#realtor!Harry

[chivalricmaiden]

Are my eyes deceiving me or did Canadian Knock-off Prince Harry and Meghan Markle move into Cartman's former home?? 😭

[monicaalexandraaa]

SAM !!!!!! THIS ONE !!!!!!!! Saaammmmm !!!!!!!

I saw this posted and for some reason I just felt like I couldn’t do anything else before I read this and yeah I think everyone else should stop what they’re doing right now and read this. Oh my heart. My hearrrrrtttttt. The way you write your fmc’s is magnificent. I always feel like I’m in their brain and their heart. I felt for her sooooo much. You often cover such real and relatable struggles and you excel at it. This was phenomenal. The angst, the fluff, all of it. Just so so good. I feel like I can’t properly explain my thoughts (the tags may help) but WOW! 🩷🩷

Independent

~10.6k words

From me: I know it's a long one, but it's a one-shot.

Warnings: angst, fluff. I've got about a thousand tropes in this one. Coworker Harry, Roommate Harry, love at first sight, he falls first and harder, one bed if you squint.

Summary: “Go on a date with me,” he groaned.

“Because of the cookies?”

“No! Well, yes. Right now, yes, because of the cookies. But s’not usually because of cookies.”

She laughed. “I don’t date, Harry.”

Harry was tall, with soft brown locks that begged to have fingers run through them, and cool green eyes that reminded her of the sage green bridesmaid’s dress she wore to one of her friends’ weddings the year before. He wore a dark purple button down with sleeves rolled up revealing a bunch of tattoos on his left arm but only a few on the right. His voice was melodic. Smooth, like he was going to sing her a lullaby and warm like it could toast a marshmallow.

Her group chat with a couple of her office friends had been buzzing the moment Harry took residence at the desk across the aisle and one row ahead of her.

Holy fuck. Val texted. Office eye candy 😍

Do you hear that thundering sound? That’s my heart 😍 Rachel continued.

She smirked at the desks, shaking her head.

Don’t shake your head. Say something! At least you’re single, you have a chance! Val sent the messages in quick succession, making her desk partner, Hunter, look at her curiously each time it vibrated.

“Do you have an emergency?” He asked her.

She shook her head. “Nope,” she smiled. “Not at all.”

*

Harry met her and asked her out on the very first day he started his new job. They both worked in an office. Their desks only a short distance apart while they worked together. He assumed there were no rules against dating as there were several married couples within the office as he quickly found out from the shared last names and wedding photos of his coworkers lining one another’s desks.

It seemed, as long as it didn’t interfere with their work, there was no issue.

Which was fine by Harry.

He was happy to ogle her all day long and he would spoil her rotten outside of work. “Hi, m’Harry,” Harry took his opportunity to introduce himself when everyone else left for their lunch hour and she was finishing something up. Leaving them alone in the office. Harry analyzed her desk as quickly as he could.

Their office was wide open with desks back-to-back nearly identical on either side with a long aisle leading to the office of their boss at the back of the room. Her desk faced the front of the room while Harry’s faced his boss’ office. He was on the opposite side of the room, and he had a great view all day long to watch her profile as she worked. Her hair was half up, her beautiful eyes hidden behind glasses, and her mouth set in concentration as she focused on her tasks. He couldn’t see her whole body, but he watched her pull her sandy colored cardigan around her white shirt multiple times that morning, like she was chilled by the air conditioner. His eyes were drawn to her. Like she was a lighthouse, and he was out at sea. All he wanted to do was watch her, keep an eye on her, and admire how stunning she was.

She had a little plant near her window—a bunch of red poppies wrapped up in a burlap vase, tied with a red bow. He couldn’t tell if it was fake or not, but he suspected it was. There was a picture of a large group of friends right by her monitor where she was off to the side in it, one of her girlfriends had an arm around her. Her stationery was cool tones of blues, greens, and purples. Her handwriting was scribbled on a calendar in front of her and he thought the way she curved her L’s was loopy and pretty beyond belief and he wished he had one in his name just to see how it looked. But it made him want to know how she would write his name anyway. There was a date at the end of September that was marked with a heart and he wondered why. Was it an anniversary? A birthday? Or the day her favorite movie came out?

A book sat on the windowsill, and he wondered when she had the time to read it during the day or maybe it was a security blanket kind of thing. There were two paper trays stacked on top of one another to organize her work and sticky notes all over her monitor and desk with ideas, reminders, and even a couple that said things like, “we love you” and “you’re so sweet.”

“Hi, Harry,” she smiled up at him to introduce herself. “Welcome to the team, are you having a good first day?”

He nodded, smiled a little brighter and dove right in. “I think m’in love with you,” she released a laugh that was so unbelievably beautiful Harry thought it sealed the deal. “I wouldn’t laugh, kitten. M’serious,” he frowned with faux sadness. He knew he was being a tad bit ridiculous. Maybe it wasn’t right to say it while they were alone, but he didn’t want to say it in front of everyone either. Hopefully he could convince her he was harmless, even if what he said was true.

Her cheeks reddened and she smiled. “That’s... very forward,” she reminded him. “And you don’t know me.”

“I know,” he rubbed the back of his head. “I was going t’hold off on saying it until tomorrow, but m’unable t’contain it. You’re very beautiful and everyone seems t’go t’you when they need help, so I imagine you’re a lovely person,” he pointed at the sticky note that said we love you once more. She snickered again and looked away covering one cheek with her hand. “M’going t’go t’lunch before I embarrass myself further, but I jus’ wanted to tell you,” he shrugged, stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned toward the exit.

“Nice meeting you Harry,” she called after him a smile on her lips.

He grinned and turned briefly to wave before he exited. “Don’t forget t’eat, kitten,” he called.

*

But now that Harry admitted he was in love with her, she couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched while she worked. Her eyes darted to his side of the room often trying to see if he was staring at her. He wasn’t each time which only made her feel guilty and worse. Maybe her standoffish disposition deterred him rapidly. It was probably for the best, anyway. For a lot of reasons.

Was it disappointment she was feeling from his lack of attention? That didn’t seem right.

“Harry!” Val called from behind her. “Are you enjoying your first day?”

“Immensely,” did his eyes drift over to her and her desk? She stared at her screen pretending to work while she listened.

“Did you just move to town?” Rachel was much further towards the front of the room. He turned to give her his full attention. It made her heart skip a beat with how kind it was. His politeness was a massive turn on.

Even if she wasn’t going to let herself admire Harry from across the way just because they worked together.

“I did, m’actually looking for a place t’live if y’know of any places. M’at a hotel until m’on m’feet.”

Her heart started beating about two hundred times a minute because she knew what was going to happen before it did. She could feel the bubbling excitement from her friends on either end of the room. “Mary Poppins has a room!” Rachel shouted.

Her cheeks turned bright red.

“Her roommate just moved in with her boyfriend like last week! How perfect is that, Mary? You were all worried about finding a normal roommate. I even did his background check, so I know he’s good to go!”

Harry chuckled. “Um... who’s Mary Poppins?”

The whole office giggled. “Miss Poppins, did you not introduce yourself?” Someone else called. Hunter snickered across from her and she glared at him.

This was mortifying. Wasn’t this supposed to be a mortifying day for Harry? His first day and all? How come she was being teased? She took a deep breath and turned from her monitor to make direct eye contact with Harry who was already looking at her. Like he knew exactly who Mary Poppins was without his coworkers needing to tell him. “It’s a two-bedroom apartment. One bath. There’s a nice kitchen, all new appliances.”

Harry’s jaw dropped as she spoke. Like he was surprised it really was her. “Val looks like she’s going to bounce out of her seat,” Hunter smirked as he whispered under his breath to her while she tried not to panic at the thought of living with someone so unbelievably attractive and just admitted he was in love with her.

“Tell him about your living room!” Val sounded like she was bouncing.

“Water’s included.”

“She’s the cutest interior designer. It’s so homey it feels like a warm hug when you walk in. Like living with a rom-com character,” Rachel continued.

“Rent would be about twelve hundred,” she ignored her so-called friends.

“She bakes something once a week too, so it always smells like sugar and Christmas. It’s seriously the coziest place I’ve ever been,” Val kept going.

“In-unit washer and dryer.”

“Then she brings whatever she makes for all of us here to devour. It’s incredible,” Rachel’s sentiment was answered with a hum of agreement from the rest of her coworkers. She even heard someone say remember her apple turnover pastries?

“You get your own parking spot,” she tilted her head and looked at the ceiling to see if there was anything else she had forgotten. “I think that’s it,” she met Harry’s eyes once more, holding his gaze briefly before she turned back to her monitor.

“Harry you should totally move in, you will fall in love with the place.”

“M’sure I would,” he chuckled. “Could I see it sometime?” He asked. His attention never strayed from her face. She could sense his gaze on the side of her cheek the whole time her friends embarrassed the crap out of her. “Whenever you’re free. Doesn’t have t’be today.”

“Today’s fine!” Rachel assured him. “She doesn’t do anything on Mondays.”

She rolled her eyes. “Today is fine,” she repeated and smiled sweetly. She scribbled on a sticky note and headed to his desk to drop the address off with him. Then she made her way toward the restroom because she needed to get out of the room. Needed away from everyone teasing her good-naturedly.

But mostly so she could keep herself from telling Harry that she was quite, very possibly, in love with him as well.

*

True to her friends’ words, the place was cozy as hell. There was a basket of throw blankets next to a sofa that looked like it was comfier than his bed currently in his storage unit. Artwork dotted the walls, board games stowed below her TV, and curtains pulled back from the windows letting in the afternoon sunlight. It felt like a home.

There were three boxes in the middle of the living room between the coffee table and the TV, but it was otherwise spotless. “You’re very clean.”

She nodded. “I know, I’m sorry.”

He chuckled. “Y’don’t need t’apologize,” he put his hands in his pockets, so he didn’t do something crazy like hold her hand.

“I don’t want you to think I’m crazy, is all. You can be... messy... I won’t have a freak out or anything. Unless you leave food in the sink then we get bugs. Then I’ll be kind of freaked out.”

He laughed. “I wouldn’t do that. I like t’think m’pretty clean myself,” he assured her. “I also...” he took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his head. “Y’friends kinda put y’on the spot. I know what I admitted at lunch was kinda out of... out of the blue,” he bit his lip. “Y’don’t have t’feel obligated t’house me.”

“I don’t,” she promised. “I need a roommate and like Val said,” she shrugged. “She did your background check so I assume you won’t kill me, probably. At least not because you’re a serial killer. Maybe because I’m too clean.”

He shook his head with a smile on his lips making the most adorable dimple dent his cheek. She wanted to stick her tongue in it. “Thank you, m’really appreciative.”

She smiled. “You’re welcome, Harry. Sorry we’ll be around each other a lot.”

That didn’t seem like a bad thing at all. “I think it’ll be okay. We didn’t really talk much today,” he shrugged. “If y’get sick of me, m’sure I can find another place t’live,” he winked.

She rolled her eyes. “Won’t be necessary. But okay,” she sighed. “You can move in whenever,” she grabbed her keys from the breakfast bar where she ate most of her meals and pulled a key off the ring and handed it to him. “I have a second job some nights, but if you give me a heads up, I can help you move your stuff.”

“S’very kind of you, kitten, but y’don’t need t’do that. M’not going t’have all that much stuff. M’friend Louis lives not too far from here. He’ll come help me.”

“Offer stands,” she assured him.

Harry’s eyes scanned the room again and landed on the three boxes once more. “Are those your old roommate’s boxes?” He asked.

She nodded. “Two of them. I’m supposed to bring them to her, but they’re super heavy so I’m like... working up my mental and physical strength to bring them to my car. It’s going to be two trips and I’m just being a little lazy about it.”

“I can bring them down,” he grabbed one. It was definitely heavy. It was evident Harry had defined biceps and triceps practically outlined by the pretty purple button down, but it was manageable for him while a struggle for her. “Still probably two trips,” he nodded.

“Oh, I can take—”

“No, no,” he shook his head. “Don’t want you t’hurt yourself. Let me,” he offered and snagged her car keys off the counter.

“Oh, thank you that’s... thank you,” she swallowed, feeling grateful.

“Not a problem,” he assured her and left immediately.

When he returned after putting the second box in her car to return her keys, she had opened the third box and begun laying out a bunch of fall items to decorate their place. “Do you mind decorations?”

“Of course not,” he smiled. “Can I help?”

She blinked at him and tilted her head. “Um... I can handle it. If you need to pack or go... get dinner or something.”

“M’fine,” he smiled, setting her keys on the counter and glanced around the room. He noted there were hooks screwed into the wall at various points. “Can I hang something for you? M’good for height.”

Harry wasn’t that much taller than her, she was definitely taller than the average woman, but it still meant she needed to drag out a stepstool when she wanted to put up her art and decorations. “That would be awesome,” she nodded. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem, kitten,” he smiled.

*

Harry had a dreamy smile on his face as they talked and got to know one another. He hadn’t brought up that he was in love with her. Nor did he make her feel the least bit uncomfortable. Like it had never happened.

Why did it feel like she was disappointed about the prospect of that?

Maybe he wasn’t in love with her. Maybe the initial reaction of seeing someone roughly the same age as him at work made his senses a bit wild for a moment.

No. She wasn’t disappointed. Everything about Harry being in love with her would be a recipe for disaster and it was for the best that he didn’t fall in love with her.

It was just something a little bit out of the blue to say to the only person who was single in the office. Everyone had a significant other they had met within the office or elsewhere. She was the last single person. The same was true with her friend group as well. Everyone in her life had been paired off except for her.

He was her coworker. He was going to be her roommate.

But right as he left, he sent her heart into a frenzy. They were by the door. She wanted to make sure he got to his car safely even though it was a safe neighborhood. It was just the way she was. “Will you go on a date with me?” He asked.

She stared at him in shock, her lips parting like she was mid-sentence, and he had interrupted. “Seriously?” She giggled reflexively, but her cheeks felt hot. They had a lovely evening together getting to know each other. Harry helped with all the decorations and yes, in its own way it was a bit intimate. But he couldn’t possibly think that it was a good idea to date his roommate.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Harry, I can’t date my roommate.”

“Pretty sure s’how most rom-coms start,” he smiled. “S’okay. I’ll ask again later. Have a nice night,” he grinned with a wave and walked toward his car. Leaving her jaw slack, as she watched her roommate head off into the night.

*

Harry moved in later that week. He asked her to come with him to his storage unit to see if there was anything she would want in the apartment, but she had pretty much everything. It seemed silly to bring a double of everything when she owned all of it already.

But Harry would forever be grateful and indebted to his sister for her kindness as he watched her examine some of his belongings. One in particular caught her eye making him think that he had won the lottery with how excited she was.

She couldn’t believe Harry had a stand mixer and she was nearly in awe of all the attachments to help bake and cook easier. “I’ve always wanted one of these. They’re so expensive,” she blinked. “How do you have one?”

“M'sister got one when she got married,” he explained. “But she doesn’t bake and said it was taking up space in her kitchen.”

“Can we bring it to the apartment? Do you mind?”

The way her eyes lit up at the sight of it? Pure joy and happiness? Yeah. It was going to the apartment. If he ever moved out, he would probably leave it with her too just so she could always look that happy. “Course. Anything else?”

She looked around the organized storage room sifting through the items in different bins while Harry searched for some of his own trinkets that he thought he would want after his initial move. His room and bathroom items had already been moved in with the help of Louis. “This is stunning,” her voice full of awe once more, grabbing a print from behind a shelf. Harry wasn’t sure where it was from. He thought his mum purchased it to make his old place feel like home. “This would look amazing in the living room.”

“Bring it,” he smiled. She tucked it under her arm and continued searching. Harry grabbed a few more odds and ends and she plucked out a few more things she thought would work with the apartment’s décor and mainly helpful kitchen tools.

“It’s your place too, Harry,” she reminded him. “Is there anything you want there?”

He smiled, shook his head. “Y’seem t’have everything, kitten. M’not picky.”

“I don’t want you to feel like a guest,” she pouted. “Like you should bring these,” she gestured to pictures of his friends and family in a bin. “I can move some of mine to my room so you can put them up.”

He grinned. “Sure,” he shrugged. “If y’think s’what I should do.”

“Alright, could we come back in a few weeks and see if there’s anything else you want once you’re settled a bit?”

“Course.”

They gathered as much as they could, Harry would have to come back for the stand mixer. Harry closed the trunk and moved to open the passenger door for her before her hand fully pulled it out of the way. He waited until she was tucked into the seat safely and he handed her the car keys. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here,” she smiled.

“Hey kitten,” he said leaning against the door before he left. “Will y’go on a date with me?”

“Harry,” she laughed the same way she did the last time he asked her. The same way she laughed when he told her he was in love with her. “You can’t be serious!”

“Deadly,” he smiled at the delight on her face. The pretty pink color rising to her cheeks. “Will you?”

“I can’t go on a date with you, Harry,” she looked at him with a bit of sympathetic pity. Like he was ridiculous for asking. Again. Which he was.

“Then I’ll ask again another time,” he shrugged, closed her car door, and headed to get the stand mixer that made her happy.

*

“Hey Poppy, did y’want t’go get lunch with me?” Her eyes didn’t move from her screen. “Poppy,” he repeated. “Poppy,” he sang. She glanced around and realized she was the only one in the room.

“Me?”

He chuckled. “Yes, you.”

Her eyebrows pinched together. “Why did you call me Poppy?”

“Well, m’assuming s’your favorite flower,” it was a safe bet since there was a small bouquet right beside her. “Also, everyone else calls y’Mary, Poppins, or Miss Poppins. Which I still don’t know why, but I wanted t’be different. Want you t’know s’me when y’hear me talking t’you.”

Her heart raced. Harry was utterly adorable. “I see. Sorry,” she smirked.

“Anyway,” he came over to stand by her desk. “Do y’want t’get lunch?”

“Harry, I told you I don’t date.”

“M’not asking as a date. M’asking as your coworker who has never seen y’eat a bite of food while you’re at work. M’asking as your concerned roommate who worries y’don’t eat until y’get home for dinner. And I don’t even want t’think ‘bout how long y’go without eating when you’re at your second job.”

She smiled at his thoughtfulness. “I don’t go out to lunch with everyone,” she explained. “I don’t know if you noticed, but people always seem to need me while I’m here,” she gestured to her desk. “Lunch is the only time I get a minute to myself. And I can get caught up a bit before the afternoon and everyone comes back.”

“Well do you bring lunch?” He asked, his frown deepening still worried she wasn’t eating.

“I do, it’s in the breakroom. I’ll get it in a minute,” she promises. “Go, you’re wasting your lunch hour.”

“Okay,” he sighed. He stopped in the doorway of the entrance to the office. “Hey Poppy,” he smiled.

“Yeah?” She asked without looking up from her screen.

“Now that y’mention it though, will y’go out with me?”

*

At home, Harry took the trash out because he said it was a boy-job and she shouldn’t be out in the dark by a dumpster. It made his skin crawl just to think about it. He made her promise that she wouldn’t take out the trash and he didn’t mind if he had to go out twice in one day. She thought it was ridiculous. But she agreed.

He cleaned up after himself checking with her to see if it was up to her standard. Even though she assured him he didn’t have to meet her standard. His cologne overtook their bathroom, and it was so comforting she took long hot showers at night just to amplify the scent filling her nose. Harry stretched across the sofa and scrolled through various show options but often didn’t find something that piqued his interest. Instead, he would put on some background noise and read on an eReader. His eyebrows pinched together in concentration.

Harry bought groceries and didn’t ask for any money from them. “M’sure you’ll buy stuff too,” he shrugged. Plus, she already had all the cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dishwasher pods, and the like. Harry hardly had anything useful so buying groceries was the least he could do.

Except the stand mixer. People moaned about her cookies. Harry got to see her make them firsthand and the very scene with an apron around her body, her smile bright as she tested various stages of the dough, it did wonders for Harry. Some kind of nearly pornographic idea that only Harry would think was pornographic. “Will you try one?” She asked, hope in her voice.

Was he supposed to say no to her? Absolutely not. So, he tried one. “Go on a date with me,” he groaned.

“Because of the cookies?”

“No! Well, yes. Right now, yes, because of the cookies. But s’not usually because of cookies.”

She laughed. “I don’t date, Harry.”

He frowned, faking his disappointment (although he was the slightest bit disappointed). “I’ll try again,” he shrugged and took three more cookies from her cooling rack before returning to the sofa to read.

*

“Mary!” Val sang. “Do you have the stain stick?” She called from behind. She opened a drawer, eyes unmoving from her screen and held it out behind her for it to be passed back by her other coworkers. Harry chuckled.

It killed her that she knew his chuckle without looking. “S’impressive,” he murmured quietly. But she could hear it from across the way.

“That’s nothing,” Rachel said from the other end of the room. “Miss Poppins,” she smiled delightedly. “I have a missing button,” she told her.

That was the other drawer, a small little sewing kit to fix a button.

“Hair tie!” Someone called from the other side of the room.

“Lint roller!”

They all called out items and she had every single one.

“Do you have anything stronger to put in this coffee?” Their boss was walking up the aisle and paused at her desk. She smirked, opened the bottom drawer and placed a mini bottle of liquid on the edge of the desk. The whole office laughed as he snatched it and headed to his office. “You’re getting a raise, Poppins,” he called.

Hunter turned to look at Harry. “I gave her the nickname,” he explained.

“I get it,” he chuckled.

“If you need it, chances are she has it.”

“If she doesn’t, she adds it,” Val explained.

Her smile was soft. Harry thought it was sweet how her coworkers adored her. It was clear she was loved by them. Her thoughtfulness was admirable. Harry wondered how he was supposed to top that. No wonder she didn’t want to go out with him. Why would she want to go out with anyone when she was ten times sweeter than anyone she knew?

*

Her best friend Josephine (Joey) was helping her in the bathroom when Harry got home from the gym one Friday evening. “Holy hell you said he was cute, not hot,” she gaped.

“Aw, y’think m’cute, Poppy?” He asked winking at her. Her cheeks flushed red, making it so she didn’t need any of the blush she was putting on her cheeks. He leaned against the doorframe; arms crossed over his chest. He was sweaty and really wanted to get in the shower, but he didn't mind a bit of time to stare at his sweet roommate.

“I should have known. Only a man that uses such high-end cologne would be this hot.”

“Didn’t you buy Matt high-end cologne?”

“Hence why I think he’s so hot,” Joey beamed. Her friend laughed quietly, shaking her head as she finished with her makeup.

“Sorry Harry, we’ll be out of the way in a minute.”

“Take y’time. M’not in a rush.”

“Oh, you should come out!” Joey squealed. “Harry, please! She’s always by herself keeping an eye on us it would be nice to have someone keep her company!”

“Thanks, Mom. I don’t need a babysitter,” she rolled her eyes. “No offense, Harry.”

“S’okay,” he chuckled. “I don’t want t’impose. Plus m’in need of a shower.”

“Don’t let us stop you,” Joey smiled widely gesturing to the shower.

“Can you not?” She rolled her eyes and looked at Harry with apologetic eyes.

He laughed again and shook his head. “Y’can call if y’need something,” he assured her.

“Harry, please come out! You can meet us there!” Joey said again.

She looked at him with a soft smile. A look in her eyes said he wasn’t going to get out of it. Not if he didn’t have a really good reason. But truthfully? He didn’t need a reason to get out of it. Spending time with her outside of work, outside of the apartment, and errands like the grocery store and running to the post office had him excited to see her in another frame of light. Did she let loose? He would love to dance with her. Even if it was only as friends, roommates, fuck as coworkers even. How did she act around her friends versus her coworkers? God, he was obsessed.

“I can wait for you,” she suggested, her voice soft. Harry smiled.

“Thanks, Poppy.”

*

Her eyes scanned for her friends as she sat on a stool at a high top beside Harry. It was like watching a teacher on a field trip counting heads to make sure everyone was still present. The table was littered with drinks all of which she minded just as intently.

Harry just gazed at her as he sipped his drink. He helped as needed pushing drinks toward her friends as they came back from dancing. “Y’don’t dance?”

“Oh...maybe later. I’m not very good,” she admitted. “I like dancing with Joey because she’s worse than me.”

She caught the eye of one of her friends, Hailey, approaching and she reached into her purse strapped around the front of her for something. Harry watched as Hailey made it to her. “Thanks Mary,” she gushed taking the bandage from her and made her way for the bathroom. It was pretty wild she could anticipate whatever her friends needed. It was like at work. Harry was a bit awestruck and looked at her with a surprised expression. She shrugged and continued sipping her drink.

Jaylen was next. Joey’s twin brother; they had the same facial expressions--mainly the smile that Joey had on her face when she suggested Harry shower in front of her and his favorite person.

The same smile appeared on his face and told Harry he was going to say something just as delightful as Joey had said of Harry. Sure enough, Jaylen draped an arm around her and leaned into her ear to whisper something over the sound of the music. She rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully. His face turned serious and he whispered something again.

She frowned. Then reached into her purse again. Out came a tampon which he slid discreetly into his pocket and then she glanced at his outfit twisting her lips to the side in disappointment.

After a brief thought, she pulled her purse over her body and laid it on the table. The long cardigan she wore came off next, leaving her in a black tank top that tucked into her jeans. It hugged her curves like a glove making Harry’s mouth water and he glanced away worried he would look like a creep. He finished his beer before Jaylen grinned and thanked her profusely and walked away. She took a deep breath and put her purse back into position before wrapping one arm in front of he protectively, gripping the front of her shoulder.

“Are y’cold?” He asked.

She shook her head.

But Harry was sitting beside her. He could see the goosebumps on her skin. She selflessly gave her sweater to her friend for whatever reason (Harry wasn’t totally sure, but he suspected it was menstrual related). But she was going to pretend like she wasn’t cold? Harry was definitely in love. In case it wasn’t obvious by the moment he met her. Boldly, Harry reached below her bar stool and tugged it toward him. She jostled a bit but he maintained her balance. Then he draped his arm around her body pulling her toward him further and he couldn’t help but notice she didn’t pull away. She didn’t make a sound and her facial expression didn’t change.

But Harry felt her body relax into his side, her head dipping ever so slightly toward his shoulder. He smiled softly and brought his lips closer to her ear so she could hear. “Y’don’t have t’lie t’me, Poppy. M’your roommate and all. I know y’like the apartment a toasty temperature.”

She smirked and tilted her head up. Their eyes connected, their mouths only two inches apart. “Thank you,” she said kindly.

Harry really enjoyed holding her.

*

At the end of the night, she rounded up her friends ensuring those who said they could drive actually could and if they couldn’t she called for Ubers until everyone was safely on their way home. Jaylen’s girlfriend, Maya, had her green sweater wrapped around her white pants. She thanked her profusely, drunkenly.

Joey and Matt waved goodbye. “Bye Hot Roommate,” Joey called waving to Harry specifically.

“Jesus, Joey,” Matt rolled his eyes. “Nice meeting you Harry,” he called.

Once everyone was gone, she rubbed her hands on her arms to keep the blood flowing and warming her skin. Harry wrapped his arm over her shoulders again and tucked her into his side as they headed for her parked car a couple blocks away. “Go on a date with me," he spoke straight forward. Hoping if he didn't look, it wouldn't seem like as a massive deal--almost like he would trick her into a date.

She elbowed him. “I can’t go out with a coworker, Harry. Or my roommate for that matter.”

