#otp: you put your arms around me and I'm home

[katebeckets]

TRIED & TRUE: An MSR Playlist ⤷ Part Three: All Things

Oh, love, let me see inside your heart. All the cracks and broken parts, the shadows in the light... there's no need to hide.

playlist / songs ↘

FALLING SLOWLY by Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti / It's probably no surprise that this song is on here since it's one of my all-time favorite songs, but I'm putting it here anyway because it's just SO GOOD. It has one of my all-time favorite lyrics—"you have suffered enough and warred with yourself; it's time that you won"—which is so good to think about in the context of your favorite OTP. I know Mulder and Scully would feel that about each other (and, let's be real, we all feel that about them). And even though they fell for each other the minute they met, it was also a reeeeal slow burn.

CRASHING DOWN by Elyse Myers / I'm way too delighted by the juxtaposition of "falling slowly" in love with love coming "crashing down" on them, but it's somehow both things at once so I stand by it. This was an immediate MSR song for me, it just felt so fitting. "The very first time I heard your voice, it was lightning to my soul / You said my name and looked me in the eye / that was all I needed to know about your love / It came crashing down on me" felt perfect for their first meeting, and THEN!!!! Immediately after that: "I didn't know then what I know now, but even if I did, I wouldn't change a single thing / I would do it all again for your love / to feel it crashing over me." My mind immediately went to "even if I knew for certain, I wouldn't change a day." And then this part?? "The very first time we disagreed"—cough, the very first meeting—"I was learning about you still / Your head is strong and your heart is fierce / You don't give up, you never will on your love / It still crashes down on me." Anyway this song is MSR and nothing will ever change my mind.

HUNGER by Ross Copperman / First I must shout out one of my favorite x-files tweets because the horniness is definitely a piece of associating "hunger" with MSR (lol) but beyond that... this song! MSR! AH!! The verses especially make me think of them: "one look and I can't catch my breath / two souls into one flesh / when you're not next to me, I'm incomplete" and "oh, love, let me see inside your heart / all the cracks and broken parts / the shadows in the light / there's no need to hide." And then there's the palpable want between them—"I'm on fire like a thousand suns / I couldn't put it out even if I wanted to."

ARMS by Christina Perri / I know this was so overplayed, but again, hear me out—this is soooo them. The lyrics are so beautiful and fit them both so well: "I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown" and "I hope that you see right through my walls / I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling / I'll never let a love get so close / you put your arms around me and I'm home" and "the world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved / I never wanna leave you, but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone" and again, "you put your arms around me and I'm home." And just thinking about the way Scully feels safe enough to let Mulder hold her and how Mulder collapse into Scully and lets her hold him even though she's so little! The fact that she can be his home!! AND and and when she says "can you hold me?" I AM SCREAMING!!!!

CEILINGS by Lizzy McAlpine / This is entirely because of this beautiful video that I watched and could never get out of my head. I will never not think of them and these scenes that fit so beautifully (rain in the pilot, the parallel between them in hotel rooms). Also, even though "touch me like nobody else does" implies sex in the song, I love thinking about how it goes beyond that for Scully and Mulder—they truly touch each other in so many ways that nobody else does, literally and metaphorically.

WONDERFUL UNKNOWN by Ingrid Michaelson / This song is a long time favorite of mine, but I love finding new reasons to cry about it... and MSR certainly did that! I think this can be applied at most stages of their relationship, but it especially makes me think of the unremarkable house. This song speaks to so much of the simplicity of love ("we make bread on Sundays and the little ones are climbing up the walls / nothing last forever but the sound of love astounds me every time that it calls") and it just makes me think of MSR living a totally unremarkable life basking in each other's love (which is exactly what happens, right?). Also... "in the best way, you'll be the death of me."

RANGERS by A Fine Frenzy / This is a song that has inexplicably been one of my favorites for a long time (inexplicably because usually I relate more to the lyrics if it's a favorite), so perhaps it was just meant to be on an Emily MSR playlist. This is another song that reminds me of the unremarkable house, especially in I Want to Believe. "They'll keep seeking but they won't find us / Let's keep living our quiet lives, you and I." I'm also going to cheat and say I consider this song to be a bit of a companion to "Come On, Come Out" and "You Picked Me" (from the same album which I think I could argue is itself an MSR album) and perhaps you should listen to those too... but I was trying to keep this a reasonable length lmao. "Come On, Come Out" reminds me of a couple comments in the show (specifically, settling for a life on this planet and looking for life elsewhere) and feels like what Mulder and Scully do for each other throughout the show in both a literal and metaphorical sense. "You Picked Me" is one of my favorite love songs (platonic and romantic) and also very MSR.

TRUE BLUE by boygenius / I must give credit where credit is due: @emmiebea and @scullysconstant each sent this song to me, both about MSR but independently of one another... which I decided is a sign. And it is suuuch an MSR song!! Plus I find it delightful that there's a lyric about being born in July because that's when I was born. But back to the MSR of it all: "and it feels good to be known so well / I can't hide from you like I hide from myself" is soooo them and reminds me of the the fourth gif in this set—the idea that they know each other better than anyone else and can decode each other in a way that's just so specific to them. And then it goes on: "I remember who I am when I'm with you / your love is tough, your love is tried and true blue." My constant, my touchstone, my friend, my one in five billion... they are so fully themselves when they're together!!!! I also am forever screaming about Mulder using the phrase "true blue" in "Kitsunegari." I have no idea what to do with that information, but it matters to me.

