#one direction x sixth member | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

aperrywilliams · 4 months ago

Text

That Green Monster (Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader)

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

Author Masterlist

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

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU!Reader.

Summary: Your relationship with Spencer is fresh new, and some of his insecurities arise when someone new joins the team, making him react in a wrong way to you.

Word Count: 4.8k

Warnings: Fluff and Angst. And then fluff at the end (I don't even understand myself). Spencer lashes out. Spencer is insecure. Reader is mad. Both are so madly in love, though.

A/N: This one has been sitting as a WIP for way too long, so I decided to finish it today!

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

A shot in the neck.

That's what it took for you and Spencer to - finally - get together. To confess you loved each other.

Everything happened while working a case in Texas. You had cornered a suspect who was hiding in a restaurant. You wanted to open a communication line with him, but out of nowhere, shots got fired. And one of them ended in your neck.

What happened next was a blur to everyone, especially to Spencer. He barely remembers Morgan pulling him back so that the paramedics could check on you.

The ambulance ride to the hospital and the hours of waiting for news were excruciating.

In Spencer's brain, only the thought that he might lose you forever without coming clean about his feelings for you.

You have been in a similar situation before, but this time, he thought you wouldn't make it.

It would be the loss of a friend and the loss of the love of his life.

If Spencer has to be honest, he realized he loved you after your first month working at the BAU. And with every passing day, the feeling only got stronger. But he was scared of saying anything, afraid of changing - or losing - the strong bond you guys already had.

So, he kept it to himself for years. For six years, to be exact.

But what he didn't know was you had fallen for him, too.

And how could you not? You both went through so many things over the years: Spencer's kidnapping, his Dilaudid problem, your family issues, the injuries, bad cases, unsubs attacks, hospital visits, and so on. With every bump in the way, you both were each other rock. Always together, no matter what.

The team affectionately called you Mulder and Scully, but in reverse roles, of course.

But even if, at some point, both of you realized what you had was much more than a friendship, neither of you did something about it.

Until you got shot in the neck.

In that uncomfortable waiting room chair, Spencer prayed, to whatever or whoever could listen, for a chance to make things right.

So when you woke up in your hospital bed hours later, the first thing you saw was Spencer's face.

He was by your side as always. But this time, he had something to tell you. Spencer didn't have the chance, though, because before he could say anything, three words blurted out from your lips: 'I love you.'

Between happy tears, you both spent hours talking and coming to the conclusion you were both idiots in love.

You didn't say anything to the team, but you all knew they knew, so it became unspoken knowledge after you were released from the hospital.

-------

With you home due to your neck injury and JJ on maternity leave, Hotch decided that some help would be better than putting more pressure on the remaining team members.

That's why he borrowed an agent from Sex Crimes.

Spencer had already told you that there was a new agent, but he hadn't developed this information in detail.

You knew him on your first day back, a month after you got shot.

Once you exited the elevator on the sixth, you headed through the bullpen glass doors. When you pushed them open, you didn't realize that someone was going in the opposite direction, and you almost hit the guy in the face with one of the doors.

"Oh, my God. I'm sorry!" you exclaimed when you realized what almost happened.

The man shook his head in dismissal. "No, no. Don't be. Nothing happened."

"But I almost hit you with a glass door," you pointed. The guy didn't seem phased by it, though.

"I'm okay, really," he insisted, flashing you a smile. You hadn't picked much of his appearance, to be honest, but the guy was easy on the eyes. Another thing that caught your attention was you had never seen him before.

"Do I know you?" You asked with curiosity.

"I don't think so. I'm Agent Dodds. Jake Dodds," he introduced himself, extending his hand. You've heard that last name before. You told him yours, shaking his hand.

"Really? You are a BAU member, right? I'm the backup agent Hotchner brought to the team," he explained, and then it clicked. He was the new guy.

Jake Dodds was young, fresh and motivated. After his first year in Sex Crimes, he already has a lot of accomplishments to show off. And, of course, he was doing his best to impress Hotch and the team.

Coming to the office bright and early and being the last to leave gave Dodds a chance to engage with the cases and the team members - you included. Due to your neck injury, you were mostly on desk duty, so you had enough time to help Jake with paperwork and all the questions he might have about past cases. And Dodds had many.

In the weeks that followed, he has spent a lot of time by your side, working with you when the team wasn't out of town.

It was part of your nature to be forthcoming and willing to teach others. And having worked at the BAU for almost six years, you felt like you could teach one thing or two.

Spencer loves that from you; it's one of the many things that made him fall in love with you. But for some reason, Jake's closeness to you started to bother him.

Spencer knew it was irrational and without foundation. Still, in the past weeks since Dodds joined, with each laugh from you when Jake cracked a joke, every time you sat together at the office a little too close, or every day you decided to have lunch with Jake rather than him, Spencer's jealousy only got stronger. It didn't help the team's comments about you and Jake.

'Dodds looks hooked by her'; 'The newbie definitely is flirting with her'; 'Really handsome view she has over there.'

Spencer could only bite his tongue. He could easily assume that the team was only messing with the situation, but the green monster growing inside didn't let him think clearly.

Spencer knew you, and you would never do something to hurt him, so why did he feel that uneasiness inside of him?

Maybe the fact you were in the early stages of your relationship made Spencer insecure. It was all new and fresh; he was happy with you, but although you both have known each other for years, he was inexperienced in the love department. Being friends was one thing, but being a couple was different.

So instead of talking to you—which he knew was the right thing to do—Spencer did what he usually does when he feels overwhelmed: he shuts people out.

And you did notice, of course.

Something was troubling him, you knew that, but every time you brought up the topic, he dodged it. You didn't look much into it at first because you knew Spencer would talk to you eventually when he felt ready. Or you assumed he would.

But the days went by, and Spencer still hadn't told you why he had been so distant, so you decided to confront him.

You both were watching a movie at your place, but you noticed Spencer wasn't paying attention to the TV. After an internal debate about whether it was a good idea to bring this up, you tested the waters.

"Spencer, are you okay?" you asked him, genuine concern lacing your voice.

The question hung in the air enough to make you think he might not hear you.

"Spencer?" you tried again, swearing you heard him huff even if he tried to be subtle.

"I'm okay, just tired," he hastened to dismiss, not looking at you.

So he heard you, but you had to call his name again to get an answer. Something is definitely wrong.

Contemplating your options, you chose to end the 'patiently wait until he comes to you' strategy. You were his girlfriend now. Why he couldn't trust you enough to tell you what's going on?

"Okay. This bullshit needs to stop now. You have been weird for too many days to tell me now you are okay and just tired. I know something happened and need you to tell me what it is," you demanded.

Shifting uncomfortably in his spot, Spencer had an inner debate about coming clean to you. He didn't want to admit how much Jake's closeness to you was bothering him. Spencer didn't want you to think about him as the possessive and clingy boyfriend who can't see his girlfriend near other guys.

He wasn't like that, right?

"You are imagining things. I'm perfectly fine," Spencer deadpanned, eyes returning to the TV.

Your mouth went slack. Were you imagining things? Was he thinking you were stupid?

"So I'm imagining things, uh? It's not you being defensive right now, isn't it?"

"No." He gave you a curt answer that meant precisely the opposite of what he was implying.

You wanted to give him a chance to open with you, but Spencer wasn't engaging.

It seemed easier to talk about what was happening to each other when you were only friends. Why is it so hard now you are a couple? You couldn't understand, and your patience was running short.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" you called him out in frustration. "Who do you think I am? A random person who hasn't known you for fucking six years?"

Spencer internally flinched. He saw the confusion and anger mixed in your eyes, and he felt the urge to hug you tight, telling you he was being an irrational jealous asshole. But Spencer didn't bring himself to do it, and instead, he tried to play cool and detached.

"I already told you. Everything is wonderful, at least for me. Not for you?" Spencer asked casually.

You narrowed your eyes at him. He looked calm and collected, but you could feel he was anything but.

"Okay. I'll bite the bullet. So the distance between us in the past weeks doesn't bother you as it bothers me," you concluded.

Spencer let out a bitter chuckle.

"Funny you're bothered by that. You have seemed very busy in the past weeks," Spencer mumbled.

A slip that didn't go unnoticed by you.

"Very busy?" you echoed his words. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Spencer shrugged, unamused.

"Exactly what it is. You have been very busy at the BAU lately. I only have been giving you space."

You squinted your eyes, raking your brain to understand Spencer's meaning. For your mandatory desk duty, you have spent more time in the office than in the field, but besides that, what has been different?

And then it clicked on you. Jake Dodds.

Sure, you've been very willing to teach him things and help him with his work, but that only explains Spencer's annoyance if there is another reason.

"Is this about Dodds? Are you jealous of Jake?" you questioned in disbelief.

Spencer's face paled. You had caught him.

After your deduction, he should have told the truth, but Spencer is stubborn enough not to give in, especially if that meant recognizing something he felt embarrassed of.

"W- what?! No! Where did you get that? I'm not jealous or remotely close to that," Spencer rebutted defensively.

Oh, he was definitively jealous. At the realization, you let out a giggle, eyes softening at your boyfriend. For you, there is no guy he should be worried about- not for Jake or any other person. Your heart is his, and you know there is nobody in this world you want to be with more than Spencer.

But Spencer's face deflated. You were laughing at him, and he felt even worse.

"Spencer, there is no reason for you to be -"

You couldn't even finish your sentence when Spencer cut you off, standing from the couch.

"I already told you! Am I not speaking English to you?"

His face was red, but not by embarrassment anymore. Now, it was a kind of contained rage.

Stunned by his reaction, it took you a few seconds to say anything.

"I - I'm just trying to understand what's going on. Don't be rude," you chimed.

Spencer let out a humorless chuckle.

"Rude, did you say? Am I rude because I disagree with you? Is that? Or am I rude because this doesn't have to do with you?"

"Excuse me? When did this turn into a problem related to me?"

You stood to mirror his stature so as not to look vulnerable.

"I don't know, you tell me. Are you disappointed because not everything or anyone in this world is revolving around you?"

Spencer's voice was cold and sarcastic, something you had seen in him before but never directed toward you. He was outrightly saying you were self-centered.

"Spencer -" you tried to warn him to back off, but Spencer didn't stop.

"No. I get it. You like the attention. But, I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood to indulge your childish self. Maybe the young and funny Agent Dodds could help you with that. But not me."

A dead silence settled in the room. If a needle had fallen on the floor, it would have made a noticeable noise.

You couldn't believe that man was your boyfriend—the man who was telling you such hurtful words.

Spencer saw how your features morphed from confused to hurt and then to offense, and with a twist in his guts, he knew he had fucked up.

"Are you done?"

Your tone was flat and collected, even if, on the inside, there was a storm of feelings. Spencer was deflated and looking for the right words to apologize.

"Hey, look, I'm -"

"I asked if you were done." You questioned harshly this time, and Spencer only gave you a shy nod.

"Okay, now get out!"

Your command was only followed by your actions as you walked to your entrance to open the door.

With horror, Spencer tried to sputter words to change your mind.

"I'm sorry. I - I didn't - Please, don't do this."

"I said, get out! I don't want you here!"

You emphasized your words, gesturing to the open door.

"Baby, I wasn't - I didn't mean what-" Spencer tried again, but you had made up your mind and didn't want to hear him.

"I don't fucking care! You had your time to explain yourself, and I don't want to hear anything else from you."

Spencer knew that nothing he could say at that moment would help his cause, so like a dog with the tail between his legs, he slowly made the walk of shame towards your door, but not before looking at you and begging for forgiveness with his eyes. It was a useless thing because you didn't even look at him back. Once he was out of your sight, you slammed the door shut, and your facade crumbled.

Tears started to fall freely, in a combination of pain and frustration.

It's needless to say, you couldn't sleep that night.

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

Spencer looked distracted and visibly sad.

Morgan knew something had happened to him, even if the man had denied the fact for the past two days. And Morgan was sure it was something related to you. It looked like Spencer would combust from guilt whenever his eyes landed on you. Morgan's suspicion turned to be right the moment you caught Spencer's gaze, and you purposely averted it.

"Okay, pretty boy, what did you do?" Morgan questioned Spencer when he caught him pouring coffee in the kitchenette.

"What? Me? Nothing!" Spencer defended himself, but the crack in his voice did nothing to help his cause.

"So she's not talking to you just because?"

Spencer shrugged, leaving the pot over the counter.

Was he being so obvious? If Spencer wanted to maintain the facade that 'nothing is wrong here,' he was failing miserably.

Morgan scoffed, grabbing a mug to pour some coffee for himself.

"Come on, Reid. There must be something. Since yesterday morning, you look like a kicked puppy, and she seems visibly upset, and you're both always attached to the hip."

Dangerous territory, Spencer thought. But at this point, his regret was more powerful than keeping your relationship private.

"She is mad at me," the man recognized. It was a 'vague' recognition, but it was something.

Morgan seemed not surprised, though.

"No shit, Sherlock. The question is why, pretty boy," Derek prodded.

Spencer sighed deeply. How could he express what really happened without telling the whole truth?

Morgan saw the struggle in Spencer's eyes.

"I know you are both hurting by whatever happened. Maybe talking would help you clear your head and think about how to fix it."

Spencer took in Morgan's words. Some advice could help, he decided.

"We fought. I mean, we argued two nights ago, and she kicked me out. And now she is not talking to me, and I don't- I want to apologize, but I don't know how."

Spencer winced, just remembering your fight.

Derek looked at him incredulously.

"She kicked you out? What in the world did you do so she reacted like that?"

The actual question was 'what he said' because, strictly speaking, he didn't do anything besides let his mouth run on its own accord.

He regretted every word he said to you the second they left his mouth, but the damage was done, and you were fed up enough to listen to his apologies, so you yelled at him to let you alone. He didn't blame you. But he was feeling miserable, and it showed.

Spencer told Morgan exactly what happened—word by word.

"Jesus, Reid. I didn't peg you like the jealous type," Morgan acknowledged. Spencer shook his head.

"It's not like that. I mean, I know she loves me..."

"But?"

Spencer sighed. "What if - what if she realizes there are better men than me? That I am not enough for a romantic relationship?"

Morgan's eyebrows knit together. Spencer's face was pure panic, only thinking about the possibility.

"And Dodds would be better than you? You know he's like a kid, right?" Morgan pointed.

"Yeah. A young man with a lot of confidence that makes her smile and has her undivided attention. He's smart and qualified for this job like any of us. I'm not better than him. And I can perfectly be disposable in comparison."

That was the thing. Spencer felt insecure about you finding someone better than him.

Morgan looked at him empathetically.

"Man, I think you are looking too much into it. I don't think you should feel threatened in your relationship with her. And I guess she thinks the same and feels hurt for you thinking that."

Spencer nodded. "That's why I know I fucked up. I hurt her for my insecurities. It's all my fault," he lamented.

"You need to talk to her," Morgan advised, and Spencer whined.

"How? She hasn't spared me a glance in two days!"

"You're a genius, Spencer. And above all, how long have you known her? Five years? Think of something."

"Five years, eleven months, three weeks, and four days," Spencer corrected without hesitation.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. You'll figure it out."

Spencer sighed deeply as Morgan patted his shoulder before leaving the kitchenette. Derek was right; they should talk. Spencer just had to figure out how to make that happen.

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

That night you were sulking at your apartment, laying on the couch and watching some crap on the TV, when three knocks alerted you.

You weren't expecting anyone, and you didn't think Spencer could be outside your door. You were clear in telling him you didn't want to talk to him when he cornered you in the breaking room this afternoon.

But if you knew something about Spencer Reid, it was that he could be stubborn as fuck. So when you looked by the peephole and saw him standing there, you only closed your eyes and sighed.

Spencer knocked again. "I know you are there. And I know you don't want to talk to me. But please, let me do the talk. Please, at least listen to the things I need to say."

"You already said enough," you spat from your spot on the other side of the door. Spencer gulped hard. He said enough hurtful things to you to kick his ass, but he was determined to gain your forgiveness somehow.

"I can't stress enough how sorry I am for that. But I need you to know that I didn't mean any of it." Spencer paused, and when he didn't hear you say anything, he continued. "I'm an asshole, and I would understand if you want to break up and never see me again. I mean, well - it - it would be kind of difficult not to see each other because we work together, but you know what I mean. Or maybe not, I don't know. Jesus, what the fuck am I saying?" Spencer chastised himself, trying to control his nerves.

You could hear him struggling, so you decided to spare him a panic attack in the middle of the hallway. You opened your door and saw him still trying to sputter what he wanted to say.

"If this is your way to apologize, you are doing a terrible job." Your voice was not angry but tired. Because if he had had two tortuous days of you not talking to him, you haven't done it any better, overthinking about your fight over and over again.

Spencer's glassy, pleading eyes found yours.

"I know. It seems it's another thing I suck at," he admitted fidgeting with his hands. "Would you, uh. Would you let me try again? Apologize. That is."

It's true you were still mad with him, but you really wanted to understand why he reacted the way he did that night and said all the things he said. You know him too well to ignore that something else beyond mere jealousy clearly triggered his outburst.

Without saying a word, you gestured for him to get into the apartment. Spencer was quick to comply before you changed your mind.

You both took seats on opposite sides of the couch, eyes overly interested in your living room rug. After some minutes of silence and knowing he needed to say something, Spencer cleared his throat.

"I guess I'm going to start with the beginning," he prefaced, keeping his hands in his lap as you turned to contemplate him in silence. "Uh - you know it took me time to come clean with my feelings for you. A lot of time, almost six years," he chuckled nervously. You nodded, not wanting to interrupt him, fearing to get him more anxious.

"The thing is- I have been in love with you for so long and creating scenarios of us in my mind that - that now I know it is real, I don't - It's still difficult to grasp the idea we are together, you know?"

As Spencer raked his hair, collecting his thoughts, you couldn't help but remember all the things you both went through until you decided to tell the truth to each other. Six years is a long time. But you wanted to believe it has been worth it.

"I'm not used to a life where I get to be happy; when I think I am, things crush down, and I lose everything. It's a rule: good things don't last in my life."

You know how difficult it has been for Spencer to accept that he is not cursed or anything like that—a very difficult task, knowing the things he has been through.

"So my mind began to be haunted by the idea that it was a matter of time before you realized you could do better than me, and I'm only worth it as a friend."

His words made you recall the times you both discussed your love life in the past and all the doubts weighing on Spencer's shoulders. After those conversations, you always swore to make him feel loved and appreciated.

"And then you came back to work, and Dodds was there. I created this whole scenario, telling myself that you would be better with someone like him."

Spencer paused to gauge your reaction. You were openly listening to him, taking in every word.

"I know it's unfair to you. I - I betrayed your trust by mulling those ideas and saying all those hurtful things I truly don't believe. I'm so sorry; I don't have a defense other than my incompetence in dealing with my insecurities," Spencer concluded, letting a deep sigh escape from his lips and averting your gaze. He looked embarrassed and vulnerable, and it hurts you to acknowledge how small he feels about himself. You reached your hand tentatively, touching his forearm, and Spencer's eyes drifted back to you.

"Spencer, you have to know there is no one in this world who I love so deeply as I love you. No man could compare to you. No matter how young or confident or whatever difference you can name. You are the most thorough, caring, and selfless person I know, and I love you so fucking much it hurts," you gave his arm a gentle squeeze to emphasize your point. Spencer's cheeks flushed a bit. He still needs to get used to your compliments.

"What I still don't get is why you didn't tell me. Don't you trust me enough to talk to me about how you feel?"

Spencer hastened to reply, taking your hand in his. "No! It's not that! I do trust you with my life!"

"Then why didn't you tell me the truth at the beginning?"

"I - I don't know. I thought you would see me as the shitty boyfriend who can't see his partner near another man. It's as if I wanted to control you. And that's far from what I want," Spencer explained, scooting by your side as his grip on your hand tightened. "It was my problem, not yours. You did nothing to make this happen. I'm the one who must have to fix it." You shook your head.

"Baby, no. If it is something that upsets you, it is my problem, too. Spencer, we need to talk about those things and resolve them together."

Spencer's head hung low, taking in your words.

"But why? I am the insecure one, and you have done nothing more than show me how unfounded my fear is."

"Well, because you're still my best friend, and I care about you." Spencer's gaze met yours again. "It's the thing I first loved about us, you know? I love feeling safe with you and having the trust to talk about what is happening to us." With loving eyes, you brought his hand to your lips to kiss it.

"I want you to keep being my best friend, too," Spencer said with a hopeful smile. It was all you needed to hear.

"Then please don't forget that. You can always talk to me, and I promise to do the same, okay?" Spencer nodded at your words, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Okay. I promise," Spencer replied before wrapping you in a tight embrace. You melted in his arms, feeling his warmth and inhaling his scent, something you have been missing in the past two days.

"I love you," you mumbled into his chest. "So so much."

"I love you too. And I'm so sorry for my behavior two days ago," Spencer muttered in your hair.

You chuckled, slightly parting to look at him.

"Yeah, we have to work on taming that green monster, doctor. Otherwise, Hotch won't be able to bring anyone new to the team," you pointed, leaning to kiss his lips. Spencer smiled into the kiss.

"That means you forgive me?" he asked hopefully. You narrowed your eyes.

"Yes. But you still have to make it up to me," you teased, faking seriousness.

Spencer nodded eagerly nonetheless. "Whatever it takes."

"You could start making something to eat. I'm starving here after two days with a hole in my stomach," you rubbed your belly for emphasis.

"Yes, ma'am," Spencer smiled, standing and strolling quickly to the kitchen. He felt so relieved after coming clean with you that he swore not to make the same mistake again. That green monster fed by his insecurities dissipating as he thought how lucky he was to love and have you in his life.

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

Spencer Reid's Taglist: @dreatine @nomajdetective @jayyeahthatsme @rosalinasam2 @averyhotchner @lovelyxtom @princessmiaelicia @pastelbabygirl19 @reidsbookclub @alexxavicry @gspenc @spencerreidisbae123 @calmspencer @pauline5525mgg @anamiad00msday @milivanili99 @laylasbunbunny @leahblackk @miaxx03 @missabsey @taintedstranger @khxna @hiireadstuff @pleasantwitchgarden @dysphoricsanity @levi-of-starz @themoonchildwhofell @silver138 @lovelybaka @shinytinywhispers

#spencer reid #criminal minds #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid angst #dr. spencer reid #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid x you #aperrywilliams #amanda perry williams

938 notes · View notes

earlysunshines · 6 months ago

Text

you always had me (and you’re always shining)

danielle marsh x fem!reader ; fluff, pining, slowburn

synopsis: danielle has been there for your ups and downs, knowing her for so long and debuting with her makes you fall deeper and deeper—whether you like it or not.

warnings: sixth member reader ; readers a few months younger than dani ; pining and yeah i… love pining ; sloooow burn ; TOOTHrotting fluff like all your teeth will fall out prob and also angst (if u squint hard) ; they’re in love i fear, like sooo in love ; minji literally watches the whole thing unfold and doesn't say anything ; reader's native language is english ; some other implied things that will make sense it's just story buidling/backstory LOL ; barely proofread

a/n: this is a loooong one i hope u all enjoy :-] i enjoyed writing every bit and I was smiling the whole way, I hope you all smile reading this too.

being an idol is anything but easy, and that’s very palpable as you lie on the ground, sweaty and exhausted, in the practice room.

minji had watched the whole thing; right after the last session of the ditto choreo, you had walked over to the corner of the room, sat down, and ended up flat on your back. seeing you like this made her laugh.

regardless, you loved your job. music was your passion, and dancing brought joy to your heart. the journey to becoming an idol prepared you for the intense performances and demanding physical routines, but it didn't prepare you for how your heart would race each time a certain member interacted with you—just like she’s doing now.

danielle waits until you take your forearm off your forehead, watching you blink twice when she’s in your field of vision.

she greets you warmly. “hi stranger.”

“dani.” just the sight of her makes you smile. “hey.”

“you okay? minji wanted me to check on you.”

“tired, that’s all.”

“you should drink water then, sweetheart.”

you hated when she called you these stupid pet names—not because it made you uncomfortable or anything, but because it made your heart nearly jump out of your chest.

“want me to get you some?” she asks, her voice gentle yet playful.

“i can do it myself, thanks.” you respond, getting up without looking back at her—danielle frowns.

she watches you walk over to get water for yourself, slightly hunched over with your hand propping you up at the counter. she sees you stare down at the table between sips, seemingly lost in your own world, and it’s a tad bit concerning. sure, you’re quiet, but never this quiet or distant. you even practiced during the breaks, not giving yourself one and pretty much defeating the whole purpose of a break. everyone had noticed, but danielle had been much more worried.

danielle goes over to minji, who’s stretching and humming as the younger one is in her peripheral. she sits down next to the oldest member and continues to look at you, now you’re leaning against the wall sipping on the cup, and then letting it hang loose in your hand as you stare into the distance.

“minji, is y/n alright? she’s been so out of it today and the last time we had practice.”

minji looks in your direction and shakes her head. “no idea, i noticed it too. i thought you would’ve known.”

“i don’t. i’m just worried.”

“you want me to talk to her?” minji suggests, “but you’re closer with her, aren’t you?”

the younger member continues to look your way, watching haerin tap your shoulder and making you jump a bit from being startled. haerin turns to face you, her lips moving with some quiet words danielle can’t quite catch. you wave her off with a reassuring smile and a thumbs up, then head to a corner to stretch, finding your own space.

“yeah, she’s just been distant these past few days. minji, i don’t know what to do.”

“pry her open, she’s got a tough exterior you know.”

“she’s always been like that.” danielle sighs, continuing to stretch.

it’s well known that you’re quite reserved, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t bold, outgoing, or unwilling to talk to your members. all of them see you as a pillar and light in the group, a source of strength and joy. even further, there’s compilations of you online making the members laugh and being an idiot, you’re a joy to your fans and the people close to you. but there are times when you close yourself off and become unusually quiet. it’s not like haerin’s nature, being quiet and all; instead, it’s a concerning silence that signals something is off. danielle, in particular, has a keen sense for these moments, always noticing when you retreat into yourself and sensing that something is bothering you.

she’s always been able to find a way to help you out and talk to her a bit, you’ve had a soft spot for her and it’s evident to everyone in your group. you rarely speak on your problems; the fact that danielle can get you to utter a sentence regarding what bothers you is astonishing itself.

you’ve known danielle for as long as you’ve been a trainee since she’s been there longer. she’s always been incredibly kind and patient with you, especially during those initial days when you were adjusting to being away from your grandparents who raised you. being in a place so completely different from what you were used to was challenging, but danielle’s presence was a comforting constant.

the bond that you two had only grew with time and experience, and the fact that you two had so many similarities (one being the year you were born) only strengthened it. danielle, without a doubt, was the one person who could ground you. because of this, she’s going to make it her priority to find out what’s up with you.

when practice ends and everyone is free to go back to the dorms, danielle approaches you and grabs your hand, making you turn to face her with a raised brow.

“yes?”

“let’s grab lunch y/n, the rest of us are going to.”

“oh, i’m not really feeling it, sorry.” you apologize, feeling bad when the member holding your hand frowns. “i think i’ll just eat later, i’m not hungry. could you buy me something though?”

she lets out a small huff. “what’s going on?”

you tilt your head like haerin always does and hum in confusion. “what do you mean?”

“something is bothering you.”

“no, i’m just tired. can’t you see the eyebags? seriously, i’m so sleepy…” you try to mask what you feel with a lighthearted chuckle, but danielle can hear the lie in your words. she wants to be angry at you for lying, but she knows you can’t help it. lying about what you feel is like breathing to you. “grab me a rice bowl?”

she lets go of your hand and it almost urges you to spill pent-up emotions, but you won’t give in that easily. sure, her pretty face and caring self make you fold most of the time, but not in this case.

“alright y/n.” danielle sighs. “can we talk tonight? if you’re feeling like you want to. i hate seeing you so out of it.”

you pause, looking at her with slumped shoulders before biting your lip.

“thank you, light.”

–

danielle has many nicknames and things people like to call her. one of her favorites—if not her absolute favorite—has always been dani, at least until you let a special nickname slip off your lips not too long ago, one that made her cheeks warm and brought a shy smile to her face.

“light?” she asks, looking at you like you’re stupid – in an admirable, adorable way of course.

you shrug. “sunshine is used too much by bunnies and the other members, light is much more unique and special to me. you’re special to me so i wanted something special. you don’t like it?”

danielle loves it the moment she hears you say it.

it's late, and while the rest of the members are fast asleep, you and danielle find yourselves unable to drift off. instinctively, you both end up in your room, lying on the bed. danielle’s head rests comfortably on your stomach as you explain the spontaneous, out-of-nowhere nickname you came up with for her a few months after your debut. she can't tell if the room is too hot and you need to start using your fan (you really do, danielle doesn’t understand how you survive without turning on that fan in these hot dorms), or if it's just because you've just called her something that makes her feel truly special.

her heart flutters. “i like it a lot. how’d you think of it?”

you start humming to yourself as you think. “i mean, you’re like sunshine, the sun. you know, you’re very bright and lights are bright too so…”

“that’s cute.” you’re cute, danielle might explode right there and right now, ‘cute’ is not capturing how much she adores it. “you’re creative.”

“i’m not.”

“you look down on yourself too much.” danielle retorts as she gets up to lay down next to you. her face is turned to gaze at your features. “seriously.”

“or maybe you just look up to me too much.”

“well you need to shrink. anyway, i think my statement is factual and yours is false.”

“you really want to debate right now?”

“i don’t need to, i’m right.” danielle smirks at you and you roll your eyes.

you turn on your side and she mirrors you, the mood of the room shifts, the air seems warmer – maybe you should turn that fan on.

danielle lets out a small yawn, her blinking slowing down as her eyelids grow heavy. you giggle quietly, then pull the blanket over the two of you, taking a moment to admire her. she looks peaceful and beautiful, more so than anyone or anything you've ever seen.

you reach over to fix the blanket sitting on her figure. “i take it you’re staying here tonight?”

she nods sleepily.

“okay.”

–

danielle knocks on your door, and before you can answer she lets herself in. she’s always done this, it’s amusing.

(and really, she knows you’ll let her in anyway. you’ve never once declined.)

she spots you lying in bed, your face hidden under the plaid blanket your grandma had shipped from your home. danielle knows it’s one of your most prized possessions, she can tell that it’s especially important as you cling onto it.