He shrugged. “I’ll ask later,” he boldly kissed the top of her head. Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind. Harry was sure to keep that in his head for future reference. He would most definitely be kissing her again. “You’re an extremely sweet girl, Poppy. Selfless, lovely, kind,” he listed. “Whoever y’end up with, m’going t’be very jealous,” he assured her.

She snorted and laughed quietly under her breath. “Thank you, Harry.”

*

For months it continued with similar routines, feelings, and questions. They grew closer as friends. At work he admired her from his desk from across the office. When she didn’t go to lunch, he reminded her to eat and not work too hard. At home, he grumbled that her loophole of taking the trash out in the daytime was not the point of his promise. He still bought groceries each week trying to figure out all the things she enjoyed eating.  

He helped her clean the apartment and when it was getting cooler outside, she asked to join him at the gym. Her outfits were cute and made guys stare at her as she worked out, unbeknownst to her. She asked for help from Harry which made him feel like he won an Olympic medal. His face was smug as the men in the gym finally stopped looking at her. Thinking Harry was lucky enough to be hers.

It made him happy to help her figure out new machines and with her sets of weightlifting (even though she didn’t like it).

Everywhere they went, people ogled her. She was so kind. Little kids would smile at her in grocery store lines and wave like it was a game of peekaboo. Dogs tugged on their leashes hoping to get a pet from her around the loop she ran in the neighborhood. Their elderly next door neighbor tried telling her a hundred times that she had a grandson her age and he would love to date her (that one drove Harry the most crazy).

She had her head leaning in her palm as she watched the stand mixer beat the brownie ingredients like it was the most interesting thing in the world. But Harry was watching her; so he was, in fact, watching the most interesting thing in the world.

He leaned against the wall just beside the kitchen entrance. “Poppy?” He asked. She looked up at him. “Go on a date with me, please," his expression soft.

She was finally getting used to it. She gave herself a lot of credit. It was pretty crazy she hadn’t caved yet. Harry was so lovely. Not to mention attractive. At the gym, his muscles rippled and glistened with sweat. The outline of every abdominal muscle was sinful. It was a miracle she didn’t drop her own weights or fall on the treadmill when she caught sight of him. It drove her crazy that the women there gazed at him longingly; like he was something to eat. But was she really any better?

She smiled, the blush on her cheeks still prominent, but not as deep. She was used to her heart skipping a beat, the butterflies fluttering in her stomach each time he asked. “That's very sweet, Harry. But I don’t date.”

It was six months since he met her when he finally asked. “Why not?”

She shrugged. He thought she wasn’t going to say anything more, so he frowned, sighed, and headed for the living room to get back to his book. “I just don’t date, Harry. I like being friends,” she told him.

He grumbled something about still being friends even if they dated but she either didn’t hear or pretended not to hear. Either way, it was quiet for a few beats. “If I hadn’t told you I was in love with you that first day, would that have changed your answer?”

She giggled and shook her head. “No.”

“Okay,” he shrugged. Ever determined. He smiled widely at her. “I’ll keep asking then.”

*

When she got dressed up for a family wedding and clicked down the hall in heels and a dress that flowed over her like she was the bride (only wearing green of course, not white). Her hair was curled and pinned so prettily Harry thought he was seeing a real angel in the flesh. “Oh, come on, Poppy,” he groaned and covered his eyes with his hand dramatically. “S’not fighting fair,” he frowned.

She grinned, her cheeks warming more than they had in a while. “I look okay?”

“Stunning,” he grumbled. “M’so jealous I won’t get t’dance with you,” he pouted.

She shook her head. “I don’t usually dance at weddings when I go alone,” she explained.

“Well, y’should’ve told me. I would’ve been your date.”

“Harry—”

“Platonic date,” he rolled his eyes. “This is worse than when y’wore that pencil skirt t’work,” he reminded her. She snickered and shook her head while she looked at her phone. She sucked her lip into her mouth and sighed wincing slightly and then turned to her room again. After several minutes she returned in a different dress. She was equally stunning, but she looked a little forlorn. “An outfit change?”

She nodded. “Yeah,” she shrugged. “My sister is wearing green.”

Harry frowned. “So?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I just...” she shrugged. “It’s alright. I like this dress just fine.”

But it wasn’t green. She looked so pretty in green. It complimented her skin tone so perfectly. She looked stunning. Like she was a queen. “But—”

“Seriously, Harry. It’s fine.”

The muted purple dress looked lovely on her as well. But Harry thought the green made her look otherworldly. He wanted the happiness back in her eye. The light that sparked when he complimented her. “Well when can y’wear it?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Season’s almost over for a wintergreen like that,” she shrugged. “Maybe next year.”

Harry frowned. But then he had a wonderful idea to help both her dress and himself. “Go on a date with me, Poppy.”

The smile reappeared on her face, and she shook her head. “I can’t, Harry.”

“Please? Do it for the sake of that dress,” he pleaded. “We don’t even have t’call it a date. An outing. An adventure. Whatever y’want. Y’jus’ need t’wear it before y’can’t.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Harry. But I can’t.”

He sighed. “You’re welcome, Poppy.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow? I’ll steal you a cupcake. I heard they come from this bakery that I love and if it doesn’t make it home to you, then we’re going to have to go there anyway.”

It didn’t replace a date. But he liked the way she smiled. And going to a bakery together was inherently a couple-y thing to do. So he would take what he could get.

“Sure, Poppy. I’d love to.”

*

She didn’t need people. Needing people had only ever broken her heart. She never asked for help ever. Well...only when they were at the gym but that was a safety thing more than anything.

Even when she should have asked.

Harry didn’t notice until he drove her to a house party that her friends didn’t invite her too. She was sleepy, it was obvious. Leggings, oversized sweater. Her hair was braided loosely and falling apart because she had woken in the middle of the night to answer a message. Harry was in the middle of a good book. Unable to put it down when she ventured into the living room. A yawn falling from her lips. Her eyes barely open. It took several questions and repeated convincing to let him drive her since he was awake, and it looked like she was going to pass out while standing.

Harry insisted on coming in even as she told him to stay in the car, but he refused. She found her friends, her voice was soft as she encouraged Jaylen to leave. A little over his limit and Joey and Maya were about just as gone and unable to convince Jaylen to go with them. A guy from across the room made a joke about Mommy coming to save him. As her pugnacious friend made a turn to deal with the offensive person, she stopped him. She was quick, grabbed his arm, and held tight.

When they returned to the apartment she corralled her friends into their sleeping arrangements. Maya and Jaylen in her bed, Joey on the sofa. “Sorry I took your reading spot,” she whispered as she tucked a blanket around Joey. She snagged another blanket and curled into the only other chair in the living room. “Thank you for driving,” she smiled, closing her sleepy eyes.

“You’re gonna sleep there?” He asked. She nodded, barely moving. Like she was already half-way to dreaming. Harry snagged her out of the chair, cradling her and bringing her to his room.

“Harry,” she protested.

“We’re grown adults,” he reminded her. “We can share a bed without it being weird. S’like a hotel room.”

“Harry,” she repeated, her objection evident in her tone. “I can’t—”

“M’not letting y’sleep in a chair or on the floor. So, it’s m’bed or y’aren’t sleeping,” he shrugged.

She sighed. Too tired to oppose any further, thankfully. Harry laid her atop the covers and draped another blanket over her. He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and slid beneath his sheets and glanced at the sleeping angel beside him. He smiled. He liked the way she looked in his bed. Liked the way she seemed comfortable and sleepy beside him. His bed felt warm with her beside him. Even though she wasn’t touching him. She smelled good in his room too.

“Night, Harry,” she mumbled.

“Good night, Poppy,” he answered, reached out, squeezed her hand before releasing it so she wouldn’t break a piece of his heart by telling him they shouldn’t.

It was easy to fall asleep with her beside him.

It was even easier to dream of her with her intoxicating presence in his room as well.

*

Harry noticed how drained she seemed when the weather continued to get warmer. Her friends all had birthdays around the same time, and she was a mess of scheduling and reserving birthday dinners and planning things for all of them. Did Harry miss her birthday? He would have to ask. He hoped he didn’t. He hoped her friends would take the time to plan for her the way she did for them.

Work was approaching a busy season, and everyone kept coming to her more and more throughout the day. He could see the anxiety on her face as her growing to-do list looked nearly unmanageable. Harry tried to go to others if he had issues. But every time he asked someone else a question, they called out for Mary Poppins, and she would glance up and look at Harry with a sad smile asking how she could help.

Harry was worried she wasn’t eating her lunch. When everyone else left, her eyes were hidden behind those glasses, her face concentrating and relieved for the reprieve from people calling her name for help with work or needing something like a pen or a screwdriver. Sometimes Harry hated his job. Not because it was difficult. But it seemed like everyone in the office was incompetent. Or weaponizing their incompetence and foisting their tasks onto the lovely woman who would never say no to them.

Her friends did it too. With all the planning and such.

The poor thing looked exhausted. She didn’t join Harry at the gym and her second job seemed like the only time she got to herself. “I miss reading,” she grumbled when she got home late from her shift. She kicked her shoes off and flopped onto the opposite end of the sofa. “My eyes are exhausted though,” she rubbed them for good measure. “I think I would fall asleep if I tried to read. I think I need to wake up earlier and read.”

Harry snorted. “Don’t burn yourself out, Poppy,” he rolled his eyes. “What are y’reading?”

“I’ve been trying t’read this book for months,” she pulled it from the shelf below the coffee table. He had seen it tucked there for a while. He grabbed it from her, skimmed the back of the book, and opened to the first chapter.

Then, he started reading.

Out loud.

“Harry,” she whispered her eyes wide.

“Yeah?” He asked, pointing at the sentence where he stopped and looked at her curiously. “M’starting over, because I want t’know what’s happening,” he smiled. Her face looked so shocked and confused. Sad even. Like she didn’t know what emotion she was supposed to feel.

“You don’t have to—”

He shook his head, and continued reading before she could finish her sentence.

Harry read three chapters before he carried her sleeping self to bed.

*

Something changed in Harry. He almost turned into a stalker. He tracked her movements and routines for a week. He knew most of them. But he really tracked them. The daily ones were easiest. She went for a run in the morning, he followed her lead and didn’t say a word. He went to her favorite coffee shop and paid for her favorite drink for a week’s worth of drinks in advance.

He wished they carpooled, but she was so busy. So he timed his arrival so that he was at the entrance door holding it open for her. When everyone left to get lunch, he heated up her food and brought it to her desk before leaving silently.

One day, there was a note on her dashboard saying she had a full tank of gas. When she arrived home after her second job, she noted her spare car key was on Harry’s key ring. At home, her laundry was in the wash. The shirts she didn’t like to put in the dryer were hung in the bathroom.

Harry could see it. She was cracking. It was the first time someone had done something for her it seemed. The first time someone so selflessly did things for her, anticipated her needs the way she anticipated everyone else’s.

Her throat felt tight as she looked at Harry in the kitchen, making her favorite dinner—a soup that took hours and hours to make.

He didn’t even know it was her birthday that day which made her heart feel sicker than ever.

“Poppy,” he smiled sweetly placing a bowl in front of her exhausted figure.

“Yeah?” She whispered.

If she wasn't so in awe, she would have realized where his tone was. What was coming next. “Go on a date with me, kitten.”

“I can’t.”

“S’not so hard,” he assured her. “You sit across from me and be yourself because m’already in love with you,” he reminded her sweetly. An impish grin on his pretty pink lips. That dimple she wanted to sink her tongue into on display. “I tell y’how stunning y’look, I pay for you t’eat. I feed you a dessert of your choosing that you’re probably too full t’eat and then I can kiss you wherever y’want. Lips, cheek, forehead,” he shrugged. “Then we come home, and I’ll read a chapter of your book. Y’can decide if y’want t’go on a second date.”

She giggled, her cheeks red. “I can’t, Harry,” she looked at him apologetically, but she felt herself melting as much as the soup warmed her insides. It was ridiculous to eat soup in the middle of the summer. But Harry made it for her anyway.

His heart deflated a little. He wasn't kidding. He was definitely in love. He had to be because there was no other way he could explain the feelings he had for her. Someone so thoughtful, so pretty, sweet, and funny.

Harry had asked her out at least a hundred times. Around Christmas, she got her hair cut and he always found her beautiful, but he asked her almost every day following her new hair style for a month straight. Each time she said she couldn't. She didn't date.

For the first time in the near year since he had first asked her, first met her, he realized she said she can’t go on a date with him. She didn’t date. That he was crazy.

Not that she didn’t want to. She didn’t say no.

Hope bloomed inside him.

*

She didn’t need anything. She didn’t need anybody. It was clear someone or maybe many had let her down so many times. He watched her doing everything she could to make this party as nice as humanly possible for Hailey. Not that Hailey didn’t deserve it, but no one had done anything like this for her. Harry only found out it was her birthday after the fact, and he felt like shit for it. Even though she assured him that was one of the best birthdays she ever had.

All he did was make her soup.

She deserved so much more.

It almost seemed too obvious that they hadn’t done anything for her remotely as lovely as she did.

“You’re staring, Styles,” she murmured without looking up from the chair while he lounged on the sofa.

“Go on a date with me,” he smiled.

She blushed, shook her head. “You’re crazy.”

“You haven’t said no.”

"I've said no about a hundred thousand times, Harry," she rolled her eyes.

Why was it now? Why did he want to tell her what he was thinking about the whole situation now? But it was in his chest. He had to say it. Had to tell her.

“No, you’ve never said no,” he shook his head and looked at her head on, while she continued looking at her to do list, her planner. Her poor neglected book waiting to be read by Harry because her tired eyes couldn’t. She looked up at him and smirked. Ready to protest once more, but Harry shook his head again. “I remember everything you've said t'me. I would remember a 'no,' it would probably kill me t’hear y’say, no kitten. Y'call me crazy, y'say y'can’t or that y'don’t date. Never, not once, have y'ever said y'don’t want t'go on a date with me. Nor a flat out no. So m'going t’keep asking until y'say y'don’t want to. Because I think you do want t'go out with me but for some reason y'don't want t'allow yourself t'be happy. T'let someone else in. M'not going t'stop asking. Not until I hear y'say "Harry Styles I would rather die than go on a date with you. I never want to go out with you." Maybe that makes me conceited or creepy. M’sure it does make me crazy. But I don’t care. I want t'go on a date with you. I want t'go on a million dates with you, actually. So m'not giving up until y'call me creepy or y'say y'don’t want to.”

She swallowed like there was something stuck in her throat. Her eyes didn't move from her lap.

"Kitten," he murmured. She didn’t look up. “Poppy,” he whispered. She finally met his green-eyed gaze again. His expression soft, pleading. “Go on a date with me,” his voice was soft. Harry swore his heart stopped beating because if he was wrong, if she really was saying no all those times, he wasn't sure he could ever stop asking her. The idea he would never get to take her out to eat and order her favorite dessert. He wouldn't see a movie and wrap his arm around her shoulders and that was completely unfair. He wanted to offer his jacket to her when it rained and hold her hand while walking through a museum. "Poppy," he repeated.

She bit her lip, her lips opening and closing like she wasn't sure which word was going to pop out. “I can’t,” she whispered. Her eyes looking at him in a way that he could read right through her. They screamed at him, please don’t stop asking me.

As if he could ever. Harry smiled. "Okay," he shrugged, hope and adoration for her flooding him. "I'll ask again tomorrow."

A sad smile graced her face. "You're crazy," she whispered again.

"Only 'bout you, Poppy.”

*

Harry felt like he was getting sick. Probably due to the sweet girl in his apartment who had worn herself so thin and weary that she had inadvertently brought illness home to him. His head was killing him. His pillow was calling for him the way he wished his favorite stubborn woman would call him.

He didn't even know if she was home. But honestly, he was glad. If she knew he was sick, she would dote on him. Even if she was starting to fell unwell. The thoughts of her were never too far from his mind. He would never be too sick, too lost, too far away from her that she could leave his thoughts.

Sleeping was one of his favorite hobbies because he loved to see her in his dreams. Loved to see the unaffected, carefree, beautiful, stubborn woman. The angel that enjoyed affection both giving and receiving.

It was his nightly dream. The one where she snuggled with him, and it was like they had been together twenty years and not zero. The one where he could taste her lips (even if in his dream she tasted like nothing) he knew it was wrong. She probably tasted like chocolate or caramel or something deliriously sweet.

Unfortunately, his phone vibrated below his pillow pulling him from his perfect beautiful dream.

“Harry?”

He squinted at his phone. Head aching, throat sore. Curious as to why he didn’t have the number saved. “Speaking.”

“Oh, thank god,” the voice sighed. “It’s Joey,” she said. “Harry. Something’s wrong. She won’t stop crying and she won’t say anything but your name.”

He leapt out of bed. Illness forgotten even if he was dizzy. His heart thudded like a chorus of drums, and he didn’t even grab shoes as he raced out of his room, snagging his wallet and keys off the counter as he exited the apartment.

He listened to Joey say a few more things. Something about being out at a club. She never left the bar area. There was no way someone had hurt her. But Harry drove through the night with his heart in his throat like someone had hurt her. He wasn’t sure seeing her would even calm him. He knew where Joey lived, fortunately, so he sped as quickly as he could. The ache in his head and his throat was lost behind him along the drive.

He didn’t knock as he hurried barefoot into Joey’s apartment. Matt was coming from the kitchen and making his way down the hall. He looked at Harry sadly as he approached the main room.

“Poppy?” he whispered as he entered the room, her arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to hold herself together. "Kitten," he frowned and knelt in front of her. He picked her face up between his and he scanned her looking for signs of injury. Anxiety was in every inch of his body. But she fell into his arms before he could look any longer. Sobbing harder than when he entered. “M'here. M'here, baby. It’s okay. M'here," he kissed the top of her head, cupping the back of her head with one hand. The other arm winding around her and squeezing her tight to his body. “Oh kitten,” he sighed, sadness coating his voice. His heart ached. Like it was going to snap in half if she cried any longer. “M’sorry, baby. M'here. S’okay. Tell me. Please. I’ll make it better,” he promised.

Her sobs continued, like she was unable to speak. "Harry," she whimpered.

"M'here, Poppy, s'okay," he assured her even if it wasn't. "Baby," he frowned pulling away to look at her her tearful eyes. He tugged her back to his embrace and continued to soothe her. He rubbed his hand up and down her back hoping it was comforting as he hoped it was.

Harry caught Joey's eye, who looked over from the entryway and smiled weakly.

"You good?" She mouthed. Harry nodded and when he glanced back, her friend was gone.

*

Harry kissed the top of her head for the hundredth time. He continued rubbing his hand down her spine. His head was still screaming.

But she was well worth it. Her cheeks were streaked with salt lines. Her eyes puffy and red around the edges. He had pulled her to him so they could snuggle into the corner of the couch. Her body tucked between the back cushion and Harry's body. Like he didn't want anyone to see her if they entered the room.

“Harry?” Her voice was raw.

“Hmm?” He tucked her hair behind her ear and skimmed his fingertip along the same path repeatedly.

“Will you go on a date with me?” She whispered.

He smiled lazily. His heart exploding in his ribcage. “God, Poppy, I don't know. I have t'check m'schedule.” She smacked his chest with no weight behind it. He kissed the top of her head. “I’d take y’right now. Whenever y’want.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nothing t’be sorry for.”

"I have issues."

"We can work on them together."

"I don't know if you'll..." She trailed off.

"If I'll what?" He brushed his thumb on her cheek.

She took a deep breath. "I love love, Harry. I love watching people get married. I love when people have babies and grow a family. I want to have babies. I love reading romance novels and watching silly rom-coms where you can predict the ending before the movie even starts."

"Sounds pretty romantic and easy, Poppy," he murmured.

She swallowed continuing. "I will do a lot for you because I believe that's the way love is supposed to be. I want to make your life easier, and I want to do things that make you happy because I think happiness and love are in short supply and I want those books and rom-coms to be real."

Harry nodded. "Well—"

"I've never had that. I had a boyfriend for four years and..." she sniffled. "When we broke up, I said that I wouldn't do that again. I wouldn’t devote myself so completely to someone that wouldn't give me half as much. Then I met my next boyfriend and at first, I thought it was right, finally. It was equal. He loved me the right way, I mean. The way I thought I wanted, deserved... But then it was like he got tired of doing things. I don't know. Maybe my love language is acts of service. I don't know. I’m not making sense, I'm sorry. But..." she swallowed. "I broke it off after only two years that time. I just don't think I can be loved the right way... not forever. I don't know. I sound so selfish, don’t I? I don’t know why you want to go out with me so badly. I want someone to love me the way I love them, and I don’t think that’s...fair."

It was why she always had everything. Why she planned and hosted parties. Why she never drank and always took care of her friends. She loved everyone that was lucky to cross paths with her, with her whole, big, beautiful heart.

Harry tilted her chin up. "M’going to love you the right way,” he promised. “M’going to love you the way y’want because that's what y’deserve. If I love you anything less than you deserve then... well... I don't know what, Poppy. If that’s the case m’probably dead because s’the only possible explanation,” she snorted and tears dripped down her cheeks again but not like the night before. “But it's not going to be a problem, kitten. M’going to love you the way your books love. The way a rom-com loves. M’going to love you the way you love everyone that walks into your life. The way you so selflessly devote your kindness to them. M’going to love you the way you love," he promised. “Because s’an honor to love you,” he assured her. “S’an honor to be loved by you.”

She looked away from his gaze, closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to his chest. His throat was aching again. He was really tired, but he would suffer her wrath and frustration of going on about this later. He knew that she would be beside herself knowing he was sick and dealing with her anyway. But where else would he be? "Harry," she whispered finally. He met her eyes the back of his fingers skimming her cheek.

"What, Poppy?"

"Do you love me already?"

"Of course I do."

She sniffled, her face crumpling with relief. Like all of it had been a trick up until then. "Okay," she whispered. “Can we go home?”

“Course, kitten,” he kissed the top of her head and moved slowly to get up from the sofa. All of his muscles ached from sickness and from the awkward but perfect position of holding her all night in the cramped little space.

He held his hand out for her to take as she stood next. “Harry,” she whispered softly.

“Hmm?” He hummed and looked at her with a soft expression that made her stomach flip, her heart skipped a beat. "Yeah, Poppy?"

“I’m in love with you too.”

--

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[seeingivy]

long story short

actor!eren x f!reader

**part of my method acting fic

songs mentioned: saturn by sza, so american by olivia rodrigo, lover by taylor swift, good luck babe by chappell roan, margaret ft. bleachers by lana del ray, make you feel my love by adele, false god by taylor swift, only angel by harry styles, and long story short by taylor swift.

an: buckle in friends. songs and tweets and all :D

previous part linked here

six months later

The two of you decide that it would be smarter not to stay in the townhouse, for the time being. Because while Eren had bent backwards and forwards to buy the house without Levi noticing – which included paying a hefty tip to the realtors dealing with the sale – there was something too melancholy about staying there – and not having a plethora of voices echoing across the walls. 

Eren’s first plan – to stay in the cabin in Ireland that his parents owned – was your next best bet. And really, it was the quietest little patch of land, accompanied by what might be the coziest town you’ve ever been in – and it was every bit of perfect. 

The cabin was two stories and maybe the uniquest little house you’ve ever been in. With gold accents, a green kitchen, and what might be the prettiest garden –  it was almost far too easy to pretend that you and Eren had left the bright shimmering lights and camera flashes behind. 

Eren’s morning usually starts hours before yours – only because he insists that he has to run in the mornings to get a good start to the day. If you’re in a good enough mood, he’s able to coax you to come with him and the two of you choose to walk instead. Sometimes you wonder if Sukuna and Teddy talk about the same thing on their walks that you and Eren do. 

The neighbors are either too old to mention anything or perhaps too polite. Because they show up here and there, unassumingly with a fresh loaf of baked bread, that they simply couldn’t let go to waste. And their kids that you happen to see on holidays, their eyes linger for a little too long – almost like they’re trying to convince themselves that it really is the two of you – but never make a comment about if they ever do get the shred of confidence. 

There’s a kid, barely eleven, who brings homemade yogurt around on Friday, as an errand before he can go play with his friends. Sometimes Eren makes him late to his basketball games, because he finds himself lingering by the door too long, talking about things that are entirely lost to you. Though you should have figured as much, because Eren was always popular with the kids.

And you find a stray cat three months in – one that Eren lovingly names Milo. A tiny british shorthair, with light green eyes and white fur. Upon first inspection, you told Eren jokingly that you simply had to keep him, because he had Eren’s eyes. Eren took the joke a little too seriously, but the little diva that Milo ended up being always kept things interesting. 

The only thing annoying about the cabin is Eren’s placement of the furniture, specifically the well loved coffee table that, in your opinion, needed to be centered in the main room. And that’s only because every morning, you’d get your breath nearly knocked out of your chest when you walked straight into it. 

“You know, you need to move that goddamn coffee table.” you grumble, rubbing at the side of your hip. 

Eren looks over, before placing his hands on your hips and lifting you up onto the counter. It’s a lingering kiss that he presses to your knuckles, as you use your free hand to rub at your eyes, before looking over at the pan. 

“Connie’s on his way?” you ask. 

“An hour out.” Eren responds. 

“Okay, I’ll go set the clothes out. Anything specific you want?” 

“The green hoodie. That you stole and thought I didn’t notice.” Eren grates. 

You jump off the counter, pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek, before padding back into the room and setting the clothes aside. And it’s only a few minutes before Eren’s at your side, giving you a half-appreciative smile for returning the hoodie. 

“Are you nervous? You know he’s going to have a meltdown right?”

Eren scoffs. 

“Serves him right for what he did. Walking around talking about his girlfriend – you know, I’m half convinced she doesn’t even exist, Y/N.” 

You roll your eyes. 

“He’s literally bringing her along. You should have at least told him I would be here so you know…he doesn’t have a heart attack or something.” 

The two of you took the idea of privacy too seriously. A little too serious, because now six months had passed and most of your friends didn’t even know you were together. And really, the two of you were very close to getting found out since you had an awards show to attend at the end of the month. 

If Eren was any bit as hopeless as the neighbors mentioned, they would have the two of you figured out within a split second. 

Levi and Hange knew, naturally. And then Colt and Falco, and by extension Gabi, since Falco seemingly could keep secrets, just not from her. And it extended out slowly – your parents, his and Zeke, Lana and Sukuna, and Jean and Mikasa. 

Lana and Sukuna was an accident. Because Eren had been calling Teddy and you accidentally walked in the background. Jean and Mikasa were similar and only because you accidentally let his name slip from your mouth when you called them after their honeymoon. 

The secret was well kept, but you knew the news was about to spread around to everyone, because Connie was about to find out, when he realized that you were living here with Eren during his little visit. 

“Well, it serves him right. He’s about to tell everyone we know. Because he’s going to have to tell Reiner, who will tell Annie who obviously can’t keep it from Armin and it’s just going to snowball from there.” Eren mutters. 

You shake your head at him, as the two of you pad out to the front where Eren’s left the plates of eggs steaming. You shuffle into your chair – making it a point to slam your notebook shut – and naturally, the gesture doesn’t get past Eren. 

“What are you writing?” Eren asks. 

“Nothing.”

Eren grins. 

“Are you writing a song about me?” Eren jokes. 

