Where is she?" he muttered under his breath, clenching his fists. He felt a pang of hurt, thinking you had left him again.

Your grandmother, regal yet tense, addressed the crowd with a forced smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. My granddaughter will be joining us shortly."

Determined, you dashed out into the pouring rain, hailing a taxi to the grand party. The rain soaked through your dress, but you didn’t care. You arrived, drenched from head to toe, but your resolve was unshaken. You rushed inside, interrupting your grandmother's speech. She was shocked to see you, but relief washed over her face as she motioned for you to come forward.

"Y/N, my dear," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "You made it."

Soaking wet, you stood beside her, and she handed you the microphone. Despite your usual fear of public speaking, you felt an unexpected calmness. You began your speech, your voice steady and clear.

"Ladies and gentlemen," you started, taking a deep breath, "I apologize for my tardiness. Today, I was reminded of the true meaning of being a princess. It’s not about the crown or the title, but about the responsibility to lead. My father’s words reminded me of this, and I am here to honor him and all of you."

You paused, scanning the room filled with expectant faces. "Being a princess means embracing the values that truly matter: compassion, integrity, and dedication to our people. It's about standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult. It's about listening to the voices of those who cannot be heard and offering a hand to those in need."

You took another deep breath, feeling the weight of the crown yet also the support of your father's spirit. "My father taught me that true leadership comes from the heart. It's about being a beacon of hope and a pillar of strength for others. I promise to uphold these values and to be the princess that you all deserve."

The crowd listened intently, and by the time you finished, they erupted in cheers. Your grandmother placed the crown on your head, and you were officially crowned princess.

YOU SLIPPED INTO A BREATHTAKING GOWN OF SILK AND LACE , its intricate design accentuating your every movement. Your hair was swept up into an elegant chignon, adorned with delicate jewels that sparkled under the ballroom lights.

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement as you re-entered the ballroom. The music had started, and couples were already dancing. Your eyes searched the room until they found Sunghoon, who was waiting for you near the dance floor. His eyes lit up when he saw you, and he quickly made his way to your side.

"You look stunning," he whispered, offering his hand. You blushed and took it, feeling the warmth of his touch.

"Thank you," you replied softly. "Shall we?"

He led you to the center of the dance floor, and the music shifted to a slow, romantic melody. Sunghoon's arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer as he began to lead you in the dance. The world seemed to fade away as you moved in perfect harmony, your eyes locked on each other.

"You did amazing tonight," Sunghoon said, his voice low and sincere. "I'm so proud of you."

You smiled, your heart swelling with gratitude and affection. "I couldn't have done it without you," you admitted. "Thank you for believing in me."

As the dance continued, the room seemed to blur around you, leaving only the two of you in focus. Sunghoon's arm wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer.

"Y/N," he murmured, his breath warm against your cheek. "There's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time."

Your heart raced, and you felt a flutter of anticipation. "What is it?" you whispered, barely able to breathe.

"I love you," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I always have."

Before you could respond, he closed the distance between you, his lips capturing yours. His hand slid from your waist to the small of your back, pulling you even closer, while his other hand cupped your cheek, his thumb gently brushing your skin.

You could feel his heartbeat through the closeness, and you melted into his embrace. Your hands instinctively reached up, one resting on his shoulder while the other gently tangled in his hair.

When you finally pulled away, you were both breathless, your foreheads resting against each other.

"I love you too, Sunghoon," you confessed, your voice trembling with happiness. "I always will."

[norrizzandpia]

Lacy (LN4)

Summary: To the song “Lacy” by Olivia Rodrigo, that should explain it I feel like

Warnings: language, angst, sad sad sad

Note: I think this wasn’t the best I could do so if y’all want a part 2 let me know bc i feel like i could redeem myself

Lacy, oh, lacy, skin like puff pastry. Aren’t you the sweetest thing on this side of hell? Dear angel lacy, eyes white as daisies, did I ever tell you that I’m not doing well?

Luisinha’s eyes twinkled as they stared up at Lando, Y/n huddled in the corner as she analyzed the girl. Lists upon lists of things she had that Y/n didn’t plagued her mind, tormenting every thought and destroying the little bit of self confidence Y/n had left. It was cruel, how sweet and perfect Luisinha was. There was no reason to hate her or criticize her, pick her apart until Y/n felt better about herself. That was the worst part, the thing that hurt the most. It wasn’t the fact that Luisinha possessed the one thing Y/n had yearned for for years before or the fact that Luisinha was loved by everyone. No, it was the fact that, when Y/n lay awake at night, she couldn’t blame anyone else for her mistake other than herself. It was gutting and tiring, but the knowledge that Luisinha was completely innocent, ironically, made Y/n hate her more.

Somebody’s arm brushing up against hers pulled her out of her deep thoughts, her head turning around to see who had taken up the space. When her eyes met that of Lando’s Australian teammate, she smiled.

“They’re cute, yeah?” Oscar chuckled, mistaking her staring for adoration rather than what it truly was; jealousy.

Nodding, Y/n tilted her head as if she really cared about the conversation, “Yeah, for sure. Never seen Lando happier.”

The words were bitter, admitting outwardly that she had never, and probably would never, be the reason for that specific smile on his face.

Oscar took a sip of his water as he looked on at the couple, “Don’t even know how she fell in love with him.”

The world went quiet for a moment as Y/n’s eyes frantically turned to sear into the side of Oscar’s face, “What?”

Her tone made his eyebrows furrow in confusion and the look on her face had him shaking his head, “Did Lando not tell you? They said ‘I love you’ like a week ago?”

Her body went numb, the information hitting her so hard it felt like the air had been taken from her lungs. As if things couldn’t get harder, Lando’s arm wrapped tightly around his girlfriend as he kissed her, very clearly lovesick. She felt stupid. Partially stupid for allowing the deepest part of her to think they would have a chance to be even remotely close to what he had with Luisinha, and the other part being stupid for not seeing how gone he was for her.

It was right in front of her, that part was chilling, but the other part that had her heart sinking was the fact that Lando had forgotten to tell her such big news.

Another thing added to the list of things Y/n didn’t have that Luisinha did; Y/n was forgettable, Luisinha wasn’t.

—

Oh, I care, I care, I care. Like perfume that you wear, I linger all the time. Watching, hidden in plain sight. And, oh, I try, I try, I try, but it takes over my life, I see you everywhere. The sweetest torture one could bear.

Y/n was shivering, the coat she wore not enough to keep her warm in the cold Monaco weather. She checked her phone once more, trying to spot any message from Lando saying he would be there soon, but she came up empty every time.

The hostess, with a look of pity, eyed her from inside the restaurant, the table for two under the name of “Y/n” for the reservation taunting her as she realized what she was witnessing. However, the hostess thought it was Y/n’s boyfriend standing her up, not her best friend who had most likely forgotten about the dinner because he was with his girlfriend.

It took Y/n the next few minutes to pull herself together, coming to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to answer his phone after the countless messages she had sent him asking when he was going to show up to the dinner they had planned weeks ago.

With her head hung low, she went back into the establishment, muttering words to the woman at the front about canceling her reservations and apologizing for the inconvenience. Before Y/n could turn around and sulk home, however, the hostess reached out and grabbed Y/n’s hand gently. With a small smile, she whispered, “I’m sure there’s a good reason as to why he didn’t show, don’t lose hope just yet. I’m sure he loves you very much. You’re a very beautiful girl, anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Nodding, Y/n didn’t look up from her feet as she thanked the woman and left. The reassurance the woman had intended to be comforting destroyed her just a bit more, resulting in controlled tears falling from her face as she rounded corners and crossed streets.

Whilst waiting for the crosswalk to turn green, Y/n pulled out her phone. Instagram was the first app she clicked, proving to be a wrong decision when she saw Lando had posted on his story. Painfully, it was a picture of him and Luisinha at his house with dinner on their laps. Ashamed of how hurt she was, she tried to convince herself that being mad at him was unnecessary. Her feelings were a product of her longing, something he couldn’t be blamed for. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help, but feel abandoned. Years of friendship down the drain as he got distracted with someone else, someone who gave him more than she could. Luisinha granted him connections to parts of the entertainment industry that could help to grow his companies, gain access to new opportunities.

She tried to convince herself she was happy for him, but that secured feeling never truly came even after she got home.

Looking at her phone once more with no response from Lando, she went to bed.

Or, at least, laid in bed. Previously mentioned nights of staying up to blame herself returning.

—

Smart, sexy Lacy. I’m losing it lately. I feel your compliments like bullets on skin. Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate. Well, aren’t you the greatest thing to ever exist. Oh, I care, I care, I care. Like ribbons in your hair, my stomach’s all in knots. You got the one thing that I want. Oh, I try, I try, I try, try to rationalize people are people, but it’s like you’re made of angel dust.

Nights like these were supposed to be fun. Max, Y/n, and Lando all staying out into the late hours of the nights, drinking and dancing in random clubs around the city. However, this time it proved to be bittersweet as Lando informed the group Luisinha planned to tag along.

Y/n’s smile was fake, of course, but she was prepared to plaster it on for the rest of the night if it meant Lando’s good mood was preserved. Of course, Luisinha had shown up in a designer dress that hugged her body in all the right ways. Her smile was showstopping as she hugged Y/n, whispering to her about how gorgeous she looked.

“Thank you. That’s very sweet. You look very pretty as well.” Y/n got out painfully, wanting nothing to do with the woman in front of her.

“Doesn’t she?” Lando butt in as if he was trying to drive the knife deeper in Y/n’s heart. Safe to say, he was successful.

She chuckled dryly when he started waving his arms animatedly around, shouting, “Gorgeous! Impeccable! Breathtaking!”

It was a wonder Y/n didn’t break down right then. Shades of betrayal dousing out the fire in her eyes, the life in her body, as her mind forced her to take a look back on all the times she had thought Lando loved her as much as she did him. The time when he drove to her house in the middle of the night because she got a stomach bug and was throwing up; the time when he pretended to be her boyfriend so a random man at a bar would stop making her feel uncomfortable; the time when he had opened up to her about his mental health struggles, finishing it off with telling her how much he loved her and appreciated her. That moment, out of all of them, was the worst to relive because it was in the way he said her name, the way his fingers had gripped her hand, as he told her how much he adored her whole being. His tone had made it sound as if a real love declaration was the cusp of his lips, although those specific words never came. Instead, it was a quiet silence as he waited for her to respond and she waited for him to tell her everything she had ever wanted to hear. Y/n had locked that memory away in her mind, it being too crushing to bounce around in her mind like the others did. So, when it came up as he yelled around in front of her about how beautiful his girlfriend was, she was pushed over the edge.

Suddenly, her dress felt too tight and she became too aware of the tips of her fingers touching the tops of her thighs. She no longer wanted to go out and hang out with people whom she wanted to forget about. But, the cruelty of the world seemed to be targeting her as an opportunity to bail on their plans never came, and she was forced to listen to Luisinha’s giggling after Lando whispered something in her ear.

No amount of alcohol could cure the putrid taste of unrequited love, she knew that, but that didn’t stop her from trying. Shots on shots of vodka riddled the booth they had reserved in the back of the club. She didn’t want to dance, didn’t want to talk, she just wanted to sulk in her thoughts and allow herself to wallow in self pity.

Y/n was a fun drunk, but, that night, she was messy and sloppy, the complete opposite of what she knew Lando wanted. Luisinha had gotten tipsy; Luisinha had twirled around on the dance floor gracefully as if she couldn’t mess a single thing up; Luisinha had done everything right while Y/n tormented herself for being nothing like that. She couldn’t get out of her own head, clearly being too far gone alcohol-wise to think straight.

“Maybe you should slow down?” Max tried, coaxing the glass out of her hand when she had accidentally sloshed the liquid onto his lap.

Groaning and rolling her eyes, Y/n grabbed her bag, “You’re no fun. I’m going to find someone else.”

Max shook his head, reaching out to grab her wrist, knowing Lando would kill him if he left Y/n alone like this, but she was too quick for him, disappearing into the crowd in a millisecond.

He shouted for her, eyes scanning the herd of people, before going to check outside, but he continuously came up empty. The situation became even worse when Lando came back to their table, Luisinha in tow, with furrowed eyebrows.

“Where’s Y/n?” He quizzed, his gaze falling on a frantic Max.

“She left.” He said as his eyes failed to meet Lando’s.

There was a silence before Lando tried again, “I’m sorry, what?”

Max scoffed, “Lando, she left. I don’t know where she went and, no matter how hard I try, I can’t find her anywhere.”

Luisinha, being the angel she was, began looking around the club as if she could find Y/n in the spots Max had already looked.

“Did you call her?” Lando asked, pulling out his phone and clicking her contact.

It rang, continued to ring, until it clicked and he was met with an eerie quiet.

“Y/n? Where are you?” He asked softly.

Rustling and heels clacking was all he heard before her slurred words were saying, “I’m walking home.”

He shook his head immediately, grabbing his keys and nodding to Luisinha and Max, telling them he was going to go pick her up.

“No way, Y/n. Your house is so far from here on foot. Let me come get you and I can drive you home, how about that?”

She didn’t have much of a choice considering he was already outside of the club and unlocking his car, but that didn’t get through to her, “No, Lando. I don’t want to see anyone right now, especially you.”

His foot stepped on the gas, driving toward her house and hoping to find her on his way there, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He knew never to reason with a drunk, but she had been so distant lately, he couldn’t help it. He wanted to know what had happened to his best friend and the relationship they once shared.

Y/n huffed, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Continuing down the road he was on, he saw, in the distance, a black, shimmering dress, similar to the one he knew Y/n had worn that night. Sure enough, as he got closer, he saw her braced against a light post as she tried to take off her heels. Her hair was messy, eyes stained black with her smeared mascara, and, if Lando had to guess, she had been crying.

When he pulled up next to her, she scoffed loudly, “God, you can’t just leave me alone, huh? I said I didn’t want to see you, Lando. Leave me the fuck alone.”

He was visibly taken aback by her hostile nature, but, nevertheless, tried to get her in the car.

“Get in the car, Y/n. You shouldn’t be out here alone when you’re this drunk.” He unlocked the doors and got out of the car, walking towards her only for her to take a step back.