“the rice bowl is in the fridge, you should eat.”

“i’ll eat later dani.”

she frowns at you, watching you lay there and face the window in your room.

your favorite playlist fills the silence in the room, the one hanni contributed half of when you two were feeling emotional in the middle of the night and sharing sappy songs that made your hearts melt. it’s a bit concerning that this playlist is also what you listen to when you’re sulking, given that it’s filled with half of daniel caesar’s discography and slow love songs (happy and sad, but you still manage to sulk when it’s something to swoon over).

you and hanni have such similar tastes in music; it’s almost dangerous how in sync you are when it comes to the songs that tug at your heartstrings.

danielle shuts the door slowly before making her way over to you. she sits beside you, rubbing your shoulder through the material of your blanket.

“hey sleepy, you’ll feel terrible if you don’t eat.” she squeezes you lightly, making you groan quietly. “the others are worried too, i told them you took a nap.”

“tell them i’m sleeping in.” you mumble, covering yourself in the blanket more. “thanks dani.”

she sighs and moves over so her lips hover above your ear. “y/n, you can’t stay like this. we’ve talked about this before, it’s not good to keep things in; you’ll explode.”

“it’s nothing, please danielle.”

“sweetheart,” her voice makes you all tingly. “please?”

you finally give in after she slides her hand down to your back, rubbing it comfortingly. with a deep breath, you slowly sit up and lean against the wall behind you. danielle’s eyes are filled with a tender, eager sparkle, her bottom lip jutting out slightly as she watches you, ready to listen to every word.

the room feels warmer, the closeness between you making the moment intimate and heartfelt.

“the comeback is a little stressful, but i’ve managed of course.” she nods as you explain, giving you her undivided attention. “and my grandma recently got surgery, i found out two days ago and i’ve just been worried sick. the thought of her without me there to help her out makes me sick. i know my grandpa is there to help her out but– i’ve just always been there for them. now i can’t, and i can’t disappoint them either.”

you've never been much of a crier; the members have seen you cry maybe two or three times. but when danielle’s features soften and she immediately reaches over to engulf you in a hug that you could drown in, tears start to well in your eyes. you manage to hold them back, but the overwhelming comfort and warmth she offers makes it difficult.

“and you know the whole thing with my family after i took the trainee route, my grandparents are the only ones who are really fond of me and i– i’m just really… thrown off right now.

“i’m sorry to hear that, really.” she mumbles near your neck, mostly into your hair. her embrace feels like a safe haven, a place where you can let go of your worries, even if just for a moment. you start to think that everything will be fine. “you’re not letting down anyone, just you existing makes your grandparents proud. i know it. and, i know i’ve only met your grandma briefly, but she’s such a strong woman from what i’ve seen, seriously. i trust that she’ll be fine, but would she be fine if she knew you were stressing?”

you shake your head – danielle has a point.

“i- i guess not.”

“well, i think her recovery would go much better knowing the woman she loves most is doing her best and doing alright.”

danielle’s right, she’s so right it really does ground you. you wrap your arms around her and hug back tightly, letting your worries flow away.

“thank you.”

“mhm.” she hums softly, then pulls away to gaze at you, placing her hands on your shoulders. “you should eat, let’s eat together.”

“you haven’t eaten yet?”

“a little, but i couldn’t eat a lot knowing you hadn’t.”

maybe you should’ve eaten, you should’ve because danielle isn’t satisfied. her stomach is most likely nowhere near half full. you quickly get up and grab her hand, dragging her out your room after hearing the new information.

“i can’t have you hungry dani.”

minji is happy to see your spark back, seeing you so enthusiastic and performing so well during practices makes her happy.

this time, your practice is being recorded. you're all jumpy and giddy as you play around with hyein, teasing her in between breaks, but you manage to stay focused and excel as you run through the choreography. the camera captures you tease hanni, you make fun of the three-inch height difference between you two while she pouts and chases you around. even haerin joins in, watching you run around while you grin at the shortest member. the practice room buzzes with laughter and energy, your lighthearted teasing making the grueling session more enjoyable for everyone.

danielle and minji watch from afar, well, it’s mostly danielle who’s watching – admiring.

minji sees something special in her gaze, a sort of longing. a smile makes its way to danielle's lips, and minji watches the way danielle softens. the camera captures the same sight minji is seeing, though in much lower quality. the tender moment is evident even through the grainy footage, highlighting something much more complex between danielle and the object of her affection: you.

minji judges the younger member. “seems like you got her back on her feet.”

“hm?” danielle says, flinching slightly after being startled. “oh, yeah. she’s definitely feeling better, i’m really glad.”

“you two have something special, hm?”

“what do you mean?”

minji looks back at you. you’ve given up, and hanni is now dragging you to the ground, both of you laughing as hyein records the whole thing. minji then glances at danielle. the younger australian member finds herself giggling unknowingly as she watches the whole scene unfold, her eyes twinkling with amusement and something softer, something that betrays the ‘platonic’ aspect in the fondness she holds for you.

minji shakes her head. “nothing. let’s get back to work.”

“hi everyone, i’m with y/n!” minji greets the livestream, looking at herself in the screen and fixing her hair. “say hi.”

you sit down next to her and fix the cap on your head, waving at the phone and smiling. “hi everyone, it’s been a while since i’ve made an appearance, huh?”

minji looks at you and scoffs. “you were on danielle’s live last week, and on her little voice message for a moment.”

you giggle and shake your head, putting up your hands to make a little ‘x’ sign with your fingers.

“sounds like someone’s a fan of miss marsh, stalking her phoning activity…”

“bro, you are literally apart of her content a third of the time.”

“are you jealous kim minji?”

“of what, danielle being all over you? count me out…”

you giggle and continue on with the live. the two of you talk about the upcoming ‘making jeans,’ reminiscing and laughing over the countless memories you shared during the process of filming the music video.

of course, you tend to mention danielle often, complimenting her looks in each outfit and scene you all shot, the memories of mainly the two of you during the whole filming process. minji listens carefully as you ramble, narrowing her eyes each time the name ‘danielle’ is brought up. she lets you ramble, of course; she'd be something not too short of awful if she were to cut you off from gushing about your fellow member.

there’s a sparkle in your eyes like fireworks going off as minji watches you. your smile is wide and genuine, your hands animatedly emphasizing every detail of whatever topic you're discussing, and without fail, danielle is woven into the narrative. the slight tint of pink on your cheeks doesn’t escape minji’s notice; it hints at something deeper than simple admiration.

the conversation shifts away from danielle and onto your other members, particularly how you and minji managed to cook a five-course meal for the rest of the group. questions flow and are answered promptly, and as the live stream reaches its fifty-minute mark, minji decides it's time to wrap up.

once she ends the stream, you turn to her and give a thumbs up. “that was fun, lets do more of these.”

“you talked about danielle for a fifth of the live, y/n.”

“sorry…” you mumble, “i just remembered a lot of things from the shoot.”

you remembered danielle from the shoot that’s for sure.

minji waves her hand and says, “it’s not a bad thing that you did…”

“of course not, danielle is lovely.”

to you? more than just lovely i bet. minji thinks, rolling her eyes before she flicks the cap off your head. you make some strange noise and it makes the older member chuckle.

“let’s get some rest, thanks for joining me.”

“yeah, anytime.” you wink at her before getting up and waving, walking out the door with a grin on your lips.

minji finds herself leaning against her bedframe, reflecting on everything she’s observed over the past two weeks—and honestly, over the years.

the whole livestream with you has her pondering now; even as trainees, you and minji had always been close and supportive of each other. however, minji had always noticed something distinct in the dynamics between you and danielle. while all four of you—minji, hanni, danielle, and yourself—spoke english, there was an undeniable uniqueness in the connection, the exchanged glances, the subtle cues, and the way you and danielle interacted.

she collapses onto her bed and grabs her phone, concentrating hard as she clicks on the 'youtube' icon and goes to the search bar. biting the inside of her lip, she types 'newjeans danielle and y/n,' feeling a little awkward, as if she’s doing something a fan would do. she shakes her head to dispel the feeling, focusing on the recommended searches that follow:

"newjeans danielle and y/n moments" "danielle and y/n cute interactions" "newjeans y/n looking at danielle" "danielle and y/n chemistry compilation"

minji clicks on the first result, curiosity piqued, then clicks on the first video that pops up. the video is a compilation of moments between you and danielle, set to a soft, romantic song. as the montage begins, she sees clip after clip of the two of you laughing together, eyes sparkling with unspoken understanding. secret glances are exchanged, your smiles growing wider with every shared look. inside jokes flow effortlessly, creating a tempo only the two of you seem to follow.

minji watches as the moments play out, each one reinforcing the undeniable bond between you and danielle. most of these clips could be played out as touchy, close friend moments, but some cannot be brushed off as that at all.

there’s a clip that plays, and minji cringes a little when she sees herself pop up on screen, talking about how she feels before a stage. the focus then shifts, zooming in on the background where danielle is leaning against your shoulder, eyes closed. minji watches as you turn to look at danielle lovingly, a soft smile playing on your lips before you look back at the makeup artist fixing your blush.

another clip that makes minji's brows furrow also sparks a memory in her head. in the clip, you jump at minji, placing both hands on her shoulders as you lift yourself up from the ground. when you land back down, you hug the older member and laugh with her, happy that you've managed to scare her. what minji never noticed before now plays in the video: danielle is in the distance, the footage edited to zoom in on her. she's watching the whole scene, and as soon as your arms wrap around minji, danielle's gaze turns slightly more serious. danielle bites half of her lip and clenches her jaw, clearly a little bothered by it.

that’s not like her at all.

minji skips the video and finds the most replayed moment, her eyes widening at how oblivious she had been to you two. have the other members noticed as well? the question rings throughout minji’s head, the others have to have had a small hunch. then again, danielle is affectionate, and you are too at times, so maybe it wouldn’t be unbelievable for them to be blind to whatever you and her have going on.

you and danielle are shooting for the photobooks, taking your duo pictures. minji watches as danielle takes this opportunity to be touchy as ever, her hands never leaving you as you both pose. her hand ends up on your forearm, shoulders, and even the back of your neck. she's flirting with you the whole time too, mostly to earn genuine smiles and laughs for the camera, but also because she enjoys it and means it – minji assumes. even as you two pose with hanni added, danielle still keeps her hand on you at all times, not wanting to leave you be. and when the camera pans to her hand sliding to your waist and rubbing it just barely, minji freezes.

each moment feels charged with a depth she hadn't fully grasped before. even she hasn’t noticed half of what was clipped.

the comments are filled with fans gushing over your interactions:

"i swear they have the best chemistry!" "look at how danielle looks at y/n! my heart can't take it." "they are so cute together! #dany/n" “are they dating? i’m new to this group. ↪️”not officially, but from their interactions it seems like it could be true.” ↪️”there has to be something though, most likely they are.” ↪️”hey, let’s not assume things. we don’t know what goes on behind cameras and they’re probably just really close friends!”

minji sighs, a mix of amusement and concern flooding her. she knew you two were close, but this compilation and the fan reactions make it clear just how much your bond stands out. sure, danielle and haerin had some of their own moments (mainly because haerin, but this? this is something.

she scrolls through a few more videos, each one reinforcing what she's just realized.

"oh my fucking god," minji murmurs, the weight of understanding settling in as she processes everything: you think danielle shines brighter than the sun.

you talk about her like she is your sun, and danielle looks at you like you’re her moon.

and minji? she's caught in the midst of your oblivious pining, realizing she occupies the role of the stars, planets, and everything in between.

“hanni.”

the younger member jumps at the sound of minji barging into her room at 12 in the morning, looking at her like she’s crazy.

“the hell man? at least knock–”

“you and danielle, you’re both very similar, very close too, i know that.”

“of course i’m close with dani, what the hell are you–”

“you’re close with y/n too, yeah?”

“i’m close with everyone including you minji, what kind of interrogation is this?”

minji flops onto hanni’s bed and stares up into the ceiling like she’s just worked a 9-5 with no break in between. the younger member walks over to close the door of her room, then sits back down to assess whatever is happening.

“seriously,” hanni begins, “what’s up?”

“are dani and y/n dating? like are they together? like girlfriends, like– romantic?”

hanni giggles, making minji turn her head to give hanni a good look of the confused expression she has on. “what? no…? they’re just really flirty minji, i thought we knew this.”

“okay well i just went live with y/n and she was rambling and gushing about dani for a solid fifteen minutes. hanni, that live was almost an hour.”

“oh.” hanni simply responds, going silent.

“have you noticed something between them? or am i going crazy…”

the room is silent for a while, and minji lets it stay that way, giving hanni time to process her thoughts. hanni starts to really think about her other two members. minji has a point: you and danielle are close, and your demeanor changes noticeably when danielle is involved. she also recalls the time when she and danielle had gone out together, only for danielle to talk about you a good chunk of the time. it doesn’t help that danielle’s lock screen consists of two rotating pictures: one being a group photo and the other being you holding a kitten.

danielle and hanni spend a lot of time together, and now that hanni fully analyzes all those moments, she realizes that a significant portion of their conversations revolves around you. it’s almost as if you were there with them. danielle also looks at you differently, more lovingly, compared to the way she looks at the other members. when she flirts, it’s also different – more genuine, more meaningful. hanni had always been too distracted by how flirty and stupid danielle was to notice the blush on both your faces during those flirtatious moments. now, everything starts to make sense.

“okay wait yeah,” hanni bites the side of her finger. “i guess? but danielles really loving and sweet.”

“but much more with y/n, right?” minji sounds like she’s trying to convince herself too. “oh my god this is so embarrassing but i went on youtube…”

“don’t tell me you–”

minji puts a hand in the air, closing her eyes embarrassingly. “it was for research.”

“research on your friends?”

“stop! you need to see the video too, i didn’t even notice this shit.”

hanni sighs, letting minji scoot next to her and play a video titled ‘danielle and y/n moments that could make the cut in a romance drama.’ the younger member eyes minji after reading the title, minji just puts a finger to her lips and presses play.

“i can’t believe you’re making me watch this, am i a bunny or what?”

“just watch.”

minji is older and hanni does not have anything better to do at this hour of the night, so she keeps her eyes glued on the screen.

the younger woman goes through every single emotion that minji has with each second passing by. her brows crease, her hand hovers over her mouth in shock, and she almost squeals during some clips – minji nudges her teasingly. when the video ends hanni sits there staring at the phone dead silent.

“well?”

“that was edited very well.”

the older member pushes the younger one and rolls her eyes. “shut up. are you picking up what i’m putting down?”

“yeah, no, oh my god it’s real.”

“but they’re not dating…” minji thinks to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose. “wait, are they… do they even like girls?”

“oh yeah, danielle mentioned it like, twice, but she thinks it’s not a big deal. but yeah, she likes girls. i think y/n mentioned it once too, they’re both just not open about it i guess?”

minji clicks her tongue. “so they’re probably in love and pining, they’re oblivious.”

“what do we even do with this information?” hanni asks.

they both ponder the possible outcomes, weighing the positive and negative consequences of you and danielle becoming a couple or continuing to pine for each other. if you two stayed in the limbo of unspoken looks, flirting, and loving gestures, the status quo would remain, but it might cause tension. on the other hand, if you two became a thing and eventually broke up, it could create a rocky dynamic within the group.

however, minji knows you well. you’re mature and have been through a lot, so she believes you’d be able to handle it professionally. danielle, on the other hand, might struggle more with the fallout. but if the relationship lasted, it would bring happiness and joy, despite the challenges of dating as an idol and concealing so much. the two of you would be happy – you’re already happy as is to be part of the group and know each other – and so would the other members.

the thought of this potential happiness brings a soft smile to minji’s face as she considers the best path forward for everyone involved.

minji leans into hanni’s pillow and closes her eyes – she looks like an overworked therapist. “we shouldn’t intervene.”

“let things flow naturally?”

“yeah, but with the knowledge that they’re in love i guess.”

“so it’s actually like an angsty, intense romance drama.”

“they’re our friends idiot… more like a romcom, it’s not that bad.”

the two laugh and decide to call it a night, promising to run to each other with information and thoughts on every single thing that happens to the two of you.

(they can still be fans of the two of you despite being part of the group itself, and that as a guilty pleasure isn’t the worst thing in the world.)

your birthday falls right before the break you have, just a few promotions to get through and you’re set.

unfortunately, you’re not able to see your grandparents during the first week of your vacation since they’ve had a few complications with flights and their work. however, they’ll be coming to visit you in the second week, staying a little longer despite you having to work. because of this, you'll have plenty of time to spend with them and show them around seoul.

plus, they’ll get to meet your members, and you can already envision how much they’ll baby and spoil everyone. the thought of your grandparents showering your friends with affection, gifts, and really just their love and charm brings a smile to your face, and you can’t wait for them to experience the warmth and love you’ve always cherished.

every birthday for each member includes a special livestream, and today, it’s your turn.

despite it being your birthday, a heavy feeling of sadness lingers, overshadowing the excitement as you all set up. you should be happy, and you are with the members around you by your side on your day, but you’re still not completely you the absence of danielle gnaws at your heart. everyone except her surrounds you, and you try to mask how terrible you feel without her presence as you prepare for the broadcast. she apparently had something very important in her schedule that would last until the late evening, leaving you to celebrate without her.

[danielle] im so sorry i can’t be there for you ☹️ i wanted to be there but they’ve shoved this into my schedule since the break is soon im so sorry sweetheart i’ll make it up to you as best as i can, promise i love you, i’m sorry i’m so so so sorry

you remember seeing danielle's messages two hours after noon. the instant you read them, your shoulders dropped, your smile faded, and all the excitement drained from your body. those texts still haunt you, a constant reminder of her absence on a day you wanted her by your side the most.

[y/n] it’s okay, don’t worry about it.

you put on your best facade, greeting the viewers with a joyful, upbeat tone, but the rest of the members can see through it. the light in your eyes is dimmed, your smile not as genuine as usual. hyein notices and rubs your hand under the table, offering silent support, trying to lift your spirits on your special day. the others chime in with their own attempts to cheer you up, but the void left by danielle’s absence is hard to fill.

you force a smile. “i’m surrounded by most of my members! i’m very happy to be with them on my special day.”

hyein puts her arm around your shoulder and squeezes you close to hug you from the side, making you giggle. “she’s getting older and older and older… please wish her a long life everyone.”

“hey! i’m not that old…”

“if y/n is old then what am i?” minji questions, quirking a brow at the youngest.

“ancient.”

“hey!”

your members start to bicker playfully, and it washes away a good amount of your worries. the smile on your face stays, though it falters now and then. despite the sadness lurking in the background, you're grateful to be surrounded by those who have supported you. their presence and antics bring some light to your birthday, helping you feel a bit more at ease.

hanni suddenly grips your shoulders, making you jump. “okay~ time for the birthday girls’ gifts!”

she makes you giggle, then moves out of frame to grab a wrapped box. she hands it to you – not without accidentally hitting your head, making you and the members gasp and chuckle – then lets you examine the exterior.

“you’ll love it man.” you roll her eyes at her confident tone.

everyone watches you unwrap the gift, hyein snorts as she watches you struggle to open the box up, having to find a pen to stab it and rip the seal. there are a few things inside, but you grab the larger item out and gasp when you see it.

“hanni you’re– oh my god.” you gaze at the signed daniel caesar vinyl in your hands, mouth wide open. “hanni.”

“yes?”

you stand up immediately to hug her tight, engulfing her in your arms as you sway in place. “thank you so much.”

she rubs your back and hugs you back with the same energy. “seems like my present will be hard to beat, that so?”

you pull away and scoff playfully, sitting back down to inspect whatever else is inside the box. “don’t make it a competition!”

the rest of the live continues, most of your sorrow completely lifted after opening each present. minji gives you a cap with your name on it, along with a necklace you had been eyeing for months, some stationary, and your favorite candies from back home. you marvel at how she managed to get a bag of your favorite sweets, but she just shrugs with a smirk plastered on her face, clearly enjoying the mystery.

haerin’s gift is thoughtful and cute. you ‘re given three different koala keychains (your representative and favorite animal), a cat shirt, a new ds game, and blue light glasses. haerin is attentive to everything, but it still surprised you that she remembered you were missing the ‘y’ version of your favorite pokemon game – and your glasses that you had bought a month ago. she also hands you a letter, it’s full of words that will probably make you tear up later, so you decide to tuck it away for the time being.

hyein gifts you something that makes you laugh until you're leaning against her, nearly crying. her bag contains new earrings that match your style perfectly and your favorite disney movie on dvd. the real kicker, though, is an oversized shirt featuring a popular baby picture of you photoshopped boldly on the front. in the picture, your six-year-old self is sleeping with your head turned uncomfortably and drool seeping from the corner of your lips. the sloppy masking of the image only adds to how hilarious it is, making hanni and minji hold onto each other as they cackle, while haerin has to move out of frame to hide her amusement.

“how did you even get this made?” you ask the youngest member, still clinging onto her and laughing in between words. “oh my god, this is insane.”

“do you like it?”

“i love it hyeinie.” you press a short peck to the top of her head, then pat down her hair. “it’s wonderful.”

she’s smiling brightly, happy that you’re not as sad as before and that you love her gift. hyein has always been full of love and care.

you begin to organize the presents again, looking back at all of them and feeling like the luckiest, happiest girl in the world. after hugging all of your members again, nearly crushing them from how grateful you are.

haerin then brings your cake back in frame, tugging on your sleeve to grab your attention.

you clap your hands. “ah! yes, let’s blow the candle.”

it’s really simple, mundane, and everyone does it – blowing a cake and all, despite yours not being edible – but it makes your cheeks hurt from how much you smile. everyone enthusiastically sings ‘happy birthday’ and you sit there like a child all giddy. once they’re all done, you close your eyes and clasp your hands, making a silent wish in your head.

most of the wishes are simply you wishing for your grandparents to be well and healthy, and you wished the same for your members. you also wished for one more thing, something on a whim, but it would make you even happier than you are right now.

i wish danielle were here.

you silently go over each wish again, unaware of hanni opening the door behind you, someone walking in silently and quickly rushing over to stand behind you.

opening your eyes, you grin and blow the candles out, then jump and shout in surprise when you feeling someone’s arms around you and their body pressed against you from behind.

danielles scent is recognizable, and so is her voice, heavy with accent. “happy birthday!”

you turn around in surprise, looking up at her with wide eyes and your jaw dropped. she moves her hand to the crook of your neck, the other resting on your shoulder as she looks at your expression.

“dani? you– you said you couldn’t–”

“i’m sorry, i had to pick up your present and surprise you. was it too harsh?”

you felt you heart break into pieces when you had received her texts, but still answer, “no, absolutely not.”

she hugs you again and you sink into her embrace. minji and hanni exchange knowing glances, hyein and haerin just smile at how sweet the moment it is.

you end the live shortly after, with danielle explaining to the viewers that her present for you is something very special that she needs to show off-camera. the group continues chatting about you and your birthday, with haerin snickering at hyein’s remarks. danielle stays where she is, standing behind your chair with her arms around you, her fingers grazing your skin in a way that makes you swoon. minji and hanni silently communicate with each other through their eyes and brows, sharing a knowing look about the bond between you and danielle.

you couldn’t be any happier.

–

it turns out that you can be happier.

once the livestream ends, you all help clean up the studio. minji tries to suck in helium from the balloons, while hanni and hyein run around trying to stop her, adding to the lighthearted chaos. despite the playful antics, the six of you manage to clean up quickly. each member hugs you tightly, danielle hugging you last. as she pulls away, she gives a look to each of the members, silently sending them off with goodbyes and “see you back at home’s.” soon, it’s just you and danielle back in the empty studio after she had dragged you back inside.

“i’m sorry again, but i had to grab you some special things.”

“it’s okay, really.” you lie, knowing you probably would’ve went back home and sulked for a bit. you look at the bag in her hands, then giggle. “is that for me?”

“yes miss birthday girl!”

you laugh and she hands you the bag, it’s smaller than everyone elses, but that doesn’t matter at all.

reaching in, you feel something fluffy. you pull out a small teddy bear about twice the size of your hands, feeling your lips turn up. it’s a bear with a flower in its hand and a small flower crown on top of its head. it’s adorable, but not as much as danielle.

“dani,” you pull her in for another hug. “this is so cute.”

“mhm.” she mumbles, pulling away. “press on its chest.”

“what?”

“just do it.”

you comply, you thumb adding pressure and feeling a small click. there’s a small sound that starts to play, and as soon as you hear the familiar voices, you almost break.

“hi y/n! we miss you and love you and are so so proud of you.” the sound of your grandpa’s voice in the recording makes you freeze.

your grandma speaks next, “we miss you and love you to death. keep it up! you are so amazing and the greatest gift ever, you’ve got this.”

they both speak at the same time next, saying, “from your favorite bunnies: we love you y/n!”

danielle is a little scared as she watches you frozen in place, still clutching the bear she gave you. your lip trembles slightly, and she hears a slight shake in your breath. you stare at the bear in shock, then look up at danielle with tears brimming in your eyes. her heart aches, unsure if your reaction is good or bad, and she takes a hesitant step closer, her voice soft and concerned.

"hey, are you okay?" she asks, reaching out gently to touch your arm.

you grab her wrist and pull her in, engulfing her in the warmest hug you’ve given. “danielle, this is the best gift i’ve ever received.” she can hear you starting to sniffle, not letting go of you and letting your tears stain her hair. “thank you so much, i– i really needed this. you’re seriously the most thoughtful person i know and i just, i can’t explain how much this means to me.”

danielle's heart swells with relief and affection. she hugs you tighter, resting her chin on your shoulder. "i'm so glad you like it," she whispers. "you mean a lot to me, and i wanted to give you something special, something that shows how much i care."

you pull back slightly to look at her, your eyes still glistening with tears. "it’s perfect," you say, your voice choked with emotion. "you’re perfect, oh my god, i love you so much.”

danielle smiles, brushing a stray tear from your cheek. "i’m glad you like it, happy birthday.” she says softly.

“yes, i got it. i can’t believe danielle did all this for me.” you face your ipad, smiling at your grandparents. “i cried you know!”

your grandmas eyes smile with her and you can see the slight wrinkles in the corner of them. “aw, at least they were happy tears. your member, she reached out to us first you know? what a sweetheart…”

“danielle cares for you a lot, you know? she’s a great friend, you keep her close, okay?” your grandpa adds.

friend. the word rings in your ear, stinging a little. danielle is sweeter than honey, caring, loving, and she’s the reason your transition to moving away from home was easier. at the end of the day, no matter how touchy she is with you, how many flirtatious comments and affectionate gestures she gives; danielle is your friend.

at least she’s in your life, you’re grateful for just that.

“yeah,” you chuckle, it’s bittersweet leaving you. “she’s a great friend.”

your grandma leans closer to the camera, smirking. “but if i had to take a guess, i don’t think you’re just a friend to her.”

an awkward laugh leaves your lips. “what are you on about?”

“friends don’t do things as significant as this. your grandpa was my ‘friend’ in college, but none of my friends did the things he did. did the rest of your members do something like this? she cares about you deeply, im sure the other members do too, but this is different y/n.”

“i mean, my members also gave me great gifts.”

“sweetie, danielle reached out to us via facebook and set up a whole thing in order to get this for you.”

“and i’ve seen your little videos with the members, she looks at you differently and clings onto you more than haerin. that says a lot.” your grandpa adds on, raising his brows.

your cheeks start to burn, you roll your eyes and scoff. “i think you’re looking into it too far, seriously. she’s my coworker and friend.”

“y/n, follow your heart. you adore her and you’re trying to push away the feeling because you’re scared of rejection.” your grandma was very good at reading you. too good. “don’t suppress and run away because you’re scared, things will work out.”

“i don’t even know if she likes girls like that, i mean, danielle–”

without any warning, the door of your room is opened suddenly and you jump, dropping your ipad on the mattress and letting out a small yelp.

danielle stands int he doorway in her pajamas. “hey! oh sorry– did i interrupt? sorry i’ll come back later–”

“no! i mean, no.” you clear your throat. “d-did you need something?”

your grandparents can only see the ceiling, but they still hear danielle, “ah, well, i’ll just tell you later when you’re done. are you calling your grandparents?”

“danielle? is that you?” your grandma calls out. “dear, let me see her.”

picking up the ipad and setting it upright again, danielle walks over to where you sit on the bed and leans over so her head is in frame. “mrs. and mr. l/n! hi, how are you?”

“oh danielle, it’s lovely to see you! we’re doing great.” your grandpa responds.

you scoot over and pat down the space next to you, mumbling softly to danielle, “sit here.”

“you sure? i didn’t interrupt, i’ll just say hi and–”

danielle feels you grab her wrist, pulling her down so she’s next to you now. “it’s fine, i swear.” you assure, and danielle just nods.

“oh gosh, you get prettier each time i see you.” your grandpa says in awe (he gets it). “how did y/n react? tell us the full details.”

the member beside you laughs, it’s music to your ears.

“she just stared at it while the audio played and… cried.” she turns to look at you with apologetic eyes. “it was very emotional, but i can assure she loved it. did you?”

“yeah.” you mutter, eyes on danielle as she speaks.

“aw, how adorable. well, we actually have to go. you had something to tell our granddaughter?”

your grandma and grandpa want you dead.

“aw, well i hope to talk to you two for longer next time! stay safe and healthy– oh! and speedy recovery to you mrs. l/n!”

“thanks dear, goodnight you two! happy birthday, we love you.” is the last thing your grandpa says before your grandma blows you a kiss and waves goodbye. the call ends a second later, leaving you and danielle alone.

she turns her head, your faces find themselves a hand apart.

“your grandparents are so lovely.”

you look at her like an idiot. “yeah.”

“i’m sorry to cut your call short, really–”

“no! no, it’s okay. what did you want to tell me?”

“well,” she starts, her gaze fixed on her hands. she looks nervous, and it makes you nervous as well. “i kind of was wondering…” you gulp, hearing the hesitation in her voice. she does that thing, the little nervous lip bite that’s both adorable and nerve-racking at the same time. “you know, the vacation we have is soon, and you’re here in seoul for the first week. i figured that might be boring, considering all of us will be out and with family, you know? and you, you’re still here.”

her words hang in the air, the weight of her uncertainty pressing down on both of you. you can feel the anticipation building, your heart pounding in your chest as you try to decipher her intentions. the idea of spending the first week of vacation alone had been a bit daunting, and the thought that danielle had been thinking about you, about your potential loneliness, makes your heart swell with a mix of hope and anxiety.