You roll your eyes. And Eren’s too quick with it – guising it by putting his arm around your waist – but he all but snatches the book from underneath your elbow. And he looks to you for confirmation before he starts flipping to the page he was looking for you can see the recognition clock on his face, before he looks over at you.

“Saturn, hm?” 

You take the book back from him, running your fingers over the inked lines and the tiny drawing in the corner. 

If karma's really real How am I still here? Just seems so unfair I could be wrong though If there's a point to being good Then where's my reward? The good die young and poor I gave it all I could

Stuck in this terradome All I see is terrible Making us hysterical There's got to be more, got to be more Sick of this head of mine Intrusive thoughts, they paralyze Nirvana's not as advertised There's got to be more, been here before

Ooh (ooh, ooh) Life's better on Saturn Got to break this pattern Of floating away Ooh (ooh, ooh) Find something worth saving It's all for the taking I always say

I'll be better on Saturn None of this matters Dreaming of Saturn, oh

It plagues Eren, in the smallest of ways. It was almost like he could tell that on certain days, the reality of it all seemed to wear you down, to the point where you really didn’t say too much and spent far too much time by yourself outside. He figured this is the closest he would get to really understanding what it was like for you, in the two years that you spent by yourself. 

And it does really bother him, that this is the only thing he can’t help you with. Because having six months of the still, quiet life gave you time to think, to really process everything that had happened. 

And it was chilling. Because it would almost be easier, if this wasn’t the only thing plaguing your mind. But he had asked you time and time again and the answer was always the same – that you didn’t have any regrets, about how the two of you came back together, the relationships that you repaired, or even the havoc you wrecked at the award shows. That really, they were all means to an end. 

But there was one regret you did have, and maybe in the cruelest of ways, it was the one you couldn’t put to rest in this lifetime – which was taking Marco for granted. 

The smaller things helped – the sweet stories about him in the two years you missed, the voicemail that Eren had gifted you at the funeral, and all the polaroids you pulled off the wall. But deep down, in the pit of your stomach, it was the only piece of it all that you hadn’t been able to rectify yet. 

“Yeah, Saturn.” you respond. 

“Have you given any thought to my offer?” Eren asks. 

You wrote songs about Marco often. And Eren read all of them, helping you work through piecing together the composition. But one of the songs – one you called Bigger Than The Whole Sky – seemed to concern Eren so much that he left a tiny little card on your pillow that night. 

With the number to his therapist. 

Eren doesn’t say much, only because he knows it’ll fall on deaf ears, and that sometimes with you – sometimes his hands in yours are the only thing that he can offer. And the quiet offer of the therapist he gave was more of a think piece for you – hoping that you’d at least give it a chance someday.

But the resolve of it all is quickly shattered when the doorbell rings – with Connie and his girlfriend behind the door. 

Eren sighs. 

“Are you ready for everyone to know our secret?” Eren asks. 

“No. And yes. I’m kind of just excited to watch him kind of have a meltdown.” 

Eren grins. 

“You and me both. I’ll go get him.” 

You pad into the kitchen, reaching for two empty dishes and plating the extra eggs for them as you hear Connie hollering at the door, and relish in the little wave of excitement that rises in your stomach. 

“Okay, well. I made breakfast so just kind of help yourselves. Do you need the bathroom?” Eren asks. 

“We’re good.” Connie responds 

Eren gives you a bright and glimmering two dimpled smile as he stops in the kitchen, before looking over at Connie who now looks like he’s some mix of constipated and fraught. 

“I made you guys some plates. I do hope you still like eggs, Connie, because we haven’t had a chance to do groceries lately.” you respond. 

Connie’s eye twitches as you give him a bright smile before walking closer and opening up your arms. And he’s almost too confused – because he barely hugs you back before turning to Eren. 

“What’s she doing here?” Connie asks. 

Eren smiles. 

“You’re not the only one with a secret girlfriend, Connie. Two can play that game.” Eren responds, as he takes the plates and gestures for Connie’s girlfriend to follow him to the main table. 

Connie pauses, before looking over at you. 

“You guys are pranking me, right? Because I didn’t tell you? Because that’s in no way funny.” Connie asks. 

You point to the polaroids pinned on the fridge – a mix of old and new – before turning back to him. 

“While we do love to mess with you, even we wouldn’t be that committed to a bit like this. Now come eat, you’ve had a long flight.” you respond. 

Contrary to your wishes, Connie, in fact, does not eat. He spends the first ten minutes staring the two of you down – to the point where it’s almost creepy – before asking you an insane amount of questions. 

When did you start dating? 

Or better yet, when are you getting married? 

How does it feel to be a traitor? 

And it’s only after an insane amount of questioning, before he slumps back down into his chair, before offering the two of you a sweet smile. 

“You’re really dating, right?” Connie asks. 

Eren rolls his eyes. 

“That’s the tenth fucking time you’ve asked me that. I’m starting to think that it’s insulting – is it really that shocking to you that a pretty girl would date me?” Eren asks. 

Connie rolls his eyes right back. 

“Yeah, when that pretty girl spends her time being just as clueless as you.” Connie responds. 

You avert your gaze to your left, where Connie’s girlfriend – Maryam – is sitting and give her a smile. It’s one that she returns right back, before whispering underneath Connie and Eren’s bickering. 

“You’ll have to forgive him. This is a really big deal to him.” she mumbles. 

“Don’t worry, I’m well aware. He’s spent half of his young life trying to play cupid, I would only assume that it’s overwhelming to finally see your dreams come true.” 

She gives you a smile, as you elbow Eren in the side, and signal for him to stop. 

“Speaking of cupid, how did you and Connie meet?” you ask. 

It’s horribly bad timing – because the big sip of water she took goes immediately back in the glass as she gives Connie a weary glare. And he gives her a bright grin, before turning back to you. 

“See, it’s kind of funny. She –” 

“Connie!” she whispers. 

“What? You’re going to have to tell them eventually.” Connie responds. 

“Yeah, but I just met them. This is the kind of stuff you tell people years later, as in "haha want to know something crazy?” not like…two seconds after you meet them.” she whispers back. 

You and Eren turn to each other, giving each other a look, before turning back to Connie. 

“They won’t care, I promise.” Connie responds.

She gives him a weary look, before turning back to the two of you with wide, doe eyes. 

“Listen. I swear to god, I’m not a stalker. Y/N, I didn’t even know you were going to be here…and…and I didn’t even know I was like…talking to Connie before I was talking to Connie.” 

Eren interrupts her. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks. 

She sighs, before lifting her palms and burying her eyes in the heels of her hand and Connie, for some unknown reason, seems to be enjoying himself a little too much. She gives you both one last look, before dropping her hands. 

“I met Connie on stan twitter.” 

“What?” you ask. 

“Well, he was one of my mutuals. And I…I always talk to my mutuals and we used to text all the time. And then I started really liking him and…and we made a deal to kind of meet up when he was in New York. And then I showed up and he was just fucking standing there. I knew for years that Connie was on stan twitter since he always used to accidentally send his burner tweets to his main but…I didn’t think I was talking to fucking Connie.” 

You and Eren bite down on your cheeks, fighting the urge to laugh. 

“Connie, I think you’ve finally met your match. This is kind of perfect.” you respond. 

“I know, right?” Connie responds, giving you a bright smile back. 

“You didn’t like…think he was punking you?” Eren asks. 

“Oh, I totally thought he was punking me. It was only until he mentioned all the things that we had talked about, over the years mind you, that I actually realized it was him I was talking to all this time. And it started to make more sense, because he always seemed to know more about things that were happening than what was kind of shown on the surface.” Maryam replies. 

You shake your head. 

“So who did you run a fan account for? Was it Connie?” you ask. 

She pinches her face. 

“Right. Well, I…I actually ran a fan account for you. Both of you. You’ve actually both interacted with me on Twitter…multiple times.” 

You slam your fist down on the table. 

“Oh my fucking god. You’re THE fan account girl. Your username is y/n jaeger and you…you have that green profile picture?” you ask. 

“Holy shit. We’ve like literally talked about you multiple times.” Eren adds. 

Connie takes his free arm and slings it around her shoulder, before flinging it around her shoulder. 

“Told you, they literally don’t care.” 

“I swear though, I’m really not a stalker.” she adds again, almost like she’s entirely embarrassed. 

You and Eren shake your heads. 

“Well, you didn’t even know I was going to be here.” you respond. 

“And you didn’t even know that the person you were talking to on Twitter was Connie.” Eren adds. 

“And for what it’s worth, if I remember right, you’ve been one of the people who’s been defending us since the start – especially when it wasn’t a very popular thing to do. Which is something we’re really grateful for. And well…I’m happy if Connie’s happy, which he very clearly is.” 

Connie gives her a smile, one that she returns, before turning back to you guys. 

“I know it’s kind of silly, but I just really liked you guys. I was really into fashion when I was a kid and I really liked your stylists. And then I watched your show and listened to your music – and I just really loved it. Classes and medical school and all that would get really stressful, but it was fun to talk about the little hints that you seemed to leave in your music and the beautiful documentary you made.” 

You and Eren turn to each other and smile. 

“We appreciate that, really. And well…this kind of worked out perfectly, because we might need your help in a few months.” you respond. 

“With?” she asks. 

Eren sighs. 

“We kind of want to keep the public off of our tails for some time. While we’re fine with telling our friends now –” 

“You better be fine with it because I already told Reiner and Sasha.” Connie adds. 

Eren gives him a glare before turning back to Maryam. 

“I know you have a lot of followers and if…if you made it seem like…” 

“Like you guys weren’t dating, other people would believe it.” she finishes. 

“Yeah. We’ve just spent so much of our relationship out in the open, we…we kind of want to share it with everyone when we’re ready.” you add. 

She smiles. 

“I’ll do what I can.” 

Connie helps you make dinner on the last day of his visit – only as a gesture to thank the two of you for your hospitality and for finally getting back together. It gives Eren time to show Maryam the final scripts of Attack on Titan that he has saved, delighting her by sharing all the scenes that got cut or edited in the final season. 

“Can I ask you a question?” Connie asks. 

“Sure.” 

“Are you happy?” 

You smile. 

“Very happy, Connie. Really.” 

Connie gives you a smile, before leaning forward. 

“But?” he asks. 

“No buts. I am really happy.” 

“I don’t doubt that, but…surely there must be other things you’ve been thinking about. I feel like there’s something else kind of lingering in your…aura.” 

“Don’t talk to me about auras, Connie.” 

“You’ve got a weird and off putting vibe every time I interact with you on your own, princess.” 

You sigh. 

“Did you talk to Eren?” you ask.

“No. I can just tell. So there is something that’s bothering you?” 

You pause, abandoning the spoon in the pot, as you look down at the mix of noodles. It’s a pink sauce – one that Connie swears by – that included a decent amount of the leftover vodka that you and Eren had gifted to you by the neighbors. You made a passing joke that Jean and Mikasa would love this dish and it made Connie laugh so hard he nearly burned his own hand off. 

And you’re not sure where it comes from but before you know it, there’s hot tears pouring out of your eyes and Connie’s warm arms around you. And it’s a quiet whisper that you’re able to muster out in response. 

“Yeah. There’s something bothering me.” you respond. 

“Well, no shit, princess. You’re getting snot all over my shirt. What is it?” 

You fight the urge to laugh at the sarcasm before pulling back and looking up at him. 

“Marco.” 

Connie sighs, before giving you a nod.

“Yeah, that’ll do it.” Connie responds. 

You pause. 

“I just…feel like something’s wrong with me. Everyone else seemed to have moved forward from it or…or seem like they’re handling it better than me.” 

“I think there’s different circumstances. What you have to move on from is entirely different from what the rest of them do.” Connie offers. 

You heave another sigh, using the back of your hand to wipe the wetness away. 

“What do you mean?” 

“What you went through was entirely different than what someone like…Sukuna struggles with or Eren for that matter. They’ve had their fair share of struggles, but yours is just different than theirs. That means you can’t compare the two. They talked to them right until the end. And because of your circumstances, you didn’t. It must be hard not to blame yourself for it.” 

Connie pauses. 

“When I was struggling after rehab, being…being around things like that again, at afterparties and stuff…I found it really hard to even keep my head level in situations like that. It was so overstimulating…so overwhelming, that I found myself locking myself in my house alone with her for a week.” 

“You sound like me.” you respond. 

“That’s exactly the point. Sometimes things are so overwhelming that you can’t do anything but that. Locking yourself in the house till you have a bearing on it. And people like Sukuna and Eren, I…I almost envy them sometimes. They find a way to keep moving forward when all I can find myself doing is standing in one place and staring at myself from the outside in.” 

“Eren’s really hopeful. And I know deep down that he is right. That Marco wasn’t mad at me, not in the slightest. But…I can’t help but be mad at myself. I feel like sometimes I’m reliving the entire thing over again.” you respond. 

Connie smiles. 

“You sound like me.” Connie murmurs. 

“You seem fine, though. For the most part.” you add. 

Connie reaches forward, cupping the side of your face. 

“I’m lucky enough that the people I’ve wanted to make amends with are still here. But even then, that wasn’t enough, not for the blame. Sometimes…you need a little extra help. And really Y/N, there’s nothing wrong with that.” 

Connie’s ears seem to ring in your ears as you watch him and Maryam drive away. And even more so when you and Eren settle in for bed that night and he reaches over to shut the light switch. 

You reach for Eren’s hand, locking your fingers in with his in the sheets, before squeezing three times, a gesture that he returns. 

“Eren?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Do…do you still have that card that you gave me? A few weeks ago?” 

Eren leans closer to you and you take the invitation to crawl into his open arms. 

“Of course I do. Did you want to use it, sweetheart?” he whispers. 

The warm tears return and Eren’s quick to wipe them away. 

“Yeah, I think so.” 

--

At the end of the month, Connie’s beloved girlfriend helps devise the best plan known to man. Which involved a little bit of acting, lying, and theatrics – something you and Eren were no strangers to. 

It was fairly obvious, after everything that had happened, it would be hard to make people believe that you and Eren hadn’t ended up together. And she figured it would only work if you admitted to the fact that you were dating other people and really sold it in your last press tour and awards campaign that you were soulmates – but in the platonic type of way. 

It’s why you spent three weeks in the press talking about your new beloved boyfriend, Bruce, who was just a normal guy that you met at your recording studio. Coupled with the newest song you released – so american, something Eren most definitely wouldn’t call you – people were quick to switch the breaks and think otherwise. 

Eren was doing the same, fawning in any and every interview, about his sweet new girlfriend Margaret, one of the assistant costume designers that he met on the set of Attack on Titan. About how she was the sweet love of his life, who had shown up right when he needed her. 

It wasn’t an entire lie. 

Besides the fact that it really is so fun to pretend in plain sight, the awards show was the first time that the group of you got to be together again. You were seated right next to Lana and Sukuna – the former of which is exuding the sweetest glow from her baby girl that’s due any week now and the latter who has a set of choice words for you when you take your seats together. 

“I don’t get it. Why don’t you just fucking tell people?” Sukuna mutters. 

You smile. 

“Simple. We don’t want to.” you respond. 

“Yeah, but your boy toy is about to win the award of his dreams, again, and you’re about to be ten feet away getting cock blocked by lesbians.” 

You smile. Eren, in all of his brilliance, was nominated for the Best Actor in a TV Show, yet again. And truly, it was no competition – you were all positive that he was going to win, something that he wasn’t so keen about himself. 

“We can hear you.” Ymir mutters. 

“We can switch seats if you want Y/N, for that part. If you want to sit next to Eren.” Sofia adds. 

You give her a smile, before sinking back into your chair and looping your arm through Ymir’s – who was going to be accompanying you as the opener on the Birds of a Feather tour, with her lovely Sofia, who she married last weekend. 

“Where are Jean and Mikasa? I have an itch to get blackout drunk right now.” Ymir mutters. 

“No point in trying.. They’re already back there and borderline blackout drunk with empty flasks already..” you respond. 

“Figures.” 

“They pressed some really wet kisses to my cheek earlier. If I didn’t love them, I would find it absolutely disgusting.” you add. 

You give Ymir and Sukuna a light nudge at your sides, before standing up to the group of people walking up to you. 

“Oikawa, right? From Haikyuu?” you ask. 

He towers over you, looking down at you as he offers you a smile. 

“That’s right. We’ve replied to each other a lot on Twitter.” he responds. 

“Right. It’s nice to meet you in person, again. I feel like we’ve probably walked past each other a bunch of times, but…it’s nice to talk.” 

He smiles. 

“Listen, I was planning on telling you this last weekend, but I’m planning on bringing my girlfriend to your opening show next weekend. She’s a really big fan…and she’d love to meet you.” 

You place a hand on his bicep, and really, only because you can’t reach his shoulder. 

“Of course. I’ll get you a seat in the VIP tent with everyone else coming, okay?” 

“What was last weekend?” Sukuna asks. 

Oikawa turns to his left, giving an entirely unassuming smile.

“Hm?” 

“You said you were going to ask her last weekend.” Sukuna clarifies. 

“Oh! Right, I just figured you’d be at Historia’s wedding that’s all. But she told me, it really is a shame that you were all too busy.” 

You’re dumbfounded as he gives you all one last smile, before walking away. And Eren and Connie are quick to join you at your sides, Eren’s hand ghosting across yours at his side. 

“What did that tool want?” Eren asks. 

“Did Historia tell you that?” Sukua asks, to which you shake your head.

“Was he hitting on you? I’ve seen him on Twitter, don’t even get me started.” Eren mutters. 

Sukuna rolls his eyes. 

“Dude, this is so not the time to be getting your panties in a twist.” Sukuna responds. 

“What did he say?” Connie asks, nudging you in the side. 

“Historia got married. Last weekend.” Ymir states, an almost gravelly tone to her voice. 

Connie and Eren give you a weary look, before turning back to her. 

“She didn’t invite any of you and told all the guests that you guys were all too busy to come. Too busy to come because you were at my wedding, with the date I've had set for months now.” 

Sofia stands at Ymir’s side, looping her arm in with Ymir’s as she offers a small smile. And it gets worse – because the horribly timed news made you all forget that Historia was the opener for the show that you wer eall sitting at. 

You can’t help but admit it, but the willowing white dress that she wears is beautiful. But there’s a part of it that haunts you, almost like she’s a ghost instead of a bride, as she takes the center of the stage with a pink guitar and a glimmering ring on her finger. 

“My name’s Historia Reiss. This is my newest song, everyone – it’s called Lover.” 

Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? And ah, take me out, and take me home You're my, my, my, my Lover

Ladies and gentlemen, will you please stand? With every guitar string scar on my hand I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue All's well that ends well to end up with you Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me And at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover

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

You watch as Ymir sinks into her seat, securing her own hand in Sofia’s, as you look over at Eren. And in the few seconds that you have between the commercial break, before you have to head backstage to announce the award, you lean forward and place your chin on her shoulder. 

“Are you okay, Ymir?” you ask, shooting Sofia a pinched smile over the way. 

“She’s fucking insane.” Ymir mutters. 

You’re taken off guard by the hostility. Only because in every rehearsal that you’ve shared with Ymir, she’s all but remorseful for how things ended with them – and even moreso, was looking forward to being friends again. 

“What do you mean?” you ask. 

“She’s trying to piss me off. I’ve heard that fucking song – it’s one she wrote about me when we were still filming season three.” 

You wince, sharing a look with Eren, before turning back to her and squeezing one of her shoulders. 

“I don’t know what her problem is. If she’s trying to make me feel…regret over what I did last weekend, that’s far from it. I have no regrets about the people or the person I’ve chosen for myself. She can sing herself sick about it if she wants to.” Ymir finishes. 

“Good for you.” Connie states. 

“Huh?” Ymir asks. 

“Good for you. Really. You know what you want and you’ve had it by your side this entire time. If she wants to be bitter about it, she can go right ahead. That won't stop you from having that by your side or make her feel any better – and I’m sure she’ll realize that eventually.” Connie finishes. 

You give Connie a smile, before gesturing to take your open seat as the ushers arrive to take you backstage. And you’re met with the sight of Hange and Levi – with a glimmering golden trophy and an envelope in their hands. 

“He won, didn’t he?” you ask. 

“We don’t know.” 

“Do you think they’d like kill me if I opened it?” you ask, as Levi places the glittering envelope in your hands. 

Hange smiles. 

“In all seriousness kid, I think they’re kind of anticipating you will. WIth you as the announcer and us handing over the trophy, it’s fairly obvious they’re expecting something great.” Hange responds. 

You give the two of them a smile as you turn over the envelope, breaking through the latch of the sticker, and pulling the little cardstock slip out. And surely enough, it’s in bright, bold letters. 

Best Lead Actor in a TV Show - Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan: The Final Season 

You look up at them and smile, trying to contain that scratchy feeling in the back of your throat. 

“He did it.” you whisper. 

They both give you bright smiles as they link in their arms with yours, the three of you waiting for your cue at the side of the curtains. And on their mark, the three of you walk out into the bright lights, as you scan the crowd for where Eren’s sitting – noting the bright smile on his face and the wink he offers you. 

“I think the fact that I’m standing here, with Hange and Levi at my sides, is proof that one of the best actors of our generation has won one of the most special awards here tonight.” 

And you watch as Jean and Connie’s eyes go wide, as they reach forward and secure their hands on Eren’s shoulders, jostling him as he brings his hands up to his cheeks – in utter disbelief. 

“While he’s winning an award for acting tonight, I truly do think that the recipient is a jack of all trades. Because he’s been so involved in this beautiful show – from picking the co-star in his first chemistry screen reading, to bringing life to the pages, and at the end, actually writing them. It’s been a joy to watch him in his element for the last ten years and really, to share such a big part of my life with someone who is so special.” 

You look down at the envelope, pulling out the slip again. 

“The award for Best Actor in a TV show goes to Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan: The Final Season.” 

It’s an obscene amount of hollering – mostly from Reiner, Connie, and Jean – as you watch Eren hug Gabi and Falco before pressing a kiss to Lana’s cheek and making his way to the stage. And it’s almost too sweet – getting to watch the lingering hugs that Hange and Levi give Eren, before he turns to you to give a polite hug. 

You take the few seconds you have to say your piece. 

“Hey. Guess what?” you whisper. 

“What?” 

“I told you so. All those years ago.” you respond. 

Eren presses a kiss to your cheek, before the three of you all shuffle off to the side, and watch Eren from a few feet away. And you watch as he runs his hand nervously through his hair, before looking down at the award. 

“I promise I’ll make a speech this time.” Eren starts. 

You all laugh, as he looks over at you, before turning back to the crowd. 

“I…I truly have no words for what this show has meant to me and what it has brought me. Almost ten years ago, two writers turned screenwriters, for whatever god awful reason, saw a film in which I had all but ten minutes of screentime before I got killed off. And for some reason, it spoke to them – so much so that they decided to make me the lead of their show. It seems strange at first, but they’re the first people I find myself being the most thankful for, because they’re the only reason that anything after came. I’ve made…” 

Eren’s voice cracks and you swallow hard. 

“I’ve made lifelong relationships and…and a real family. I’ve had the privilege of meeting my partner in crime, Connie, the sweetest friends I’ve ever had, Jean and Mikasa, and maybe one of the only people who understands me best, Armin. I’ve met maybe one of the most important people in my life, Y/N L/N, who gives definition to being the best friend and partner everyday, and most of all, I’ve met the love of my life, my sweet Margaret. There are no words for how thankful I am, really. Thank you so much.” 

There’s a resounding sound of cheers as Eren links his arm in with yours and the four of you clump together backstage. And in the few seconds of quiet you have, you reach forward and cup the side of his face before pressing another kiss to his cheek. 

“I’m so happy for you, Eren. You dream came true – the right way this time.” 

Eren smiles, before linking one of his hands in with yours. 

“You next.” Eren states. 

You scoff. 

“Leave it to you to make your award about me. Just be happy.” you respond. 

“I am happy. But really, you’re next.” Eren states. 

“You can’t become triple threats twice, Eren.” 

“You know, I’ve happened to write very convincing letters in the past. To have them accept demos from me on behalf of you, to consider you for awards for years on end. I think I’ll try my luck on that one and see where it gets me, sweetheart.” 

--

The following week, Eren’s standing by your side backstage with Sofia on the other side, in the mere minutes before you perform. If your timing was correct, Ymir was halfway into her set and seriously killing it, meaning that you were going to follow in under an hour. 

Gabi and Falco are the first ones to greet you backstage – and the first guests on the Birds of a Feather tour. 

When you think back to the past, all the memories of touring are the worst. Because the only thing you can remember is your legs shaking from the exhaustion, your ears deaf from the screaming, and your chest hurting from the pain – before you were dragged onto stage another time by Danny and Sareen and forced to do it again. 

It’s why you kept the tour relatively short by your standards, with thirty-six shows, and your friends by your side. 

If they wrote the songs with you, they could perform them with you too. And while Glue Song was technically Gabi’s request, Falco’s the feature – so it was only fair to let both of them sing it with you on the first day. 

And you watch from far as Eren stands behind both of their little vanities, hearing the ends of their conversation – as Eren reassures both of them before taking pictures of the two of them together. And it’s almost like he can see you watching him, because he turns to look over his shoulder, before offering you a smile and walking over. 

“Not that people know, but you and I are kind of the first ladies of the Birds of a Feather tour.” Sofia states. 

“What do you mean?” Eren asks. 

“My wife is the opener. Your girlfriend is the main set. We’re the first ladies.” Sofia states. 

Eren snorts as he reaches for the back of your hair, readjusting it against your bodysuit, before giving you a smile. 

“Ready?” 

“I think so.” 

Sofia gives the two of you a sweet smile, as she loops her arm in with yours and leans her head against your shoulder. And three songs in, you feel her tense you at your side. 

“Oh god. Here it comes.” Sofia murmurs. 

“Here what comes?” you ask. 

She turns her head to the side, confused. 

“She didn’t tell you? She added a new song to the setlist, it’s…about Historia.” Sofia responds. 

“Does she know that Historia’s actually here in the tent? With her husband?” 

Marcus, Historia’s newly wedded husband, was nice. It’s really the only word that you could use to describe him, because honestly, it didn’t seem like there was much else going on besides that. He mentioned a plethora of niceties when you met him hours prior – that he had missed you at the wedding, that he had memorized all the songs before the show started so he could fully enjoy it – and that was it. 

You could tell that he didn’t have the faintest idea about Historia and Ymir, or Historia at all. 

But he was kind. And he wouldn’t hurt Historia and you supposed that was all that mattered.

“That’s kind of the point, Y/N.” Sofia mumbles. 

The three of you inch closer to the edge of the stage, just out of view of the curtains, as you watch Ymir’s visuals change – bright graphic letters spelling out Good Luck, Babe! 

It's fine, it's cool You can say that we are nothing, but you know the truth And guess I'm the fool With her arms out like an angel through the car sunroof

I don't wanna call it off But you don't wanna call it love You only wanna be the one that I call "baby"

You can kiss a hundred boys in bars Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling You can say it's just the way you are Make a new excuse, another stupid reason Good luck, babe (well, good luck), well, good luck, babe (well, good luck) You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling Good luck, babe (well, good luck), well, good luck, babe (well, good luck) You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling

You look over at Eren, who is crushing your hand to oblivion at your left, before turning back to Sofia. 

“Jesus Christ.” Eren whispers. 

“I can’t even blame her. Historia came for blood last weekend.” 

“That’s not even half of it. It gets worse.” 

