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aakeysmash · 6 months

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Tell me you love me

Pairing: f!reader x Sukuna Ryomen.

Word count: 2512.

Warnings: ANGSTTTTTT. An attempt at it at least lmao, let me know if I did a good job with it. A bit suggestive in the middle. Cursing. Mentions of cheating (mentions!!! No cheating in this house).

People often say that Sukuna would be obsessed with the reader/oc, but I think a relationship with him would be the hardest thing ever.

He doesn’t get the concept of being in love: at the start of your relationship he found out you were more tolerable than anyone else, he assumed that meant he liked being around you and went along with it. Of course he fell in love in the long run, but for him it’s embarrassing to admit it. He barely even said it when you asked him why he wanted you to move in with him.

It’s not like he isn’t obsessed with you: he’s obsessed with the way you just seem to get him, with the way you smile when he comes home from a long day at work, with the utmost kindness you treat people around you with and that he lacks completely. He’s mesmerised by you, by the curve of your hips, the brightness of your eyes, the softness of your hands on his body.

He doesn’t show it, though.

He’s used to being rough and redeems emotions as futile. Like he already said to you in a couple of your arguments, if you get him you get him, if not, he’s not explaining himself. Everything he does is thought of and automatically right, so why would he give you explanations?

But sometimes in relationships you need communication. He doesn’t see how intense it is to be next to someone who acts like he doesn’t care about what you want to share in your daily life. And again, he does care: if he could, he’d make a copy of you yapping and just listen to it on repeat while working. He loves how passionate you sound while talking about your hobbies, he finds the little tilt to your voice when you search for his approval adorable. He doesn’t see how difficult it is to be with him because he’s only been with you, and you’re so good at communicating and making him feel heard he doesn’t notice he’s not reciprocating your efforts.

And that means that he’s never the one who wants to resolve misunderstandings, because he thinks they don’t really exist. You were upset about your dish not coming out the way it was supposed to and instead of reassuring you it was still edible he straight up said it looked horrible and walked away? He’s not sorry. He spoke his mind, did he not? And why would you be sad about the truth?

You’re not weak, and you’re not shy either. Kind people are not necessarily stupid, and you’re living proof of that. He’d never be in a relationship with a weakling who doesn’t know how to raise her voice and stand her ground. You’re fierce in your own way, and you know how to manage his stubbornness 90% of the time. You don’t like being disrespected or ignored, and you made sure to talk his ear off whenever he did it. Not like he purposefully did it, anyway.

But as a person who understands emotions and feels emotions, sometimes being with him frustrates you. And it comes to a point where you debate on keeping being next to him or leaving him for good.

He’s not the only one who has hard days, but when both of you have one, the silence inside your house is deafening. You’re the one who usually starts up conversations, but your mind is occupied with other things. You’ve barely touched your food.

“What’s got your panties in a twist?” He scoffs at dinner. He doesn’t like you frowning, it wrecks his heart. It makes him want to destroy the face of whoever took the smile he lives for off your face.

You sigh. “You know how my parents said they were coming to visit us next month? Well-”

He’s silent. Fuck, when did she say this? He thinks. Probably one of those days where the thought of your thighs suffocating him all night plagued his mind last week. Fuck, he’d take a bite of them right now if you let him. Maybe he could suggest it. It could take his mind off of his own shitty day.

“Are you even listening to me?” You say sternly. He notices you kept on talking while his mind wandered, but he disregards it.

“Wanna fuck?” He asks instead.

You’re baffled. “Sukuna, what the fuck?”

“Damn, you could’ve just said no, brat,” he says rolling his eyes.

You get offended. “Don’t fucking ask me what’s wrong if you’re not going to listen to me.”

“Yeah yeah, you were probably going to talk about how worried you are and shit. I don’t care about that. If you don’t want to get my dick wet I’m going to rub one out,” he says waving his hand in front of your face and standing up from his chair.

You huff out a sarcastic laugh. “Are you serious?”

“Would you prefer me to find someone else to do it for me?” He bites, snapping his head toward you.

He sees you widening your eyes. If there’s a thing you don’t tolerate is cheating, or jokes about it. He knows it. He knows it, dammit. You’re fuming.

“You’re an asshole. Fuck you. I’m sleeping at Nobara’s,” you spit at him, grabbing the purse you left on the side of the table and rushing out the door, slamming it.

When he’s left alone in your shared living room, he keeps on looking at your front door. The silence is making his head hurt, the only thing he’s hearing is the sound of the door slamming. Did he overstep? Nah, you were probably overreacting. He shrugs and finally moves from his spot, going to put his dish in the sink. He leaves yours on the table, because maybe you’ll be hungry when you come home. You usually are after an argument. You’ll come back after a couple of hours saying you didn’t want to worry him too much, you’ll sigh saying this can’t keep on happening and that you’re tired of arguing, then he’ll hug you and everything will be alright. Just like it always is. You’ve never left like this, though.

He ruffles his hair; he’s angry at everything and everyone. You should’ve got that he’s the one overreacting, why didn’t you get him like usual? Why aren’t you still back after 3 hours? He hates feeling angry. He hates feeling tired. He hates feeling in general. Most importantly, he hates that the hands in his hair are his and not yours. He hates the way right now he’s craving your soft voice reassuring him in his ear, your sweet words covering him like a blanket; his head on your chest listening to your heartbeat while lying on your couch, reminding you that you’re there. You’ve always been there. There’s no one else for him, there’s never going to be one. He’d never cheat, you’re so stupid for getting angry about it. Why did you get so mad about it? Suddenly, he’s thinking about random stuff you said that he ingrained in his head.

I love you too, Sukuna. I’ll wait for you to tell me that without me forcing it out, mh? I’ll move in with you, sure, if you ask me so that nicely.

You picked this book because it reminded you of me? Thank you, baby. I love it. Both the book and the fact you thought of me.

Can you stop messing up my sock drawer? No, I did not hide your cigarettes there. But please stop smoking, I love when you taste like my lip gloss and not that disgusting shit you inhale. Give me a kiss so I can prove it to you. I’ll take your breath away way better than tobacco.

He smirks while on the couch, alone. You’re so cute. He wants to bottle up your laugh. Why aren’t you back still? His mind doesn’t stop, though.

You hurt me, Sukuna. Why can’t you notice?

I feel like you don’t care about me.

If I hadn't come to you, would you have come to me? Or would you just have ignored this whole argument and acted like nothing happened?

Am I just filling up a random space you leave open for a significant other or am I the significant other that’s capable of filling that void?

That night he dreams of you. The way you glared at him asking him if he was serious, almost like a warning before you lashed out. He dreams of the hurt that flashed in your eyes when he spewed nonsense. And when he wakes up, you’re still not back. Your unfinished plate is still on the kitchen table.

But he’s prideful, that’s why you’re the one that’s always trying to resolve arguments. Yes, you’ll come back. He’s sure of it. You always came back during the 3 years you've been together.

A week passes by and he's going crazy. You haven't contacted him at all, and he didn't text first. He lies to himself saying it's because he's leaving you some space, but the truth is that he's scared. What is he even supposed to say? Hey, I'm sorry, I miss you, please come home? That's pathetic. He's taking a shower when suddenly his phone rings. His heart skips a beat and he rushes out to check if it's you. Please, let it be you.

Instead it's Yuji, his brother.

Yuji: Hey, what happened with y/n? She asked me to come get some of her things for her. Is she sick?

Sukuna frowns. Then he realizes that- you're going to move out. You're going to break up with him.

He goes into panic mode. He never thought about the possibility of you leaving him. He thought you would come back, like you always do. Why would you leave him? Is it because you finally realized that you're better off with someone who knows how to express their feelings for you? Did you get tired of him? Have you already found someone else?

He finds himself knocking on Nobara's door in the next ten minutes. He ran, he's sweating and it's starting to rain. He's out of breath, and he gets his hands on his knees while he waits for you to open the door. He's not ready to let you go. He can't even fathom a life where he doesn't wake up to you trying to get warm between his arms, without you nagging him while watching a film together, without helping you bake cookies while laughing with each other. Without not being able to talk from how in love he is while looking into your eyes. And he knows that if you leave him he's never going to be able to live in his own house ever again, or walk down the street you always do together, or go grocery shopping and not thinking about you while looking at vegetables. You always said you liked vegetables and he always lied about liking them just to see you excited about cooking them together.

"Yuji, I didn't think you'd be this fas- oh," you open the door and your face falls when you see it's Sukuna. He snaps his gaze toward your face when he hears your voice. He missed it so much. You're so beautiful. He missed all of you. So much.

Neither of you move, you just keep staring at each other. This time, he knows he's going to have to talk first. For the first time, he realizes how hard it actually is to confront someone first. Do you feel like this every time?

"Come home," he says. "Please," he adds.

You look sad. "I don't think I'm going to, Sukuna. It's been more than a week and you didn't even reach out to say... I don't even know what. I know you don't say sorry. You never do."

Your words feel like knives. From where you're standing you're taller than him, and he has to look up to look at you. It's like he's in front of the pearly gates of heaven and an angel is making him confess all the wrong things he did, except in this scenario you're the angel and the things he did are just what he thinks about all of this. About you in general.

And you're right, he doesn't usually say sorry. The words get stuck in his throat and he just gapes up at you, still catching his breath. Pathetic.

You sigh, then go to close the door. You don't look at him anymore and he feels like he can't breathe, and not because of the run.

"I'll come get my things next week. Go home, you'll get wet," you say. And your voice is clear, you're not mumbling, you must have thought about this. He sees how hard you're clenching your jaw to appear resolute, your nails hurting your palms from how hard you're closing your hands. But you still manage to worry about him, worry about him possibly catching a cold from the rain. And he loves you. Fuck, he loves you so much.

"Wait," he manages to say. You look at him with longing. With sorrow.

And he feels like he's crying to the angel in his afterlife when he opens his mouth again, thorns in his throat getting tighter, suffocating him. But he doesn't cry here, in front of you, even if maybe you'd like it. You'd probably say that you appreciate him showing emotions, maybe tease him for it, but you'd like it. He'd kiss you while you're still laughing, saying you're stupid, and you'd continue laughing.

"I love you," he rasps out. The words feel so unfamiliar to his tongue, but so familiar to his ears. You always tell him you love him. "I'm sorry for being a shithead. Please don't leave me. I promise you I'll get better at this communication shit," he begs.

You still don't move, but he sees you getting softer.

"Go home, Sukuna. We'll talk about it when it's not raining," you utter.

"No, I don't fucking want to," he snaps. You're startled, and he cringes. He's really not used to all of this. He doesn't like scaring you.

"Fuck, I meant to say I want to get over it right now. I didn't want to scare you. I want you back, Y/N. Please, have me back. I'll get better for real," he says while getting progressively closer to you.

"You promise?" You ask, now shorter than him. You're a step of distance from each other.

"I promise, baby. I'll make you the happiest girl to ever exist," he tells you, looking at you intensely.

"Start by saying you love me again," you mumble, wrapping your arms around his waist and resting your head on his chest. He engulfs you in his own arms, inhaling the smell of your shampoo, then snorts.

"Sure. I'm in love with you, brat."

Being in a relationship with Sukuna is hard, but he loves you easily.

