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iamknicole · 3 years

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Somethin' Sweet

Family Ties AU

Haleigh put her attention on Ardian trying to avoid her Mama and Auntie staring at her. She was halfway through her lunch with Ardian before Apryl showed up. Her aunt had yet to come to the table but Haleigh knew she was coming.

"You like your food?"

She nodded sipping her lemonade. "I do. I haven't had a Philly cheesesteak in a while. But I'm still mad at you."

Ardian chuckled and shrugged. "I know you are but it's okay. I'll do better from here on out. How's your day been so far?"

"Its been pretty good. I made a three tier Mickey Mouse cake today so that was fun," she laughed. "And after my break I have to make the schedule and that is not so fun which is why my mama makes me do it. Gave me a promotion to manager to do what she hates."

"Cake sounds fun. The schedule making," Ardian paused to scrunch his face up, "Not so much. But I'm sure it'll go by quick."

"Hopefully so. What are you gonna do when you leave?"

"Uuuh go by my parents' house and bother my mama. Ain't seen her in a couple days."

"Awwwe," Haleigh smiled leaning over the table to pinch his cheeks, "You a mama's boy like my Mason."

Ardian playfully smacked her hands away from his face laughing. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe I am. Speaking of, you talk to him? I know you missin him."

When she started to answer, her phone started to ring. She let Ardian know that it was Mason and she would be right back. Taking her phone, she went to the back so she could hear and see her son. As soon as she was on the back Apryl hurried to the table and sat down smiling while Ardian was looking down at his phone. When he looked up, he jumped a little then spoke.

"Hi. I'm Hae's Auntie Apryl. And you are?" She asked sticking her hand out.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ardian," he answered shaking her hand. "How are you?"

Apryl's smile grew. "Okay, manners. I'm doing well, Ardian. So ... are you dating my favorite niece?"

"Uuh not yet. We just met like two weeks ago."

"But you want to?"

Ardian chuckled, "If she wants to then yeah."

"Where did you meet her?" Apryl asked stealing some of her niece's fries.

"The park. I was taking pictures of the ducks and her son ran into me on accident."

"Oh so you already know about booger? Great. You like kids?"

"Yes ma'am, I know about him. He's cool. And yes ma'am I do."

Apryl nodded leaning on her hand. "He's sweet and playfully, huh? Nothing like his Noodle Head daddy. But anyway ... taking pictures? You into photography?"

He took a sip of his tea nodding. "Yes ma'am, I love it. Trying to build my portfolio."

"Hmm ... well, I have a clothing store and I definitely always need photos of new product. You think you could do that? I'd pay you of course."

"Without seeing my work? I mean of course I'd love too but I can show you some of my work."

Apryl smiled. "I know talented people when I see them. So yes?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay good. I'll get your contact info from niece. Nice to meet you again, Ardian."

"Nice meeting you too, Miss Apryl."

"None of that...call me Auntie."

Haleigh approached the table stating to apologize but stopped when she saw her aunt. She squinted at her.

"What you doing, Auntie?" She asked playfully pushing Apryl out of her seat.

Apryl laughed as she got up from the chair, "Nothing meeting our new friend, Ardian. And I'll be meeting with you after your break is over, favorite niece."

"I gotta make the schedule before I go, Auntie."

"You can talk and type, yes?" Apryl asked pinching her arm making her hiss.

"Ooow, yes. Bye, Auntie."

Once Apryl left the table, the two of them gave each other their attention. They are a little more of their food silently before starting to talk again.

"Did she threaten you or was she being nosey?" Haleigh asked softly.

"Second one," he chuckled. "She asked me to do product photos for her."

Haleigh poked her lip out, "Heeeey ... you gon take pictures for her before you take my picture?"

"Of course not. I'll take pictures of you...of you and Lil man first."

"Uhn uhn," Haleigh shook her head, "Me first then me and gremlin. He gon steal my shine, cute self."

Ardian laughed. "You got it, you got it. How's lil man doing?"

"He's good. Didn't go to daycare today," she huffed rolling her eyes.

He whistled. "You don't sound happy. But why not?"

"His daddy took him to see his grandpa and the three of them are having a day together." Haleigh explained with another huff. "But he's having fun so it's okay, I guess."

"It's alright," Ardian encouraged reaching over to squeeze her hand. "He'll be back in a couple more days. And he'll be back to eating all the food and climbing all over you."

Laughing, Haleigh moved her hand and popped his. "You know how to ruin a moment. I'm going back to work.

Ardian laughed standing up from his seat and went to throw their trash seat then he pulled her up and into a tight hug. He rocked them a little then pulled away a little.

"I'll text you when I get to my parents' house and then when I get home."

She stared up at him smiling a little. "You better. Thank you again for lunch."

"Anytime. Thank you for letting me stay even though I messed up."

"Mmhm. You can't leave yet though."

He smiled down at her. "Why not?"

"You can't leave without Somethin' Sweet." She answered softly.

Thinking for a moment, Ardian leaned down to kiss her softly. He pulled away, smiling again and she bit her lip at him.

"I am something sweet and that was a very nice kiss buuut," she laughed softly, "I meant actual sweets, Ardian. You gotta come pick some."

Blushing and laughing, Ardian let go of her and told her to lead the way. As she led him over to the display case he fought hard to look anywhere but her ass. He couldn't help it but he did try.

"Okay so ... there's regular brownies, cheesecake brownies here. Cookie flavors today are strawberry, sugar, pecan and chocolate chip. Cake and cupcake flavors are cookies and cream, red velvet, blue velvet, vanilla, chocolate and I think we still have some salted caramel ones left." She stopped to smile at him. "So which ones would you like?"

"Uuuh," he started as he stared at ask the desserts, "I honestly don't know what to pick. They all sound good."

Kandice called out to them laughing. "Hae, just fix a box with two of each. He looks overwhelmed."

Haleigh laughed, "Yes ma'am. That's my mom by the way, Kandice. Mama, this is, Ardian."

Kandice waved. "Nice to meet you Ardian. Hope to see you a lot more."

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled, "I hope so as well."

She fixed his box to and bagged it before taking it to him. The two of them walked to the door.

"I like seeing you, Ardian."

"I like seeing you too. I'm looking forward to doing it again."

Haleigh nodded. "Definitely just ... just without my Auntie and Mama staring at us. They're still staring, aren't they?"

Ardian looked behind her at them and waved his hand laughing. "Yeah, they're definitely still staring."

"Figures. Text me like you're supposed to. I'll call you when I get off. That's okay?"

"Yes ma'am. Enjoy the rest of your day. You ladies enjoy your day too!"

Apryl and Kandice both said thank you and waved. Ardian leaned down to kiss her one more time before leaving out the door. Haleigh watched him until he got into his car then turned back to go to the counter with her mom and aunt.