You and Eren widen your eyes, before leaning forward and paying attention again. And it’s insane, because Ymir’s crouching on the ground – before she fully lies down and starts belting into the microphone. 

When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night With your head in your hands, you're nothing more than his wife And when you think about me, all of those years ago You're standing face to face with "I told you so" You know I hate to say, "I told you so" You know I hate to say, but, I told you so 

You can kiss a hundred boys in bars Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling (well, I told you so) You can say it's just the way you are Make a new excuse, another stupid reason Good luck, babe (well, good luck), well, good luck, babe (well, good luck) You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling Good luck, babe (well, good luck), well, good luck, babe (well, good luck) You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling

--

a year and a half later 

After almost two years of being married, Jean and Mikasa welcome a baby girl, named Olivia, in October. And on her fourth week of life, they invite all of you over to meet her in Seattle. 

You’d be lying if it didn’t fill you with dread. 

“Why are you freaking out?” Eren asks, reaching down to adjust the charms of your necklace, the Saturn charm now accompanied by an ocean wave, against your collarbone, before looking back up at you. 

“Babies don’t really like me.” you state. 

“You know, they can kind of sense when you’re all…tense and stuff. Just relax when they ask you to hold her.” 

You groan. 

“Jean and Mikasa can keep their empath baby to themselves. What do you mean it can sense if I’m stressed?” 

“You’ll drop her if you’re being too stiff. Just cradle her head against you.” Eren responds. 

“That’s exactly why I can’t hold her!” 

Eren rolls his eyes. 

“She’s basically like your niece. You’ll have to hold her eventually.” Eren deadpans. 

“Maybe when she’s older. Fully conscious and talking and stuff, you know. Like Teddy.” 

Eren sighs, almost acutely aware of how hopeless you were when it came to this, from the way you acted with Lily. Except Sukuna was far less faith in you than Jean and Mikasa and agreed with you every time you refused to hold her out of fear. 

Eren locks his hand in with yours as he drags you to the porch, only to be met with Zeke and Carla answering the door. 

“You’re finally here!” 

Eren’s mom pulls you forward, nearly side sweeping Eren and trapping you in a crushing hug as you give Zeke a pained look at your side, to which the two of them only laugh in response. And when Carla lets go, she brings her hands down to your wrists, before squeezing. 

“You’re a vision in yellow! This dress is beautiful, Y/N.” 

“Mom. You’re laying it on a little thick there.” Eren mumbles, placing his hands on her shoulders before pressing a kiss to his cheek. 

“Shut up, Eren. This is the closest I’ve gotten to having a daughter.” Carla states. 

You look over at Eren – entirely aware of how much his parents, or more specifically Carla had been, about how he needed to propose soon. But Eren rolls his eyes as he walks off, greeting Lana and Teddy in the kitchen as you turn back to her and wrap one of your free arms around her. 

“Did you see Olivia yet?” you ask. 

“She’s beautiful. Oh, she looks just like Jean.” 

“Well, that’s a shame.” you respond. 

“I heard that, twerp.” 

You look over to find the source of the voice – a very tired Jean, with a stubble and a well grown out mullet – glaring at you. But the second you look at him properly, he gives you a smile as you run forward, wrapping your arms around him as he returns the gesture. 

“Hi, Mr. Dad.” 

“That’s the best you could come up with? Mr. Dad?” 

“Saying just Dad is weird. But I had to acknowledge the fact that you…have a whole child just out here and breathing and stuff.” 

“Wow. You really have such a way with words.” Jean states, as the two of you trail down to the kitchen, where Eren and Jean do their weird handshake. 

You feel a tugging at your legs, before you pick up Teddy who leans his head against yours. 

“You get bigger everytime I see you, kid. 

“I’m a growing boy.” Teddy shrugs, as you turn to Lana and laugh. 

“He’s getting every bit of sass from Sukuna.” Lana states. 

“I can tell.” you respond, before turning back to him. 

Sukuna presses a kiss to your cheek as a greeting, before Connie and Reiner join the group as well and do the same. 

“How are you today, Teddy? Did you see baby Olivia yet?” you ask. 

“Yeah.” 

You smile as you turn over to Eren, who leans against the counter and watches the two of you from a few feet away. He fights the urge to take a picture – only because Sukuna would tease him into oblivion – and makes a mental note to ask for one like it later, of Teddy snuggled in your arms and resting his head against your cheek. 

“Did you like her?” you ask. 

“She’s cute. For a baby.” 

“You wanna tell Y/N what you told me, Theo?” Sukuna asks. 

Teddy sits up, turning to Sukuan with confusion. 

“Tell her what, Dad?”

“About what you did when you saw Olivia.” Sukuna clarifies. 

He turns back to you, a smile on his face. 

“I held baby Olivia all on my own.” 

You turn back to Sukuna and Eren, the two of them laughing with irritating smiles on their faces as you stick their tongues out at them. 

“Oh, be quiet.” you murmur. 

“If my literal child can carry that baby, so can you.” Sukuna states. 

Sukuna rolls his eyes, before taking Teddy from your arms. 

“I’m gonna grab a drink.” Sukuna states. 

“I’ll come with.” you respond. 

The two of you walk quietly out to the little backyard, as you fill three glasses of lemonade and hold one out to each of them. 

“So do you just not want kids in the future?” 

“What? Of course, I do.” you respond. 

Sukuna snickers. 

“Are you not going to hold your own child?” 

You roll your eyes. 

“Pump the brakes, Sukuna. Eren and I aren’t even married yet.” 

“Speaking of. Are you two ever going to tie the knot?” 

You shrug. 

“We’ve talked about it before. It’s definitely in the cards but I told him that he should wait until he feels ready. And things are really nice now, the way they are. I figure he’s just soaking in it all.” you state. 

“Would you say yes if he proposed?” Sukuna asks. 

“Are you crazy?” 

“I mean…you’re saying that you told Eren to wait until he was ready. There’s no doubt you will of course, but are you ready for that?” 

You nurse the little glass of lemonade close to your chest, before looking up at him and smiling. 

“I’ve been waiting to marry him since I was like sixteen. Of course I’m ready.” 

Sukuna gives you a smile, before gesturing for you to follow him back inside where Eren’s waiting for you patiently. And you can tell by the excited smile on his face and the way that he grabs your waist exactly where he’s leading you next. 

“You should be excited. This is literally both of our best friends, in one person.” 

“I am excited. I just want her to like us, that’s all.” 

When you enter the room, it’s quiet – with Levi, Jean, and Mikasa’s mom by the crib and Mikasa sitting in the bed, rearranging the little toys. 

You and Eren beeline in different directions, with him heading straight for the baby and you heading straight towards Mikasa’s side. And you can’t help but do it – reach forward and cup her cheeks before hugging her full on. 

“Mikasa, you look so cute.” you mumble, as she nearly crushes you with her death grasp of a hug. 

Mikasa pulls back, rolling her eyes, as she eyes your dress. 

“Are you saying I look different after Olivia?” 

You roll your eyes. 

“You’re all full in the face. With rosy pink cheeks. It’s adorable.” you whisper. 

“Well, you’re quite adorable too. This is a beautiful dress – I’m going to side sweep Eren and propose first if he doesn’t get around to it.”

“I heard that, Mikasa.” Eren deadpans, from his far corner of the room. 

“That was the point, goofy.” 

Eren frowns as he walks over to her side, offering her a hug before sitting down with the two of you. 

“Goofy is the best you’ve got?” Eren asks. 

“There’s a baby in the room. I can’t exactly call you an asshole now, can I?” Mikasa whispers.

You both giggle, only to be stopped by the glare that Levi gives the three of you, as you clear your throats. 

“She’s perfect, Mikasa. She’s got your eyes.” Eren states. 

“Oh thank god. Carla gave me a heart attack downstairs when she told me the baby looked like Jean.” 

It’s only then that Jean walks over, with the tiniest bundle of little pink blankets in his hand, that the three of you stand up. And you take the natural position, standing slight behind Eren as he looks up at Jean, eyes wide. 

“Can I hold her?” 

“Dude, go ahead.” 

You and Mikasa share a look, irritated by their nonchalance, as you watch Jean carefully transfer Olivia over to Eren’s arms. She’s quick with it – securing all five of her tiny fingers around one of Eren’s fingers as he laughs, looking over at you. 

And Eren’s quick to notice that despite all your self-proclaimed fears about holding babies and giving birth, you have the same curious look in your eyes that you had when you met Lily. 

“Olivia, my name’s Eren and this is Y/N. Your parents are basically the coolest people we know.” Eren whispers, almost like he’s not trying to disturb the quiet peace in the room. 

“Well, not your dad. He could use a little help in that department.” you respond. 

“Stop badmouthing me in front of my child.” Jean responds, reaching forward to flick you on the forehead. 

But it’s right at that second that Olivia lets out the quietest little coo, before readjusting in her little blankets. And it’s enough to make the group of you laugh, teary eyed smiles from you and Eren, as Jean walks over to Levi and hands him the camera to take a picture of the five of you, together for the first time. 

And in the thirty minutes that Eren spends holding Olivia and whispering with Mikasa, it’s the free second that you take to talk to Levi. 

“Look at you. Trying to butter up Mikasa’s mom.” 

Levi glares. 

“She’s my sister.” 

“Right. I kind of forgot about that.” 

Levi rolls his eyes, as the two of you look out of the window, at the group of them all chattering downstairs. You can’t help but smile at Teddy and Lily sitting at the table, who are showing a very interested Ymir and Connie all of the drawings that they’ve allegedly done together. 

It was mostly Teddy of course, but he just liked to include Lily in everything he does. Which is something you’re told that Sukuna and Yuuji do together all the time – and it makes your heart warm all the same. 

“Is there a reason you never had kids, Levi?” you ask. 

Levi smiles. 

“Hange can’t have kids.” Levi states. 

You feel your throat dry the slightest, as you look over to the left, where Hange and Sofia are playing a very intense game of chess. 

“I didn’t know that. I always figured that you two weren’t…”

“A lot of people did. And I suppose that made it easier, because it really did break our hearts that we didn’t get to have any.” 

You smile, before leaning your head against his shoulder. 

“If it makes you feel better, I know that myself and fifteen of my peers have always seen you as a father figure.” 

Levi smiles. 

“It does actually. Only because my self-proclaimed children are all so talented that I have so much to brag about.” 

You press a kiss to Levi’s cheek as Eren beckons for you to join him downstairs, now that Olivia’s fallen asleep. And you all but oblige, trying to memorize the sickeningly sweet kiss that he gives you on the way down. 

“Do you ever think we’re going to have kids?” Eren asks. 

“Eren. You’re basically like born to be a dad.” you whisper. 

“What?”

“Every kid we’ve ever met loves you. Of course, we’re going to have kids. I’ve even taken the liberty of naming them already.” 

Eren gives you a confused look, before knocking on your forehead. 

“Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?” 

“Hilarious.” you deadpan. 

“No seriously. I’m shocked Mrs. Scared of Pregnancy because of Reddit threads from when you were thirteen is saying this to me right now.” 

You roll your eyes, trying to make your way down the stairs, before he pulls back, pressing a kiss to your cheek as a consolation. 

“Okay, I’m joking. But tell me the names.” 

“No. You’re being rude.” 

“Come on. They’re going to be my children too. I want to hear it.” 

You sigh, crossing your hands over your chest, as you look up at him. 

“If it’s a boy, we’re going to name him Marco.” 

Eren smiles, giving you an approving nod, as you twist the rings on your pointer finger. 

“And if it’s a girl, we’ll name her Maya.” 

“Maya?” 

“Well, the plan is hopefully that we have a boy and a girl. We’ll name our kids after Marco…and his favorite poet, Maya Angelou.” 

Eren leans forward, pressing a sweet kiss to your lips. 

“That’s a deal.” 

--

Two days later, you and Eren seem to right a historical wrong, in your long winded history, in the mere hours before you attend Lana’s album listening party.  

By visiting the Seattle Aquarium, the way you were supposed to all those years ago. 

It was your idea when you made your weekend plan to be in Seattle. Because Eren had three extra days before he started shooting and before you headed back to New York to record with Niccolo – and it only felt right. 

Despite your horrible track history of attendance, the owners of the Seattle Aquarium granted you entry on Sunday, the day they were closed, and offered you the place for the entire day. Though you suppose, it’s only because you’ve given them such gracious donations over the past years. 

When you walk in, you run your fingers over the bronze plaque as Eren looks over your shoulder, admiring the lettering. 

With special thanks to Bruce and Margaret, whose generous donations have benefitted our environmentalist efforts and preserved over forty-five species of fish over the past year, nearby in the Pacific Ocean. 

Eren takes your hand, the two of you taking the little blankets and pillows, and setting them up right in the center of the aquarium, before you lie down against the little makeshift fort you made. 

And you’re not sure what it is – the dim lights and the overwhelming blue – or the fish swimming all around you and Eren in their not so little fishbowl, but you can’t help but feel the strangest sense of nostalgia. That a few years ago, you saw Jean and Mikasa get engaged for the first time, and it pushed you so hard that you were ready to confess to him under these same lights. 

“Do you ever think about what would happen if we actually ended up coming here last time?” you ask. 

Eren looks over at you, pressing a stray kiss to your forehead, before messing with one of the strands of your hair. 

“Sometimes. I figured we’d have to fight out of there someway, just in a different way.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Eren pauses. 

“They’d run a slander campaign against you. They’d probably dox Falco and Colt and your parents would get in the crossfire by proxy.” Eren murmurs. 

“Yeah.” 

“I figured they’d probably give Connie all the big roles so he wouldn’t have any reason to leave. Everyone would know about Lana and Teddy and well…I don’t know if Sukuna would be on our side the way he necessarily ended up being.” 

You lean closer to him, interlocking one of your free hands in with his. 

“I don’t know if we’d stay together.” 

“We’d stay together.” you murmur. 

“Yeah. I do figure it would be harder though. We kind of lucked out, twice, with how isolated the set was and then the cabin.” 

And Eren reaches into his pocket, wrapping one of his free hands around you as he opens up a little green box, to a glimmering diamond ring. 

“I figure this would happen farther down the line if things went that route.” Eren mumbles. 

You’re taken aback as you sit up in the little pile of blankets as Eren follows suit, a sweet smile on his face as he presses the little box into your hand. 

“I don’t necessarily know how things would have ended up if we got to be together all those years prior. All I remember, really, is watching you drive away from me and feeling like I had just experienced the loss of my life. For a second time. It only feels right to me that we get to promise to seal the deal here, for good, like we should have all of those years ago.” 

Eren takes the box from your hands, plucking the ring out of its little slot, and takes your hand in his. 

“Will you marry me?”

You can’t help but lean forward, nearly knocking him back down into the pillows as you press a kiss to his lips, which he smiles into. 

“I’m taking that’s a yes?” 

“Oh my god, Eren. Yes, obviously.” 

Eren sits up again, this time carefully securing the ring around your finger, before lifting your hand and pressing a kiss against your knuckles. 

“Did you tell anyone you were doing this?” 

Eren shrugs. 

“I asked for your parents and Falco and Colt’s blessing. Then I remembered that Levi exists and asked him for good measure too. And Lana, of course, just because I can’t keep anything from her.” 

You smile. 

“Was there someone else I was supposed to tell?” 

You pinch your lips into a line. 

“No.” 

“Oh my god, there totally was. Who did I forget?” 

You fight the urge to laugh as he reaches forward, tickling at your sides as you shove him off. 

“No one, Eren. I love the ring.” 

Eren twists his face in confusion, before leaning forward. 

“Who said anything about the ring?” 

You pinch your eyes shut, before reaching forward and placing your hands on his cheeks. 

“I love the ring. And I love you, it’s really not –” 

“You told someone what type of ring you wanted, didn’t you?” 

You sigh, as you look down at the sparkling diamond on your finger, that really is perfect. 

“It was a tiny request that I had. I should have known that you’d tell Lana and not Mikasa, in hindsight.” 

Eren shakes his head. 

“That’s not a big deal. I’ll just get you another one.” 

“Eren.” 

“Really, I was planning on getting you multiple anyway. You have to have one that has a silver band and one that has gold, because I know that you hate mixed metals. So really, you can tell me what it is that you wanted and I’ll keep it in mind.” 

You sigh. 

“It’s kind of cheesy.” 

“I’m not lactose intolerant, Y/N. Just tell me.” 

You sigh. 

“I like the diamond, but I wanted it set with another stone.” 

“I do like unique rings. Which one were you thinking?” 

“An emerald. Because it’s green, you know?” 

And you watch as Eren grins, fully understanding your request this time, as he leans forward, his lips a few feet away from yours as he whispers. 

“Are you telling me you want a green emerald because my eyes are green?” 

“Sue me, Eren!” you deadpan. 

And it’s a lingering kiss that Eren presses to your cheeks, before he leans back and looks up at the fish. You follow his gaze to the two yellow fish swimming near the top, as they make their way down to the other side. 

And Eren looks over at you and smiles. 

“No, I don’t think so. I think I’ll just marry you instead.” 

--

You’re slightly late to Lana’s listening party and the two of you sneak in towards the back door, where you greet everyone waiting for you backstage.  And it’s quite obvious that Lana and Sukuna shared the news with everyone the second you arrive – because Mikasa reaches for your hand the second you walk up to her and Lana gives you a lingering hug. 

“Oh thank god, I was starting to get worried.” Mikasa states. 

“All the comments got to you the other day, didn’t they?” Sukuna asks. 

Eren rolls his eyes. 

“On the contrary, asshole. Though the comments did start to piss me off, because I was doing so well at hiding it before you all started bringing it up and making her think about it.” 

There’s a little dinging overhead, signaling that Lana had to start, as the group of you all head out to the little audience – filled with about fifty of Lana’s fans who nearly start screaming the second you all walk out to listen with them. 

“Hey.” Eren whispers. 

“What?” 

“I’ll be back, but you should keep your hair in the front.”

“What? Why?” 

“I left a mark earlier.” Eren responds, squeezing at your shoulder as you glare at his retreating form. 

He shoots you a wink over his shoulder, before he walks backstage and Lana walks on. And it’s sweet, the flowery dress she’s wearing and the purple guitar as she takes the stage. You feel a tap on your shoulder, to find Sukuna at your side, smiling at you. 

“Congratulations, stinky. There’s not many times that I find myself believing in things like this, at least not before anyways, but you’ve proven me wrong, time and time again.” 

You loop your arm in with Sukuna resting your chin against his shoulder, as you watch Lana start to tune the guitar. 

“I could say the same thing about you.” you respond. 

The two of you quiet down as Lana starts and Eren walks behind her, taking a seat at the piano. He shoots you a smile from his spot, starting to play the piano composition as Lana starts talking. 

“I’ve written lots of songs about people in my very long career of music, now. And I’ve had many songs written about me by my friend Eren here. I figured it was only fair that I returned the favor by writing about him and his beautiful fiancee, with his help of course.” 

Eren smiles as he leans closer to the microphone. 

“This song is called Margaret.” 

This is a simple song, gonna write it for a friend My shirt is inside out, I'm messy with the pen He met Margaret on our rooftop, she was wearing white And he was like, "I might be in trouble" He had flashes of the good life He was like, "Should I jump off this building now or do it on the double?

'Cause, baby, if your love is in trouble Baby, if your love is in trouble Baby, if your love is in trouble When you know, you know When you know, you know

It kinda makes me laugh, runnin' down that path When you're good as gold 'Cause when you know, you know 'Cause when you know, you know And when you're old, you're old

Like Hollywood and me, that diamond on your ring The soul that you bring to the table One that makes me sing In a minor key Diamond on your ring 'Cause when you know, you know When you know, you know

--

The two of you tie the knot a year later, on a chilly December night, back in the old townhouse. It’s decorated to perfection – the walls that you originally took down are now covered again with polaroids of you and Eren, but all of your loved ones too. 

True to Mikasa’s statement all of those years ago, the flower girls at your wedding are Olivia and Lily – but they can’t exactly walk yet, so it’s only fair that Reiner and Connie carry them and their little flower baskets down the aisle. 

As busy as Mikasa and Jean are with the baby, they give up their spots as best man and maid of honor to the more seasoned parents, Lana and Sukuna. Though it feels entirely wrong to have Lana standing on your side and Sukuna on Eren’s, so you decide to switch the roles. Teddy’s quite possibly the best ring bearer and Levi’s the perfect person, who gives a sweet passionate speech about holding out for love, as the officiant of your wedding. 

Levi, however, is full of all sorts of tricks – which is something the two of you only note when it’s time for you to do your first dance. Because instead of the piano quartet that you organized, he’s sitting on the bench next to Hange instead, tapping on the microphone to get your attention. 

“I believe it’s time for the first dance.” Levi states. 

Hange rolls her eyes, before taking the microphone. 

“You’re so stiff, Levi.” 

“You talk then.” 

“No, you always tend to have a way with words.” 

You look up at Eren, admiring the two little pins on the lapel of his jacket – a crescent moon and the Saturn pin – before looking back at the two of them and their antics. 

“Eren and Y/N. You’ve written quite a few love songs, not only about the beautiful love that you share with each other, but the love that we all seem to have for one another as well. And really, we figured it was only fair that we all repaid the favor, by writing a song about the two of you for you to dance to.”

“And well, we know how much being surrounded by the love in the room means to you. So we’re going to invite everyone to join you on the dance floor, so you can be surrounded by it.” Hange states. 

The group of them all give you sweet smiles, as you all walk out onto the little makeshift floor, as Hange and Levi start playing the piano, Levi’s quiet voice filling the backyard. 

When the rain is blowing in your face And the whole world is on your case I could offer you a warm embrace To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear And there is no one there to dry your tears I could hold you for a million years To make you feel my love

You pause from looking at Eren, as you pull him closer – resting your ear against the beating sound of his heart – and catch it all again, the love in the room so warm it’s almost suffocating. Because it’s Falco still stepping on Gabi’s feet after all these years, Ymir spinning Sofia way too many times, and Jean and Mikasa dancing with Lily in their arms. 

“Can you believe they wrote a song about us?” you whisper. 

“I’ll fucking say. It was about time. Do you know how many weddings we’ve carried on our backs by writing songs?” 

“Don’t exaggerate, Eren. It was only like three.” 

“Three too many. I was expecting the damn fanfare when I walked in.” 

You both laugh, before leaning forward, and looking over at Hange and Levi – soft smiles that they give each other, as they play the piano together. 

I know you haven't made your mind up yet But I will never do you wrong I've known it from the moment that we met No doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue I'd go crawling down the avenue No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do To make you feel my love

--

Eren makes his SNL debut three months after the fact and you figure that there's no better time to announce the fact that you and Eren are together. A silly little skit – where your fake characters are both named Margaret and Bruce – is the perfect end to what the two of you started at the beginning of the week, when you released your songs False God and Only Angel on the same day. 

But unbeknownst to Eren, you change the original plan you had – to play False God at the end of the show – and choose to play a different song at the end. Eren turns to you, giving you a last wink as the show starts rolling, and he turns to the camera. 

“Once again, Y/N L/N-Jaeger.” 

There’s a resounding sound of cheers as Eren takes his side next to Connie and Maryam at the front, as you start strumming on the guitar. 

Fatefully I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me Misery Like the war of words I shouted in my sleep

And you passed right by I was in the alley, surrounded on all sides The knife cuts both ways If the shoe fits, walk in it 'til your high heels break

And I fell from the pedestal Right down the rabbit hole Long story short, it was a bad time Pushed from the precipice Clung to the nearest lips Long story short, it was the wrong guy Now I'm all about you I'm all about you, ah Yeah, yeah I'm all about you, ah Yeah, yeah

The first thing you catch sight of when you look out is Hange and Levi. And the first thing that comes to mind is that speech – watching Hange spilling tears into that microphone, watching it in your pajamas with Colt at your side and Falco fast asleep somewhere in the corner – and it makes your stomach jolt. 

Actually I always felt I must look better in the rear view Missing me At the golden gates they once held the keys to When I dropped my sword I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door And we live in peace But if someone comes at us This time, I'm ready

Ricky comes to mind next, but it’s only because you can see Lana and Sukuna in the third row – their heads leaned against each other as they hold hands. Because it’s not exactly the justice she exactly deserved, but years after the fact, his horrible mouth had landed him on a blacklisted list of actors – and really, he was never to be seen again. Hyla and Scott were always around, but never warranted a second thought after what you had done to them – tearing their once empire to the ground with your own bare hands and a pencil. 

No more keepin' score now I just keep you warm (keep you warm) No more tug of war now I just know there's more (know there's more) No more keepin' score now I just keep you warm (keep you warm) And my waves meet your shore Ever and evermore

Past me I wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things Your nemeses Will defeat themselves before you get the chance to swing And he's passing by Rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky And he feels like home If the shoe fits, walk in it everywhere you go

The raw spot of hurt that was reserved for Marco softened over the years and the over-consuming feeling it once used to give you was now open – for you to give to other parts of your life. To your friends, to your family, and to Eren. 

Eren. 

Now I'm all about you (and now) I'm all about you, ah (and now) I'm all about you (and now) I'm all about you, ah Yeah, yeah I'm all about you (and now) Yeah, yeah I'm all about you

You can’t help but smile at him, feeling your heart nearly pounding in your chest, as you look at him – smiling back at you from the front row, his hands pressed to his chest, with a silver band around his ring finger. 

Long story short, it was a bad time Long story short, I survived 

Hange had told you, indirectly all those years ago, to show people the real you. And as much acting as you and Eren had done - method and otherwise - you supposed there was nothing more real than the love that existed between the two of you.

Eren closes the distance and you swing your guitar to the side as he brings his hands around your cheeks and presses one last kiss to your lips before the camera cuts. 

--

an: a very bittersweet goodbye to one of the most special fics i've ever written. i truly do not think that there are enough words that i can string together (which as ironic as someone who is a fic writer) to explain what this fic has meant to me, what your interactions have meant to me, and everything else in between.

this fic has truly been a piece of my heart - not only because i've poured so many of my real emotions into each of the characters, but also because it's brought me so much joy to share with people - and to have them nitpick and find all the little clues i've been leaving along the way.

whether you've been reading since july or just picked it up in the few days before it was finished, thank you so much for being here 💌

PS: method acting fun fact! this fic was actually a REQUEST that I wrote for someone, if you can believe it. further proof to kind of interact with writers and show ur love bc u can ask for a fic and then be stuck with this mumbo jumbo of almost 270k words at the end of it.

peace and love!!! ronnie out <3

(if you request any side pieces about this stories/ask any questions/etc!!! I am more than happy to always answer. i've thought of so much lore in my head)

taglist: @k0z3me @sugu-love @yihona-san06  @bsenpai @sweetenertea @mykyoon  @violetmatcha @rebeccawinters @cutiejg @bokutosthings @bookwrmm @mblrrr @wheredidmycrowngo @somethinginyoureyes7 @chilichopsticks @okaystopwhore @you-always-made-me-blush @itzmeme @firelordazulaaaa @whoami-72 @g-ghostly @intimacywithceline @erensmoodygf @cocomellxn @princess-ackerman @jaegerfiles @cacapeepee @rui-0836 @moonmalice @invisible-mori @sofiasber @bbybeeb @timetobegone @tee4str @ttokki2 @leave-rae-alone @ec3lipsy @officialsimpp @gojojang @yookayyo @lordbugs @multiplefandomthings @iobeyfandoms @camilo-uwu @justanotherkpopstanlol @mel-star636 @fvckingeetar @ttalgi @najaemism @ilovekimchi123 @youraggedybitch @xoyumiqls @leafguitar @spiidergirlsworld @luvs4kim @levin4nami @florichun @hoonmyluv

[unabashegirl]

Enticing 44 — Harry Styles CEO

Summary: Harry is a young billionaire and CEO of his own company. He mostly keeps to himself, he is stern and very meticulous when it comes to business. He also likes to keep his personal life very private for the sake of his newly born son Oliver Styles. It isn't until he meets Y/N Y/L/N that everything changes. She becomes his new nanny after his previous one quits due to personal reasons. She is young, caring, and sweet. Will they ignore their feelings? Will Harry's girlfriend accept their love and leave them? Will she be able to cope with his busy agenda? What about Oliver's mother? Where is she? Who is she?