#sukuna jjk #sukuna ryomen #sukuna x reader #sukuna angst #sukuna x y/n #sukuna fic #jjk angst #jjk fluff #sukuna fluff #sukuna x you

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radioisntdead · 6 months

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I have an idea.

Mom susan and daughter are reader

How about the reader tries to introduce her husband to her mother??

Good evening my dear! I wanted to see a Susan and Alastor in-law showdown and I wrote a drabble and then some headcanons, so I hope you don't mind, but if you do just let me know and I can replace Alastor with another requested character or an oc or something,

The mother in-law

Susan & daughter reader, Alastor x female reader

Warnings!!

Cannibalism, violent elderly, implied Violence AGAINST the elderly in the headcanons mostly, Susan invading boundaries, Alastor gets insulted by Susan, Reader needs a drink, poorly drawn Cat Alastor in a suit, OOC characters, not proofread, does anyone know a replacement for Grammerly??

Alastor made the most of falling to eternal damnation, seeing it as a new opportunity,

He become an overlord, a cannibal, the feared Radio demon,

It was shocking enough to him that he had met you, and while it did take awhile and a long long friendship he did end up realizing he had feelings for you, a sweetheart of a cannibal, who worked with his dear friend Rosie and asked to court you in the gentlemenly way, with a bouquet of seven roses and a kiss on your hand, He was the happiest lil' deer in all of hell.

He'd take you dancing, you'd do something like reading or taking a nap as he did his radio broadcast, the two of you would go on walks,

It was bliss

Unfortunately or fortunately depending how you look at it, Alastor disappeared for seven years taking you with him, much to the distain of your mother.

During the time away you were wed, it was a small ceremony, only the two of you and the fucked up cat thing that looked strikingly like Alastor you adopted as your witness.

Anyways with the sudden seven year disappearance and marriage, he never got to formally meet his mother in law that you've told him so much about,

So once everything was settled and you got to visit your dear mama a couple of times, you decided to finally introduce them,

Unfortunately they already knew each other.

Oh no.

Alastor wore his best suit, he even put that evil radio cat into a suit, you wore a lovely dress that matched the aesthetics of cannibal town [Or an exact copy of Alastor's regular suit if you wanna give Susan a heart attack]

He walked arm in arm with you to the cannibal town home your mother lived in, and from the moment the door was opened there was only one thought on his mind.

Oh shit it was Susan, you were the daughter of the Ornery old bitch,

How was someone like YOU related to SUSAN??

Were you adopted? You had to be, he refused to believe that old lady had spawned you in any type of way, maybe she picked you up off the street?

Susan grabbed your hand pulling you in and looking over you, not bothering to greet the radio demon beside you,

"Where have you been I thought you died, Why are you with the guy with the shitty haircut that looks like someone went at him with a fucking hedge trimmer"

"Mama I visited you last week,"

Susan questioned immediately as you laughed nervously, barely two seconds in and she had already insulted Alastor,

you look over to Alastor who stood awkwardly in the door way, waiting to be invited in, the cursed cat in a suit standing by him also waiting to be invited in.

"And apparently you already know my Alasto-"

you were cut off swiftly by Susan squinting at Alastor

"You married the fucking embodiment of red-40?"

Alastor blinked, "Excuse me?"

"You're excused." Susan moved to shut the door in Alastor's face but was stopped by you stopping her

"Ma, please, Alastor come on in"

You said gesturing for your husband and the thing to enter, Susan scoffed mumbling about something as she turned around and sped into the kitchen.

Alastor leaned into you, hooking his arm with yours as the messed up cat clone moved around immediately crawling upon Susan's rocking chair.

"My dear it's not too late to leave and dine elsewhere''

"Alastor please, It's just one dinner with my Ma''

"Who's an ornery old-"

"ALASTOR."

It's a very very awkward dinner, Alastor tried to compliment Susan's meatloaf? He got bullied, you did step in to shut that behavior down but that didn't do much, Alastor tried to help wash the dishes after supper? Susan stood over him watching as he washed every plate and each piece of cutlery, judging him.

Susan did not fear the overlord, and you were concerned.

After dinner was finished and dessert was eaten Susan stared both you and Alastor down as you sat on her couch.

"How long have you been married?"

"Six years."

"Where are my grandchildren then?!"

You hold up the mini Alastor, it's tail wagged slowly as Susan looked upon it with a look of disapproval,

"That's a shitty looking rat, is your husband dysfunctional?"

"Ma, can you not- NO, Alastor put away the tentacles she will RIP THEM OFF-''

AND HEADCANON TIME BECAUSE I am not the best at writing action.

You poor soul.

They can't kill each other because you exist,

It's like stopping two toddlers from fighting except one's well over a century old and your married to the other one,

You're an unpaid babysitter I'm so sorry

Alastor was raised to respect woman and the elderly but he is very close to attacking Susan

He can't do much because he doesn't want to get into trouble with Rosie because attacking one of her cannibals no matter who it is, was a whole can of worms he rather not open, and also she was unfortunately your mother,

He's questioning that, like after this dinner expect him to sit you down and just start throwing questions, like how?

He liked Susan's meatloaf well enough, he could live without it though,

Susan runs into him randomly on the street? She asks if she has a grandchild yet, no? He's getting attacked with the cane and asked if he cannot perform properly Violence on the ace deer

She tries to convince you to leave him and tried introducing you to a random cannibal she pulled off the street, but she stopped after you got upset at her.

Assuming you live at the Hazbin hotel with Alastor Susan visits, she somehow got a key to the room you and Alastor shared so you could be sleeping and Susan pops in swinging her cane, dropping lore

Alastor lives in mild fear, he's changed the locks, he's put Niffty outside the door as security,

Susan always GETS IN.

You have boundaries with her but she breaks them and your working on getting her to stop,

It becomes a hotel wide situation of getting Susan to not break in

She oddly enough likes Angel dust and you use him as a distraction whenever she appears without warning,

You owe Angel several favors.

You are in debt.

Susan eventually grows a fondness for the freak grandchild, she gets clothes, dresses him up and calls him sonny,

Alastor's not the most pleased but it's better then getting asked if he suffers from certain conditions

They sometimes fight over your time, like he's taking you out on a date and Susan pops in and drags whisks you away for tea or something,

They can't do much aside from verbal Insults and glares, but they did get into a physical fight, Alastor got hit with a chair, Susan almost got eaten, Alastor sent Niffty on her and she almost got stabbed

You threatened to tell Rosie and they both stopped, thankfully

Susan keeps divorce papers on hand just in case you ever change your mind, she's not afraid to attack an overlord, this woman is down below for a reason and she is FERAL.

If she catches Alastor chompin' down on your arm he's getting whooped with a cane and the both of you are getting a full lecture on if he's doing anything he's not supposed too, and if he is, he needs to go.

Alastor is very adamant that he would never intentionally harm you apparently the BITING DOESN'T COUNT AS HARM???

Dude has a fear of becoming like his father.

They have issues but they agree on things like this,

There's eventually a group meeting about Susan breaking into the hotel and while she's welcome she needs to stop popping in at late hours of the night or at the crack of dawn,

There's a Susan security system set up now.

Susan's never going to fully approve because you'll always be that small child she found on the side of the streets long ago to her and no man, woman or whatever is going to be good enough for her little girl, but she'll put up with it, she knows that while Alastor isn't the best person it could be worse.

She eventually respects your boundaries, yay!

Good evening folks! Thank you for tuning in! I hope you liked whatever this was, I'm slowly working though requests! Now it's 3 am and I'm tired, goodnight! Have a cursed cat Alastor in a suit that I drew with my fingers

He looks like a tatortot

#hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel x you #susan & reader #alastor x reader #alastor x you

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lemoncrushh · 4 months

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Rain Rain

Summary: Lexie is on her way to visit her sister, and she's taking Harry on the road trip with her, planning to drop him off at his friend's house for a wedding. But the weather has other plans.

Warnings: Not much - this is pretty much fluff with just a little petting and making out.

Word Count: 11k+

A/N: This is your basic "friends with one bed" trope. Harry x Bi!OC, AU, written in third person. Originally written and posted in 2019. This was based on a request I had gotten back then (which I still had copied into my docs): no worries if you’re not down to write about this, but it would be amazing if you wrote about someone who is mostly into women but just has this love for harry like no other. (maybe smutty idk) Thank you to that original anon wherever they are now! This ended up being three short parts, but I've combined them into one.

The rain was pouring so hard and so fast, the pavement was nothing but a blur as Lexie gazed out the window at the parking lot. She was grateful she’d remembered her raincoat, but cursed herself for not bringing along her boots. Her sneakers were bound to be a saturated, wet mess even after the short jog from the car. She could feel her bare toes curling against the rubber soles, and with a bitter scowl she shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat.

“Lex?”

“Hmm?” she turned her head in slow motion to see Harry looking at her with a raised brow.

“You sure you’re okay with this?”

Lexie nodded, giving a hesitant grin. “‘s fine. No worries.”

With a short nod to the man behind the counter, Harry took the room key and covered his head with the hood of his jacket. Pushing the door open, he grunted at the volume of the rain, both the noise and the amount, allowing Lexie to exit the lobby first.

“I can’t believe they only had one room,” he grumbled as she passed.

“Harry, don’t worry about it,” Lexie assured him. “We save money this way anyhow.”

Harry lifted his head to check that she was smiling, her nearly ever-present grin lighting her face, even on a full shit day such as this. He grinned back, making his way down the sidewalk to the last room on the left. Rain seemed to pelt against them sideways despite the awning above their heads.

“Jesus, it’s cold though,” Harry heard Lexie mutter as she bounced on the balls of her feet, waiting for Harry to unlock the door.

Sliding the key into the slot, the light flickered green and Harry pushed the door open. Rushing inside, Lexie pushed her hood off her face and took a gander around the room.

“Not too bad,” she appraised, sitting on the bed and kicking off her wet shoes.

“I’ll go get the bags,” offered Harry.

“Oh shit, I forgot!” exclaimed Lexie. “Let me put my sneakers back on.”

“No, no, you’re fine,” Harry waved his hand. “Sit, relax, get warm. I’ll just be a second.”

Lexie made a face, but reluctantly took off her raincoat and sat back on the bed, watching Harry make a run for it. She could see him out the window, opening the trunk of her car to retrieve their luggage, laughing to herself as she recalled how he’d called it a boot when they’d packed it.

The trip was supposed to have been a short one. So far it was twice as long as it should have been, nothing but a string of disaster after disaster. They were way behind schedule. But if Lex was being honest, she didn’t mind. Harry had proven to be a great travel companion, entertaining her jokes and chipping in some doozies of his own. When they’d gotten a flat tire, she’d helped him change it and then bought him breakfast. When Shelby had called her cell unexpectedly, and she’d panicked, Harry had covered for her, saying she was driving and couldn’t stop to talk.

“Safety first,” he’d said, even though she had bluetooth in her car.

Rising from the bed, Lexie held the door open for Harry as he ran back inside, a bag on each shoulder. Dropping them down beside the television with a huff, he finally got his own look at the room.

“Sorry about the one bed,” he sighed, unsure how Lexie felt about having to share it. “I’ll take the floor.”

“Don’t be silly, Harry, it’s a King! And should you really be offering that with your terrible back? I won’t have you complain for the rest of the trip.”