“I don’t want to get in the car with you. Go back to Luisinha.” She was practically spitting her words, aggression dripping off every syllable.

Lando groaned, reaching out for her once more, but just missing her, “Stop being stubborn, Y/n. Get in the car and I’ll drive you home.”

Finally, her fuse having run out, she shouted, “NO.”

Lando’s arms flew out beside him, “Ok, why?!”

She threw her shoe at his legs and, if they hadn’t been so disappointed in the way their partnership had turned out, they would’ve laughed.

“Why’d you never tell me you and her said ‘I love you’?” She stopped, putting her hands on her hips as her anger took a new look, quiet and controlled.

He blinked at her, “Who told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter, Lando. Why?” She shrugged, staring blankly at him.

He looked away from her, hesitant to answer with the truth. His change in attitude allowed Y/n to continue, “What about last week when you didn’t show up for dinner?”

He shook his head, “What dinner?”

Her jaw dropped and she began laughing, “You still don’t remember? Did you look at any of my texts? Never wondered why I called you so many times last Friday night?”

He thought back, remembering he had spent that night with Luisinha, nothing about Y/n blowing up his phone. To check, he pulled the device out, looking through his messages and seeing, lost in all the other people trying to get ahold of him, was her asking where he was.

He breathed out deeply, “Shit, Y/n, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot.”

“Yeah, I’m not surprised. It’s been happening a lot lately.”

“No, don’t do that. It hasn’t.” He tried to convince her, but she seemed unimpressed.

“Alright, so then why did you forget to tell me such a pivotal moment in your relationship?” She tried again.

His head fell into his hands, shaking it side to side, before mumbling, “Because I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“How would I get hurt?” She said it as if he was stupid and being overly cautious for no reason. The fact that she was actually hurt by it, she wouldn’t tell him.

His eyes flew up to meet hers and in a small moment of confidence, Lando stated, “Because you love me.”

The four words hung in the air, painful and so incredibly true. She tried to come up with a deflection or some sort of counterargument, but, by the way he looked at her, she knew it was no use.

Sighing, “How long have you known?”

His hand grabbed ahold of her arm, her body finally not creating more distance, “That doesn’t matter. Y/n, this doesn’t change how I see you. In fact, knowing it’s true is good because…” He trailed off, their eyes lingering on each other as they both braced themselves for what was about to be said. Y/n let out a small smile for once that night and let herself get lost in the idea of what he was about to reveal, “I lo-”

Whatever he was about to say was completely interrupted when a car pulled up next to them, the window from the backseat being rolled down and Luisinha’s face popping out.

“Good, you found her! Let’s go home. Max and I are so tired.” She gave a tight-lipped smile, unknowingly having stopped a moment that would’ve ended her relationship. Her eyes seemed to follow their movements closely as if she was suspicious of the moment she had caught them in.

Lando looked back to Y/n, an apology swimming in his eyes, but she disregarded it. Muttering incoherent words, she yanked her arm from his hold and got in his car.

Defeated, once more, by the girl she wanted to be.

—

Lacy, oh, lacy. It’s like you’re out to get me. You poison every little thing that I do. Lacy, oh, lacy. I just loathe you lately and I despise my jealous eyes, and how hard they fell for you.

Days after that night, Luisinha’s entire demeanor toward Y/n shifted. She became more antagonistic. Long gone were the sweet comments about Y/n’s appearance, in place were backhanded compliments that had more than a few people raising their eyebrows.

Everything Y/n did was scrutinized and corrected by her, making it seem as though Y/n was incompetent. Subtly mean, Y/n found her reason to hate Luisinha. It was bittersweet, truthfully. Something Y/n had wanted to feel for so long; pure annoyance at the other girl in Lando’s life, but, it also caused a rift between her and him.

Lando and Y/n, the supposed iconic duo, stopped talking. Disappearing from her so rapidly were the nights when they would go out to get food only to gossip the whole time; disappearing were the times when he would invite her out with him and Max. Suddenly, she was seeing Luisinha laughing along with Max as they sat in the same booth she had just a few weeks before on different fan accounts. Luisinha, the better version of her, had become her immediate replacement and it killed her soul. A family she once admired had been stolen from her at the hands of someone she still loved and the other a woman whom, no matter how harsh she was, Y/n would always idolize and yearn to be.

Confusing, nevertheless. Questions now kept her awake at night instead of the usual self-torment.

Wasn’t Lando about to tell her he loved her on that cold, quiet street?

If so, why would he have ousted her so easily?

Why had she given her all to someone who, seemingly, didn’t care?

But, the one thing that never left her alone, the question that agonized her the most was the one there could never be a satisfactory answer to.

Why couldn’t she be Luisinha?

Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you.

A/N: LMK KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS BOTH GOOD AND BAD IDK HOW TO FEEL ABT THIS ONE I HOPE YOU LIKED IT

[s-4pphics]

make the bed. (e.w.)

“𝒜𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒻𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒹𝑜𝑒𝓈𝓃'𝓉 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒, 𝒶𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝐼 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝒸𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝓈𝒾𝑔𝓃.”

omggg my first writing challenge YIPPPEEEE shoutout to olivia rodrigo

ty to the post-pandemic prose and my babies @elliesbelle and @totheblood for pointers :D love yall down 

wc;cw: 1.1K, just angst YAAAAY, internalized homophobia, ellies so sad :(, mentions of alcohol

“lf I liked girls,” you slurred, your lips brushing against the shell of Ellie’s ear, the pounding speakers synched with the squeezes in her chest, “I swear t’god… you’d be mine.” 

Whenever you drunkenly murmur to her like this, Ellie wishes she didn’t hear you; She was shocked she could over the ruckus happening all around, rattling the bubble she created for the two of you. You always sounded so sure with your lies. They never fail to throw her into fight or flight mode. She tensed and her stomach churned in despair. 

“Y’so perfect, Ellie. Love y’so… fuckin’ much. All mine.” 

All she could do was nod and whirl you around with a pained smile before burying it into your clothed shoulder. You didn’t bat an eye; You were always the affectionate drunk. 

But she wanted to scream. To cry and beg and ask — demand that you fall into her right where you stand. To love her the way she’s loved you since she showed you how to ride a bicycle in elementary school. She flinched at every delicate kiss you planted on her neck, her hands squeezing at your hips. She doesn’t know if she wants to push or pull you closer. 

She knows. Her arms enclosed around your waist and you giggle into her skin. 

This is exactly how you two should be. She’s envisioned it since middle school: completely infatuated and engulfed in each other, secluded off in your own little world filled with nothing but solace. Closeness. Affection and desire. 

So why was she sick to her stomach at your scent? Lavender and sage no longer brought her the comfort that they used to in adolescence. She was being torn apart from the inside out, but she couldn’t scream. 

She only listened, digested every drunk fallacy that you directed to her in secret. With no one watching. No one ever watched. No one could know. That was your only rule when she climbed through your window months prior. Please just keep it between us, you’d whispered before leaning in to kiss her. 

At least Ellie could imagine that this was real as she held you tight: recreate the same image in her mind over and over. The two of you are together and happy to be in love with no selfishness or regrets in her mind. All she had to do was close her eyes, and you were all hers, just like you said. She’s so, so in love with you. 

But you didn’t want her. You never did. 

She’s instantly reminded of that day a few months ago. The memory feels like a ghost over her shoulder; Maybe that’s why she’s constantly peeking over it, picking at it with her nails. 

The two of you often reserved study rooms during exam season for review, but you had other plans. You were exactly where you were supposed to be — room 213 — but you weren’t by yourself. 

You — beautiful, as always — brought… friends. Friends that Ellie knew, that you knew, didn’t like her. She never actually talked to them, but she always felt… off. She was instantly riddled with anxiety, the books that she checked out ten minutes ago almost hitting the floor as her arms weakened. Sweat pebbled on her forehead as she stood and watched everyone stare at her. 

Why did it look like they were all laughing? She couldn’t hear any chuckles, but there was laughter. Someone’s laughing at her. Do they know? You have to know, but do they know about the two of you? About how Ellie feels—

Ellie? you’d called. 

… Mhm? she recalls almost fainting. 

Your eyes were confused; You knew something was off, and it made her even more nervous. 

Sit down, honey. Come meet everyone. You made sure to massage her knee under the table; It always soothed her. 

The introductions were surprisingly smooth. Ellie never expected your friends to be so polite considering how rowdy they seemed outside of class. She was pleasantly surprised and put at ease. Until the end of your study session. 

Everyone was packing their bags and cracking jokes. Ellie even got a couple laughs out of some of them during the quiet few hours. 

Ellie wasn’t sure what came over her, but she eased closer to you, still gathering your books. She relaxed at your scent. When you turned to face her with that gentle smile, her mouth moved on autopilot. 

I missed you so much. You never hit me back last night.  

Maybe it was the way Ellie said it. She shouldn’t have looked into your eyes the way she did, whispered to you like that, said she missed you with so much devotion. But she did, and she wished she didn’t. 

Your smile turned to worry instantaneously, and Ellie’s heart plummeted when your head whipped around the room to check if anyone heard before turning back to her. No one cared. 

Ellie felt like she’d been stabbed. It happened so quickly; she probably would’ve missed it if she blinked. Her nails dug into the hardcover of her books, tears jerking in her eyes before she tossed a stiff see you guys later over her shoulder and rushed out the room. You tried to grab her arm, but she shoved you off. She had to fight her instincts so she wouldn’t turn around and apologize for being too rough. 

She got back to her dorm and… trashed it while she cried. Disgust and anger flooded her system while she threw her clothes, her trinkets, the photo of you, Ellie, and her mother at your shared high school graduation across the room (she only sobbed harder when she noticed it cracked when it hit the floor). The emotions that rushed through her weren’t even for you, but for herself. Ellie’s own hope destroyed her, and she only has herself to blame. 

She should’ve known at the time to never speak to you again, but she loved you. She loves you. Every fiber, every cell of her being lived to see you at your happiest; It’s tortuous how you expose the darkest parts that she wished to keep hidden until the end of time. She hasn’t felt like this since she was a teenager. 

And yet, she still swayed you. Kept you close so she could breathe you in. This is the most you allow, at least: physical touch. She knew better than to allow you to mistreat her, but she couldn’t leave you. You both danced until your legs burned, and you fell into her bed the same night. 

She forced herself to lay in the massacred mattress that she’d tried to keep made since she was a kid. The least you could do was fluff the pillow you slept on every night.

[hcsiqs]

16, kate martin, 🩹 ? love love love your writing

| expert at sorry

• pairing: kate martin x fem!reader

• prompt: “i want to hate you. but i can’t. and that—that sucks.”

• warnings: angst with no happy ending

awww thank u sm that means the world to me!!

You had moved to Vegas after college to have a fresh start. You had gotten a well paying job in your field and had made all new friends. It was nothing like college, which was exactly what you needed and wanted.

To not have to see Kate’s face everywhere you turned, to hear about how good she had played in a game, or being forced to go to her games even after the two of you broke up so your friends could go see Caitlin Clark shoot from the logo.

You could just live your life by focusing on your work and going out with friends at night. And now the people around you cared so much for you, even if you’ve only known each other for a little amount of time, you’d consider them your closest friends.

They met you at your worst and have helped you everyday to feel better about yourself and get you out of your shell.

“You look so sexy!” Andriana gasped as she turned you around to get a full look at your outfit. You had on a black see-through lacy top, a red bra underneath, and then a black mini skirt paired with black shoes.

“All the girls are gonna be begging to take you home,” Olivia giggled as she ran her hands down your arms.

“Thank you,” you shyly smiled, accepting their compliments, “And the both of you! Hottest couple of the century,” you smiled looking at them as Andriana’s hand found itself firmly planted on Olivia’s hip them both leaning into each other.

“Ok come on let’s go!” Devon yelled as she twisted the keys around her finger, trying to shoo everyone out of the apartment.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Y’all had been out for a couple hours and the loud music and lights were staring to get to you. Girls had came up to you and flirted but none of them were Kate.

Even after she had done you so wrong you still wanted to be under her arm, the place you found most comfort. But of course that would never happen.

You hadn’t heard anything about the blonde since March Madness as you had ignored every piece of basketball media because it hurt you too much. So, when the dj announced the Las Vegas Aces were there you weren’t expecting the next line to come out of his mouth, “And everyone’s favorite rookie, Kate Martin!” as cheers filled your ears you felt your heart practically stop.

“Y/N, are you ok?” Devon asked pulling your eyes away from the place that you had heard her name announced. “Y/N.”

“Yeah, Yeah, I’m good,” you gave a tight lipped smiled, “I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” you her as you pointed to in its vicinity.

“Do you want me to go with you?” she asked, her voice still laced with concern.

“No, it’s ok,” you nodded your head, “Be right back,” you told her before exiting the sweaty crowd of people and beelining to the bathroom.

Your eyes began to sting with the tears trying to make their way down your cheeks. It was crazy how one name could send you down this spiral.

As you made your way to the bathroom you, you failed to realize a blonde following behind you. But, when you entered the bathroom you caught a glimpse of her in the mirror standing a few feet behind you. “Kate,” you said after turning around to meet her blue eyes, the ones you had originally fell in love with. “I didn’t know you got drafted, congrats,” you crossed your arms over your body, suddenly aware of how exposing it was.

“I—uh—I didn’t know you moved here,” her hand reached to the back of her neck, “I wasn’t even sure it was you who I was following.”

“So, why’d you follow me?” you asked, pushing your hip against the sink.

“I don’t know. I just,” she paused trying to find the right words, “I fucked up, Y/N.”

“I know,” you nodded your head biting your lip trying to keep your voice stable. Finally after all these months you were hearing what thought you wanted to hear, but now that you had it, you weren’t sure if this is really what you wanted. Closure, that is, because it means it would all be over.

“I said really shitty things to you—,” she was cut off by someone entering into the bathroom and silently apologizing for interrupting, “Do you wanna go somewhere else?”

“We can go outside,” you told her as you pulled your phone out sending a quick text to your friends. You then followed her through the crowds until you were outside in the warm atmosphere of Las Vegas.