— masterlist of enticing —

TAGLIST: @0oolookitsme, @happycupcakeenthusiast, @kennedywxlsh, @hsfics, @stylesbrock, @cuddlingwithharry, @sucker4angstt, @bluemoonedwings, @cherriesrae, @vornilla, @mellamolayla, @harryscurls21, @stilesissaved, @be-with-me-so-happily, @harryssattelitestomper, @jerseygirlinca, @tenaciousperfectionunknown, @lomlolivia, @stylesfever, @daphnesutton, @n0vaj3an, @breezykpop, @kathb59, @sassamanda77, @sherbitdibdab

Time had passed, and Y/N was finally given the green light by her doctor to return to work. While she had cherished the moments spent at home, taking care of Oliver and working comfortably in her loungewear, the excitement of being back in the workplace was palpable. She had missed the hustle and the thrill of encountering new challenges.

As she strolled through the office corridor, William's voice called out to her, “You're back!” He couldn't help but notice the significant growth of her baby bump; it was now undeniably visible that she was pregnant. The relationship between Harry and William remained somewhat strained, with their interactions limited to work-related discussions.

“Hi,” she greeted him with a warm smile, peeking into his office. “I'm feeling much better. I'm really glad to be back. How have things been in my absence?”

“Good, good. I'm thrilled to have you back,” William replied with a smile. Y/N gave him a nod and a parting smile before heading to her own office. Once inside, she settled down, organizing her workspace and preparing to tackle the mountain of emails and files that awaited her. The world of work was a welcome change, and she was determined to dive back in with the same dedication and enthusiasm she had always shown.

Every now and then, Y/N would pause her work to respond to text messages from Harry. He was in discussions with his realtor, working diligently to secure a new apartment. He had successfully sold their previous property, the one where he had once envisioned their happily ever after. It wasn't because the apartment was inadequate, but rather because it had become a repository of painful memories.

Moreover, Harry harbored a growing fear that Y/N's ex might have learned about the location or obtained some kind of information about it. The thought of that potential threat weighed heavily on his mind as he searched for a new place where they could start afresh, free from the haunting shadows of the past.

“I need a place with top-notch security, Alice,” Harry explained to his realtor, his gaze fixed on the view outside his expansive office window. He had a sense that she wasn't quite grasping the urgency of his request. He continued to emphasize his need for enhanced security, as well as a requirement for increased privacy.

“None of the penthouses you've shown me have private elevators,” he pressed, his tone becoming sterner. “Anyone can access the top floor. Do you understand, Alice? This was the one non-negotiable requirement I had.” His frustration was evident.

“Mr. Styles, perhaps I can explore options outside Manhattan or consider a brownstone?” Alice suggested. Despite being in her sixties, she had a reputation for catering to high-end clients. To her, Harry was a challenging client, not easily impressed.

“That might work,” Harry contemplated. He knew they couldn't live too far from the city. Manhattan, with all its traffic and hustle, had its unique charm. “I didn't mean to come across as harsh, Alice. I apologize. A few weeks ago, my wife was harassed at the entrance of our building. She's four months pregnant.” Harry was surprised at his own vulnerability. He rarely apologized and sharing his private life with others was even rarer.

“I understand, Mr. Styles. I'll get to work and send you some options,” Alice replied, her understanding deepened by her own experiences as a parent.

“No problem. I'll be eagerly awaiting those listings. Have a wonderful day,” Harry said and ended the call.

“Andrew!” Harry's voice rang out as he finished signing contracts and reviewing proposals. His plans for expansion into England were in motion. The trip to London, which had been intended for meetings with contractors and associates, had been abruptly cut short the day Y/N got injured. Since then, he'd been conducting virtual meetings, keeping his fingers crossed, and hoping for a smooth process without the need for travel.

“Yes, what can I help you with?” His assistant inquired.

“Has anyone from the London crew called or left any messages?” Harry asked, handing him a small stack of papers.

“Nothing yet. They mentioned they'd call the following morning, which translates to much later tonight,” Andrew replied.

“Alright. Anything else?” Harry asked as he set a late alarm on his phone to ensure he'd be available for their call.

“Well, there is one more thing...” Andrew hesitated, knowing it would only bring stress to his boss.

“Tell me,” Harry urged, “Is it about Y/N?”

“No, she's fine. It's actually from your father and sister,” Andrew said. The mention of his family immediately tensed Harry. The last time they had all been together, things had spiraled out of control, and his father had acted rudely, even hurting Y/N. Harry vowed to prevent such an incident from happening again.

“What's the matter with them?” Harry asked, his tone stern.

“Your father has been calling, asking to talk to you. Allison has been requesting a call back, something about siblings always sticking together,” Andrew relayed with a hint of amusement. Harry rolled his eyes at his sister's sentimentalism.

“I suppose I'll call her tomorrow. You can disregard my father's calls,” Harry decided.

“Alright,” Andrew nodded. “Is there anything else, sir?”

“No, I think I'm heading home. You can leave early, Andrew,” Harry said, powering down his computer and grabbing his wallet and phone. Andrew acknowledged and texted the driver that Harry was on his way down. “Have a pleasant evening,” Harry bid as he waited for the elevator.

Winter was undeniably on its way, the air growing colder and crisper as Harry stepped out of the building and hopped into the waiting black suburban SUV. He could feel the seasonal shift, and he was looking forward to retrieving his scarves and long coats from the back of his closet.

“Mike, think we can make a quick stop for some Chinese on the way?” Harry asked, glancing down at a text from Y/N. She had a craving for Chinese food, especially dumplings in copious amounts. She'd even joked about wanting enough dumplings to rival Po from Kung Fu Panda, which had brought a chuckle from Harry.

“Of course, Mr. Styles,” Mike replied, smoothly changing their route.

Harry had come to appreciate the life he was currently leading. Gone were the days of waking up in his apartment, disheveled and nursing a hangover. He cherished his domestic life and the comforting presence of someone to come home to at the end of the day. Leaving the office now filled him with anticipation, eager to return to his home and his favorite people.

With their Chinese food secured and enough to last them several days, Mike drove Harry back to his residence.

“Have a good night, Mike,” Harry called out as he exited the car, carrying the two paper bags filled with delicious food. He knew Y/N was already in their apartment. He had arranged for another driver to take her to the office and bring her home every day, ensuring her comfort and safety.

“I'm home!” Harry's cheerful voice filled the air as the elevator doors slid open on the top floor. He wore a warm smile on his face, excited to reunite with the most significant loves of his life. “Y/N?!” he called out, setting the bags down in the kitchen before crossing the dining room and entering the living room. His surprise was palpable.

“Why aren't you answering my calls?" Allison Styles stood just a few feet away from Y/N, her attire a stark contrast to Y/N's relaxed appearance. She wore a dress with tights and boots, a trench coat, and gloves. Harry's gaze quickly shifted to Y/N, who sat on the couch with Oliver, clad in cozy pajamas and fuzzy socks, makeup-free.

“How did you get in here?” Harry inquired as he shrugged off his blazer, folding it in half and tossing it over the back of the couch.

“Why aren't you answering my calls or texts? I had to come all the way here just so we can talk. That's not fair, Harry,” Allison protested.

“I'm not answering your calls or texts because I'm busy living my life. I know why you're calling, and I don't want to hear it,” Harry retorted. Allison was easily swayed by her father, especially after significant conflicts. She had been enlisted to convince Harry to reconcile with their dad.

“Harry, he—” she began.

“I said I don't want to hear it, Allison!” Harry cut her off, frustration evident. “Why do you always do this? Why do you keep doing his dirty work?” He walked past her, heading toward Y/N and Oliver. He leaned down to kiss her forehead.

“He feels bad enough, Harry. He says he wants to get to know Y/N. How long are you going to carry this out?” Allison rolled her eyes. Her father had asked her to reach out to Harry on his behalf, despite their troubled relationship. She believed that they needed to forgive and forget; after all, he was their father, and they owed their existence to him.

“Grow up! He's manipulating you. You're being so foolish! He is using you to get what he wants. He doesn’t love us, and it’s time for you to accept it” Harry exclaimed.

“Harry!” Y/N interjected, placing a calming hand on his forearm.

“Where's Mom? What does she think about all of this, huh? Mom hasn't called me or anything because she knows I'm right. He should own up to everything and come talk to me face to face. I don't depend on him, Allison, and neither should you” Harry declared firmly, his anger simmering as he defended his stance.

— PREVIEW OF CHAPTER 61 —

“What's wrong?” Y/N inquired, her voice laced with worry. She scanned Allison's face for any sign of distress, her heart pounding with apprehension.

“I-I...” Allison stammered, struggling to catch her breath. Elizabeth, sensing the urgency of the situation, hurried to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water, her motherly instincts kicking in.

“Please, sit down,” Y/N urged, gesturing to the nearby couch. She knew that whatever news Allison had to share couldn't be easy to deliver.

Elizabeth swiftly returned with a glass of water, her hands trembling slightly as she handed it to Allison. The two women settled onto the couch, their eyes fixed on Allison, awaiting the news that had caused her such distress.

To their surprise, tears welled up in Allison's eyes, her emotions overwhelming her.

“Ali, please,” Y/N implored, her voice tinged with concern as she reached out to grasp Allison's hands, offering comfort. “Tell me what’s going on. You are scaring me”

Struggling to regain her composure, Allison took a deep breath before finally speaking.

“It's my mom and dad,” she began, her voice trembling. “They're at the hospital with Harry. They've decided to take him off life support.”

As Allison's words hung heavily in the air, a deep silence settled over the room. Y/N's heart sank at the news, her mind struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation.

If you would like to read ahead and get access to 17 more chapters of enticing and more writing pieces then check out my Patreon and join our community.

[moonchildstyles]

jealous vamp h bestie?

wordcount: 3.5k+

—————

(Y/N) couldn't help the sigh she let out from where she stood on the terrace of Harry's Parisian penthouse. Her hands were hooked around the railing, keeping her from toppling over as she leant forward in a dreamy haze with her gaze attached to the Eiffel Tower bathed in morning light. Maybe she was trapped in her daydream, influenced by the ambiance of the city, but she swore she could smell the butter melting as croissants were baking in the shops below, sparkling water spritzing with sweet scents, and fresh baguettes being spread over with fancy cheeses and swirls of honey. 

"Not tired of this place, yet?" Harry asked with a gentle tone as he wrapped his cool arms around her waist from behind. The point of his chin settled into the curve of her neck, sighing into her scent. 

"Never," she smiled, settling her hands on his own as they folded over her middle. "What time is the showing?" 

The whole point of the trip out here instead of their usual time in Italy, had been so Harry could show her a chateau he was planning on potentially purchasing. He hadn't shown her too much of the listing online as he had declared he wanted it to be a surprise when he finally took her, but he had promised it was beautiful. Smaller than what he was used to, but he said it reminded him of her. Delicate and cozy, he'd described it as. A home. 

"Not until noon. We have time." Harry's murmured tone floated between them, joining the buttery warmth (Y/N) swore was wafting up to the terrace. 

"We have time for what?" She bit down on her bottom lip to stifle the grin that wanted to stretch wider on her lips. She knew exactly what he had in mind, exactly what he had made time for this morning. 

"Come back inside, and I'll show you, puppy." 

Spinning her in his arms, (Y/N) was greeted by the sight of Harry, bare-chested and warm after cuddling her through the night. Faint beams of sunlight dared to broach their daydream on the balcony, tracing the lines of his muscles in fans of a golden glaze. Having bit from her the night before after a decadent dinner at one of (Y/N)'s new favorite spots in the city, his cheeks were warm with a rosy color, skin tan, and eyes bright with curling strands of hair falling over his forehead. She could have melted under his gaze alone, the caress of his hands on her hips being the cherry on top. 

"Can we keep the balcony doors open?" she whispered, allowing him to lead her back into the mussed bedroom.

"Y'sure y'want everyone to hear you, puppy?" Harry dropped his head to press into the soft of her throat, the blooming bruise on the curve welcoming him as he remembered sinking his teeth in to the delicate skin.

"I'll try to be quiet," she got out, voice soft between them. 

Sucking in a deep breath of her scent, Harry could have swore his heart warmed and fluffed up just like the croissants he was trying to perfect for her. 

"Don't." 

—————

Harry couldn't keep the smug smile from spreading across his face as he caught his petal's reaction from the corner of his eye. When he started correspondence over getting a showing for this Parisian chateau, and seeing every photo of the estate, he had hoped her reaction would be something like this. The wonder in her gaze was something he would never grow tired of. 

"What do you think, m'petal?" he asked, pulling into the gravel drive of the home. 

"It—I—Harry," she floundered, her voice a sigh. 

"'S beautiful, isn't it? I thought you'd like the ivy," he murmured, finding a space to park beside the realtor's own car. 

While the chateau was gorgeous by anyone's standards, it was small to Harry. He'd grown very comfortable with sprawling estates full of rooms that he had no idea what to do with, multiples of every amenity, and more than enough space between himself and anyone who wiggled their way into his house. But, since (Y/N) entered his life and his heart, he felt no need for all of the cold space. There was no reason for him to be anywhere else other than close to her. This cottage was perfect for the existence he wanted with her. 

Even with the clouded sky, the charm of the chateau was not lost on him as Harry rounded the front of the car to help (Y/N) out of the passenger seat. Her warm palm in his was enough to get his smug smile melting into something genuine, the grin only stretching when she tucked herself into his side. 

"Harry, look!" she bubbled, bouncing in her spot, "There's roses!" 

Following the point of her finger, he saw the same rose bush that had been described in the listing that was emailed to him. Bright blooms stuck out against the forest green of the bush, thorns prickling down the stems, tipped in and inky black. The sight bordered on gothic compared to the hazy filter the sun left on the romantic view. "I know. They're gorgeous." 

"Do you know what kind they are?" she asked, floating closer to the rose studded bush with Harry in tow. 

He lent over her, peering around her shoulder to gauge the blooms with his own eyes instead of through the lens of photos. Noting the deep color of the blooms alongside how large the unfurled petals stretched, it didn't take him long to decipher the flora growing beside (Y/N)'s potential new home. He watched as she reached out to seemingly grab for one of the stems to bring the flower to her nose. Grabbing her just before she could cut herself on a thorn, Harry threaded his fingers between hers in a distracting squeeze. "I think 's a Lady In Red, my love." 

"How do you know?" she prodded, looking up at him with sparkling eyes as he lead her towards the front doors. 

Harry shrugged with a lopsided smile on his lips, reluctantly letting her hand go so he could twist the knob on the unlocked door. "I've had a lot of time to learn," he told her, looking down at where she stood at his side. His own little rose. 

Before (Y/N) could offer any response, he pushed the door open with a flourish. His relator, Charlana, should be around here somewhere, but he was sure she wouldn't mind if he allowed his love to take a look around the space before seeking her out. "After you, m'love." 

A twist panged in the pit of his stomach as got to watch the way she swept through the room. Even vacant from the sunny rays that filled every photograph on the listing, (Y/N) looked like a dream twirling through the space. She gazed around with those glittery eyes, taking in the small room filled with bouquets of flowers that had been pruned from the garden bordering the grounds, and cozy furniture that Harry would purchase alongside the chateau if she so wanted. 

He stayed back as she bubbled about the space, keeping an affectionate eye on her as she bounced into the kitchen and down the halls, exploring the place he would hopefully get to make her home. Harry listened in on the ramblings she let out, babbling about one thing before getting distracted with another. He knew she had been excited about being taken along to this showing, but he hadn't anticipated this level of enthusiasm.  

Allowing her to have her space and not feel like she needed to like the place just because he was there, Harry lingered in the staged living space, awaiting Charlana's presence. He could hear her heartbeat in the upper level, surely she'd heard them enter along with (Y/N)'s twirling. 

Soon enough a pair of feet started down the stairs, though the pattern sounded much heavier than what he recognized of Charlana's. With his arms folded across his chest, Harry leaned heavily against one of the walls, eyes fixed on the landing to the stairs. 

Just as he expected, someone who was not his relator appeared on the landing. Shiny blonde hair, navy suit, and a too big of a smile to be something of a natural expression was the first impression of this newcomer. While Harry was much harder to impress now that he'd become so accustomed to (Y/N)'s scent, he held a particular distain for this man's stink. 

As soon as the structure of his features could be seen around the megawatt smile on his lips, Harry had to put effort into keeping his features neutral. He was not expecting to be working with this realtor. He was someone Harry begrudgingly recognized, being apart of the same company as Charlana, but there was a reason he stuck to his typical contact. She never looked too hard at the paperwork and didn't ask questions that Harry wouldn't want to answer, and was decidedly less annoying that this man already was without saying a word. 

Bright blue eyes widened at the sight of his client, the man quickly schooling his features while Harry stayed stoney. "Mr. Styles! I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you come in," he beamed, striding through the space with a power that didn't match his presence, "I think we've met before, but I'm Rhys."

"Nice to meet you," Harry grumbled out, aware of the way his petal was wanting him to lessen on how bitter he was to anyone but her. It wasn't fun to be grumpy, she'd said, but it was hard to keep the distaste off his face at the touch of someone other than (Y/N) on his skin.

Though he tried to keep his expression in that neutral pleasantry, Harry was still able to catch the small wince he gave—from the temperature of his skin or depth of his grip, he didn't know. "Charlana wasn't able to make it out today—a last minute family emergency, she told me," he started after the small recovery, his hand going directly to his pocket, "but I will be forwarding her any decisions we make today and she'll be back to taking care of you after this." 

While he was sure he was overreacting only because of the change of plans he wasn't aware about, Harry still had to unclench his jaw to speak. "Okay. Thank you for coming to help."

Before any response could be offered, (Y/N) came twirling through the hallway, a bright smile on her face. "Harry, did you see the bathroom? There's an—Oh, sorry I didn't know anyone else was here." 

She deflated once she saw Rhys, looking nonchalant as if he were the one this space called around and not Harry himself. Rhys's eyes seemingly lit up the second he took in the sight of Harry's beloved, something in his grin angling differently in the light. He liked what he saw, that much Harry could tell. And, he hated it. 

Taking large strides towards her, Rhys offered her his tanned palm out for a shake. "It's alright, I wasn't aware we would be having a guest, either," he tried to soothe in a tone too strong, Harry watching the way his fingers wrapped too smoothly around (Y/N)'s. "I'm Rhys, filling in for Mr. Styles' regular realtor." 

He watched as she gingerly gave her hand, a polite smile on her face as she gave her own name only to be cut off when her hand was swept up by the tanned palm and brought up to Rhys's mouth for a kiss. 

For a split second, Harry saw red. If not for the fact he knew he wasn't in complete control, he would have lunged forward and shoved him out of her space, protecting her behind the broad of his back. But, with the way his mind went white blank, he knew that if he even attempted that, Rhys would most likely end up dead. His petal wouldn't like that. 

Instead, he focused on his beloved, gauging her reactions while he tempered himself down. She took the odd gesture with grace, offering a demure smile before slipping her hand out of his grip before much more contact could be made. He saw the way she peered over the man's shoulder, making eye contact with Harry with the smallest widening of her eyes. She tried to flit around Rhys blocking her, but before she could get much further, she was stopping by an offending hand on her bicep.

"You were talking about the master bath?" Rhys prompted, megawatt smile pasted to his face, "I can show you some of the extra amenities. Come with me." 

"I'm sorry—um—" Another glance over his shoulder had Harry striding towards them, decidedly forgoing his control in favor of pulling her away from this man, even if he left some broken bones in the wake. 

Rhys gave a dismissive wave over his shoulder, "Mr. Styles can come too, but he's already seen the listing. I want to show you some of the renovated features." 

Using that grip on her arm, Rhys twirled (Y/N) around, hand landing on the small of her back to lead her where he wanted. That had Harry reaching out to grab the offending arm, hopefully to break the bones underneath, but he was stopped by the look his bonded gave him. 

It was the curl of her brows and soft set of her mouth that told him he needed to calm down. As much as she would love to not have this man's hands on her, there was no reason for Harry to hurt someone so detrimentally. His hands fell into fists at his side, fuming as he fell into stride behind them, just barely realizing Rhys had been chattering away about what kind of tiles lined the shower. 

Taking a deep and unnecessary breath, Harry condemned himself to lean into the threshold as he saw (Y/N) being led into the bathroom, having successfully shook her arm out of Rhys's grip and out of his reach without him making it obvious he was trying to put his hands on her. She hummed and acknowledged whatever was coming out of the realtor's mouth while Harry made sure to gauge every minute detail of her reactions. More than anything, she looked bored. If for even a second he saw a tinge of panic or her comfort being taken, he was going to step in. He'd pay for whatever damage he made to the chateau. 

"What do you think? It's a little small than I'm used to working with, but it's very Parisian without dealing with the city," Rhys tried to sell to her, leaning a little too close into her space than Harry would have liked. 

"I—It's really nice," she told him, looking to Harry, "What do you th—" 

"Mr. Styles usually likes much bigger estates," Rhys interrupted, as if (Y/N) wouldn't know, "Besides, he's a very nice friend for gifting you the chateau, but its up to you and what you think." 

Maybe Harry should have stepped away for a moment. (Y/N) was more than capable of taking care of herself and putting a stop to this stupid conversation, but in that moment he could have sworn his feet were rooted to the floor. While Rhys's prodding could have been deemed innocent naivety, Harry knew better. He was prodding for information, wanting to know where he could wedge in next to (Y/N). 

"Oh, he's—uh—he's actually my—" 

"She's my wife." 

Harry's deadpan voice broke through the bathroom, causing Rhys to swivel around as if he didn't know there was a third in the room. Knowing he was caught, a flush rose to his skin, arms folding behind his back. Rhys shied away from Harry's eye contact, especially so as he stepped over the tiles towards (Y/N). 

"Oh, I didn't know. She's not wearing any ring, my—" 

"Does it matter?" Harry didn't have time to listen to floundering excuses. Of course, she wasn't wearing a ring, she was bonded to him by the soul. The technicality of a human marriage wasn't needed to make it clear they were entwined. A silly ring wasn't needed. (Unless she wanted one, of course, then he'd take her to his jeweler immediately). 

Rhys flicked his eyes between the two of them, finally acknowledging the way (Y/N) fit herself effortlessly into Harry's side once she could flit herself away from the space he'd wedged her into by the wall. Harry's arm fit perfectly around her waist, a gentle squeeze being given to the curve—a touch that reassured him more than her in the moment. 

Harry looked right into the pale blue eyes he decided he hated, feeling a little too smug seeing the way the man squirmed. ((Y/N) would have to wear that pastel hue again to get him to forgive it, but until then he vowed to hate it). "We've seen enough. Tell Charlana I would like another showing, and if she's not able to make it, to reschedule until she can. I would also like it to be very clear that this is the one and only time you will attempt to do business with us." 

With that, Harry led her out of the space with a flourish, reveling in the way (Y/N) cuddled into his side with ease. 

"Are you alright?" he asked once they were in the safety of his car, the gravel driveway crunching under the tires as he tore out of there. 

"Yeah, I'm okay. I didn't like how he was touching me, but he was just more annoying than anything." Her voice was quiet as she settled into the leather seat, a sigh pushing out her chest before she deflated into the folds of her sweater.

"I didn't like how he was touching you either," Harry grumbled, reaching across the center console and fitting his hand in hers. A delicate squeeze was given along with the brush of his thumb over the back, just where Rhys had dared to kiss. 

"Are you okay, H?" she peeped, twisting in her seat to give him the full of her glittery eyes, "I'm sorry I let him bother us—" 

"No, do not apologize," he grumbled, "You were only being kind, do not tell me you are sorry. I am alright, I just think I hate him." 

That had a peal of laughter falling from (Y/N)'s lips. "I can tell," she smiled, pulsing her hand around his, "I still really liked the chateau, though. I was hoping we could just explore it ourselves." 

"I know," he softened, relaxing into the fine leather of his seat with the distraction of driving easing him along with the touch of his love, "I am going to tell Charlana we want it." 

"Really?!" The way she bounced in her seat was well worth the annoyance he went through. 

"Yes," he said, reciprocating her smile, "And while what he said bothered me, he is right that this is your space. This is for you more than it is for me. I will only accompany you if you so invite me." 

"Wait," she sighed, sinking down with her mouth dropped into a small gape. Her heart had skipped a beat at his words. "Harry, you don't have to do that." 

"I want to, my petal," he cemented, "We have Italy and the manor together, but I realized you do not have a space all to your own. I want to give that to you." 

The soft of her lips pillowed against one another as she tried to find the words, a couple of moments passing as she opened her mouth only to close it once she didn't realize where she was going. 

"I'll always want you to come with me, though," she whispered, voice a small murmur between them and the hum of the engine. 

"You promise that?" he asked, a lopsided smile touching his features as he teased her. The more he heart the melody of her voice and concentrated on the baseline of her heartbeat, he lightened up. 

"Of course," she smiled, leaning closer to him as her own teasing smile bunched at her lips, "I'm your wife, aren't I?" 

He should have known she wasn't going to let that one go, even if she was attempting to feign it as a tease instead of something he could hear making her heart skip a beat. "And, I'm your husband. Formal ceremony or not, I believe our commitment warrants the title." 

"Me too," she agreed with a honey sweet smile, the bloom of her eyes warming him more than any bit of her neck could ever give. She softened some as she traced her gaze over his profile, feeling her linger over the angle of his nose. "Really, though. I don't want to be here if you're not with me. Thank you for wanting me to have my own space, but I want this to be our home. Wherever I go, I want you there, too." 

If his heart could squeeze and stutter, this would be the moment it would have pounded out of his chest in search of its lover. "Thank you, petal." 

As much as Harry was easily bothered by days like this, there was nothing that could soothe him like she did. All he needed was a quick glance in his passenger seat to see her gazing at him with adoration in her eyes, her hand in his, and his bite on her neck. 

He'd go wherever she wanted him.

—————

idk if hes all that jealous in this and its also significantly shorter than most of my stuff but I hope its alright!!! thank you sm for reading and to whoever requested this, sorry for any mistakes and if you have any ideas or requests of your own please send them in!

[watchinghallmark]

Alright! I was at work this morning (not necessarily working because how could I with all the excitement??), so here is the deep dive no one asked for.

This is extremely long because I posted the summaries but if you want to know my thoughts on each movie/program, join me under the cut! This is just for Hallmark Channel. Another post coming for Mystery and Hallmark+ later on.