YOU WILL FIND ME by Alex & Sierra / I liked the idea of putting "I can't hide from you like I hide from myself" before a song called "You Will Find Me." They always find each other when they're missing, whether they're physically missing or searching for some part of themselves. "You leave me room for my imperfections / when I'm a mess and you jump right in / if I drift in the wrong direction / you turn the tide and you calm the wind / anytime, everytime I get lost / you will find me."

TIMELESS by Taylor Swift / Speaking of finding each other... "I believe that we were supposed to find this / so even in a different life / you still would've been mine / we would've been timeless" and "sometimes there's no proof, you just know / you're always gonna be mine." I will never ever get over the "even if I knew for certain, I wouldn't change a day" and "we'd been friends together, in other lifetimes, always" of it all.

SATELLITE CALL by Sara Bareilles / A few weeks ago during an ask game I said this is a song I would want to put on a playlist for both Scully and Mulder, so here we are. It's one of my personal favorite songs and one that means a lot to me and it's a message I would want to give them, but I also think this is a message they would want to give each other. And if you really want to hurt, think about it during an abduction arc or literally just any time they don't know where the other is, even for a minute (because these two are insane and it doesn't even need to be a full-on abduction arc). "This was written for the one to blame / one who believes they are the cause of chaos in everything" and "this is so you'll know the sound of someone who loves you from the ground / tonight you're not alone at all / this is me sending out my satellite call." I have always loved this song because of the imagery—the idea that no matter where you are, how alone you feel, how dark the night, I am here for you, I am sending out my satellite call to you so you know I am here and you are not alone. So take that and add it to Scully and Mulder thinking of each other when they can't physically be together and trying to be the other person's source of strength and comfort aaaand yeah. (I am also going to cheat with this song and say "I Choose You" is another Sara Bareilles song that should be on here and only isn't because I was trying to be reasonable with length, but the reason I chose this song "Satellite Call" is because it feels more unique to them—the idea of a satellite call is just especially fitting for MSR in a way that it might not be for other couples, at least to me, because satellites, little green men, all that. But this is me saying that "I Choose You" is unofficially on this list as well because I love that song and it fits them so well.)

NO BIG DEAL (I LOVE YOU) by dodie / Another @emmiebea choice that I just had to include. There are two very different ways I think of this song, but I think they both make sense for MSR. I paired it with "Satellite Call" because of the wordlessness of both songs. "You hold me like it's already said / I don't mind, I will do this dance for the rest of my life / for as long as you want." Even though it is a big deal (especially for MSR), I feel like this song fits them so well because it also isn't a big deal—their love for one another is so obvious, so matter-of-fact, that in many ways it doesn't feel like it needs to be said. It's just there. So they act like it's already been said and like it's okay. But there's the other side of this song as well (the one that I think is how most people would read it/what it more clearly is about), the part that's acknowledging why it hasn't been said (and that it needs to be explicitly said)—they're acting like it's no big deal because they both know it is. They're afraid and telling themselves it's no big deal, they just love each other. Which is soooo much of their relationship. But I think the paradox adds to the depth of this song—they're kidding themselves that it's no big deal, but it also is no big deal. It's so natural that to make it a big deal feels almost disingenuous, in a way. It's both. I could get caught in this forever because this song lives so beautifully in the grey.

TWO by Sleeping at Last / I will never ever get over this song. It might go on every OTP playlist ever, I don't care, it still fits so well and is so them! "You know I'll take my heart clean apart if it helps yours beat" and "No, I don't want to talk about myself / tell me where it hurts / I just want to build you up, build you up / 'til you're good as new / and maybe one day I will get around to fixing myself too" and "I just want to love you, love you, love you well / I just want to learn how, somehow, to be loved myself" and "like a force to be reckoned with / a mighty ocean or a gentle kiss / I will love you without any strings attached / and what a privilege it is to love / a great honor to hold you up."

I WANNA LOVE YOU FOREVER by Kate Vogel / I love the sweet simplicity of this song and the simple desire to love you forever. I think the whole song fits them so well, but there are also specific lyrics that make me think of them, in particular: "my head fits right on your shoulder, my palm fits right in your hand." Because it's true! They fit together so well!!!!

YOU ARE IN LOVE by Taylor Swift / I loved this song to begin with, of course, but I remember the first time I thought about it after seeing Scully and Mulder and feeling like I was going to combust. It's SOOOO them. "You can hear it in the silence, you can feel it on the way home, you can see it with the lights out—you're in love, true love." And even though I need to remake this, there's a reason I couldn't stop myself from trying! The part that I think about so often, though, is this verse: "one night he wakes / strange look on his face / pauses, then says: you're my best friend / and you knew what it was / he is in love." Because that's what makes me crazy!! They are each other's best friend!!!! They constantly want to be with each other!! They make each other laugh and they love each other so much and I just!! I can't even be normal about this song and explain why I love it for them, I'm just over here crying and becoming more and more incoherent about it!!!! It's fine, I'm fine. I ended on this song because it means the playlist ends with "you're in love, true love. You're in love." And at the end of the day... that's just it. They're in love, true love. [cries forever]

[gloryride]

Soft OTP or Self Ship Prompts: 9 for Vanessa and Valentin <3

Hihihi you know i love take pics of them in fancy clothes, but i like the idea about the moment before, when they get dressed. Hope you'll like it too, i had fun writing it <33

[otp prompts]

9- Write about your ship getting dressed up in fancy outfits together.