“I shouldn’t have said those things,” you noticed the way she still played with her fingers out of nervousness, “They weren’t true. You didn’t add stress to my life, like you were the only thing that didn’t give me stress. I just took all of my anxiety out on you and I’m so sorry,” she finished.

You stood quiet trying to figure out what words to say. You had been avoiding eye contact practically the whole time she was talking, just trying to soak in the sound of her voice.

“You probably hate me,” she ran her hand through her long blonde hair.

“I don’t hate you,” you shook your head finally meeting her gaze, “Trust me, I want to hate you. But I can’t,” you bit the bottom of your lip trying to keep it from going into a frown and allowing the tears to spill out, “and th—that really fucking sucks. Because you ruined my self image. I believed all those things you said,” you felt a tear fall down your cheek and immediately wiped it away. “I’ve spent months trying to rebuild myself from the way you left me.”

“I’m so sorry Y/N, and I will be for the rest of my life,” she stepped closer to you, but you still kept your arms around you almost as if they acted as a barrier.

“Did you really believe all those things you said to me?” your voice broke as the tears clouded your eyes and stared to stream down your cheeks. She immediately brought you into her grasp, her hand racking through your hair.

“No, no,” she shook her head before lying her chin on top of your head. You stood there crying into the shirt of the girl who had made you hate yourself and think that you were the problem in everything. “None of what I said was true. I was just scared shitless and I took it out on you. I should’ve never done that baby,” the familiar nick name slips out of her lips, and it sounds so right on her tongue that it takes all your strength to push away from her and not melt into her.

“You can’t call me that,” you stood back, wiping the tears from under your eyes, the mascara on the sides of your fingers.

Kate nodded her head, “Do you,” she started, “Do you think we will ever get back together?” she asked and you could hear the vulnerability in her voice.

“Not right now,” you shook your head, “I’m not saying never, but right now. No, I think I still need time.”

“I’ll wait,” she whispered. As you went to respond your friends came out of the club and stared at the two of you.

“Ok,” you nodded before walking over to them and waving a small bye to her before walking off.

Honestly it felt like a weight had been taken off your chest. You weren’t being weighed down by the blonde anymore.

And you were honest about maybe trying again in the future. You would just have to see a difference in her for it to happen.

[anniebeemine]

Bad Idea, Right?- s.r. x fem!reader

I saw Olivia Rodrigo in concert a while back. In the middle of Vampire, my ex (who I had been seeing on/off for months) called during it, which was insane because I was literally screaming my little heart out during the entire concert.

warnings: vague-ish smut, not super descriptive, Spencer is lowkey kind of a douchebag

You were sitting at your usual table in the café, surrounded by the chatter of your friends. The smell of coffee and pastries filled the air, and the conversation was lively, with everyone catching up on the latest gossip. But your mind was elsewhere, focused on the small device in your hand under the table.

You quickly typed out a message to Spencer, something light-hearted, trying to make him smile in between whatever work was keeping him away this time. It had been a few days since you’d last heard from him, and while you understood that his job could be demanding, it still tugged at your heart whenever the silence stretched too long.

Spencer had a habit of disappearing, of dropping off the face of the earth with no explanation, ignoring your calls and messages for what felt like an eternity. You’d spend days worrying, wondering if something had happened to him, if he was okay, if he was ever going to come back. And then, just when you’d start to resign yourself to the idea that maybe this time he wouldn’t, your phone would ring, and there he’d be, like nothing had ever happened.

He’d apologize, sometimes, for being gone so long, but there was always an underlying assumption that you understood. And you did. You knew his job was important, that the work he did saved lives, and that it wasn’t something he could just walk away from whenever he felt like it. But understanding didn’t make it easier. It didn’t stop the ache in your chest when you reached out for him in the night and found only an empty space.

And yet, every time he called, you’d go running back to him. The moment you heard his voice on the other end of the line, all the frustration, the anger, the loneliness—it would all melt away. You’d drop everything to be with him, to spend whatever time he had to give, whether it was a few hours or a few days. You’d soak up every minute, storing up the memories to get you through the next time he disappeared.

As you hit send, Jacqueline, your closest friend, caught sight of your secretive behavior. She narrowed her eyes, her expression turning into a knowing look. Before you could react, she reached over and snatched the phone from your hand, holding it up like she’d just caught you doing something scandalous.

Your friends didn’t understand. They saw the toll it took on you, the way you’d light up when he was around, only to fall into a funk when he vanished again. They’d tell you that you deserved better, that you shouldn’t put up with someone who treated you like an afterthought. But they didn’t know Spencer the way you did. They didn’t see the way he looked at you, the way he held you, the way he made you feel like you were the only person in the world when you were together. They didn’t know how it felt to be loved by him, even if that love came in pieces, scattered across time.

“Don’t tell me you’re texting Spencer again,” she said, exasperation evident in her tone. “You know you deserve better than someone who dumps and ignores you for weeks at a time.”

There was more to Jacqueline’s irritation than just concern for you; it was almost like she had a personal vendetta against Spencer. You’d noticed it before, the way her mood would shift whenever his name was mentioned, her face tightening, her tone hardening. It wasn’t just that she thought you deserved better—she genuinely seemed to dislike him, almost as if she had a grudge against him.

At first, you thought it was just protectiveness, that Jacqueline was being the fiercely loyal friend she’d always been. But as time went on, it became clear that her feelings towards Spencer went beyond that. She’d make snide comments whenever you talked about him, questioning his intentions, his commitment, even his character. She’d remind you of all the times he’d disappeared without a word, leaving you to wonder where he was and if he was even thinking about you. And each time he reappeared, she’d roll her eyes, muttering under her breath about how predictable it all was.

The other girls at the table exchanged glances, some nodding in agreement, while others tried to focus on their drinks, not wanting to get involved in the conversation.

To her, it was black and white: either he was there for you, or he wasn’t. And when he wasn’t, she took it as a personal slight, as though his absence was a reflection of how much—or how little—he cared about you. She’d been there to pick up the pieces too many times, listening to you vent your frustrations, wiping away your tears when the silence stretched too long. And in her mind, it was Spencer’s fault, plain and simple.

“You know, it’s not healthy,” she continued, her voice growing more insistent as she held your phone out of reach. “This back-and-forth, this constant waiting around for him to decide he wants to be a part of your life again. It’s toxic, and it’s not fair to you. You deserve someone who’s going to be there, consistently, without all this drama.”

You took a deep breath, trying to keep your emotions in check. You knew your friends meant well, but they didn’t understand the intricacies of your relationship with Spencer. His job was demanding—more demanding than most people could ever imagine. It wasn’t easy, but you knew what you signed up for when you fell in love with him.

You sighed, feeling the familiar tug of guilt and defensiveness. You knew she was coming from a place of love, but it was hard not to feel cornered, like she was forcing you to choose between your relationship with Spencer and your friendship with her. Gently, you reached out and took your phone back from Jacqueline, giving her a soft smile. “It’s no one, just my mom,” you lied smoothly, slipping your phone back into your pocket.

Jacqueline gave you a skeptical look but didn’t push further. “I just want what’s best for you, you know that, right?”

“I know,” you said, nodding. “And I appreciate it, really. But it’s nothing to worry about.”

The conversation slowly shifted away from Spencer, back to lighter topics, but your mind remained on him. You glanced down at your phone under the table, seeing the little dots on the screen that indicated Spencer was typing a response. Your heart fluttered, a mix of excitement and worry.

It wasn’t easy defending your relationship to people who didn’t fully understand, but you knew the truth. Spencer cared deeply about you, and despite the long absences and the sometimes agonizing silences, you wouldn’t trade what you had with him for anything.

As your friends continued to talk around you, you discreetly checked the message that had just come through from Spencer. His words were brief, but they carried a warmth that only you could feel:

Miss you more than you know. Can't wait to see you. Talk soon.

You smiled softly at the screen, feeling a surge of affection for the man who might not always be there, but who was always worth waiting for.

You stood outside Spencer’s apartment, the cool night air nipping at your skin as you debated whether to knock. This was a bad idea—no, a terrible idea. You knew it, your friends knew it, and yet, here you were.

When Spencer had texted you earlier that evening, a simple "Hey, you up?" flashed across your screen. You had stared at it, your thumb hovering over the screen as your mind raced. The rational part of you screamed to ignore it, to turn off your phone, and pretend you never saw it. You’d promised yourself that you wouldn’t keep doing this, that you wouldn’t let him pull you back in with a few words and the hope of something more.

And so, you did ignore it—for about ten minutes. You put your phone down, focused on the Netflix show you’d been watching, and tried to convince yourself that you were perfectly fine without answering him. You even grabbed a bag of chips, convincing yourself that you were more interested in a snack than the man on the other side of the screen.

But the distraction didn’t last long. You kept glancing at your phone, wondering if he was still waiting for a reply, if he’d sent another message, maybe something more enticing, something that would justify your breaking the silence. After another fifteen minutes of staring at the screen and tossing back and forth on the couch, you caved. You told yourself you were just going to see what else he’d said, but the moment you opened his message, the pull became too strong to resist.

Your resolve crumbled as you told yourself that it wouldn’t hurt to put on something a little nicer than your old pajama pants. After all, it wasn’t like you were planning to actually go to his place. But then you found yourself in front of your mirror, touching up your makeup, fixing your hair, and picking out an outfit that you knew Spencer liked. You told yourself that you were just making yourself feel better, that it was for you, not for him.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and you were out the door, keys in hand, your heart beating faster with each step you took. Your friends are right. You deserve more than a booty call and breakfast. You kept telling yourself that you were just going for a drive, that you weren’t really going to his apartment, that you could turn around at any moment and go back home.

But you didn’t. You drove to his place, parked outside, and now, here you were, standing in front of his door, the cool night air brushing against your skin as you hesitated. You knew this was a mistake, that you should just turn around and go home, but the pull was too strong, the need to see him, to feel his arms around you, was overpowering.

Your hand hovered in the air, ready to knock, and you took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. The rational part of you was still screaming, still telling you to walk away, but the rest of you, the part that had been yearning for him, that had missed him despite everything, was winning.

You didn’t hesitate any longer. The door opened before you even finished the second knock, and there he was, standing in the doorway, looking as conflicted as you felt.

“Hey,” he greeted, his voice soft and hesitant.

“Hey,” you replied, stepping inside before you could change your mind. The door clicked shut behind you, sealing your fate for the night.

One thing led to another, and soon enough, you were both tangled up in his sheets, the tension that had been simmering for weeks finally breaking. The world outside his apartment faded into oblivion, replaced by the heat of his touch, the way his lips moved against yours, and the feel of his skin pressed to yours. It was everything you wanted and nothing you should have.

It started slowly, the kiss deepening as the months of unspoken words and unmet desires bubbled to the surface. His hands roamed your body, exploring every inch as if he was trying to memorize the feel of you all over again. It was desperate, passionate, and tinged with the familiar ache of knowing this might be temporary, that once again, you’d be left waiting for a text, a call, something to let you know he was still there.

Spencer’s fingers slipped under the hem of your shirt, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down your spine. You gasped against his mouth, the sound swallowed by his lips as he pulled you closer, your bodies fitting together like they were made for each other. The connection between you was undeniable, a magnetism that neither of you could resist, no matter how hard you tried. He broke the kiss just long enough to pull your shirt over your head, tossing it carelessly to the side before his lips were back on yours, more urgent this time. His hands followed, sliding up your back, leaving a trail of fire in their wake as they settled on your waist, holding you tight against him.

Your own hands weren’t idle, tugging at his clothes, needing to feel his skin against yours. It was all-consuming, the need to be close to him, to feel the solid weight of his body, to know that he was real, that this was real, even if only for a fleeting moment. The rational part of your mind, the one that knew this wasn’t a solution to your problems, was drowned out by the sheer intensity of the moment.

Clothes were discarded in a frenzy, hitting the floor with soft thuds that went unnoticed as you both lost yourselves in each other. The room was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing, soft moans, and whispered names as you gave in to the pull that had brought you here in the first place. It was messy, desperate, and exactly what you both needed. When he finally laid you down on the bed, his body hovering over yours, you could see the hunger in his eyes, the way he looked at you like you were the only thing in the world that mattered. His fingers brushed your hair out of your face, and he paused, just for a second, to take in the sight of you, his chest rising and falling with deep, controlled breaths.

“You’re beautiful,” Spencer murmured, his voice rough with emotion. There was something raw in the way he said it, like he was baring a part of himself that he usually kept hidden.

“Spence,” you breathed, your hands reaching up to cup his face, pulling him down for another kiss. It was softer this time, more deliberate, as if you were both trying to savor the moment, to make it last.

But the intensity returned quickly, the kiss deepening as he settled between your legs, his hands finding yours and lacing your fingers together. He moved slowly at first, as if savoring every second, every movement, every sound that escaped your lips. His name fell from your mouth in a breathy moan, and it seemed to spur him on, his pace quickening as the need to be closer, to feel more, overwhelmed you both.

It was everything you’d been missing, everything you’d been craving, and more. The world outside ceased to exist, leaving only the two of you, wrapped up in each other, lost in the moment. Every touch, every kiss, every movement was a reminder of why you kept coming back, why you couldn’t let him go, even when you knew it wasn’t good for you.

Time lost meaning as you moved together, your bodies instinctively finding a rhythm that felt both familiar and new. It was intoxicating, the way you moved in sync, every shift and sigh building a connection that words could never fully capture. You held onto him like he was your lifeline, the one thing that made everything else disappear, even if just for a little while.

But as you lay there afterward, your head resting on Spencer’s chest, the reality of what you’d just done started to sink in. You were too aware of the fact that this was a cycle—one that you’d been through too many times before. The rush, the euphoria, the aftermath of self-doubt. It was a pattern you knew all too well, but one you couldn’t seem to break.

Before you could start spiraling, your phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping you out of your thoughts. You reached for it, your heart dropping when you saw Jacqueline’s name on the screen. You knew she had probably felt something was off—she always did. You hesitated for a moment, biting your lip as you debated whether or not to answer.

Spencer must have sensed your tension, because he opened his eyes and glanced down at the phone in your hand. He saw the name on the screen and a small, knowing smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Jacqueline?” he asked, his voice a low rumble in the quiet room.