Hallmark Channel

🎄 ‘Twas the Date Before Christmas  Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 18 at 8/7c Cast: Robert Buckley, Amy Groening Premise: To prevent her family from canceling the “Chamberlain Family Christmas Olympics,” Jessie (Groening) lies and says she’s inviting a date to the long-standing holiday tradition. She meets Bryan (Buckley) on a dating app, and he agrees to spend the holiday with her and her family. As Jessie and Bryan engage in eccentric activities like the search for the Christmas tree star, gift wrapping contest and snowball fight, they start to develop real feelings for each other. Soon her family begins to catch on to their secret and Bryan suspects she may be hiding the real reason for her unusual Christmas date request. As the celebrations continue, Jessie must work to keep all her stories straight and save her date with Bryan.

I love this pairing! It's so great to see Amy as a lead. She was so fun in The Santa Summit last year. This sounds like a fun one and a great way to kick off the festivities. What is she hiding???

🎄 Holiday Crashers  Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 19 at 8/7c Cast: Lyndsy Fonseca, Daniella Monet, Chris McNally, Jag Bal Premise: Best friends Toni (Fonseca) and Bri (Monet) have worked at the same card shop for more years than they should as both struggle to find their true life’s path. This holiday season, Toni and Bri decide to shake up their humdrum world by creating new identities to crash the amazing Christmas parties from the shop’s confidential invitations. All harmless fun! Until Toni gets mistaken for a lawyer, which isn’t too far off the mark since she did finish law school… just never completed the bar exam. Toni and Bri are then whisked away to a fancy corporate Christmas retreat in the snowy Vermont mountains by handsome business mogul, Justin (McNally), whose crush on Toni is real even if her legal career isn’t. And Bri is along for the ride as she has eyes for Vinny (Bal), a valet who may have a secret of his own. Can a distraction help Bri find what path in life she’s supposed to follow? Will Toni end up with the guy of her dreams or in a blizzard of trouble? This fun Christmas crashing romp will either end in disaster or two happily-ever-afters!

This sounds like a wild ride and I'm here for all the shenanigans! Great cast. It's nice to see Daniella acting again.

🎄 Scouting for Christmas  Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 20 at 8/7c Cast: Tamera Mowry-Housley, Carlo Marks, Marci T. House Premise: Angela (Mowry-Housley) has been a busy realtor since her amicable divorce a couple of years ago to Dakota (James Paladino, Lucky Hank), a paleontologist whose adventures kept him anywhere but home. Now, she is a devoted if often harried, single mom to a smart and loving 10-year-old girl, Brooklyn (Audrey Wise Alvarez, The Good Doctor). Angela’s busy schedule makes it hard for her to find time for much of anything — or anyone — else. As it is, she can barely get Brooklyn to her scout meetings on time, much to the disapproval of the other mothers. When Brooklyn gets the idea to have William (Marks), the owner of her favorite bakery, cater her scout troop’s posh annual holiday event, she asks Angela to work with him on pitching the idea to the moms in charge. Despite sensing that her daughter might be trying to play cupid, she agrees to help and finds herself enjoying time with him, but is reluctant to open her heart and life to someone new. When Dakota returns, missing her, Angela must decide what is best for her daughter and best for her heart.

The daughter is sweet mute orphan Millie from WCTH! The one who was obsessed with Henry (same girl same). Love her. Anyway. Carlo is one of my faves. He's just so cute! This sounds like there will be some drama with the ex and that's fun. Throuple?

🎄 Operation Nutcracker (Previously on Hallmark Movies Now) Premiere Date: Friday, Oct. 25 at 8/7c Cast: Ashley Newbrough, Christopher Russell Premise: When an antique nutcracker set to be auctioned at the Warby family Christmas charity goes missing, a demanding event planner (Newbrough) and the heir to the Warby dynasty (Russell) try to track it down.

I've already seen this and it surprised me. I don't necessarily care for either actor but it was actually really enjoyable.

🎄 The Christmas Charade  Premiere Date: Saturday, Oct. 26 at 8/7c Cast: Rachel Skarsten, Corey Sevier Premise: Whitney (Skarsten), a cautious librarian raised by home security experts, finds herself in a real-life adventure when a blind date mix-up leads her into an undercover FBI operation. Forced to pose as the girlfriend of Special Agent Josh (Sevier), she helps him track down an art thief targeting the Saint Nicholas Ruby at a Christmas Eve charity ball. As the stakes rise, Whitney must embrace her inner action hero to save the day—and her family—just in time for Christmas.

This sounds incredible. Sort of reminiscent of The Royal Nanny but that's a good thing because that was so different and fun. I'm here for more Christmas action movies. I like this pairing a lot too.

🎄 The 5-Year Christmas Party Premiere Date: Sunday, Oct. 27 at 8/7c Cast: Katie Findlay, Jordan Fisher Premise: Over five years, Alice (Findlay) and her old theater school rival, Max (Fisher), reunite each holiday season to work at a Chicago catering company’s Christmas parties. While their undeniable chemistry grows, the timing is never right for romance – until the company’s final season pushes them to confront their true feelings. As they say goodbye to the job that brought them together, they might finally find love in the most unexpected way.

Sounds cute! I like when we get to see a couple through time.

🎄 A Carol for Two  Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 1 at 8/7c Cast: Ginna Claire Mason, Jordan Litz, Charlotte D’amboise Premise: After moving to New York to make it on Broadway, Violette Wagner (Mason) gets a job at Fiore’s, a legendary theater district diner, famous for its singing wait staff, who bide their time there, while awaiting that big break. Luck seems to be on her side when she gets a coveted slot, singing during Fiore’s annual Christmas Eve concert, which is attended by a who’s who of the theatre world. But her big opportunity turns out to be a duet with Alex (Litz), who has been less than welcoming, and believes she was only given the job because the owner of Fiore’s is a family friend. They’re stuck with each other, though, since people have been plucked out of that show and put right on Broadway. As they rehearse together, Alex’s cousin, Brad, takes an interest in Violette, and they begin dating but, unbeknownst to her, Alex has been feeding Brad information about her, Cyrano-style, to win her over. However, when Alex begins developing feelings for her as well, a love triangle ensues, and things come to a head when their deception is uncovered, which, in turn, threatens Violette and Alex’s big opportunity.

Well this sounds messy! I love mess! Great casting for Broadway fans.

🎄 Our Holiday Story  Premiere Date: Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8/7c Cast: Nikki DeLoach, Warren Christie Premise: As Dave (Christie) and Nell (DeLoach) recount their love story to their daughter’s boyfriend Chris, we follow them through one special Christmas where fate routinely brought them together – and kept them apart. But as Dave and Nell tried to find one another, they were oblivious to the fact that they were work nemeses paired together to throw a Christmas festival for their town. Meanwhile in the present, Chris struggles with relationship issues of his own as he attempts to say “I love you” for the first time to his girlfriend Jo. As our two couples and storylines intersect, lessons are taught and learned about communication, honesty and the capacity for change — in ourselves and in others.

I'm confused by this summary. How were they oblivious that they were working together and didn't like each other? Are we getting young versions of Dave and Nell? Why the boyfriend and not the daughter? Overall just a big HUH? from me. It's Nikki and Warren so I feel like it'll be good but I simply just do not get what this movie is about.

🎄 Holiday Mismatch  Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 3 at 8/7c Cast: Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick Premise: Sabrina, the Teenage Witch reunion! When free-spirited Kath (Rhea) and uptight Barbara (Broderick) clash at a Christmas committee meeting, they’re shocked to discover they’ve accidentally set up their adult children via a dating app. Determined to stop the romance, the two mothers team up, only to realize they have more in common than they thought. As their kids’ love blossoms, so does an unexpected friendship between their meddling moms, bringing both families together for a festive Christmas.

So excited to see Hilda and Zelda back together. This sounds like so much fun. I love that we're getting romance and friendship in a lot of movies this year. I need to know who the children are played by.

🎄 Trivia at St. Nick’s  Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 8 at 8/7c Cast: Tammin Sursok, Brant Daugherty Premise: Pretty Little Liars reunion! When students all flee an elite university in Vermont for winter break, the locals and faculty hunker down for their favorite time of year – the annual Christmas Bar Trivia Tournament! For Celeste (Sursok), a Type-A astronomy professor, this event combines the magic of Christmas with her greatest comfort in life: knowing the right answer. But when her colleague drops out of the tournament to do a month-long lecture tour in Asia, Celeste’s team must adopt Max (Daugherty), the football team’s new offensive coordinator. To Celeste, Max seems like nothing more than a grown-up class clown – though he brings an undeniable knowledge of sports trivia (a category their team has always fallen short in). Initial clashes between the two eventually turn into mutual appreciation as the team enjoys scavenger hunts on campus, decorating the international house with Christmas lights, baking Christmas cookies, and advancing toward the championship trivia game. Celeste can’t help but delight in Max’s infectious enthusiasm, love for all things Christmas and perhaps most importantly, his comfort with the unknown. And after a romantic wintery night at the campus observatory with Max, Celeste starts to wonder if being open to life’s surprises is more important than knowing the answer to everything.

Another fun reunion. This sounds cute.

🎄 Santa Tell Me  Premiere Date: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 8/7c Cast: Erin Krakow, Daniel Lissing, Benjamin Ayres, Christopher Russell, Kurt Szarka Premise: When Calls the Heart reunion! When Olivia (Krakow), a successful interior designer, finds an old letter from Santa promising she’ll meet the love of her life by Christmas Eve—and that his name will be Nick—she’s stunned to meet not one, but three guys named Nick (Ayres, Russell, Szarka). As she navigates these holiday romances, Olivia also finds herself drawn to her charming co-worker, Chris (Lissing), throwing her magical Christmas quest into question. With the clock ticking toward Christmas Eve, Olivia embarks on a heartwarming and humorous journey to uncover her true soulmate.

This is one reunion I actively dislike. Daniel Lissing, the quitter. But honestly bless him for not having the ability to be a lead in a show so that we could get Kevin McGarry. Obviously a huge upgrade. I hope she makes out with all of these guys. I definitely didn't expect this movie to have so many men when it was first announced so that was a pleasant surprise.

🎄 ‘Tis the Season to Be Irish  Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 10 at 8/7c Cast: Fiona Gubelmann, Eoin Macken Premise: Rose (Gubelmann), a nomadic house flipper, heads to Ireland to renovate and sell a cottage, but her plans are upended when she meets Sean (Macken), a local realtor determined to preserve his town’s heritage. As she works on the cottage and embraces Irish Christmas traditions, Rose finds herself falling for Sean and questioning her fear of settling down. Together, they must confront their pasts and discover if love is worth taking root.

This summary doesn't really give me any feels but I'm sure the movie will be pretty and Eoin is a hunk. It'll be nice to be transported to Ireland at Christmas.

🎄 Christmas With the Singhs  Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 15 at 8/7c Cast: Anuja Joshi, Ben Hollingsworth Premise: For Asha Singh (Joshi), Christmas is the most important time of the year. But when she’s stuck working at the hospital during the holidays, she wishes for some much-needed Christmas magic. Enter Jake (Hollingsworth), her former high school classmate, who unexpectedly reappears in her life. After a magical year together, Jake proposes. But their first Christmas as an engaged couple isn’t exactly the fairytale they imagined. When they head home for the holidays, they quickly discover their picture-perfect romance is about to get a serious reality check: their families couldn’t be more different! Juggling various holiday traditions, big personalities, cultural differences and complicated family dynamics proves to be a challenge as Asha and Jake have to learn if they can bridge their two families and survive a Christmas with the Singhs.

I really like this premise. It's nice to see different kinds of families and cultures represented on Hallmark. It's shocking, but Christmas isn't just for white people.

🎄 Jingle Bell Run  Premiere Date: Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8/7c Cast: Ashley Williams, Andrew Walker Premise: Avery (Williams) is an unadventurous schoolteacher whose sister secretly signs her up for The Great Holiday Dash, a Christmas-themed reality competition show where she’s paired with former hockey player Wes (Walker). Despite clashing at first, Avery’s puzzle-solving skills and Wes’ physical prowess help them excel as they travel from city to city and compete in festive feats that have a local flavor. It’s not long before a real connection between these opposites begins to blossom. But when Avery overhears a conversation between Wes and a show producer it threatens to derail their budding romance. Keeping their eyes on the prize, the duo continues to dash to the finish line but there may be a more personal adventure for them still in store.

This sounds like a blast. I think they're a good pairing.

🎄 Confessions of a Christmas Letter  Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 17 at 8/7c Cast: Angela Kinsey, Alec Santos Premise: Settie Rose (Kinsey), a quirky family matriarch, enters her town’s annual holiday letter-writing contest but needs help, so she hires struggling novelist Juan (Santos) to craft the perfect letter. When a mix- up leads to the rumor that Juan is engaged to Settie’s daughter Lily (Lillian Doucet- Roche, The Cases of Mystery Lane: Death is Listening), the whole family scrambles to keep up the charade. As Juan bonds with the Roses and overcomes his writer’s block, Settie learns that embracing her imperfect family is what truly makes her story special. Features a cameo appearance by Brian Baumgartner (The Office).

If Juan isn't gay I'm gonna riot. Happy to see Angela in a movie with a bonus reunion too. Seriously though. He better be gay. Where are the gays???

🎄 Christmas on Call  Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 22 at 8/7c Cast: Sara Canning, Ser’Darius Blain Premise: In the lead-up to Christmas, emergency room doctor Hannah Michaels (Canning) juggles her demanding job and a budding romance with EMT Wes Sullivan (Blain) in Philadelphia. They spend time together as Wes helps her become more acquainted with the sights, sounds and tastes of Philadelphia, it’s clear that they’re starting to fall for each other. As the local First Responders balance duty with holiday celebrations, they come together to face challenges, support each other and find moments of joy. Features a cameo appearance by Donna Kelce.

This sounds really nice and it's fun that they gave Donna the opportunity to be in this one too for fairness sake.

🎄 Three Wiser Men and a Boy  Premiere Date: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8/7c Cast: Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker, Margaret Colin Premise: The story begins five years later with the Brenner brothers preparing for another memorable Christmas. In a crazy turn of events, possibly brought on accidently by the brothers themselves, the director of Luke’s (Walker) son Thomas’ (Miles Marthaller, Round and Round) school holiday musical steps down. Luke is desperate to make his son’s stage dreams come true, so he enlists the help of his brothers Taylor (Hynes) and Stephan (Campbell). Meanwhile, the trio navigates meeting their mom Barbara’s (Colin) new boyfriend and the brothers grapple with their own feelings about this relationship. In true Brenner brother fashion, they are all in for a Christmas they will never forget.

Ok but what about the girlfriends?? Where are they? There's a lot of pressure on this one to be great so hopefully they can deliver.

🎄 To Have and To Holiday  Premiere Date: Sunday, Nov. 24 at 8/7c Cast: Madeleine Arthur, Robert Bazzocchi, Eric Close Premise: When Celeste (Arthur) gets engaged to Jason (Bazzocchi) after just a few months of dating, her father and the couple’s would be officiant, Pastor Mark (Close), insists on putting them through a pre- wedding “bootcamp” filled with Christmas-themed challenges. As the couple grows stronger through the festive activities, Celeste considers following her dreams in the fashion industry. Meanwhile, Pastor Mark learns to trust his daughter’s choices, leading to a heartwarming holiday season for the whole family.

Love to see the ghost from 3 Bed get to be a lead. She was lovely in that movie.

🎄 Debbie Macomber’s Joyful Mrs. Miracle  Premiere Date: Thursday, Nov. 28 at 8/7c Cast: Rachel Boston, Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes, Tanner Novlan, Matthew James Dowden, Max Lloyd-Jones Premise: Three adult siblings (Lamothe-Kipnes, Dowden, Lloyd-Jones) return to their childhood home at Christmas to honor their late grandmother’s wishes and try to agree on new leadership for the family’s company. Enter Annie Merkel (Boston) – also known as Mrs. Miracle – who poses as an estate planner and uses her special brand of Christmas magic to help the family find common ground and rekindle their bonds. As the siblings try to sort things out, Charlotte (Lamothe-Kipnes) also finds herself reconnecting with Austin (Novlan), the manor’s caretaker and her first love.

I'm gonna need one (or both) of the brothers to be gay, thanks.

🎄 A ’90s Christmas  Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 29 at 6/5c Cast: Eva Bourne, Chandler Massey, Katherine Barrell Premise: Workaholic lawyer Lucy Miller (Bourne) is celebrating her promotion alone on Christmas Eve when a mysterious rideshare experience transports her back to 1999. Reliving the holiday with her mom, sister and best friend – not to mention her high school crush – Lucy gets a second chance to understand where her relationships went wrong. Will this magical journey help her rewrite her future or leave her destined to be alone?

Did her Uber driver drug her? Also, how were they high schoolers in 1999? Kat and Chandler were both born in 1990. Maybe it's just weird phrasing? Concept seems fun I guess.

🎄 Deck the Walls  Premiere Date: Friday, Nov. 29 at 8/7c Cast: Ashley Greene, Wes Brown, Danny Pellegrino Premise: Rose (Greene) is a Chicago-based interior designer, whose brother Sal (Pellegrino) is responsible for a Christmas Charity House Flip back in their suburban Ohio hometown. When a budget crisis puts this important project in danger, Rose reluctantly returns during the holidays to try to save the day. Not ready to face the ghosts of her past, Rose’s plan is to get in, get it done, and get out ASAP. But before she knows it, she is face-to-face with Brysen (Brown), her brother’s best friend, contractor and who just so happens to be the bane of Rose’s youth. With the help of friends and family, and buoyed by the season of giving, the trio figures out a way to work together for this worthy cause. As Rose works, she discovers unexpected love and deeper purpose along the way.

Oooh we love a brother's best friend enemy to lovers romance!

🎄 Believe in Christmas Premiere Date: Saturday, Nov. 30 at 6/5c Cast: Meghan Ory, John Reardon Premise: When Beatrice (Ory) reluctantly joins her best friend on a trip to the enchanting Christmasland, she’s skeptical of the holiday magic surrounding them. But as she experiences festive traditions and meets a charming stranger named Ethan (Reardon), she begins to question what’s real and what’s part of the experience. In the end, Christmasland helps Beatrice rediscover hope, love, and the magic of new beginnings.

Very cute that these two get to do a movie together and it sounds intriguing.

🎄 Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story Premiere Date: Saturday, Nov. 30 at 8/7c Cast: Hunter King, Tyler Hynes, Ed Begley Jr., Richard Riehle, Diedrich Bader, Christine Ebersole, Megyn Price Premise: Alana Higman (King) is sure that her family’s lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs superfans makes them a frontrunner to win the team’s “Fan of the Year” contest. Derrick (Hynes), Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana and her family stack up against the other two finalists. As the pair spends time together, it’s clear there’s a spark between them but when her grandfather’s (Begley Jr.) vintage Chiefs good-luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, destiny and even questions her future with Derrick – unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary. Features cameos by Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid, Chiefs Players Trey Smith, Mecole Hardman Jr., Clyde Edwards-Helaire and George Karlaftis, Donna Kelce, and Jenna Bush Hager.

There's so much hype for this one so it better be worth it.

🎄 The Finnish Line  Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6/5c Cast: Kim Matula, Beau Mirchoff, Nichole Sakura Premise: Inspired by her father’s acclaimed legacy in dog sled racing, Anya (Matula) decides to follow in his footsteps. After his passing, she heads to Finland to participate in the 40th annual Joulurauha race, her father’s final race where he fell short of the victory. Following an injury to her lead dog during the qualifying race, Anya finds herself partnered with a new canine companion owned by journalist and former racer Cole, (Mirchoff) who aims to pen a story about her journey. Struggling to build trust with her new dog and facing her father’s rival, Monty, (Páll Sigþór Pálsson, Mr. Murphy) Anya must navigate many challenges as she strives to win the race.

Really looking forward to this one! Fun, different plot and punny title too. I also really like the leads.

🎄 The Christmas Quest  Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 1 at 8/7c Cast: Lacey Chabert, Kristoffer Polaha Premise: An archeologist (Chabert) and her ex-husband (Polaha), an expert in ancient Norse languages, are sent to Iceland at Christmastime to search for the legendary treasure of the Yule Lads. When others join in the hunt, the pair find themselves swept into a thrilling adventure as they race to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

It'll be great to see these two together for the first time and I love that it's an adventure. We need more of those.

🎄 Private Princess Christmas  Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 6 at 8/7c Cast: Ali Skovbye, Derek Klena, Erica Durance Premise: Vi (Skovbye), better known as Princess Violet of Wingravia, adores the privileges of being a royal, if none of the responsibilities. After being disappointed by Vi one time too many, the Queen (Durance) decides to test her daughter’s mettle once and for all and issues an ultimatum: Vi must pass a vigorous leadership boot camp in Colorado or lose the throne to her uncle. At boot camp, Vi and her fellow cadets are put through a rigorous grind under the uncompromising supervision of Captain Ryan Douglas (Klena).

I'm not sure what a leadership boot camp is. Zoom meetings? Telling people they won't be getting a bonus? Concept sounds fun though and the romance maybe a little forbidden which I'm into.

🎄 Sugarplummed  Premiere Date: Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8/7c Cast: Maggie Lawson, Janel Parrish Premise: Emily (Lawson) has always dreamed of creating the perfect Christmas, meticulously planning every detail year after year, only to feel like she’s falling short. Hoping to bring her family closer together, she makes a wish for a holiday as picture-perfect as the ones she sees in a made-for-TV holiday movie. To her shock, Sugarplum (Parrish), the film’s relentlessly optimistic main character, magically steps off the screen to make Emily’s wish come true — whether she’s ready for it or not. As Sugarplum applies her movie-world rules to real life, Emily gets caught up in the possibility of finally achieving the flawless family Christmas. But when Sugarplum’s magical fixes start to backfire one by one, Emily begins to question what an ideal holiday really is. With time running out, Emily and Sugarplum find themselves on a heartwarming adventure – one that might just amount to an entirely different kind of Christmastime perfection.

I think this one will be a lot of fun and really unique which is nice. Very curious to see how it all comes together.

🎄 Leah’s Perfect Gift Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 8 at 8/7c Cast: Emily Arlook, Evan Roderick, Barbara Niven Premise: Leah Meyer (Arlook) is a bonafide lover of Christmas – the trees, the ornaments, the eggnog! But she has always admired the holiday from afar because she’s Jewish. Though her family celebrates Hanukkah, Leah has longed to experience a traditional Christmas. When her boyfriend Graham (Roderick) invites her to spend the holidays with his classic Connecticut family, she eagerly accepts. Excited to dive into the quintessential Christmas she’s always dreamed of, Leah quickly discovers that fitting in with Graham’s uptight family and his not-so-welcoming mom (Niven) is easier said than done. As holiday traditions clash and awkward moments pile up, it is not quite the cozy Christmas that she expected.

A mean mom is a really fun twist. I like the concept. Not familiar with Emily so it'll be nice to have a new face.

🕎 Hanukkah on the Rocks  Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 13 at 8/7c Cast: Stacey Farber, Daren Kagasoff, Marc Summers Premise: One week before Hanukkah, corporate lawyer Tory (Farber) finds herself unexpectedly unemployed and questioning the career she’s dedicated years to. As she helps her Bubby prepare for the holiday, she embarks on a quest across Chicago to find the last box of coveted Hanukkah candles. Her search leads her to Rocky’s, an Old Town bar, where she encounters Jay (Kagasoff), a charming doctor from Florida, his grandfather Sam (Summers) and a cast of quirky regulars who make her rethink everything. Torn between keeping her job loss a secret and embracing a newfound sense of belonging, Tory ends up bartending at Rocky’s, transforming it into the vibrant “Hanukkah on the Rocks” celebration. Through festive food, drinks, and games, she revitalizes the bar, bonds with Jay, and finds the courage to pursue her true calling. As Tory navigates the holiday, she learns that sometimes a detour can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be, lighting the way to a future filled with joy, romance, and self-discovery.

Could be fun. Haven't seen Daren around in a while so that's cool.

🎄 The Santa Class  Premiere Date: Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8/7c Cast: Kimberley Sustad, Benjamin Ayres Premise: Kate North (Sustad) finds herself reluctantly taking over her father’s once acclaimed and now struggling Santa School. In the weeks leading up to Christmas and the school’s next session, Kate and her new co-worker Dan (Ayres) discover who they believe to be the real Santa Claus, lost and without his memories after his sled steered off course and crashed near the school. They decide to help him remember who he is by inviting him to participate in the intense Santa training program. There’s a lot at stake this year with Kate’s school needs to best the rival St. Nicholas School or be forced to close their doors, and Nick (Santa Claus) needs to remember who he is, or the fate of Christmas might be at stake.

Bonkers but ok! I always love Kim.

🎄 Following Yonder Star  Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 15 at 8/7c Cast: Brooke D’Orsay, John Brotherton Premise: Abby Marshall (D’Orsay), once celebrated for her role as an inspirational mother on TV, is finding her real life in shambles after dealing with a scandal. She retreats to a luxury Vermont resort for Christmas only to find herself without a room due to a booking mishap. All the local hotels are booked up due to a rare astronomical event – a beautiful star said to mirror the Star of Bethlehem will appear on Christmas Eve. Thankfully, Abby finds a room at a quaint B&B, owned by Tom Maguire (Brotherton), who is also a high school astronomy teacher. Since his wife’s passing, Tom has taken on a lot of extra responsibilities, including running the inn and directing the local church’s Christmas pageant. Empathizing with Tom, Abby offers to help with the pageant and various activities around the inn and finds herself enjoying both the projects and Tom’s company. Through newfound community, family and love, Abby discovers that hope sometimes comes in the most unexpected ways.

This sounds sweet.

🎄 Happy Howlidays Premiere Date: Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8/7c Cast: Jessica Lowndes (Major Crimes), opposite the to-be-announced winner of Finding Mr. Christmas Premise: Mia (Lowndes), a meticulous webpage editor for the Seattle Tourism Board, finds herself unexpectedly navigating the holidays alone. As the only one working, she’s drawn into an unusual encounter when she encounters a stray dog. Unsure how to handle the situation, she crosses paths with Max (Winner of Finding Mr. Christmas), a dog shelter owner. Mia agrees to let Max’s ailing dog find solace with her newfound companion, in exchange for Max showing her the hidden gems of Seattle. Through their journey together, they both step out of their comfort zones, discovering new perspectives and forming a meaningful connection.

Sure. I guess it'll be fun to watch Finding Mr. Christmas and then get to watch him in action.

[dark-elf-writes]

Master of death Harry at UA who accidentally summons Oboro’s ghost and doesn’t get why Shota and Hizashi are crying but doesn’t say anything as they cry

I read this as MoD Harry as a student doing this which makes this funnier and also more heartbreaking.

Like Harry leaving after the battle and needing to do something different, something that doesn’t involve a castle of ghosts and the memory of blood on his hands and screams in his ears, he ends up, through a letter sent to him at exactly the right moment courtesy of Nezu (and how he managed to get a letter delivered to an unplayable address Harry isn’t sure he wants to know), as the oldest member of 1-A.

He doesn’t really know what to claim as a quirk because his magic is fucked and telling people is illegal but then he summons a ghost (the previous tenant of his apartment who had a heart attack and Merlin he is going to have words with his realtor) literally the night before and decides “Necromancer” is close enough. Besides the dead flock to him now (had they always?) whether he wants them to or not, it’s only fair that he gets something out of it other than a terrible sleep schedule and the world’s first anti-ghost ward outside his bathroom.