"Ya come help me, please?"

Valentin's head popped out of the bathroom, then full-on, in his barely-tied bathrobe, not yet dried from his shower, and approached Vanessa asking for help. Unlike him, the lady appeared almost ready, already makeup with elegance, her hair up in a clever bun with a few strands falling in a sexy way on her neck. She wore a long red dress that flattered the curve of her hips and highlighted her cleavage. The back, too, was open, but nothing to do with the design of the dress. She showed him her back with that smile he knew so well, the smile of demand.

"I need an expert to zip up my dress."

"Um ... I'm better at opening them, you know that." At his words, he put a hand on the small of her back and enjoyed taking the zipper down a few notches before stopping. Without seeing her, he guessed she rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, so he pursued his seductive act, smirking and voice warm. "Do you prefer my expertise or your request? We could stay here tonight..."

A laugh escaped Vanessa's painted mouth, and she turned her head in his direction, nodding. "Ya already did that last time, not again tonight." She passed her hands behind her back, taking Valentin's to show him how it's done, "It's that way."

So he proceeded, worked his way up to the small of her back, then stopped, his fingers opting to graze her golden skin instead. Her back straightened as she felt the metal of the gorilla's arms touching her. Closing her eyes for a moment, Vanessa could almost be persuaded to stay. The hand at the small of her back circled her side, but she stopped it, repelling the attack between delicacy and firmness. "tss, I said no."

"When we get home, your dress won't go past the entrance!" The firm tone was very sexy.

"'S okay with me. I know you'll be quicker at undressing me!"

With the zipper finally up, Valentin flipped Vanessa around, putting on her earrings. There was something criminal about having such a beautiful woman and having to let her get dressed. As a reward, all he got was a quick kiss on the mouth, then she sat cross-legged on the bed, waiting. "You make me wait, I'm ready. I can enjoy the show."

Her golden eyes wandered over Valentin's uncovered torso before admiring him in his christening outfit as the bathrobe fell to the floor, revealing his muscular body...

[baronessblixen]

Magical

Yesterday I remembered that I wanted to do the Year of the OTP event. Only took me all of January, eh? So here's the first story. I used the prompts kiss, fake dating and snow.

Set in late season 6, fluff. Wc: 1,144

Tagging @today-in-fic

At first, it was beautiful: A soft, white blanket of snow covering the streets, the trees, and every roof in sight. It was quieter, too, with people smiling, despite the bitter bite of the cold winter air. Now, most of the snow is just slush, barely white, and quite frankly, annoying. At least today it is with Scully rushing towards the bar Mulder begged her to meet him.

It's late afternoon, the sun already set, and Scully just wants to go home. Take off her heels, put her feet in warm, fluffy socks, have dinner, and maybe go to bed at a reasonable time. Those were her plans. Mulder, apparently, has others. She couldn't ignore his texts, pleading with her. Asking her to hurry. If she's honest, she's a bit worried. Knowing Mulder, though, it's probably just a case or something he forgot to mention. But why can't it wait until tomorrow? Why didn't he just call her?

She enters the bar and is not at all surprised at how packed it is. She has to get on tiptoes to look for Mulder, but even then, she can't spot him. Just as she's about to take out her phone and call him, a hand touches her back. She knows it's Mulder before he leans close, his breath tickling her neck, whispering, "it's just me." Heat shoots through her body, making her sweat in her winter coat.

"I'm here," she says, sounding out of breath. "What's so important it couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"You trust me, right?" The question throws her.

"Of course I do," she says.

"I will explain later, but... please just play along? Oh no, there she is again. Please?"

"Who?" Scully asks but doesn't get an answer, because Mulder puts his arm around her and pulls her close. He's wearing the fakest smile she's ever seen and it's directed at a tall brunette that's walking towards them. Scully gasps, briefly mistaking the woman for Diana. It's not her. For one, this woman is much younger.

"Fox," she says, touching his arm. "You can't just wander off!" She snickers but the sound dies on her lips when she notices Scully. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Dana," he says. "She's my girlfriend." Scully snaps her head in his direction. Their eyes meet and his are desperate. Please play along. Please, please, please. All his texts now make sense. Except... they don't. Isn't this woman exactly the kind of woman he's interested in?

"Richie didn't say anything about a girlfriend," the young woman says, crossing her arms. She narrows her eyes and observes Scully, who puts her hand on Mulder's arm, gently squeezing it.

"Richie didn't know," Scully says. She doesn't know who Richie is, but figures it doesn't matter. "We keep a low profile."

"Whatever," the woman whose name Scully doesn't know says. "He's boring, you know. What a waste of time." With that she stalks off and Mulder lets out a sigh of relief. He doesn't let go of her, his arm still around her.

"Thank you," he says.

"Who was that?"

"Natalie," Mulder explains. "Or Nats, as she introduced herself to me. Langly set this up."

"Richie," Scully says, putting two and two together.

"I didn't know he was going to do it. He's here with a date and neither Frohike nor Byers wanted to come. So he ambushed me."

"Poor Mulder," Scully says, biting her lip. It's no use, though, and she starts laughing. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not," he says softly, smiling at her. Natalie is long gone but they're still holding each other.