“and…?”

“well…” you focus on each curve of her side profile, eyes softening as she continues. “how does australia sound? with me, my hometown to be exact. oh! but only for a few days of course! i know your grandparents are visiting and yeah, that’s– that’s what i wanted to ask.”

you can’t help but chuckle at how she fiddles her fingers, how she avoids your gaze, and really just her all nervous like this. it’s cute, she’s cute.

(everytime you’re with her, it seems that you fall more and more.

it seems impossible, but she finds a way to make it possible everytime.)

“danielle, i mean, this is so sudden but i would love to.” you reach out to put a hand on hers, danielle feels her heartbeat start to simmer back into its normal pace. “your family is fine with it?”

“they’re the ones who suggested it actually, and i know that one time when we were trainees you said you always wanted to visit where i grew up and i got giddy that time just thinking about it so of course i jumped at the idea and–” she cuts herself off after looking back up to see you. you’re grinning and your head is leaning against the headboard now. “sorry, i’m–”

“no, i like it. i’ll go.”

danielle sighs in relief. “okay good because i had bought the tickets a month ago when you mentioned staying in seoul for a week–”

“what?”

all you can do is laugh again, making danielle laugh too.

the first interaction you had with danielle had already piqued your curiosity. the memory replays in your head as you wait for the coffee you had ordered in the airport.

you were a new trainee, fumbling through the maze of hallways in search of the training room you had been reassigned to at the last minute. your korean was rudimentary at best—reading it was manageable, but grasping the full meaning took considerable effort and time. conversations were a challenge, your speech a mix of broken sentences and unintentional informalities that made interactions awkward.

every sign you passed seemed to blur together, each character a puzzle you struggled to piece together. the unfamiliar surroundings only heightened your anxiety, making every misstep feel monumental. your heart raced with a mix of frustration and determination as you looked down at the paper in your hand, clearly too focused on it as you collided with someone.

“shit–” you whisper, then rush out a botched, formal “sorry,”

you look at the girl in front of you, waving her hand and patting herself down. she looks at you worriedly, then says a little too quickly, “im so sorry! are you okay? i should’ve looked where i was going!”

“what?” you say in english. she’s speaking formally, it’s hard to decipher with your limited vocabulary and experience with others. you shake your head and mutter in accented korean, “sorry, w-what did you, um, what did you say?”

“ah,” the realization hits her, your confusion and accent told her enough. “do you speak english?”

her accent is strong, very recognizable which helps your body relax. she’s aussie, thank god. you think to yourself, then nod at the girl.

“yes, fluently. my korean is not the best, sorry. it takes a bit to understand.”

“it’s no problem! i was just asking if you’re okay– i really should’ve watched where i was going.”

hurriedly, you wave your hands in the air. “no! no. i wasn’t looking, i was trying to read the paper and clashed into you.”

“it’s alright, at least we’re both fine!” you loved her radiant energy the moment you met her. the girl, you had bumped into already seemed to calm you down. even the first meeting, a simple collision, brought you some peace despite all of your stress as a trainee. “you’re having trouble with the paper? let me help.”

you hand her the paper. “thank you so much.”

“no worries, really.” she says before reading. “it says you’re moved to room 153– oh! i was just heading there!”

“really?”

“yeah! come with me!”

“thank you so much… um, your name?”

“danielle! yours?”

you take some time to examine her. danielle is really pretty, and if you hadn’t bumped into her at first you would’ve spent more time admiring her face. she had these beauty marks on her face that could rival any constellation, and the way her eyes lit up without even trying was enough to keep you captivated.

you gulped. “y/n.”

“pretty name.” she says, then grabs your hand and drags you in the other direction. “you know,” she giggles, “maybe it was a miracle that you ran into me.”

it was nothing short of a miracle, and honestly, it felt like something beyond that. had you not bumped into her that day, you might never have found your way to the training room. more importantly, you wouldn’t have met the person who would become your friend. danielle, with her effortless kindness and patience, helped you navigate and bear with the troubles of being a trainee in a place away from home. she assisted you in improving your korean, and provided the emotional support you desperately needed. she was your rock.

without danielle, you would have been lost, both literally and figuratively. her guidance made everything seem less overwhelming; she turned every challenge into a manageable task, and somehow, she managed to stay upbeat too.

if it weren’t for her, you probably wouldn’t have debuted, you really wouldn’t have come this far.

and without her influence, you wouldn’t be in the airport trying to find her so you can give her that latte she wanted you to order. you catch her in the blue hoodie she had been wearing, walking towards her immediately and watching her eyes crinkle when she sees you. even with her mask on, she’s lovely.

–

seeing danielle reunite with her family almost brings tears to your eyes. she’s crying as she hugs her sister, mom, and dad, you smile at the sight. it’s clear she’s missed them; who wouldn’t miss the people they loved most while being a long flight away?

“oh! y/n, come here!” danielle pulls away from her parents to drag you over by the hand.

her mom looks you up and down, smiling at your awkward self in your oversized graphic t-shirt and sweatpants. she puts her hands on either side of your shoulder, then pulls you in for a hug. “y/n, it’s great to see you again.”

“likewise.” you hug her back.

danielle’s dad joins in, wrapping his arms around you two as well. “don’t leave me out!” and it prompts danielle’s sister to hug you too.

“hey! i want hugs too!” danielle jumps over, and now you’re engulfed in a multihug, but who would complain?

–

“no really, it’s alright! i don’t want to trouble you any more. i can settle myself in, really.” you’re trying your best to fight off each attempt at helping you relax into the guest room next to danielle’s, dismissing every family member until it’s danielle.

she pouts. “you sure? are you posssiiittivveeee~”

“dani,” you hold her fingers. “i’m so positive that i’m negative.” you put a hand up to interrupt her before she even speaks. “and no that doesn’t mean i need your help, seriously. go see your family, i’ll meet you all soon.”

she’s frowning now. “fine, fine. meet in the living room?”

“yes, i’ll take ten minutes tops.”

“you sure?”

“more positive than a plus sign.”

danielle giggles, and so do you. she holds both of your hands and you two stare at each other for a good while. she’d love to spend a few minutes helping you unpack. the action is mundane, but that’s what she likes to do most with you. she could be watching paint dry and as long as it’s with you, she’d enjoy every second.

you forget how to breathe for a moment until she releases her hands. she winks at you, then heads out the door, leaving you flushed.

you wonder how you’ll survive for the next few days.

–

you manage to survive the first day. it consists of you following danielle around (not that you’re against it) and your eyes widening with each new sight.

every car ride, your head is angled towards the window, captivated by the passing scenery. danielle’s gaze also falls on the window, but not for the view it offers. instead, she watches you, memorizing your features with a quiet intensity. she already knows every contour of your face by heart; a simple touch, even blindfolded, would be enough for her to recognize you.

you, however, are too entranced by the world outside to notice her adoration. the vibrant trees, the shimmering water in the distance, and the people going about their lives with smiles on their faces all hold your attention. the landscape unfolds like a living painting, and you are lost in its beauty.

danielle finds her own kind of beauty in watching you, her heart swelling with each small expression of wonder that crosses your face.

from morning to sunset, the day is filled with shared giggles, smiles, and endless affection. danielle leads you to each of her favorite spots in the city, eagerly sharing the anecdotes that make each place special to her. the two of you are like peas in a pod—she talks and talks, and you listen intently, soaking up every word.

as you explore the city together, danielle's excitement is infectious. she points out the café where she first realized espresso based drinks weren’t all that bad. then she takes you to the park where she used to sit and clear her mind, mentioning that she dropped an ice cream cone at a bench near a tall tree as a child. and you learn that the little bookstore tucked away in a quiet alley is where she discovered her favorite novel. each place holds a piece of her heart, and she's sharing it all with you.

(another piece of her heart, you, mingling with the others like puzzle pieces clicking together.)

you let her take as many pictures as she wants, capturing every moment to savor later. whether it's a candid shot of you laughing at one of her stories, a moment where you’re caught of guard, or a scenic view of the sunset you both admire; you pose willingly, knowing how much these memories mean to her. because really, you'll do anything for danielle. her joy is your joy, and her stories are now part of your shared narrative, weaving a tapestry of cherished memories that belong to both of you now.

when the two of you make it back home to her home in the evening after a tiring, eventful day with her and her family, you realize that yeah, you’re in love with her.

you’re in love with her beyond anything, you could breathe danielle.

it’s never been a question, really, loving her and all. but you’ve seen her at each moment in time and your first day with her where she grew up ties the knot tighter. it should hurt your heart, the feeling that it might not be reciprocated, but you’re too distracted by how happy she is to plate everyone’s dinner to let it get to you.

besides, maybe your grandma was right.

you trust her intuition, but you need some more reassurance.

–

on the second day in the afternoon, you’re helping out her grandparents with cooking pastries. you’re mixing the batter for banana bread and danielle’s chin is on her palm as she watches you attentively.

a soft tune is playing and you're humming along, the melody bringing a relaxed smile to your face. the family dog, jinni, keeps brushing against your leg, wagging her tail eagerly. your laughter rings out, light and infectious, and danielle can't help but think that your laughter is much more pleasing to the ear than whatever plays in the background.

danielle's gaze remains fixed on you, a tender smile forming on her lips as she watches you interact with jinni. there's something mesmerizing about the way you move, the way you laugh, and the effortless joy you radiate.

her reverie is interrupted when her sister taps her shoulder, pulling her back to the present moment. danielle turns, humming softly in response, but her thoughts are still with you, the image of your laughter lingering in her mind.

“dani, you’re in love.”

“lower your voice!” danielle hushes her. “i– i’m not.”

“you look like the lead of a romance film.”

“well,” danielle sighs in defeat after glancing at you again. her grandma has found a small spoon and is scooping a bit of the batter to feed you. your eyes light up, and the way your teeth show could stop a storm, danielle thinks. "ugh, it's just, i adore her."

“that’s evident.”

danielle laughs and playfully nudges her sister, then rests her hadn on her palm again.

“she’s beautiful and sweet and– how could someone not love her?”

“you’ve been in love with her ever since you gushed about the ‘pretty girl not from here that can basically only speak english’ when you were a trainee, dani.”

she groans in response and leans against her sister as she watches you again. you pour the batter into the prepared tray, then look over at danielle. you motion for her to walk over and she gets up immediately, but not before catching the knowing look from her sister.

you hold the spatula up and order, “taste.” before she laughs and licks the batter off of it. you raise your brows. “good, right? it’s not too sweet and the perfect amount of banana.”

“it’s amazing.” she fights the urge to say that you are too.

–

danielle takes you to three beaches on the third day, you enjoy watching her splash her feet around in the water before dragging you in, almost soaking the upper half of your linen pants.

“hey! i don’t have a change of clothes!”

“then be quicker!” she says in between giggles, “don’t be a scaredy cat!”

“i’m not!”

her sister follows the two of you to the pier-like structure, a rocky outcrop covered in green organisms that squish underfoot, eliciting a mix of surprised noises from you and laughter from both danielle and her sister. the scene is serene, with the sound of waves lapping against the rocks in the background.

danielle takes your hand, guiding you along despite the squishy algae underfoot. she shares another anecdote, this time about how she and her sister used to swim until they were the last ones in the water, far out where the bigger waves crashed. you listen intently, captivated by her storytelling, and without realizing it, your fingers intertwine. her hand may be smaller, but it fits perfectly in yours, as if they were meant to be connected all along.

as danielle reminisces, her eyes sparkle with fond memories, and a soft smile plays on her lips. the gentle breeze ruffles your hair as you both stand there, sharing a moment that feels suspended in time, it really feels like you’re stuck in time and place the longer you stare. her features are highlighted by the rays of sun shining and you can’t seem to take your eyes off of her.

“you guys look like a couple.”

at the same time, you and danielle turn your heads around, cheeks pooling with embarrassment. “hey!” danielle shouts, but her hand doesn’t leave yours, and neither does she step away from you.

the thought of looking like you’re together doesn’t bother you one bit, if anything, it seems right.

–

her, her family, and you all go to the last beach together with clothing suited for swimming. danielle ends up dragging you toward the water eagerly, she makes you trip and fall. the taste of saltwater overwhelms your tongue, and before you know it, you’re grabbing danielle and dragging her down with you.

laughter fills the air, her family joins in on the splashing, and her dad has managed to splash you so hard that you slip and fall again. the feeling is overwhelming, your heart might burst.

after you all spend time in the water, the rest of the time at the beach is spent on a towel where the sand is. you dig your feet into the sand, as you listen to her parents sharing stories that make you smile wide – you’ve already been smiling so much the whole trip, but they manage to make you smile more and more. it’s apparent that danielle is the way she is because of how wonderful her family is, and maybe you’re just as wonderful after being around her these past years.

“y/n, did you go to the beach often when you were younger?”

your head shoots up at the question her mom asked, you hum.

“mhm.” your feet dig into the sand a little deeper. “we lived a one hour train ride from a really pretty beach, i learned how to swim there. my grandpa used to fish too, he’d catch one or two fish for us and make either a soup or grill it over rice. and sometimes he’d bring his ukulele so my grandma and i could sing as the sun started to set. i would always fall asleep and wake up on his shoulder as we boarded the train, and then on the way home i was always asleep on my grandma.”

it’s silent for a moment until danielle breaks it. “y/n, that’s so sweet.”

“yeah.” you fight back tears, biting your lip and managing a smile. “being at the beach with you all makes me as happy as i was then too.”

“well i’m really glad, your presence has given us much joy.” her dad says. you look up and giggle.

“yes, and i bet making me fall into the water did too.”

everyone laughs at the playful retort. all of you continue to reminisce and enjoy the scene until her mom decides it’s time to get going. danielle lingers near you, her arm linking with yours because she’s cold and you’re allegedly ‘almost as warm as the sun.’

danielle also lets you fall asleep against her, a light snore making her family turn their heads to see her taking a picture of you and smiling.

“you two are adorable, you know.” her mom says softly, not wanting to wake you up.

danielle nods. “she is.”

–

later that night danielle accompanies you on a late night walk. initially, you wanted to go alone to clear your mind – not that you were troubled, but because you needed designated alone time. however, danielle is a worrier, and for you, it’s tenfold.

her arm brushes yours every now and then, she doesn’t fill the silence knowing how you are. the feeling in the air is calming and every worry is gone.

you look ahead and practically breathe out, “dani.”

“yeah?”

“i’m really happy.”

“i’m glad.”

“like, so happy.”

she moves to hold your hand again, your fingers interwining purposefully. “i’m happy that you are.”

"i'm really overwhelmed," you sigh softly, finding respite on a small bench nestled in the park where you've wandered together. sitting beside her, you pause, a mix of happiness and longing evident in your eyes. "seeing you with your family... it just fills me with this warmth. you know, i've never had that closeness with my parents. they've never really understood or supported me. you know how it is." you confess, feeling her reassuring grip tighten around you.

you tilt your head back, gazing up at the sky painted in hues of twilight, a gentle smile gracing your lips. "i'm not jealous, not at all, like, seriously. it's just... i'm so happy. your family is so loving and wonderful, and you," you turn to meet her eyes, heart swelling with affection, "you're just... yeah, really great."

she laughs quietly, leaning against you so her head is on your shoulder.

“well, you’re really great too.”

“maybe.”

“definitely.”

danielle coaxes you into staying in her room for a bit. she’s laid next to you on her phone and you can hear the small breaths she takes. you’re hyperaware of everything, despite being on your phone.

you notice the way she curls up closer to you, how she puts her phone down and turns to stare at you.

“what?”

“nothing, you can keep going on your phone.”

“well now i don’t want to.”

“aw, i guess you’ll have to pay attention to me then.”

your features soften upon meeting her.

danielle has always been a sight for sore eyes. you really just wanted to pursue your dreams, singing, dancing, and being on stage. you didn’t expect to be lying next to someone so ethereal, eyes bright even in the dimmed room, making your heart skip a few beats here and there.

what are you thinking? you want to question, you want to know if she sees the same glow in you as you do with her. is this okay? what do we have?

“you’ve always been so pretty y/n.” she breaks the silence. her hand reaches over and her kunckles graze your skin. “i can never stop staring.”

uneasiness settles in, your heart starts to roll around in your chest. it’s terrifying, the thought that everything could be mutual. you’ve always been avoidant, and especially now with her staring at you like you’re the world and beyond, you’re trying to escape her hold.

you turn your head away to face the ceiling. “you praise me too much.”

“everytime i look at you i think… you’re the person i want to wake up next to everyday, i want to cook us breakfast and make you more than just a bowl of yogurt and berries and–” you turn to face her again, and now she’s closer. “i want to be the one that sees the sun hit your face first thing in the morning.”

“danielle i–” it’s terrifying, you never thought you’d get this far. the drowsiness and the fact that it’s past twelve makes you hesitate, people just say things at this hour. “i should go to sleep.”

“stay,” she holds your wrist.

“i’m scared.”

her eyes soften. “of?”

your lips part, and suddenly, you can't recall why fear ever gripped you in the first place. allowing yourself to be embraced by the affection of the other members had been a daunting step, but growing under danielle's adoration felt as effortless as reciting your abcs. it came naturally, flowing with ease and simplicity. there was never a need to second-guess, never a hesitation.

she blinks, then her eyes land on your lips, and back to your eyes.

“i, i don’t know.”

“then stay.” she mumbles, her voice is soft and low before she takes your breath away.

she kisses you and everything around you fades into nothing because all you can focus on is her. the way her hand holds your face, so gently as if you might break if it were any rougher, makes you melt. you’ve never kissed anyone, but thankfully she’s the first. and the soft feeling of her top lip sliding in between your own lips makes you think that you really want her to be the last too.

she pulls away and you both pause for a moment, basking in the moment before meeting again. flowers bloom, waves crash, thunder claps; danielle is kissing you and nothing has every felt better.

the two of you pull away to stare at each other in awe, that is, until you lean in eagerly again it catches her by surprise. her arms are around your neck and she starts to giggle as you climb on top of her, peppering kisses along the curve of her jaw, down to her neck, and the dip of her collarbone.

“i love you.” it sounds out like a prayer.

“i love you more.”

“no way.” you roll your eyes before attacking her with kisses again until she’s trying to push you off from how ticklish it all is.

the night draws to a close with your head nestled comfortably on danielle's shoulder, her fingers gently tracing soothing patterns on your scalp. a sense of calm settles over you both, sleep slowly claiming your consciousness. your heartbeats synchronize and your breathing steadies, the shared intimacy deepens, until you’re cocooned in a mutual understanding.

in the quiet of the night, danielle shifts, prompting you to instinctively roll closer, draping an arm over her from behind. your hands find each other naturally, fingers intertwining even while you’re both dead asleep.

[danielle PHONING update]

🐶: hi everyone! i’ve been on vacation 🐶: i’ve never been happier, really. 🐶: take care of yourselves and stay healthy! 🐶: i’m very happy, seriously attachment: six images

minji stares at the notification, still half asleep, but as she scrolls through each photo, a soft smile graces her lips. she admires the picturesque beach view, the shirt danielle had bought, and the adorable snapshot of her dog.

her eyes widen with surprise at the last three pictures, but a warmth spreads through her heart. in the first, she sees the side of your face against a backdrop of a stunning sunset. the next captures you and danielle leaning into each other, a moment of intimacy frozen in time. the final photo shows you gazing into the distance, danielle's hand playfully squishing your cheeks together, both of you making silly duck faces with laughter lighting up your eyes.

and then another notification pops up, making minji nearly choke on the water she had sipped on.

[danielle PHONING update]

🐶: almost forgot this one ;-) attachment: one image

the picture shows you being kissed on the cheek by danielle, your cheeks burning from the contact.

a few seconds later she gets a call, the contact ‘bbang hanni’ popping up at the top of her screen. minji picks up immediately.

“did you see?”

“i saw.” minji says, still staring at the picture. “we are so interrogating them when they’re back.”

“good cop bad cop?”

“good cop bad cop.”

#kpop x reader #newjeans x reader #new jeans x reader #newjeans danielle #danielle marsh x reader #danielle x reader #danielle marsh #mo jihye #mo jihye x reader #newjeans fluff #newjeans imagines

796 notes · View notes

taeiun · 1 year ago

Text

this love is small.

synopsis: some of the little things that they do in your relationship

who: zb1 x gn!reader (not including yujin)

categories: fluff, some crack, headcanon styled scenarios

warnings: mentions of food in jiwoong + taerae's parts, light swearing

word count: 1.1k

✧ JIWOONG !

✧ jiwoong gains a newly formed sixth sense when it comes to your needs; he knows your favourite snacks by heart and also picks up if you guys are low on them without even looking at the cabinet. you don’t even need to ask him to grab a snack for you because he’ll just know. probably knows when those foods are on sale before you even open your mouth to tell him. like, he’s probably already picked up three bags of those chips you really enjoyed last time and they’re waiting on the counter for you.

✧ will send you a notes app shopping list so that you don’t get jumped scared by the random appearance of shrimp chips and sour candies constantly and wonder how they got there half the time when you both haven’t even talked about being out of them.

✧ ZHANG HAO !

✧ hao keeps a collection of short, vlog-like recordings of the two of you in a private, for his eyes only folder on his phone. he watches these whenever he misses you or feels down and needs a pick me up. these videos will range from past dates, his commentary as he records you sleeping, to not even a two second moment of you laughing. you might find the angles unflattering, but he treasures each and everyone, watching them with a goofy ahah smile on his face.

✧ the others have 100% definitely, not even up for question, walked in on him in the middle of a watching session. he’ll just be sitting curled up in bed, blanket draped around him, with the lights turned off and earbuds plugged into his phone. this ends two ways. 1) the member leaves before he can notice and all is well or 2) they tease him only to end up with a pillow to the face

✧ HANBIN !

✧ whenever he’s on tour or can’t see you for long periods of time, hanbin will keep a list of things that happen throughout the days he’s gone to share with you. he never wants you to feel left out of his life and wants full communication with things. he can send you all the pictures you want of his travels, but nothing beats the actual stories.

✧ he mainly keeps tabs of things he did but will include the members’ shenanigans if he thinks they’ll make you laugh. starts a new list every time he has to leave and each one is dated, the activities labeled for what day and the time gone written at the top.

✧ MATTHEW !

✧ a big chatterbox when it comes to you, especially when it comes to his family. phone calls, messages, will even in emails to relatives, the conversation will drift to you no matter the topic. the only criteria needed for this to happen is for someone to simply breath in his direction.

✧ matthew pivots the conversation so fast that it gives his family whiplash. they aren’t complaining though; it’s nice to see him so happy and they can tell just how much he cares about your relationship. he wants them to love you as much as he does and by telling them these fond memories, he’s sure they will.

✧ TAERAE !

✧ the silly man he is, taerae will send you selfie updates throughout the day of where he is. you could probably make and sell your own bootleg, limited edition, taerae of zb1 pcs with how many you get from him. from walks to the company building to convenience store runs, he’s always sending you a picture of when he leaves to when he arrives at the destination as a way of assurance he’s safe.

✧ stores all of these in a folder labeled “for yn and yn only” and refuses to post them publicly, no matter how good you tell him some of them are. the background settings of his photos are always interesting. sometimes the members will be there, sometimes it’s while he’s in a storage closet. it’s funny until you wake up to find selfies of him at mcdonalds at 4 am with a handful of chicken nuggets shoved in his mouth.

✧ RICKY !

✧ spoils you so much. he knows that love doesn’t mean the amount of money you spend on someone but he can’t help but buy trinkets that remind him of you. the thought process is basically just: “oh. this kind of looks like yn.” and proceeds to checkout with a ditto keychain. ricky pays close attention to what type of accessories you tend to wear and prefer for this very reason. if your ears are pierced, you’ll find a new pair waiting for you on your desk that look eerily similar to his… like what? nooooo he totally didn’t go and buy subtle matching stuff pfttt nah- ok yes. please wear it; coordinate matching outfits with him.

✧ also, don’t bother asking for the prices of these things. he’ll never tell you because he knows that you’ll pay him back and he doesn’t want that. he doesn’t expect anything back and wants to make sure that you understand that he wants to do these things. you also probably won’t want to know because oof scary.

✧ GYUVIN !

✧ omfg he will abuse voice memo privileges to hell and back in order to let you in on dumb jokes and random thoughts. gyuvin constantly has his phone close within his reach just because of this so that he never misses the chance to blow your mind with… whatever falls from his mouth. even when in bed. the voice memos range from “i love you so much i don’t know what i’d do without you” to “did you know you are always within three meters of a spider?”. you never know if you’ll be swooning or sleeping with one eye open with these.

✧ the worst ones come at night for sure; he’ll wake up suddenly, blindly search for his phone, string together a weird ass sentence that only he’d be able to decipher, send it, then knock himself out again and sleep without remorse for his actions. he should be paying for your icloud with how much storage he clogs with those messages.

✧ GUNWOOK !

✧ he’s classically cheesy in a way and sends you screenshotted song lyrics that describe his feelings or remind him of you. “#LiterallyUs” and it’s paper rings by taylor swift. can be unserious about it though. one time, you couldn’t hang out with him because of exams and he responded with “tell me why / ain’t nothin but a heartache”.

✧ there are times where gunwook will not only send the lyrics, but also a clip of him singing that certain part of the song. he mainly sends these versions at night from the bathroom, and you wonder how none of the others have stormed into the room and told him to shut up.

^ . _ . ^ !? told myself to take it easy and not post again this week but um... this is a heavily edited fic from my old blog @/luvjiun that ive been meaning to repost. hehe ok junjun out >_<

707 notes · View notes

niallerspayno · 16 days ago

Text

Troublemaker (Liam Payne x reader) - Fic Request

Anonymous request: Can you do a Liam one. I have no preference on the context of the fic, I just want something to read since I miss him a lot

Author's note: She’s the sixth member of 1D, flirty and loves causing chaos with Louis. This makes her Daddy Directioner’s worst nightmare! And I miss Liam too, I hope this makes you smile❤️‍🩹

Tags: Liam x reader, slight angst, fluff at the end, kinda enemies/friends to lovers

Masterlist

You dart down the narrow backstage hallway, laughing so hard your stomach aches. “You’ll never catch me, Lou!” you shout over your shoulder, your voice echoing against the walls. Louis is hot on your heels, equally breathless but determined, the kind of grin that spells trouble plastered across his face.

“Tag, you’re it!” he yells, lunging and narrowly missing your arm as you twist around a corner.

It’s chaos, pure and simple, but that’s nothing new for you and Louis. From the moment you became the sixth member of One Direction, you two have been inseparable partners in mischief. You’re the spark to his fire, the chaos to his carefully planned pranks. It drives Liam absolutely mad.

Speaking of Liam—

“Will you two stop it already?” His exasperated voice cuts through the commotion like a school teacher trying to control a class of rowdy kids. He’s standing near the catering table, arms crossed, jaw tight. His “Daddy Directioner” energy is in full swing, but you can tell he’s trying not to blow up entirely. There’s a show to put on in less than an hour, and the two of you are treating it like recess.

Niall is doubled over in laughter, barely managing to sip his tea. “This is the best pre-show entertainment ever,” he wheezes, while Harry leans against the wall, egging Louis on with shouts of, “Go on, mate, you’ve got her this time!”

Zayn, cool as ever, leans back in his chair with a smirk, his eyes flicking between you and Louis like he’s watching a live-action sitcom.

“Liam, you should join in,” you tease, shooting him a cheeky grin as you duck behind a rack of costumes. You don’t miss the way his jaw tightens even further. “Might loosen you up a bit.”

“Some of us have responsibilities,” he snaps, stalking toward you. “Unlike certain people who seem determined to injure themselves before we’ve even stepped on stage.”

Louis appears out of nowhere, lunging again and narrowly missing you. “Come on, Liam, live a little!” he calls out, dodging around a stagehand who’s clearly given up on questioning your antics.

“Absolutely not,” Liam replies, his tone firm. But the faintest hint of a smile pulls at the corners of his mouth, and you know you’ve got him exactly where you want him.

This is your life—touring with the five boys who’ve become your family, bringing chaos wherever you go, and somehow always dragging Liam along for the ride.

Louis slides to a stop next to you, both of you breathless but grinning like maniacs. “She’s too quick for you, Liam!” he teases, resting his hands on his knees. “Face it, mate, you’ve got no chance.”

Liam’s glare sharpens as he adjusts his hat—his signature hat. “I wouldn’t have to chase anyone if you two could just act like adults for once.”

You gasp, feigning offense. “Act like adults? Where’s the fun in that?”

Niall, perched on the arm of a nearby couch, nearly chokes on his tea from laughing so hard. “Liam, mate, just give up now. You’re never gonna win.”

Harry, sprawled out on the couch like royalty, smirks. “I dunno, I think he’s got a shot if he actually tries. Though…” His eyes flick to you and Louis, full of amusement. “They’re on fire today.”

Zayn chuckles quietly from his chair, watching the chaos unfold like a front-row spectator at his favorite show.

You lean toward Louis, speaking just loud enough for Liam to hear. “Hey, Lou. You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Louis’s grin turns downright wicked. “Oh, definitely.”

“Don’t even start,” Liam warns, already stepping back like he knows what’s coming.

Too late. You spring forward, making a grab for Liam’s hat. He’s quick, ducking out of your reach, but Louis darts in from the side and plucks it clean off his head.

“Got it!” Louis shouts, holding the hat high like a trophy as he takes off running.

“Louis!” Liam roars, chasing after him.

You laugh, cutting around Liam to intercept. Louis tosses the hat to you mid-run, and you catch it with ease, holding it above your head as you twirl away from Liam’s grasp. “Come and get it, Payno!” you tease, dancing just out of reach.

“Give it back!” Liam’s tone is firm, but the faint smile tugging at his lips gives him away. He’s trying to stay mad, but you know he secretly loves the chaos—at least a little bit.

“Not a chance,” you call, dodging behind Niall, who nearly spills his tea again.

“Careful, Liam!” Harry shouts, his laughter ringing out. “You might actually break a sweat before the show starts!”

Liam lunges for you again, but you’re too quick, darting around a stack of equipment cases. Just when you think you’re safe, a pair of strong arms wrap around your waist, pulling you back against a solid chest.