With a chuckle, Harry unzipped his hoodie and shrugged out of it, tossing it on the nearby chair. Fingers ran through his damp curls as he stepped out of his shoes and placed them next to the door. Unzipping his duffle bag, he pulled out some dry clothes.

“Mind if I shower?” he asked, pointing to the bathroom. “Unless you were…”

“No, it’s fine,” replied Lexie, grabbing the remote. “You go. I’ll watch some TV and see how this storm’s doing.”

“No calling Shelby, right?” Harry raised a brow.

Lexie scoffed. “No! We talked about this.”

“Alright. Just making sure. I mean, I can’t tell you what to do, but if it were me…”

“Harry!” exclaimed Lexie. “Go! I’m fine, I swear. I’m not calling her.”

“Or texting.”

“Or texting!”

With a smirk, Harry turned for the bathroom and shut the door. Lexie turned on the television, finding the local weather. No surprise there was a big storm in their area, possible hurricane and flood warnings.

“No shit,” she muttered under her breath.

She was bummed she wouldn’t be at her sister’s tomorrow afternoon, but she wasn’t really in a huge hurry either. It was Harry she was more concerned about. He was supposed to be at his friend’s on Saturday for a wedding and Lexie was dropping him off on the way. If this storm kept up and they got stranded, they might not make it in time.

Getting bored with the newscasters, Lexie reached for her phone. She stared at it for a few minutes, reading the last text from her ex-girlfriend. Her fingertip ghosted over her name as she contemplated texting her back. The sound of thunder made her jump, however, and with a grumble she took it as a warning, just like she knew Harry would have done.

Setting her phone next to her, she scooted back on the bed and leaned against the headboard. She heard the squeaky turn of a faucet and the shower stopped. Moments later, Harry emerged, his hair sticking out in pieces around his head from towel drying it. Lexie couldn’t help staring at him, though she didn’t realize she was until Harry caught her in the mirror and wiggled his eyebrows. She swiftly turned her attention back to the TV where the news was on some story about a robbery at a local convenience store. She could hear Harry brush his teeth and spit in the sink before he turned for the bed.

“So how’s it looking?” he asked as he climbed onto the bed next to her.

“Huh?” Lexie half-gasped.

Harry chuckled. “The weather. How’s it look for us the rest of the night?”

“Oh. Um...possible flooding they said. Hurricane conditions.”

“Bugger,” Harry muttered as he settled himself against the pillow. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get back on the road in the morning.”

“Fingers crossed,” said Lexie, crossing her hands over her stomach.

The news broke for commercial, but Lexie remained focused on the television. Her hand itched to reach for her phone, but she resisted. Her nose had suddenly made her hyper aware of her sense of smell as she inhaled the scent of soap, shampoo and something else she couldn’t quite pinpoint. Harry smelled so good lying beside her, it made her mouth water. Her stomach did some weird flip, her face was warm to the touch, and she tried to put her focus on the 1-800 numbers flashing on the screen as she wondered from where on earth this feeling had emerged.

The truth was, Lexie had been attracted to Harry since the day they’d met. They’d had a few mutual friends, one of which had introduced them at a party for another. And while Lexie considered herself bisexual, she had almost exclusively been dating women for the last few years. In fact, she had just begun a serious relationship with Shelby when she’d met Harry at that party. They’d become fast friends which she was fine with, but she couldn’t deny there was some sort of spark there, at least from her point of view.

The sound of a hearty laugh made her turn her head abruptly, but she realized Harry was giggling at the trailer for a new comedy. Lexie watched his face for a moment, the way his eyes squinted when he laughed, the deep dimple in his left cheek. These were just a couple of things that she liked about him, though she could probably make a long list.

Seemingly aware of her stare, Harry mimicked her gaze, his eyes twinkling. Lexie smiled at him, trying to come off as casual and not like a staring buffoon.

“Are you gonna go?” Harry inquired.

“Huh?”

“The shower, love,” he explained. “Thought you were gonna go next.”

“Oh,” Lexie blushed. “Of course.”

Rising from the bed, she grabbed her phone before it slid off. Harry, however, was quick too and reached for it.

“Nope. Not bringing that with you.”

“Fine,” Lexie rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t gonna look at it anyway.”

Harry smirked as Lexie rummaged through her suitcase for something to sleep in, then stuck out her tongue before closing the bathroom door, making Harry giggle again.

Lexie let the hot water soothe her muscles as she stood under the stream. She hadn’t realized she’d been so tense, but she blamed it on the weather and Shelby’s texts. Her ex wanted to get back together, it was obvious, though she hadn’t said it directly. But Lexie knew it was over. It had been over long before they’d actually broken up. Still, she couldn’t deny that she missed her.

Lexie thought about the phone call in the car when Harry had answered her cell. Afterwards he and Lex had a deep, albeit short conversation about relationships and how sometimes things quit working because you’ve run out of road.

“You’ve just reached a dead end,” he’d said. “And that’s when you know it’s time to say goodbye, let it go and travel down a new path.”

Though she knew he was right, Lexie was hesitant about taking that detour.

As she shut off the water and grabbed a towel, she could hear singing. She grinned when she realized it was Harry in the other room singing along to a commercial. She giggled to herself as she got dressed, finding herself humming the tune as well. Harry was a joy to be around. He made every situation bearable, no matter the circumstances. Perhaps, she considered, her attraction to him was merely his light that shone from within, and not anything sexual. When she emerged from the bathroom, however, and found him sprawled out on the bed in a simple t-shirt and sweats, one arm behind his head as the glow from the television defined the lines and curves of his face, she dismissed that notion.

“Damn,” she muttered under her breath before crossing the room to her suitcase.

“What’s wrong?” Harry inquired, his eyes following her. He watched her pull out a small pouch from her bag and return to the vanity.

“Nothing,” she lied, taking out her toothbrush. “That thunder just...doesn’t sound good.”

“Yeah, I think it’s getting closer than further away,” Harry commented, shifting onto his side to face Lexie while she brushed her teeth. Resting his head in his hand, his gaze roamed down her body as he noticed her sleeping attire.

“Those are cute,” he said, not meaning to. It just slipped.

“Wha’?” she sounded, her mouth full of toothpaste. Spitting into the sink, she eyed him in the mirror. “What’d you say?”

“Sorry,” Harry mumbled. “I just...I like those pajamas. They’re cute.”

“Oh,” Lexie blushed. “They’re old. But thanks.”

She couldn’t think of any other reply. He liked her old, worn out flannel pajamas? She’d had them since before Shel-

Clearing her throat, she ran a brush through her hair before making her way back to the bed. She could feel Harry’s eyes on her as she climbed in beside him again, pulling her knees up to her chest.

“Wanna watch a movie or something?” she asked, her gaze on the TV.

“Yeah, I was gonna ask you that,” Harry replied. “Unless you’re too tired.”

“I’m not really ready for sleep yet. What is there to watch?”

“Actually, not much. Most anything I found worthwhile is halfway over and has commercials. And I don’t reckon we wanna pay for something, especially if we end up losing power.”

Just as he said the last sentence, another crack of thunder sounded and made Lexie jump.

“Um…” she muttered with a grimace, “maybe we should just pick whatever’s on and hope for the best.”

With an easy grin, Harry rose from the bed.

“While you decide, I’m gonna go get some ice and a few things from the machines, if there is any. What would you like?”

“I'd like you to stay here with me,” she blurted without thinking.

Harry’s smile grew wider as he slipped back into his jacket. Lexie bit her lip as she felt herself blush for the second time.

“I won’t be gone long,” Harry offered.

“But I just brushed my teeth.”

Harry chuckled. “Then brush ‘em again. You know you want snacks, I can see the look in your eyes.”

“Yeah,” muttered Lexie. “I guess I do.”

“Plus if we end up stranded, you’re not eating my leg.”

Lexie burst out laughing. “Good thinking. I’ll take some potato chips and any kind of cookies they’ve got.”

“Soda?”

“Juice if they have it. If not, something without caffeine. Do you need money?”

“Nah, I got it,” Harry said, grabbing the ice bucket. “Be back in a second.”

Lexie sat back on the bed and flipped through the channels before landing on a Spiderman movie. She’d forgotten if she’d seen that one before or not, but it didn’t really matter. It was more for a distraction anyway, from both the booming thunder outside and the thumping of her heart inside her chest.

Harry rushed back into the room in record time, his hands full. Dropping several items onto the bed, he left again only to return seconds later with the ice bucket. Lexie watched as the door shut behind him and he pushed his hood back, revealing his damp curls.

“Were the vending machines not covered?” Lexie asked, grabbing one of the Sprite bottles Harry had brought.

“They were, but the water was dripping between the slats right above them, so I got a bit wet. No worries, though.”

“Harry, why is nothing a big worry to you?” Lexie eyed him as she took a sip of soda.

Harry shrugged as he returned his jacket to the chair and kicked off his shoes.

“Pick my battles,” he explained. “We got food, drinks and ice. Mission accomplished. A little rain didn’t stop me.”

“A little rain?” Lexie scoffed. “Sometimes you’re just a little too Mary Sunshine.”

Harry looked at her as he sat next to her on the bed. “Would it make you feel better if I told you I stepped in a puddle and nearly hit my head on a metal beam when I heard the thunder?”

Lexie smiled. “Yeah. Kinda.”

Reaching for a bag of Lay’s, she could feel his eyes on her. Finally when she bit into a chip, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You’re one to talk.”

“What?” Lexie raised a brow.

“Mary Sunshine.”

“Excuse me, I am not Mary Sunshine.”

“Yeah, you are,” said Harry. “You were totally cool with taking me along on this trip. You were fine with us sharing a room here, even just the one bed. Right now, you seem perfectly fine with that soda instead of the juice you’d really wanted. Honestly, you’ve barely even said one negative thing the entire time. Except maybe regarding Shelby, and even that you seem to be taking in stride.”

Lexie considered his words for a moment before giving a shrug. “Maybe I pick my battles, too.”

“Fair enough.”

Taking another swig from her Sprite bottle, she looked down at her lap. “It might have something to do with present company, too,” she said softly.

Harry turned his head and looked at her, his eyes seeming to study her face, hoping she’d expand on her admission.

“You’re easy to be with,” she added. “You don’t judge me and you’re considerate and nice and...I dunno, I just like that about you. Rubs off on me, I suppose.”

Harry continued to look at her as she ate her potato chips, her eyes on the television.

“Oh,” he finally managed to voice. “That’s...really lovely, Lex. Thank you.”

Lexie gave him a soft, short smile before biting into another chip. The two of them ate and watched the movie in silence for a while, until the next commercial break. When Lexie rose from the bed to shake off the crumbs and throw away her trash, she heard Harry speak again.

“I like that about you, too, you know?”

“What?” she raised a brow.

“I like that you’re easy to be with. Fun, actually. You don’t complain a lot, and you almost always have a smile on your face.”

Lexie tried to hide her current smile but failed.

“I’m not sure that last part is true,” she commented.

“Oh, it definitely is,” said Harry. “I just noticed it earlier. I know you’re...still getting over...um...someone...but you still seem happy.”

“That’s a facade,” Lexie confessed. “Inside I’m a mess.”

“Really? Could’ve fooled me.”

Lexie eyed Harry with a smirk. “I guess I just did.”

Softening his expression, Harry nodded. “‘m sorry. You wanna talk about it?”