And UA has no shortage of ghosts. Students, alumni, and former teachers alike follow Harry’s every step from the moment he enters the gates a day before everyone else (for a meeting with his new teachers to “see where he places due to his unique circumstances” which sounded like kind way to say “we know you have a year four education in non magical subjects”) but one in particular shoos the others away with a smile and whisper of… something herding them off. He doesn’t fully manifest, invisible to everyone but Harry, as he follows his steps.

“Hey, kid, you’re the transfer right?”

If Harry was less used to ghosts he would be a little offended about being called “kid” by someone who looked the same age as him, but Ghosts were frozen as how they were when they died. For better or worse.

At least when around Harry they didn’t show their death wounds. Instead appearing whole and unblemished.

The meeting room was full when Harry entered, the ghost at his shoulder, and he fought the urge to check for exits. He didn’t need a window to get away with his magic, didn’t think any of the people here were strong enough to stop him if he wanted to leave, quirks or no, not since he had collected the hallows and everything changed.

“Er, hello.”

Well, maybe not everything changed.

Several of the teachers smile, one with the most ridiculous hairstyle he has ever seen beaming particularly brightly, but it was Nezu that drew his eye.

Nezu who smiled at him and gestured to where a steaming cup of tea waited at the empty space on the table. “Potter-kun. How lovely it is to meet you in person.”

Harry had barely made it to table when he felt the familiar yank of his power slipping the leash — less common now but always at the worst moments — and a moment later the ghost still following him gasped as color flooded him.

Huh. His hair was blue. Teddy would like that.

The blond teacher stood so quickly their chair flipped behind them followed by two others wide eyed and disbelieving as they stared at the ghost. The ghost who watched them with eyes just as wide, wiggling his fingers and gasping when their eyes followed the movement.

“You can see me?!”

Harry froze, not daring to breathe. Fuck this was bad, but the question was how bad.

Then one of the teachers, the woman who Harry was very careful to not look below her shoulders, sobbed.

Right… this was… not a great way to start a new school. “Traumatize your professors” was usually a term four activity for him not before school had officially started. Still it couldn’t hurt to let them talk for a while. He could always send the ghost away if things went south… probably… maybe… eventually.

Harry sank into his seat and drained his tea in one long swallow. This was going to be along day.

[1800titz]

TDIAG CHAP 11.1, OUT ON PATREON NOW

You’ll text me when you get home.

Safe and sound. She feels something wedged between her molars — seaweed, maybe, and the bitter tang of unease. A faze that washes over her tongue as she prongs it out from its enamelized prison. She’s safe and sound, sprawled over linen, and somehow the churning behind her ribcage doesn’t simmer away.

She’d been instructed to send a message, actually. It’d been a command. The first time is an accident, but she begins to wonder if she’s breaking some unspoken, unagreed upon rule when she airs Harry Realtor’s Good morning text the next day, sidling out of bed to haphazardly attempt taming her mane of sleep-mussed hair for the workday.

She thinks, it must stipple more into a morally ambiguous territory, rather than a simple sex-rule-disappointment thing, when she notices his Everything okay? message a few hours post her lunch break… and opts to silence his notifications entirely.

She doesn’t know what she’s running from. Seeing his texts surge through the aether and light her LED alive makes a raw panic curdle her bloodstream, but she’s known for weeks that the leather and chains — an alter ego she’d become well accustomed to — was entwined with the seemingly sweet real estate agent, masquerading.

Metathesiophobia. That’s what it’s called on the internet. A long word for a throbbing affliction. Harry doesn’t text again. Dissecting the root of the discomfort feels like discomfort in and of itself.

[homosociallyyours]

It's been a minute since we've talked about this but I would love to read a fic from you in the Selling Sunset universe!

HI HI HI

thank you for this!!!

I can't tell you how I squealed when I read this idea!!! The office intrigues!!

I picture Harry throwing the most elaborate, over the top open houses: Veuve with a View-- Veuve Cliquot and caviar at her 6.5 million dollar listing in the Hills; the Baller's Ball-- a black tie masked ball style open house in the 22 million dollar former home of a former NBA legend. She's at the top of her game until the return of one of the most successful realtors in the history of the Oppenheim group returns.

Louis Tomlinson is no nonsense and no frills, with less fanfare in her open houses. But somehow she manages to close every. damn. deal. It's probably her stupid sexy British accent or something, Harry isn't sure.

At first Harry talks shit behind Louis' back in an attempt to get the other women to dislike her, but unfortunately it keeps not working out. Finally Louis corners her after a big party celebrating the new office renovations being completed. They're out on the street, Louis having followed Harry to her car because she's' determined to get this settled between them.

--

Harry felt the sweat starting to gather between her breasts in the muggy August evening, vaguely wishing she hadn't left the coolness of the air conditioned building without making sure Louis was gone first. Not that she could've predicted Louis would choose this moment to have a showdown with her. All she wanted was to get in her car and drive home with the windows down, nothing but the sound of the wind rushing in her ears to keep her company.

"Are you even listening to me?" Louis asked, arms crossed in front of her. They pushed her natural breasts up enough to draw Harry's eyes to her cleavage momentarily as she tuned back in.

"Yes," Harry scoffed. "You asked what my problem is."

"And?"

Harry watched a bead of sweat roll down Louis' neck, snaking its way down into her cleavage. She huffed, frustrated at Louis forcing her hand like this.

"Should I take my shirt off, or are you enjoying the view enough as is?" Harry jerked her gaze up to find Louis smirking back at her, blue eyes practically dancing with mirth.

"I wasn't-- I just--" Harry sputtered, wondering how to pull back some control. "I'm not a lesbian."

"Neither am I," Louis said, shrugging. She moved toward Harry, reaching out to touch her wrist. "Does it matter?" Harry couldn't formulate a response, her brain going offline with Louis' proximity. "I'd rather we fuck this stupid tension out now than let it turn into something worse a few months from now."

A million questions crackled and popped through Harry's mind, synapses firing that she'd never imagined existed. How would another woman taste? Feel? Would she be dominant? Submissive? Both and neither at once? Had Louis done this before? Was this a joke or a mind game, or--

Louis' hand moved to her waist and Harry's mind stopped. Her heart racing, she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Come home with me."

----

They are end game obviously and in my dreams they actually leave the O group and move to the UK to start their own brokerage together! Love wins :)

Send me a summary of a fic you wish I would write if you want!! (or just reblog the post for yourself)

[sitp-recs]

Do you know of Drarry fics with a reality tv show theme 😁

Hi anon! I don’t know many but these are great fun:

a new kind of blind date by swoons (T, 1.2k)

Keen to escape his fans, Harry joins the cast of a hidden-identity dating show. The Love is Blind AU.

Blind Date by nerakrose (G, 1.8k)

A variety of high profile people are roped into a Blind Date reality programme.

Selling Britain by prolix (T, 3k)

The housing market in Wizarding Britain is booming, and the competition between realtors is fierce. “Selling Britain” offers a glimpse into the rich and ruthless lives of real estate brokers at the Patil Group, Diagon Alley’s premier real estate agency. Tensions are high after new realtor Harry Potter joins the team, but no one is more upset about the new addition than veteran agent Draco Malfoy. Or: Drarry meets "Selling Sunset".

The Perfect Match by PalenDrome (M, 16k)

After a disastrous blind date lands him an unflattering headline in the Prophet, Harry's friends convince him that being a contestant on a wizarding dating show couldn't be any worse.

Last City by zeitgeistic (E, 27k)

Twenty-four Twenty-three men, six cities, and one unusual sexual requirement.

Desperately Seeking... by @maesterchill (E, 34k)

Harry Potter is NOT desperate for someone to love. He DOESN'T need anyone's help to find a date. And he CERTAINLY doesn't want to go on a dating show! Unfortunately for him, his teenage children have other ideas. After all, they know just how big and loving (and a little bit lonely) their dad's heart is.

The Incredible Race by dysonrules (M, 50k)

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, Aurors, are forced to join a televised global race in order to provide some free positive publicity for the Ministry, despite the fact that Aurors Potter and Malfoy don't exactly get along.

[maddieautobot273]

Silk & Cologne (54)

A Miguel O'Hara X OC Fanfic - link to AO3 (X)

Chapter 54: Dawn - previous chapter (X)

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Female! Spidersona OC

Words: 5.8K words

Warnings: PG for injury and implied weapon of mass destruction

Summary: Lisa and her friends shut down the poral threatening to collapse Earth-1218.

//////

We all stared up at the portal in the sky, watching as it slowly sparked and crackled. It was becoming unstable. If it collapsed, would it simply be over and done with? It would go out in style and take my universe with it?

“What do we do now?” Noir asked, raising his voice as a large and loud gust of wind rush passed us. 

“We need to figure out a way to contain it!” Miguel yelled back, using his body to brace and shield mine from the wind, or try to at least. 

Panic rattled in my mind about the multitude of things that could go wrong. Even if we do contain it, what about the authorities? People would talk, ask questions. What about the national guard? The military? 

Come to think of it, where are they? 

A wave of guilt washed over me, “I probably shouldn’t have been too quick to kick Chameleon to the curb.”

“If you hadn’t, he would have taken me to God knows where,” Kasey shook her head as she glanced my way, her arms raised to shield her face from the wind. “You saved me, Lisa.”

“Don’t ever apologize for something like that,” Miguel reassured me. “In fact, I may have an idea on how to stop this. Well, two actually!”

“Let's hear it then before we’re blown away like leaves!” Gwen screamed, trying to keep herself and Touga from falling over. 

“Lyla,” Miguel brought his gizmo up to his face, trying to scroll through the touch screen. “Remember Project: Reset? Back in the old Alchemax days?”

“Oh, do I!” Lyla grins as her holoform appears, rubbing her hands together like an eager grasshopper before cycling through the database on her personal screen. 

“What’s Project: Reset?” I asked him.

I watched as a small portal opened beside Miguel and he reached inside it. He pulled his hand out, holding a strange looking sleek white baton. “Back during my early days in Alchemax when I first started, my old boss would have me occasionally work with the company’s R&D department. They were experimenting with a weapon that– with enough charge– could wipe and realtor people’s memory on a massive scale.”

“Sounds like a weapon of mass destruction to me!” Toya commented. 

“It was, which was why I convinced my then boss at the time to shut it down before more could be made,” Miguel responded. 

“Okaaay, but how does that help us with that?” I asked again, pointing at the portal as the integrity seemed to be getting worse. 

“With the portal? Nothing.” Miguel yelled over the wind as he began to tweak and make altercations with the device. “Lyla, Margo, and Gabriel can work their magic from HQ and contain the blast, sending it directly back to Harry’s dimension and doing a number on his lab. At the same time, I can trigger this device to alter the town’s people’s memories so they won’t remember anything from the invasion.”

“That’s brilliant!” Hannah beamed, gripping onto Touga to keep still. “A little terrifying, but brilliant!”

“But what about everyone else all over the world that was watching the festival online or on TV?” Kasey asked. “They’ll know something is off if the people of New York suddenly act like this all never happened.”

“Remember the part I mentioned about charging the device?” Miguel recalled. His eyes scanned the area, looking up to the top of the Statue of Liberty, specifically the tip of the flame torch in Lady Liberty’s hand. “If I can get high enough, I can pick up the broadcast signal and transmit the wipe to everyone that was watching the show!”

“Perfect, let’s do that!” I exclaimed, eyes widening in relief. 

“But there’s a catch,” Miguel quickly added, hooking his arm around my shoulders to stop me from blowing away. “I need to replace the memory of the invasion with something else-!”

“Like a fake memory or an actual event?” Noir asked. 

“Definitely the ladder!” Miguel answered back in earnest. 

“Like. . . like a canon event?” My mind was racing as I tried to figure out what new memory we could create to replace the one of the invasion. 

I could sense the gears in his head turning as Miguel looked over at me. “Kind of, yeah!”

“We’re always saving the canon from breaking, so this will be a wonderful change of pace!” Gwen grimaced and pushed against the wind. 

“So what kind of canon event?” Toya asked, his voice yelling over the wind. “It has to be something big right?”

Think, Lisa, think! 

All of those people, in the audience and watching on TV, their phones, laptops, why were they all tuning in in the first place?

Then it hits me. How could I have been so blind?

“What about our show?” I suggested, looking out towards the team. 

“The show?” Kasey repeated with more emphasis. 

“Yes, the show. Our dance, you guys!” I exclaimed, my gaze washing over Kasey, Hannah, Toya, and Touga specifically. 

My Webslingers. 

“Everyone came to see our show, so let’s give them a show!” I fought against the wind with an encouraging smile as I took my mask off so they could see my face. 

My friends looked at each other, silently debating what to do. 

“But wait, you said it alters people’s memories,” Kasey spoke up, a look of worry on her face. “Does that mean our memories will be changed too?”

Miguel hesitated briefly as the eyelets of his mask drooped to a sad expression, his voice laced with apology. “The device has been altered to protect only those wearing a gizmo. So, yes. . . your memories will be altered.”

“Then. . . that means you guys won’t remember everything that’s happened. You all finally getting the chance to see the real Miguel. The real me. . .” The realization hit me as I felt my heart drop to my stomach. 

My body suddenly felt heavy and limb. For a second, I thought I wouldn’t have to hide such a big secret from them anymore. I thought I’d be able to finally be my complete self around them.

I felt the grip of Miguel’s arm tighten around my shoulders, his silent apology plucking at my heartstrings.  

“If by the odd chance this does work. . . might as well go out with a bang, right?” Touga shrugged with a contagious smile. 

“What?” My voice was barely a whisper being carried out into the wind as I looked up towards my friends. 

“Considering all of the crazy stuff that we’ve seen in the last hour?” Hannah gawked at her friend before sharing a glance with me and the rest of the group. “I’m in! I think this can work!”

“If Hannah’s in, I’m in!” Toya grinned, grabbing her hand before looking over at Kasey. “What about you, K?”

Kasey glanced between everyone else before her gaze fell upon me. My eyes poured into hers, pleading for her to trust me. She suddenly laughed, hysterical even, before waving her hands in the air. “You’re our friend, Lisa. Super hero or not. What the hell! This day can’t keep getting any weirder, right?”

I grinned in relief before looking over to Miguel, nodding my head. “Let’s go with your plan.”

“Alright, team, repair the stage as best as you can and get a camera set up. I’ll contact HQ and establish the signal at the top of the statue,” Miguel relayed his orders like the organized leader I knew him to be, watching as the Spiders set off to do their task. His gaze fell upon me and my friends. “Webslingers, do what you do best.”

I looked out to my friends, smiling confidently as I used my powers to leap for them, gathering them in my arms before web-slinging us closer to the stage. 

“Gabriel, are you there? Did Lyla fill you in?” Miguel spoke in the background as he began running for the statue. 

“Yeah, she did, but still struggling to believe it,” his little brother’s voice spoke through the com-link. “Project: Reset? Are you serious? You must be really desperate to whip that out all of a sudden.”

“Don’t start with me,” Miguel grumbled, muttering something else in Spanish that I couldn’t decipher, although I couldn’t help the faint smirk that formed on my lips when my friends and I arrived on the stage. 

We quickly helped the others clean up the stage while they patched up broken and loose panels with their webbing. There was a lightning crackle like noise as I whipped my head up to the statue of liberty to see another portal open up just feet away from Harry’s portal. It was a portal from Spider Society HQ. 

“Our portal is stabilized, Miguel,” Margo’s voice spoke up through the com-link. “Ready to go on your mark.”

“We’re just missing one more piece to this puzzle,” Miguel uttered softly in the com-link before raising his voice. “METRO! Are you still around?”

“Right here, boss man!” A new voice fluttered through the com-link as a white and black dressed spider swinged up onto the stage. 

METRO’s spider suit had a black and white colour scheme that almost reminded me of the anti-venom spider-suit, but this one felt more personalized with a white spider necklace hanging low on his chest and a black with white spider webbing bandana wrapped around his forehead. The top part of his head was uncovered, giving way to his immaculately tailored dreadlocks of black and light aubrey brown coloured hair. 

Wait a minute, METRO BOOMIN?!

“Wait, he’s a Spider-Man too?!” I gasped, eyes wide as I looked between him and the small speck of Miguel’s body clinging onto Lady Liberty’s torch. “But you said originally no spider-person could actually exist in my dimension!”

“That’s right.” Miguel responded quickly. “He’s not from your dimension.”

“Huh?” I gawked, my head trying to wrap around the concept as METRO quickly fixed and set up his DJ player and sound mixer. 

“It’s true, Muse! I’d do the whole ‘Okay let’s do this one last time’ speech, but clearly we don’t got time for that,” METRO chuckled anxiously as he finished setting up. “I’m from Earth-101, I developed a psychic connection to my other dimensions personas. It’s how I’m here. Call me Metro-Spider.”

“O-Okay?” I wasn’t sure exactly how to respond to that, but I at least offered him a reassuring thumbs up. 

“Okay, we’re ready!” Hannah exclaimed as she and the others joined me on stage.

Leave it to Hannah to accidentally leave her bag backstage with backup costumes for all of us in the event something horribly went wrong. Loose stitching? Fabric got ripped? Trying escaping an enemy anomaly invasion and potential dimensional destruction. 

“Okay, Miguel, we’re in position!” I exclaimed through the com-link as I looked around the newly rebuilt stage, held together miraculously by our spider friends webbing and looked over as they each got cameras set up aimed towards us. 

“Cameras are primed and ready to roll!” Gwen chimed in, attaching the reset adaptor to the camera and the little device blinked green, indicating its connection to Miguel’s wand. 

“Here goes nothing!” Miguel took a deep breath. “But if this doesn’t work–”

“It’s going to work, Miguel,” I insisted, my gaze locking on to his body. “Trust me.”

I could feel our gazes locked on to one another, even at such a long distance apart. I felt a long caress down our bond, soothing me, both of us, as I breathed in and out slowly. In that moment my mind flashed back to when we danced together for the first time, he way he held me close, and when he whispered to me those same words I sent out to him through our bond. 

‘Do you trust me, Miguel?’

‘With my life, Lisa.’ 

“Let’s do it!” I called out as I launched a web to connect with the webbing along the stage, my player syncing with METRO’s sound system. 

“We’re coming to you live!” Noir announced with a signature radio actor voice, signaling us to start. 

I suddenly felt a tap on my wrist. I glanced over to see Kasey had leaned in closer to me, whispering, “If you still want to tell us about the whole super hero spider thing after all this is over, just come talk to us. We’ll think it’s crazy, but I know you’ll convince us otherwise.” 

I smiled softly at her, giving her hand a squeeze. “Thanks Kasey. I’m glad to have you as my friend.”

She smiled back before pulling away. 

Music started to play, the familiar violins and drum beats fluttering our ears as my friends and I started to dance, picking it right up from where we left off before the world seemed to go to shit. 

“I'm still fighting, I don't fear I've lost

Am I dreamin', is there more like us?

Got me feelin', like it's all too much

I feel beaten, but I can't give up!”

I cast a comforting glance to Kasey who was startled at first, expecting us to start from the beginning. After giving her an encouraging nod, motioning for her to follow my lead, she immediately stepped up and danced in sync with us. 

“Here we go!” METRO yelled excitedly. 

“I can't find it in myself to just walk away

I can't find it in myself to lose everything!” 

I closed my eyes, and it was like we were back in our dance studio, learning this dance for the first time. 

We all turned, forming a circle as Touya, Touga, Hannah and I surrounded Kasey. We all reached our arms out towards her as she crossed her arms over her chest, something similar to the Wakanda Forever salute before flexing her arms down to her sides. As she did that, the rest of us dropped to one knee, kneeling as we bowed our heads to her.

Just like before. Just like we practiced. 

“You’re doing great,” I whispered softly to them all. 

“Feel everyone's against me, don't want me to be great

Things might look bad, I'm afraid to look death in the face!”

“One, two, three, LET’S GO-!” Metro-Spider shouted, a fist in the air. 

That’s the signal. 

I could hear the ringing of Miguel activating the reset device and quickly soon after, wave after wave of pulsing blue energy soared across the sky of the entire city, and with any luck, the entire world. 

The beat dropped as Kasey then propelled herself forward, sliding along the floor. Hannah and I steered clear of her entrance. As we faced in her direction, Toya stepped behind Hannah and Touga stepped behind me, the boys hoisting us up to our feet and became our dance partners. The pair of us did a sweet waltz as Kasey was up front performing her own solo.

“I'm good now, who's really bad? 

I choose me now, what's wrong with that?

Wish you could see me

Now, now, mm, who had my back, baby?

Know no love lost, good always will win~”

I looked up into the sky, towards the portal to Harry’s dimension. The waves of energy from Miguel’s reset wand and the counteractive sparks from the conduit portal Lyla, Margo, and Gabriel created fought back against the enemy portal. It started to shrink, contorting violently. 

It’s working!

“Just a little more power and we can shut it down!” Gabriel’s voice rang through the com-link.

‘Finish it strong for me.’ Miguel’s voice purred through the bond. 

He had said the same thing when we were fighting Isabella in Noir’s dimension, and I felt the same surge of confident, motivative energy as I poured my heart out into the last steps of the dance, my voice reaching out. 

“Not done fightin', I don't fear I've lost 

Am I dreamin', is there more like us?

Got me feeling, like it's all too much

I feel beaten, but I can't give up!”

Kasey stepped aside, pulling up to the front of the stage as she and the others danced behind me. I was confused at first, but seeing her encouraging nod gave me the push to keep going. Together, I danced along with my friends as I sang the last set of lyrics to help me focus, my heart pounding in my chest. 

“I'm still fighting, I don't fear I've lost

Am I dreamin', is there more like us?

Got me feelin', like it's all too much

I feel beaten, but I can't give up!”

The enemy portal shrank smaller and smaller until it blipped into a tiny spec. There was a blink of light before the energy dispersed and sparkled in the sky like a giant firework. It gave us the perfect backdrop as we closed out the song. 

“Can't give up

Can't give, can't give up

Can't give, can't give up

Can't give, can't give up

Can't give up!” 

The music faded and the shimmering spectacle of the exploding portal faded into nothingness, giving way to the stars and the beautiful night sky. I took in deep breaths, my chest rising and falling as I lowered my fist from pounding it into the air with my finishing pose before my friend's dog piled me to the floor of the stage, their cheers and exasperated laughter filling the air. At the same time, Noir and Gwen cut the live broadcast feed and turned off the cameras. 

“Holy shit we actually did it!” Kasey laughed with a beaming smile. 

“That was like something out of an anime, oh my god!” Touga chuckled over Toya’s cackling. 

Hannah hugged me tightly, her thin arms wrapping around me. “We did it, we did it! You were amazing!” 

“Yeah. . .” I exchanged bewildered looks with each of them, the moment slowly processing in my mind before I reached my arms out to pull them all into a group hug. “I love you guys!”

I didn’t know why I was suddenly getting so emotional, but when my friends each returned their own embrace, I felt like my beating heart finally got the chance to slow down. Swift movement caught my ear as I looked up to see Miguel land near us on the stage, his mask evaporating from his face to show off his stunning eyes filled with pride. “It worked!”

“It did!” I beamed. 

When I moved to stand up, I suddenly felt a horrible, aching pain in my ankle as I immediately dropped back down to the floor, whining in pain. “OW!”

My friends immediately backed away, startled. But Miguel moved in, kneeling in front of me but was careful to not completely overshadow my form and gave me room to breathe. “What’s wrong?”

“I think– I think I sprained my ankle.” I hissed, my hand brushing down to find the source of the pain before retracting itself quickly. 

Miguel’s eyes looked me over, his eyes pleading silently before speaking, “May I?”

I nodded and watched as Miguel’s fingers gently, carefully skimmed down the calf of my left leg and as soon as his rough fingers brushed over my ankle, I bit my tongue as I held back a pained groan, fighting the urge to recoil from the touch. “That's definitely a sprain. You’d be screaming in pain if it was broken.”

“Obviously,” I couldn’t help but laugh as I shook my head. “Out of all of the things that happened tonight, this is what brings me under?”

“I’m glad it was something like this and not worse.” Miguel stated firmly, but a ghost of a relieved smile formed on his lips. 

He carefully stepped around me before gently scooping me up in his arms, and lifted me up from the floor. He held me close to his chest and I pretended to not see Hannah quietly squealing at the action, hiding behind Touga as my cheeks flushed with embarrassment. 

“Lyla tracked your home addresses through your phones,” Miguel spoke as a portal opened up behind my friends. “You’ll have another minute or so before the memory reset takes effect. I’d like you all to be in the safety of your homes when it happens.”

“Thanks for the free ride, Miguel,” Kasey grinned, offering him a salute. “We’ll see you around?”

Miguel offered Kasey a small smile as he nodded. “I’ll be around.”

“Good. After tonight, I think you owe us all a little group dinner night out,” She grinned, “You should come hang out with us sometime.”

“It could be fun.” I encouraged him softly with a soft brush of my fingers against his jawline. 

Miguel chuckled softly at the action before nodding again. “Fair enough. My treat then, just set a date and time.”

“So. . . I guess we’ll see you later?” Toya offered us a small wave. 

“See you later.” I waved back with my own smile. 

See you after your memories are erased and you won’t remember anything that happened tonight. 

One by one, I watched as my friends jumped through the portal. Kasey was the last to leave, offering me one more friendly farewell before following behind the others. The portal closed quickly after her departure. 

“Lyla, what’s the status of the dimensional integrity?” Miguel asked as Lyla’s holographic form appeared beside him. 

“Earth-1218 is slowly stabilizing, Miguel!” Lyla reported with a salute. “Margo and Gabriel will continue to monitor it for the remainder of the night to make sure there’s no setbacks, but all things considered, Project: Reset appears to have worked flawlessly!”

“So. . . no one in my dimension will remember what happened tonight?” I asked Miguel, staring up at him as the rest of the spiders regrouped at our location. 

“No one, except for you,” Miguel confirmed with a nod before his hold on me tightened ever so slightly. “But that doesn’t diminish what you accomplished tonight.”

“You did good kid,” Noir approached, patting my head gently. “Real good.”

I smirked over at him. “Aren’t I older than you?”

“I’d argue I’m more mature and older in spirit!” Noir jabbed playfully. 

“Okay, wise guy,” Gwen came up to his side, nudging his shoulder. “Do you want me to steal and hide your hat again?”

“The technical term is fedora and no!” Noir clutched his hat close to his head, making me laugh. 

“Alright, alright, settle down,” Miguel coaxed the group to ease up with a cautious stare. “I believe our work here is done. Spiders, let's go back home.”

Miguel swiped his finger along the screen of his gizmo, activating another portal. The familiar orange and yellow swirls and hexagons were a comforting sight as Gwen started running a head. 

“I’ll go a head and let Doc know to get a bed ready!” She chimed in. 

“Thank you, Gwen-!” Miguel could barely finish his thanks before Gwen was already through the portal. 

“Kids these days, they can never stay still,” Noir shook his head before running after her, disappearing into the portal. 

With just the two of us remaining, Miguel looked down at me with a softened expression. “You mind if I bring you back? Just so Doc can take a look at you?”

I nodded softly. “That’s fine. I don’t know how a normal doctor would react if two spider costumed people showed up to an ER in the middle of the night.”

“Wouldn’t that just be a regular Saturday night for them?” He grinned back. 

“Oh, hardy har har,” I mocked, rolling my eyes. 