“Gotcha,” Liam murmurs, his breath warm against your ear.

Your laugh catches in your throat as you glance up at him, your heart skipping a beat at the triumphant glint in his eyes. “Well, this is a nice surprise,” you say, tilting your head with a teasing smile.

“Hand it over,” he demands, his grip firm but not unpleasant.

“Or what?” you challenge, your tone dripping with mock innocence. “You gonna keep holding me like this? Because I don’t mind.”

You feel him stiffen slightly, his cheeks turning pink as he tries to maintain his stern demeanor. “Don’t test me,” he mutters, though his voice wavers just enough to betray him.

Louis, watching from a safe distance, bursts into laughter. “Liam, you’re supposed to scare her, not flirt back!”

“I’m not flirting!” Liam snaps, his arms still securely around you.

You laugh, leaning back against him. “No, but you’re definitely blushing.”

That earns a chorus of laughter from the rest of the boys, and Liam groans, finally releasing you. He snatches the hat out of your hand, jamming it back onto his head with a huff.

“You’re impossible,” he mutters, glaring at you as you flash him a triumphant grin.

“But you love it,” you reply, your voice light and teasing.

Liam doesn’t answer, but the slight curve of his lips as he turns away is all the confirmation you need.

…

The crowd is electric, thousands of fans screaming as the lights dim for the next song. You stand near Louis on stage, buzzing with energy, your mic in hand as you wave to the audience.

Beside you, Louis nudges your shoulder, leaning close so only you can hear. “What do you reckon? Should we shake things up a bit?”

You glance at him, a mischievous smile creeping across your face. “Always.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot Liam on the other side of the stage, chatting with Harry as he adjusts his mic stand. His focus is elsewhere, which is exactly what you need.

Louis crouches down and grabs two water bottles from the edge of the stage, handing one to you. “You ready?” he asks, barely able to contain his laughter.

“Born ready,” you reply, uncapping the bottle.

The timing is perfect. Just as Liam takes a step toward center stage, you and Louis simultaneously aim and squeeze, sending streams of water straight at him.

The crowd erupts in cheers and laughter as Liam freezes in shock, water dripping from his hair and down his shirt. He stares at you both, wide-eyed, before holding up a hand to stop the music.

“Really?” he says into his mic, his tone caught between disbelief and amusement. “During the show?”

You shrug innocently, holding the water bottle behind your back. “Couldn’t resist,” you say, batting your lashes.

Louis, of course, doubles down. “You looked like you needed cooling off, mate!”

Liam shakes his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Alright, you asked for it.” He bends down, grabbing his own water bottle.

Before you can react, he retaliates, squeezing a jet of water straight at you. You yelp, dodging behind Louis, who immediately uses you as a human shield.

“Traitor!” you shout, laughing as Liam continues his attack.

“Serves you right!” Liam calls back, aiming another stream of water that narrowly misses you.

Harry and Niall are no help at all, both doubled over with laughter on the other side of the stage. “This is the best show ever!” Niall manages to choke out.

Zayn, cool and collected as always, steps back to avoid the chaos entirely, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Leave me out of it.”

Dodging another spray, you duck behind an equipment case, only for Liam to corner you, his water bottle raised and a triumphant grin on his face. “Nowhere to run,” he says, his voice low enough that only you can hear.

You tilt your head, deliberately stepping closer until the water bottle is inches from your chest. “Oh no, Liam,” you purr, your voice playful. “What ever will I do? Guess I’m at your mercy now.”

His confident smile falters for just a second, and you swear you see a faint blush creep up his neck. “Don’t think you can sweet-talk your way out of this,” he says, though his voice wavers slightly.

You smirk, taking another step forward, and suddenly his bottle is no longer pointed at you but at the floor. “Sweet-talk? Me? Never.”

“Give her what she deserves, Liam!” Louis yells from across the stage, breaking the moment.

Liam blinks, clearly remembering the crowd, and his grin returns. “Alright, fine,” he says, and before you can react, he squeezes the bottle, soaking you from head to toe.

The crowd erupts in laughter and cheers as you stand there, water dripping down your face. You push your hair back dramatically, blinking at him. “Guess I had that coming,” you say, biting your lip as you hold his gaze.

“Definitely,” he replies, his voice softer now.

When you step closer, you hear the audience collectively lose their minds. Reaching out, you grab the brim of his hat and yank it off his head. “You missed a spot,” you tease, swiping the hat across your dripping hair before plopping it onto your own head.

Liam’s jaw drops, and the boys are no help, laughing harder than ever. “Give me that back!” he says, but there’s no real force in his voice.

“You want it?” you ask, taking a few slow steps backward. “Come and get it, Payne.”

The crowd is screaming now as Liam closes the distance between you in a few long strides. Before you know it, he’s wrapped his arms around your waist, lifting you clear off the ground.

“Gotcha again,” he murmurs into your ear, his breath warm and teasing.

You laugh, squirming in his grasp. “This feels a little personal for a hat,” you quip, leaning your head back so you can see his face.

“It’s not just a hat,” he replies, his voice dropping slightly. “It’s my hat.”

You smirk. “And I wear it better.”

For a moment, you swear he forgets the crowd, his eyes locked on yours. The spell only breaks when Louis sprays you both with another jet of water, shouting, “Oi, lovebirds, this is a group effort!”

The laughter starts up again, and Liam finally sets you down, shaking his head with a laugh. “Unbelievable,” he mutters, but there’s no hiding the grin on his face—or the way he’s still looking at you as you slip his hat back onto his head with a wink.

…

The bus hums quietly as it rolls down the dark highway, the post-show adrenaline finally beginning to fade. You’re sprawled out on the couch, legs draped over Louis’s lap as he flicks through his phone, laughing at memes. Harry’s lying upside down in a recliner, his hair hanging toward the floor, while Niall plucks at his guitar, softly strumming the tune of a familiar melody. Zayn’s tucked in a corner with his sketchpad, headphones on but one earbud hanging loose, still listening to the group’s banter.

And then there’s Liam—perched across from you in one of the booths, arms crossed, his hat slightly askew from all the chaos earlier. He’s watching you with that same mix of exasperation and amusement he always has, his gaze lingering just long enough for you to notice.

Finally, he leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Alright,” he says, his voice cutting through the comfortable chatter. “I’ve got to ask—why do you act like that?”

The room quiets slightly, all eyes turning to you. You raise a brow, feigning innocence. “Like what?”

“You know what I mean,” he replies, his tone light but genuinely curious. “The pranks, the teasing, the constant chaos—what’s the deal? Are you trying to drive me insane?”

Louis snorts. “It’s a full-time job, mate.”

“I’m serious!” Liam insists, though he’s smiling now. “You’re relentless. Why?”

You shrug, sitting up and resting your chin on your hand. “Honestly? Because it’s fun.”

Liam groans, but you cut him off before he can respond. “No, really. Think about it—how many people get to do what we’re doing right now? Touring the world, performing for thousands of fans, living the dream? It’s insane.”

You gesture around the bus, your smile softening. “We’ve got the opportunity of a lifetime, Liam. Why not make the most of it? Why not have fun while we’re at it?”

Harry hums in agreement from his upside-down position. “She’s got a point.”

“And I like seeing you all riled up,” you add with a smirk, locking eyes with Liam. “You’re cute when you’re frustrated.”

The group erupts in laughter, Louis clapping his hands together. “I’ve been saying that for years!”

Liam groans again, but the faint blush creeping up his neck betrays him. “You’re impossible,” he mutters, shaking his head.

“Impossibly charming,” you correct, leaning back with a grin.

“She’s not wrong,” Niall chimes in, strumming a playful chord on his guitar.

Zayn finally looks up from his sketchpad, a faint smirk on his lips. “She’s definitely got you figured out, mate.”

“Yeah, she does,” Harry agrees, flipping upright in his chair. “What I want to know is, why do you let her get to you so much?”

That earns a round of teasing “oohs” from the group, and Liam sighs, running a hand down his face. “I don’t let her get to me.”

“You totally do,” Louis says, grinning. “It’s like watching a rom-com in real life.”

“More like a sitcom,” Niall adds, laughing.

Liam looks at you then, his gaze softer now. “You’re not gonna stop, are you?”

“Not a chance,” you reply, your voice low enough that the others barely hear. “But admit it—you’d miss it if I did.”

For a moment, he doesn’t say anything, just holds your gaze like he’s trying to figure you out. Then, finally, he sighs and leans back in his seat, a small smile playing on his lips. “You’re lucky I’m a patient man.”

“And you’re lucky I make life interesting,” you shoot back, your grin widening.

The group dissolves into laughter again, and the conversation shifts to lighter topics. But as the night wears on, you catch Liam sneaking glances at you, that same unreadable expression in his eyes. Maybe he’s finally starting to understand why you do what you do—or maybe he’s realizing he doesn’t mind it as much as he pretends to.

…

The next day’s rehearsal starts out relatively normal, but as usual, normal doesn’t last long when you’re around.

You and Louis, of course, are up to your usual tricks, looking for ways to make the most of your time backstage while the rest of the band is getting ready. You spot a cart full of stage props and equipment, just begging for some creative intervention.

Louis catches your eye and grins. “What do you reckon? Time to have a little fun?”

You laugh, already knowing what he’s thinking. “Absolutely.”

Within minutes, you’ve hijacked the cart, grabbing a few random props—a feather duster, a fake mustache, and a plastic horn—and begin marching around like a pair of lunatics, causing a ruckus. You sneak up on Harry, who’s sitting on the couch, earphones in, oblivious to the chaos brewing.

With one swift motion, you sneak the mustache over his face. He pulls it off, confused, but by that point, you’ve moved on to spraying Niall’s guitar with some random glitter you found in one of the boxes.

The group starts to take notice, but Liam’s the last one to figure it out. You see him across the room, still in his own world, checking his phone, blissfully unaware.

You lock eyes with Louis and give a wicked grin. “It’s time.”

You both sprint across the room, sidling up behind Liam before either he or the others have a chance to react.

Louis, ever the troublemaker, snatches Liam’s phone from his hand and tosses it to you, while you immediately start scanning through his texts.

“What are you doing?” Liam demands, his voice rising in mock horror.

“Just making sure you’re not texting anyone you shouldn’t be,” you tease, winking at him as you skim through his messages.

Liam’s face goes red. “Give it back, you little menace.”

“Oh, come on,” you laugh, holding the phone up high to tease him. “Not even a little bit curious about who you’ve been talking to, Liam?”

He jumps to his feet, reaching for his phone, but you just dance out of reach, holding it over your head like it’s some prize you’re unwilling to relinquish.

“You really want it back?” you ask, batting your lashes. “Make me.”

The others are watching, some of them laughing, others shaking their heads at the chaos you and Louis always manage to create. But Liam’s patience is wearing thin.

Before you can react, Liam moves with lightning speed, grabbing your wrist and pulling you toward him. You stumble into his chest, and before you know it, his other arm is around your waist, holding you in place as he leans down, his face inches from yours.

“Alright, that’s it,” he says softly, his voice low and surprisingly serious. “Give. Me. The. Phone.”

You smirk, all flirty charm. “Make me.”

Without warning, Liam bends down and nips at your ear, sending a jolt of surprise through you. “Give. It. Back.”

The sudden proximity sends a wave of heat through you, and for a moment, you forget about the phone, forgetting everything except the way his breath brushes against your skin. You giggle, breathlessly, trying to pull away, but his hold is firm.

“Liam,” you tease, squirming in his arms. “This is unfair.”

“Nothing about this is fair,” he replies, his voice taking on that familiar teasing tone you’re starting to enjoy more than you care to admit.

Finally, you relent, handing the phone back to him with a playful pout. “You’re no fun.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Liam’s smile is small, but there’s something in his eyes as he looks at you that makes your heart skip a beat. “You’ve got to stop this, you know that?”

You grin, leaning in a little closer. “Stop having fun? Not a chance.”

Louis calls out from the other side of the room, breaking the moment. “Oi, are you two done flirting, or are we getting on with this rehearsal?”

Liam rolls his eyes, letting you go and moving back to his position on stage, still shaking his head with a small smile on his lips.

As you slip into your place alongside the others, you can’t help but sneak a glance at Liam, his focus now back on the setlist. But something feels different—like that unspoken tension between you is building more and more every day.

…

The night’s tour stop is in a city you’ve all been to a hundred times before, but this time, things are different. The hotel’s cozy, nothing too extravagant, but as always, the chaos of touring catches up to everyone. The band’s been laughing and messing around all day, the usual energy never quite fading.

But now, it’s time to get some rest, and the hotel room arrangement is… less than ideal.

“Alright,” Louis says, holding up his keycard with a grin. “I dibs Harry.”

Harry rolls his eyes but doesn’t protest, already heading toward the door.

Niall, barely able to suppress his smile, turns to Zayn. “I’m cool with sharing, mate.”

Zayn gives him a half-nod, half-shrug, and that’s that. They head off to their room, leaving you standing with Liam.

For a brief moment, you both look at each other. The realization hits you at the same time.

“Well, guess it’s us,” you say, trying to keep your voice casual, though the thought of being alone with Liam makes your heart race in a way you hadn’t expected.

Liam seems to hesitate before nodding. “Guess so.”

The two of you walk to your room, and it’s quiet, the tension thick in the air. You’ve been causing chaos for so long that the idea of being stuck with Liam—alone—feels different.

The room’s small, but you’ve seen worse. There’s one bed, and both of you pause at the sight of it.

“You’re not gonna make me sleep on the floor, are you?” you joke, trying to ease the tension.

Liam’s eyes flick to the bed, then back to you, his face impassive. “I’m not making you do anything,” he mutters, almost under his breath, and you can’t help but notice the edge to his tone.

The silence stretches out longer than either of you expected, and you decide to break it. “What’s with you, Liam?”

He looks at you, a frown creasing his brow. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been acting differently today,” you say, sitting on the bed, your tone lighter but still probing. “You’re… distant. You weren’t even messing around during rehearsal like you usually do.”

Liam exhales sharply and sits down beside you. “I guess I just don’t get it, sometimes.”

You raise an eyebrow, still watching him closely. “Don’t get what?”

He looks over at you, his expression suddenly more serious. “You. I don’t get how you can just… act like everything’s a joke. The pranks, the flirting, all of it. You’re always on the go, never slowing down, never thinking about what’s coming next.”

Your smile fades, and you sit up straighter. “You think I’m reckless?”

Liam runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Maybe. Sometimes. I just… I worry about you.”

You blink in surprise. “Worry about me?”

“Yeah,” he continues, his voice quiet but steady. “You throw yourself into everything without a second thought, and I can’t help but think one of these days you’re gonna end up in trouble—really in trouble. And I won’t be there to stop it.”

You stare at him for a moment, surprised by his vulnerability, by the genuine concern behind his words. It’s not what you expected from him at all.

“I don’t need saving, Liam,” you finally say, your voice soft but firm. “I know what I’m doing.”

He looks at you, and there’s a long pause before he speaks again. “I don’t want you to get hurt. I know I don’t always show it, but I care. You’re… you’re a part of this band, part of my family. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

You feel something twist in your chest at his words, a flutter of something you can’t quite explain. It’s not just the concern in his eyes, but the unspoken care that’s always been there, even when he’s trying to keep you in line.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” you say, a little more quietly this time. “I know how to have fun, but I’m not stupid.”

Liam looks at you for a long moment, his gaze softening. “I just don’t want to see you fall, that’s all.”

You smile, this time more gently than before. “I won’t fall, Liam. Not if you’re around to catch me.”

For a moment, there’s a silence between you two that feels different. It’s not awkward, not heavy—it’s almost like you’re both seeing each other in a new light, understanding one another a little better than before.

Liam glances away, clearing his throat. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

You laugh, but it’s quieter, softer than usual. “Yeah, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He meets your eyes again, and for a split second, it feels like there’s more being said than either of you can put into words. But then, as always, the moment breaks, and Liam leans back with a sigh.

“Alright, enough of the deep talk. I’m going to bed,” he mutters, lying down on the opposite side of the bed, clearly still trying to maintain some semblance of order.

You smile to yourself, feeling the soft shift in the air. Maybe this forced proximity wasn’t so bad after all.

…

You wake up slowly, the soft morning light filtering through the thin curtains. The first thing you notice is warmth—a solid, steady warmth pressed against your back. Your head is nestled on someone’s chest, and their arm is draped snugly around your waist.

It takes you a moment to realize who it is, but the steady rise and fall of their breathing, combined with the faint scent of Liam’s cologne, gives it away.

Your eyes snap open. Oh.

You try to turn your head slightly, and sure enough, there’s Liam, still fast asleep, his face relaxed in a way you rarely see when he’s awake. His hair’s a little mussed, and his hand… is very securely around your waist.

For a moment, you consider shifting away, but then he stirs. His arm tightens slightly before he blinks awake, his eyes bleary with sleep as they meet yours.

You can practically see the realization hit him like a freight train. His eyes widen, and he pulls his arm back as if he’s been burned, sitting up so fast he nearly tumbles off the bed.

“Uh—morning,” he says, his voice rough from sleep, his cheeks quickly turning crimson.

You sit up as well, leaning on one elbow and giving him your best teasing grin. “Morning, snuggle bug.”

Liam groans, running a hand down his face. “Don’t start.”

“Oh, come on,” you say, sitting up fully and stretching. “Admit it—you liked it.”

“I didn’t,” he says quickly, a little too quickly, avoiding your gaze.

You smirk, leaning in slightly. “You sure about that? You were holding on pretty tight.”

Liam’s blush deepens, and he mutters something under his breath that you can’t quite catch.

Before you can tease him further, the door bursts open, and Louis strides in, his grin widening as he takes in the scene.

“Well, well, well,” Louis says, leaning against the doorframe. “Look who’s all cozy this morning.”

“Louis—” Liam starts, but Louis cuts him off with a dramatic gasp.

“Were you two… cuddling?” Louis’s eyes dart between the two of you, the gleeful expression on his face making it clear he’s not letting this go anytime soon.

“It’s not what it looks like,” Liam insists, his tone defensive, though the blush creeping up his neck tells a different story.

“Sure it’s not,” Louis says, smirking. “Sleeping with the enemy now, are we?”

You laugh, unbothered, and throw an arm around Liam’s shoulders. “Don’t be jealous, Lou. There’s plenty of me to go around.”

Liam shrugs your arm off, still looking mortified. “Louis, seriously, it wasn’t—”

“Oh, don’t explain yourself to me,” Louis interrupts, already backing out of the room. “I’m just the messenger. Wait till the others hear about this.”

“Louis!” Liam calls after him, but it’s no use. The door slams shut, leaving the two of you alone again.

You glance at Liam, who’s now burying his face in his hands. “Well, that’s one way to start the morning.”

“This is a nightmare,” he mutters, his voice muffled.

You grin, nudging his arm. “Relax, Liam. It’s not the end of the world. Besides…” You lower your voice, leaning in just enough to make him look at you. “I didn’t mind.”

His eyes meet yours, and for a second, you think you catch something—something soft, something real. But then he shakes his head, standing up quickly and heading for his bag.

“Let’s just get ready for breakfast,” he says, his back to you.

You watch him for a moment, your smile lingering as you get up to follow. Maybe you pushed him a little too far, but you can’t help but notice the way his ears are still red as he rummages through his things.

And if you’re being honest? You didn’t mind it, either.

…

The teasing starts before breakfast.

You’re barely halfway through your toast when Niall pipes up. “So, how’d you two sleep last night?” he asks, his voice innocent but his grin anything but.

Harry snickers into his coffee. “Yeah, Liam, you looked so well-rested this morning.”

Louis, of course, takes it a step further. “Can’t blame him! Snuggling with her would tire anyone out. She’s like an octopus—arms everywhere.”

You laugh, unbothered, as you pop a piece of bacon in your mouth. “Jealous, Lou? Don’t worry; you’ll get your turn.”

The table erupts into laughter, even Zayn cracking a rare smile. But Liam just sits there, his face buried in his hands, muttering something that sounds suspiciously like, “This is my nightmare.”

The teasing doesn’t let up during rehearsals, either. Every time you and Liam so much as glance at each other, Louis makes some exaggerated comment about “chemistry” or “true love,” and Niall keeps humming wedding march music under his breath.

You take it all in stride, laughing along and even throwing in a few playful winks in Liam’s direction, but he’s visibly flustered, avoiding eye contact with you and muttering under his breath every chance he gets.

Eventually, the rehearsal breaks for a moment, and you take the chance to grab some water. As you’re about to head back to the stage, you catch sight of Liam standing with Zayn and Harry in the corner. Their voices are low, but there’s something about Liam’s posture—his arms crossed, his head down—that makes you pause.

You shouldn’t eavesdrop. You know that. But curiosity gets the better of you.

“I just don’t know what to do, mate,” Liam’s voice drifts over, quiet and uncertain. “She’s… she’s everything. Always has been. But what if—what if it’s all just an act?”

Harry’s voice comes next, soft and encouraging. “You mean the flirting?”

“Yeah,” Liam says, sighing. “I mean, she’s like that with everyone, isn’t she? Always teasing, always joking. What if it doesn’t mean anything? What if I tell her how I feel, and she laughs it off? Or worse, pushes me away?”

Zayn chimes in, his voice calm and steady. “You’ll never know unless you tell her. But, Liam, man, I don’t think it’s an act. The way she looks at you? That’s not just flirting. That’s something real.”

Liam doesn’t respond right away, and the silence feels heavy.

“I’ve been in love with her for years,” he finally admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t lose her. I’d rather keep her at arm’s length than risk losing her completely.”

Your heart twists at his words. For all your teasing and chaos, you never imagined Liam felt this way. And the way he talks about you—with so much care, so much fear—makes your chest ache.

You step back quietly, slipping away before they notice you. Your mind is racing, but one thing is clear: this changes everything.

…

It’s been a week since you overheard Liam’s heart-to-heart with Zayn and Harry, and it’s like a switch has flipped.

You’ve always known Liam as the responsible one—the one who fusses over everyone, makes sure the schedules are followed, and keeps chaos to a minimum. But now you’re noticing the little things he does just for you.

He always checks if you’ve eaten before rehearsals, even when he doesn’t ask the others. He hands you his hoodie when the green room is too cold, no hesitation, even if he’s left shivering in a T-shirt. When Louis dragged you into a pillow fight last night, it was Liam who stopped you both—not because he was annoyed, but because you’d almost knocked over a lamp.

He doesn’t just care. He cares about you.

You’ve spent the last week watching him more closely, testing the theory. And every time he softens in your direction, every time his voice gentles when he talks to you, your chest tightens a little more.

But, true to form, you bury the feelings under a smirk and a wink. You’d rather tease him than admit how much those little gestures mean to you.

Which is exactly what leads to today’s trouble.

You and Louis are in full chaos mode—again. It started harmlessly enough, with Louis daring you to balance as many unopened water bottles on your arms as you could. When that got boring, he upped the ante: “Bet you can’t juggle them!”

That was a disaster, obviously, but now you’ve moved on to Louis’s latest bright idea: seeing who can climb higher on the scaffolding at the back of the stage.

“Careful up there!” Harry calls from below, his voice carrying a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“Don’t worry about us, Harold!” Louis shouts back, grinning as he grabs hold of a higher bar. “We’re professionals.”

You roll your eyes, laughing as you climb after him. The adrenaline rush is half the fun, though you know Liam’s probably going to kill you both when he finds out.

“Come on, slowpoke!” Louis taunts, glancing down at you.

“Keep talking, Tomlinson,” you shoot back, pulling yourself up another rung. “I’ll pass you in no time.”

But the next step you take feels off. The metal bar under your foot shifts slightly, and before you can react, it slips completely. Your heart lurches as your grip loosens, and you feel yourself falling.

The world tilts, and then everything stops with a painful thud as you land on the stage floor below.

The air is knocked out of your lungs, and for a moment, all you can do is lie there, stunned. You hear shouts—Louis’s panicked voice, Niall’s gasp—but it’s Liam’s footsteps you hear first, pounding across the stage like he’s sprinting for his life.

“Are you okay?!” he demands, dropping to his knees beside you. His hands hover over you, like he wants to touch but doesn’t know where it’s safe.

“I’m fine,” you croak, though the sharp pain in your ankle tells a different story.

“You’re not fine,” he snaps, his tone harsher than you’ve ever heard it. But his hands are gentle as he carefully checks your ankle, his jaw tightening when you wince.

The others gather around, their faces a mix of worry and guilt. Louis looks the most shaken, his usual grin replaced with a pale, wide-eyed stare.

“Liam, I didn’t think—” Louis starts, but Liam cuts him off.

“Not now, Louis,” he says firmly. “Go get the medic.”

Louis nods and takes off, leaving Liam to focus on you.

“You could’ve broken something,” he mutters, his voice trembling slightly.

You manage a weak smile. “Guess I’m not as professional as I thought.”

“Don’t joke about this,” he says, finally meeting your eyes. There’s something raw in his expression—fear, anger, and something deeper you can’t quite name. “You scared me.”

And just like that, the teasing is gone. For the first time, you’re not thinking about how to make him blush or stammer. All you can think about is how much he cares—and how much you’ve been trying to ignore how much you care, too.

…

The medic confirms it’s just a sprained ankle, but you’re pretty sure Liam would’ve reacted the same if you’d broken every bone in your body.

“You need to keep weight off it for a while,” the medic says. “Ice it, elevate it, and try to rest.”

“Rest,” Liam repeats, nodding like it’s a direct order from the Queen herself. “Got it. She’ll rest.”

The medic gives him an odd look, then glances at you. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Thanks,�� you mumble, wincing as Liam adjusts the pillow under your leg for the hundredth time.

“Does it still hurt?” he asks immediately, his brow furrowing.

“Not as much as your fussing,” you tease, though the warmth in your voice takes the sting out of it.

Before he can argue, the rest of the boys file into the green room. Louis is first, looking uncharacteristically sheepish.

“Love,” he starts, his hands stuffed in his hoodie pockets. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think—well, clearly, I didn’t think.”

“You’re right about that,” Liam mutters, not looking up from adjusting the ice pack on your ankle.

Louis shoots him a look but doesn’t take the bait. Instead, he crouches down beside the chair you’re sitting in, his blue eyes earnest. “Seriously, though. You okay?”

“I’m fine, Lou,” you say, reaching out to pat his arm. “Just a sprain. You’ll have to find someone else to climb scaffolding with for a while, though.”

“Never again,” he says quickly, his voice more serious than you’re used to hearing. “You scared the hell out of me.”

Before you can respond, Harry, Niall, and Zayn crowd around.

“You sure you’re okay?” Harry asks, his usual smirk replaced with genuine concern.

“Yeah,” Niall adds, his brows knit together. “We should’ve said something when we saw you two up there.”

“I wasn’t even sure it was safe,” Zayn admits quietly, crossing his arms. “I should’ve spoken up.”

“Guys, it’s not your fault,” you insist, trying to reassure them. “Really, I’m fine—”

“She’s fine,” Liam interrupts, his tone clipped as he straightens up and crosses his arms. “But it could’ve been worse. She needs rest and no more stunts like this.”

The boys exchange a look, their worry giving way to something lighter.

“Wow,” Harry says, cocking his head. “Look at you, Liam. Our own personal Florence Nightingale.”

“More like a bodyguard,” Niall quips. “Her very overprotective bodyguard.”

Louis perks up at that, his guilty expression replaced with a grin. “Or her boyfriend. The overprotective kind.”

“I’m not—” Liam starts, but he’s already blushing, his hands flying up in exasperation.

“You kind of are,” Zayn says with a small smirk.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to carry her to the bus later,” Harry adds.

The teasing breaks the tension, and you can’t help but laugh, despite the throbbing in your ankle.

“Maybe I’ll let him,” you say, shooting Liam a wink. “Could be fun.”

Liam groans, rubbing a hand over his face, but the corner of his mouth twitches like he’s trying not to smile.

…

The tour bus hums quietly as it barrels down the highway, the usual chaos subdued by exhaustion. The boys are scattered throughout the bus—Niall and Zayn are already passed out in their bunks, while Harry and Louis are huddled in the back lounge, their laughter faint through the door.

You’re sitting on the couch near the front, your injured ankle propped up on a pillow. The pain has dulled to a manageable ache, but Liam is still hovering nearby, pretending to scroll through his phone while he steals glances at you every other second.

“Liam,” you finally say, breaking the silence.

He looks up immediately, his expression unreadable. “Yeah?”

“You can stop watching me like I’m about to spontaneously combust,” you tease lightly, patting the cushion beside you. “Sit down before you wear a hole in the floor.”

He hesitates, then crosses the small space to sit beside you. Close, but not close enough.

“I just… wanted to make sure you’re okay,” he says, his voice soft. “After today.”

“I’m fine,” you say for what feels like the hundredth time, though this time your tone lacks its usual teasing edge. “Really, Liam. You don’t have to worry so much.”

“I can’t help it,” he admits, his gaze dropping to his hands. “When you fell… I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

The vulnerability in his voice catches you off guard, and for a moment, you just stare at him.

“You care about me,” you say quietly, testing the waters.

He lets out a soft, almost nervous laugh. “Of course I do. You’re… you’re one of my best friends.”

It’s not enough. Not anymore.

“Liam,” you say, your voice firmer now. “I’m tired of pretending.”

He looks at you, his brow furrowing. “Pretending?”

You shift closer, your heart pounding. “Pretending that I don’t notice how much you care. That I don’t notice all the little things you do for me. That I don’t feel the same way.”

His eyes widen, and for a second, you think you might’ve broken him.

“I’m saying,” you continue, your voice softer now, “that I like you, Liam. A lot. More than I probably should.”

The silence stretches between you, thick and charged.

“You…” He trails off, his voice barely a whisper. “You mean that?”

“Of course I do,” you say, your lips twitching into a small smile. “You think I’d risk saying it if I didn’t?”

He stares at you for a long moment, his eyes searching yours like he’s trying to figure out if this is real. Then, suddenly, he’s leaning in, his hand coming up to cup your cheek.

The kiss is tentative at first, like he’s still testing the waters. But when you respond, tangling your fingers in his shirt to pull him closer, all that hesitation melts away.

It’s soft and slow and perfect—everything you never knew you needed.

When you finally pull back, your foreheads rest against each other, both of you breathless but smiling.

“I’ve wanted to do that for years,” he admits, his voice low and full of wonder.