“Not really.”

Harry studied Lexie’s face for a moment, wondering if she would change her mind. But when she didn’t, he knew not to push her. “Okay.”

Lying back on his pillow, he folded an arm behind his head. Something about his relaxed state made her want to cuddle with him and tell him all her problems. Shaking away the thought, Lexie lied back too, her eyes on the TV.

“I think we just grew apart,” she finally muttered.

“What?” Harry turned his head to look at her.

“Shelby and me,” she explained. “We just...got too comfortable, I guess? If that makes sense. It became boring. And when I get bored, I start to get restless.”

“I think that makes sense,” Harry commented. “You can only spread yourself so far.”

“Exactly!” Lexie nodded. She rolled onto her side, facing Harry. He blinked at her nearness, her wide-eyed expression.

“Like I’m willing to give myself to somebody, everything I have. When I love someone, they’re my world. But after a while it felt kind of one-sided.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry said again. “How did Shelby feel about it?”

Lexie shrugged. “We would just end up arguing when I brought it up. She said she wasn’t like me, that she needs her space and time separate from me. I told her I understood that, but I still needed her to meet me in the middle once in a while.”

“And maybe more?” Harry asked.

“What do you mean?”

This time, Harry turned onto his side, so he was face to face with Lexie. “Maybe sometimes you needed her to make the full effort like you were doing, so you didn’t have to meet her in the middle at all.”

Harry watched Lexie’s eyelashes flutter rapidly until a tiny drop fell down her cheek. Without thinking, he lifted his hand to brush it away with his thumb.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he whispered.

Lexie shook her head, then reached her hand up and grasped Harry’s wrist. “No. You’re absolutely right. How did you know?”

Harry shrugged. “‘s not hard to figure out, Lex. You’ve worn yourself thin.”

“Doesn’t mean I didn’t try,” she choked.

“I know.”

“I loved her.”

“Course you did. Maybe you still do?” Harry lowered his hand, releasing it from her grip.

Lexie pursed her lips. “I dunno. I guess I’ll always love her in some way. But I think the real love was gone a long time ago.”

“You think she feels the same?” Harry asked.

“Well...she was angry when we broke up. But now she says she wants to get back together.”

“What do you want?”

Lexie sighed, running a hand through her hair as her eyes darted around the room. “I guess...I dunno I just don’t think she can change. She’s just...she’s probably gonna keep calling me…”

Harry stopped her by taking her hand, making her look at him again. “That’s not what I asked, Lex. What do you want?”

Lexie opened her mouth to speak but shut it quickly. Then biting her lip, she really considered Harry’s question.

“I just want to move on, to be honest,” she finally admitted.

“Then move on.”

A loud boom of thunder sounded then, once again timely as though it punctuated Harry’s words. Neither of them, however even made a move. They lay facing each other in silence, the movie credits scrolling up the ignored television screen.

Butterflies danced in Lexie’s stomach as she stared at Harry, his green eyes seeming to say unspoken words. Though she wasn’t quite sure what those words were, she had an idea. Swallowing hard, she loosened her hand from his grip only to thread her fingers with his. Harry dropped his gaze to their joined hands before his eyes darted back up to her face, landing on her mouth. Instinctively, Lexie licked her lips and in one split second, she felt Harry’s lips pressed against them.

They were so soft. That was the first thought that crossed her mind. The second was that she hoped he didn’t stop any time soon.

Thunder cracked once again as Harry released Lexie’s hand to cup her cheek. She sighed against his mouth, and that was enough for him to know it was okay to deepen the kiss. Lexie opened her mouth to him, allowing his tongue to meet hers. She felt something then - something more than just arousal.

Rain continued to pelt against the roof and the window, the sound so loud, one would think the glass might break and water would rush in. But at that moment, Lexie heard nothing but the beating of her own heart in her chest.

Harry shifted slightly then, resting his leg between hers as he laid on top of her. Their kisses became intense, an apparent hunger as though they couldn’t get enough. Lexie’s hands found the back of Harry’s jeans, her fingers looping into his belt at his waistband. She held on for a few moments as his hips began to buck against hers, causing a friction that drove her mad. When his lips finally left hers and dragged across her jaw, she gasped for air.

“Ha-harry…” she sounded. Swallowing hard, she blinked to get her bearings. “Harry.”

Lifting his head, he looked at her face, her eyes reading uncertainty.

“Sorry,” he breathed. “Jesus, Lex, I’m sorry. I didn’t-”

“No,” Lexie interrupted. “Don’t. Don’t be sorry.” She shook her head. “About anything.”

“Really? Then why…”

“It’s just…” she licked her lips. “I’ve never...been with a guy...before…”

Harry’s eyes widened as he tried to sit up, but Lexie pulled him back.

“I mean...not like this. I’ve dated men. Well...boys really,” she chuckled nervously. “But it’s been a while.”

“But have you…”

Lexie shut her eyes and shook her head. She heard Harry sigh and felt his body relax against hers. She felt a flutter in her chest at the idea that he hadn’t moved off of her. She liked the feeling of his body against hers. When she opened her eyes, she saw him eyeing her, his expression sweet and calm.

“I don’t wanna make you do something you’ll regret, Lex,” he said. “But you should know, I didn’t tell you to move on in hopes that you’ll sleep with me.”

Lexie giggled. “But I am sleeping with you.”

Harry rolled his eyes and smirked. “You know what I mean.”

“I do,” Lexie said softly. “I also know I like you.”

Harry’s smile grew as he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “You do?”

“Mhmm,” Lexie nodded. “The truth?”

Harry raised a brow as Lex grazed her fingertips across his back. “You’re the first guy I’ve ever had these kinds of feelings about.”

“What kind of feelings?” he whispered.

“You know…” Lexie hesitated. “Feelings like...I think you’re incredible and sweet. And I want to touch you. And I want you to touch me.”

Lexie felt Harry shift again, his thigh nearly pressing exactly where she wanted it to.

“Yeah?” he asked, his eyes studying her face intently.

With the flutter of her eyelids, she nodded again. “Please.”

“Lexie…”

Before she could say more, before she barely had time to process how sexy and deep his voice sounded when he said her name, his lips were on hers again.

Lexie shoved her pajamas into her overnight bag as she watched the light yet steady rain continue to fall outside. The weather wasn’t as bad as it had been during the night. The thunder and lightning had stopped, and the parking lot wasn’t flooded like Harry had predicted.

Harry.

She could hear his footsteps coming up the sidewalk. Taking her eyes from the window, Lexie turned toward the sink to grab her toothbrush and other toiletries. She heard the door open behind her and the sound of feet stomping to rid of their dirt or water.

“We’re all checked out,” he announced. “So...whenever you’re ready…”

“Okay,” Lexie called over her shoulder before turning around and dropping her toiletry bag inside her suitcase. Then she zipped it up and gave a tight smile. “All set.”

“Here, I’ll take that,” Harry declared with a nod as he reached for Lexie’s bag.

Sucking in her lips, Lexie decided not to argue, accepting Harry’s chivalry as she slid her arms into her raincoat. Then she followed him out to her car where she unlocked it and popped open the trunk. Lexie sat in the driver’s seat, the engine running while she heard Harry slam the trunk and rush to his side.

“Rain’s not so bad now,” he commented, rubbing his hands together, “but the temperature’s dropped.”

“Yeah, it’s cold,” Lex agreed, immediately regretting it.

The entire morning had been nothing but short, redundant replies to his comments or questions, punctuated with tight-lipped smiles and nods. Awkward didn’t begin to describe the thick air between them.

“Breakfast?” Lexie managed to ask when she shifted the car into reverse.

“Yeah, sure,” Harry said as he buckled his seatbelt. “Don’t reckon those potato chips and sodas lasted long after…”

Though his words trailed off, Lexie looked at him with wide eyes. When his gaze lifted from the click of his seatbelt and he gave a smirk, however, she felt herself blush. A small, nervous giggle escaped her throat as she shifted back into drive and turned out of the parking lot.

Still catching a flicker of a grin on Harry’s face out of the corner of her eye, Lexie quickly found a radio station that was to her liking, and she quietly hummed along. Truth was, she was nervous as hell, though she wasn’t quite sure why. She didn’t like it that Harry suddenly made her nervous either, because he never had before. He was her friend. But now he was…

Harry.

Her mind wandered to the night before, his soft kisses, his hands on her hips as his own pressed against her. He hadn’t tried to rush her. In fact, he had been completely gentle and respectful, knowing she was hesitant. Her own brain had been spinning like a whirlwind, unsure of how far to go. She knew she liked him and was attracted to him, that was a given. And the feeling of his lips on hers only confirmed that. But it had only been a short time that she’d been broken up from Shelby, her long-term girlfriend and the only person who’d even seen her naked in two years.

She’d let him touch her. When his hand had slipped inside her pajama bottoms, she hadn’t stopped him, though his eyes questioned her. She’d bit her lip and opened her legs, a sigh quickly releasing from her lungs when she felt his fingers on her. His gaze had been focused on her face the entire time while his hands had done the magic, making her throw her head back and moan as her legs shook. She thought she might have breathed his name, though she wasn’t sure. It was a possibility it had gotten lost behind the sound of the thunder. She did remember, however, the tender kiss he’d given her when she’d come down, his hands cradling her face as though she was a china doll.

“Lex?”

“Huh?” Lexie blinked. She blushed again, realizing her focus was not on the road.

“Looks like there’s a diner up there,” Harry pointed. “Unless you just wanted to find a McDonald’s.”

“Oh! No...yeah...that sounds great, actually.”

“I know I could go for some pancakes,” Harry commented, patting his belly.

Lexie smiled at him. “Yeah. Me too.”

Pulling into a spot next to a pickup truck, Lexie put the car in park and killed the engine. Pushing her door open, she felt something brush her hand. But just as she turned to look at Harry, she saw him quickly peel his eyes away and open his own door, shutting it with a thud.

The overly chipper waitress seated them at a table by the window. After ordering coffee and juice, Lexie pulled out her phone, prepared to text her sister when she suddenly frowned. Harry caught it, his breath stalling in his throat as he waited for Lexie to say something.

He watched her silently as she typed hastily on her phone. He wanted to snatch it from her hands and throw it out the window, but instead he waited. Despite what happened between them the night before, it was none of his business whom she was texting. But he really hoped to God it wasn’t Shelby.

The waitress returned with their beverages then, and Lexie laid down her phone with a smile. They both ordered a big breakfast with pancakes, but suddenly Harry wasn’t very hungry.

“Um…” he hesitated, reaching for his silverware. “Everything okay?”

“What? Oh…” Lexie shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it’s fine. I had a text from Shelby, but I ignored it. I was texting my sister to let her know I made it through the storm, and that I’ll text her again once I’ve dropped you off.”

Harry sucked in his lips and nodded, though he felt his insides release the tension they’d been holding.

“I’m sorry I had to tag along,” he muttered.

“Don’t be silly, Harry,” Lexie waved him off before dropping a straw into her orange juice and taking a sip.

“Well, if you didn’t have to take me to Brian’s, you could get to your sister’s sooner. You have to go out of the way.”

“Harry, it’s not out of the way. In fact, it’s exactly on the way. It’s fine.”