“Hey,” you answered, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Where are you?” Jacqueline’s voice was sharp, filled with concern. “I had this weird feeling, like a disturbance or something.” She tried to cover it up with a laugh but it came out strained.

You swallowed, glancing over at Spencer, who was watching you with a knowing smirk. “I’m in bed,” you replied, technically not a lie.

Jacqueline sighed, relief flooding her voice. “Thank God. I was worried you were doing something… reckless. I just didn’t want you to regret anything.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” you assured her, feeling Spencer’s fingers tracing lazy patterns on your arm. “Thanks for checking in, though.”

“Alright. Just be careful, okay?”

“I will,” you promised before hanging up.

Spencer chuckled softly beside you. “She felt a disturbance, huh? Guess I have that effect.”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the smile tugging at your lips. “They’re not exactly your biggest fans,” you admitted, turning on your side to face him.

Spencer’s smile faltered slightly, a shadow of understanding passing over his features. “I know,” he said softly, his gaze dropping to where your hand rested against his chest.

You sighed, remembering the first time the two of you had run into her. It was a chance encounter while you and Spencer were out for coffee after a night together, a rare moment when he was actually around. You’d felt a pang of guilt when you saw her, knowing you’d been caught red-handed. The disappointment on her face had been clear as day.

When Spencer had tried to introduce himself, extending a polite hand, Jacqueline had barely acknowledged him. She’d cut him off mid-sentence, uninterested in his official introduction. You could see the judgment in her eyes, the way she looked at him as though he was the very reason for every tear you’d shed. And in some ways, she wasn’t wrong.

That run-in had come just two weeks after you’d been sobbing on her couch, a tub of popcorn between you, as you poured out your heart about how he’d disappeared on you—again. She’d listened, rubbing your back, nodding sympathetically, but you could tell she was getting frustrated. She was tired of seeing you hurt, tired of seeing you pick up the pieces every time he let you down.

The second time Jacqueline had come face-to-face with Spencer had been even worse. She’d arrived unannounced at your apartment, letting herself in with the spare key you’d given her for emergencies. She found you on the couch, curled up with Spencer, your lips swollen from kissing, your hair tousled in a way that made it clear what you’d been up to.

Jacqueline’s face had turned an alarming shade of red as she realized what she was seeing. She didn’t hold back, her voice sharp and cutting as she reprimanded you right there in front of him. She begged you to have more self-respect, to stop letting yourself be hurt by someone who couldn’t even bother to answer your calls half the time. Spencer had sat there, silent, his expression unreadable, as she delivered her scathing lecture. When she’d stormed out, slamming the door behind her, the room had felt impossibly quiet.

“She doesn’t hate you,” you said, though even you knew it sounded hollow.

Spencer nodded, but the weight of Jacqueline’s disapproval still hung between you. “She cares about you,” he said finally, his voice steady. He nodded, the smirk still playing on his lips. “And yet, here you are.”

You sighed, knowing full well that he was right. This wasn’t the first time you’d ended up here, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. It was messy, complicated, and against all the advice your friends had given you. But at that moment, as you lay there with him, the warmth of his presence grounding you, none of that seemed to matter.

“Fuck it,” you murmured, more to yourself than to him. “It’s fine.”

And maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was a disaster waiting to happen, but for tonight, for right now, it was enough. Spencer pulled you closer, his lips brushing against your forehead, and you let yourself sink into the comfort of him, ignoring the voice in your head that was already screaming about tomorrow.

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: werewolves

Want your monsters a little hairier? Then this list is for you! Whether you prefer your werewolf books fantasy, horror, slice of life, or romance, this list has a something for everyone (especially if you want your werewolves queer!)

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Lobizona (Wolves of No World series) by Romina Garber

Young adult. As an undocumented immigrant, Manu has been told her existence is illegal. When her mother is arrested by ICE, Manu is left alone, and decides to seek out the only connection she has left: her dead father's criminal connections. Here she finds a secret underworld of Argentinian folklore, where a seventh daughter is a bruja and a seventh son is a lobizón - a werewolf. But as Manu understands more about who and what she is, she comes to realize her self is seen as forbidden in more ways than one, and that she will have to fight for her way to exist. Tackles heavy subjects in a more lighthearted magic school setting.

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

Horror. Nearly a year ago, Joan's husband Victor disappeared seemingly into thin air. That is, until Joan stumbles across a revival tent where the local Métis have gathered to listen to the charismatic preacher Eugene Wolff - a man with Victor's face. But when she faces him, he doesn't recognize her at all, claiming his mission is only to spread the word of Jesus. Only, that is far from all he's doing. Now Joan must find out the truth of what happened to her husband.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal*

Young adult. Priya had plans to go to Stanford, but is derailed when the fallout from lyme disease puts her back, making her question if she'll ever get back to normal. Luckily she has her discord support group with whom she can chat and vent about her illness. Even more - she has Brigid, online fandom friend and fellow chronic illness sufferer. But when Brigid disappears from the web without warning, Priya must drive to Pennsylvania to make sure her friend is okay - and finds that Brigid's condition is a bit hairier than she expected.

Santa Olivia (Santa Olivia duology) by Jacqueline Carey*

Is this werewolf fiction? Technically not. It's sci-fi more than fantasy or horror, with a plot reminiscent of superhero stories. It follows Loup Garron, a young girl growing up in Santa Olivia, an isolated town by the border between the US and Mexico, where the inhabitants aren't allowed to leave. Loup is the daughter of a "Wolf Man", a soldier enhanced with wolven traits which she have now inherited, allowing her to take a stand against the soldiers keeping her small home town oppressed. Also features a main f/f couple!

A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée*

Novella, lesbian soulmate romance. Red wolves went extinct in Alabama long ago - except for the ancestors of Yasmine's family, who were saved by witches putting a spell on them, allowing them to take human form to hide. Now, that spell is growing weaker, and Yasmine is struggling for control with her wolf. When a chance encounter with the exiled blood witch Kalta reveals the two to be not only fated mates but also the possible answer to the pack's struggles, Yasmine and Kalta both must work together to overcome the grief in their hearts and save their families.

Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones

Horror. A coming-of-age story following a boy and his aunt Libby and uncle Darren, living on the road and staying outside the law. They're all outsiders, but Libby and Darren are mongrels, mixedbloods, werewolves waiting to see if their nephew is like them or not. The boy, meanwhile, must decide if the wandering life of his family is for him, or if he belongs somewhere else.

How to Be a Werewolf by Shawn Lenore*

Graphic novel, available as printed or webcomic. Malaya was bitten by a wolf as a child, and ever since she has lived an isolated life with her family, working in their coffee shop and fearing she will lose control of her wolf side. Having never met another werewolf, Malaya knows little of what she is - until she meets a stranger claiming to be like her, and that she's far from alone. But the more she gets involved with other werewolves, the more she also gets dragged into the dangerous conflicts between packs.

Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens

Middle grade graphic novel. One night, young Artie witnesses something incredible - her own mother turning into a wolf. She finds out she's from a lineage of werewolves, and to help her awaken her abilities her mother invites family friends who are like them. A new world opens up for Artie, but so do dark secrets: werewolves have a deadly enemy, and it's coming back for them.

Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella

Brian is a slacker, having dropped out from college, working as a waiter, and spending his nights drinking with his friends - except the nights when he turns into a werewolf, of course. But after having slipped and killed a jogger, Brian is noticed by fellow werewolf Tyler, who's working on a self-help startup for werewolves and offers to mentor Brian. At first Tyler's methods helps Brian get back on his feet, but the more he learns of Tyler's expansion plans, the more he realizes he might be bad news. A good read if you want a funny, goofy take down of toxic masculinity that doesn't take itself very seriously.

Such Sharp Teeth by Kim Harrison*

When her pregnant twin sister is left by her boyfriend, Rory decides to go back to her home town and stay with her for a time. But the town is also the home of old childhood trauma, and something wild is roaming the woods. When she gets attacked and mauled one night, Rory's successful life is changed forever. Lycanthropy used as a metaphor for female rage, trauma, and bad coping mechanisms.

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo

Young adult horror. It's been years since Eleanor Zarrin last saw her family, having been sent away to boarding school when she was little. But after a bloody misstep, Eleanor must flee the school and return home to her family's manor. Here she's reminded of her family's darker side, and that she has never been able to run and hunt in the woods alongside them. But in a family of wolves Eleanor is something else - and even more dangerous.

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

Young adult horror. A take on the little red riding hood tale where the girl is both the victim of the wolf and the huntsman who slays it. After a particularly embarrassing incident, young Bisou flees into the woods, only to be faced with a predatory wolf. To her shock, their face-off ends with the wolf dead, not Bisou. Even more shocking: the dead wolf turns into a boy. Suddenly, Bisou finds herself a hunter and a protector, routing out the wolves who masquerade as boys. Visceral and bloody, but pretty feminism 101 in its portrayal.

Fear the Wolf by Stefanie Gilmour

Urban fantasy. Alex never wanted to be a werewolf, but when a latent gene was triggered by a traumatic event, causing her to shift, she had no choice but to accept her new reality. Now she stays under the radar, avoiding other werewolves as she tries to keep a job and keep her temper under control, fearing that she will be discovered or even hurt someone. The only person outside her family who knows her secret is Emma, a wizard and Alex's closest friend. But when Emma gets a new boyfriend and starts acting strangely at the same time as attacks and disappearances of supernatural citizens are on the rise, Alex might have no other choice but to get involved in the local werewolf community to fight back.

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

Urban fantasy. Kitty Norville is a midnight radio host and a werewolf, having been turned after a traumatic attack. Stuck in an abusive pack, Kitty needs an outlet, and decides to use her radio midnight hour to speak about the supernatural. Soon others like her are calling in, seeking advice, and Kitty's life is looking up - but in drawing attention to the supernatural, she has also put a target on her back, and someone wants to make her shut up, no matter what.

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull

When Laina's brother gets shot and killed, a video recording the incident reveals something shocking: a giant wolf which, when shot, turns into a naked man. The video gets leaked, and little by little monsters start coming out into the open. But there’s a reason monsters have decided to step put of hiding, something otherworldly and far more dangerous than them. Follows a large cast of characters, among them members of a werewolf pack.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool

Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn

A story told entirely in dialogue, Rules For Werewolves follows a group of young outsiders, drifting from place to place and squatting in empty suburban houses as they try to build a life in a world that has no room for them,

Howl by Shaun David Hutchinson

Young adult. New kid in town, Virgil Knox, has been attacked by a monster. Only, no one believes it was actually a monster, insisting it must've been a bear. But Virgil knows it was really a monster, and now he fears that it will come back for him - or that he will become one himself.

The Devourers by Indra Das

In Kolkata, India, college professor Alok encounters a mysterious stranger who tells him a story of a race of people at once man and beast, and a wanderer in 17th century Mughal who is torn between two worlds.

Thor by Wayne Smith

Thor the German Shepherd is devoted to his suburban family, and when Uncle Ted comes to live with his family, that devotion is put to the test. For Ted is no longer human, and Thor can sense that there is something dark and dangerous hiding inside him, something which he must keep his family safe from.

Wild by Meghan O'Brien

Selene leads a lonely life, avoiding forming close relationships to keep herself and others safe as she turns into a remorseless wolf creature every full moon. Eve is a forensic pathologist who has sworn off romantic relationships after having had an ex cheat on her, focusing instead on catching murderers. But when a masked man attacks Eve and Selene comes to her rescue, the two become unavoidably intertwined as a monster even more dangerous than Selene stalks the streets.

Wolfsong by T.J. Klune

Ox Matheson's neighbors, the Bennett family, aren't ordinary people: they're shapeshifters, able to turn into wolves. Intrigued by their lifestyle, Ox becomes close to the youngest son, Joe. But when murder comes to town, Joe ends up leaving, and won't return until years later. Now adults, the feelings between them can't be denied any longer.

[anderii]

Hypnotic

I can't believe you have spent a year selling that rubbish. Catherine, or Cat as she insisted on being called was creating a scene again, Poppy her sister had work friend round to celebrate her first year at her job, well any excuse for a party. But Cat decided to pick a fight about the cloths they sold.

Those clothes are so demeaning to women I mean what's that latest Japanese import tat called Bimbot! It's just grose I have no idea why people would buy that junk, you would have to hypnotise and brain wash me to even get me in that shop.

Oh I could do that for you. Cat spun round to confront whoever had interrupted her in full rant. Hi I'm Olivia, and I own Peaches clothing. Do you have something against my shop?

Cat was flustered for a second, Olivias eyes seemed to burn straight into her but she had a light gentle smile that said trust me, it made Cat shudder slightly.

Well it's just they are demeaning, bimbo fashon, no woman should be expected to wear such ridiculous junk, I wouldn't ever be seen in any of it.

Oh I bet you would my dear Cat, Olivia almost purred her words were smooth and irresistible. I have a challenge for you, before I came to England I was a hypnotherapist working in a special hospital, helping people rehabilitate you could say. I bet you £100 I could get you to come into Peaches and try on some of our outfits.

Just sit and listen to me for 10 minutes if you manage the money is yours and if you don't we all get pictures of you as a bimbo girl, do we have a deal Cat?

Cat felt backed into a corner , what happened if she couldn't resist, but if she declined she would looked weak.

It's ok, Poppy said, Olivia has hypnotised us all at work at least once, you know, just for fun, it's relaxing and you feel so refreshed afterwards.

Cat sat facing, Olivia, why do you have your hood up? She asked.

To help you concentrate on my face, now all you have to do is look into my eyes and just listen to my voice, nothing else is important, the world carries on as normal just relax, breath in and when you breath out feel your body relax deeper, just my voice , just my eyes.

Think of a spiral in your mind, follow it down, the deeper you go the more relaxed you feel the, more relaxed you feel the deeper you go.

Cat was quite relieved to get the £100, easy money but she wasn't sure why everyone else was giggling.

When Olivia left she said see you in the shop on Saturday Cat, don't forget.I won't, Cat replied, but didn't think anything of it.

Saturday came, Cat went into work with Poppy, she didn't know why she just felt like, it, oh god the outfits were worse up close, so demeaning, so why did she want to wear one so badly, the thrill of being humiliated wearing the pink monstrosities had her heart beating fast.