"I owe you. How can I make it up to you?"

"Take me home," she says, much to Mulder's surprise, judging by his expression, "and get us some take-out."

"Done and done." His hand returns to the small of her back, leading her outside, back into the cold. But this time she isn’t cold. Mulder’s hand remains in its familiar place as they walk slowly toward Mulder’s car.

“Hey look,” he says. “It’s snowing again.” Scully lifts her head into the dark blue sky that’s tinged with orange hues. She takes a deep breath and lets the cold air revive her. She smiles when a snowflake lands on her lips. She catches it with her tongue, just like she used to do as a child. That’s when she notices Mulder watching her. She doesn’t know how she missed it. Or why she was surprised by what happened at the bar just now. It’s all in his eyes right now, right here.

“I always thought snow was magic,” Mulder says, his voice as gentle as the snowfall.

“You did?” She asks and he nods.

“If you think about it,” he says, turning to her, “it really is magic. So many conditions have to happen at the same exact time for it to snow. Wouldn’t you call that magic?”

“You know how I feel about magic,” she says.

“Fine, it’s not magic. But it does look magical, doesn’t it? Each snowflake is unique in its form. No two are the same and each is perfect and beautiful.”

“It does look magical,” she concedes. The snowfall is getting heavier, snowflakes catching in Mulder’s hair and his eyelashes. He looks beautiful and she considers telling him so. Instead, she just stares at him and watches him standing there in the snow. Right up until he catches her gazing at him and not the sky.

“Hi,” he says with a grin.

“Hi. So, um, Mulder… what happened in that bar was-”

“I know I should have warned you, but I was desperate.”

“Why?”

“Why?” She nods at him, needing to hear him spell it out. “I wasn’t interested in her.”

“She’s your type.”

“She’s not.”

“Pff, come on, Mulder.”

“Fine, she’s my type. But… looks aren’t everything. I wasn’t interested in her. I’m not interested in anyone who might be considered tall and brunette.” Despite the cold, her cheeks flush. “We were going to get food, right? I don’t want you to turn into an icicle. I think we’ve spent enough time in arctic temperatures.”

“You didn’t even kiss me,” she blurts out and Mulder stops walking again, turning to her.

“What?”

“I always thought that any fake relationship included kissing.” Her heart is thumping in her chest, but she knows she’s right, and she’s not shying away from her feelings, or from his. This time, he isn’t either. He grins at her and pulls her closer to him. Their bodies flush, she has to crane her head to look at him. It’s worth it.

“I hope you know that nothing about this is fake,” he says, lowering his head, his lips so close she can feel his breath against her own.

He steals her ‘I know’ from her tongue and they kiss and kiss and kiss.

It’s simply magical.

[notasapleasure]

Also Brassian ofc for OTP

Thank! I worry I should have done this for saga AU Them, because this is like. literally @boogerwookiesugarcookie's job I'm speculating on as an amateur here. Maybe they'll correct me where I get it wrong! :)

Which one is more fond of scary movies: Oh Cassian, for sure. He does a great job of laughing at them, saying he’s not scared, making fun, etc., but it Sits With Him afterwards, and I bet he’s initially not as good at hiding his response to jump scares as he wants to be, but trains himself ruthlessly until he’s mastered his flinch instinct. Brasso I think will watch with him, but he probably nit-picks at stuff that doesn’t make sense. I think Brasso is a ‘why don’t they just switch the light on?’ kind of viewer. It probably doesn’t haunt him afterwards, but there’s maybe a bit of grousing about ‘why did they even make this?’ if it’s particularly bad. Equally, if it’s a good movie he has no problem saying so and enjoying it, but doesn’t really let it haunt him.

Which one gets the most excited about Halloween: I wonder what kind of equivalent Ferrix has? It must be something to do with the stones, right, a kind of festival of remembrance? It’s probably bittersweet for Kassa initially if he’s familiar with other ways of celebrating the ancestors/remembering the dead. I wonder if those traditions got totally disrupted on Kenari though? It looks like all the older generations have been wiped out, do enough of the kids that are left know/remember the ways to honour their dead? Ok well, having made myself sad about that, I suppose the answer’s probably Brasso on Ferrix, but I bet when Cassian’s a bit older he’s drawn in by the local customs and enthusiasm – I’m sure there’s great food, and amazing songs and stories, and games to prove himself at.

Which one would be more likely to survive the apocalypse: TEAMWORK baby, they survive together. I won’t hear anything else.

Which one would literally kill for the other: I mean. Both. Again. That’s the point, isn’t it?

Which one likes to scare or startle the other: I think Brasso realises pretty quick that anyone trying to startle Cassian is going to get a spear up their nose/a blaster/punch to the gut. He’s not one to have tested that anyway. So if anyone’s trying to startle anyone else it’s definitely Cassian sneaking up and seeing if his victim has a guilty conscience at being interrupted doing whatever he was doing.

Which one is more likely to need comforting when they get spooked: Mmm, I wanna say Cassian again of course, after those scary movies linger in his subconscious and he has a dream of bright-yellow poisoned bodies pouring out of a spaceship on his home planet :’) But then again, if anything spooked Brasso like space-travel seems to, I think he's blue-screen until Cassian helped him through it.