Harry watched Lexie’s eyes as she took another drink. He liked the way her eyelashes fluttered slowly, laying delicately against her cheeks. He thought of kissing her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips. He’d never been this awkward around anyone before, the morning after. But this wasn’t just anyone.

“Besides,” Lexie added, sitting back in her seat, “it was you that needed the ride. It just so happened that I could visit my sister at the same time.”

The waitress returned with their food, and for several minutes they ate in awkward silence. Or perhaps it was only Harry who felt awkward. He wanted to mention the night before, but he reckoned in a diner while eating pancakes was not the best place to bring it up.

“So, are you excited about the wedding?” Lexie asked, breaking the silence.

Harry shrugged. “I like weddings. But I’m not sure excited would be the right word.”

Lex giggled, making Harry look up from his breakfast. He’d come to notice that he really liked her laugh.

“Why not?”

“Well…” he began, swallowing the bite in his mouth, “Brian’s an old friend of mine. And I’m happy for him. His family’s always been great to me. Looks like he’s found a great girl. It’s just…”

Lexie looked at him, tilting her head. “Just what? You’re not jealous, are you Harry?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Not jealous. I just...he’s got a big family, lots of cousins and friends. I’ll be the only person there alone.”

“Oh,” Lexie mouthed. She wasn’t sure what else to say.

“Last time I visited them,” he added, surprising Lex, “I was seeing someone.”

“Oh,” she whispered again.

With another shrug, Harry dismissed his own thoughts, diving back into his pancakes. “Doesn’t matter, I know. It’s my mate’s wedding. It’s not about me.”

“That’s true,” Lexie nodded. “You’re just there to show support.”

“Exactly,” Harry said with his mouth full.

With an odd feeling in her stomach, Lexie managed to eat the rest of her breakfast. She mentally kicked herself for even bringing up the subject and vowed to stay quiet about it until they’d reached their destination.

Back on the road, Lexie gave Harry control of the music, letting him choose a playlist from her phone. Except for a comment here or there on the songs, the conversation was sparse. They were on a long stretch of highway with nothing much on either side but pasture and the occasional farm or herd of cows.

“So, um…” Harry hesitated a moment before deciding to just admit what he was thinking. “I enjoyed last night.”

“What?” Lexie turned her head quickly before returning her eyes to the road. She heard Harry let out a soft, deep laugh, making her weak in the knees.

“I was wondering how long it would take either of us to mention it, but it’s been hours now and...well, I reckoned I’d have to be the one to address the elephant in the room...or, um...car.”

Sucking in her lips, Lexie felt herself blush as she gripped the steering wheel.

“Sorry,” she finally muttered, stealing a glance at Harry. “Guess I’m not very good at this.”

“Nothing to be sorry for,” said Harry. He paused before adding his question. “Did you enjoy it?”

Lexie felt her lips curl up as she kept her eyes on the road. Then tapping her thumbs on the wheel, she nodded. “Yes. Very much.”

“Good.” Harry sat back in his seat then, trying his best not to seem cocky. But she’d said she’d liked it. And that made him happy.

“I um...just want you to know…” he added, “it doesn’t have to be...weird between us now.”

“Oh, yeah, I know,” Lexie agreed hastily.

“It’s just...um...I’d really like to do it again, but if you feel-”

“If I feel what?” Lexie eyed him, her cheeks still pink.

Harry grinned, looked down at his knees and licked his lips. He was kind of enjoying the obvious effect he had on her, but he didn’t want to push it.

“Just...if you don’t want to, I’ll understand.”

“Harry, I um…” Lexie shifted in her seat, gripping the wheel. “Something else you should know about me. I’m not a one and done type of girl. I don’t...sleep around.”

Harry’s lips widened, his dimples deeper. “I know that, Lex.”

“But by the same token,” she continued, “I don’t rush into things either. I mean, I just broke up with-”

She stopped when she felt Harry’s hand on her elbow.

“Say no more,” he murmured. “I understand.”

Slowly releasing her grip on the steering wheel, Lexie lowered her arm to the seat, laying her hand next to her, palm up. Taking it as the gesture it was, Harry gracefully slipped his fingers through hers. Their hands remained like that through the next three songs as they both hummed softly along until stopping at the next exit to fill up on gas.

Harry had gone inside the food market to get a few snacks for the road while Lexie pumped the gas. Paying the cashier, he pushed the door open to see Lexie with her back to him, leaning against the driver’s side. It wasn’t until he got closer that he realized she was talking on her cell.

“I just can’t do it anymore, Shel,” he heard her say. “I just...I think it’s time we both moved on.”

Afraid he was intruding, Harry started to turn back to the market, pretending he’d forgotten something.

“Harry!”

Stopping in his tracks, he turned around again. Lexie beamed at him as she pushed a strand of hair from her face. He never thought she looked so pretty. Except maybe last night…

“What’d you get me?” she asked, jogging around the back of the car. Peeking into the paper bag, she raised her brows. Then she giggled, recognizing the potato chips, cookies and juice. “All my favorites.”

“Well, you didn’t get your juice last night so-”

Lexie planted a haste kiss on his cheek. “You’re sweet. I’m going to the ladies’. Be right back.”

“Hey, would you like me to drive for a while?” Harry inquired.

“If you like,” she smiled, handing him the keys.

Harry watched her practically prance into the market. He didn’t want to jinx it, but it certainly seemed like she’d gotten the closure she needed with Shelby. He was happy to see her with a little pep in her step.

Setting the groceries in the backseat, Harry put the key in the ignition. Then reaching back, he grabbed the two juices and placed them in the cup holders between the front seats. Just as Lexie returned to the car, Harry noticed it was sprinkling.

“Good timing, I guess,” remarked Lex as she climbed into the passenger seat. “I saw the dark clouds forming a few miles back.”

Switching on the windshield wipers, Harry pulled out of the gas station. As soon as they were back on the highway, he heard Lexie open the bottles then hand him one.

“Cheers,” she said with a sly grin.

Harry mimicked her, tapping his bottle against hers. “Thanks.”

“So, tell me more about this Brian guy,” said Lex as she pulled out the bag of potato chips and opened them.

Harry looked at her and then back at the road. “You sure are in a good mood.”

“Am I not supposed to be?”

“I dunno. I just thought…”

“That I’d be sad or still hung up on Shelby?” she asked.

Harry shrugged. “I couldn’t help overhearing.”

Lexie was quiet for a moment as she stared at the chip in her hand.

“It’s over,” she admitted softly. Then turning, she captured Harry’s gaze. “I ended it. Officially.”

Swallowing, Harry set his juice in the cup holder and nodded. “How do you feel about that?”

With a grin slowly spreading across her face, Lexie popped the chip into her mouth.

“I feel good about it,” she announced. “Great, actually. Is that awful?”

Harry shook his head. “Not at all. I’m glad you got the closure you needed.”

“Me too,” Lex agreed. Then like before, she laid her hand palm up across the console. Harry took it as an invitation and with a tiny flicker of a spark, he threaded his fingers through hers.

“Thank you.”

Harry wasn’t exactly sure what he’d done, but the look on her face and the touch of her skin was enough reason.

“You’re welcome,” he said. “Now hand me some of those cookies.”

“Hurry before you catch pneumonia!” Lexie heard the woman at the door call out.

The rain had been coming down nonstop for the last couple hours. Though Lexie had been grateful to Harry for taking over behind the wheel, she felt guilty for making him drive through that grueling weather. They’d finally made it to his friend Brian’s house, or rather, his mother’s, but the rain was determined to be difficult, the wind only adding to the arduous driving conditions.

Closing the trunk of the car, Lexie followed Harry as he carried both bags up the steps of the large farmhouse, stomping his feet on the massive wrap-around porch. Lex had given Harry a short questioning glance when he’d grabbed her bag, but with the woman shouting and the rain pouring down, she decided not to argue.

“Virginia!” he shouted. “Nice to see you.”

“Harry Styles, get in this house this instant!”

Practically shooing him over the threshold, the woman wasn’t slow to notice the girl following behind.

“Hello, dear!” she greeted. “Welcome.”

Lexie barely got a thank you out before Virginia addressed Harry again. “Who did you bring, handsome?”

“This is Lexie, Virginia,” Harry answered as he dropped the bags in the foyer. “We drove here in her car.”

“Oh, I see,” Virginia beamed. “Lovely to meet you...Lexie, you said?”

“Well, it’s Alexis actually, but…”

“Oh, come here, give me a hug,” the older woman insisted. “I’m so happy for you.”

Lexie wasn’t sure if she was more embarrassed because she was wet from the rain, or because the woman obviously thought she and Harry were a legit couple. Catching only a slight twitch of nervousness in Harry’s reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall, she opted to once again leave it be. Virginia was certainly used to playing hostess, and from the aroma in the house, Lexie could already tell she was good at it.

“Styles, you made it!”

Lexie looked up to see a man around Harry’s height and build saunter down the stairs. Meeting Harry, he caught him in a tight embrace, murmuring thank yous and missed yous.

“Lex, meet one of my oldest, dearest mates, Brian Ramsey.”

“Nice to meet you,” Lexie nodded, extending her hand.

“Pleasure’s all mine.”

“And you already met his mother, Mrs. Ramsey, AKA Virginia, AKA the best cook aside from my mum.”

“AKA the one you never come to see anymore,” Mrs. Ramsey swatted at Harry with her dishcloth.

“I’m sorry love, I’ve been busy,” Harry smirked.

“Mhmm, I see,” she nodded, eyeing Lexie and then giving a wink.

“Well, c’mon, Harry, let’s go have a drink,” Brian gestured down the hall to where Lexie only assumed was the kitchen. “Pretty sure Pops, Jenny and Serena are back here.”

Eager to join him, Harry looked back at Lexie with a smile.

“Oh,” she mouthed. “Actually, I should probably get going.”

“What?” Virginia asked incredulously.

“Yeah, um...I was actually just dropping Harry off. I have to get to my sister’s.”

“Oh, honey, you can’t go out in this weather!” Virginia insisted. “It’s supposed to be raining all night, possible flooding. Maybe even a tornado.”

“Oh.”

“And the roads around here usually flood pretty quickly, so they close them off. You probably won’t be able to get out until tomorrow morning, at the earliest.”

“Oh,” she whispered again.

“Don’t worry about it, Lex,” Harry offered. “I’m sure Mrs. Ramsey won’t mind you staying over.”

“Of course not, dear!” she exclaimed. “Trust me, you’re not going anywhere in this.”

“I don’t want to put you out,” Lex started to argue.

“Nonsense! I have enough rooms, blankets, towels and food for an army!”

“Ugh, the army line again,” scoffed Brian.

“Hush, you!” Virginia said, daring him with his own swat from the dishcloth.

Reluctantly, Lexie followed the two boys through the hall and into a large open area with the kitchen to the left, and a family room to the right.

“I thought a heard a raucous out there!” announced the man sitting in the leather recliner. Rising from it, he quickly held his hand out. “Harry, good to see you, son.”

“Hey, Pops,” said Harry, giving him a big hug. “How’s life treating you?”

“Can’t complain.”

With a grin, Harry stepped back and placed his hand on the small of Lexie’s back. “Pops, this is Lexie.”

“Hello, Lexie,” the older man greeted with a handshake. Then placing his other hand on top, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Just so you know, he’s one of the good ones.”

“What are you telling her, Pops?” asked a young woman who’d just walked into the room.