"Yall gon stare a hole through me." She laughed. "I gotta go make the schedule."

"Aht, that schedule can wait until tomorrow," Apryl corrected. "You gon bring ya self over here so we can talk about your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend, Auntie. We just met."

"Uhuh, but he wants to be and you want that too."

Kandice watched her daughter with a small smile. "Where did you meet him?"

"In the park," Haleigh answered with a slight smile. "Messiah called and I looked away for a second, he was running and ran into Ardian. He helped Mason up then told me about his uncles' restaurant and we went."

Kandice and Apryl shared a look.

"Mmm.... so a date. That's cute." Apryl smirked. "Was this your second date then?"

"Not really a date we just had lunch. But he came over to the house yesterday."

Kandice raised a brow chuckling. "Okay, Miss Thing. How'd that happen?"

Haleigh gave them a blank stare, "Two people. Nicey and Morgan. Never leaving my phone unattended again. But I did have fun."

"Fun? Like making Mason fun or regular fun?" Apryl asked leaning on the counter.

"Auntie, no! Regular fun," she laughed. "He bought me more food from the restaurant and we watched Norbit like three times. He went home after that."

Kandice poked at her daughter, "My baby got a lil crush. You like him."

She wiggled away laughing, "Mommy. Okay I do like him but stoop. And don't tell Daddy, my uncles, KoKo or my cousins."

"Then who we gon tell? We gotta tell somebody?" Apryl asked playfully frowning.

"Oh! Trin! We can tell Trin," Kandice answered happily. "She should be back today."

Haleigh groaned, "Yall just gotta tell somebody. But don't tell them like I said but you can tell Auntie Trin."

"Deal, Marie. Did Mason like him?" Kandice asked.

"Yes ma'am. He climbed all over Ardian during our dinner and talked about him on the way home."

"Booger likes him so that's already a plus," Apryl shrugged, "How do you think Messiah is gonna react? I see he still be posting you and stuff."

Haleigh rolled her eyes. "Hopefully this will make him understand that we are never getting back together. He threw all five years of us being together away when he cheated so oh well."

Kandice and Apryl both snapped at the same time then laughed making Haleigh laugh.

"Now can I go do the schedule so I can get outta here? Please?"

Kandice nodded still laughing. "Go on, Marie. And when you leave take those cookies."

Apryl watched her go to the back office then looked at Kandice. "They cute, huh?"

"They are. I'm happy for her, I had already prepared myself for her to tell me that she was gonna go back."

"Girl, I tried to do that," Apryl admitted laughing, "Ended up making myself mad as hell."

The two cousins laughed and talked a little longer while Kandice worked. Haleigh texted her best friends and Ardian while finished up her schedule trying to get out of there quickly so she could call him.

#family ties au fic #messiah & haleigh #ardian & haleigh

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ignooy-nim · 3 years

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‘On The Floor’ - Queens, NYC

STRAY KIDS EXTRA MEMBER (AU) / JAE-LYNN m.list

🦋 TW / CW : slight cursing, anxiety

🦋 SUMMARY : jae-lynn takes part in a make-or-break dance competition, in hopes that she can steal the attention of kpop talent scouts.

🦋 A/N : this piece is to showcase jae’s life in Queens, NY, and just how she got to where she is today. :-)

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Growing up in Queens, NY meant one thing, and one thing only for Jae-Lynn.

Having the great privilege to go to Court Square Diner and sharing a triple decker chicken salad sandwich with her sister (fries and all).

That diner might not seem like much to most people who come to Queens, but to Jae, it's everything. It's the place where her parents met years and years ago. Its where they finalized the adoption papers for Faith. And it's where she brought up the idea to her mom and siblings of her competing in her school's dance competition which was said to be full of talent scouts looking for the 'next big thing' for the Korean music industry.

Her mom stopped mid-bite of her philly cheesesteak, "Dance competition? I thought you weren't going to take up dance anymore.."

"What? Just because I have other hobbies I'm focusing on right now doesn't mean I'm any less passionate." Jae said picking at her paper placemat.

"Ok-ok... but Korea, Jae?" Elessia, Jae-Lynn's mom, sighed. "Even if you made it through the competition, and get scouted or whatever, Korea is on the other side of the world.. There's no way I'd let you just dance your way across the ocean like that."

Ezra, Jae-Lynn's younger brother, flicked a french fry at her, getting it stuck in her long hair, showcasing his teasing smile that resembled a jack-o-lantern, as he was losing his baby teeth left and right these days.

"But mom-" She started, "I wouldn't be completely alone... Grandma lives there!"

"Still, Jae-Lynn, we don't even know how you would do in the competition, let's not get a head of ourselves, sweetie." Elessia spoke, immediately catching her tongue. Jae bowed her head, feeling sadness well in her stomach. "What I mean, Jae, is that we can't get our hopes up. Do I think you can do well, and get scouted? Abso-freaking-lutely I do. And if it’s really what you want, I'll have to see about it... But you need to know where I'm coming from."

Jae-Lynn’s knee bounced excitedly, as she shared a smile with her sister. “I understand, Mama.. I just want to try.”

Elessia watched her daughter with bright eyes, admiring her passion. Taking in a deep breath of air, she responds, “Well, you have my support, baby.”

────── ❝ on the floor ❞ ──────

‘Countdown’ by Beyoncé blasted through the speakers of Jae-Lynn’s iPod sound dock. Her and Faith had been listening through every song Jae had saved to the device, and still, none of them felt right for her to perform at the competition.

“This feels useless..” Jae groaned, falling back onto her white bedsheets, keeping her eyes trained on the glow-in-the-dark stars that she had stuck onto the ceiling.

Faith, who was sitting on the floor, flipping through the latest Tiger Beat magazine, stood up and then flopped down on the bed next to her sister. “I hate to agree... But, I agree.”

Rubbing her hands over her face, Jae felt her eyes start to burn with tears. “What do I do? ... I really want this.”

“I don’t know, I guess you will know it’s the right song when you hear it.. You shouldn’t ever give up on this, Jae, seriously.” Faith sat up, and faced her sister who was still laying with her head in her hands. “Half of those kids who are going to be performing at the competition don’t even know their left foot from their right.”

Jae-Lynn giggled, “Like Valentina?”

“’Like Valentina?’- Girl, I mean Valentina.” Faith said, the two girls falling into fits of laughter, remembering the clumsy dancing that the young girl from their ballet class showed off. “She’s so arrogant, and for what?”

Jae laughed, sitting up next to her sister, “You really think I can do this, Faith?”

“Like Ma said, ‘Abso-freaking-lutely’.” The girls shared a tight hug as another song played; ‘On The Floor’ by Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull.

Jae-Lynn gasped, pulling away from her sister “I think this is it!”