You grin, brushing your nose against his. “Well, it’s about time.”

He laughs, the sound warm and full of relief, and when he kisses you again, you think maybe—just maybe—you could get used to this.

…

The bus is quiet now, the hum of the engine the only sound as you carefully maneuver into Liam’s bunk. Your sprained ankle makes it awkward, but Liam is already there, helping you settle in like it’s second nature.

“Are you sure about this?” he asks, his hands gentle as they guide your leg onto a stack of pillows he’s somehow managed to fit into the cramped space. “I can sleep on the couch if you need more room.”

You shake your head, tugging at his arm until he climbs in beside you. “Liam, the couch is lumpy, and you’d be up every five minutes checking on me anyway. Just stay.”

He hesitates for a moment before settling in, his body warm and solid beside yours. It’s a tight fit, but neither of you seems to mind.

“Comfortable?” he asks softly, his voice low in the dim light.

“Yeah,” you murmur, leaning into him. “More than you’d think.”

For a while, you just lay there, the silence between you comfortable and heavy with unspoken words.

“I meant what I said earlier,” you whisper finally, breaking the quiet.

Liam shifts to look at you, his eyes searching yours. “About what?”

“About liking you. About not wanting to pretend anymore.”

His breath hitches, and he looks away for a moment, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.

“I’ve been in love with you for years,” he admits, his voice so soft you almost miss it.

Your heart stutters, and for a moment, all you can do is stare at him.

“Years?” you echo, your voice barely above a whisper.

He nods, his gaze still fixed somewhere over your shoulder. “I thought… I thought it was just your thing, you know? The flirting, the teasing. I didn’t think you’d ever see me the way I see you.”

“Liam,” you say, reaching out to take his hand. “It was never just an act. Not with you.”

His eyes snap to yours, wide and vulnerable.

“I was scared,” you admit, your fingers tightening around his. “Scared that if I let myself feel this way, I’d ruin everything. But I couldn’t stop. You’re… you’re the calm to my storm, Liam. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

He exhales sharply, his hand coming up to cup your cheek as his lips find yours in a kiss that’s equal parts relief and adoration.

When you pull back, you rest your forehead against his, your fingers tangling in the fabric of his shirt.

“I feel like I’m finally home,” you whisper, and you feel him smile against your skin.

“You are,” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to your temple. “And you always will be.”

The night passes in a blur of quiet laughter, whispered confessions, and soft kisses, the small space of the bunk feeling like its own little world. For the first time in a long time, everything feels right.

…

The morning light filters weakly through the tour bus windows, the soft rumble of the engine lulling you into a half-asleep haze. You’re vaguely aware of the warm, steady rise and fall of Liam’s chest beneath your cheek, his arm wrapped securely around your waist.

It’s peaceful—perfect, even—until the curtain to the bunk jerks open with a dramatic whoosh.

“Well, well, well,” comes Louis’ unmistakable voice, dripping with amusement. “What do we have here?”

You blink against the sudden light, trying to sit up, but Liam’s arm tightens around you instinctively.

“Louis,” Liam groans, his voice still thick with sleep. “Close the curtain.”

“Oh, no,” Louis says, grinning like he’s just hit the jackpot. “This is gold. Lads, come here!”

Before you can protest, Harry, Niall, and Zayn appear behind him, their expressions ranging from amused to downright smug.

“Finally,” Harry says, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall.

“About time,” Niall adds, his grin wide.

Zayn just shakes his head with a small smirk. “Didn’t think it’d take you this long, mate.”

Liam groans again, burying his face in his hand. “Can we not do this right now?”

“Oh, we’re absolutely doing this right now,” Louis declares, hopping up onto the bunk across from yours so he’s at eye level. “I mean, come on. You two? Sharing a bunk? Snuggled up like lovebirds? This is a historic moment.”

You roll your eyes, though you can’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. “Good morning to you too, Louis.”

“Morning, love,” he says, though his grin falters slightly. “Guess this means I’ve lost my partner-in-crime, huh?”

The teasing tone is there, but so is the hint of something softer—something almost wistful.

“Oh, Lou,” you say, reaching out to pat his knee. “You’ll never lose me. Who else would come up with brilliant plans to drive Liam insane?”

“Excuse me?” Liam cuts in, his brows shooting up.

“See? You’ve still got me,” you continue, ignoring Liam’s glare. “And now we’ve got a whole new dynamic to work with.”

Louis brightens immediately, his grin returning full force. “You know, you’re absolutely right. This could be even better.”

Liam groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?”

“Because you will,” Harry says, clapping him on the shoulder with a laugh.

“Don’t worry, Liam,” Niall says, clearly enjoying himself. “At least now she’ll have someone to keep her in check.”

“Doubtful,” Zayn mutters, but the smirk on his face says he’s not entirely opposed to the idea.

The boys eventually wander off, their laughter fading as they head toward the back of the bus. Louis lingers a moment longer, his grin softening into something more genuine.

“Happy for you, love,” he says quietly, giving you a wink before hopping down and disappearing after the others.

When the curtain finally falls shut, you turn to Liam, who’s still shaking his head.

“You’ve just made my life ten times harder,” he mutters, though the fondness in his voice betrays him.

“You wouldn’t have me any other way,” you say, leaning up to kiss him softly.

He sighs, a small smile tugging at his lips. “No. I wouldn’t.”

Part 2

#liam payne x y/n #liam payne fanfiction #liam payne x reader #liam payne imagine #liam Payne x you #one direction fanfiction

51 notes · View notes

avatar-anna · 2 years ago

Text

Love on Tour: The Documentary

we all know harry is working on a documentary, so this is my take on how young dad!harry would approach it!

Young dad!Harry x Young mom!Reader universe

and now a little key:

bold and italics: camera directions, or what you would be seeing as a viewer of the documentary in person

just italics: interviewer questions, or people who are speaking off camera

Part 2 Part 3

Harry jogs off stage, his mask wrapped securely around his ears as he leaves the sounds of thousands of screams behind. Even so, his squinted eyes make it obvious that he’s smiling. He walks into his dressing room and shuts the door with a soft click and immediately starts to change out of his concert outfit. After shimmying into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Harry grabs his phone and sits down on the couch.

“Hi, Mama.”

“Hi, baby. How was the show?”

"Amazing. I feel like we get better with each performance."

"Aw, H. I'm so happy for you!"

Harry grins at his phone while resting his chin on his hand. "Missed seeing you. Missed seeing all of you."

"We're so proud of you, baby. No matter how far away we are," the voice on the other side of Harry's phone says. "In other news, the bub has been quite active today."

"Yeah?" Harry says, and his demeanor immediately visibly brightens. "Hope she's not giving you too much trouble."

"We don't know if it's a she, H."

"I do. I have a sixth sense for these types of things."

Cut to Harry sitting in an empty room for his interview.

“So, why did you decide to talk about all of this now?”

Harry rubs his chin as he ponders the question. “I think…I think it’s hard not to. When I think back on my career, I think about how old Simone was or how Jules had just begun walking or sneaking to a courthouse to get married. My family is a part of my life and has been a part of most of my career. My kids, my wife...they mean everything to me, and I—I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I can’t imagine my life, my career any differently. I wouldn’t want to do this without my family.”

The camera cuts to a series of home videos—Y/n and Harry sharing a kiss in a courthouse, members of One Direction celebrating around them, a toddler in Harry’s lap as he plays the piano, Y/n on a tour bus with a small bundle in her arms, Harry catching a little girl as she jumps into a pool, a little girl with dark curls playing with all members of One Direction backstage at a concert venue, Harry asleep on a hotel bed with his face covered in play makeup, a three year old sleeping next to him.

“Should we start with when you met Y/n?”

His grin is immediate. “I was seventeen years old.”

Harry’s voice becomes a voice over as clips of him and the members of One Direction film their music video for What Makes You Beautiful.

“It sounds cheesy, but I’ve always thought it was fate that we met. Her friend was an extra in the video, and she happened to tag along. I was immediately taken with her. We got along really well and talked long after I left LA.”

The camera cuts back to Harry.

“Just talked?”

Harry blushes. “Obviously not, but I’m a gentleman. All I’ll say is, kids, understand the importance of practicing protected sex.”

A cut to a similar room where Y/n sits.

“He said that? My husband, everybody.”

Everyone behind the studio laughs with her.

“So you got pregnant.”

Y/n nods. “Oh yeah.”

“Was there ever a moment where you didn’t want to tell Harry?”

“It definitely crossed my mind. We were so young and we didn’t see each other very often in the grand scheme of things. No one ever expects something like this to happen to them, but it happened to us.”

Back to Harry.

“I was terrified. Mostly terrified to tell my mum, but it…it changed everything. Here I was thinking my life had already changed drastically with the band, and then Y/n is pregnant.”

The camera cuts to Anne’s interview.

“I mean, I think the possibility is in the back of parent’s mind,” she says, shaking her head a little. “But you raise your children to be smart and responsible and hope for the best.”

“How did that conversation go when Harry told you?”

“He was practically crying over the phone, which made me…less angry, which isn’t even the right word, I don’t think. Poor Harry was so scared, and all I kept thinking was, ‘I send my son to Hollywood and a few months later he gets some girl pregnant.’ I didn’t even know he was dating Y/n.”

“You didn’t?”

“No, so that made the whole thing even more surprising. But he kept saying, ‘Mum, she’s not just some girl. She’s really special.’ Things like that. But I won’t lie, it was a lot to digest.”

Back to Y/n.

“What was it like meeting Anne for the first time?”

“Oh God,” Y/n says. “Mortifying. I was already showing when we met, which made the whole thing that much worse. We couldn’t even pretend we were meeting under normal ‘meet your boyfriend’s mom for the first time’ circumstances. But she was really nice. She asked how I was feeling and helped me get set up with the right doctors. She made me feel welcome, which I appreciated.”

Back to Harry.

“Her parents weren’t as supportive as mine, and she was feeling kind of isolated and overwhelmed, so I convinced my mum to let Y/n live with her.”

Back to Y/n.

“You lived with Harry’s mother?”

Y/n nods and smiles at the camera. “It felt like the right thing to do at the time, and I stand by it. Things were really tense at home, and I just thought it would be a little easier going through everything with people who were completely on board.” Y/n shrugs. “I was young and scared and needed a maternal figure. I tried to think of it as going off to college.”

“But no one had a clue about any of this.”

Back to Harry.

Harry shakes his head. “My management at the time wanted to make this go away as quickly as possible. They tried to pay Y/n off so she wouldn’t contact me again or say anything about it.”

“Really?”

Back to Y/n.

“Yeah, but I told them to shove their offer up their asses. It wasn’t nearly as much as I would’ve gotten from child support, first of all.”

“Did you ever consider taking the offer?”

“Of course I did. I had to consider all my options.” Y/n is quiet for a moment and doesn’t look at the camera. “I eventually decided to stay with Harry and have the baby, but, you know, I had my whole life ahead of me. Both of us did.”

Back to Harry.

“Did you know about that?”

“The payoff? Yeah, she told me shortly after. As for the other stuff…I knew. And I would’ve respected whatever decision she made. But when she decided to keep the baby and keep me in her life, I told management they would have to figure something else out, and keeping her and the pregnancy was their solution.”

“What was it like to be in One Direction while having a baby at home?”

“Strange,” Harry says. “Like, some of the best moments of my life were in the band, but then I would get a text from Y/n and it would be a picture of Simone in the bathtub covered in bubbles, and I would want to be there all of a sudden.”

A series of videos and photographs of Harry and Y/n in 2012 appear. In hotel rooms, backstage at One Direction concerts, homes. With each image, Y/n’s baby bump grows.

(Voiceover) “It was this weird mix of having so much fun and feeling bad when I realized Y/n was at home by herself with a newborn. She’s never blamed me or never asked me to stop what I was doing, but this tiny seed of guilt was always in the back of my mind.

A video of a young Harry and Y/n appears. They seem to be in a dressing room. Y/n lays against Harry while his hand rests on her baby bump. Y/n looks up at Harry and smiles, and he smiles back before he looks up and realizes they’re being filmed. “Oi! Get out of here, Louis!” Louis laughs from behind the camera and says, “You’ll thank me later!”

“We were faced with a lot of decisions, none of them easy. And sneaking around had its drawbacks, especially when my management team wanted me to start doing all the fake dating and stuff.”

Harry stops talking, as if recalling a memory, but he doesn’t share it. “But one thing was easy at least. When we first met, we bonded over our love for Nina Simone. When Y/n suggested it, it just sounded right.”

Back to Harry in his dressing room.

“How is everyone?” he asks Y/n over the phone.

“I have four little monkeys that should be asleep, but they wanted to say goodnight first.”

Harry’s grin widens as a chorus of hellos echoes from his phone. From a different angle over his shoulder, four faces can be seen on his screen. “Hi, hi, hi, hi. Are you all being good for your mumma?”

“Dada!”

“Where are you?”

“How was the show?”

“Hi my loves. The show went really, really great. I miss you all so much,” Harry says.

“When are you coming home, Dada?”

“Soon, Maeve, I promise. Just a couple more nights and I’ll be home.”

“Can we get ice cream when you come home?”

Harry laughs. “Yes, peanut, we can get ice cream. Now go to sleep. It’s past your bedtime.”

There’s lots of protesting from the four children on the phone, but one voice pipes up above the rest. “Can you sing us a song?”

“Of course, JuJu. How could I forget? What would you like?”

Back to Harry’s interview.

“So, how many kids do you have now?”

“I am a proud father of six. Five girls, one boy, one set of twins.”

“Full house then.”

Harry nods and makes a mock-exasperated sigh. “Oh yeah.”

“What’s that like?”

“There’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure. Y/n’s the real marvel, though. I don’t know how she does it.”

Back to Y/n.

“I’m not gonna lie, there are times where I don’t even feel like a person, but Harry works just as hard to give our family the life we have. And he’s an incredible dad. He’ll come home from tour, clearly exhausted, and he’ll still be the first one out of bed to get the kids ready for school and make breakfast and change diapers. I mean, the man doesn’t stop.”

“You’re a team, then.”

Y/n smiles. “Yeah. We’re a team. All eight of us.”

“Did you see yourself ever having six kids?”

“I mean...technically we were supposed to stop at four.”

“So what happened?”

Y/n sighs and shakes her head exasperatedly. “The pandemic happened.”

A home video begins to play in the Styles’ living room. Harry is filming and Y/n is in front of it with her hands behind her back.

“Alright. Tell me why the camera’s out, Mama. Where are the kids?”

“They’re building a pillow fort for us in our room, but first…I have a surprise for you.”

Y/n leans past the camera to give him a small gift bag. Crinkling is heard as Harry pulls tissue paper out of the bag. “Are you serious?”

Y/n nods, a large grin on her face. “I’m about six weeks along.”

Harry laughs, and the camera wobbles as he rushes over to Y/n to pick her up. Their giggles and cheers of excitement can be heard offscreen.

“We’re having a baby!” Harry says.

Back to Harry.

“Are you gonna go for lucky number seven?”

Harry scratches the back of his head. “Currently up for debate. The missus is apprehensive, but I think I’m wearing her down.

Back to Y/n

Y/n scoffs and shakes her head. “He can keep on dreaming.”

“So you’ve had this discussion before?”

“It’s…been mentioned once or twice. But any time he brings it up I threaten him with no sex for two weeks. Am I allowed to say that?”

Back to Harry.

Harry opens his mouth to speak when a small hand tugs on his shirt. Looking down, he smiles. Harry bends down and picks up a little girl. For privacy reasons, her face is blurred. She wraps her arms around his neck so she’s in his lap and her back is facing the camera.

“I’m hungry,” the little girl says in what can only be described as a “monster voice.”

Matching her tone, Harry asks, “What would you like, GiGi?”

“Grilled cheese.”

Harry shakes his head and kisses GiGi’s temple. He covers the microphone clipped on his shirt so he can talk to his daughter privately. With another kiss, he lets go of the mic. “You got it.” Harry shrugs at the camera with a smile. To the camera, he says, “Can we finish this later? Duty calls.”

#harry styles #young dad! harry #young parent!harry styles #young mom! reader #harry styles blurb #harry styles x reader #harry styles fanfic #harry styles oneshot #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles x you #harry styles fluff #harry styles writing #harry styles one shot #harry styles fic

2K notes · View notes

user2772636 · 11 months ago

Text

Douzième Fille

12th girl

××《☆》××

Transferring schools after moving places for the 6th time, a new opportunity is given; a school for both boys and girls. With a new experience to be dealt with, will you survive a blooming rivalry with one of your classmates, a socialising society, and freshman year? Welcome to Voltaire High.

===

Joseph Descamps x Reader

Warnings: Teen boys being teen boys (ykwim), swearing, violence

===

Chapter one: Mary Jane's

===

I polish my newly bought Mary Jane's, the last on my to-do list before heading to my new school. After I put them on, I get up to go in front of the mirror and fix my hair. I sigh deeply.

A new school, I think to myself. Again.

I grab my satchel and coat, put both on, and make my way outside.

I recently moved here, coming from Paris. I felt disappointed when we moved, feeling a part of me still in that city, but I knew I shouldn't feel that way. I should've expected it. It's now the sixth time we've moved places.

I live in a flat now with my parents and my cat, George, named after the member of The Beatles. My parents are both always at work, leaving me, most of the time, home alone.

I trip on a crack on the sidewalk, making me fall forward and almost hit a girl. She looks my age, has braided blonde hair and fluffy bangs. She just came out of the butcher's with a man. The man is very handsome, tall, neat, wearing a nicely tailored suit. He has a serious expression on his face.

He only glances at me before turning and ushering the blonde girl to follow him. She looks at me for a while more before turning and following the man.

I compose myself, feeling flustered, and I quickly brush it off. I continue to walk. In front of me, I noticed the two people I saw only a few seconds ago. The man walks off, and the girl stands still in her place. I purse my lips, wondering if I should come up to her. I did.

"Is that your father? He seems strict, but I'm only basing off my experience." I say as I stand next to her. She looks at me, a bit surprised. I wouldn't blame her.

"No. He's my brother. He's strict, yes. And it's very annoying." She furrows her brows a bit and groans. I chuckle.

"I'm Y/N. Where are you headed?" I put my hand out for her to shake.

"I'm Michèle. I'm headed to school, actually." She shakes my hand and smiles.

"Oh? Which school? I might be going to the same one."

"Voltaire. I hope you are. Otherwise, I'd be walking in, not knowing anyone but my brother." She cringes at the thought. I chuckle again. She's funny.

"Good thing I'm going there, too. Let's get going, yes? We don't want to draw any more attention." I tilt my head to the direction of the school. She nods.

I lead the way, her following only a few steps behind. The gates are wide open, and my stomach drops. First day of school jitters. The worst feeling ever. And there's boys everywhere. My stomach drops further.

I slow down my pace to be walking next to Michèle. My anxiety radiates off of me, and with my suddenly hightened senses, I feel Michèle's anxiety, too.

We walk past the gates, and all eyes are on us. My spine feels shivers. It's suddenly quiet. I keep my head held high to not give off an awkward stance. Michèle does the opposite.

Every step we take feels slower than usual. I hear whispers around the campus.

'There they are', 'She's pretty', 'Go talk to her!', 'They do have tits', 'Nice ass', 'They're not supposed to be here'.

My ear twitches, but I don't show a reaction on my face. I notice three boys on the bench, but one catches my eye.

He has sandy hair, wire framed glasses, and is sitting with both arms on the back of the backrest. Before I looked away, I saw a faint smirk on his lips.

We head to the board for our assigned rooms. Me and Michèle sigh in relief as we see our names listed to the same teacher.

I feel movement behind me, but before I could turn, a girl pops up next to us. She had short bobbed hair with a blue clip, bright eyes, and a wide smile.

"There aren't even twenty of us." She states. I smile softly. I hear Michèle sigh in joy.

"We thought we were the only girls." She points to the both of us, and I nod along.

"I waited for both of you to come in." A small laugh comes out from all of us. "I'm Simone."

"Michèle." She responds. They wait for me to respond.

"Y/N." I say, and Simone's face lights up. We pause for a while until Simone cuts the silence off.

"It feels like everyone's staring." She says worriedly but still with a smile on her face.

"They are." Me and Michèle say. The girls continue to talk as I look behind me again and see the sandy haired boy talking, or what looks like teasing, another boy. I think to myself, a bully. I grimace. I look away before he notices me staring.

"Are you wearing heels?" All of us look down to stare in awe at Michèle's foot wear.

"I didn't take you as a bold girl, Michèle." I joke, scoffing in amusement.

"My mom didn't say anything. Hopefully, the teachers don't say anything, too." We all laugh, nodding.

"Oh, Y/N. Look at yours. They look new." I look down at my Mary Jane's, smiling to myself.

"Yeah, they are. My parents got them as a moving gift." Simone nods, but Michèle looks confused.

"Moving gift?" She asks.

"They're gifts I receive when we move places. It's sort of a token of appreciation for being understanding from my parents." They both nod.

"Have you talked to the other girls?" Simone asks, glancing at them. As we all glanced behind, I noticed the boy that was being teased walk to our direction.

"Three were in my electives class, but we're not friends." I transfer my eyes to the group of girls. We look back at each other. Michèle looks to Simone. "Did you go to a Catholic school?"

"No, I was from Algiers. I got here a month ago. I don't know anyone." Simone smiles innocently. Their gazes shift to me. "What about you, Y/N? Are you old or new?"

"I'm new. I moved from Paris." I smile a bit sadly.

"Wow, Paris? I've always wanted to see the tower. Is it bigger than they say?" They start to ask me questions, and I answer happily. I cut them off once the boy I noticed walks closer.

"There's a boy coming. Stand still." They quickly shut up and look back at the board. I hold in a laugh.

"Oh no." The boy says, disappointed.

"Something wrong?" Michèle asks, curious by the boys' exclamation.

"My homeroom teacher is Bluebeard." He responds, now looking at us.

Me, Michèle, and Simone look at each other, confused.

Just then, a new girl walks in. She's wearing a blue dress and headband, her blonde hair swaying in the wind. She sticks out like a diamond in the rough. Boys exclaim, making the same comments they did when me and Michèle walked in, but more vulgar. Distaste has masked my face.

"Do you know her?" God bless Michèle's innocent soul. The boy shakes his head.

The bell rings, and I hear a series of groans. I sigh. The day has officially started.

××《☆》××

I make the lecture fade out of my ears, staring at the stage with no thought in my head. I feel a stare on my left

I turn my head and am met with eyes staring dead straight into mine. The glasses cover the way he'slooking at me, so i can't read how he's feeling, but his eyes are dark and hooded.

I look away slowly, a bit creeped out.

××《☆》××

I stare out the window, watching the trees sway in the breeze and the birds chirp, flapping their wings.

I snap back to reality when Ms. Giraud changes the seating arrangement of the boy we talked to earlier.

The boy with the sandy hair whispers something to him and makes him trip. The class laughs. I stare quietly and think, what an asshole.

"And you, girl with the Mary Jane's. What's your name?" Ms. Giraud says, but it feels like she's screaming. I stand up.

"Y/N Pardine." I respond. I feel the class's eyes on me. A certain pair of glasses covered ones make me shiver.

"Ms. Pardine, what's outside the window that's caught your attention?" I stare at her, a bit annoyed.

"Nothing, Ms. Giraud. I'm sorry I got distracted." There's a voice in my head saying fuck you.

She nods. Thank god. "Sit down. See class? That's how you should respond to your teacher." The lecture fades again as I stare off into space at my desk.

××《☆》××

I learned a few names after class. First, the blue dress girls' name is Annick, then the boy who always gets teased is Pichon, and last and very much the least, Joseph Descamps, the boy with the sandy hair.

××《☆》××

As we walk to our next class, someone bumps into my shoulder harshly. I look in front of me and see Descamps running with his friends. A teacher shouts something like 'no running in the halls'. I glare at his back, and he turns around, and he's smiling. Maybe it was because he was laughing, or maybe he was smiling at me. I stick to the first one and glare harder.

××《☆》××

We sit with the same arrangement as the last class. I tap my Mary Jane's on the hardwood floor and admire the way it shines with the sunlight hitting it.

"Excuse me, sir." I hear someone say. I turn my head and see both Descamps and Annick raising their hand.

"Yes?" The teacher asked. Descamps glances at me, and I furrow my brows. He smirks and looks away.

"I think she raised her hand." He states. I breathe out through my nose, a silent laugh. He's smiling again. Is he always this happy?

The teacher gives Annick a side look. Confusion covers my face. Does he think the girls aren't supposed to be here, too?

He lets her talk, and she does. She explains the meaning of the words written on the board. I look at her, impressed. She's pretty and smart. Good for her.

I see Michèle look to her left. I look, too. The boys pass notes and whisper incoherently. I keep a close eye on them. They pass the note to one boy, Laubrac, who looks like he doesn't know what to do with it.

"Give me that." The teacher states. "Give it to me."

Laubrac gets up, moving to the front of the classroom. The teacher opens up the note, then looks back at Laubrac.

"You think this is funny?" The teacher holds up the note.

"It wasn't me." Laubrac says in defence, but with a calm tone.

"Who is responsible for this masterpiece?" The teacher waves the paper in the air.

I turn my head back to the boys in the back. Descamps is chewing on the tip of his pen, acting like he doesn't know anything. His blinks under his glasses, and I squint. His hazel eyes connect with mine, and I look away swiftly.

"Your name?" The teacher asks as he folds the note.

"It wasn't me." Laubrac states again.

"'It wasn't me'. All culprits have the same name. They must be related. Okay, Mr. It wasn't me-"

"Laubrac. My name is Laubrac."

The teacher pauses. "Alright, Laubrac. Are you the boy from foster care? A nobody's son trying to graduate? How amusing." Gasps are heard.

"Didn't anyone teach you discipline in the care system?" He didn't wait for Laubrac to respond. "I won't let a bastard like you disrupt my class. Get out."

"But he didn't do anything." Michèle gets up from her seat to exclaim. I stare at her in shock.

"Nobody taught you how to raise your hand in your all girls' school, Ms. Magnan? Or maybe you think you have a free pass because your uncle is the dean." This teacher is getting on my nerves. I glance at him with squinted eyes.

"Escort your new friend to your uncle's office. He'll give you detention, too." He points to the door. Michèle and Laubrac start walking. I stare at her worriedly. I lean over the desk to talk to Simone.

"Is she gonna be okay?" I ask her. She turns to look at me with creased eyebrows.

"I think so. Her uncle's the dean, after all." I nod and sit back down.

I glance behind me and catch framed hazel eyes staring. He looks away quickly. I stare back to the front.

××《☆》××

Me and Michèle are walking outside when we hear a man call out her name. Before we could turn, he grabs her arm and leads her to the side of the building. I stood in my place, waiting for her instead of going with when I noticed it was just her brother. I walk to lean against the building, gathering my surroundings. I hear pebbles being stepped on and think nothing of it, assuming it was Simone. It wasn't.

"Good morning." I turn my head, smiling, then drop it when I'm met with a chest. I tilt my head upward, and the sunlight hits my eyes. There's a smile on his face still.

"Why are you alone? Where's your friend?" Descamps interrogates. I stare blankly.

"It doesn't matter to you." I turn my head again. I feel him adjust, putting an arm against the wall of the building.

"I know it shouldn't. But seeing a pretty girl like you all alone worries me. I can't let the other boys get to you before I could." He lowers his voice, dropping his head to reach my height.

I look back up at him. I raise my eyebrows. "How many girls have you used that on?"

He laughs. He's laughing. Why is he laughing?

"You're witty. I like that." I roll my eyes at his words. I notice Michèle in the middle of the grounds with Simone, and I sigh in relief. I walk away from Descamps and sprint to them, trying to keep myself composed.

As I get to them, Simone is running towards the bathroom. I catch my breath and shout.

"Simone, that's not-" Simone squeals as she runs back to us. She's laughing. I smile widely, amused.

"It was the boys' bathroom. I just saw-" We start walking but stop as a boy calls out 'What was that!?'.

"Sorry!" Simone repeats, and we all laugh.

××《☆》××

We all sit and talk in the lunch hall. I look out the window, barely touching my food.

Loud clattering catches my attention. I turn my head and see Pichon's hands in Annick's food. I grimace. There are boys laughing in the background. Pichon says a quick sorry to Annick and walks away, clearly embarrassed. Someone asks Annick if she wants a new plate.

"That idiot should give her his." Michèle says, partially mad. I glance to the boy, and it's Descamps. Of course it is. A series of ooh's are heard in the room. Descamps glances at me, then puts his eyes on Michèle again.

"Does the dean's niece have a problem?" He puts his arm on the backrest of his seat, and the other arm leaning on the table. "What did you tell your uncle? 'Laubrac is innocent. Descamps is the bad one'. The dean's niece and the bastard. A new love story." The hall laughs. I glare at him.

"Why don't you tell us what you wrote on that note?" Michèle bites back.

"It was a drawing. I'll show you." Descamps says calmly. He grabs a bottle and starts drawing on his scrambled eggs. I furrow my brows, already knowing what was gonna happen.

"It's a portrait." He holds up his plate, and his eggs now display a woman's bare chest. I scrunch my nose in digust. The hall laughs yet again. Words come piling out my mouth before I know it.

"It's too bad you'll only ever see them in pictures, not in real life. Women would never fawn over that small dick of yours." I say, and the hall erupts with impressed sounds. He raises his eyebrows. Simone holds up a sausage.

"Does this remind you of anything?" She grabs the other end of the sausage and breaks it in half. I laugh. The hall ooh's again. They start banging on the tables, and it catches a teachers attention.

Descamps glances back at us and glares at Michèle. His eyes travel to mine, and a spark of mischief flashes in his framed eyes. My brows crease.

××《☆》××

The bell rings, and students walk into their classrooms. Me, Michèle, and Simone are walking to our class.

I stare out the windows, seeing the busy streets of the afternoon. The girls are talking about a man named 'Alain Delon' when Michèle opens the door and a tub of water drops on her. I gasp.

The boys are laughing. I look at Michèle in worry. I tried to look for something to cover her up, but our teacher came first. She looks at Michèle, then looks at the room full of boys. She gets rid of her coat and tells someone to keep an eye on the class.

I walk inside, standing in shock near my table at the back at what happened. When I came back to my senses, Descamps was drawing boobs on the board, saying some things I couldn't hear with my unfocused mind.