“None of your business.”

“Lies.”

Lex eyed Harry who let out a burst of giggles.

“Hi, I’m Jenny,” said the woman. “Brian’s older but wiser sister.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“And that one over there,” she pointed to the brunette in the kitchen, “is Brian’s fiancée, Serena.”

“Not for much longer,” Serena sang, taking a cookie sheet from the oven and placing it on top of the stove. Then wiping her hands on her apron, she walked around the counter, holding out her hand. “Hi, so nice to meet you, Lexie.”

Lexie suddenly felt as if she was in a movie, one of those wholesome Christmas films that were shown on television every year. Everyone was so nice and hospitable, it seemed...unreal.

Brian emerged from the kitchen then with two glasses of wine, offering them to Harry and Lex. Lifting his glass, Harry proposed a toast to the happy couple, wishing them all the best.

After several games of cards, and a couple rounds of charades, in which Harry won both, plus far too many of Serena’s cookies, the evening had finally wound down. The wedding pair retired to their room upstairs and Mrs. Ramsey set both Harry and Lexie up with their own rooms, across the hall from each other. Lexie had already called her sister to tell her the situation, and that she would be arriving later than scheduled.

After brushing her teeth, Lexie opened the bathroom door to find Harry standing in the hallway. A smile slowly spread across his face as he took her in. His gaze suddenly made Lexie self-conscious, and she looked down at her ensemble.

“Different pajamas,” she remarked.

“I can see that,” Harry smirked. “I like those, too.”

Blushing, she bit her lip, then ran a hand through her hair. “Um, did you need the restroom?”

“Oh...yeah.”

As Lexie turned down her bed, a beautiful blue and white rose quilt, she found herself humming one of the songs she and Harry had listened to earlier that day in the car. A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the way he’d told her he’d enjoyed the night before.

Suddenly, a knock sounded behind her, and she looked up to see Harry standing in the doorway.

“Hey. Can I come in?”

“Of course,” Lexie gestured.

Harry stepped into the room, gazing up at the photos and paintings on the walls, then walked over to the dresser and inspected everything on it.

“The Ramseys are really nice,” Lexie remarked, taking a seat on the bed as she watched Harry.

“Yeah,” Harry nodded. “They’re like...my second family.”

“I can tell. They’re definitely fond of you.”

“Yes.”

“And it was very kind of them to let me stay. Even though it was mostly Virginia’s idea,” Lexie laughed. “I don’t think she was about to let me set foot outside again.”

Harry chuckled nervously in agreement. “She’s a tough one, that Virginia. What she says goes.”

Placing an old, framed photo back onto the dresser, he let out a sigh. Finally, turning around, he sucked in his lips. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Harry looked at the floor.

“Um...hey I know it’s kind of last minute, and you need to get to your sister’s and all…” he paused, biting his bottom lip before finally lifting his eyes to Lexie, “but I was wondering...and you totally don’t have to...if you’d like to stay...a little longer tomorrow...and be my date. For the wedding.”

Lexie’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected him to ask her that.

“Oh!” she breathed. “Oh, well...I…”

Harry shook his head. “It’s alright. It was a dumb thing to ask.”

“No!” Lexie exclaimed. “I mean...no, it wasn’t a dumb thing to ask. I mean...actually…”

The corners of Harry’s mouth quivered slightly before his lips spread into a smile and his dimples appeared. He let out a tiny chuckle, causing Lexie to glare at him.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re as nervous as I am,” he replied.

Lexie blushed as she realized he was absolutely right. With a smile that nearly blinded Harry, Lexie stepped forward and took his hand.

“I’d love to be your date,” she beamed.

Lexie stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. While she wouldn’t call the dress exactly her style, she was grateful that Jenny let her borrow it for the special occasion. She liked the dainty blue flowers and flowing sleeves.

“I think it’s perfect,” declared Brian’s sister. “You look so pretty.”

“I do?” asked Lexie bashfully, her cheeks blushing a light pink.

“Definitely. Looks better on you than it ever did on me. Lucky we’re the same size.”

Biting her lip, Lexie ran her hands across her waist. She silently wondered what Harry would think.

“What about your hair?” asked Jenny. “Were you planning on wearing it up or down?”

Lex grinned nervously. “I actually hadn’t thought about it. This whole thing wasn’t planned at all.”

“Of course,” Jenny smiled.

“I usually wear my hair down though,” Lexie added, winding a strand around her finger. “What do you think?”

Jenny’s smile widened. “I have a great idea.”

Turning to her dresser, she opened the top drawer and pulled out a headband, bringing it to Lexie.

“What do you think of this?” she asked. The headband was simple, adorned with dainty flowers and leaves in gold metal.

“I love it!” exclaimed Lex.

With gentle ease, Jenny placed the headband on the center of Lexie’s head, allowing her soft, delicate hair to fall around it.

“Yes,” beamed Jenny. “Absolutely perfect.”

A knock sounded on the door then, and Jenny walked across the room to open it.

“Harry, you can’t see us yet,” Lex heard Jenny say. “It’s bad luck.”

“I thought that was just the bride and groom,” Harry chuckled from the doorway.

“Even so,” Jenny whispered. “I wasn’t quite finished.”

“With what?”

It was then that Harry spotted Lexie across the room, her reflection in the mirror as she looked down at her hands.

“Oh!” he sounded, his eyes wide.

With a sigh, Jenny stepped back and allowed Harry to enter the room.

“Wow, Lex, you look amazing!” he announced.

“Thanks,” she muttered, turning around to face him. Grabbing the sides of the dress, she felt herself blush again. “Jenny let me borrow it.”

“It’s lovely on you.”

Lexie and Harry seemed to stare at each other for a few moments until the silence was broken by Jenny’s voice.

“Shoes!” she squealed, nearly making Lexie jump. “What size shoes do you wear?”

“Um…” Lexie swallowed, “eight.”

“Aw crap,” Jenny scowled, snapping her hands on her waist. “I’m a nine. They’d be too big.”

“It’s okay.”

“I bet Serena’s your size,” she added. “I’m not sure if she brought any other shoes with her, but I could ask.”

“Really, it’s okay,” Lex chuckled. “You’ve done enough for me. Besides after the weather last night, I might be glad I’m in my sneakers.”

“Oh, that reminds me why I came up,” said Harry. “Your mum needs you downstairs. Something about a broken table and angry caterers.”

“Ugh,” Jenny rolled her eyes.

“Oh no, I hope everything’s okay,” said Lexie. “Maybe I should help.”

“No need,” Jenny held up a hand as she headed for the door. “When Virginia Ramsey’s involved, there is a way.”

“Send out an S.O.S. if you need us,” called Harry.

“Will do!”

Harry’s shoulders shook with laughter as his best friend’s sister left the room, leaving him alone with Lexie.

“Look at you,” said Lex, making Harry turn and raise a brow. “You clean up nice, Styles.”

Harry looked down at his suit, his hands on the jacket lapels.

“Wha’ this ol’ thing?” he smirked, causing Lexie to giggle.

Stepping closer to him, she reached for the cross around his neck, displayed in the center of his chest.

“I take it you’re not a tie kind of guy,” she remarked.

“Not particularly,” Harry grinned at her. “Why, do you think I should wear one?”

Lexie shook her head. “I didn’t say that.”

She felt his hand on her waist before he pulled her closer, his chest colliding with hers. His green eyes seemed to dance as his other hand slid under her ear.

“You look really pretty, Lex,” he said softly.

“Thanks. So do you.”

The corners of Harry’s mouth twitched before he leaned forward, his lips so close to hers she could feel his breath on them.

“Is it okay if I kiss you now?” he asked.

“I was beginning to wonder why you hadn’t already.”

Lexie gasped when Harry opened the back door, and she followed him out onto the large porch. It was trimmed with dangling lights and floral garlands that cascaded down the banisters to the large canopy in the backyard.

“Kinda magical, innit?” asked Harry, catching Lexie’s eye. She smiled and nodded.

“C’mere you two!” someone called from the yard and Lexie turned to see Mrs. Ramsey beckoning them. “I could use your help.”

Taking her hand, Harry lead Lexie down the steps and between the rows of white chairs to where Virginia stood.

“At your service,” offered Harry with a grin. “What do you need us to do?”

“Oh honey, don’t you look lovely!” exclaimed Virginia when she finally got a good look at Harry’s date up close.

“Thank you,” Lexie said shyly, looking down at her sneakered feet.

Her hand went to her forehead to brush a strand of hair from her face when she remembered the headband. Gently, she adjusted it, careful not to make a mess of it before the wedding as she caught the gleam in Virginia’s eyes when she smiled at Harry.

“If you wouldn’t mind, my dears,” said Mrs. Ramsey, “could you kindly stand outside the gate to greet the guests as they come in? Brian’s cousins are ushers, but I’d just like to have someone out there to make sure they’re entering on the right side, and no one steps in a mud puddle or anything.”

“No problem,” Harry and Lexie replied in unison.

Squeezing her hand that he was still holding, Harry gave Lexie a wink before guiding her around the corner to the large fence that surrounded the Ramsey’s backyard. Then unlocking the gate, he released her hand only to push it open.

“So, we just stand out here?” inquired Lexie.

“Yep. Guests should be arriving soon.”

Twirling around, Lexie inspected the view of the backyard through the gate, getting an idea of what guests might see when they walk through.

“This is really a great place for a wedding,” she commented.

“It is,” agreed Harry with a nod.

“And convenient, too. They probably saved a ton of money.”

“You better believe it,” Harry chuckled. “And not just because it’s the Ramsey’s house. Virginia will find the best deal anywhere. She’s kind of famous for it.”

“Really?” Lexie smiled, intrigued.

“Yeah, if she can do it herself, or get Pops to do it, she will. If not, she knows everyone within the next three towns, and she won’t let them take advantage of her. She always gets her way.”

Lexie laughed. “She’s a pretty cool lady.”

The corners of Harry’s mouth twitched as he stepped closer.

“You’re a pretty cool lady, too,” he declared.

“Stop,” Lexie playfully swatted at him as he tried to put his arms around her.

“Too cheesy?”

“Hmm, maybe a little…” she bit her lip.

“Sorry,” said Harry as he managed to pull her closer. “I’ll cut back on the cheese.”

“No, it’s...it’s cute.”

“I really like you, Lex. And I’m glad you’re here.”

A big smile spread across her face as she slid her hands up his arms. “Me too.”

Harry was just about to ask which statement she was agreeing with when an older couple approached them from the front yard.

“Don’t tell me the wedding’s started already,” the man chided.

“No, sir,” Lexie began before she noticed the twinkle in his eye.

“Harry,” he added, holding out his hand. “Good to see you, young man.”

“Mr. McRay, a pleasure,” Harry greeted.

“How’s that beautiful mother of yours?”

“She’s just fine, sir, thanks for asking.” Harry reached for Lexie then, placing his hand on her back. “Lex, this is Mr. and Mrs. McRay, the Ramsey’s neighbors.”

“How do you do,” Lexie smiled.

“I do wonderful, pretty lady,” Mr. McRay said, giving her a wink and earning himself a poke from his wife.

“Charles is a big flirt,” she scoffed. “Don’t mind him.”

Lexie felt herself blush as Harry’s fingertips dug into her waist as he gently pulled her closer to his side.