────── ❝ on the floor ❞ ──────

The day of the competition felt like it couldn't come any sooner. Jae had been practicing day and night for over two weeks now, yet her knees still felt like they would buckle the second she walked out onto the floor to perform.

From behind the thick red curtain, she could see that the whole auditorium was full, and in the front row sat talent scouts from every major music company in Korea; SM, Cube, JYPE, and YG, as well as a few others she couldn't place a name to.

Her hands grew clammy, and her breathing hitched.

'What if they don't like me?', 'What if they think I'm just a stupid kid?' She continued to beat herself up, pacing back and forth, attempting to calm her nerves

Reaching towards the silver necklace hanging from her neck, she allowed her thumb to rub over the pendant. The cool metal made it capable for her to catch her breath.

Her dad had given her that necklace. A thin yet sturdy silver chain that laid just between her collar bones, letting the small, silver replica of her dad’s police badge hang.

She thought of her dad and what he would say to her during her moment of panic.

"Sweetheart, whats wrong?" He would ask and she would explain, probably gripping onto his arm nervously. "Well, that's nothing! Because one day, you're going to be performing infront of a crowd dozens of times bigger than this. Thousands and thousands of people, all cheering you on, because you're mother fucking Jae-Lynn King... You're my girl, so even though I have a strong bias, I still can see that you are, by far, the best dancer in this room... You can do it Jae.. You can do anything you put your mind towards."

Jae-Lynn, not realizing she had shut her eyes and was now tearing up, opened them again, gently wiping underneath.

'Maybe that's right.' She thought to herself, imagining her dad's smiling face.

The announcer of the competition spoke through the microphone to the crowd behind the red curtain. "Next to the stage is someone who is known as 'Ms. Sasha's Dance Academy' royalty. With her hip hop style choreography to 'On the Floor', we have Jae-Lynn King!"

The loud voice of the announcer caught Jae's attention, as she finally let her hand drop from her necklace. With her legs that no longer shook, she made her way out onto the floor, the cheers from the crowd giving her goosebumps.

"C'mon Jae!" Elessia shouted, clapping wildly for her daughter. Faith was practically jumping in her seat, next to their mom, while Ezra sat on the opposite side, shakily recording Jae's performance with their camcorder.

After the audience had simmered down and Jae-Lynn had taken her place, the music began over the speakers.

────── ❝ on the floor ❞ ──────

"-and the first place winner is..." The announcer spoke, crating tension.

Jae was one of the top three contestants. Valentina, the arrogant girl from Jae and Faith's ballet class had gotten third, and then proceeded to storm off the stage in childish rage. Now just the two competitors stood in front of the audience; Jae-Lynn and Willow- an older girl who had performed a beautiful contemporary ballad.

Their breaths stopped once they heard the announcer open the small envelope that held the results of the competition.

"Miss. Willow Torres!" The announcer shouted excitedly, while the crowd went wild.

Jae felt her heart sink into her stomach, but still turned to hug Willow and congratulate her.

'What was I expecting anyways?' She thought to herself, as she pulled away from Willow, who was being awarded her first place trophy.

Jae managed to keep a strong smile on her face as she looked for her family in the audience, who were all sending hearts and thumbs-up to show their support.

After the competition, Jae sat back stage waiting for her family to come and collect her and take her to Court Square Diner for her pity party. However, she was approached by someone else instead.

"Hi, Jae-Lynn is it?" A woman in her mid thirties asked politely. She had dark brown hair that looked almost black, and olive skin that complimented the dark green dress she was wearing.

"Oh.. yeah that's me.. Do you need me to move?" Jae asked, quickly going to stand, thinking that the woman was apart of the competition's staff.

"Oh no, no! I wanted to talk to you about something.. My name is Cara Lee, I'm a JYP talent scout, and I couldn't help but notice that you are quite the young dancer."

Jae-Lynn's heart raced like it was before her performance, but this time it was out of pure excitement. "Oh, thank you, that's really kind!" She said politely, trying not to absolutely lose her mind.

"Of course! So are you familiar with JYP Entertainment at all?" The woman asked, taking a seat next to the younger girl, who sat in awe.

"'Familliar'?! Wonder Girls and 2PM are some of the most iconic groups in all Kpop history! At least in my opinion." Jae began to ramble, but caught herself and returned to a professional tone. "Uhm, I mean... I'm familiar."

Cara laughed lightly, "It's nice to see your passion.. Maybe we can schedule an at-home audition to see a little bit more?"

Jae's eyes went wide as she processed what the woman had asked her. 'Is she for real?!' She thought, practically screaming in happiness.

From down the hall, she could see her family turn the corner, seeing Jae talking to the woman. The young girl made wide eyes at her mom and siblings discreetly, before turning back to Cara.

"I'd love to! But, I have to ask my mom first I think.." Jae spoke, mumbling the last half.

"Oh of course! I wouldn't have it any other way!" Cara smiled, and reached into her jacket pocket and taking out a small white and black card that said 'JYP Entertainment' in big bold letters. "Here, take my card, and call whenever you and your family make your decision."

Jae's fingers played with the corners of the card, staring at it in disbelief. After shaking herself out of her trance, she turned back to the woman beside her who was now standing. "Thank you so much for this opportunity!" Jae-Lynn stood up and stretched her hand out, to shake Cara's.

The woman held Jae's hand tightly and gave it a short shake, and said, "I look forward to hearing from you." And with that she left down the hall and to the right.

Immediately after Elessia and the two kids arrived at Jae-Lynn's side, who was still shocked by the events that just happened.

The three bombarded her with questions, and congratulations for getting second place in the competition, but Jae-Lynn just remained paralyzed in the middle of the hallway, JYPE business card in hand.

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scurvyeunuch · 4 years

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Well, Dad and I split a 2 piece fish & chips and a philly cheesesteak with au jus at the pub and I got a free frangelico and butter ripple birthday shot. Dad and his wife gave me a little money along with a very nice gift certificate to my favorite used book store in town.

This birthday is a bit bittersweet though, as tomorrow my sister would've turned 53 if she were still living. This is the first time in a long time that we haven't celebrated together.

#me #birthdays

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cuddletime-blog · 4 years

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5 MLQC Guys Compared to Foods

Victor: would be like a luxurious French meal with several courses, a rich, decadent dessert that is sweet like crème brulee or so soft like a chocolate caramel soufflé, and the finest wine.

Lucien: would be a buttery croissant, matcha cream-filled or a chocolate croissant (pain au chocolat), or madeleines (that satisfy my sweet tooth. The butter is bad for my heart health, but I crave it anyway).

Kiro: would be like party-size bags of potato chips in several different flavors or mixed chips like Munchies. Just a delightful snack.