Before I could walk over to him and give him a beating, Michèle's brother, Jean Pierre, walks into the classroom and starts punching the boys.

The others try to stop him, but he keeps punching. I stare at the scene, unable to do anything.

Descamps's eyes move from the fight to me, and I see emotions flashing in them. Worry, stress, fear, and regret. His eyes continue to stay on me when he gets punched. I cover my mouth in shock. I run near.

I pick up his glasses, and there's a crack on one of the frames. My heart drops when I hear whimpering.

I turn around and see Descamps on the floor, hand cupping his eye. I hadn't noticed the dean until he was kneeling next to him.

"My eye! I can't see." Tears well up. I feel thundering emotions.

My ears ring, and I blur everything out. I can still hear him whimpering. My eyes travel around his shaking body, my heart is beating out of my chest, and I feel like falling.

"Pardine. Take him to the office and call an ambulance." The dean tells me, and I snap back into reality. I quickly go to Descamps and grab his shoulders, ushering him to stand. There's blood seeping out of his fingers. I try not to sob.

He probably thought I was the nurse because he leans into me and relaxes a bit. I sigh shakily. I rub his back with my palm and guide him to the office.

××《☆》××

The ambulance was called, and he was taken to the hospital. I sit on the stairs, watching the ambulance drive away. I sigh deeply and place my head on my hands. I breathe in and out slowly, trying to calm myself.

Why did I help? He's bullied my classmates, especially Pichon and Michèle. I furrow my eyebrows. Fuck.

××《☆》××

I knock on the door, and I'm granted to come in. I quickly grab my things, ignoring the teachers questions. Michèle and Simone lean over to me. Simone talks first.

"Are you okay?" She asks worriedly. I shake my head no.

"I don't feel well. I think I'm gonna take the rest of the day off." Simone nods, understanding. Michèle looks confused but brushes it off.

"Okay. Get home safe. We'll see you tomorrow?" Michèle asks. I nod.

"Sure. See you tomorrow." I leave the room and head to the dean's office, asking for an excuse slip.

××《☆》××

As I lie on my bed petting George, I recall the events. Meeting the girls, talking to Descamps, Descamps embarrassing Michèle, witnessing Descamps go blind, calling the hospital for him. I sigh again. That boy will be the death of me.

I glance at my Mary Jane's. There's a scratch on it. Only when I got home I realised that Descamps stepped on it when he pushed past me. Fuck him and his face.

I hate him, I say in my head. I hate him and will continue to hate him. Two eyes or not.

××《☆》××

End of- Chapter one: Mary Jane's

Next- Chapter two: My eye only

××《☆》××

End of Chapter one, i really hope you guys liked it. It's my first time writing in a long while. When I watched Mixte, i was obsessed with joseph and was disappointed with the lost opportunity of an enemies to lovers. So i made one with a reader insert because i also couldn't find a lot of reader insert for joseph in it. Joseph and reader will get together very soon. Please dm this acc for recommendations. Thank you for reading!!!

#joseph descamps x reader #joseph descamps #mixte1963 #michèle magnan #simone palladino #jean pierre magnan #alain laubrac #reader insert #x reader #enemies to lovers #slow burn #fanfic

295 notes · View notes

twopoppies · 3 months ago

Note

Hello,

You're anon early with the tiktok mentioning Larry sort of reminded me about my origin story into this fandom. I had a moment when I was trying to figure who "Larry" was. Anyway, here's my story:

My origin story.

I blame it on Taylor Swift.

It was the Fall of 2022.

At the time, I knew little about One Direction besides the fact that they were a British boyband from X-Factor that Simon Cowell created. I knew that a band member named Zayn had left and that the band had broken up not long after. I could tell you who Harry and Niall were, but the other boys blended into interchangeable band members.

Looking back, I’m not sure why I wasn’t more into them because I had been a massive fan of American boybands of the '90s (NKOTB, BSB, N*SYNC, 98 Degrees, etc.). Being in my mid-forties now, I can assume I thought I wasn’t in One Direction’s focus group, especially since I had friends who took their 1D-obsessed kids to One Direction concerts, and I just wanted to stay away.

Back to Taylor Swift. I’ve been a fan of her music since her debut album, which is still my favorite of hers.

It was the Fall of 2022, and Taylor had a lot of buzz because she was about to release Midnights. I went on a binge of listening to my favorite Taylor songs. I got to the song “Style,” which I have always liked and assumed was about Harry.

I got curious and decided to google if Harry had ever written a song about Taylor. When they were “dating,” they existed outside of my bubble of things to care about. “Two Ghosts” was the song that came up as possibly being written about Taylor. I knew of and liked the song. I had watched Harry on James Corden (another rabbit hole I went down about celebrities singing Broadway songs which led to Carpool Karaoke and Crosswalk Musicals and eventually to Harry Styles) around the time his debut album came out, liked Sign of the Times, and bought the album.

I searched on YouTube to see if there was a music video of Two Ghosts or a live performance. I was disappointed that there wasn’t a music video, but I did watch a live performance and then scrolled down to the comments.

Holy wow! That’s where I first encountered the fandom. Fans were arguing about who the song was written about and whether Harry (as well as Louis and Taylor, for that matter) was gay, bi, or straight. The thoughts that went through my head!

Yes, other people think this is a beautiful song.

Are we sure this song is about Taylor?

Wait! This song is about a guy?

Who is Louis Tomlinson? I think he might be a 1D band member? Gotta go look that up. Yep, a 1D band member.

There was a gay couple in 1D? That’s cute. How am I just finding this out? Why isn’t this bigger news? They probably had to hide like Jonathan Knight of NKOTB and Lance Bass of N*Sync.

Who is Larry Stylinson? Is he a sixth member? I thought there were only five members?

Oh. It’s their names together.

That’s so cute!

Yep, they’re closeted. That’s so sad! Stupid boyband stereotypes.

And I went off to Google to find out more information. I found Tumblr, master posts, videos, fanfics, and down the rabbit hole I fell.

Two years later, I’m still down the rabbit hole with no plans of digging myself out.

Hahahaha! That’s a long, but pretty direct route down the rabbit hole. Glad to have you here!

#origin stories

31 notes · View notes

alittlebitofsainz · 8 months ago

Text

a place in this world (carlos’ version)

chapter 4: electric touch

summary: you’ve spent your entire career at mclaren, are you really willing to risk it all at a new team for carlos? or would it be safer, easier, to stay at the team that you’ve called home for so long? besides, daniel seems excited about your partnership next year, maybe taking a chance on a stranger could prove more interesting than you imagined…

pairing: carlos sainz x f!reader or daniel ricciardo x f!reader, depending on what your choices are

warnings: none other than swearing

masterlist | chapter 1 | chapter 2 | chapter 3 | chapter 4

8th november, 2020

alexa, play deja vu by beyoncé (featuring jay-z) on spotify.

another rainy morning in the UK, another trip west round the m25, another accident at potters bar, another driver texting you from an unknown number. more questions going round in your head, why did lando even have your number? and you were ten minutes late again, what was this, fucking groundhog day? you sat and read the text over and over in the car, a smile forming on your lips as you realised you’d gotten a text from the daniel ricciardo. the same daniel ricciardo you’d been watching in formula one since you were a teenager. crazy how life works out sometimes.

a notification pinged through at the top of your phone as you read daniel’s message through for the sixth time, and you frowned, head snapping up to look out your drivers window, immediately spotting carlos in the car next to you. you were sure that spot had been empty when you’d pulled up; he must have only just arrived. you flashed him a grin, shoving your phone into your bag, before shaking your head and mouthing ‘nothing’ at carlos in reply to his question.

you’d been walking in to the factory together recently, whenever you’d arrived around the same time. it was a good chance to catch up on any work related things, or potentially non work related things (the kick off of the FA cup was the chosen topic for most mornings this week). but this morning, you had an unexpected third member join the walk in.

“hey guys, wait up!”

both your heads turned at the familiar australian accent, his trademark grin adorning his face and his curls blowing slightly out of place in the breeze. he had his arm raised in a wave. you waved back. carlos didn’t.

“hey, daniel!” you greeted him as he jogged down the gravel path of the mclaren technology centre to catch up with the pair of you.

“hey, y/n! did you get my text?” daniel asked. carlos shot you a glance, but you elected to ignore it.

“yeah, sorry I didn’t get a chance to respond - I was driving and I’ve literally just rocked up.”

daniel fell into step in between you and carlos, his smile still as wide as when he’d first spotted you. you could’ve been imagining it, but you felt as if carlos picked up his pace just a little bit, leaving you and daniel lagging slightly behind.

“ah, yeah, no, no worries. I was starting to wonder whether lando had given me the wrong number as a joke or something.” daniel explained.

“I didn’t know lando had your number.” carlos muttered from several paces in front of you. what had gotten into him today? just a few moments ago you were laughing and joking together - it was almost as if his mood had completely changed when daniel arrived. was he… jealous? you scoffed internally at the thought.

“neither did I!” you replied, trying to keep the tone light, shooting a grin at daniel, who hadn’t seemed to have picked up on any tension whatsoever, mirroring your wide smile.

“well, I thought I ought to get to know my race engineer for next year. from what I’ve heard, I’m lucky to have her, ey?” daniel said as you continued towards the factory entrance.

if carlos had realised daniel’s words were directed at him, he gave no indication that he’d even heard them. instead, he just walked that little bit faster.

carlos begrudgingly sat down opposite her.

“stop looking around. daniel’s in a meeting, he’s not gonna come and crash our lunch.”

carlos sighed, turning his head back round to face her. she could read him like a fucking book by now.

“I’m sorry, it’s just-“ he stopped himself, taking a mouthful of lasagne before looking back up at her. her eyes were trained on him, ready to listen.

“it’s just that, well, it’s hard, you know?” he swallowed his mouthful of lasange and continued, “I don’t like the idea of you being someone else’s engineer next year. it’s like… like someone’s stealing my best friend.”

to his surprise, she reached an arm out across the table, covering his hand with her own. her eyes were full of sincerity.

“carlos, whatever happens, you’re not losing me. we’ll still be friends.”

her touch felt like electricity, sparks jolting through her fingertips and firing a million neurones in carlos’ brain. ‘we’ll still be friends’. just friends my ass - shut up lando! in that moment there were so many things he wanted to talk about with her, he just wished they weren’t in the very public space of the mclaren technology centre cafeteria. he wanted to make sure they were on the same page, heck, whether they were even on the same chapter in the same book. but at that moment his phone rang. mattia binotto is calling. something told carlos that this moment could change everything.

“sorry, I have to take this.”

JOIN CARLOS AT FERRARI

STAY AT MCLAREN WITH DANIEL

taglist: @itsjustkhaos @bicchaan @luvvtrent

comment/message if you want to be added!

#carlos sainz x reader #carlos sainz x y/n #carlos sainz x you #carlos sainz #f1 x reader #f1 x y/n #f1 x you #f1 x female reader #f1 imagine #f1 fic #daniel riccardo x reader #daniel ricciardo #daniel ricciardo x you #daniel ricciardo x y/n

68 notes · View notes

hazz-a-bear · 6 months ago

Text

F A M I L Y 2.0 — young dumb broke high school kids.

meet the friend group the actual family.

masterlist | wattpad

──── ★

BEXLEY GREEN » the soulmate

1994 // BRITISH

⊹ ࣪ ˖ pursues photography and filmmaking...

how they met .ᐟ

When aviana first joined North Hampstead High and started going to her classes, Bexley - who was on the same class - was on a week-long leave. When she returned to school, she found the new girl sitting on her usual seat and immediately, an unspoken rift was created. The two despised each other for months because of the incident. But one day, Bexley was moved out of her usual seat as a punishment and sat next to Aviana. And the rest - is history.

[ aviana + bexley ␥ *whispers* + "she said no cheese, asshole" ]

Bexley is the person Aviana considers to be her lifeline. In contrast to their rather embarrassing past, the two girls share a friendship that runs deeper than pictures together or birthday wishes at twelve. With their quite opposite personalities, Bexley and Aviana almost perfectly complete each other. Though Bexley is the last person Aviana imagines being best friends with, she will forever thank the stars for bringing the girl to her.

Bexley loves reading. Aviana prefers movies over books. Bexley communicates in spam texts. Aviana leaves her on read most of the time. Aviana plays three sports. Bexley is unable to move a muscle without one complaint. Bexley's favourite ice cream flavour is mint chocolate. Aviana loathes it and calls it toothpaste. Despite all their petty differences, Bexley and Aviana balance each other out like the yin and yang. If it had to be personified, it would most probably be the two of them. Though the two of them can't remember each other's birthdates and go months without talking to each other, they'll still be each other's first choice no matter what.

₊ ⊹

❝Aviana is singlehandedly the biggest asshole I've ever met. She's fake and she's rude to people without a reason. I'm rude too but, you know? She needs to get that fakeness beaten out of her❞

❝Bexley called me a failed abortion the other day. I just don't understand how she has the audacity to say stuff like that when she literally looks like a failed Area 51 experiment❞

played by: charlotte lawrence

──── ★

KIM YUNGHO » the twin

1994 // JAPANESE-SOUTH KOREAN

⊹ ࣪ ˖ pursues business and management...

how they met .ᐟ

The first sport Aviana joined at North Hampstead High was badminton. On her very first day of practice, she took her new duffel bag and water bottle and left them on the bleachers instead of the locker room - All without noticing the bag in the exact same design sitting on a row of seats behind hers. Once Aviana finished practices, she grabbed her bag for a change of clothes and instead of the familiar tracksuit she expected to find, she discovered a pair of Hello Kitty pyjama pants and a body spray that had expired in 2004. Too struck with the whole situation of mixing up bags with a stranger, Aviana simply decided to inform the coach, take the bag home, give it a good wash and throw away the body spray because what the hell. When an announcement rings through the school the next day about returning missing bags, Aviana gets up from her seat to make eye contact with a taller boy from the other side of the class, also standing with her bag thrown over his shoulder. The class falls into a quiet laugh and he asks her to join her for lunch and oh, this guy is kind of cool.

[ aviana + yungho ␥ black cat + chaotic black cat ]

Aviana and Yungho initially bonded over being in the same sport, going from senior-junior to captain-vice captain of the NHH badminton team in a matter of years. Aside from that - Sanrio, SHINee and a shared love for Disney shows is what brought them close. Though Youngho and Aviana get to know each other rather early, they only become close friends outside the court later in the year. While Bexley is the closest to her heart, Youngho is the one Aviana spends the most time with. Maybe it's because he has attachment issues or their interests align with each other perfectly - but the two consistently keep up with each other more than the rest.

Aviana and Yungho is always supporting each other's obsessions despite how niche or ridiculous they are. Aviana is the one to be blamed for the hoard of cats that reside in the Kim household while it is partly Yungho's fault that she has to hide 114 plushies in her closet. The two are in sync with each other when it comes to hate and pop culture - unstoppable once they've started talking shit about anything and everything. Though the two speak in internet memes half the time, Aviana and Yungho share a special bond that runs deep in their veins.

₊ ⊹

❝I can't believe Aviana hasn't bought me a mansion with an infinity pool and a basement with an arcade. Like, what do you think we made you famous for? To sit in my 2003 garage and watch you be successful? By yourself?❞

❝My spirit animal? If I had to choose, I'd say Yungho. He's my friend and I'm aware that he is indeed very much human. But he isn't far from being an animal so, might as well❞

played by: yang jeongin

──── ★

FARRAH ABDHUL » the mom friend

1994 // BANGLADESHI

⊹ ࣪ ˖ pursues psychology...

how they met .ᐟ

Aviana's first introduction is very expected, very traditional and cliche. When Aviana is first enrolled at North Hampstead High, she is sent home advised about how she'd get a student buddy by her side for the first week - giving her tours, guiding her around the school and helping her settle in. When she comes to school on the first day, Aviana is approached by a girl with a big smile and shy eyes peeking from beneath a stack of fliers. "Are you Aviana?" She's asked, fingers twiddling with her lilac hijab. Once they've got it cleared, the girl introduces herself as Farrah, her student buddy. Though Aviana doesn't expect herself to follow the girl around the school not only for the week but for the rest of her time, she can't exactly say she regrets anything.

[ aviana + fuzzy ␥ mom + daughter ]

Farrah is the calmest and sweetest soul Aviana has met, that is the simplest way to put it. Not only with her quiet and naturally kind personality, Farrah is considered to be the mom friend of the group - always keeping track of them and never letting them out of her child. She has a pure instinct to be responsible for the four others that makes her stress like a woman in her 30s, always fussing over them like a single mom and not letting them slip through the cracks of the family bond she'd created.

Aside from being overly protective and compassionate towards a bunch of losers like that, Farrah is also a child of nature. Farrah simply has a lot of love to give. Growing up in a big family with multiple siblings, she isn't one to shy away from showing her love through hugs, kisses and friendship bracelets.

₊ ⊹

❝Aviana and me - we're like the sky and the ocean. We're so different but so...attuned with each other? She's like my baby, my actual daughter. She makes me want to be a mom sometimes. Wait, is that weird?❞

❝Farrah is the only one who can actually calm me down without doing anything. I can feel the world around me quiet down just by looking at her❞

played by: n/a

──── ★

MAXWELL O'CONNELL » the single dad

1994 // BRITISH-SOUTH AFRICAN

⊹ ࣪ ˖ pursues hotel management...

how they met .ᐟ

Being a long-time friend of Yungho, Maxwell was introduced to the girls by the latter. The two had initially been friends because they were office-bearers of their respective sports teams, Yungho with Badminton and Maxwell with Hockey. After being introduced and slowly fitting into their little circle of friends, the rest realise that he's the personality they were desperately lacking between them - someone sane to keep their insanity at bay.

[ aviana + max ␥ sunshine + sunshine protector ]

Maxwell O'Connell is one of aviana's close friends. Introduced by Yungho to the rest, Maxwell is the last one to be a part of their friend group despite knowing them from afar. Max's family owns the popularized restaurant in Hampstead Heath, The Lodge and Meadow. In between toggling high school and being teenagers together, Max invited the others to help him out in the kitchen of the restaurant on a particularly busy Sunday. And eventually, the rest ended up with part-time jobs at the place on weekends. He is also, unsurprisingly, the best at culinary out of them.

Aviana knows Max to be the most sensible and responsible one in the group. He's considered to be the dad friend who keeps track of everyone and glues them together. Though Max is very reserved and quiet at first, he's one of the funniest people Aviana has met. With his million-dollar smile and knowledge of dad jokes, Max is someone who can make you laugh regardless of where you are. Aviana takes impromptu cooking classes from him when she has time - which almost always ends up with aviana rage quitting and Max finishing the food by himself.

₊ ⊹

❝Aviana Fernsby, global popstar, yeah, yeah, whatever. To me, she'll forever be the one who put the mayo stains on my mom's kitchen ceiling❞

❝Max is the most husband-material person I've met. You've got the looks, you've got the cooking skills, the shy adorable vibes - it's basically hitting the male wife jackpot❞

played by: n/a

──── thank you.

18 notes · View notes

themultifandomgal · 1 year ago

Text

From 2010 Series

*I will try my best to credit the original poster for any edits featured that aren’t mine

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

#one direction #one direction x reader #sixth one direction member #6th one direction member #harry styles x y/n #harry styles x you #harry styles masterlist #harry styles x reader #harry styles imagine #harry styles x oc #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles #liam payne #zayn malik #niall horan #louis tomlinson

473 notes · View notes

peterholland04 · 2 years ago

Text

🥹😭

Always Here

When We Were Young Masterlist Summary: YN promises to support Louis.

After the band's last performance together in December on The X Factor, YN struggled a lot. After five busy years of non-stop travelling, singing, writing and recording and having their lives planned out, YN felt lost, she didn't know who she was or what she wanted to do.

In the first month of the hiatus, Louis announced the birth of his son, Freddie. He had sent YN a text to share the news, along with a photo of the little baby. She remembers staring at the message, part of her was thrilled that Louis was now a father, and clearly taking to fatherhood amazingly. But the other half of her felt a pang in her chest, missing what they once had and thinking back to the times where they had discussed having children of their own and even thought about names they liked. But like always, YN was always sweet and kind and typed out a message.

Congratulations Lou! Freddie is adorable. I hope Mum and baby are doing well 💙

She had even sent a message to his Mum and sisters congratulating them on becoming a grandmother and aunties. She sent a parcel to Louis and Briana that included baby stuff for their new arrival.

Wanting to escape reality and try and find normality, whatever that was, YN and her family went on holiday to a quiet area in Cyprus, where they enjoyed some much-needed family time, exploring new places.

Once YN had returned to her home in London, after her holiday, she reached for her guitar. She loved writing songs in the band but they were always changed to be from a male perspective, but now she was free to write from the heart. As she began to strum on the strings, words came following after, almost like she felt she was free to sing her feelings without worrying about the boys or management not approving.

You want someone you can show off Whenever you go out She'll wear a tight mini black dress With all her friends around And then you'll probably spend the night at Her nice big house And by then, I'll just be someone You've forgotten about, oh

If you say she's nothing to worry about Then why'd you close your eyes when you said it out loud?

Stupid boy makin' me so sad Didn't think you could change this fast She's got everything that I don't have How could I ever compete with that? I know you'll go and change your mind One day wake up and be bored with mine She's got everything that I don't have And she's all I wanna be All I wanna be so bad So bad She's got everything that I don't have And she's all I wanna be All I wanna be

Once YN had written one song, she couldn't stop, it was like everything she had built up inside her for the last five years was ready to be released. She didn't necessarily know if she wanted to do anything with the songs, but singing them out loud felt good, almost like a release of new life.

---

YN was absolutely devastated when she heard the news of Jay, Louis's Mum. Her heart crumbled, she was heartbroken for Louis and his family. Jay had been a big part of YN and Louis's relationship, and she had grown close to her in that time. She was a caring, kind and beautiful woman inside and out. That evening, YN lit a candle in her living room as she sat and reflected. It hit her that night how short life was and how quickly someone can be gone from your life. She made a promise to herself and Jay that night as she looked up "I promise, I'm going to look after him". YN wanted to let Louis know she was thinking of him, and she typed out message after message and deleted them straight after because they just weren't right. She thought of something she and Louis would do when they were together to let the other know they were thinking of them. So she sent him a song, that reminded her of him with a row of heart emoji's.

YN was shocked at the message that stared back at her from Louis after she had sent him the song 'I miss sending you songs, thank you for remembering it means a lot to me. I love you YN ❤️'

Louis was performing his new single on The X Factor with Steve Aoki, and YN along with the other boys had planned to show their support and attend the show. YN would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous, she hadn't seen Louis for a year and these circumstances made her nerves worse.

Harry arranged to pick YN up from her home so they could travel to the venue together. She was so grateful to Harry, despite him being the youngest of the group, he watched over her like an older brother and she loved him for it. He always knew when she was anxious or worried about something, and would be there to ease the pressure and talk her through it.

As the four entered the backstage room where Louis and his team were currently waiting. YN felt two arms wrap around her and she pulled Lottie's frame closer to her "Hey..it's okay..I'm here" she spoke into the younger girl's ear. That was another, YN was like an older sister to Louis' sisters, especially Lottie who joined them for their last tour, so when they split she hardly saw the younger Tomlinsons.

"I've missed you so much" Lottie admitted as she still clung onto YN, looking for comfort.

Over Lottie's shoulder, she could see Liam, Niall and Harry hugging Louis and him thanking them for coming. But as Louis glanced over and spotted YN comforting his sister, his eye glossed over a second. As Lottie released YN, she was pulled into a hug by the other boys.

Louis took the opportunity to wrap his arms around YN's shoulders as she wrapped hers around his waist "Thank you so much for comin' darlin'"

YN looked up into Louis' eyes "I'm here for you always"

Louis swallowed his tears and nodded his head "I need you now more than ever" he addmitted.

"And I'm going to be there..I promise"

---

YN had stuck to her promise, in every message or call she received from Louis, she was there, day or night. She had spent hours holding him in her arms and she held him close and tight as the tears and sobs left him. It was the most heartbreaking scene she had witnessed. She wanted to take his pain away, but how could she? So she did everything she could, she listened when he talked, she held him while he cried and everything in between.

Tag List: (let me know if you would like to be added) @peterholland04 @werewolfbansheelove

#louis tomlinson #louis tomlinson x reader #louis tomlinson x fem!reader #sixth member of one direction

259 notes · View notes

romancingromanoff · 1 year ago

Note

Hi there, your stories are amazing, I really love them, I was wondering if you could do a margaery tyrell x F targaryen reader, where the reader is the sister of daenerys, and she also has a personality like her badass ancestor visenya instead of being ladylike

Sorry this took so long but I had a lot of fun with this request. It made me realize how much I miss writing for GoT and Margaery. I made our reader similar to Visenya in the sense that they share a love for combat and have tenacious spirits, but she isn't a complete carbon copy of her ancestor and lacks more of the diplomatic skill/finesse she was also known for. I hope you enjoy and thank you!

Daenerys was finally on the throne. You had already left Essos with a massive force the world had not seen in centuries with the Dothraki, the Unsullied, and three full grown dragons at your sister’s command. With the additional support from the Tyrells, the Dornish, and the Greyjoys, Cersei Lannister stood absolutely no chance. As Dany rode on Drogon and you rode Viserion, the sky over King’s Landing and the Red Keep instantly darkened.

The smallfolk and many of Cersei’s supporters had already begun to turn on her after the destruction of the Great Sept of Baelor. Luckily, Margaery Tyrell and a few others had been able to escape thanks to her sharp wits and quick thinking, while the High Sparrow and the majority of his followers had perished in the explosion. Poor King Tommen, who was under the impression that his wife had been killed, had taken his own life soon after by jumping from the Red Keep. As your army surrounded King’s Landing, the City Watch peacefully surrendered before any blood needed to be shed and your forces quickly closed in on the queen. There were a few loyal members of the Kingsguard that were willing to put down their lives for their queen, the most notable among them being the Kingslayer himself, however, they could only delay the inevitable.

Your father’s murderer was swiftly stabbed in the back by Grey Worm, killed the exact same way he had betrayed his king. Every part of you envied your friend for being the one to end the Kingslayer’s life. You were told that Cersei broke down upon watching her brother and lover die protecting her. She had poison on hand which she planned to use on herself but wasn’t quick enough to evade capture. No, she would not get a swift death. Dany had her presented to the entire city and lit her up with Drogon’s dragon fire in the tradition of your ancestors. She died screaming for mercy while the crowds cheered, the tyrant queen was finally gone.

Unfortunately, there had been very little time to celebrate your victory before a convoy from the North traveled down with news of an ancient threat that sought to wipe out all of humanity.

Neither you or Dany believed that the White Walkers actually existed until you flew north of the wall yourselves to witness the army of the dead with your own eyes. You immediately summoned dragon fire to try and destroy whatever portions of the army you could, but then Viserion and you had nearly been killed in the attack when an unimaginably deadly spear made of ice had been launched in your direction by the Night King himself. Viserion dove quickly and turned his body so that you wouldn’t be hit but part of his left wing was snagged and soon the two of you were falling out of the sky. Your dragon was able to soften the landing for you as best as he could but the impact was still extremely damaging on your body.

Being more of a fighter, you had suffered your fair share of injuries in the past. Around your sixth nameday, a special sling had to be made for your arm. You had broken it while wielding a large stick you found in the gardens of one of the many sponsors in Essos you lived with before moving onto the next. In your mind, you imagined it was the Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister that had once belonged to your great ancestor Visenya Targaryen. One jump off of the roof with your imaginary dragon had led to a nasty fall and started a series of mostly self-induced, reckless wounds.

Scars covered your body, telling the stories of every horse you’d fallen off of and time you’d wrestled a Dothraki warrior that was easily twice your size. Daenerys hated how eager you were to pick up any sword or bow you could get your hands on but understood that trying to stop you only fueled the fire in your veins. When she had entered the funeral pyre and given birth to her three dragons, the only thing you could talk about from then on out was when they’d be large enough to ride. Not once did you worry about the possibility of falling out of the sky.

It took an entire week before you finally awoke, your first action trying to scramble out of bed despite the maesterscolding you for breaking several of your stitches. You had to know if your sister and friends were safe. Dany soon informed you that you were back in King’s Landing where Viserion was also healing. It was truly a relief to find out that he would be okay. Then your sister informed you of her plan to return to the north and aid in the fight against the dead at Winterfell while you were ordered to stay and rest in the capital.

“Dany, please!” You protested with every ounce of energy you had, causing a sharp pain to rip through your shoulder. “Let me go with you. I won’t let you do this alone!”

“You are in no shape to fight, sister, and neither is your dragon. As your queen, I order you to stay here. I still have not been crowned and I need someone I can trust to guard the iron throne.”

It was a fight you knew you could not win, yet you dreaded being left alone in this strange city. “We have no allies here. I have no friends. Please, let me at least go with you to Winterfell and I won’t fight, I give you my word.” The thought of not being able to participate in the battle pained you but you at least wanted to be there for support.

Your sister adamantly shook her head. “No, I will not gamble with your life. You are my heir and the only other person I trust to enact our mission. That is my final decision. Missandei and a few of the Unsullied will stay here with you. You should take the opportunity to get to know the people here, learn about the culture and make more allies. Many in Westeros still view us as foreigners and I need to know who I can truly trust to fully support my reign.”

“Dany, you know I’m hopeless when it comes to this stuff,” you sighed and could already tell your head would be hurting for weeks if you were forced to sit and make pleasantries with strangers. Between you and your sister, she had always been more naturally gifted in the ways of diplomacy and charming others to listen to her words. You, on the other hand, were more inclined to laugh at the absolute worst moment of a conversation or trip over your own words and accidentally curse in a way completely unfit for a highborn lady. “If it’s seven kingdoms you wish to rule then you’ll ensure I’m not able to make a fool of myself in front of the most powerful families in Westeros.”

There was no convincing her. Your eyes stung stung for hours when your sister left you behind. In the following days, more agonizing than your wounds was the dreadful feeling of not knowing whether or not your friends were alive or dead. Being bedridden you felt completely helpless as the days came and went with no ravens delivering news of any sort of outcome yet. After a few days, you were finally given permission to try and walk again and took every opportunity to explore the castle. Missandei eventually tried to force you to rest and it took a great deal of effort to ditch her. Trying to shuffle as quickly as you could through several smaller corridors resulted in you being completely lost.