Welcome to Peaches Cat, Olivias voice was like satin shall we start your makeover?

All the girls helped with dressing and makeup, and before the store was ready to open Cat resembled the Bimbot mannequin in the window, they took her outside and took lots of photos posting them on her social media.

The funny thing is girls. Olivia said to everyone, I left a trigger in Cats mind, if I say the words bimbo doll she freezes in place but inside she can think and remember everything, Cat was shocked she couldn't move and why was she here what was she dressed as oh god the hypnosis worked and now she knew Olivia had tricked her. Let's put her in the window for the day with the other mannequins suggested Olivia and everyone thought that was a great idea.

Cat spent the entire day in the window, no one gave her a second glance although inside she was screaming.

Closing time came, and Olivia walked up to Cat whispering in her ear, well done you make such a good dummy, you may think I'm here to free you but I am going to leave you here all night to learn your lesson, then maybe tomorrow I will let you go, it's a shame that when I do you won't remember anything about it untill we do the same thing again next weekend and every one after untill I get bored with you. Oh and don't think your sister or any one of the other girls will help, I have had them hypnotised for ages, that's why I have such a loyal workforce. Good night Cat, sweet dreams. The lights turned out the door locked everyone went home, except for the mannequin in the store window silently crying and begging for help.

[topazy]

Teen spirit

Pairing: Carl Grimes × reader, Maggie Greene × sister reader

Warnings: Swearing, violence

Chapter: 6.06

Groaning, you start sitting up by yourself but struggle, feeling an ache in your side. As soon as Glenn sees you’re awake, he is immediately by your side, helping you sit up and adding an extra pillow behind you. On the other side of the bed, you notice Carl sleeping in a chair; he looks exhausted with heavy dark circles underneath his eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Glenn asks.

“Like I’ve been stabbed.”

He shakes his head and smiles, “You had us worried; Maggie will be so relieved you’re awake. She’s gone home to change her clothes.”

Your community didn’t have a real hospital, so the doctors used one of the homes as a makeshift medical facility. It felt strange laying in one of the beds; the last person who slept in the one you were in was Carl when he lost his eye.

Quietly you ask, “Where’s Eugene?”

“The bullet only grazed him; he’s fine.”

“That’s good.” Sighing, you lean back into the pillow, “Did they bring Denise back?”

Glenn looks down at his feet, “Not at first, but Daryl and Rosita went back and got her. They brought her home.”

Tears of relief roll down your cheeks; the fear of her body being left outside for the elements, walkers, or animals to destroy was in the back of your mind. “Good. Those men... they came out of nowhere,” you muffle a sob with the back of your hand. “How bad is it?”

“The knife missed anything major, thank God. Carol was able to stitch up the wound, but you will have one hell of a scar.”

“It will be some story to tell my future niece or nephew.”

Glenn kisses your forehead. “I’m going to let Maggie know you’re awake.”

Once Glenn leaves, your eyes start to close over; despite just waking up, you were still exhausted. You hear the sound of a chair moving, then feel a warm hand against your own. Feeling yourself start to fall asleep, you link your fingers with Carl’s.

—

Carl was pissed, and you couldn’t blame him. His dad and Morgan had left Alexandria to go find Carol, who had decided to leave without saying goodbye to anyone in person. Daryl had left to look for Dwight and his men, and Glenn, Michonne, and Rosita had gone after him. Seven of the best fighters in your group had left base, leaving only Maggie, Abraham, Sasha, and Carl to defend your community if someone attacked.

Biting down on your lip, you sit down on Carl’s bed. He had moved the bed next to the window since the view looked out into the woods.

“I went to the armory and got you a few things.”

He places a black holdall on the floor, and your eyes widen when he zips the bag open. “Oh lord, those are more than a few things,” you say quietly. “It won’t take Aaron long to notice they are gone.”

“Then I’ll just tell him the truth; I took them.”

He pulls a flare out the bag and sits it on the window ledge. “If you see anything, use this, and I’ll come right back. I promise.”

“Thanks.”

“Y/N, it's okay to be afraid after what happened.”

“I'm not afraid,” you say defensively.

So much weight was landing on Carl’s shoulders; it wasn’t fair. Every kid had been forced to grow up too quickly since the world went to hell, but the burdens that fell on Carl always seemed to be extremely unfair.

“I just wish I could help more.”

“Keeping an eye out for those assholes is helpful.”

“Suppose,” you pick up the binoculars and look outside. “I can’t even pick Judith up; I’m just worried I’m going to be useless if they attack.”

“You won’t be,” Carl leans down and kisses you. “I’m gonna go get Judith from Olivia; I’ll be back soon.”

—

Maggie leans against the doorframe in the kitchen; her tone reminds you of the one your mom would use whenever she was frustrated. “You should be resting in bed.”

“I’m not doing anything strenuous; I’m just making lunch.”

“For how many people?”

Your shrug, “Whoever is hungry, I was falling asleep sitting by the window, and everyone needs to eat at some point.”

Sitting around was making you feel guilty; you just wanted to help. The sandwiches and plate of carrot sticks on offer were nothing in comparison compared to the meals Carol could make.

Maggie leans her arms against the counter. “How are you feeling anyway?”

“My side feels tight where the stitches are, but it should be me fussing over you. You look exhausted.”

“Thanks,” she snorts.

“You need to rest, Maggie, even for a couple of hours.”

“No can do. We are short of bodies as it is. We need all hands on deck.”

Enid knocks on the doorframe lightly and steps into the room. “I didn’t mean to listen in, but I can cover Maggie’s shift for a few hours.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Maggie raises her brows, “Who’s in charge here?”

“You need to rest.”

“I really don’t mind,” Enid says. “You should be putting your feet up and eating ice cream or whatever else you’re craving.”

“It’s sorted then.”

“Fine,” Maggie raises her hands in defeat before laughing and taking one of the sandwiches, “but only because the two of you are ganging up on me.”

—

“I could see myself living by the seaside.” Carl runs his fingers through your hair. “There would always be a good supply of food like fish, crabs, and frogs.”

“Frogs?” You chuckle, “I don’t imagine they would be easy to catch.”

The look on his face is solemn. “One person needs to go into the water and splash around, and the other catches them in a bucket when they try to get away.”

Rick returned not long ago, and you had hoped Carl would be less stressed, but he still seems upset, and you didn’t want to push him to talk until he was ready.

“I’d love to live on a farm again one day.”

Carl rests his head against your shoulder. The two of you were sitting in the living room while Enid cut your sister's hair. Enid had taken the ends off your hair already, and you were just waiting to clean up once she was done. It’s only when you look at the length Carl’s hair has got that you remember him saying the only person he let cut his hair was his mom.

Hearing a groaning sound coming from the kitchen, you jolt up, “Maggie? Maggie!”

When you don’t get a response, Carl rushes into the kitchen, with you close behind him. Enid is in shock watching as Maggie doubles over in pain, clutching at her stomach.

The baby.

“Oh my god, what happened?”

Frightens, Enid shakes her head. “I don’t know, she was fine one minute, and then the pain came out of nowhere.”

When Carl helps Maggie stand up, you go to the opposite side of her.

“Enid, go get Rick! We need to take Maggie to the doctor in Hilltop.”

[everythingne]

marketing ploy - LN4 / ch. 3

a little (drunken) insight to Olivia and Oscar's relationship. Plus, a conversation she’s definitely not supposed to overhear, and one she finds makes her start to regret everything.

piastri!oc x lando norris / fake dating, brothers best friend trope

warnings/notes: alcohol/drunkness, language, like two jokes about sex, i named oscars sisters bc i couldn't find anything after two minutes of searching and also its cute ok

prev | next

—

06 APRIL 2023 — MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA ↴

“Oscar!” I shout, the clock striking midnight. At my mother's house in Melbourne, we’re already all terribly drunk in the pool with only our eldest sister Ophelia's half sober boyfriend to make sure we all don’t drown while the 'middle' sister Oaklynn is in control of the aux so our extended family can't ruin the mood with what we call 'divorced dad rock.' It's an average Piastri birthday party, booze, music, and sopping wet bodies across the pool deck in the mid Autumn chill.

“Ollie?” Oscar says, turning around and slipping on the wet deck, splashing vodka all over the ground beneath him. Lily giggles into the back of her hand, steadying herself on his arm, and I snort as Oscar makes a face at the spilled drink.

We were so not going to have a good flight back to England tomorrow night.

“Happy birthday to my twin brother because its now midnight, baby!” I shout, being met with loud cheers as my mother guides me across the pool deck so I don't fall in. As Lily takes the now half empty glass from Oscar, I'm handing him what is probably the biggest shot of the night. He grins, arm wrapping around my shoulder as we clink our glasses in toast, tap them on our lifting knees and then take the shots with no chasers. The Fireball washes down my throat fine, but Lily’s shrill laugh lets me know Oscar’s not faring so well as our family claps at our celebratory shots.

“Come on, Ossie!” I laugh, leaning into him as I giggle and he laughs in turn, hiding his face in my hair as he groans and slumps against me. Luckily, Lily is smart enough to slip the shot glasses out of our hands.

“Why do I always let you pick Fireball? It burns every time I drink it.” He complains into my hair before stepping back, I grin up at him as a polaroid flashes.

“Twenty two slaps!” someone shouts before I can respond to Oscar. I scream, running to be out of the way of the barrage of backhands from our sisters when I trip. Oscar tries to catch me, bless him, and we both end up screaming as we tumble into the pool with a loud splash.

“Good lord—" Josh, Ophelia's boyfriend laughs, and he and Lily help us all back to the deck with plenty of half-wet towels to try and dry us off. I giggle and sit up once the parties attention is shifted elsewhere, some song playing that takes the heat off of us for a moment. I peek up to look at Oscar and he smiles at me, poking my nose.

“Thanks for this party." He says and I shrug, going to say its no big deal as I always do when he continues talking,

"Lando’s stress is rubbing off on me. With him being next in line for the best racer position, McLaren's pushing me and Bia up as quick as they can. I think they're expecting someone to try and buy Lando out from them.” he murmurs and in my head, the rest of the party fizzles out. My attention is solely on the man born a few minutes before me. His arm wraps around mine as he pulls me to his side. I slot there, where I belong, a comforting embrace of an older brother of the same womb.

"Lando's contract goes to 2026, and lets not worry about F1 right now." I poke his thigh where a bruise from a minor crash in training months back was finally finishing its healing stages, "Ossie, you, and everyone here, come before anything or anyone else. I would rather throw you a big party than fly back to England to chase around statistics with Red Bull for a few days."

I close my eyes as the world spins around me and I feel Oscar shift. His body heat vanishing around my shoulders, the air seemingly changes as some sort of breeze rolls across the pool deck. It makes me shiver, and I glance up at Oscar to see him staring into the light reflections of the glowsticks deep in the water our legs dip into.

“Ossie?” I whisper. He's in his head again, and this time I'm concerned it's my fault for some reason. His tongue pokes out, a sharp breath coming through his nose before he turns to me.

“What’s happening with you and Lando?"

Oh for the love of god--

"I know, I know, okay, older brother don’t let him hurt you speech bullshit blah blah but… is there something there?” Oscar blurts out with the upmmost care in his tone. I'm taken aback by how genuinely worried he seems about it.

“It’s nothing serious.” I deflect, hand coming to squeeze his wrist just above the watch he wears (that is definitely ruined now), “Just some flirting, some gifts… it’s like testing the waters.”

“Is he… kind to you?” Oscar's tone is far too accusing for my liking, almost like he's expecting me to say no, but despite that I nod.

“Too kind.” I find a small giggle escapes my lips. I have the urge to tell him everything, to say it’s all for media, but something makes me stop myself other than knowing it would kinda ruin the whole secrecy of it. Oscar watches my face, and I can see him sense there’s a lie, but he doesn’t push.

“Okay.” he sighs, taking my hand and squeezing it, “as long as he’s good to you.”

OLIVIAPIASTRI MADE A NEW POST ↴

tagged: oscarpiastri, oaklynnpiastri, opheliapiastri

liked by redbullracing, mclarenracing, landonorris, and 896k others...

oliviapiastri: to ossie,

happy birthday to the only guy worthy of sharing a girls night wine bottle with. thank u for always being our biggest supporter in the darkest days and a ray of sunshine on our good ones. papaya looks wonderful on u and we cannot wait to see you grow into such a confident person (thank u @ landonorris for that)

ur a good man, charlie brown. much love from oakie, ophie, and ollie (and lily, josh, momma, and dad) 🧡🧡

landonorris: happy birthday to the only guy who is allowed to pick me up from the club atp

⤷ oscarpiastri: u would be dead without me

⤷ landonorris: actually.

maxverstappen1: ayyy happy birthday man !

lovepiastris: AAAA BABY OSCAR!!!

oscarpiastri: watch me literally sob into this chardonnay.

mclaren: easily the best looking siblings 💪🏻😮‍💨

10 APRIL 2023 — MILTON KEYNES, UK ↴

"I'm bored." Oscar whines over the phone, making me laugh as I settle down at my desk in Red Bull's home base. There's about sixteen hours worth of things I need to cram into the next eight, considering my statistics for the next grand prix are due in like... twenty six hours?

"Aren't you supposed to be training?" I hum, reading through files and highlighting important notes I know I'll need to bring up with my team during our meeting tonight.

"Lando's going right now, and I kinda almost puked after endurance so I’m taking a break.” He makes a mock gagging noise and I recoil and groan and his soft laughter comes through my headphones.

"Christ, Ossie." I lean back in my chair, staring at the list of notes of things we need to improve by Azerbaijan, "Augh, this is gonna be the death of me. Max's numbers keep changing so he keeps skewing the data, at least Perez is pretty consistent."

"How many sensors do you guys have for Azerbaijan?"

"I'm not doing that work today, thats Kylie's job. Most of my work right now is just making sure that the car isn’t literally falling apart in Max’s hands since he’s been pushing it so hard this year.” I run my hand through my hair, feeling the grease along my hairline and cringing. I need a self-care day soon.

"Oh and Kylie’s pretty much running real time analytics herself this race so I might be able to hang around you at McLaren for a while if Christian's not breathing down my neck."