Which one always puts on a brave face: Oh both, again – again that’s part of the appeal. Cassian more competently when it really comes down to it though – there’s no brave face on Brasso when he gets in that spaceship at the end of Episode 12.

Which one would be more dangerous if they suddenly became violent: I mean. *gestures at brick* *gestures at blaster* both are armed, Cassian has a far lower threshold for violence I think, but that’s partly the situations he ends up in. Equally, when you fuck around with Brasso or his friends you’d better be prepared to find out.

Which one would be more likely to commit a crime: Again, both. But for the most part Brasso’s are probably minor, victimless crimes that are like the equivalent of nicking office stationary, if your office is a spaceship salvage yard, and, you know, lying to the police. Cassian commits the big crimes. And then Brasso commits big crimes too on his behalf.

Which one believes in ghosts: I think both do. Brasso maybe more so after Scarif. Cassian maybe tries to tell himself he’s not worthy of being visited by ghosts, but the boy is carrying Kenari’s ghosts with him wherever he goes, and Clem, and Kino, and Nemik, and…*sob* you get the idea.

Which one likes to watch spooky shows on television: I think they’d both enjoy trying to figure out how ‘haunted house’ shows or real life mysteries are actually constructed – double-guessing how the props were constructed/special effects were achieved etc. Just absolutely ripping it apart together.

Which one would propose the idea of holding a seance: Cassian, to scare the other kids on Ferrix. Brasso would either be in on Cassian’s scam to fake a result, or there to be the level-headed one when a ghost talks back and it’s Cassian who gets freaked out.

Which one has nightmares more often: Cassian, for sure.

Which one would want to explore a real haunted house: Again, I think they’d go and test every creaking floorboard/poke about in every cobwebby keyhole until they figured out its secrets. Unless we’re talking about *real* haunted houses, in which case I’d defer to @r0b0tb0y and ask where Brasso fits into the 1 Rogue Street universe...

[theartoflovingthomashunt]

Distraction

[All Thomas Hunt x Alex Spencer Masterlists] [Red Carpet Diaries]

Pairing: Thomas Hunt x Alex Spencer (F!OC) Book: Red Carpet Diaries (Post-Book 3) Word Count: ~500 Rating: General: no warnings Prompts: @aprilchallenge - love

Synopsis: Thomas is the guest of honor at a party in December, but our favorite grumpy director would rather be somewhere else.

A/N: You've heard of Christmas in July, how about Christmas in April? I'm trying to clear out some WIP even if they're not as done as I would have liked. This is obviously from December. The full art is here.

The incessant chatter and laughter rose with each passing moment. He downed the last of his scotch, lifting his glass, signaling another as he leaned against the bar. He massaged the space between his brow. His eyes closed, trying to block out the din of the lavished party around him. 

He could barely hear himself think. He longed for a moment of peace, a moment of silence amongst the chaos. People filled every corner of the room, leaving nowhere for him to retreat and escape their well-wishes and pleasantries. 

His body stiffened at the subtle brush against him, but he quickly relaxed, recognizing the tender touch of her hand running along his arm. He shook away his thoughts, turning his attention toward her. 

“I see you’re enjoying your party.” 

“I would enjoy myself more if we were in the car heading back for a quiet evening at home.”

“How quiet do you think it will be with two two-year-olds and a dog?” She nudged him playfully. 

He glanced at the silver watch on his wrist. “At present, the children should be readying for bed. If we depart now, they will be sound asleep by the time we get home, leaving us to enjoy a quiet evening together.”

“Very tempting—" Alex rocked on her feet, considering the offer. She kept one hand behind her back. “—but, I believe it's customary for the guest of honor to actually attend the entirety of the event.”

“Shouldn’t the guest of honor have a say in how they are celebrated?” He grumbled, looking around at the Hollywood elite enjoying the event. 

“I know, my love… Perhaps this will help.”

Thomas barely caught sight of the small sprig of mistletoe she had been concealing before he felt the warmth of her lips on his cheek. His face flushed beneath her soft embrace. 

The fingers of her free hand traced along his jaw, guiding his lips toward her. She paused for a moment hoping the PDA was not adding to his discomfort. 

He left little time for her to worry before pulling her closer and giving in to her kiss. 

“You know just how to distract me,” he breathed as they parted. The noise of the party seemed fainter now. 

He laced his fingers with hers. “Let’s go.” 

“Thomas, we can’t!”

“We can. I’m the guest of honor as you’ve reminded me.” His thumb ran softly along the back of her hand. “I believe my preferences should bear some weight in this matter. I have made my appearance, shaken hands, and paused for photos. I want to celebrate the rest of the evening with my wife and children, should they wake.”

She squeezed his hand, leaning into him. “If that’s what you want.” 

“It’s all I ever want.”

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this little snippet into the lives of my OTP. And thank you for putting up with this little bit of Christmas in April.

[hazelestelle]

@wait-here said I should use this to promote some fics, so here we go :)

Template from @ao3commentoftheday

A lot of those are applicable to most of my fics, so I‘m not gonna name them all or this list will get way too long. So all the ones marked in purple are for several fics.