That was where you first met Margaery Tyrell. Somehow, she managed to sneak up on you the third time you realized you had walked past the same statue. “Your grace,” she performed a small curtsy in front of you. “I’m glad to see you have progressed tremendously from your injuries. I’m Margaery of the House Tyrell, truly, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“I…“ Oh gods, you weren’t prepared for this at all. It was like you instantly had forgotten how to speak. Many had said that Margaery was the most beautiful woman in all of Westeros. And although you had seen very little of the seven kingdoms thus far, you were inclined to agree. She was utterly breathtaking, with honeyed hair and hypnotic eyes. You cursed at yourself for leaving Missandei, the only person that might have been able to save you in this current situation. You needed her to say absolutely anything else in literally any of the several languages she spoke. Even gibberish would have been better than you just standing there gaping at the poor lady.

She went ahead and continued speaking after you failed to respond with anything more than a wordless stare. “May I assist you in any way? I know how daunting finding your way around the castle can be. During my first two weeks of living here I got lost on my way to the Great Hall and found myself in a sunken courtyard where two men conversed with one another in a foreign language I didn’t recognize and ignored my presence when I tried to ask for help in Common Tongue. I had to wait for a cook to come rescue me and that was only because he was chasing a pigeon that had stolen his spoon from the kitchen!”

It was unclear whether or not you were meant to laugh at her anecdote and you didn’t want to risk doing the wrong thing. But then Margaery herself began chuckling at her previous misfortune and you felt relaxed enough to lift your lips into a small smile. Her energy was contagious and frankly, so was the sound of her laughter. You immediately wished to hear more of it.

“Yes, well… It’s, uh, strange never having been here myself but knowing my family has walked these halls for generations. I asked a servant if the rumors that dead Targaryens haunt the corridors were true and she nearly fainted. I suppose that answered my question. Honestly, it would be nice if their ghosts could offer me any directions.”

You worried that you might have overshared, although you had only been trying to follow Margaery’s lead. But the charming woman in front of you suddenly burst into the most melodic laughter you’d ever heard and a strange warmth rushed into your face.

“That would be helpful, wouldn’t it, if those from the past could offer their wisdom to us before we make the exact same mistakes they did?”

“Yes, exactly!” The fact that the two of you are on the same page has you giggling with complete elation. “Do you ever think about your dead family?”

As soon as the words left your mouth you only realized what you just said. Oh gods, why did you have to phrase it like that? How foolish did you have to be to forget that her own brother, Loras Tyrell, had been unable to escape the Great Sept not even two moons ago?

Margaery blinked twice, staring at you mildly stunned. It was the same look you see on your sister’s face whenever tries to hold in a cringe and realizes she’ll have to offer up an explanation for your infantile behavior.

“I-I must apologize, my lady, I didn’t mean to say it like that.” You took several steps back from the woman, unsure if she wanted to turn and leave so you were prepared to excuse yourself first. “I understand if you want me to leave.”

“It’s alright. Please, stay.” You felt her hand reach for your wrist and although her touch was nothing but gentle it startled you. Your eyebrows immediately shot up like she had frozen you by some strange magic. “You’ve done nothing to offend me. I suppose I was simply surprised by your choice of words.”

You released a breath you’d been holding. “That tends to be a regular occurrence I’m afraid. My lady, I truly am sorry about the loss of your brother. My own was rather cruel and I feared him since I was a small child, yet his death unsettled me greatly even though he deserved it. I understand you were very close with yours and no one deserves that sort of fate. You and your family have my deepest condolences.”

“Thank you,” Margaery spoke more softly before with a new contemplative look in her eyes. “Loras was deeply misunderstood and unfortunately people weren’t very accepting of his differences. I wish he had been able to freely live as himself without judgment.”

It sounded all too familiar. Recently, people you knew had spoken about the youngest Tyrell son’s… sexual preferences… But you always tried to avert your attention from such conversations when you came across them, even if the participants didn’t seem hostile with their judgment. You were no longer in Essos where people like yourself were generally more accepted in society. And although the High Sparrow and his fanatics were gone, members of the Faith of the Seven continued to persecute others like you.

“I understand the feeling. My sister and I hope to build a new Westeros where everyone is free to make their own decisions. A place that’s free of judgment and everyone can decide their own future, so long as it is done fairly. The weak and the poor will no longer break their backs for greedy men that would abuse them for a few coins.”

“I should be quite fortunate to witness it,” she gave you a bright smile and offered you her arm, which you hesitated to take at first. A part of you knew even the slightest bit of her touch would be addicting for you, which turned out to be correct. She guided you throughout the rest of the castle and you decided that you’d let her lead you anywhere.

You found it strange when only a fortnight had passed and surprisingly you felt as if you’d been friends with MargaeryTyrell much longer. Whether you were struggling to find the proper words to use or going off on one of your many animated tangents, the southern lady never judged nor criticized you. It quickly became evident that she was a master at socializing and had no problem carrying the conversation on her own when you internally fussed over what to say. However, she was also eager to listen when you finally let one of your passionate ramblings pour from your heart. Even subjects that were positively unladylike, which you had first assumed would be of no interest to your new companion, became effortlessly easy to talk about with her.

“Valyrian steel is objectively the best material to use if you ever needed an amputation. It cuts clean through skin, flesh, and bone, unlike more blunt blades which would be more likely to cause even greater injury. I’ve seen some medics have to practically saw their tools back and forth through limbs in order to get them to detach. It’s completely gruesome!”

“And Dark Sister, that was the one you used to pretend to have?” Margaery’s eyes shimmered like she was completely enthralled in your story. Never once did you think she’d call you a freak or too violent to be considered a lady.

You nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. It was Visenya’s during Aegon’s conquests. I’ve always wanted to be a warrior like her for as long as I can remember. Of course Viserys only ever saw me and Daenerys as pawns easy enough to use, as was his right he said, to help take back his throne.”

“What he did was cruel and how I wish you had been treated better. Had a better childhood surrounded by your loved ones and a proper place to call home. I’m sure we would have met sooner, perhaps here at court. Except then you’d be the one showing me around and rescuing me from becoming lost!”

There’s nothing you could do to stop the blush from filling your cheeks as you imagined this rewritten version of history and who you might have been had things been different. The past wasn’t something you liked to dwell on too often as you knew there was no point in trying to change things, but one other thing had become incredibly clear about your future. You couldn’t imagine it without Margaery in your life.

Daenerys was finally due to come back tomorrow and while you were certainly eager to see her and have her introduced to Margaery, many other mixed emotions came with the letter she had most recently sent you. She’d mentioned several losses over the series of battles that had taken place up north. You knew victory would never have been easily won, but feared finding out which friends’ faces had been permanently taken from your life. Thankfully, Margaery was there to listen to you express your anxieties.

“I have this horrible feeling that Jorah is dead. As complicated as his past was, I never doubted that he would lay down his own life to save me or my sister. He once promised me that he would never leave us and yet somehow, I know he’s gone and done just that.”

“I will be here for you every step of the way,” Margaery assured you, grabbing your hands and softly rubbing her thumbs upon the tops of them. “You don’t have to go through this alone. I may not know any of your friends but I will not leave you. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Do you promise?” You squeezed her hands tighter, gazing up into her wide eyes and looking for any sign of uncertainty. There were so few people in this world that you’d let get to know the real you, and even fewer that had stayed and accepted it.

Her eyes softened, and in a way of almost sealing her promise she slowly lowered herself to her knees in front of you. You were a princess as your sister was the queen and people were regularly brought to bow before you just the same. Still, the way Margaery executed it without ever breaking eye contact made her particular act feel incredibly intimate, like she was pledging her loyalty not only to your blood or titles, but simply because it was you.

“I promise, my little dragon. Where you go, I go.” It was whenever she made statements like this that you almost believed she might have felt the same way as you did about her.

A snarky smile crept across your face. “Does that mean you’ll finally ride Viserion with me?” You’d recently been begging the woman you were infatuated with for a chance to impress her with the one experience you knew she would not have had. Or could find anywhere else.

She let out a nervous laugh. “You forget, my dear, that I am a rose and am meant to be firmly planted into the ground. And while I’m sure Viserion has no qualms with you riding him, he’s surely to be mistrustful of a stranger like me. There are no dragon riders in my family’s history, I’m afraid.”

“Maybe you’re a stranger to him as of now but we can remedy that! I am bonded to him more deeply than humans can be with normal animals, which means he should inherently trust you as much as I do. He’s going to love you, I know it. Margaery, you must know I would never put you into danger like that.”

There was a substantial amount of hesitance which began to fade from her eyes. You tried to show her what you believed was your most empathetic look and you watched as your words caused the last few threads of doubt to come undone.

“I trust you as well. But I shall have to ask for something small in return, if you’d agree to it.”

She could’ve asked you for the world and you knew you would give it to her. The two of you then struck a deal and made your way to dragon pit.

Viserion was already in protective mode as you approached him, making sure he had at least one eye on Margeary at all times. You started to speak to him in High Valyrian, explaining that you had brought a special friend and your comfort around her appeared to ease him. The golden rose tried to remain calm throughout the whole ordeal as well, though you sensed that she was dealing with a reasonable amount of nerves deep down. Her hand timidly reached out for yours, in a way that was surprisingly bashful for the normally confident woman, and you immediately accepted her touch.

Three circles around King’s Landing was all it took to change Margaery’s mind about flying. A perfectly blue and cloudless sky made for the perfect views. The few screams she attempted to stifle had turned into pure uninhibited laughter by the second lap, and you only landed shortly after to be certain you weren’t overworking Viserion so soon after his injury.

As much joy spending time with Margaery brought you, there was a voice from your past softly whispering in your ear, telling you not to get too attached. You were a dragon but you had been burned before. Dany was the only other person that truly knew how complicated your relationship with Doreah had been. Completely smitten with her from the start, it was easy enough for her to win over your innocent heart with a few stolen kisses and flirtatious words. She made you believe you were her favorite and even more special than your sister. It eventually drew a wedge between you and Danythat gave Doreah the opportunity to betray the both of you. Worst of all, you couldn’t prove it but you knew she had killed Irri too.

“Now do you see why I told you not to trust her?” Both your sister’s embrace and her words were firm as she had turned from the vault where Doreah and Xaro Xhoan Daxos were sealed inside. Your body was still shaking but Daenerys was determined for you to remember every detail of that exact moment. “As Targaryens, people will always envy our power and try not only to take it but to have us give it to them if they can.”

“I won’t ever let us feel like that again, sister, I swear it,” you had promised with the utmost sincerity.

You never let yourself fall for another again until you invited Margaery Targaryen to accompany you on Viserion and it made you feel alive again. The realization began to set in when your feet landed back on the ground, with a heaviness in both your heart and your knees suddenly overtaking you. Margaery naturally caught sight of the grimace on your face and asked if everything was alright. Honestly, you didn’t even know what the truth was.

“Margaery,” the gravity in your voice made even Viserion shift uncomfortably. You knew you had to be honest to receive honesty in return. “I will grant whatever favor you request of me as I am a woman and princess of my word. I only ask that you be sincere with me. Getting to know you recently has felt like a breath of fresh air, but I have been used and toyed with for my name and my power since I was born. You are a woman of noble birth with the duty of uplifting your family and house. I can respect that. It is also evident that you are more than capable of securing your own means of influence. You have been wed to three men that have called themselves ‘King’. It would be foolish of you not to try and befriend me, but I must know, what is it that you really want?”

Margaery sighed and momentarily averted her gaze from you. You’d never seen her that reserved before. Having her be the one too nervous to open up to you was a strange switch in the roles you’d mostly settled in over the past few weeks. It made you eager to demonstrate the lack of judgment you held on your part. You ached to be someone she could trust and every second of silence that passed had you sitting in bitter anticipation.

When she finally spoke, it was with a solemn sense of conviction. “I have wanted to be Queen for so long. You’re not wrong to assume it has completely consumed my life. These past few years have been especially driven by my obsession, which might have started as a seed planted by my family but became fully grown and sustained by my own ambition a long time ago.”

She paused after that, clearly unaccustomed to the position she had found herself in. There was also something else about her demeanor that you couldn’t clearly define. Shame, regret, possibly even indignation? You slowly leaned in closer, careful to make sure you weren’t overstepping, but wanting to show that you were there for her.

“I was always maintaining a specific persona, trying to play the role of a voice for the poor when I only cared about how the publicity could serve my own interests. I was not like you or your sister. Truthfully, I made very little effort to help anyone aside from myself and my family and never sacrificed more than a few comforts or dresses I dirtied. Even when I was officially the queen, all the power that came with the crown wasn’t enough to save my brother from the animosity and unfairness which runs so deeply in the establishments that uphold our society. Things that I didn’t spare a second thought for until they came to hurt the ones I love and it was too late to do anything.

“Margaery,” you shook your head and bravely reached for her hands. “None of what happened is your fault. You’re only one person and shouldn’t put the pressure to change history and customs by yourself. We’re all human.”

She squeezed your hands tightly, pulling you closer to her so that only a few inches separated your faces. Gods, being near her affected you like a powerful drug. She smelled of roses and fresh morning dew in the early spring as you expected from a lady of Highgarden. There was something in her presence that seemed to transport you there. And though you had never actually been, it strangely felt like home.

“Yes, you are human, dragon rider, and more,” she smiled and came to run the back of her fingers softly down your cheek. Your legs would have given out had you not been so determined to keep looking up into her enchanting eyes. “And yet when all odds were against you, you and your sister freed thousands and bettered the lives of countless others with nothing expected in return. That is true selflessness and deserves the right to rule, as I am certain you shall do fairly as these kingdoms desperately need. You will bring forth the future where people like me and Loras could have lived freely. A place I never even imagined until I met you.”

Nothing in her words or demeanor felt dishonest but something told you the request she had yet to make would reveal the ultimate truth. If she believed in you and your sister’s mission then would it be so outlandish to think she’d ask for your friendship above additional power? Your heart was beating frantically and you strained your voice to get out your next few words.

“Margaery, what is it that you want from me?” Despite knowing that she had the power to end you right then and there, you chose to cling onto hope and held onto her one hand and lean into the touch of the other which now rested on the opposite side of your face. Doreah had been gentle with you at times but not in a way quite like this. Her affections had always been calculated and she gave you just enough to leave you wanting more. Teasing and playing games with you where you were only awarded by granting her favors. Margaery held you like she never wanted to let you go, even if it burned her skin in the process.

“If you wouldn’t be opposed to it, I’d like to kiss you, little dragon.”

Your heart must’ve stopped and all you could do was nod. Then as soon as Margaery’s lips met your own it began to beat once more, complete with new life she breathed into you. Her kiss was soft at first, careful to ensure the continued contact was alright with you before you deepened it. She tasted of vanilla and sweets and you eagerly chased to explore into her mouth further with her tongue. Your enthusiasm must’ve surprised the other woman, though she gave off a pleased chuckle before shortly taking back the lead and her other hand found your waist.

“Kostilus,” you moaned as she pressed your bodies even closer together. Everything else you wanted to say you put into your movements. Margaery smiled once again and her chest vibrated when you went to wrap your arms around her neck and continued to interrupt your dance with brief pronunciations of Valyrian words. She didn’t need to speak the language to understand what you were pleading for, and it pleased her greatly in many ways.

The two of you instantly separated when Viserion let out a deep cry that vibrated the ground around you. He twisted his neck up towards the sky where a dark mass grew faster and faster in its descent. Drogon answered his brother’s call and you realized Dany must be home. You grabbed Margaery’s hand, the biggest grin painted across your face. Getting to kiss Margaery and reunite with your sister had you so giddy that it didn’t occur to you how Margaery had never met Drogonbefore, who was much larger and intimidating than your sweet Viserion.

But all you could think about was how relieved you were to see your sister and her dragon both safe and unharmed. You raced to Dany when she began to dismount and dragged Margaery along with you. You felt as if you could burst with joy in that very moment, although your sister’s face did not show the same excitement or relief as you would have expected. No, this wasn’t Dany excited to greet you after an easy victory. This was Queen Daenerys already fueled on anger and glaring daggers at the woman next to you.

To her credit, Margaery stood firmly next to you in the face of the Mother of Dragons and her fiercest son.

“Who is she?”

#margaery tyrell #margaery tyrell x reader #game of thrones #margery tyrell imagines #game of thrones insert #wlw #Natalie dormer characters

150 notes · View notes

stayfortwominutes · 1 year ago

Text

💭 reaction | lee know & changbin (part one)

prompt; "what do you need?" "... a kiss"

disclaimers; written in second person perspective, very amateur descriptions of kissing, no depictions of the members' personalities, actions or thoughts reflect their true character.

pairing; SKZ members x gender neutral reader

content; fluff, comfort, slightly suggestive*, established relationships | total word count; 1.1 k

related; part two ー hyunjin & seungmin

member; lee know (minho) | wc. 490+

a spirit of festivity kindled to life as the delightful aroma of cinnamon, ginger and honey wafted through the kitchen of your cosy apartment. basking in the serenity of each other’s presence was the perfect way to spend your weekend after a stressful week at your work.

perched upon the counter, you read the recipe as minho precisely measured each portion of flour, butter, sugar, and the necessary spices. he asked you to help combine the dry ingredients, knowing the mindless task would help reduce your mind’s unyielding chatter, diverting your attention to the task at hand. minho had developed a wondrous sixth sense about you, pinpointing the precise moments when you were need of respite before you would ever admit it.

as the two of you shaped the biscuits, you conversed through your respective weeks: you were inundated with more work than you were being paid for, whilst minho delved into details from his new dance routines and funny stories between him and the boys.

carefully placing the tray into the oven, minho took to cleaning the dishes. he insisted on an impromptu karaoke session, which you happily obliged, using a spare spatula as a makeshift microphone, and spontaneously pointing it in his direction as you rearranged your favourite songs into a couple’s duet. the sounds of laughter, music and the hint of spices danced in the air to create a blissfully domestic atmosphere that deliquesced your week’s worries.

ding.

the oven timer signalling its end snaps the two of you from your blithe bubble.

“oh, i forgot the most important thing…” minho muses aloud.

“what do you need?” you move to shuffle yourself off the counter, but minho is quick to hinder your path. he stands in between your knees, hands resting on the marble surface below, at either side of your thighs.

“…a kiss,” he breathes, before interlocking his lips with yours.

his hands come up, one placed behind your neck, and the other finding itself comfortably in the small of your back under your shirt.

the kiss begins slowly, the initial contact feathery, as he takes in your surprise. you immediately melt into his touch, your hands encircle his waist, pulling him closer and pressing your chest to his. you sigh in euphoria, and minho tenderly captures your lips again with his. his warm hands lovingly draw soothing patterns against your skin.

you reluctantly let minho pull back. he rests his forehead against yours.

“love, that's my secret ingredient,” he whispers. his plump reddened lips forming into a coy smile.

“i better take the biscuits out to rest.” the tips of minho's ears flushed red as splashes of pink burnt your cheeks.

now invested in minho’s mischief, you hook a finger in his collar to lure him back into your hold.

“forget the biscuits,” you mutter against his lips, feeling him smile into the kiss.

the two of you were soon lost indulging in the sweet, decadent taste of one another.

member; changbin | wc. 620+

you sit on your couch, observing your boyfriend as he paces back and forth, up the hall and then down to the entryway.

“i didn’t want to be alone today,” changbin whines. his gym session was cut vexingly short after chan and han had been summoned back to the company for a last-minute schedule. although not entirely a fan of exercising yourself, you sympathise and endeavour to offer him some motivation.

“how about we do some exercise together? you can do some sit-ups and i’ll hold onto your legs!” you chirp, conjuring up a cheeky method to motive him. he steadfastly moves the coffee table to the side of the room, and rolls out a thick, cushioned yoga mat.

“won’t be a moment!” you call, sauntering to the bedroom, to don a sweatband, before quickly slathering on a generous layer of changbin’s favourite lip balm: strawberry.

you briskly return and settle yourself with him on the mat in the centre of your living room floor.

“alright,” you begin, lacing your arms together underneath his calves, “before we start, i need you to do something for me.”

“what do you need?” he queries with slight perplexity.

“a kiss.”

“for every five sit ups, i’ll grant one kiss.” the apples of your cheeks round proudly. changbin holds your gaze, as the edges of his mouth begin to turn upwards in favour of your proposition, his demeanour brightening.

“deal!” he exclaims with refound vigour.

the kisses are simple, soft pecks. changbin was still engrossed in fulfilling his quotidian routine, but once he grazed your bottom lip, and recognised the familiar strawberry balm, his mind short circuited.

the next couple of kisses, he grew impatient, hastily pulling up and leaning even impossibly closer to you; lingering to enjoy a moment’s longer taste. you ease back, swatting kittenishly at a rogue hand that comes to cup your cheek.

“play nice,” you facetiously scold.

several more sets of sit-ups pass by, and changbin sheepishly obeys, his lips practically ghosting over yours.

you became crescively enamoured by the scene before you. changbin’s biceps flexed in complete glory as he continued his routine. the plump, porcelain skin an inviting site for just one small bite.

you plunge forward as he comes up; a resounding yelp emits from him. his arms no longer bent at the sides of his head, as he rubs at the glistening, red-tinged indent of your teeth that imprint just below his shoulder.

“what did you just do?” changbin stares back at you, a look of disbelief growing on his face as his mouth hangs agape and his brows start to furrow.

you stumble back, stifling a chuckle of satisfaction. “they looked so biteable.”

“you’ve got biteable biceps, baby.” you croon nonsensically.

“mmm, yummy." you hold your hands up in front of you as you curl your fingers in to mimic claws. a deviously glint twinkles in your eyes.

changbin reciprocates your sprightly behaviour, and nimbly tackles you down onto the mat. his fingers tickling mercilessly at the sides of your torso causing you to writhe underneath him in a fit of giggles. with his elated mood, he peppers kisses from your temples to your cheeks, and along your jaw.

then, a light bulb switches on in his mind, and he halts. continuing to hover over you, the look in his eyes slightly darkens; he licks his lip in a sultry manner.

with a few swift moves, changbin effortlessly hoists you up from the mat, into his arms, and walks the two of you in the direction of your bedroom. a smirk mysteriously graces his features. you study his face, your wide eyes brimming with anticipation.

“it’s time i get a proper reward for all my hard work.”

consider reading more: masterlist

૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა note; as per the poll, i wrote this in second person, and i hope there was enough variation between each member's storyline that it wasn't repetitive! the prompt list i stumbled upon sparked a bunch of different ideas but i couldn't confidently write for all members so i chose the "best" ideas out of all eight that i roughly plotted. as usual, please enjoy, and reblog if you liked it, thank you 💖 please check out the original post from @/scealaiscoite for the prompt! © stayfortwominutes ; september 02, 2023.

201 notes · View notes

niallerspayno · 19 days ago

Text

Game Night (Zayn Malik x reader) - Fic Request

Request for @cletumblsblog: Hello, i hope you’re doing well !! Can i send a request about zayn please? We don’t have a lot of imagines about him! Whatever plot just i’d like it if the reader is a part of one direction like as a sixth member? Thank you very much!!

Masterlist

There’s a certain rhythm to your life now, one that’s hard to explain to people who don’t live it. Fame is loud and fast, and you’ve learned to keep up with it because you don’t have a choice. But when you look back, it’s hard to believe how far you’ve come—from a hopeful teenager auditioning on The X Factor to a member of one of the biggest bands in the world.

You remember the moment you first met the boys—five strangers, all nervous energy and tentative smiles, thrown together in a competition none of you really understood yet. The producers thought adding a girl to the group would give you all an edge, and somehow, it worked. What started as an experiment became something unshakable, and now, the six of you are a family.

You’ve grown up together in the truest sense. Louis is your mischief partner, always ready with a joke or a ridiculous scheme to make you laugh. Harry is the one you go to when you need to talk, his calm energy balancing your occasional chaos. Niall’s warmth and easygoing nature feel like home, and Liam’s steady presence and kindness keeps you grounded.

And then there’s Zayn.

From the start, he’s been different. Quiet where the others are loud, reserved in a way that makes you want to understand him more. With Zayn, there’s a comfort you can’t explain—a feeling like he sees you, the real you, in a way no one else does. It’s why you’ve always been closest to him, why your bond feels so unshakable.

The boys have noticed, of course. They tease you both relentlessly, but it’s never mean-spirited. If anything, they seem to enjoy the way you and Zayn gravitate toward each other, the way your connection feels like something rare and unspoken.

It’s a connection you’re still figuring out yourself.

...

Louis’ text comes in the middle of a rare free afternoon.

“Game night at mine. Bring snacks or don’t bother coming. xx”

You laugh, shaking your head at his usual theatrics before sending a quick thumbs-up emoji in reply. Game nights with the boys are the closest thing you have to a “normal” life—just six friends laughing, arguing over board games, and eating way too much junk food. You’ve missed it, missed them.

The air outside Louis’ flat is crisp, the kind of early evening chill that makes you glad you grabbed your oversized hoodie before heading out. Balancing a tray of brownies and a bag of crisps in one hand, you press the doorbell with your free one, hearing the familiar chime echo inside.

It doesn’t take long for the door to swing open, revealing Louis with a wide grin plastered across his face. “There she is!” he announces, stepping aside and ushering you in with a dramatic flourish.

“Don’t start,” you say with a laugh, slipping past him into the warmth of the flat. The scent of something slightly burnt and far too much cologne hits you immediately, a mix that is uniquely Louis.

“What’s this?” he asks, grabbing at the tray in your hands like it’s treasure.

“Brownies,” you reply, tugging them away from his reach. “But if you keep being greedy, I’m keeping them for myself.”

“Rude,” he says, clutching his chest in mock offense before grinning again. “Alright, come on, everyone’s here already. You’re late.”

“I’m not late,” you argue, kicking off your shoes and setting the brownies on the kitchen counter. “You just like to exaggerate.”

He doesn’t deny it, instead grabbing your bag of crisps and tearing it open as you follow him into the living room.

The chaos is immediate. Harry is sprawled across one end of the couch, lazily flipping through his phone while Niall and Liam are deep in a heated debate over which board game to play first. The coffee table is already overloaded with snacks—half-empty bowls of popcorn, a packet of biscuits, and an open bag of gummy bears that Niall is clearly hoarding.

“Finally!” Niall exclaims when he sees you. “I’ve been starving waiting for you to get here.”

“You’ve been eating the whole time,” Liam points out, rolling his eyes.

“Doesn’t count if it’s not the main snacks,” Niall retorts, gesturing dramatically at your tray of brownies.

“Alright, alright,” you say, laughing as you set the tray down on the table. “I’m here now. What are we playing?”

“Monopoly,” Liam says at the same time Niall shouts, “Pictionary!”

Harry snorts, tossing his phone onto the armrest. “This is why we never start on time.”

“You’re not helping,” Liam points out, but Harry just grins and stretches out further on the couch.

...

You’re just settling into the rhythm of the evening—listening to Liam try and fail to organize everyone—when the doorbell rings again.

“Someone else is late for once!” Louis calls out, jumping up from his seat and disappearing toward the door.

Your brow furrows slightly. You hadn’t realized anyone else was coming. Maybe one of Louis’ friends from outside the group? It’s not uncommon for him to invite a plus-one to these things.

A few seconds later, you hear Louis’ voice, followed by a familiar low laugh that sends your stomach flipping.

Zayn.

He steps into the living room a moment later, his leather jacket slung casually over one shoulder and a takeaway bag in his hand. His hair is slightly tousled, like he’s run his hands through it a few times on the way over, and he’s wearing one of his signature oversized shirts that somehow makes him look effortlessly cool.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” Louis says, smirking as he grabs the bag out of Zayn’s hand.

“Nice to see you too, mate,” Zayn replies, rolling his eyes good-naturedly before his gaze flicks across the room. It lands on you, and his expression softens immediately.

“Hey,” he says, his voice low and warm.

You can feel the boys’ eyes on you as you smile back. “Hey.”

For a moment, it feels like the rest of the room disappears, leaving just the two of you standing there, caught in an unspoken moment. But then Harry clears his throat loudly, breaking the spell.

“Alright, lover boy, stop hogging the door and sit down,” he says, grinning at you both.

Zayn chuckles, shaking his head as he moves to take the empty spot beside you on the couch. The room shifts slightly as he settles in, his knee brushing against yours under the table. It’s subtle, but it sends a jolt through you all the same.

“You’re late,” you tease, glancing at him.

“Fashionably,” he replies, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Louis reappears with a handful of plates, tossing one in your direction. “Alright, enough flirting. Let’s eat and then play. I’m not losing to you lot on an empty stomach.”

The room bursts into laughter, and just like that, the moment passes. But as Zayn leans back against the couch, his arm brushing yours, you can’t help but feel like tonight might be different.

...

Plates clatter as the remnants of takeaway are cleared from the coffee table, replaced with a pile of game boxes. Louis is already rifling through them, loudly declaring himself “Game Master” while Harry lounges on the armrest of the couch, nibbling on the last slice of garlic bread.

“Right, lads—and lass,” Louis says with a wink in your direction. “We’re starting with Uno because it’s the only game that guarantees drama.”

“Drama?” Niall says, popping a gummy bear into his mouth. “More like guarantees me winning.”

“You wish,” Liam retorts, rolling his eyes as he begins shuffling the deck with the precision of someone who takes game night far too seriously.

You laugh, leaning back against the couch as you watch them bicker. It’s always like this—friendly banter, exaggerated threats of sabotage, and a level of competitiveness that would put most athletes to shame.

Beside you, Zayn chuckles softly, the sound low enough that only you can hear. “Think they realize it’s just a card game?”

“Not a chance,” you reply, smirking. “They’ve been like this since day one.”

He leans slightly closer, his shoulder brushing yours. “You any good at Uno?”

“I can hold my own,” you say, feigning confidence. “Why? Worried I’ll beat you?”

“Never,” he says, his smirk widening.

Before you can respond, Louis claps his hands loudly. “Alright, everyone shut up and pay attention! Rules are simple: no cheating, no crying, and no throwing cards at each other. Looking at you, Niall.”

“That was one time,” Niall mutters, earning a round of laughter from the group.

The first few rounds are surprisingly calm—at least by your standards. Niall plays his cards quickly and confidently, grinning like he’s already won, while Liam meticulously plans every move. Harry alternates between playing properly and trying to make everyone laugh, at one point using his draw pile to construct a tiny house of cards.