“Sick. I need to introduce you to the new social media photographer. Lando convinced her to a do a whole section on film.” Oscar giggles and my eyes widen--film photography was one of my passions in secondary school, and I can't imagine trying to shoot F1 on it.

“This poor girl.” I laugh as I adjust my seating and open the sensors scan from the left tire of Max's car, noting any abnormalties that haven't already been flagged. In the silent lull in the conversation, there’s a click and a creak on Oscar’s end of the call.

“Oscar—“ Lando’s talking is muffled for half a second before I hear something fall and a chair squeak, “what were you trying to ask me about earlier?”

My did my heart flutter when I heard Lando talk?

Nope. No. No, thank you. No.

I did not like Lando Norris.

“Oh—hold on Ollie—I’m going to attempt to mute.” I hear Oscar laugh as he taps his phone-screen, and like many times I’ve been on the phone with him I have to pause to see if he actually managed to mute the call.

Oscar seemed to always miss the important buttons, like hanging up or muting himself. Over the years, I’ve heard quite a few things I wasn’t supposed to.

Like Oscar’s next question—

“If I don’t just say it I’m never gonna ask, because it’s such a cliche thing but—what exactly are you trying to do with my sister..?”

I nearly die as my cheeks flush bright red as I scramble to pick my phone up.

Okay, super overdramatic reaction, but hearing this conversation happen in real time is not something I can feel like I would be able to physically handle. So, I’m quick to turn my volume all the way down and take off my headphones as soon as Lando’s laugh makes my cheeks dust pink.

Oscar was never particularly protective over me, in fact it had always been opposite. Even as the youngest Piastri I was constantly protecting my older siblings with my whole heart, like when Oaklynn was being bullied by her pole vaulting captain and I hit that guy so hard I broke his nose, or when Ophelia first got her heart broken and I drove all the way from Melbourne to Sydney in one go to pick her and her stuff up from his house. Oscar and I had many moments like that, considering our sisters were a bit older than us, it was always Oscar and I together. I had moved to England with him when he chose to pursue racing, he had been there every late night I spent studying to get into analytics as early as I had.

And I knew one day Oscar would have this conversation with the man I would marry, someone who took my entire heart in his hands and held it so gently I felt safer than I ever had.

But, Lando was not that guy. Not as far as I was aware.

Maybe ten minutes later, figuring the conversation is long done, I turn up the volume and just catch the end of it. Oscar's laughing, theres a soft thwack of someones arm being hit as Lando keeps talking, his voice fading into my headphones.

"...Ollie's just... I could stare at her all day and never get bored."

"You are--" Oscar laughs, and I hear him hit Lando's arm again, "so so goddamn cheesy, mate!"

"Sorry!" Lando laughs, and I try to ignore the way I bring a hand to my mouth as I stand up and pace around a little, shaking my hands and arms out a I try to suppress the giggles that bubble to my chest.

10 APRIL 2023 — IMESSAGE ↴

OLIVIAPIASTRI MADE A NEW POST ↴

liked by oscarpiastri, landonorris, maxverstappen1 and 978k others..

oliviapiastri: ‘can i come pick u up from work?’ and then we end up at a car meet AND i get to sleep over?? win win.

⤷ maxverstappen1: @ charlesleclerc shovel talk?

⤷ charlesleclerc: yep.

⤷ oliviapiastri: oscar has already been yelling at me for like five hrs pls i swear nothing happened

redbullracing: lets just not tell christian you were out of the sunroof of a drift car.

mc481: lando and olivia spotted together... olivia suddenly has a new bf...

oaklynnpiastri: BABY SISTER HAS A BOYYYY AAAAAAAA

letsgolando: OH MY GOD THE FLOWERS?

18 APRIL 2023 - AZERBAIJAN GP PADDOCKS ↴

"Olivia Piastri."

"Max Verstappen."

"Olivia Louise Rae Piastri."

"Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc."

"Shit, she remembered."

I snort as I set my bag down as Max and Charles hover at my desk in the Azerbaijan paddocks. I'm starting to think the Ferrari driver might be having a contract change soon if his team is so lax with him basically living with us in Red Bull.

"What?" I ask, crossing my arms as the fabric of one of Lando's plain black leather jackets he'd lent me rubs the fabric of the sweatshirt I'd stolen from him underneath.

"How was your drift date?" Max grins and I roll my eyes as I plop down in my chair. Charles takes his spot in one of the side chairs as Max sits on the edge of my desk.

"He showed up to Red Bull, brought me flowers, we stopped to get takeout food and then went to the car show. He knew one of the guys drifting so we got to ride in his car and then he invited me over to watch a movie and we both fell asleep halfway through." I lean forward, "does that satisfy you?"

"Sleep?" Charles prods and I take a pen off my desk and throw it at him.

"Yes, sleep." I huff and before Max and Charles can continue their barrage of idiotic comments and questions, three knocks sound to the creak of the hinges as Christian steps into my office with Ada right behind him.

"Morning Chris, Ada." I nod and Max and Charles stand, greeting them both with firm handshakes.

"Ferrari might need their driver back, Leclerc, and Max--you need to get dressed." Christian waves them off without as much as a hello, before Ada shuts and locks my office door.

"What?" I find myself asking again as Ada grins to me.

"Sales are up 70%." She says, "We've made around... 28 thousand pounds so far."

"Holy shit." Is all I can say. 28 thousand pounds in revenue because Lando and I were pretending to date?

"You guys are doing swimmingly, we just have one more stipulation. You've already done the soft launch, Lando will be doing his tonight. The next thing you guys need to do, other than the paparazzi date but Astrid is working with Lando on that right now, is the celebration." Ada clasps her hands, Christian nods, keeping his back to the door that leads into the office and for some reason it feels suffocating.

"Great Britain. Hopefully Lando will podium, its his home race, a nice little kiss, it'll be cute."

We have to kiss in front of everyone. How could I fucking forget? The GB prix isnt for a while, two months if I remember right, but my mouth goes dry at the thought of kissing Lando Norris.

I don't remember agreeing and bidding goodbye to the two, all I know is my stomach ache doesn't go away for the rest of the night. Even when I ball the fabric of Lando's jacket--still smelling like him, over my face and scream into it.

LANDONORRIS MADE A NEW POST

liked by oscarpiastri, charlesleclerc, redbullracing, and 987k others

landonorris: made a pretty good pinkie promise a while ago.

oscarpiastri: good man

mclaren: we love to see our racers winning 🥹

mercedeeznnn: this has to be olivia. IT HAS TO BE.

maxfewtrell: don't fuck it up norris

⤷ landonorris: trying

rbfansunite: so we're all thinking the same thing right?

papapa.ya: LANDO AND OLIVIA !!!! WE WIN !!!!

[hey-its-roseaurum]

Guilty until Proven Innocent-Part I

A/N: Hey everyone. Thank you for taking the time to look at this story. This is for a collaboration with @lainiespicewrites. She is an excellent writer and I figured it was my turn to stretch my writing muscles and put something out into the world. This is my first Henry Cavill fic, so please don't be too harsh. Anyways, enjoy!

Synopsis: After recent murders in town, You (Olivia) decide to train with Edith in the art of self-defense. In the middle of training, you got a mysterious knock on the door. Sherlock walks in, looking for assistance with his latest case. He offers you to partake in a partnership to help him in his latest case? Do you take it?

Warnings: mentions of death

“You’re progressing nicely Olivia.”  Edith smiled from above me, her elbow pinning me to the floor mat.  There wasn’t a hint of sweat along her forehead.  She had taken me down in less than a minute. The worst part was I thought I was going to land a hit on her this time.

”I’m beginning to think that you’re just saying that to soothe my pride”. I rasped out.  She had eased her hold on me and stood up, extending a hand.

”Nonsense.  Look how far you’ve come since you first stepped in these doors.  Pretty soon you’ll be able to hold your ground with me.”  She exclaimed as I grabbed her hand and hoisted myself up.  My back had long since started throbbing.

For the past few weeks, I have been meeting Edith at her office to train and learn self-defense.  Ever since the first girl went missing and was later found dead in the street I hadn’t been able to sleep soundly.  There were constant, nagging thoughts that made me question if I was going to be the next victim.  It had only gotten worse when they found the next girl a week later in the middle of an alleyway that I frequently visited.  Her throat had been cut. 

In London, it was ill-advised for a woman, especially of noble birth, to consider something as trivial as self-defense.  Women are supposed to be soft, elegant, and passive. All of the trouble and responsibility in making decisions was for the men. 

 Being passive and soft didn’t save those girls from their cruel end.

And I wasn’t going to let myself become like them.  I refuse to be the next girl that falls victim to this.  So I went to my dear friend Enola at her detective agency and inquired about a solution to my predicament.  She sent me over to Edith and had me start training the next day.  I’ve been training every day since then.

I’m still not really good at it.

”Did you say the same thing when you were teaching Enola?”  I inquired as I dusted myself off.  Edith only shook her head.

”Not exactly.  Her response was more witty, thanks to her mother.”  Eudoria Holmes, the mother, the fire starter as people liked to call her.  I’ve seen her wanted poster splayed all across London.  But I didn’t see her as a criminal.  I saw her as the woman who saved my life six months ago.

That morning had been cold and bitter.  I remember feeling my fingers grow numb while I huddled against a mailbox.  Its red paint had chipped away at its base, leaving rust behind.

Which was ironic and poetic now that I think back on it.  And let me explain why.

It all started when my father had recently passed from a sickness that left my mother and me penniless.  With no man in the house and no money to our name, we were cast out of society.  My mother and I were thrown out and the estate that I called my home.   It was sold to another noble family in the south.

We lived off the street after that.  My mother, using what knowledge she had of needlework, had acquired a job as an assisted seamstress.  I was left to salvage whatever pity people gave me and half-rotten food from dumpsters.

Eventually, we were able to afford a small cottage on the outskirts of town.  It was small, run-down, and often had a damp smell to it.  Mother didn’t like to be there for a long period.  She claimed it was because she was so busy with her duties to the seamstress that she didn’t have time to spend there.  I think it was because she missed her life at the estate and living in this small broken cottage was too much for her to bear.

That morning six months ago I decided to go into town to fill my water bucket and get bread before it got too crowded.  When I got there, I sat down by the mailbox to wait for the bakery to open.  I was particularly annoyed when I saw a lot of people around this early in the morning.

I was watching a man get onto a carriage when something shifted from the corner of my eye.  It had been a man, or what I thought was a man walking towards me with a package in their hand.  When we made eye contact I didn’t think anything of it.  I just watched them and noted how stiff they walked. They placed the package in the slot of the mailbox.  Before I knew it, I was grabbed by the elbow, hoisted upright, and pulled away from the mailbox.  

That mailbox exploded, releasing a whirlwind of fliers into the air.

The two of us had run from the police.  I was forced to since they refused to let go of my hand.  We ran until this stranger knew that they weren't being followed.  

When things settled down, the man revealed that they were a woman in disguise.  She introduced herself as Eudoria Holmes and then proceeded to lecture me about being near explosives as if she were my own mother.  All I had wanted to do was bite back, to lecture her on how she shouldn’t be putting explosives where there were people.

Instead, I broke down, not from her lecturing but because of something I couldn’t quite place. All I knew was that I was waiting for a soggy piece of bread and nearly got blown up.

In the end, I told her everything.  I told her my past, my current situation, and why I was even in town in the first place.  One thing kind of led to another.  The next thing I knew I was sitting in Eudoria’s house with a cup of tea in my hand.

I stayed in that damp cottage less and less as time passed and more at Eudoria’s warm, often chaotic home.  That’s where I became friends with Enola, had briefly met her two brothers Sherlock and Mycroft, and felt somewhat happy.  

I don’t know why she pulled me away from that mailbox.  The one time I asked her she said she saw something in me, some sort of fire in my eye.  She didn’t want it to go out along with the mailbox.

I didn’t believe her, but I couldn’t tell that to her.

“So what you’re trying to say is that I still have a long way to go,” I asked as my brain jumped back to the present.  I stepped away from the mat and made my way into her office.

”What I’m saying is you’re doing better than you think you are.  You just began learning.  Give yourself a little credit.”  Following me, she made her way to the table by the window.  A stack of teacups were messily stacked up to one side.  She grabbed two, placed them on saucers, and poured liquid into both.  

“I know.  I’m just…worried.  It’s been a week since the last victim was found and the police still haven’t found the suspect.”  I let out a sigh and sipped some of my tea.  I needed a moment to choose my words carefully.  “I just want to be…prepared.”

A heavy pause filled the air before either of us spoke.  

”Olivia…there’s more to that, isn’t there?” Edith’s words were soft and gentle.

“I mean I-“. My response was sharply cut short.

A knock pulled our attention away from our conversation and to the door.  A tall man entered from the training room and to Edith’s office.  I couldn’t place if he looked tall because of his size, or because of the giant top hat sitting snugly on top of his head.  Dark wavy strands of hair peaked through from under his hat. 

”Have you any sense what time it is?”  Edith interrogated, crossing her arms.  The man took off his hat, revealing thick brown locks.  His sculpted jawline and nose complimented the hair.  Blue, mesmerizing eyes glanced around, investigating.

But the feature that I recognized right away from him was his shoulders.  I knew those shoulders.

”Hello, Edith” His attention briefly shot to me “Olivia”  I curtly nodded, averting my eyes.

”Good evening Mr. Holmes.”  I responded softly.  “With what do we owe the pleasure of your company?” Holmes.  Sherlock Holmes.  One of Enola’s older brothers. One of the greatest detectives I’ve ever seen.

”There’s no need for formalities Olivia.”  I felt something warm begin to grow on my cheeks at his response.  He’s only being polite Olivia.  We are only acquaintances because of Enola and Eudoria.  He doesn’t like you like that.

Or does he?  

I’m not sure.

Sherlock Holmes is a difficult man to understand.

“What are you here for Sherlock?”  Edith asked again, harsher this time.  Her tone quickly pulled me back to the present and away from my thoughts.  

Sherlock cleared his throat, his blue eyes revealing some sort of inner turmoil within himself.  It was an unusual amount of emotion that I was not used to seeing.  I expected it with Mycroft, he practically wore his emotions on his face at all times.  Sherlock never did.  He’s always been composed, and proper.  Before me now he still was, but a layer of some sort had been chipped away.