Gavin: would be like various comfort foods or meals with some form of carbs and meat, such as tonkotsu ramen, spicy mapo tofu, katsudon or gyudon, lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, Chicago deep dish pizza, a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, grilled meat kebabs, grilled cheese sandwiches, poutine, shepherd’s pie, hotpot or shabu shabu, spicy Korean fried chicken and cold beer, or any other dishes that you happen to fancy.

Shaw: would be like teenage fast foods or junk foods. He would be bold like Flaming Hot Cheetos or Takis chips, (wild and unpredictable like) Mentos in cola or other sodas (The real question is does he prefer Coke or Pepsi, Mountain Dew, grape soda, or some other unique flavor?), bubblegum or chewing gum, or Sour Patch Kids candies.

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imagine-organization-xiii · 5 years

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you did favorite pizzas so maybe favorite sandwiches now? i know you opened up for questions and i don't know if you're doing requests so feel free to delete this if you aren't

Goes alone with this post about favorite pizzas.

Xemnas - Likes French Dip or Beef Dip sandwiches, if only because it’s usually served hot. Thinly sliced roast beef on a baguette with Swiss cheese, onions, etc. The beef broth - au jus - that’s served with the sandwich has to be super hot for it to be perfect.

Xigbar - Loves Philly Cheesesteaks. They’re some of his favorites and he could honestly eat them everyday if he wanted to. Must have the thinnest slices of beefsteak and lots of melted cheese on a hoagie roll. Sometimes likes onions and garlic mixed into the meat, too.

Xaldin - A classic BLT for this boy. Can’t really go wrong with crispy bacon, lettuce, and fresh Roma tomatoes on thick, toasted bread.

Vexen - Likes a good Reuben sandwich on rye bread. He wasn’t really a big fan of corned beef, but it tastes so much better when mixed with Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut.

Lexaeus - Another guy who likes the classics, Lexaeus will always go for a hamburger when it comes to sandwiches. Always has his patty flame broiled and has to have the works - pickles, bacon, lettuce, cheese, tomato, red onions, mustard, and a sesame bun.

Zexion - Likes any type of sandwich, but chicken salad or turkey salads are good sandwiches to have when he’s ‘on-the-go.’ Otherwise he’ll have a plain ham and Swiss sandwich.

Saix - Went to New Orleans years ago for a mission and the Po’ Boy quickly became his favorite sandwich. Likes his Po’ Boy on thick, crusty French bread and prefers it with either fried shrimp or catfish.

Axel - Likes a Croque Monsieur sandwich because 1) he likes the taste and 2) the words Croque Monsieur makes him feel like a fancy bitch. It’s just a fried ham and cheese sandwich, but he still likes to make people think he’s eating something gourmet.

Demyx - Sloppy Joes, all the way, but he can’t have those canned sauces. No, it has to be a homemade sauce for the ground beef, and served on a hamburger bun.

Luxord - Back to his British roots, Luxord likes an old-fashioned ‘Chip Butty.’ Buttered white bread with “chips” - ‘french fried potatoes’ - with brown sauce, mayo, or malt vinegar.

Marluxia - Used to like regular club sandwiches before he had a Bánh mì at a Vietnamese restaurant a few years ago. It’s made with pickled daikon, pickled carrots, cilantro, cucumber, pork sausage, and a mixture of chili and mayo.

Larxene - Her go-to sandwich is a Cuban Sandwich, which originated among the Cuban workers in cigar factories in Key West, Florida. It’s made with ham, roasted pork shoulder, pickles, mustard, Swiss cheese, and is usually on Cuban bread loaves.

Roxas - Like Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches - he prefers grape jelly but will really eat any kind. Has to have smooth peanut butter, though. Doesn’t like the crunchy stuff.

Xion - Likes grilled cheese sandwiches. She used to get like… just regular American cheese slices, but then Larxene showed her this new thing with like five different types of cheeses on sourdough bread and now it’s one of her favorite meals ever.

#organization xiii #organization xiii headcanons #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts headcanons

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leelee10898 · 5 years

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Batter up!

In light of Opening day, and riding on the high of my teams win! I decided to do a litttle one shot. I used the Prompt sent from @annekebbphotography for Leo x Alicia "What if we get caught?" "Even better."

This is from the CGW(cordonians gone wild) AU. A collaborative effort by @ao719 @speedyoperarascalparty @cocomaxley @riseandshinelittleblossom and myself. Read our other adventures HERE.

Pairings: cgw couples (Squad)

Warnings: Mature. Language and Sexual situations.

“I can't believe you guys are really not going to sit in the suite with us.” Anitah sighed as they pulled up to the private entrance of the ball field. “ah no way. Its opening day, we got killer seats and we're playing the Braves. I wanna be down in the crowd for that. ” Alicia beamed, practically jumping out of her seat. “You're lucky we're even here Rhys. If it wasn't your turn to choose I wouldn't be caught dead here.” Genevieve rolled her eyes. Anitah and Pam both agreeing with her.

“Well, I say a day of drinking, eating delicious food and hot baseball butts is a win in my book.” Stef spoke up. “hell yeah!” Alicia slapped her five. “Well, I think it will be fun.” Liam grinned as he kissed Anitah on the cheek. “Free whiskey is what im here for. I'd rather be on the lake fishing.” Drake groaned. “Do they really have a donut burger here?” Leo asked “Yeah, new this year.” Alicia squeezed his leg. “That sounds disgusting.” Pam gagged. “Speak for yourself Pammy. Were so trying that right Maverick?” leo nodded in agreement. “Looks like this is our stop.”Rashad motioned to the window.

The climbed out of the limousine, Liam, Anitah. Drake,Pam, Genevieve and rashad all heading towards the elevator to reach the suite. Leo, Alicia, Stef and Max made their way towards the back stairwell to their seats. Before the elevator door closed Anitah shouted “Enjoy the beating your teams gonna get.” she winked.

“Don't get beat up in that Yankees jersey, Queenie.” Alicia smirked.

The four climbed the stairs before finding their seats. Front row, 1st base right behind the dugout. “Baby these are great seats.” Leo smirked as he sat down. “yeah Tigerlily. We can practically touch the players.” Maxwell danced in his seat. “Pretty sure touching is a no no, but, just watch out for a giant green belly in your face.”

“A what?” Stephanie whipped her head around “I don't know much about baseball, but i'm pretty sure giant green bellies are not apart of it.”

Alicia laughed. “I'm talking about the Phanatic. Giant sized Green, ah, mascot. Hes wild, he's crazy, hes spunky. He's just A Lot of fun.”

“So he's basically Maxwell in Alien form?”

Stef could practically feel the giant sized grin forming on her husbands face, behind her back. “No. We can not take him home.”

“But red, hear me out.”