And then there’s Louis, whose strategy seems to revolve entirely around causing as much chaos as possible.

“You can’t do that!” Liam exclaims as Louis throws down a wild card and gleefully changes the color to one he knows Liam doesn’t have.

“Sure I can,” Louis replies, leaning back smugly. “Read the rules, mate.”

“You wrote the rules,” Liam says, glaring at him.

“Exactly,” Louis says, winking at you. “Which means I can’t be wrong.”

Zayn chuckles, sliding a green card onto the pile. “You’re gonna get yourself disqualified, you know.”

“Can’t disqualify the Game Master,” Louis says, sticking his tongue out.

The room dissolves into laughter again, and you shake your head as you draw your next card. But as the game continues, you notice Zayn’s attention drifting back to you more often than the cards in his hand.

“Your turn,” he murmurs, nudging your arm lightly.

“Right,” you say, focusing on the pile. You manage to play a reverse card, sending the turn back to Zayn, and he raises an eyebrow at you.

“Nice move,” he says, his tone laced with challenge.

“Thanks,” you reply, biting back a smile. “Try to keep up.”

The subtle back-and-forth doesn’t go unnoticed. Niall points at you both with a gummy bear, his grin mischievous. “Oi, are you two playing Uno or having some private little game over there?”

“Jealous?” Zayn shoots back smoothly, earning a chorus of “oohs” from the rest of the group.

You roll your eyes, trying to ignore the heat creeping up your neck. “He’s just mad because he’s losing,” you say, nodding toward Niall’s growing draw pile.

“She’s got you there,” Harry says, smirking as he skips Niall’s turn entirely.

By the time the final round starts, the room is in full chaos. Liam is meticulously tracking which cards have been played, Niall is accusing Louis of stacking the deck, and Harry is too busy laughing at his own bad luck to care about winning.

You and Zayn, meanwhile, are locked in a quiet battle.

He smirks as he plays another draw two card, forcing you to pick up more. “You alright there?”

“Perfect,” you reply, narrowing your eyes at him. You manage to play a wild card on your next turn, changing the color to red—the one you know he doesn’t have.

“Bold move,” he says, his gaze flicking to yours.

“Just trying to keep it interesting,” you reply, holding his gaze a beat longer than necessary.

The moment feels charged, like a silent dare neither of you is willing to back down from. But before anything more can happen, Louis slams his final card down with a triumphant shout.

“Uno!” he yells, throwing his hands in the air.

“What?” Liam says, looking genuinely distressed. “How did you—”

“I’m a genius, that’s how,” Louis declares, standing up and bowing dramatically.

The room erupts into laughter and groans, with Niall declaring a rematch and Harry muttering something about sabotage.

You glance at Zayn, who’s watching you with a small smile. “Next time,” he says softly.

“Next time,” you agree, already looking forward to it.

...

The coffee table is cleared once again, now replaced with a giant pad of paper, markers, and a small sand timer that Niall is inspecting with great suspicion.

“Right,” Louis says, clapping his hands together. “Team time!”

“We’re calling it now,” Harry declares, slinging an arm around Louis’ shoulders. “The power duo of Harry and Louis is unbeatable.”

“Power duo?” Liam says, raising an eyebrow. “You two can’t even agree on pizza toppings.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Louis says confidently. “It’s about vibes, not strategy.”

Niall leans back against the couch, already snacking on another bag of crisps. “Fine. Liam and I are the brains of this operation, then. Prepare to lose.”

You glance around the room, realizing the only person left is Zayn, who’s already watching you with a small, knowing smile.

“Guess that makes us a team,” you say, trying to sound casual even though your heart skips a beat.

“Looks like it,” he replies, leaning back in his seat with a relaxed confidence that makes your stomach flutter.

“Alright,” Louis says, grabbing the pad of paper and tossing it to Liam. “You lot can start. Let’s see what the ‘brains’ can do.”

Liam sets the pad on the table, holding the marker like it’s a weapon. “I’ve got this,” he says confidently, glancing at the card he pulled.

“Timer starts...now!” Louis declares, flipping the sand timer.

Liam begins drawing furiously—lines, circles, and what might be a triangle—while Niall leans forward, squinting at the paper.

“Uh...a house?” Niall guesses. “No, wait, a dog? A cat?”

Liam groans. “No, no, no. It’s obvious! Look at the details!”

“What details?” Niall shoots back, gesturing wildly at the chaotic scribbles. “It looks like a potato with legs!”

“It’s a giraffe!” Liam says, throwing the marker down in exasperation.

“Where’s the neck?” Niall demands, pointing at the stubby figure on the page.

“Time’s up!” Louis announces gleefully, flipping the timer and cackling as Liam buries his face in his hands.

Harry grabs the marker next, glancing at his card before grinning mischievously. “Oh, this is going to be easy,” he says, bending over the pad.

Louis watches intently as Harry starts drawing what can only be described as abstract art.

“A rocket?” Louis guesses.

“Nope,” Harry replies, adding more squiggly lines.

“A fish? A boat? A...banana?”

“It’s obvious!” Harry exclaims, adding yet another wavy line.

Louis throws his hands up. “Mate, I’ve got nothing. It looks like a soggy spoon.”

The timer runs out, and Harry holds up the pad triumphantly. “It’s a roller coaster!”

“That is not a roller coaster,” Louis says, pointing accusingly at the paper.

“Yes, it is! Look, there are the tracks, and those are the people screaming—”

“They’re dots, Harry!”

The room erupts into laughter again, with Niall nearly choking on his crisps and Liam shaking his head in disbelief.

It’s your turn, and you grab the marker, glancing at the card before showing it to Zayn. He nods, leaning forward slightly as you set the pad on the table.

“Alright,” you say, rolling up your sleeves. “Ready?”

“Always,” Zayn replies, his tone soft but confident.

The timer flips, and you immediately start sketching—a few quick lines that form a recognizable shape.

“Tree,” Zayn says instantly.

You nod, adding a few more details.

“Christmas tree.”

“Yes!” you say, grinning as you move on to the next card.

The timer continues, and the two of you fall into an easy rhythm. You draw a circle, and Zayn guesses “sun” before you’ve even added the rays. He gestures for you to keep going, the two of you passing ideas back and forth with an almost telepathic understanding.

“Boat.”

“Candle.”

“Elephant.”

“Bingo,” you say, tossing the marker down just as the timer runs out.

The room is silent for a moment before Niall groans dramatically. “How are you two so good at this?”

“Practice,” Zayn says, smirking as he leans back against the couch.

“Cheating, more like,” Louis mutters, though his grin gives him away.

“You’re just mad because Harry can’t draw,” you tease, earning a laugh from Zayn.

“I can draw,” Harry protests. “You just don’t appreciate my style.”

“Yeah, mate,” Niall chimes in, gesturing at the 'roller coaster' still sitting on the table. “Very avant-garde.”

The laughter continues, but you barely notice as Zayn nudges your arm lightly.

“Good team,” he says quietly, his voice low enough that only you can hear.

“Best team,” you reply, glancing at him with a small smile.

For a moment, it feels like the chaos of the room fades, leaving just the two of you in your own little bubble. And when Zayn’s gaze lingers on yours, warm and unspoken, you can’t help but wonder if everyone else notices the shift in the air.

...

The pile of abandoned board games sits in the corner of Louis’ flat, a testament to the group's short attention span. The night has been filled with laughter and playful arguments, but the energy has shifted—restless, buzzing with a sense of anticipation.

“I’m bored,” Louis announces dramatically, sprawling across the floor like a starfish. “We need something with more spice.”

“More spice than Niall eating three jalapeños at once?” Harry teases, smirking as Niall groans in protest.

“Yes,” Louis declares, sitting up abruptly. “We need Truth or Dare.”

“Oh no,” Liam mutters, shaking his head.

“Oh yes,” Louis counters, his grin wicked. “Come on, Payno. Don’t be a coward.”

The group exchanges glances, and one by one, the reluctant smiles and nods signal agreement.

The rules are simple: no skipping a turn, and if you fail a dare or lie during a truth, you face a penalty—usually an unspeakable concoction from Louis’ fridge.

Louis spins the bottle first, and it lands on Harry.

“Truth or dare, Styles?” Louis asks, his voice dripping with mock seriousness.

“Dare,” Harry says confidently, leaning back with an easy grin.

“I dare you to… serenade your left shoe like it’s your one true love.”

The group bursts into laughter as Harry immediately grabs his shoe and launches into an absurdly romantic rendition of What Makes You Beautiful, complete with heartfelt gazes and dramatic hand gestures.

“Beautiful,” Niall says, wiping away fake tears. “Truly moving.”

The bottle spins again, landing on Liam.

“Truth or dare?” Louis asks, already smirking.

“Truth,” Liam says cautiously.

“Coward,” Louis mutters under his breath before asking, “Alright, who’s your least favorite member of the band?”

The room erupts into laughter as Liam’s eyes widen.

“I’m not answering that!” Liam protests, but the rules are the rules.

“Penalty!” Louis shouts, jumping up to raid the fridge. A few minutes later, Liam is grimacing as he chugs a concoction that looks—and smells—like regret.

The dares and truths grow bolder with each round. Niall is dared to wear a pair of Louis’ socks on his hands for the next three turns, and Harry is forced to text a random selfie to Simon Cowell with no context.

Then, the bottle spins and lands on you.

“Truth or dare?” Louis asks, his tone playful but dangerous.

“Truth,” you say, playing it safe.

“Alright,” Louis says, tapping his chin in thought. “Who in this room would you say is your biggest crush?”

The laughter dies down instantly, replaced by an awkward but charged silence. Every set of eyes is on you, and your pulse spikes.

“I, uh…” you stammer, glancing around the room. Your gaze briefly meets Zayn’s, and his expression is unreadable, though his jaw seems slightly tense.

“Come on, spill it!” Niall says, grinning.

“I don’t think I have a crush on anyone here,” you say finally, forcing a laugh.

“Liar!” Harry declares, laughing as the others join in.

“Penalty!” Louis shouts gleefully, but before he can raid the fridge, Zayn spins the bottle, redirecting the attention.

It lands on him.

“Truth or dare, mate?” Niall asks, clearly eager to see what Zayn will pick.

Zayn leans back, his dark eyes flicking to you briefly before answering, “Truth.”

Niall doesn’t miss a beat. “Do you fancy anyone in this room?”

The tension ratchets up instantly, the laughter dissolving into a stunned silence. Zayn’s expression doesn’t falter as he shrugs casually. “Maybe.”

The group erupts into whoops and laughter, but your heart is pounding too loudly to join in. You glance at him, but he’s already spinning the bottle again, avoiding your gaze.

he game reaches a fever pitch when the bottle lands on you again.

“Truth or dare?” Louis asks, his grin mischievous.

“Dare,” you say, trying to maintain your composure.

“Perfect,” Louis says, clapping his hands together. “I dare you to kiss…” He pauses dramatically, his gaze scanning the room before landing on Niall. “Horan!”

Niall bursts out laughing. “Why am I always the guinea pig?”

You groan, but a dare is a dare. You lean toward Niall, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek as the group cheers and hollers.

“That was weak!” Harry teases, throwing a pillow at you.

“Not my fault you all love dramatics,” you quip back, though your cheeks burn when you notice Zayn watching you, his jaw tight and his hands gripping his knees.

The bottle spins again, this time landing on Louis.

“Truth or dare?” Harry asks.

“Dare, obviously,” Louis says.

Harry smirks. “I dare you to make this game even more interesting. Pick the person most likely to cause chaos if they had to sit in someone else’s lap for the rest of the game.”

Louis doesn’t hesitate. “That’s easy. You,” he says, pointing at you, “are going to sit in Zayn’s lap for the rest of the night.”

Your stomach flips, and the room explodes with laughter and cheers.

“I hate you all,” you mutter, but you rise to your feet.

Zayn doesn’t say anything as you settle onto his lap, his hands automatically move to your hips to steady you.

“Comfortable?” he murmurs, his voice low enough that only you can hear.

“Not even a little,” you reply, though your racing heart betrays you.

“Good,” he says softly, his lips brushing against your ear as he adds, “neither am I.”

The group’s teasing fades into the background as you sit there, hyperaware of every shift of his body against yours.

The game presses on, though your focus is barely on it. Sitting in Zayn’s lap has set your senses alight, and the casual banter and dares thrown around the room feel like a distant hum. His hands rest lightly on your hips, unmoving yet grounding, as if he’s careful not to cross a line.

You try not to think about how solid he feels beneath you or how his warmth radiates through your clothes, but it’s impossible to ignore the steady rhythm of his breathing against your back.

“Alright, who’s next?” Louis demands, spinning the bottle with reckless enthusiasm.

It lands on Harry, who smirks knowingly.

“Truth or dare?” Liam asks, already anticipating chaos.

“Dare,” Harry replies, lounging back dramatically.

“I dare you to…” Liam pauses, tapping his chin. “Post the worst photo of yourself from your camera roll to Instagram. No explanation allowed.”

The room explodes with laughter as Harry groans. “You’re evil,” he mutters, pulling out his phone.

“Come on, Haz, let’s see it!” Niall goads, leaning over to catch a glimpse.

Harry eventually finds a hideously unflattering selfie, complete with a double chin and poorly timed mid-blink. He uploads it with a grimace, and the group cheers as they refresh their feeds to confirm he went through with it.

As the bottle spins again, you shift slightly in Zayn’s lap, trying to find a more comfortable position. His hands tighten instinctively for a moment, steadying you, and the small action sends a jolt of heat through you.

“Sorry,” you whisper, glancing over your shoulder.

His dark eyes meet yours, and for a second, the noise of the room fades away. “You’re fine,” he murmurs, his voice low and smooth.

The bottle lands on Niall this time, and the group quickly concocts another embarrassing dare involving a call to a takeaway restaurant, where he’s forced to serenade the person who answers.

You laugh along with the others, but your awareness of Zayn doesn’t waver. Every subtle shift, every brush of his fingers against your sides—it all feels deliberate, though you’re sure he’s as aware of the tension as you are.

“You alright back there?” Harry teases, his eyes flicking between you and Zayn.

“I’m fine,” you reply quickly, though your voice is higher than usual.

Zayn doesn’t respond, but the ghost of a smirk tugs at his lips as Harry spins the bottle again.

The next few rounds blur together in a mix of escalating dares and shameless truths. Niall is dared to eat a concoction of peanut butter and ketchup (which he does with minimal complaint), and Liam is forced to admit which of your songs he secretly likes more than the others.

When the bottle inevitably lands on you again, Louis perks up immediately.

“Truth or dare, love?” he asks, his grin all teeth.

“Dare,” you say, bracing yourself.

“Good choice,” Louis says, clapping his hands. “I dare you to…” He glances at Zayn for a split second, his grin widening. “...whisper something to Zayn that no one else in this room is allowed to hear.”

The group groans collectively, a mix of teasing and exasperation, but you feel the room’s energy shift again.

“Oh, come on, Louis,” Niall complains, though he’s clearly enjoying the show.

“Rules are rules,” Louis replies, feigning innocence.

You hesitate for a moment, your heart racing as you glance back at Zayn. His eyes are on you, steady and curious.

“Go on, then,” he says, his voice soft but laced with something you can’t quite place.

Taking a breath, you lean in close, your lips brushing the shell of his ear. “I think Louis is trying to get me killed,” you whisper, half-joking but entirely too aware of how close you are.

Zayn’s low chuckle vibrates through you, and when you pull back, his smile is more genuine than it’s been all night. “Wouldn’t let him,” he says simply, the weight of his words lingering.

The game continues, but the air between you and Zayn is different now—heavier, more charged. The others are oblivious, too busy laughing and shouting dares to notice how his hands rest more firmly on your waist now, how his fingers occasionally graze your sides as if testing the waters.

When the bottle spins and lands on Zayn, the group perks up.

“Truth or dare?” Harry asks, already grinning.

“Dare,” Zayn says easily, his tone steady.

“I dare you to… tell the truth about something,” Harry says, clearly trying to be clever.

“That’s not how dares work!” Niall protests, but Harry waves him off.

“It’s fine,” Zayn says, his gaze flicking to you briefly before he continues. “Alright. Truth about what?”

Harry thinks for a moment, then smirks. “Fine. Truth: Who in this room would you kiss right now if you could?”

The room explodes into chaos again, everyone shouting and hollering.

“Pick wisely!” Louis teases, though his eyes dart between you and Zayn with too much amusement.

Zayn doesn’t hesitate, his voice calm and steady as he answers, “Her.”

The room falls silent, and you feel every pair of eyes on you. Your cheeks burn as you meet Zayn’s gaze, his expression unflinching.

“Well, damn,” Harry mutters, breaking the tension with a laugh.

“Guess we know who’s playing favourites,” Louis quips, though his grin is wide.

The game continues, but it's clear that everything has shifted. Every moment feels like it's suspended in the air, charged with a quiet intensity that makes it hard to focus on anything but Zayn. His hands never fully leave your waist, the weight of his touch lingering even when the room is filled with laughter and shouting. You try to ignore it, but every time he moves, his fingers graze your skin, sending a jolt of heat through you.

The group, as always, is oblivious—too busy egging each other on to notice the subtle shift in the dynamic. But Zayn and you? You both feel it.

Niall is laughing loudly at something Louis just said, but his eyes flick to you and Zayn every few seconds. Harry’s not much better, leaning in to whisper something to Liam while occasionally glancing between the two of you with that knowing smirk. Even Liam, usually the most serious of the group, seems oddly preoccupied, his gaze lingering on you and Zayn as if waiting for something to break.

You try to focus on the game, but it's difficult when every time you laugh, Zayn’s gaze holds yours a little longer, his lips curving into that small, knowing smile. When he speaks, it’s always just a little too close, his breath brushing against the back of your neck.

"Your turn," he says softly, nudging you lightly with his knee as the bottle spins to land on you again.

You blink, suddenly realizing everyone’s eyes are on you. "Right," you say, clearing your throat and forcing your voice to stay steady. “Truth or dare?”

You throw the question out almost absentmindedly, not quite able to look him in the eye, but Zayn doesn’t seem to mind. He smiles, that infuriatingly attractive, cocky smile that makes your heart stutter in your chest.

"Dare," he says with a calm confidence that only makes the tension rise further.

You take a deep breath. "I dare you to… kiss the person closest to you."

The room goes deathly silent. The group stares at you with wide eyes, and even Zayn seems taken aback for a split second.

You feel your pulse quicken, but you try to keep your expression neutral. Everyone knows what’s happening here. This is the dare that will either shatter the tension or make it unbearable. You’ve just forced him into the ultimate move—or the ultimate escape.

Zayn shifts, his eyes glancing between you and the others, but his hand never leaves your waist. Slowly, he leans forward, and his breath skims the back of your neck. You can feel his lips against your skin as he leans in, his movements slow, deliberate.

You can’t breathe.

And then, just when you think he’s going to do it—kiss you—he pulls back.

The room collectively exhales, and you feel a strange sense of relief mixed with disappointment that you can’t explain. Zayn’s eyes never leave yours as he sits back, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"Guess that’s not what you meant, is it?" he murmurs, voice hushed but teasing.

The others are grinning, trying to suppress laughter, but the atmosphere is still thick, charged with unspoken words. You force a laugh, though it feels tight in your chest.

"Guess not," you reply, trying to make the moment feel less heavy than it is.

But Zayn’s gaze remains steady, and you swear you can feel the weight of his stare even as the group moves on.

The next few rounds are a blur, the group cycling through dares and truths like clockwork, but the tension never quite dissipates. Niall and Louis are daring each other to do ridiculous things, but their laughter doesn’t quite reach you. You’re aware of every shift in Zayn’s body beneath you, the steady beat of his heart that you can almost feel through the thin fabric of his shirt.

You’re both playing it cool, but neither of you is fooling anyone.

Louis, ever the instigator, finally decides it’s time to push the envelope.

“Alright, alright,” he says loudly, his voice filled with amusement. “Enough games. We all know the two of you have been circling each other for months. It’s time to get this out in the open.”

You freeze. The room goes deathly silent again, and your stomach drops.

“What do you mean?” Zayn asks, his voice a mix of disbelief and something else—something raw.

“Oh, come on, mate,” Louis says, gesturing between you and Zayn like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Everyone knows you two have been ridiculously obvious about it.”

The rest of the boys are grinning now, and you can feel Zayn’s eyes on you, but you can’t quite meet his gaze. Instead, you look at Louis, trying to muster some semblance of composure.

“Don’t you dare start, Louis,” you warn, but your voice comes out more breathless than you intended.

“Don’t try to act all innocent now,” Louis teases, his grin widening. “I see the way you two look at each other when no one’s looking. It’s been obvious since the first time you shared a bottle of tequila in Barcelona.”

You’re trying not to panic, but the words sting more than you’d expected. The others are still laughing, but Zayn’s expression remains unreadable. You can feel him shift beneath you, his body tense now, as if bracing for something.

“I think it’s time you two finally admit it,” Louis presses, his eyes flicking between you and Zayn. “Who’s going to say it first?”

Your breath catches in your throat. You know exactly what he’s trying to do—he’s pushing you to crack, to finally admit what everyone already knows.

But it’s harder than that.

You open your mouth to speak, but Zayn interrupts.

“I think it’s time you shut up, Tomlinson,” Zayn says, his voice sharper than it’s been all night. There’s an edge to it, something that makes everyone stop and look at him.

The room goes still, and for a second, everything hangs in the balance. Your heart races, and you realize that Zayn is staring at you now—really staring at you, like he’s trying to figure something out.

He’s not backing down, and neither are you. The challenge hangs in the air between you both, thicker than anything you’ve ever experienced.

“Maybe I will,” Louis says, his grin faltering slightly. “But you two have to deal with the fallout.”

For a long moment, no one speaks. The game is forgotten, the laughter drowned out by the weight of unspoken words. And finally, it hits you—you can’t pretend anymore.

Not with him sitting so close. Not with everyone watching.

The air is thick with anticipation as Louis’ words hang in the room. The boys are all grinning, clearly enjoying the show, but there’s a nervous energy swirling between you and Zayn that refuses to let up.

You try to deflect, wanting to push the moment aside, but you can feel the heat of Zayn’s gaze like a physical touch. His eyes are locked on you, steady and intense, and you can’t tell if he’s trying to read you or if he’s just waiting for you to say something.

"Come on, Y/N," Niall teases, leaning forward. "You’ve gotta admit it’s pretty obvious."

Zayn shifts underneath you, his hands tightening slightly on your waist as if he’s trying to anchor you both. You can feel his pulse beneath his skin, a soft thrum that matches your own, but you refuse to let yourself acknowledge the overwhelming need to close the distance between you.

"I think Zayn’s been giving us the silent treatment on purpose," Louis continues, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Trying to keep the mystery, eh?"

Zayn's lips curl up at the corners, but there’s no humor in it, only tension. His gaze flicks between you and Louis, and for a second, it feels like the whole room is holding its breath.

"Shut up, Louis," Zayn finally mutters, his voice deeper than before, more serious.

But Louis is relentless. “Oh, come on, mate, it’s obvious! We’re all practically begging for you two to finally admit what’s going on. I mean, it’s only a matter of time before—”

Before he can finish, Zayn moves, his hand sliding down to your hip and pulling you closer, just enough to make your breath catch. The action is so sudden, so deliberate, that you freeze, every nerve in your body awake to the heat and weight of him behind you.

“Enough,” Zayn says quietly, his voice a sharp contrast to the chaotic energy around you. He leans in close, his lips brushing your ear as he speaks just for you. “If you want me to admit something, Y/N… maybe it’s time you say it first.”

The words hang in the air, impossibly close, like a dare but also an invitation. Your heart races in your chest, the sound of it nearly deafening in the silence that follows.

You don’t know what to say at first, your mind racing to catch up with what’s just happened. You’re suddenly painfully aware of how close Zayn is, of the way his breath moves against your skin, of the feeling of his body beneath you. Your palms are clammy against your knees as you finally meet his gaze.

“What are you waiting for?” Zayn murmurs, his voice low and rough, his thumb tracing small circles on your side, the movement casual but deliberate.

You know he’s teasing, but there’s something else in his eyes—something vulnerable, something raw, like he’s finally ready for this to break, to get it out in the open. And God, do you want it too.

The room around you seems to vanish, the others’ teasing and joking falling away as you focus solely on Zayn. He’s no longer the same guy you’ve known for years—the one with the smirk and the quick jokes. He’s real now. Present. Vulnerable.

You feel yourself leaning in, barely noticing it, until your lips are dangerously close to his, so close that you can feel the heat between you. Your breath mingles with his, and you know that the teasing from the others has stopped, that this is no longer a game—it’s just you and Zayn.

“I’ve had enough of this,” you finally whisper, your words barely audible. “You know it’s not just me, right?”

He inhales sharply at your words, his grip on your waist tightening for just a second. “I’ve always known, Y/N,” he says quietly, his voice almost a rasp. “I didn’t want to complicate things. But I can’t keep pretending anymore.”

Your breath catches in your throat as the room feels smaller, the world narrowing until it’s just the two of you, finally laying it out in the open. The tension between you—years of unspoken words, shared glances, moments of near-confession—finally breaking.

“I think we’ve been complicating it for too long,” you murmur, finally meeting his eyes with the full weight of your feelings.

Zayn exhales slowly, his lips curving into a small, almost relieved smile. “So… this is it then?” he asks, his voice quiet but teasing.

You nod, the uncertainty finally giving way to a quiet confidence. “Yeah, this is it.”

For a moment, everything feels still—like you’re both suspended in time. And then, with no more words left to say, Zayn closes the small distance between you, his lips crashing into yours with a gentleness that somehow makes everything feel even more intense.

It’s not like the games, not like the teasing. It’s slow, deep, and long-overdue. The kiss is everything you’ve been holding back, every moment of shared tension now unspooled, leaving nothing but honesty in its wake.

When Zayn pulls back, his forehead rests against yours, both of you breathing a little faster now, your hands still tangled in the fabric of his shirt.

“I think this is going to make things a little less complicated,” Zayn says, his voice soft, his smile crooked but genuine.

You laugh softly, unable to help yourself. “Yeah. I think it will.”.

But just as the weight of your confession settles between you, the world around you comes rushing back. The others are staring at you both—gaping, wide-eyed, and grinning.

Louis is the first to speak, breaking the stunned silence. “Well, finally,” he says with a teasing smirk, though there’s something more sincere in his voice now. “We’ve all been waiting for that for ages.”

Niall, who’s been watching with a goofy grin on his face, lets out a soft chuckle. “Couldn’t have made it more obvious if you tried,” he adds, nudging Liam, who’s sitting next to him. “I mean, come on. The way you two look at each other? Ridiculous.”

Liam’s still looking at you and Zayn, his eyes wide and full of disbelief. “So, you’re really…?” His voice trails off, but his smile says it all. There’s something warm, supportive, in his tone, though it’s clear he’s still processing everything.

“You guys are a joke,” Harry finally says, shaking his head in mock disbelief. “We all knew. You’ve been driving us crazy for months now.” He grins, leaning back and crossing his arms. “But I have to admit, I’m kind of relieved. Now we don’t have to watch you two tiptoe around each other anymore.”

The others are laughing, and it’s clear they’re not laughing at you or Zayn, but with you both. There’s no judgment, no teasing edge to their words—only amusement and a sense of satisfaction that the tension between you and Zayn has finally been lifted.

“You two seriously need to stop with the subtle flirting,” Louis adds, his voice full of teasing affection. “It was cute at first, but now it’s just painful to watch.”

You laugh, feeling a rush of warmth spread through you. It’s a relief to know that the boys aren’t upset or shocked, that they’re not seeing this as something that will ruin the dynamic of the group. They’ve all seen it, too—the way Zayn and you have always gravitated toward each other, the way you’ve always been in sync. And now, it’s finally out in the open.

Zayn squeezes your waist again, and you smile at the small, private gesture. His hand feels natural there, like it’s always been meant to be.

"Couldn’t agree more," Zayn says, his voice still a little rough, but now filled with a quiet confidence. He looks at the boys with a grin. “I think I’ve been pretty patient about it. Don’t you?”

The boys all laugh again, and for a second, you feel like you’re all just a group of friends again—no more tension, no more uncertainty. Just the bond you’ve always shared, now stronger than ever.

“Yeah, definitely,” Harry says, a wide grin spreading across his face. “I think we’re all just glad you finally figured it out.”

Niall raises his glass, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “To Zayn and Y/N, finally getting their act together,” he says, his voice light but sincere.

The group laughs and raises their drinks, and you can feel the weight of their support and love, even as the teasing continues. It’s a strange relief, knowing that this won’t change anything. It won’t mess up the group dynamic. In fact, it feels like the opposite.

“We should’ve just made it a dare,” Louis adds, his grin still wide. “I mean, we all knew it was inevitable.”

Zayn rolls his eyes but leans back against the couch, his hand never leaving your side. “Yeah, Louis, well… sometimes it’s better when you let things happen on their own.”

“Sure, sure,” Louis says, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Whatever you say, mate.”

You laugh, feeling the tension melt away. It’s like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders, and you finally feel like you can breathe again. There’s no more guessing, no more second-guessing every look or touch. You and Zayn are finally on the same page.

“So, now that that’s out of the way,” Harry says, breaking the moment with a wide grin, “what’s next for you two?”

You glance at Zayn, who’s looking back at you with a quiet smile on his face. “Maybe we can start by not pretending we’re not into each other?” you suggest playfully, earning a laugh from the group.

Zayn nods, his hand now resting comfortably around your shoulders. “Sounds good to me.”

And just like that, the boys are back to their usual selves—teasing, joking, and enjoying the rare moment of peace between them. But even with the lighthearted banter around you, you can’t help but feel a sense of calm. Everything feels right now. You and Zayn have finally crossed that line, and the world feels like it’s just a little bit more in sync.

Louis, Niall, Liam, and Harry all exchange knowing glances, their grins never fading, and you can tell this moment will be one you’ll look back on with a smile. Maybe it was a long time coming, but now that it’s out in the open, nothing will ever be the same—and somehow, that feels just perfect.

#zayn malik x y/n #zayn malik x you #zayn x y/n #zayn malik x reader #zayn x reader #zayn malik fanfiction #one direction fanfiction

44 notes · View notes