“You two look lovely,” Mrs. McRay added. “I trust Virginia’s inside, running herself ragged?”

“Just a wee bit,” said Harry, making Lexie giggle.

“I better see if she needs my help. Hope to see you two later.”

“Enjoy the wedding,” smiled Lexie.

By the time the McRays made it inside the gate, a short line of cars had formed along the curb, some on the driveway. Lexie took a deep breath as she watched guests exit their cars and begin the walk up to the gate.

After greeting at least half a dozen couples and clusters of families, Lexie noticed something. Harry’s hand had remained on her back the entire time. Perhaps it was a silent reassurance that even though she wasn’t a member of the wedding party or even an originally invited guest, she was still very much a part of the day’s activities because she was Harry’s date.

His date. Lexie let the word roll around her brain for a moment while she watched him chat with someone else he’d known nearly all his life. She liked the word. It was simple, not too formal or labeling. He’d introduced her as his date a couple of times already, a big, dimpled smile on his face as he’d said it.

“This is my date, Lexie,” he’d beamed, his hand giving her another light squeeze.

She liked that he hadn’t said “friend”. Although she certainly was his friend, she always thought that word held little romantic value. Even Shelby would sometimes introduce her as her friend, after they’d been dating for months, and it would rub her wrong to put it mildly. It wasn’t that she thought she and Harry had crossed the line into more than just friends after just one night together, but…

“Lex?” Harry asked, making her blink.

“Yeah, sorry,” she swallowed. “What did you say?”

“I was just telling Jackson about our little adventure on the road to get here.”

“Oh!” Lexie’s eyes widened.

Harry let out a gleeful chuckle and leaned into her. “Not the motel part, love.”

Lexie couldn’t help but laugh in spite of herself, and when she found she couldn’t stop, she rolled her head into Harry’s chest.

“Seems she’s gotten a fit of the giggles,” Harry explained to Jackson who’d joined in on the humor of an obvious inside joke.

“I’m so sorry!” Lexie shouted, muffled from Harry’s shirt.

“I’ll meet you inside,” laughed Jackson. “Good to meet you, Lexie.”

“You too!”

Harry’s chest continued to shake with laughter as he gently rubbed Lexie’s back. Once Jackson was out of earshot, she slowly lifted her head.

“I’m so embarrassed,” she whined.

“Why?” Harry asked, an enormous grin on his face.

“It’s not that I thought you’d told him...it’s just...it’s the first thing that came to mind, and...oh, God.”

Grabbing the lapels of his jacket and burying her face in his neck, Lexie got a good whiff of Harry’s cologne and suddenly felt her legs go weak.

“You are so fucking cute, Lex,” she heard him say.

“I am?” she asked, breathing him in. His skin was so close to her lips, she wanted to touch it.

“Yeah. I kind of always thought of you as very confident and self-assured.” Harry’s free hand found the back of her head and began to lightly brush his fingers through her hair. “And you are, I find it very sexy. But this…”

“Hmm?” Lexie sounded when he paused.

“This is a different side of you,” Harry explained. “I dunno if it’s because of me, but...it’s like you have your guard down a little bit. And I think it’s very sexy, too.”

Her legs now jelly, Lexie shifted slightly until her lips met the warm skin on his neck. She pressed three soft kisses there until she felt him hum against her mouth.

“Lex…” he whispered.

Lifting her head, she saw a deep green in his eyes she’d never seen before. He brushed a tiny strand of hair from her face before cupping her chin. Just as he was about the lean forward, however, a voice behind him interrupted.

“Harry, son, they’re getting the wedding party ready,” announced Mr. Ramsey.

“Oh yes, of course,” Harry cleared his throat. “Be right there.”

Lexie gave another look of embarrassment that only earned her a grin from Harry. Then taking her hand, he kissed the back of it.

“C’mon, I’ll take you to your seat.”

“You know, I knew you were the Best Man, but I guess I wasn’t thinking about the fact that you wouldn’t be sitting with me. Makes me kinda sad.”

“‘m sorry, love,” Harry frowned.

“It’s okay. I’m being dramatic,” Lexie teased. “At least I get to watch you.”

Harry chuckled low as they reached the end of a row of chairs where Lexie took a seat.

“Who says I won’t be watching you?”

“Please, it’s a wedding, Harry. Nobody’s even looking at anything but the bride and groom.”

“Hmm...that’s what you think.”

With another giggle in her chest, Lexie watched Harry turn down the aisle and walk up the porch steps. Soon enough, the music started and Brian escorted Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey to their seats on the front row. Serena’s mother was escorted next, followed by Harry and Jenny, serving as the Best Man and Maid of Honor.

Finally, the wedding march began, and Serena emerged from the porch and down the steps, her arm looped with her father’s. Lexie immediately felt the heaviness in her chest as Serena walked down the aisle, her face all aglow as her eyes met Brian’s. Then turning in her seat, Lexie caught the look on Brian’s face and just about lost it. No matter how strong and self-assured she sometimes seemed, Lex was no stranger to crying at weddings. Perhaps she was a true romantic at heart.

Just when the ceremony began, Lexie heard a familiar sound and realized it was raining again. However, with the party safe under the large canopy, it was almost tranquil.

As the couple said their vows, Lexie’s eyes veered toward her date who stood behind the groom. Her insides nearly melted when she realized he was looking at her too. And when the rings were exchanged and a tear made its way down her cheek, Lexie caught Harry’s lips curl up until they widened into a smile.

When the happy couple was pronounced husband and wife, the guests clapped and watched them make their way up the aisle. As Harry followed, he discreetly held out his hand to allow it to graze across Lexie’s shoulder. As if the looks he’d given her during the ceremony weren’t enough, her entire skin was now on fire.

Moments later, as the reception began, Lexie had just finished chatting with a friend of Serena’s that she’d met earlier when she felt the familiar hand on her waist.

“Did you enjoy that?” he whispered in her ear.

“Did you enjoy mocking me?” she teased.

“Mocking you?”

“Yeah, what was with the huge grin while I was clearly in tears over the vows?”

“That was not mocking,” argued Harry. “I was happy.”

“Happy I was crying?”

“Well...kinda, yeah,” Harry shrugged.

“Meanie!”

“No,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I mean I was happy that it moved you that much.”

“Oh.”

“I told you I was gonna watch you,” Harry added.

“Glad to be your entertainment.” Lexie folded her arms and looked down at her sneakers.

“Heyyy,” he said, lifting her chin with his finger. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it was...it was a beautiful wedding.”

“It was. But it’s not over yet. We have a party.” Harry spread his arms out.

“Yeah...I can’t stay that long though.”

“Oh,” Harry dropped his arms and frowned. “Why not?”

“I just...I have to get to my sister’s.”

“I thought you had that all worked out.”

“Yeah, but I feel bad. I was supposed to be there a long time ago, and now I’ll only get like a day and a half with her as it is.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry muttered.

“Not your fault,” Lexie waved her hand. “I should...I should probably go ahead and get changed. Pack my stuff. Looks like the rain stopped, so I should get out before it starts again.”

As she turned toward the back porch, Harry grabbed her hand.

“But wait…” he pleaded. “We...we haven’t had our dance yet.”

“Dance?”

As if on cue, a slow love song began to play, and a few couples took to the dance floor.

“Please?” Harry held out his hand.

With a sigh, Lexie took it and followed him. They began to sway in each other’s arms, the music leading them.

“Thanks for coming with me, Lex,” Harry said low. “And for being my date.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I wish we...had more time.”

Lexie stared at Harry’s lips for a long while before shifting her gaze to his eyes which seemed to burn into hers.

“Me too,” she finally admitted.

“Yeah?”

Shutting her eyes, Lexie leaned forward.

“Harry…” she whispered. “I don’t wanna go.”

“What?”

“I mean...I still wanna see my sister, but...I don’t wanna leave you.”

“Lexie…” Harry breathed, lifting his hand to her cheek.

“Is that awful?” she asked when she opened her eyes.

“No.”

Harry’s face looked so serene and beautiful, Lexie couldn’t help but feel a sudden calmness, even though her heart was beating a mile a minute.

“I’ve had the best time with you,” she confessed. “I’m not ready to say goodbye yet.”

“Me neither.”

“Would it be...completely awkward or inappropriate if I asked you to come with me?”

“To your sister’s?” Harry asked.

“Yeah…” Lexie’s expression faltered. “Never mind, forget it. It’s ridiculous.”

“No, it’s not,” murmured Harry as he blinked slowly, pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers.

Rain began to pelt against the canopy once again just as the fire she’d felt before returned full force and Lexie fell into the kiss. Their bodies continued to sway as their lips and tongues collided, until the song finally came to an end. Then leaning his forehead against hers, Harry gave her another of his dazzling smiles.

“I’d love to,” he said.

Hope you enjoyed!

Please like, comment, reblog or send me a msg!

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

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twice-inamillion · 10 months

Text

Love At First Sight

Fluff (falling in love, first date)

2,192 Words

(Minji’s partner cancels on her last minute. OC steps in for the person and falls for Minji.)

“Hi, Minji. Sorry to message you late, but I got sick and can’t attend practice. I’m really sorry. I asked someone I know if they would step in for me, and they said they could. Sorry again 👏🏼.”

Minji reads the message, turns off the phone, and heads to sleep.

———-

You wake up early in the morning and get ready for a dance session at a local studio. Your friend messaged you early yesterday and begged you to fill in for her since she’s got sick with the flu. You tried to decline, but she said that she’d owe you a huge favor whenever you’d want and hesitantly agreed.

Minji is at the dance studio and nervously awaits her substitute dance partner's arrival. She looked towards the door every time it opened.

“Alright, everyone, gather up. Most of you are here early and have a few minutes before we start. If you could all pair up and sit somewhere together,” says the dance instructor.

You walk towards the door and open it in a rush, causing everyone to turn towards your direction. “Sorry, I’m late. I’m the one that messaged earlier.”

The instructor walks towards you and looks at your phone. “Come on, you’ll meet your partner for today.” You follow the instructor toward the end of the room and see her talking to a girl in training pants and a white t-shirt.

“This is the partner you’re going to have for today,” she points at you. “And this is Kim Minji, the girl you’ll dance with today. ”

You approach her and introduce yourself, “I’ll be your partner today. I really hope we get along.”

Minji shakes your hand and says shyly, “Nice to… to meet you. Please take care of me.” You find her English quite cute and smile at her.

“Alright, everyone, quiet down. Since everyone is here, we will do some stretches before we start. After that, I will show you what we will do for today.”

The class stretches for about five minutes before moving to the main event. “Good job everyone. Now that we are warmed up, I will show you the dance we will practice today. She calls her partner, “Today we’ll dance to some Latin music, Salsa.” Everyone looks around, surprised, but the instructor mentions the importance of learning dances outside someone's comfort.

Minji watches as the instructor and her partner get in position and dance. She can’t help but notice the amount of touching there is and gets a bit shy with having someone she just met have their hand around her waist.

She looks at you and gives you a nervous smile, to which you return. You can’t help but find her a bit cute of her nervousness, but you obviously can’t tell her that.

After the dance, the instructor asked the whole room to stand up before their partners. “Alright, pick amongst yourselves who is going to be the leader in the group since you’ll be in charge of your partner.”