And the we have:

saw the plot and needed it for my OTP: Slaves to any semblance of touch based on a tumblr post about a king and his advisor

I was joking with my friend and it happened: Hoffnungsschimmer - Das Soulmate AU which is a crackship turned serious

this is gonna turn out so hot: I also have several (hopefully, haha), but I‘m gonna mention what yields the need in particular. Shout out to Eli for discussing this particular kink with me ;)

fuck this character in particular and i just need the to suffer: Changing Fate, my only MCD. Something else that fits this veeery well is in the works though, so stay tuned ;)

fixing fanon: Also several XD But I‘ll tell you that in Am neuen Morgen fliegst du wieder himmelwärts Leo‘s parents are dead because I hate hate hate the characterisation of his mum as the perfect Übermutter, and I will never understand how the fandom came to the conclusion that she would be like that.

if no one else will write it I will: the things you call life (will you still follow) because I‘d been requesting it for years, so I had to finally do it myself.

just to see if I could: put your arms around me (and I'm home) tentactle smut in German. Definitely a writing challenge XD

Tagging: @wait-here (obviously XD) @spacerhapsody @occhi-verdi-come-il-mare @alyssalenko @ziskandra​ if you want :)

[angrykittykrys]

❝ it’s a beautiful night. ❞

for any of our matching otps <3

For my bestie! I was torn between UsaMamo and KazuFumi, but another friend said to go with the student/teacher, so I did!! I hope you enjoy it, my love!

"It's a beautiful night."

Fumino was standing out on the balcony, a blanket wrapped around her body as she watched the snow drift down from the iron gray sky. In just two days she and Teppei would be leaving Sensei's home to stay with Tomo-kun. It was impossible to believe that the life they had shared with Sensei was being put to a stop this way, but it was, and there was nothing any of them could do to change it.

At the sound of her husband's voice, Fumino turned slightly. Just enough to let him know that she had heard him, but not enough for him to see the tears staining her cheeks. It wasn't as though showing him the pain she was feeling would let them stay together. It would only serve to hurt him as much as she was hurting.

"I wanted to watch the snow from our balcony one last time," she said quietly, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "It won't be the same at Tomo-kun's place."

She heard the sliding glass door shut, and suddenly he was beside her, grabbing at the blanket so he could slide in next to her in the gentle warmth. Once they were cuddled close and she could feel his muscled chest pressed tight against her back, he nuzzled his face into her hair. It was his small way of letting her know that even wrapped up together, he still wanted to be closer.

"You're coming back home to me," he promised, squeezing his arms that were wrapped tight around her waist. "This isn't a goodbye, just a see you later."

"Because... I'm your wife?" The words came out in a broken whisper as the tears began running down her cheeks in earnest.

His lips brushed against her collar bone, neck, chin, cheek, ear and forehead, a promise in each press of his lips to her skin. His tongue darted out to clear the tears from her cheeks and he kissed the corner of her eye. "You are my wife and... I love you."

He said it so rarely, not nearly enough to fill up the empty spaces she was going to have without him. But even so, she clung to the words and buried them deep in her heart. The reminder that it wasn't just her that clung to him, that wanted to come back to this apartment after their forced separation was over, would carry her through the difficult time ahead.

"It really is a beautiful night," she agreed finally, leaning back into his arms. "Should we stay out and enjoy it a little longer?"

He kissed her forehead once more, rubbing his cheek against her skin. "As long as you want, Fumino-san. I'm in no hurry to go anywhere."

[grimmusings]

@potentialbreakupscng

"I know. I love hearing my lines in your work. I like that I inspire you." His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes, nothing but utter delight in it. He might not recognize all of them--Levi wasn't as attentive to his own words as Cath probably was, or as he was to hers--but he remembered enough. It always did something funny to his heart to know he affected her that way, enough to influence her writing, which he knew from experience was closer to her heart than almost anything. God knew she affected him that way. He might not be able to put it into writing the way she did, but he loved her, like a song, like a sonnet, like a 10k slow burn about your OTP.

"Oh, am I distracting you? I'm sorry." Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, his smile widening into something like glee. Distracting Cath was one thing. Distracting Cath from Simon Snow was an entirely different thing. They should give him a medal and put his face on the wall of heroes. His arms curled tighter around her when she turned, tucking her close against him. She fit like a puzzle piece. He loved the shape of her, her warmth and her curves, something solid for him to cling to. "You could quote the books at me though. I bet you know the whole first chapter by heart. Go on, I want to hear it."

“You keep staring at me instead of watching the film. What’s up?”

"Huh? Nothing." He smiled lazily, his gaze flicking back to the movie playing on the tablet. He was curled up behind Cath in her bed in her dorm, an arm around her waist, a couple of warm blankets tucked over both of them. Most of the campus's evening activities had been canceled due to the snow, and a glance out the window said tomorrow's probably would be too. It was coming down in thick, fluffy flakes, and he already didn't relish the thought of clearing off the windows of his truck for the drive home.

But that was a problem for future Levi. Neither wind nor rain nor snow could have pried him out of the warm coziness of Cath's bed right now. When she caught him at it again, he gave a quiet chuckle. "Sorry. I know this movie by heart. Your face is more interesting." He tucked his face into her hair, murmuring the next few lines in her ear. He wasn't a good reader, but his memory was excellent. Almost anything he heard, he remembered. He could have recited the Simon Snow movies almost verbatim, but watching her watch her favorite films never got old. He loved looking at her while she was absorbed in something, when she forgot to school her face to keep people at a distance.