Miguel started walking towards the portal, his arm that held up my shoulders lifting up to bring me closer to his face. “All that said, I really am proud of you, Lisa. You were spectacular, Spider-Muse.”

I grinned back at Miguel, cupping his cheek. “You weren’t so bad yourself, Spider-Man.”

The look he gave me made my heart flutter as his eyes seemed to sparkle just like the stars above. “Come here,” he whispered, before capturing my lips in a tender kiss as we phased through the portal. 

**********

“Oh I feel so awful for missing it, I just don’t know what happened!” My mother apologized profusely for the umpteenth time as Miguel and I stood with her at the departure gate at JFK international airport. 

It was now the early afternoon the following day since the Marvel Day festival ended, specifically just over 12 hours since myself, my friends and the Spider Society saved my dimension from complete and potential annihilation. 

Miguel’s plan with Project: Reset worked. After Spider-Doc looked me over and gave me some pain meds to sleep it off for a few hours, I woke up to check the news on my phone and for a second I thought I had woken up from a dream. It was like the anomaly invasion never happened, and all the news reported on were highlights of the Marvel Day festivities. 

One of the bigger highlights was The Webslingers performance. 

The firework-like explosion of Harry’s portal was played off as just that. Fireworks and special effects, which was why due to safety reasons, we didn’t have an audience physically with us. Nobody was expecting such a grand display, and as it turned out the animators and special effects crew working behind the scenes were so burnt out from the work that they “didn’t remember doing all of this but must have done it in their sleep”, and since then there’s been a call online to give their industry better pay. 

Honestly, good for them. 

When it came to my friends, when I first woke up this morning, the group chat was lively with reactions to our performance and watching the live playback. According to them, we had celebrated together briefly before we quickly realized I had done something to my ankle. They said they had seen Miguel take me to a nearby hospital and kept them all updated as they had their own little party back at the twin’s penthouse before returning home in the wee hours of the night. 

It was only then did the memory reset really sunk in for me. They really don’t remember anything that actually happened last night. The invasion, Kasey’s kidnapping and rescue, fighting Oscorp with Miguel and the others, seeing my powers in action. . . 

Perhaps it was for the best. 

As for my mom on the other hand, when Miguel and I arrived at her hotel room to check on her, the poor woman was so frazzled. Miguel’s reasoning behind her fainting was due to a sudden episode, or at least that’s what the “doctor’s” had told him when he said he had immediately handed her over to the local authorities to be brought to a nearby emergency room and they had contacted him. She didn’t remember arriving back to the hotel, and so I had explained that after I got my ankle checked out, between her fainting and the medication the nurses gave her, she passed out, and that we personally drove her back to let her rest. 

Speaking of my ankle. 

“And your ankle! Oh, I’m just happy you had Miguel and your friends with you, dear,” Janet hugged me tightly, and for a second I thought she was going to crush me. 

“Mom, I’ll be okay, really!” I reassured her with a gentle laugh as I attempted to return the embrace. “You’re acting like this is the first time I’ve injured myself.”

“I know, I know, it’s just been awhile, that’s all,” She shook her head, pulling away from me as she offered me an apologetic smile. “I know I can always watch your show online, but I would have loved to see the whole thing in person.”

“You showed up mom,” I took her hands in mine, squeezing them tightly. “That’s what matters to me.”

That part wasn’t a lie or made up memory. It was the truth and nothing but the truth. 

“You’ll be alright on your flight home, Janet?” Miguel asked with concern in his eyes. 

“Oh, yes, Miguel, don’t you worry!” Janet smiled reassuringly as she patted her fanny pack. “I’ve got my gravol with me so I won’t even know if I’m feeling sick on the plane as soon as I’m on board.”

“Or as dad liked to call it, the gravol haze?” I teased with a knowing look, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Oh hush you!” Janet glared at me with a playful grin. 

There was an announcement overheard that a certain flight would begin boarding soon. My mom’s eyes lit up as she quickly checked to make sure she had all her bags with her. 

“Oh, I should get going.” She sighed, grabbing her purse as she looked over towards Miguel and I. She had a soft smile on her face before she suddenly looked at me with this look of. . . longing. “But before I leave, honey, may I talk to you for a moment?”

My eyes lit up at the recognition in her words. Growing up I quickly learned if my mother ever gave me that look, she wanted to talk to me in private. Usually it was always something important, so I never kept her waiting. I should know, the first time she ever gave me that look was when she first told me when dad got sick all those years ago. 

“Sure, mom, just don’t miss your boarding time.” I nodded softly before glancing up at Miguel. “Give us a minute?”

“Of course,” Miguel smiled softly as he squeezed my shoulder, leaning in to peck my temple before stepping away. 

Once he was far enough where I convinced myself that he wouldn’t be able to hear our conversation, I stepped closer to my mom. “What’s going on?”

Janet was silent briefly, her eyes shifting as if she were choosing her words carefully. But when she spoke, she was calm and collected. “Would you feel comfortable if. . . if I showed Jin your performance?”

I could feel my nerves become static, my grip on her hands tightening. My pupils went wide, my eyes searching hers to try and find out if she was joking or not. But when it came to my mother, and topics like this, she never joked. 

Other than her updating me on his therapy progress every now and then, I haven’t physically seen or heard from my step-father since I cut contact with him. Just over 2 years ago. But if she could update me on his progress, then I could just as easily update him on mine. 

I want to show him how far I’ve come since then. 

“Sure,” I nodded softly. 

Janet’s eyes lit up in surprise, her jaw nearly dropping to the floor. “Wait, really?!”

I nodded again, squeezing her hands tightly. 

“Oh, that’s great, sweetheart, I’m so happy to hear that!” She even bounced a little in excitement. “He really has been doing better. I think watching it will just be the thing he needs to show him how strong and powerful you are and how far you’ve come. Show him what he’s been missing.”

What she said suddenly made a lump form in my throat, tears swelling in my eyes. “Oh, mom. . .”

“I know, I know, I overdid it,” she grinned, pulling me into another hug. “There’s also one other thing. This one, you don’t have to decide now, if you need time to think about it.”

My heart suddenly skipped a beat as I pulled back, anxiously awaiting to hear what she had to say. “Yes?”

“How would you feel about. . . flying down to Korea for a few days?” Janet suggested, her eye meeting mine with a genuine expression. “To come see him?”

If I thought I was frazzled before, I definitely was now. “When?”

“Anytime you want to, sweetie!” Janet quickly reassured me, squeezing my hands. “Again, it’s entirely up to you, but I was with your step-father for his most recent session and his therapist suggested the idea. He believes Jin is about ready to. . . make amends.”

My eyes widened at that. “And is. . . Jin ready for it?”

“I’m not sure if he’ll know for sure until it happens,” Janet shook her head with uncertainty. “But he does wish to see you. Even just for a few minutes.”

My mind was racing as the multitude of possibilities swarmed in my head. All the things that could go right, or wrong. Why did it feel like one weighed more than the other?

Even still, there was this sudden burning sensation in the pit of my stomach.  I met my mom’s gaze, offering her a small smile as I spoke softly, “I’ll think about it.”

She smiled back at me, holding me close. “Take as long as you need dear. I love you.”

Janet hugged me one last time as another announcement chimed over the speakers. She gathered her bags and I saw her off as she waddled to the security checkpoint. As I lowered my hand from waving at her, Miguel’s footsteps caught my ear as I turned to glance at him. “I’m okay.” I quickly reassured him. 

“Are you sure?” He asked me with a hint of worry in his eyes as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, his hand reaching up to wipe a stray tear from my cheek. 

I nodded softly, leaning into him. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Alright,” Miguel gave me a tight squeeze, kissing the top of my head before he motioned to the side. “Let’s get going, and don’t forget~”

“I know, I know,” I rolled my eyes in an annoyed manner as I reached over to a pillar and grabbed the walking crutch I had left on the side while seeing my mother off. I hooked it under my left armpit, holding Miguel close with my right. “Do I have to keep this cast on for 4 weeks? Didn’t Spider-Doc say this could heal in half the time thanks to the healing factor of the spider powers?”

“Yes, but because of the reset, your friends and family don’t know about your powers anymore,” Miguel reminded gently. “So you have to keep up the façade of being your friendly neighborhood self.”

“Did you just make a Spider-Man joke?” I gawked at Miguel.

Miguel didn’t hide his cheeky grin and I caught a small glimpse of his fangs as he spoke. “Maybe I did.”

I groaned, rolling my eyes again as we stepped out into the main entrance of the airport. “Your–”

“An asshole?” He quickly chimed in, leaning in closer to me. 

I smirked back at him, bringing my hand up from his hand to cup his chin. “My asshole.”

“No lo olvides, mi Mona Lisa.” Miguel's tone was flirtatious as his hand caught the small of my back, his warm breath fanning my lips before he kissed me in the sunshine. - Don't you forget it, my Mona Lisa

///////

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[gracethyomen]

“Vague Job Description”

Natalie is the paralegal that's been in love with Matt since she's known him.

Unbeknownst to her, Matt knows all too well how she feels about him, but tries to keep her at arms length to keep her safe.

When she starts to get dragged into the underbelly of hell's kitchen he calls home, some things can no longer remain hidden, and some emotions aren’t so easy to control.

Summary: It’s literally the pilot. First installments are always iffy just bear with me.

Warnings: Mention of death, mention of blood, mention of homicide, SO MUCH PINING. Matt being a human disaster, Natalie being a simp. Matt also being a simp but quieter. These two idiots can’t express their feelings for the life of them.

"Foggy." The automated voice on his phone droned. "Foggy. Foggy."

Matt sighed, reaching to accept the call before sitting up. "Hello?" He answered, yawning widely.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Foggy chirped from the other side of the line. The sounds of other peoples' footsteps and the general business of Hell's Kitchen coming with it.

"What time is it?" He fingered the silk fabric of his sheets, savoring the feeling between his fingertips. Far too happy to lay back down for the time being.

"Half past get the hell up," Foggy replied. "Let's go! We gotta meet the real estate agent in..." He paused, Matt assumed to check his watch. "45."

"Usually, Nat calls me when i'm late." He pointed out, effectively ignoring Foggy's instructions.

"Nat's not answering her phone. She's probably already finding stuff to do." Foggy rationalized, the sound of people talking now starting to overcome him. What he said was odd. Nat usually always picked up her phone, even when she was so hungover she sounded like she'd been hit by a train. "Must've stayed out too late."

"She tell you about any dates or something last night?" Matt pushed, feeling an unwelcome dart of worry run through him for a split second.

"Aw, Matt, you do care. I'll need to get that in writing and give it to Nat for her birthday. She might cry." Foggy said sarcastically. "Seriously, get moving. I've got to go bribe a cop."

"Ah, Foggy." Matt warned, standing up to grab his phone, wandering into his living room.

"Kidding, NSA, if you're listening. But really, yeah, I gotta bribe a cop."

Matt shook his head smiling, and started his morning routine.

"You've got a reception area, a conference room and two offices. Corner suite has a view of the Hudson..." Natalie was only partially listening to the real estate agent giving them a tour of the floor, her fingers clenching around her black folder she was holding to her neatly pressed pencil skirt. She looked around, pushing up her glasses as she ran her eyes over the yellowed molding on the floor, looking for loose nails or lifted floorboards. Anything a cane or a shoe might catch on.

"You can flip a coin with your partner for it." Susan joked, gesturing to Nat.

Natalie fought a flush as she spluttered a little. Holding up her hand and laughing awkwardly. "Oh, I'm not-"

"Uh, he can have the view." She heard a familiar voice and a creak of the door before turning to see Matt entering through the door. A small smile on his face.

Susan, the realtor, immediately widened her eyes. plastering a charming smile over her face. "I'm... So sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Matt smirked, standing just ahead of the door holding his cane. "Of course not."

Susan chuckled, taking a step forward and extending her hand for a shake. "Susan Harris. Midtown Property Solutions."

"Matt Murdock."

Susan seemed to realize her mistake and dropped her hand, choosing instead to do an odd knee-bend. Nat fought not to roll her eyes. Somehow Matt always found a way to make the gorgeous women in his vicinity turn into bumbling fools.

Foggy saved them both from the palpable awkwardness. "She just curtsied. It was adorable."

Matt chuckled, turning his head briefly to the floor. "Well, it's nice to know Chivalry isn't dead." Matt lifted his chin, turning his head in a way that Foggy recognized was him listening for something. "Natalie?"

She turned from the window with an audible, "Hmm?" Matt smiled just a little, turning to face the sound. The action causing her heart to flutter momentarily. She convinced herself over the years that she imagined it, but part of her leapt at the way he always seemed to smile when he recognized her presence nearby.

He lifted a hand, palm up, a silent request that she had become accustomed to at this point. She immediately walked from the side of the room to Matt, taking his rough hand in hers and guiding it to her side, where he instinctively curled his fingers at the spot where her bicep met her elbow. She tried not to shudder, like she always did, when he touched her skin. Hoping the goosebumps didn't feel as obvious as she dreaded.

"Susan, if we could continue with-" Natalie urged, looking briefly at Matt before turning back to the agent expectantly.

"Yes of course, my pleasure. As I was telling your associates, Mr. Murdock, this office was barely touched by the incident, which is why it's on the market already. The neighbors weren't so lucky."

Matt snickered softly. "'The incident'? Is that what we're calling it now."

Natalie scoffed. "Well, it sounds so much better than 'death and destruction raining from the sky, nearly wiping Hell's Kitchen off the map'." She murmured.

Matt laughed aloud. Something she didn't expect. "Shorter, too." He quipped. Making her smile.

Foggy crinkled his nose a little, pointing out the window. "Owner figuring in the delightful view of cranes and scaffolding?" He asked, eyeing the construction work outside distastefully. "Feels like we're getting pre-incident prices."

Susan flashed him a smile that was more teeth than anything. "They're a quarter of what they used to be. Hell's Kitchen's on the rebound, Mr. Nelson." She took a step closer to the group. "And in eighteen months you won't be able to rent a broom closet at this price point."

Matt squeezed her elbow, and she tried to tell herself that the touch was unconscious as he stated. "We'll take it."

Foggy snorted, looking quickly at Matt. "We will talk about it. Because we're not sure we can even afford this palace." He said pointedly.

Nat looked between Foggy and the man holding her arm. "Unless you both make some changes to your current clientele policy." She pointed out.

Matt nodded, turning to 'look' at the realtor. "My partner and I are having some disagreements over the direction of Nelson and Murdock." He clarified, his free hand fidgeting with the handle of his cane. "I believe we're here to defend the innocent."

Foggy sniffed, smiling with a strained expression. "And I believe the innocent includes everyone not yet convicted of a crime."

Natalie coughed, "You know, as the law states." Matt shook his head, not acknowledging her comment.

"He likes to use fancy terminology."

"And my partner fails to recognize that, as attorneys, we're never gonna be able to keep the lights on, waiting on a horde of innocent souls to stumble into our loving arms." Foggy sighed, exasperated.

Matt blew out a quiet breath. "At this point. I think i'd settle for just one."

"Foggy called to drag my ass out of bed this morning." Matt spoke into the quiet space. Natalie looked up from her new desk to see him standing in front of it. The suite only had two offices, and as they had decided Matt utilized her the most, she would share with him. Instead of his normal glasses she was met with his brown, unseeing eyes. Looking somewhere past her head.

"Sounds about right." She said, bending down to pick her little plant out of the cardboard box she'd put it in for the move. Along with the dainty watering can.

"Usually you call me." Matt continued, folding up his cane and placing his hand on the thin wood of her desk. She didn't respond. "And Foggy said you weren't answering the phone."

Natalie closed her eyes for a moment. "Did some meditating last night and forgot to turn it back on." Not quite a lie, but not quite the truth either. She did turn her phone off so she wouldn't be bothered. But not for meditating. And she didn't forget to turn it back on.

"Nat..." Matt murmured.

"Matt, I didn't get abducted. I don't see why you're so upset about this." She said testily, standing from her desk to connect her extension cord to the outlet.

She heard a soft sigh, and when she stood back up she saw Matt was rounding her desk to lean against it, next to her chair.

"You're not just my associate, you're my friend. It's normal for me to care about your well-being. Especially in Hell's Kitchen." He spoke mildly, but she could see his fingertips squeezing the lip of her desk.

Just like many times before, she was grateful Matt couldn't see her wince slightly at the word friend. She forced a laugh, but it sounded strained even to her own ears. "I'm touched, Matt, but i'm fine. Just a mix up."

"Natalie."

"Matthew." She countered, trying for a playful tone.

"I missed your call." He confessed quietly, and her heart lurched. A soft blush climbing high in her cheeks. It was moments like that that made it hard for her to go on blind dates. To text the barista who wrote his number on her coffee order. She was fucking pathetic...

"Also, it's really hard to find a good paralegal who is pleasant in conversation and can take notes in braille." Matt added, breaking some of the awkwardness. Nat laughed. Staring at her stupid little plant instead of the incredibly oblivious, gorgeous man leaning against her desk.

Foggy burst through the office door, phone still in hand and eyes bright. "We have a case!"

Matt raised his eyebrows, reaching to unfold his cane. "Since when?"

"Since that cop I bribed fell in love with me!" Foggy exclaimed, waving anxiously for them to follow him. "Come on, come on! Homicide! Suspect doesn't remember anything! Let's go!"

"Go where?" Natalie huffed, grabbing her notepad and folder as well as Matt's briefcase.

"Precinct two blocks west of here! Let's go!" Foggy urged, practically dragging Matt by the elbow out of the office.

The sight of a thin, blonde woman practically shriveling behind the metal table was the first thing Natalie noticed when she entered the room. The second was the metal cuffs digging harshly into her wrists. She immediately looked at the officer standing to her side.

"Can we please take the cuffs off the 110 pound suspect?" She gestured to the blonde. "Poor thing's literally shaking."

The detective who showed them to the room gave Natalie a strange look, then proceeded to look at Matt and Foggy skeptically.

"Miss Page, can you tell me who these men and their... associate, are?" The gruff man drawled, looking entirely displeased with the new arrivals.

"We're her lawyers." Matt said, before turning his head towards Nat. "This is Ms. Bishop. Uncuff our client and give us the room, please." Matt's tone left no room for disagreement, and Nat watched the officer free Miss Page.

"And a chair for Ms. Bishop, if you don't mind." Foggy added. Matt nodding at him gratefully.

The detective huffed but dragged one of the aluminum chairs loudly to the edge of the table. The four of them stood in awkward silence as the detectives left the room, the lock buzzing ominously as the door closed.

Matt wasted no time. "Ms. Page, my name is Matt Murdock. This is my partner, Foggy Nelson and-"

Ms. Page zeroed her gaze in on Natalie. "Are you a lawyer, too?"

Natalie cleared her throat, smiling nervously. "No, i'm, uh-"

"Paralegal." Matt said, at the exact moment Foggy said, "Assistant."

Ms. Page looked between all three of them confusedly. As Matt angled his head at Foggy for a moment, before lifting his chin back to where Ms. Page's voice was coming from.

"It's a... Wide job description at the moment." He clarified, before gesturing in the direction of the chairs. "Do you mind if we sit?"

Natalie watched her adjust in her seat, dropping her gaze.

Foggy tilted his head towards Matt, whisper-yelling in an effort to break the tension. "She gave a vague shrug, I say we go with it." Matt nodded and all three of them promptly sat in their respective chairs. Natalie took out the physical notebook to start writing things down.

"We understand you're in some trouble." Matt began, bracing his hands on the table. "We, uh, may be able to help."

Foggy also got right down to business. "Can you tell us what happened?" He held his hands out, "Why don't we start with what we know, then?" He sighed, searching the woman's blank face. "You were found in your apartment with one..." He checked the name on the report he'd been given. "Daniel fisher."

"Who appears to be the victim of a homicide," Matt continued. "And, currently, you're the only suspect, Ms. Page."

Ms. Page looked between the two of them incredulously, and Natalie noticed that not only did she have blood stains on her hands and forearms, but her eyes were also red and rubbed raw from crying.

"Who the hell are you guys?" She breathed, gripping her arms to her body tightly.

"I'm Matt, he's Foggy." Matt said; matter-of-fact. "She's Natalie." He nodded his head at Nat, who had been waiting for something important to be said.

"Who sent you?" Ms. Page continued her questioning, leaning her head forward just enough for her wheat-colored hair to fall forward in a curtain around her face.

"No one sent us." Matt reassured her. And almost before he could get the words out Ms. Page started to speak again.

"So, what?" She laughed humorlessly. "You're just a couple of Good Samaritans? Todays just my lucky day?"

Foggy chose this moment to say, "I bribed the desk sergeant with a box of cigars for his mom." As a way of explanation.

Matt took a classier approach. "Our practice is relatively young, Ms. Page, and we are aggressively pursuing new clientele." He sighed and turned to Foggy. "You gotta stop giving Bess cigars."

Foggy scoffed. "She likes to smoke, Matt. It's a free country."

Natalie watched as Ms. Page observed the exchange. Clearly at an impasse as to what was the right decision here. She swallowed hard. Looking between Natalie and the two lawyers.

"So..." She began. "How long have you been practicing law?"

Matt turned his head towards Natalie. "What time is it?" She and Foggy checked their watches at the same time but Natalie replied first.

"It's 12:22 AM." She murmured to Matt.

Matt cleared his throat and turned his head back towards Ms. Page, folding his hands neatly on the table. "About seven hours." He said firmly.

Nat scoffed quietly. "Well, if you go from when you passed the bar-"

Matt pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I was going from when we got our own desks."

Foggy nodded as if that was the most logical approach to the situation. "Oh, then, yeah. Seven hours." He turned back to Ms. Page with a proud smile. Natalie rolled her eyes with a faint smirk playing on her lips.

This was going to be a long night.

a/n: WHOO BOY this one is chunky. 2.5k words. I know this bit is kind of dull but I promise there’s more Nat and Matt next time. Getting a story going is incredibly boring sometimes. Thanks for reading! If you feel like it consider dropping a note or a follow for more of this story. Have a good day/night!

As always, special thanks to @abucketofweird for your support in this series. You’re currently the proud owner of the dedication for it. <3

- Sybil

[dionysiaproductions]

The Bride of Frankenstein is My Monster-In-Law!

Journal of K. Peterson, Oct 27, 2024

Pandora’s informant turned out to be a local realtor who was just very into spy thrillers. When she recruited him, she’d told him about the Frankensteins trying to scare him with the whole reanimated corpses thing. However, Brock Stalk, local real-tor didn’t particularly care about monster related fear mongering. He just liked the spying.

With almost no effort, we talked Brock into helping us search local property records. He found a small house owned by Harry’s supposedly-CIA father near the local power plant.

When Harry’s dad purchased it, he had told the realty office it would be an investment property for renting out. Those plans had never been acted on. The house had never been leased or listed on rental websites.

We made plans to meet up at Mr. Frankenstein’s office at the power plant the next morning. From there we’d head over to the house together.

Previous entries in The Bride of Frankenstein is My Monster-In-Law!

My blog is open for trick or treating on Oct 31 2024, giving out bite-sized spooky stories

[murderoushagthesequel]

Dream Home

from @jegulus-microfic's prompt, kitchen (123 words)

i'm getting closed to being all caught up! cant wait to get back to doing these daily :) hopefully only a day or two longer! thanks @where-is-vivian and @boydykewiki for writing with me today :D love you both

Regulus gasps, pulling on James’ arm and leading him into the room.

“It’s perfect,” he whispers. Looking around, he sees his dream kitchen. A huge island for prep work, a double oven, a microwave/convection oven, a tap above the stove for filling pots. He could list a hundred things he loves about the kitchen, but most of all it seems like the perfect place for him to cook for his family.

He looks down at his feet to see Harry and Valerie laughing and playing together and over at his husband, beaming with joy at the sight.

He turns around to see the realtor grinning widely at their family and before he can open his mouth, James cuts in.

“We’ll take it.”

[independent-fics]

Inde Watches “The Paranormal Hacktivity Job”

Leverage Redemption 1x05

Honestly I was gonna say faking a haunting with candles def would have a fire hazard (loving the house decor tho very cozy)

But lowest of the low faking a haunting with a dead relative just to get a house (one of those guys looks familiar to me and idk from where)

Halloween is like my least favorite holiday because I’m a big chicken with the scary stuff but love Breanna’s enthusiasm (Sophie makes a good point tho. Sophie’s autumnal decor choices are more my speed)

Loving Sophie’s fit once again

Sophie you housed people all the time before

“Agreed we’re not committing any crimes” ladies please

Harry and Eliot on a buddy trip this I gotta see

Breanna what is that accent

Parker what is THAT accent 😭

Who are they right now

“You say human brains like you have an outside perspective” …”squishy human things” “you mean emotions” I love them

I’m sorry Breanna are you using adobe illustrator to analyze this handwriting photo because it does not do animations like that? I can’t tell if it’s the show to show what they’re reading or Breanna supposed to be doing that

“No the moments past now” “…so” Parker just moving on hahaha

NOT THE PSYCHICS EPISODE REFERENCE

I’m living the attic

“You just happened to have a backstory lying around like that” Breanna it’s Sophie

For a split second that photo of big daddy looks like Hurley haha (I do know he comes back in this)

Sophie is literally walking these guys through their own con it’s wild they’re stupid

Dang I do feel bad I thought the girls house could at least be saved didn’t know the whole place was gone that’s terrible

Ah the mob or whoever these criminals are make more sense with these guys oof

I love Parker and Breanna giggling over Eliot breaking knees hahah

“There are some powers in this world that are stronger than we know” “yeah and we’re three of them” yes you are

New Orleans buildings are so beautiful with the courtyards goodness

Sophie is going hard with this performance I love how kooky this episode is

But these guys are so bad dang

Parker being like this is called the gloat the best part hahahaha I loveeee them acknowledging what we all called it (because I don’t think it was ever referred to that officially in the first show)

Oh well this took a turn

Okay the guy being called the wraith reminds me of a really good avengers/leverage crossover fic so shoutout to that

Most notorious? Sorry Eliot still holds that title in my head and that guy doesn’t even kill anymore

OOO THE POLITICIAN IS THE HIT OKAY

“You’re going out the window” “what” 😂

NOT THE HITMAN BEING SCARED OF GHOSTS BRO

This man thinking about the people he’s killed and not thinking he’s ever gonna get haunted? Like you chose the wrong career path bro

The realtor saying exactly what I’m thinking

A good weapon? That is not how you explain away killing (but that’s probably how Eliot explained it away once upon a time oof Moreau vibes)

OO PARKER COMING IN WITH THE MOVES DANG

Okay Brenna how many houses did you haunt

Yes hand the knife to the realtors they’re gonna handle it for sure (ig they’re kinda mob members but dang yeah man he’s rusty)

If I didn’t know Sophie was already kinda gaining his trust I would be so scared rn

What kind of notorious hitman can say he missed a mark because of a ghost

Wipes the knife. Doesn’t wipe anything else.

“You just happened to have fake blood packs on you?” “Of course I do it’s Halloween” Breanna I love you

The selfies I can’t haha

Wait does this con count as the white rabbit in a way?

Good luck in design school kid.

They’re real fun neighbors let me tell you

I’m loving them learning a bit more about who lives around them

“And we went trick or treating afterwards” love that for you

Breanna’s little “yess” heheh I love her

Hehehe I love them scaring them hehehe perfect time in the year to get to this episode