Meanwhile up in the suite. A killer buffet of laid out before them seafoods, chicken, steak, sides and desserts. As far as a fully stocked bar, all inclusive with their suite. The view of the park below them. Drake, Liam and Rashad sat against the window watching the game below them. Genevieve, Anitah and Pam all refusing to watch, sipped on their cocktails chatting about anything but the game. “Oh look, what's that green thing down there?” Rashad pressed his face to the glass.

“The fanatic.” the ladies said in unison

“Is he riding a ATV?” Rashad pressed his face closer to the glass, leaving a smudge mark. “Hes dancing, so is everyone else. They look like they're having fun.”

Genevieve arched her brow “Rashad, do you want to go down there and stand behind enemy lines?”

“N, no. Of course not sweetheart.”

The ladies went about their conversation and Drake and Liam continued watching the game. Drake got up to get a refill of scotch “Ahhh where did Rashad go?”

Maxwell watched as the Phanatic speed out onto the field on this 4 wheeler. Pumping his hand in the air. He hopped off shaking his but and dancing. “Oh. My. God. Hes.. he's my spirit animal.”

“Yeah he is. Just wait til he stands on the dugout, then the real fun beings.” Alicia shouted. “Ok so, these burgers are weird, but kind of good.” Leo took a careful bite of the donut burger. “Itf amafing weo. Weally gud.” Max spoke with his mouth full of food. “Maxie, you look like evie when she eats spaghetti. That's where she gets the wear it not eat it from.” Stephanie giggled as maxwell gave her a sloppy, full mouth grin.

“You know, citizens bank park was built so you could see the field from anywhere. We don't have to stay in out seats the whole time.” Alicia mentioned as Leo gave her a wicked grin. The four decided to get up stretching their legs. Leo grabbed Alicia pulling her down into a gated area. “Where are we going?” Alicia questioned.

“someplace quiet.” Leo whispered as he led her through the tunnel. Alicia's eyes reading staff only. And then another for locker room.

“Leo, I don't think were allowed down her. That's the team's locker room.” He smirked as he kept pulling her farther down the hall, and into the room pushing her against the wall. His hands exploring every inch of her body, his lips capturing hers in a feverish kiss.

"Maybe we should find someplace else." She suggested. He shook his head "No. Here's fine." His lips finding hers again.

“What if we get caught?” She breathed out.

“Even better.” He smirked as his fingers worked to unbutton her shorts.

“Where the fuck did he get off to? How the hell are we supposed to find him here?” Genevieve seethed as her, pam, Anitah, Drake and Liam maneuvered through the crowds.

“Damn, I know we ate upstairs but, that barbecue smells good.” Drake sniffed the air as the smoke filled his senses.

“Yeah, I would like to try one of those cheesesteaks too.” Liam salivated.

“Ok, while you guys eat again, we will keep looking for Rashad.” they searched high and low, but no sign of Rashad. “Didn't Alicia say they were seated on the 1st base side?” Pam questioned. “Yeah, by the dugout, why?” Anitah replied, frustrated. “Well, maybe one of them have seen him.”

The ladies sent Drake and Liam a text telling them where they would be. And made their way over. They peered over the railing trying to get a glimpse of one of their friends when wham. Someone ran right into Anitah. “Ouch, what the fu.” she stopped immediately cocking her head to the side. “shit, sorry. Oh.” Anitha looked over at Alicia and Leo and the restricted sign on the gate they had just come out of. “What are you two up to?”

“nothing.” Alicia avoided eye contact, her disheveled clothing and hair told her all she needed to know. “Really guys? At the game?”

“What? It was on our kinky bucket list.” Leo chuckled as Alicia playfully slapped him.

“God, enough of this. Hey horny and hornier, you seen my husband?” Genevieve snapped.

“Nope, but maybe Stef and Max have.” Leo told her.

The three went back and forth, trying to figure out a location he could be.

“Ah guys.” Anitah said. Trying to get there attention, they continued to talk.

“Guys.” Anitah said a little louder. Still not able to get their attention.

“GUYS!” She shouted as they turned to look at her.

“Found Rashad.” She pointed down to the Phillies dugout. There was Maxwell and rashad dancing with the Phanatic. Both of their faces painted red with a large white P smack dab in the middle of their face. Rashad had his shirt off, as he shook his butt to the music. Maxwell also shirtless but donned a long red white and blue Phillies cape, as he pop and locked along with the green furry mascot.

Genevieve's hand flew over her mouth. The others laughed hysterically. Stephanie stood in the aisle recording the whole thing. Laughing hysterically. “Looks like Rashad made a new friend.” Alicia giggled. “This is going on YouTube.” Anitah busted out laughing.

“How much did he have to drink?” Pam giggled. Genevieve shot Alicia a look. “Never again Alicia.”

Just then the Phillies won the game. The crowd cheered and Genevieve collected an inebriated Rashad. Drake and Liam ate themselves into a food coma, pam and Anitah having to help them to the Limo. Stephanie had to buy Two Phanatic stuffed animals. One for Evie, the other for Max. Alicia and Leo were the last to head to the limo.

“Did you have a good opening day love?”

“The best ever. We had sex in the Phillies locker room, maxwell and Rashad got drunk and danced with the Phanatic. Liam and Drake love philly food. But the best part.. The Phillies beat the Braves.” Leo leaned in kissing her cheek. “Let's go get some cheese steaks.” Alicia suggested as they headed towards the exit. “Genos or pats? He arched his brow.

“Both!” They answered simultaneously.

Happy opening day! Pay ball!

Tag: @annekebbphotography @carabeth @moneyfordiamonds @give-me-ernest-sinclaire @3pawandme @indiacater @ooo-barff-ooo @ownworldresident @tornbetween2loves @perfectprofessorherokid @stopforamoment @editboutique @wannabemc2 @zaffrenotes @enmchoices @lauradowning29 @lodberg @smalltalk88 @gibbles82 @heatherfilliez @drakesensworld @nikkis1983 @sweetest-marbear @classylady1234 @daniv2278 @rainbowsinthestorm @jared2612 @liamxs-world @notoriouscs @blubutterflyy @captain-kingliamsqueen @whenyourheartskipsabeat @lynne1993 @coldcollectornight08 @be-still-my-aching-heart @dcbbw

@kennaxval @hopefulmoonobject

#cgw trr au #cgw trr #cgw squad #cgw #cordoniansgonewild #cordonians gone wild #leo x alicia #liam x anitah #drake x pam #stef x maxwell #rashad x genevieve #trr baseball fic #philadelphia phillies #phillie phantic #phillies

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lastbluetardis · 6 years

Text

Chemical Potential (4/11)

Summary: Slightly homesick and stressed about her abysmal chemistry grade, Rose Tyler meets quirky James Smith, the boy who sits in front of her in their chemistry class. They become fast friends as James makes it his personal mission to help Rose get through the semester.