”I….need your help.”  He struggled to say the words like it was almost painful to him.  A moment of silence clung in the air.  

”Is it about Enola?   Did she get herself into trouble?”  There was a hint of concern in Edith’s voice when she begged the questions.  The only response he gave was a small shake of his head. I watched as realization flashed on her face. 

”There’s something about this case-“. 

”That deduction cannot solve?”  Edith finished his thought.  He slightly nodded, setting his hat down on her desk.  That was my cue. I softly placed my teacup down and made my way to the table by the window.  I began making some tea for Sherlock while listening to the conversation.

”I may need your…skills to get information from a place I cannot enter.”

“What kind of place?”  He listed off a name that I didn’t recognize.  Edith’s face slightly reddened.

”A showgirl theatre?! You cannot ask me such a thing Sherlock, no matter how close we are.”  My eyebrows raised as I grabbed a cup and saucer and poured some tea into the cup.

“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t have another option.  A woman’s life is at stake.” His tone was calm, but there was something else there.

”But going into this with the possibility of getting murdered is not something I’m comfortable with.  Woman’s freedom and rights is one thing, going after a serial killer is a whole other matter entirely”

”Edith, I-“. I cut them off.

”I’ll do it.  I’ll go instead of you.”  In their arguing, I had made my way back to the two of them, Sherlock's tea in hand.  I had left mine behind.

”Olivia, do you know what kind of place that is, what situations you can get into.  You’re nowhere near ready to hold your ground”. What she said was like a punch to the gut.  

I knew I wasn’t ready, we had that same conversation not thirty minutes ago.  But I knew that if Edith went and something bad had happened to her Enola and Eudoria would be devastated.  I was different.  If I went and something happened to me, Edith would still be here training more girls like me.

”Who else is going to do it?  Enola?  She’s not expendable. I am.  And Edith, what about the other girls you train?” I took a breath, the stubbornness in me growing. “Besides, I know these streets better than anyone.  I’ve lived in them.  I know where to go in case I’m being followed.   And because of the way I look,”. I paused briefly looking down at myself, at my curvy, plump figure.  “No one would suspect me.  They would just see me as a showgirl trying to make ends meet.  I can blend in, go undercover, and get the information that he needs in order to catch this murderer.”

A heavy pause hung between the three of us.

I let what I said sink into the two of them.  I know that Edith is fighting with herself on whether she can let me go.  She believes that I am her responsibility, and I kind of was while Eudoria was undercover.  But since starting to learn to defend myself I told myself that I couldn’t sit and wait.  Sitting and worrying about who the next victim is going to drive me crazy.  If I can help and make a difference, then maybe the suspect will be caught before there’s more tragedy.  

”I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to her.”  Sherlock’s voice broke the silence and my inner thoughts.  “You have my word.”  His eyes met mine at his.  I felt something else there besides the promise.   Edith sighed,  rubbing her temples with both her index fingers.

“Okay, Sherlock.  Just…make sure she comes back in one piece.”   Edith finally concurred.  “You’re going to have to speak to your mother if you don’t.”

A smile tugged at my lips at the agreement.  I finally raised the cup of tea, offering it to him.    

”When do we start?”

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

A/N: Thank you so much for reading. If you want to read @lainiespicewrites story about Paul Atreides from the Dune Sage, here is her link: https://www.tumblr.com/lainiespicewrites/747032352877903872/the-atreides-era?source=share

[oneshotnewbie]

what about an Alt oneshot where the reader really struggles with Elliot leaving? Because Elliot was like a father to her so when she finds out hes gone she breaks down crying in Liv's arms. Liv has to have her in therapy because she struggles with feelings of abandonment and being unwanted like she becomes depressed?

ᕚ---ᕘ

The sound of dripping water echoed in the bathroom. Darkness surrounded you and only a single, lonely candle stood on the edge of the bathtub. Its flame flickered in the gentle breeze that rushed through the tilted window, throwing dark, scurrying shadows on the bare white tires.

You had not been this low to the ground in ages but it was only a matter of time before your family broke. Things have not been going well for weeks between Olivia and her partner, who was like a father figure to you.

Quarrels with unrequited feelings and hurtful situation mixed with the incident at the precinct, where he shot a young woman, was the last straw. Elliot was gone. Swallowed up by the earth without saying goodbye. He had simply quit his job and disappeared.

With an idefinable gaze, you looked into the puny candle flame. You drew your knees up and laid your head on them. Sitting there, your arms wrapped tightly around your body. Lonely, lost and abandoned.

Everyone who ever loved you was gone. Only your mother was still here. But she, too, had her own life. Olivia had her new team, her important job and everything started to seem worthless around you. Just a girl who was only almost grown.

You swallowed hard and put your hand on your chest. Firmly, you pressed against your chest and ran your cold fingers over your sternum. Gasping for air, your nails clawed at thin skin, feeling the pain that wrapped itself around your heart and slowly covered it with black spots.

A single tear fell onto your bare knee and slowly ran down your lower leg, disappearing into the sea of water that encased you. Slowly, you lowered yourself into the bathwater until your body and head were completely submerged in the cool wet. The world around you obliberating and dwindling in waves, you lingered further on your thoughts.

This heart. Bruised and a witness to terribly painful losses. If only you could close this heart off, protect it from further pain, then you would finally be free. You would finally be the girl without ballast, finally be able to be able to love again without fear of abandonment.

You felt awful, started hating yourself even though it was the people you should hate for giving you love and stealing it again. For all the broken pieced they left your heart in.

"Y/n!" the matching face suddenly appeared to the muffled voice entering your ears, the expression bearing a worried and anxious grimace. Olivia quickly pushed her hands through the wall of water, grabbing your shoulders before pulling you up with a mighty jerk. "What the hell are you doing?"

You gasped, took a few deep breaths, and refilled your lungs with the oxygen it needed. The darknes had seduced you and made you forget that your body was already screaming for air while you were lost in your mind. "I-I am sorry"

Feeling the cold gradually sifting through your bones, crushing you and eating you from the inside out, you were thankful that your mother immediately grabbed a towel and wrapped it around your shoulders, gently stroking your upper arms.

There was no sound. Even the drops of water that fell from your damp hair seemed afraid to move. The silence between both of you was so stifling, that Olivia held her breath for several secounds before taking a cautious step towards you, sitting on the floor next to the bathtub before leaning against the wall.

"Y/n?" she breathed, listened strenously into the darkness and looking into your pale face, whose color once had a beautiful beige hue. The sight of her daughter was far more painful than she had ever thought possible and she had to restrain herself from letting tears flow.

A thousand small but sharp needles pierced her heart. The woman knew it had something to do with Elliot´s departure, shortly after telling you that you would probably never come back, you had completely changed character and turned distant. Yes, almost depressed. "I want you to see a therapist," she whispered in a trembling voice and reached out a hand that stroked a stray strand of hair from your face.

Your eyes instantly watered as you began to sniffle. "Was I not worth anything to him? Not even a goodbye?" you whimpered softly, ignoring the sentence that just left your mothers mouth. A single tear trickled down your cheeks, mixing with the pearls of bath water that dripped down your chin in unison.

"Why did he leave us?" you sobbed and she leaned forward, dropping her head onto yours. Your voice cracked, fading until your body shook with silent tears in her embrace. "I thought we were family. H-he was like a father to me!"

Olivia´s hand found yours and intertwined with your fingers gently, as if you would break if she made a wrong move. She understood the pain you endured, knew exactly what such an exit without warning could do to a soul. Especially one as young as yours.

That Elliot chose to escape his emotional problems by disappearing was typical for him. Still, she missed her partner. The warmth that surrounded his body. The perfume that gradually faded and was forgotten. The woman missed the stubborn guy with aggression problems. The man who was a friend to her, if not a lot more.

He was the first guy to show her that there could be a relationship between friendship and family. Strong and unique like she had never felt before in her life. They had solved the most diverse and dangerous cases and defeated the worst people.

Elliot was one of the most important people her daughter´s life, along with her and Amanda but now he was gone. Now she had to sweep up the shards he had left behind and glue them together.

She was willing to stand by you and follow in his footsteps to represent both sides of being a parent. It would be difficult, especially at first, but she knew you could both do it together.

Tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she broke out of her painful thoughts while standing up and slowly pulling your petrified and blunted body out of the bathtub. While she dried you off and dressed you, gently combin your wet hair and blow-drying it, you were completely absent to reality, staring blankly at the cold tiles decorating the sink. 

Shivering and surrounded by inner coldness, you felt like freezing to death. It was too painful to fight it back. Cold was the pain you felt since he was gone, and you did not know if it would ever fade away.

[hazelsmirrorball]

Vampire

Pairings: Dick Grayson x Villain!Fem Reader 

Summary: Dick Grayson manipulated the upcoming strongest villain in gotham to fall for his plans. 

warnings: angst. English is not my main language

a/n: inspired by Olivia Rodrigos's Vampire. Hope you enjoy!

[MASTERLIST]

Six months. 

In and out. 

It was supposed to be that simple or at least that’s what Dick Grayson thought. All he had to do was create a fake persona and gain one of the most powerful villains in Gotham trust. He didn’t doubt his capability of pulling her in with his charm. They didn’t call him a womanizer for nothing. He was confident that the six months with (V/N) was going to be a piece of cake. But as the months passed by he didn’t know when the fake feelings towards her started to become real. It hurt him, it hurt him badly. He knew how things were going to end, yet when the sixth month came around he took her in.  Now there she was, behind the cells of Arkham Asylum wishing Nightwing was dead. 

Y/n L/n was a smart and hardworking girl. She thought of every possibility that could happen before she made a plan. That’s what got her on top of Gothams City Crime list. Every vigilante had their eyes on her and she lived for attention. But when Dick Grayson came around looking for a henchman position she agreed. Too quickly for her liking. Dealing with destroying Gotham all by herself was hard. Maybe having Dick on her side would make things easier. 

So she began giving him stupid tasks like making him clean her room or taking out the trash. But as the first months  started to pass by, Dick had more responsibility in her life. He started giving his opinion on little plans or even going on the field to beat batman with her. Dick was quick and Y/n liked that. When she noticed how Dick had taken Batman down, she knew he was someone she could trust. 

But now being locked up for seven months made her think about what happened. How she let her guard down and how Dick took advantage of her trust. Y/n used to think she was smart  but Dick made her look so naive. She was looking at everything through rose colored glasses. Sadly if you see everything through rose colored glasses you can't see the red flags. 

She let her guard down, she had to admit that at the end of the six months she was head over heels over the man. But she knew everything was an act. Her feelings towards Dick started when he defended her against the “mighty” batman. But what made her stomach turn was when she found out he was actually Nightwing, Batman's ex prodigy. The guy she had fallen for was a traitor. Six months. The way Dick had sold her  for parts. Six months of torture where Dick sold her for a forbidden paradise.

Everyone knew. 

Every Vigilante 

Every Superhero 

Every Psychopathic villain 

As Dick Grayson's reputation ascended to the world, Y/n reputation was already in a grave. Everyone had warned her. All her friends had told  her if she always worked alone without a problem why adding someone now to the mix? When you are successful. Y/n brushed it off but deep down she knew It was weird that Dick didn’t have a criminal record on him. Out of nowhere he wanted to be a criminal? A villain? That wasn’t something that would come out of nowhere. She should’ve known he was too perfect to be true. But when she tried calling Dick out he just shrugged it out. 

“Come on, V/n! We’ve been partners for a while now. I haven’t done anything to rat you out. I just want to help. Not every villain has to have an insane origin story. Your so-called friends are just waiting for your downfall. They are just crazy.” Dick replied as he cleaned a brush from Y/n’s arm. She nodded as She looked at his eyes, smiling softly. 

“Yeah, they are just crazy” 

Dick wasn’t wrong. They were praying for her downfall. But what she didn’t know was that her downfall was caused by the one that was telling her not to worry. 

Everyone laughed at her. The supposed strongest uprising villain fell for the basics. The respect she had fought so hard to get was slipping through her hands. She was about to enter The legion of doom status but now she wasn’t even in rookie status. She wouldn’t be taken seriously anymore. V/n became a joke and all thanks to Dick Grayson. Because  she knew she made some really big mistakes. But Dick made the worst one look fine. 

 Y/n should've known it was strange, he would only come out at night and when Y/n searched for him to do normal things he was nowhere to be seen. She couldn’t fathom how he was so convincing. How could he lie without flinching? It was like deep down he did have it in him. A mesmerizing, paralyzing, fucked up little thrill. A true heart of a villain. 

She didn’t have any hope. In Arkham, all she did was exist doing her normal routine. Getting deeply insulted by everyone that came her way. So when her usual routine was broken by someone escorting her to a private room to talk. She had hoped that someone decided to break her out. But as she entered the small smirk on her lips fell as she glared at the boy in front of her. 

Disdain. 

“It’s nice seeing you again” Nightwing said as he sent a small smile her way as he tapped his hands against the metal table. 

Y/n sat on the chair as she felt Dick’s gaze on her. She looked up at him and leaned in, stopping when her face was a few inches away. 

“You are pretty brave of showing up here after locking me up, asshole” Y/n replied through gritted teeth as Dick sent her a cocky little grin. 

“Well, I missed you too. It's really nice to see you're okay” He replied as he got a little closer towards her. 

“Okay? You’ve made my life a living hell these past months and then you have the decency to show up and laugh in my face.” Y/n replied as she slammed her cuffed hands against the table making an echo throughout the empty room. 

“It’s not my fault you decided to take this route. This is what happens when you break the law. You get your liberty taken away from you” Dick replied nonchalantly as he moved away resting back on the chair and resting his hands behind his head. 

“You know, if your plan was to make a mockery of me. I already have to deal with that on a daily basis so please do me a favor and fuck off” 

“Come on! I came all the way here to see how my favorite girl is doing. I had an offer for you” Dick replied as she raised an eyebrow off. 

‘What are you even talking about?” She replied, clearly annoyed, waiting for this visit to be over. She was preferring a million times to see the Riddler making a stupid joke about her.  