The first time it happened, she let it slide when he said nothing, settling easily back against his chest and curled under the blanket. Cath from years ago would have never believed this would be the situation she ended up in. In love. Cuddled under blankets in her dorm with a guy -- one that she still believed was completely and utterly out of her league. She was resting her cheek on a pillow, her eyes glued onto the screen of the tablet that was set up on a streaming service that had the Simon Snow movies on them -- she owned all of them, but who owned a DVD player anymore?

She felt his eyes on hers once more, and called him out on it once more, turning her head to look over her shoulder at him and raising an eyebrow. His words sent a flush to her cheeks, shaking her head and turning it back to focus on the screen. "I use so many of your lines in my writing now." Her eyebrows rose when he murmured lines into her ear, shivering at the way his breath felt against her ear and clearing her throat. "You're extremely distracting, Levi Stewart," she muttered, shaking her head as she reached over to pause the movie. She turned in his arms, her own wrapping around him to tuck her head under his chin. "I still don't understand how you can remember everything. I've watched these movies thousands of times, and I don't even know them that well." The books? She knew like the back of her hand.

[sailor-brunette]

A friendly reminder that Shiryu loves his wife,Shunrei and would never leave her or betray her.

[druidcore]

SHIP MOODBOARDS || viktor x lissa 

Show me your worst, And I will show you How I love you Just the same. (c)

@kazbrekkerwrites

AND A (LATE) HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU SWEET BAE-AYA (HAHA SEE WHAT I DID THERE?) Seriously though, I’m so glad I had my url as zenikwrites for a while otherwise we might never have met??? And that would have been a travesty. I’m so glad we write together babe! I love both our ships and can’t wait to make many, many more (wink wink). I hope you had wonderful holidays, and wish you the best in the new year! 

[exlibrisfangirl]

Next word: Stop

Yup, also from YPYAAMAIH:

The dam broke, and Derek crumpled against Chris’s chest and let the flood take him, helpless to stop the hurt that washed over him as wave after wave of sobs wracked his weary body.

Send me a word, if it’s in my wip document I’ll answer your ask with the sentence that it appears in.

[okmcintyre]

Bellarke Ship Week: Lyrics

[seasaltmemories]

Maybe in an Alternate Universe...

When she gave the news, Dolce had expected a variety of reactions from Clorica.  She had steeled herself for anger or tears, hurtful accusations or undecipherable sobs.  Instead though, Clorica simply sighed,

“It’s not fair,”  Tears began to form in her eyes, but she held them back and chose to clasp her hands.  Somehow that sight pained Dolce more than she could ever imagine.

“Life’s never been fair to us.”  She tried to wrap herself up in cold words and erase the hurt.

“If anyone deserves to be punished, it’s me.  I’m the one who got involved with a princess, I should lose my job or be exiled not—”  She gasped in surprise when Dolce leaned forward to kiss the tips of her fingers.

“It wasn’t your fault,”  Dolce whispered before bringing Clorica’s hands to her lips once more.  “It never was.”

“I know I just—”

“My parents believe if they fired you, they’d simply loss the best housekeeper in generations only for me to go frolicking off with another maid,”  Dolce tightened her hold on Clorica, “Better to let me get a taste of men and get over this habit.”

Even a princess who talked to ghosts more than people could be arranged in a decent marriage quickly.  This Prince Lest was likely a kind fellow, but Dolce wished they could meet under different circumstances.

“Your family may have taken care of mine for so many generations but—”  Clorica’s upper lip quivered as she paused, “—ugh they can make me so angry!”

While Dolce had always viewed Clorica as a kind and gentle person, the fact in the face of this, she could only throw out a mild insult made her burst into laughter of all things.  While that made Clorica cock her head in confusion, Dolce simply wrapped her arms around her and rested her head on her shoulder.

“Let’s save the bitterness for later,”  She breathed in Clorica’s unique scent, a strange but endearing mixture of soap and herbal leaves.  “I have you now at least.  I want to enjoy that as long as I can.”

She complied to her request, and the two stumbled to Dolce’s bed.  For a moment, they tried to forget all the frightening worries of the future and bask in the presence of their love while they still could.

[allegradegray-archive]

a (long-ass) drabble for @joe-lambe​

How many years have they been together? Allegra had lost count. Five, maybe? Six? Celeste was in school now, walking and running all on her own and speaking in full sentences. They were no longer in that tiny apartment - they had a house all their own. Allegra had finally learned to cook without almost burning the house down thanks to her mother finally sitting her down and showing her what to do. The food wasn’t amazing, but it was edible, which was certainly an improvement.  

And it was long enough for Allegra to instantly know when Joe was having a bad day. 

Joe was a tortured man, that she knew. He had demons he wrestled with on a daily basis. Some of them she knew the name of, yet some of them were so dark and devastating that he couldn’t bear to talk about them. And Allegra accepted that. 

But whenever he was having a bad day, it pained her. It was the look in his eye, the way he would pretend that everything was alright. As if she couldn’t tell. As if she couldn’t see right through him. 

On those days, she wouldn’t say a word. She wouldn’t ask him what was wrong. She’d take him softly by the hand and pull him towards her, and her arms would wrap around his waist in a tight and comforting embrace. 

She’d let Joe take it from there. Whatever he needed, whether he rubbed her back and gently pushed her away after just a moment or whether he melted into her embrace and held her tighter and tighter - she’d let him do whatever he needed to do. 

There were also days where she needed it too. Days where she wrestled with her own self-doubt. Was she a good enough wife and mother? How could she let the house become such a mess again? Why didn’t anyone want to buy one of her paintings this week? Why couldn’t she seem to do anything right?