Ten x Rose University AU

This chapter: ~4200 words, light teen

Notes: This was written for the lovely @thegreenfairy13 as part of the @dwsecretsanta gift exchange.

AO3 | Ch1 | Ch2 | Ch3 | Ch4 | Ch5 | Ch6 | Ch7 | Ch8 | Ch9 | Ch10 | epilogue

The morning of the Philadelphia trip dawned before the sun was even up as Rose awoke early to pack a lunch and snacks, then catch the town bus to make it in time to the university by eight. She was fifteen minutes early and bleary-eyed as she waited for James and the other students going on the trip.

She began to get worried as the time drew nearer to eight but he still hadn’t arrived. She’d already been joined by a dozen other people and made idle, sleepy chit-chat with them before going back to keeping a lookout for him. Right as everyone was beginning to make their way onto the charter bus, Rose heard him call out her name.

With a grin, she let the people behind her board the bus.

“Not at all cutting it close, are you?” she asked, bumping her shoulder into his.

“Pfft, it’s seven fifty-nine,” he said will a roll of his eyes. “I’m perfectly on time, thank you very much. Early, in fact. Come on, let’s get seats.”

He reached out and threaded their fingers together even though the bus doors were ten feet away. He gave her fingers a slight squeeze then dropped her hand to check his name off the list. When she followed suit, they meandered down the center aisle and sat down on cushy seats near the middle of the bus.

The drive to Philadelphia passed by uneventfully, and Rose kept her gaze directed out the window as she watched the Pennsylvanian landscape fly by. She was captivated by the vast amounts of empty, rolling hills and farmland that stretched between the small towns they passed through. There was so much green everywhere she looked.

Even as they drove into Philly, Rose was amazed by how small the city seemed, especially when compared to the sprawling bustle of London.

“So, do you have any ideas of where you’d like to go or what you wanna do today?” James asked when they’d exited the bus.

He raised his arms above his head and leaned back, stretching from their hour-and-a-half-long bus ride. His sweatshirt rode up his slim hips, and Rose got a peek of a thin sliver of skin between the waistband of his jeans and his shirt. Her gaze fell upon the dark, downy hair near his navel, and her cheeks flamed as she directed her attention away.

“Er, I made a list of ideas,” she answered, tugging her phone out of the pocket of her jacket. She sucked in a sharp breath when James pressed himself into her back to peer over her shoulder at her list. She was a little embarrassed that most of her list was comprised of free sights and attractions; those that did cost money, she’d listed the price beside each location. If James noticed, he didn’t say anything.

“Let’s do tours of the historical sites first thing this morning,” he suggested. “Those tend to get more populated as the day goes on. Then we can hit some of the museums. Sound good?”

“Well, what about you?” she asked. “Do you have anything you want to see?”

“Your list actually contains a few places I’ve never been,” James said. “Philadelphia museum of art. Penn museum. Though if it’s all right with you, I’d love to visit the Eastern State Penitentiary. I’ve never been yet. A few of my mates have tried to drag me to the haunted Terror Behind the Walls exhibit they do at this time of year, but I hate spooky places and jump scares.”

James let out a dramatic shudder that scrunched up his face. It was endearing, and Rose bit her lip around a giggle.

“Okay, lead the way,” she said. “Take me out on the town, James Smith.”

His cheeks flushed a little red, but his smile was wide as he threaded his arm through hers and dragged her towards the historic district.

Rose found herself utterly enthralled in the history of the city, and she knew part of it was having James as her own personal tour guide. He knew everything, it seemed, and he often gave her the history of the various sites, monuments, and structures as they came across them. Never mind the fact that there were employees offering up the same information.

“Philadelphia was actually the capital of the United States for about a decade there at the beginning,” James told her as they toured Independence Hall. “Whilst Washington, D.C. was being built. Actually, several cities have had the honor of being the capital, if even for a day, like good ol’ Lancaster.”

Rose started.

“Oh, not the Lancaster of the UK,” James said, chuckling. “Nah, there’s a tiny little county about, ooh… sixty or seventy miles west of here called Lancaster. It’s a quaint little place. Huge Amish population—a religious group that migrated to America after a schism between Swiss and German Anabaptists. We’ll have to make a day trip some Saturday. Loads of homemade goods are sold there. Amish furniture is beautiful. Ooh, let’s take a selfie!”

They took photos together at all of the sites they visited. Rose’s stomach warmed every time James wrapped his arm around her and tugged her snugly into his side before he snapped their picture.

“Can you send me some of those?” Rose finally asked after their fifth photo together.

“Absolutely. I’ll put them on Facebook. That might be easiest rather than me sending you a million texts with the photos. D’you have Facebook?”

Rose bobbed her head in affirmation, and James pulled out his phone, tapped on the screen, then said with a grin, “Friend request sent!”

They finished their tours of the historic sites by eleven, and so they decided to check off one of the museums before they broke for lunch. As they walked through the city to get to the art museum, they encountered a large group of people passing out flyers.

James politely took the info packets; Rose realized the group was endorsing the Hillary Clinton campaign.

“Do you think Donald Trump actually stands a chance in the election?” Rose asked curiously

“God, I hope not,” James said, shoving the flyers deep into his pockets. “Back home, the UK certainly dodged a bullet by voting to stay a member of the EU. Hopefully America can dodge this bullet, too. I pray my fellow Americans make the wise decision and vote in a competent leader rather than the buffoon the Republican party has selected as their candidate.”

“Are you an American citizen?” Rose asked, surprised.

He nodded, the motion sending his fringe into his eyes. He brushed it back as he said, “Yup. Aunt Sarah knew she’d be in America for a long time and wanted to be politically active, so when we moved here, we both filed for citizenship. I hold dual citizenship for the UK and the US.”

They’d arrived at the art museum, and James held open the front door for Rose before following her inside. After they paid for admission and took a cursory glance at the map, they strode hand-in-hand through the museum.

Rose was utterly enthralled, and she hoped James was enjoying himself as much as she was. She knew a science museum would probably have been his preference, and while she appreciated that he’d come with her, she couldn’t help but feel that she’d monopolized the trip with her interests. Especially since he’d been the person to tell her about the trip in the first place.

They spent nearly two hours at the museum of art, visiting every single exhibit, and by the time they left, Rose’s stomach was aching with hunger.

“I’m famished,” James said, patting his flat belly. “For lunch, you have got to try an authentic Philly cheesesteak. Come on!” He grabbed her hand and made to tug her down the city block.

“Er, I actually brought my own lunch,” Rose said sheepishly, tugging him to a halt.

“You can’t come to Philadelphia and not get a cheesesteak,” he protested.