“I need your help. You clearly miss your freedom. So in exchange for that I’ll give you  a chance. You help me out on a mission and you’ll be free” He replied like it was the simplest thing in the world. 

“Since when do those a stupid little birds have so much power?” She replied, laughing sarcastically at him. Dick rolled his eyes as he placed papers in front of her. 

“I don’t. But Batman does and we need your intel on everything. So if you help out you’ll get your cut. I would take it if I were you.  He doesn’t usually work with criminals, "he replied, tapping the paper in front of her. 

“Well he works with you on a daily basis so I can’t tell the difference.” Y/n replied dryly as she pushed the paper away. 

“Is this or rooting away in Gotham” Dick replied, taking the papers slowly. 

“I prefer rooting in hell than working for the devil himself” 

“Y/n. Hear me out, I care for you and I don’t want someone I love to root in this place. So please take it. I’m not going to ask again” 

Love? Dick said love, but wouldn't that be hard? He can't love anyone, Because that would mean he had a heart. As much as Y/n wanted to say no deep down she knew she couldn’t get revenge on Nightwing if she was locked in Gotham so this was her only chance at the moment. The perfect way to get Dick back. Playing his own little game, getting his trust and then stabbing him on the back. 

“Fine. But it’s because I can’t deal with the Joker anymore” 

“Well, it’s nice that you finally picked the right side. This time we will be good partners.” 

Oh Nightwing, you’re fucked.

[MASTERLIST]

[zafirosreverie]

Smells like danger (Teacher!Olivia x Student!F!Reader)

You slung the bag over your shoulder as you plodded on down the cold hallway that seemed to grow longer and darker with each step. You hated being there, not the hallway, but the school itself. You hadn't wanted to move from the small town you grew up in, but that damn scholarship had turned your whole world upside down.

You were supposed to be grateful for the opportunity, and you were! But having to leave everything you knew behind, the safety of your small group of friends, your family, everything that kept you going, was too overwhelming.

Add to that that no one at school seemed to really accept you and you were in for hell. You didn't really know what you'd done to everyone besides, well, exist, but your classmates seemed to run away from you like the plague (although if you were being honest, it wasn't like you were trying to get too close to them either).

The only ones who seemed to respect you a little were the professors, and that was only because of the scientific reports they had read when they accepted you into the university. Well, everyone except Octavius. It seemed that nothing you did could be moderately acceptable to the woman, her class was the only one you had failed and if you didn't improve soon, you would lose the scholarship. 

So you were going straight to the Kraken's lair, hoping you could do something about your grades, maybe some extra work or something, even though you knew the woman wasn't known for giving second chances and you doubted she'd make an exception for you.

"Well, here goes nothing" you thought

You timidly knocked on the door and inwardly cursed at the way your knees were shaking and the suffocating feeling you had, you could almost tell you wanted to cry but you forced yourself to keep a neutral face as the woman called you from inside.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Octavius" you said as soon as you entered

The office somehow seemed creepier and colder than the hallway and your insides churned with the desire to run out of there. You were aware that your voice was barely a whisper, but you couldn't do anything about it, there was something about the woman that always made you nervous.

"Can I help you, Miss Y/L/N?"

"I-" you stammered "Mrs. Parker sent me"

Olivia raised an eyebrow. What was May up to now? It wasn't strange that the other woman sent students to her office, with a note asking her to be nicer to them or to correct a note, but she had been clear that her criteria would be maintained, there were no places for second chances. She didn't understand why her colleague kept trying.

"I guess she gave you a note" she said, not looking impressed.

"Y-yes" you said, swallowing a bit as you took a piece of paper out of your pocket and handed it to her.

Liv couldn't help but notice how much your hand was shaking. Actually, everything in you seemed to want to run out of there, as if you were having difficulty breathing, and your eyes looked more and more glassy.

"Are you okay?" she asked without thinking

"Y-yes!" you lied "I-I'm fine"

She didn't seem to believe you, but at least she had the decency not to press the matter. She simply pointed you to the chair across from her desk before reading the note. You tried not to make too much noise as you moved it to sit down, wishing you would just disappear.

Liv, I know you hate it when I ask you to be more permissive with the students, but this is a special case. Y/L/N is here for a scholarship, which, I must remind you, is more oriented to your subject than any other, and yet your class is the only one she has failed. This leads me to think that either you have something against her personally (which I really hope isn't the case), or something is going on with her. I am not asking you to modify the note, just to help her find out what is happening because otherwise, she will lose her scholarship.

-May

Liv resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, May would find even the slightest reason to accuse her of something, but this was too much. What could she have against you specifically? You were one more student that failed in her class, nothing new with that.

It wasn't the first time she'd run into teary-eyed people trying to appeal to her softer side, and that never worked. Although for some reason, she really doubted that you were trying to pull that trick on her, there was something in your eyes, in the way you kept shaking, that told her that instead, you seemed to want to keep the tears from coming.

That was new.

"It seems that my colleague is worried about your performance in my class, Miss Y/L/N" she said after a few seconds of observing you "is it true that it is the only subject in which you have had a low grade?"

"Y-yes ma'am" you answered, without lifting your eyes from the ground

God, you sounded so fragile. Like a child listening to her parents say that her effort was not enough. And for some reason, that felt like an inexcusable thing to her. She didn't know what was going on with her, but from one moment to the next, she felt the need to comfort you, and help you as much as possible. Weird.

"And do you have any idea why?" she asked, staring at you

You just shook your head. Again, you were lying...sort of. You had a pretty seared memory in your mind of your first class with her. The Dr. had asked you something and you had been too intimidated by her gaze that you hadn't even heard the question properly.

You managed to get it right once she repeated it, but since then you haven't been able to fully focus on her class. In your defense, she seemed to always be watching you, because every time you looked up, her eyes were on you, making you feel too small. But you couldn't tell her that, you couldn't just admit that you were afraid of her.

"Well, you'd better find out" she said "Miss Y/L/N, your scholarship is on the line here, and there's no reason you should be failing the class you came here for in the first place."

"I-I know" you whispered "I-I'm sorry ma'am, I...I-I'll try to improve, I promise"

She thought she was being firm, but not cruel. She wasn't talking to you any different than how she would talk to any other student, but the moment she looked into your eyes and could see the tears welling up in them, her stomach turned.

She had no idea why she was reacting to you like this, why the thought of making you cry hurt so much even though many students had tearfully walked out of her office before. What kind of power did you have over her? She didn't know it, but she was sure that there was something in you.

Liv sighed and stood up, walking around her desk so she could stand next to you. There really wasn't much of a height difference between you, not that she would have noticed it when she saw you in the halls, but right now you looked so small and broken, and for the first time in all her years as a teacher, she decided to help a student a little more. If only to make you feel better.

"Look, I've read your essays, the ones you submitted for the scholarship" she said "they're brilliant, and I can understand why you're here. You have a bright future, Y/N, and I don't know what's going on, but we have to fix this, I would hate to lose a student as bright as you."

Your eyes widened slightly, but you didn't look up. You could feel your cheeks flush furiously and you were sure you looked ridiculous, but your mind was too busy to worry about it. Olivia Octavius just called you brilliant.

Coming from a renowned scientist like her, that was a huge compliment! One of the greatest privileges you would ever have. And for some reason, more than comforting you, it made the urge to cry even more unbearable. It's not that you weren't grateful, but knowing that she thought that way about you only made you feel more pressure, and you didn't know how much more you could take before you broke.

Liv seemed to realize this, or at least sense that you were too close to the edge, because she put a hand on your shoulder, caressing you gently in an attempt to comfort you a little, and her voice was softer when she spoke again.

"I'm serious, Y/N" she said "you have an extraordinary mind, don't lose this. This scholarship is a great opportunity for you"

"I don't even know if I care to keep it anymore" you muttered without thinking

The older woman was surprised and she felt you tense under her touch as you realized what you had said. You quickly tried to apologize for your rudeness or ungratefulness, but she wasn't paying attention to your rambles.

Her mind was racing, trying to understand how anyone could think such a thing of a great opportunity like the one you had, and more importantly, why did she care? Why did the idea of you leaving weigh so heavily on her?

"You want to leave?" she asked, stopping your tirade

You swallowed a bit and concentrated on your hands, not knowing how you could look at her after saying that. Surely she was already thinking that you were sabotaging your own school performance to get back home.

"Y/N, do you want to leave?" Liv asked again, a little firmer but not raising her voice.

"No" you said quickly "I just…I miss home…my friends…I miss not being alone" you confessed

You had no idea why you were telling that to the teacher that scared you the most, but a part of you felt better saying it out loud, to share with someone the burden you had been carrying for months, even if that someone was Dr. Octavius.

"You came to the city alone right?" she asked softly.

You just nodded, and even though you tried not to, you couldn't hold back your tears anymore. You felt pathetic for crying in front of her, but you couldn't help it. You felt so bad, so alone. Olivia didn't know what to do with you at that moment. Sure, she'd seen your tears and knew it was a matter of time before you finally broke down, but she hadn't expected you to do it in front of her, she thought maybe you'd wait until you were out of her office to break down.

What should she do now? She was never good at comforting anyone, especially a student, that was always May's job, but she couldn't just send you to her, she didn't want you to think she didn't care about you. But why did she do? This was all new to her, the idea of wanting to protect someone other than herself was strange and she had no idea how to proceed. She just knew that she didn't want to see you like that.

Acting on instinct (one that was rusty to her, if she was being honest), she squatted down next to you, wrapping one arm around you in an awkward but well-intentioned half-hug. She didn't want to think about the way her pulse quickened a little when you pressed lightly against her.

Silently, she took a handkerchief from the pocket of her robe and offered it to you without saying anything, watching you fight to stop what would surely be intense crying if you weren't with her. Her hand acted on its own and she began to play with your hair, thankful that the gesture seemed to calm you down a bit.

"I'll tell you what" she said after a moment "I'll help you"

You sniffed a bit and looked at her out of the corner of your eye. The older woman internally cursed you for looking so adorable, and she had to get up to put distance between you because she didn't want to get lost in your intoxicating scent, then she berated herself for thinking like that of a student. She could already feel that this was a bad idea, but she couldn't back down.

"Come to my office every day after class" she continued "we'll go over everything and make sure you don't lose that scholarship. I know it can be hard being alone in a new city, Miss Y/L/N, but we can't pass up the opportunities that are presented to us just because we are afraid, can we?"

You thought about it for a moment and finally felt brave enough to look at her. Her face was the same as always, serious and expressionless, but her green eyes seemed warmer. For some reason, that did make you feel better. You didn't know how well you could do, but it wouldn't hurt to try, right?

"I-I would really appreciate it, Dr. Octavius" you said quietly "...thank you"

The woman simply nodded and returned to her chair, taking May's note and shoving it carelessly into a drawer. She was struggling to appear professional and not let you see how much she wanted to hold you close to her again. You seemed to take that as your cue to leave and got up awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

"Rest for the weekend, Miss Y/L/N" she said, not really wanting you to leave "we start Monday"

You nodded and wiped away the few tears that were still falling down your cheeks before walking towards the door.

"Thank you Dr. Octavius" you said again "see you later"

Liv looked at you as you opened the door and she was glad to be sitting down because her knees went weak at the small, coy smile you gave her and she felt her cheeks warm. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

[one-idea]

I currently cant think of any questions but I adore the reverse strawhat au sm and when i think of something I will definitely ask some questions, but I just wanted to let you know I love it and told my cousin all about it and I eat up every single post about it agdhfjg

Oh thank you so much.

That Au is so precious to me. I’m so glad people are enjoying it!!

I’ve turned that Au around in my brain so many times at this point, I’m fairly confident in where I want it to go.

But I’ve wanted to talk about how i got here in the first place for a while, so as a fun fact.

When I was originally coming up with this idea I was trying to figure out who the crew would be right.

Ace and Kuina are no brainers. Like Ace is the driving force of this Au and theirs no other choice to fill Zoro’s shoes but Kuina. I love them and they are perfect.

But who else?

My original plan was to”just put every strawhats dead relative in the boat.” Which is a lot more people than you originally think. Then I was like “not all but just the ones they are closest to.” So the original cast of this AU was going to be:

Ace

Kuina

Bell-mére

Banchina

Sora

Dr. Hiriluk

Nico Olivia

Tom

This was the original crew. And then I looked at it and realized that almost everyone on the ship was a parent, and in their 40-60s. And I laughed called the AU: Ace, Kuina and their boat load of MILFs and DILFs

And I moved on. Because originally I wanted the most emotionally charged reunion with the Strawhat crew I could have. Like Luffy and Ace alone is enough tears, then you add in Zoro and Kuina! And the rest of the crew gets to see their dead parent. Yes all the tears!

But then I turned it over in my mind some more and went ‘that’s not going to be the funnest boat.’ Like yes adults get into shenanigans all the time. But there’s something about a boat full of collage age kids who barely know how to navigate the world turning the world government in its head that just fun. Like all the adults are jaded because they lost their kids, they should rage against the establishment. But a bunch of collage age kids following this dreams and not letting the world tell them ‘no’ in the first place? That’s a fun boat (it also mirrors canon better)

So I looked at the characters again and thought ‘if I remove the strawhat from their story (and just the strawhat) who’s left? Who would step up and take their place in the narrative?

This lead to the current crew.

Ace

Kuina

Nojiko (step into her sisters role quite nicely, though I did change quite a few things)

Kaya (little baby of the crew joining at 14)

Reiju (the only vinsmoke sibling who should fill Sanji’s role)

Dr. Hiriluk (he is the best choice and the strawhats do have a weird range of ages so grandpa on the boat!)

Nico Olivia (there is NO ONE else I would have fill Robins role. Her mother is to perfect not to pick)

Iceburg (still older than the East Blue crew but younger than Tom. He’s still learning his craft and has a place to go. Plus I could have the guy who Built Roger’s ship on Ace’s crew. I feel like Ace would feel weird about that)

I still had to switch up the back stories quite a lot. And I let a few characters live that didn’t in canon (Bell-mére and Tom) this allows for the stories to be different from cannon and still have the biggest emotional impact for the Strawhats when they met up with the reverse crew.

Thank you so much for the support! I hope you enjoyed this piece of background knowledge!