Those days, she’d feel Joe tugging her towards him and suddenly she would be in his arms. She’d sigh, feeling the weight of the entire world leave her shoulders and she’d let the warmth of his embrace comfort her. 

But tonight, the two of them were in the kitchen, Celeste fast asleep in her bed. Allegra washed the dishes, eyebrows knitted together in distress as she went through the events of the day and mentally kicked herself for every little thing that went wrong. That was when she felt Joe’s eyes on her and she turned to see that oh-so-familiar look on his face that would practically stab her right in the heart. 

In a flash, dishes clattered in the sink and they lunged for one another. They clung desperately to each other for comfort. Allegra’s face was buried in his neck as she gripped the fabric of the back of his shirt. She felt Joe’s face in her hair and his hands grasping at the back of her clothes. They tightened their embrace around each other, inhaling and exhaling heavily as they tried to steady their breathing. She rubbed his back, and she felt a kiss on the top of her head. She felt tears flowing down her face and she broke away to look into his eyes for more comfort. 

It was in his gaze that Allegra saw love burning bright. Then, she sighed happily, and their smiles mirrored one another’s. 

God, she loved seeing Joe smile. She loved it more than anything in the entire world. It made her want to kiss him, and kiss him she did. And before she knew it, she was pulling him into the bedroom, her smile growing. 

They could finish doing the dishes tomorrow. 

[trxgicfairytale]

//Look at them aren’t they cute?

[druidcore]

“i wasn’t flirting, i was being friendly.” // “i only have eyes for you, you know that.” VIKISSA

 “i wasn’t flirting, i was being friendly.”

       Lissa stays quiet in response, focusing her eyes on something in the distance. Along the treetops, the sun bounces from branch to branch slowly, seeming to take it’s time in its descent through the skyline. A bird, some sort of eagle with a streak of white for a tail calls out from a distance. It turns its golden eyes up at the sky and hides its face beneath its wings. 

Seconds tick by where nothing but silence sits between them. It’s not awkward, but it’s far from comfortable either. That inexplicable feeling when there are words that want to be said, that are lodged in someone’s throat, and you can tell, settles in the narrow space between him and her. Their knees barely touch, but that inch of distance could be filled by a hundred words that Lissa is too scared to speak. 

“We should go sledding soon, when it snows enough.” She finally says, glancing over at him. A thick beanie her mum knitted for her sits low on her forehead (in her bag, beneath her bed, in the large dorm she shares with two other girls, a similar one, though made painstakingly with hands unused to knitting needles, waits patiently for Viktor’s birthday.) Her dishwater blonde hair is a mess beneath it, but at least it keeps the wind from scattering the locks across her face and into her mouth. Nothing is less attractive than a mouthful of hair. Lissa knows this because her mother tells her that all the time. Endearingly, while pressing warm kisses into her pink-frosted cheeks. 

“Ever been sledding?” She waits for Viktor’s answer before continuing. “I used to go with my dad when he was around.” Her dad left her when she was six, and her magic started to pop up. Really, she should say her mom and her, but her dad left her mom ages before she was born. At least, that’s what she thinks based on the few stories she’s heard. “My mum doesn’t take me anymore, because she’s scared of the snow and falling… And breaking something.” And looking stupid. She quirks a wry smile. “But I’ve broken nearly every bone in my body so… I don’t have much to be afraid of anymore.” 

Except this. This is a thing that scares her as much as rollercoasters and Quidditch and all the best things in life do. 

“What do you say?” Lissa asks, looking away from where the sun has ignited the line of trees with a fire that doesn’t burn. She glances away like the display is nothing near spectacular. And though she can admit factually that it is, when Viktor catches her eyes, it’s that connection she wouldn’t miss for the world. 

“i only have eyes for you, you know that.”

      She has no reason not to believe him, so she does. But her mum’s life before her is a stain that refuses to wash out, staining nearly everything that Lissa sees. She can practically hear her voice at the back of her head. She tries to shake it off, but it’s relentless. Her mother wouldn’t want this for her. Self-sabotage was just as much the issue in her parents relationship as secrets and lies. 

Viktor and her are different though. So different. The fear of becoming her mother has kept her diligent. So diligent, in fact, that sometimes she forgets to let her guard down and just relax. It’s so important to relax, because Durmstrang isn’t forever, and she’s not willing to let a single moment fly by forgotten. 

“I know,” she says, finally, letting all worry dissolve with a smile. “Sorry, it isn’t fair of me to doubt you.” Warmth sears her skin, a blush she can’t contain, her hands embarrassedly pushing lock after lock of hair behind her ear. 

Another might ask for more assurances, for more reminders. But she doesn’t and she won’t. Lissa doesn’t need to hear about Viktor’s affection for her to know its true. Actions have always spoken louder than words, and she’s always believed so. For example, when she leans into his kiss, and his hand bunches into her shirt and their noses brush together and her spine feels as though its never known anything other than the shiver that dances through it, it’s enough –– more than enough –– assure her that this is real. That this is lasting. It quiets everything, until she’s able to lean back with a dream-like smile. 

“Not bad... We get better and better at that with every kiss,” She says. “Although, one could argue perfection isn’t viable... I think there’s no harm in practicing.” With a grin, she pulls him back in again.