Rose sighed and clenched her jaw as she forced herself to look up at him. “James, I’m on a budget. I’ve allotted fifty dollars for this whole day. I’d rather spend that money on museums and stuff.”

“It can be my treat,” he said immediately.

“I don’t need charity,” she snapped.

He shook his head and said, “It’s not charity. It’s one mate taking another mate to lunch. Since you packed a lunch and didn’t plan for the expense of buying a meal, it’s only fair and logical that I treat you.”

“No, it’s fine. I can eat the food I brought.”

“Oh, come on. I seriously don’t mind—”

Rose ground her teeth together, her temper flaring, before she finally hissed, “What don’t you understand about ‘no’?”

He recoiled as though she’d hit him. His jaw hung open, flabbergasted, and his mouth moved for a few silent seconds but no words came out.

Rose wanted to scream. She’d been having such a lovely day with him; it was the lightest she’d felt in a very long time, and she didn’t want anything to change. Praying that he would be a bloke that knew how to accept ‘no’ for an answer, she folded her arms across her front and tried to ignore the roaring of her heart in her ears.

“You’re right,” he finally said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Rose nodded, but she let out a huge, relieved breath even though something in her chest cracked at the sadness in his voice. He hung his head and scuffed his trainers against the ground, and she found herself wanting to explain. It was obvious he came from a well-off family, but he needed to understand that she didn’t, and that it didn’t give him the right to buy his way into getting his way.

“My mum and I grew up poor,” Rose muttered. “Like… council estate poor. Government assistance programs poor. My mum… she wasn’t above taking advantage of the free or reduced cost of things. And she sometimes used me to help her agenda of why she needed or deserved a discount for something, appealing to the humanity and generosity of others because she had a small daughter to care for. And I hated that. I hated it. Since I could, I’ve been paying my own way for things, and if I couldn’t afford it, I simply went without. I refuse to become my mother.”

James’s eyes were soft as his lips pursed in sympathy. But it didn’t feel like pity, for which Rose was grateful.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. After a beat, he added, “My mum and dad were generous people. Raised me to be generous, too. To help out when I could. Same with my Aunt Sarah. It’s a natural response for me, y’know, to offer to pay for things. Especially if it’s my idea. I don’t intend for it to be charity, or something that I use to place another person in my debt. I just want to dote on the people I— my friends.”

His cheeks pinkened, but he kept her gaze. His face was earnest, and she couldn’t help but believe him. He was so different from other men she’d had dealings with, especially Jimmy, who would always drop mentions of how much money he’d spent on her.

At his explanation, the question that had been burning through her brain for the past couple weeks finally took hold of her. “Can I ask—?” But Rose cut herself off, knowing it was a personal question, and if James had wanted to talk about it, he would’ve shared on his own terms. “Never mind.”

James’s gaze was knowing, if not a little resigned, as he said, “It’s okay. You can ask.”

“No, it’s not my business,” Rose said firmly, not wanting him to feel obligated to tell her anything he wasn’t comfortably sharing.

He nodded, looking a little relieved. So when he spoke again, Rose was surprised and humbled by his candor.

“My parents died,” he said, his voice quiet and somber. “Our house caught fire. I was thirteen.”

Her heart throbbed, and she stepped closer to him to take his hand. But that felt woefully inadequate, so she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her mind was a mess of sorrow and sympathy, but among it all was the utterly absurd realization that this was the first hug she’d initiated with James. She liked it. She liked being close to him and touching him, either holding his hand, hugging him, or simply sitting so close that their shoulders and thighs brushed together. She felt completely at ease around him, as though she could truly be herself and not worry about being ridiculed or self-conscious.

Somehow, though she’d only known this boy for a couple weeks, he’d already woven himself so deeply into her very being and had become an integral and important part of her life. That realization both scared her and comforted her.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “Were you in the house? Wait, sorry. You don’t have to talk about it.”

“Yeah. My dad got me out, then went inside to help my mum, who was trying to get our stupid bloody dogs to get outside. Then the fire hit the gas line. Instant explosion. I was deaf for two days. I’ve still got a bit of ringing in my ears that the doctors say will never fade.” James let out a shrug that was too stiff to be nonchalant. “I went to live with my Aunt Sarah after that.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again.

“Me too.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes, just holding each other. Rose rubbed her cheek into the soft fabric of his sweatshirt and breathed in the smell of him, letting it calm her and erase her earlier irritation with him. His heartbeat echoed beneath her ear; the rhythm was hypnotic.

“I kinda killed the mood,” she said regretfully, tilting her head up to look at him.

“Maybe a little,” James said, but a small smile had crossed his lips. “But I sorta did too by being a prat.” He gave her a squeeze before dropping his arms from around her. “I didn’t pack myself a lunch. Do you mind if I get a cheesesteak?”

“Nah, I figured I’d make you starve while I ate my sandwich in front of you.”

“Smartarse.”

He twined their fingers together and tugged her down the street to find lunch. He’d offered one last time to buy her something, but acquiesced graciously when she turned him down again.

Though as they sat down to eat, he’d pushed half of the sandwich towards her.

“At least try a small bite?” he asked through a mouthful of food.

Rose sighed but picked up the hot cheesesteak and took a bite. The juices from the meat burst across her tongue, mixing with the flavors of melted cheese and fresh, homemade bread. While it was good, she wasn’t entirely sure why James had made such a huge fuss.

After their meal, James hailed them an Uber to begin their various tours of the museums. It was the most fun Rose had had in a long time, and the giddiness she felt was so reminiscent of the first few months of her relationship with Jimmy.

Not wanting to think about him, Rose focused instead on the bloke beside her as they toured the creepy but fascinating Eastern State Penitentiary. The architecture was beautiful, as each wing of the prison jutted out from the center like spokes of a wheel. Though they were listening to an audio tour of the prison, she had to frequently pause the program as James started on his own commentary.

They ended the day with a photo by the prison gates, bathed in the orange light of the setting sun. An elderly woman had offered to take the picture, and James eagerly handed over his phone. Rose snuggled deep into his side as she wrapped her arm around his narrow middle. James held her just as close, and she grinned at the camera feeling so totally, perfectly happy.

Content though she was, Rose was exhausted when they’d caught up with the rest of the university students that evening for the bus ride home. Her feet were sore from walking, and she was hungry again.

She plopped down into her seat and groaned as her aching feet were relieved from duty for the next hour and a half. She then dug through her bag for the container of pretzels she’d packed.

“Want some?” she asked, holding them out towards James.

He nodded and for a few minutes, they crunched their snack in silence. When she’d put the empty container back and settled in for the ride home, James asked, “Did you have a nice time?” His voice was uncharacteristically timid.

“Yeah, I did.” She turned her head to face him. “Thank you for telling me about this trip. And suggesting I come. And spending the day with me.”

He smiled at her, then leaned further into his seat. Rose stifled a yawn and tilted her head back, closing her eyes to rest them for a minute. The deep rumble of the bus’s engine and the rhythmic rocking as they sped down the highway lulled her into further relaxation.

She didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she jolted awake sometime later. The bus was dark, except for the glow of phones as her fellow students entertained themselves. Her cheek was pressed into fabric that smelled achingly familiar, and she squeaked when she realized she’d been using James’s shoulder as a pillow.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, sitting up straight.

“No worries,” he said. “You can keep napping if you’d like. Though we’re only about fifteen minutes out from the school.”

Rose yawned and arched her back in a seated stretch, groaning when she felt the base of her spine pop.

She was still slightly drowsy when they pulled into the university, and she dreaded the bus ride home. She wished she could teleport back to her flat.

“Can I walk you to your car?” James asked when they’d clambered off the bus.

“I don’t have one,” Rose said. “I take the bus.”

James frowned. “Let me drive you home, then? It’s late and you’re exhausted.”

Rose was about to immediately protest, but in truth, she was exhausted. Standing up seemed to take all of her energy, and God only knew when the next bus would arrive.

Yawning, she agreed and followed him to a sleek blue sedan. James grabbed her elbow when she made to walk around the car and said, “We’re in America, remember?”

Rose blinked, then realized she’d been about to walk to the driver’s seat. James held open the car door, and once she was situated with her seatbelt on, he moved to his own side of the vehicle.

After he’d programmed her address into his phone’s GPS, they passed the drive in relative silence, both too tired to make much conversation. But the silence wasn’t awkward, thankfully, and Rose found herself clenching her hands into fists to keep from reaching over and threading her fingers through the hand that sat limply on his thigh as he drove. It was one thing to hold hands as they explored a foreign city together; it was another thing entirely to hold hands in the closeness of a dark car.

Rose shivered with the imagined intimacy, her brain unhelpfully supplying her with memories of how it would feel if she plucked up the courage to take his hand. His fingers would move automatically, slipping through hers until their palms were pressed tightly together. His skin would be warm and soft except for the writing callus on his middle finger. His thumb would absently stroke the back of hers, making her feel so loved—

Rose halted those thoughts dead in their tracks and backpedaled as fast as she could. What was she even thinking? James was her friend! Admittedly, he felt like one of her best friends, as though she’d known him her whole life rather than two weeks. But still! They were just friends.

Rose was relieved when James pulled up in front of her apartment building ten minutes later. It wasn’t much to look at: an old building with peeling paint and wooden steps that probably were on the fringe of passing safety inspections. But it was relatively cheap, and she lived by herself.

She was vaguely aware that James had unbuckled his seatbelt, and before she could protest, he leaped out of his car and jogged around to her side. After she stood, he rested his hand at the small of her back and guided her to the front steps.

Oh, God, does he want to come in?

Before she could panic, James said, “I’ll see you on Monday. I— I had a really nice day today, Rose.”

“Me too,” she said through a dry mouth.

He gave her a small smile, and he paused for the briefest of seconds before he shoved his hands into his pockets and skipped down the stairs to his car.

Her heart hammered against her ribs and she spun back around to him.

“Hey, James?”

He whirled around to face her, an unreadable expression on his face.

What was she even going to say? I think I’m a little bit smitten with you… Rose scoffed at herself. But James was waiting expectantly, and finally she said lamely, “Let me know when you’ve made it home safely.”

It must have been a trick of the shadows, but Rose was sure she saw his face fall slightly. However, when she blinked, the expression was gone and he was smiling.

“Will do. Nighty night, Rose.”

“Night.”

She waited on the front porch until he’d gotten back into his car and drove away. She then turned and headed inside, bounding up half a dozen flights of stairs to reach the top floor.

Her apartment was dark and cold when she entered, and a pang of loneliness rippled through her. She pushed it down and instead tugged off her jacket and haphazardly tossed her handbag onto the table then moved down the hall.

She rushed through a shower to wash of the grime of wandering through a city all day, and by the time she crawled into bed, James had texted her.

Made it home, safe and sound!

“Glad to hear,” she replied. “I’m off to bed. Gotta work in the morning. Night!”

Nighty night. Sleep tight.

But try as she might, Rose couldn’t fall asleep. She lay in her dark bedroom, trying to clear her mind and breathe slowly and deeply, but thoughts of James kept creeping back. The way his hand felt in hers, the way his lanky body fit perfectly against hers, the way his whole face lit up when he smiled… All of that was burned into her brain.

With a groan, Rose rolled over and punched her pillow into a better position to support her neck.

Stupid James bloody Smith. Stupid, stupid Rose!

It was a long night, with Rose drifting between sleeping and wakefulness. She was almost glad when her alarm sounded at six the next morning, because at least she was released from her purgatory.

After snoozing her alarm, Rose stayed snuggled under her blankets for a few minutes to check her phone. She skimmed her email—mostly junk—then browsed Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, then Facebook, where she had a few notifications.

Friend request from James Smith. She accepted it, then moved to the notifications telling her James Smith had tagged her in thirty-seven photos. But before she could take a look at any, her alarm blared at her once more, forcing her out of bed.

Thanking her past self for showering the night before, she pulled on jeans, her work polo, and her comfiest pair of shoes before sprinting outside and to the bus stop, where she’d had to wait only a minute before boarding the nearly-empty bus.

Once she was settled in a seat, she pulled her phone out again to take a look at the photos James had uploaded. The first half of the album was cheesy, touristy photos of Philadelphia, of the various museums, monuments, and landmarks. But then came the photos they’d taken together.

Her breath caught in her throat as she perused them. They’d started off stiffly, with each of them standing a casual distance apart. Then they’d draped their arms around each other’s waists. By the time Rose reached the selfies they’d taken towards the end of the day, they’d been wrapped around each other. She’d leaned into his chest; he’d rested his cheek against her head. They looked like friends who’d known each other for decades. Or a couple…

Rose frantically tried to derail that thought. No good would ever come of it. It didn’t matter that her heart swelled several sizes too big whenever she looked at James. It didn’t matter that he sent butterflies soaring through her stomach whenever he smiled. It didn’t matter that her skin sparked with electricity whenever they touched.

She’d never felt like this about anyone before. Though she’d loved Jimmy—or at least she’d thought she’d loved him—what she’d felt for Jimmy seemed to be a drop in the ocean now.

How had this happened? She’d known James for all of two weeks! How was she already so hopelessly, completely, inexorably in love with him?

It didn’t matter how hard she’d tried to shove that thought away, the truth of it resounded through her with a finality that terrified her. She was in love with James Smith.

#thegreenfairy13 #dwsecretsanta #ficandchips #dwfic #doctor who #ten x rose #ten x rose au #university au #my fic #chemical potential

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