You stand in front of Minji, and she says, “I’ve never danced to this type of music before; I’m kind of nervous.”

“I’ve danced it once when I was younger but don’t remember how exactly it went. My friends and I were just messing around. If you want you, I can take the lead.”

“I’d like that,” says Minji with a relieved expression.

The instructor slowly demonstrates the moves the “leader” would need to do. You see the instructor grab the person’s hand and place the other hand on their waist. You do the same and grab Minji’s hand, which startles her, “eh.”

“Sorry, I was just copying what she was doing.”

“Ohh… okay, I was just a bit surprised.”

“Haha. Is it okay if…” Minji cuts you short and nods before you finish your sentence.

“Yeah, I don’t mind.”

She watches you as you interlock your hands with hers and place your hands on her hip. She can’t help but feel her heart begin to race. It’s her first time holding hands with someone of the opposite gender. She feels your firm but caring grip on her, making her a bit more nervous.

The instructor shows the class the moves and asks for everyone to copy them. You slowly move around the studio, leading Minji around. You can’t help but stare at her cute but shy expression. Minji catches your eye and turns red. She accidentally takes a wrong step and loses her balance, which makes her slip.

Unfortunately, you catch her by getting a firmer grip on her waist. “Are you okay?”

She freezes up and turns completely red, “you okay, Minji?” Her heart beats faster and faster as she is confused by your embrace. You help her get back up and try to catch up to the instructor.

“Alright, good job everyone. Let’s start over.” The two of you start the dance all over again.

After dancing for what feels like an hour, the instructor ends the class. “Good job, people! You all did better than I thought, especially the unexpected couple,” she said as she looked at Minji and you.

You see Minji blush when the instructor calls the two of you a couple. “You look cute when you blush.”

“Ehh,” says Minji as she turns even more red. Her mind is all over the place, trying to come up with a response, “I… thank you.”

“Actually… you seem pretty chill. Would you like to hang out sometime?”

Her mind immediately thinks of the word, date. A date with a boy. “Does… does right now work?”

“Yeah, I’m free right now.”

“Okay, can you wait for me outside? I’ll be out in a bit; I just need to do something.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you outside then.” You turn around to leave. She grabs your hand midway, “Wait, let me get your number first.”

“Sure,” she says, and she takes out her phone. You put in your number, “say cheese,” as you catch her off guard, take an unexpected selfie with her, and put it as her contact picture. You then text yourself and save her number on yours, put “Minji <3” and show it to her.

Minji chokes up as she walks towards the back of the studio. You gather your belongings and wait for her outside.

You pull out your phone and text her, “I’m outside,” and take a picture of the studio with a random dog in the background. You only need to wait a couple of minutes for Minji to come out of the studio.

“Thanks for waiting for me. Where do you want to go?”

“I’m down for some ice cream. It’s been a while since I had some.”

“Omg… I love ice cream. Let’s go.”

The two of you begin to walk toward a popular cream shop. Minji asks, “Okay, choose between the two, mint or no mint?”

“I love me some mint chocolate.” She stops and says, “Really?”

“Haha, no, I'm just kidding.”

“Haha, you really had me there. I actually thought you liked mint.”

“You don’t like it?”

“No, it tastes like toothpaste. It’s not my thing. My choices are between chocolate for ice cream and mango for gelato.”

“Omg, I love chocolate, and you’re right, mint tastes like toothpaste. We should definitely get chocolate.”

The two of you continue to walk to the ice cream place and talk over the practice. When you arrive, you open the door for Minji and walk towards the counter. “Good afternoon; how may I help you.”

“Hmm, we could like one chocolate and own mint for her,” as you point at Minji. “Wait… I…” Minji doesn’t finish her comment when you say, “Just kidding, two chocolates, please.”

“Haha, your boyfriend is funny,” says the attendant.

Minji gets embarrassed and says, “he’s not my boyfriend.”

“Not yet,” you reply. The attendant laughs and gives you a thumbs-up. He serves your order and takes it to the outside seating area.

“Here’s your mint chocolate,” you say as you hand Minji her ice cream.

“Haha, stop.”

“Just kidding, it's just regular chocolate.”

“Okay, don’t be a meany,” she pouts.

“Cute.”

“What?”

“Oh… nothing.”

“Anyways, thank you for being my partner today.”

“No problem. I think I owe your ex-partner a thanks.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to thank them for introducing me to you.”

Minji can’t help but blush again and says, “You’re really something else, huh.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if you flirt with all the girls like that.”

“Oh, no, just the ones I like.”

She chokes on her ice cream as she sees your genuine smile. “Oh really?”

“Yeah.”

“But we just met.”

“Don’t think that matters.”

“But I don’t know anything about you.”

“Ask away; I’ll answer any of your questions.”

Minji hesitates at first as she tries to think of a question. “Are you from around here?”

“You mean, if I live around the area?”

“Yeah.”

“I live within a fifteen-minute walk from here.”

“Do you go to school?”

“Yeah, I go to uni here.”

“Uni? You’re older?”

“No, just skipped a few grades a few years back.”

“What are you studying?”

“Hmm… I like games, so I decided on game systems and engineering.”

“Ohh, what do your parents think?”

“They said that as long as I like it then they are fine with it.”

“Oh, your parents seen pretty lenient.”

“You could say that.”

“Do you live with them?”

“Oh no, they are back in the States.”

“Then you live alone?”

“Yes, I have an apartment.”

“You must bring a lot of friends over,” says Minji as she tries to insinuate something.

“Just to play video games. Anyway, what about you?

“What do you want to know?”

“Why are you learning how to dance salsa?”

“Haha, it's not like I wanted to. It was just the instructor that chose it for this month’s dance. We do a lot of different genres of dancing.”

“Oh, so are you a dancer?”

“Hmm, sort of. I dance, sing, and perform.”

“Thank seems like fun.”

“At times, my teammates and I are preparing for a stage in a few months. So we need to practice really well.”

“That sounds cool. Hopefully, it goes great.”

“Thanks, I hope it goes well too.”

“What’s the name of the group?”

“Umm, New Jeans. The name is kind of weird, isn’t it.”

“No, I like it, sounds catchy.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, for sure, you’ll get a lot of attention.”

The two of you continue to enjoy our ice cream and engage in small talk. You both realize you have things in common, which surprises you both.

After finishing your ice cream, she asks you, “Are you planning on coming back for another class?”

“Hmm… I don’t know. Maybe,” as you try to tease her.

“You should, you’re a good dancer.”

“If you ask me personally, I’ll be willing to go.”

“Haha, I was just saying. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“You’re right. But I might want to go since I met someone I might like.”

Her ears perk up, “Oh really?”

“Yeah, they caught my attention at first sight. I really want to get to know them better.”

“Then you should come, and you can talk to them.”

“Hmm, but I don’t just want to see them there. I want to go on a date with them,” as you look at her.

“Why are you looking at me for?”

“Because you’re pretty.”

“Ehh?”

“I said you’re pretty.”

“Eh?” In a cute voice.

“I like you.”

“You… you like me?”

“How about going on a date?”

Minji instinctively pulls out her phone and says, “I’m running late; I need to meet up with my group mates for practice.”

“Can I walk you there?”

“Yeah…”

The two of you walk alongside each other. Minji's heart is racing a thousand miles a minute with the idea of a boy walking with her to practice. She looks at you and tries to hide her smile. You walk closer to her, where your fingers rub against each other.

Minji’s small finger wraps around your own, making you skip a beat as well. You take a leap and interlock your hands with hers. She doesn’t reject your actions and instead seems comfortable with you.

You continue to walk on the sidewalk until she stops, “We’re here.” You look up and see a huge building, “it’s huge.”

She lets go of your hand and races with the steps to return and say, “Thank you,” and gives you a kiss on the cheek.

You hold your hand against your cheek and see her enter the building and turn around once more to wave goodbye.

You walk back towards your apartment and feel a sudden vibration in your pocket. You pull out your phone and see a message from Miji.

“Thank you for the ice cream. It was delicious.

Also, I would love to go on a date with you. 🐻

#newjeans fluff #newjeans #kpop male reader #kpop x reader #kpop fluff #TM smut #minji fluff #newjeans minji #minji #kim minji #minji x reader

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jojo-schmo · 1 month

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hi jojo! im just wondering but ive been wanting to make a comic for a little while but im not too sure where to start 😅. i really love your style of art and your forgotten land roleswap, and i was wondering if you had any tips for beginners?

Hello, hello! Thank you for enjoying my Forgotten Land Roleswap comic, it means a lot! <3

I'm very honored that people have been asking me for tips and advice. All of this is coming from a hobbyist who draws these comics purely for fun outside of my regular day job. Some of my methods would probably deal psychic damage to a professional, LOL. But I'm more than happy to share some things I've personally learned! :)

First of all, the book, "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud ROCKS. It literally gave me a new dimension to understand the medium of comics and how it presents ideas and emotions to readers! And I haven't even had the chance to finish it all the way! I'm very happy I own a copy and I recommend having one of your own if you can, but it's archived here if you want to read it :D

I also like analyzing other comics and thinking about how they get information across to me as a reader. It's helped me learn more effective ways to visually tell a story, like what to include in a frame, how zooming in or out affects the feeling from the panel, maybe building a scene by focusing on other stuff if someone is talking a lot... etc.

ANYWAYS-! Some other tips I've learned through my personal experience-

I had to overcome a lot of negative self-talk in order to tackle a huge comic project like this and stay committed. I was a pretty severe self-deprecator for most of my life so far, and getting help has allowed me to catch myself when I'm slipping back into those habits, look in the mirror, and go, "NO, JOJO! You pour your heart into what you make and that is a wonderful thing! You are appreciated and loved and you deserve to have fun making something you are passionate about!!" Some examples of the negative self-talk I catch myself in....

"I'm a noob at writing and making a story interesting... What's the point of even trying?"

When it comes to starting a project, whether it's 2 pages or 2000 pages, is to just jump in and start! It's okay to be a little insecure or nervous about your technical art skills, writing skills, etc... But writing a "bad" scene is better than no scene- because you can always edit a "bad" scene down the line, but what can you do with nothing? Nothing!! I also put "bad" in quotation marks because I am trying to use that term less, and instead call them "early drafts." or "works in progress."

The first Roleswap scene I fleshed-out was the first Bandee boss fight, in May 2022. I made this drawing on an impulse, getting my ideas down on the page without thinking about the technical stuff like comic panel borders. I consider it like a "pilot episode" almost, haha. The final project is going to be very different from how things play out here. But it got me interested in the concept and excited to see where I could take it, and I made the decision to commit to an entire game plot's worth of AU comics!!

Also, what's the point in trying you ask? The point is to have fun! Making a fan comic in my free time means I don't have restrictions like deadlines, nobody's telling me what I can and can't write, and I can make the story as long or as short as I want! I have full control, which means the world I'm writing is all mine to create! Yes, with a fan comic there is a pre-established world with existing characters. But a universe like Kirby has enough open-ended concepts for people to take basic concepts in the world and take them to whole new levels! I think that's why there are so many amazing fan interpretations of Kirby characters and OCs. The rules are so vague, you can just make up your own a lot of the time!! And it's a wonderful exercise to learn skills for someday building an original world with all original characters from scratch! Magical!!!

"I'm not good enough to make a comic. I don't understand perspective or color and other stuff. Anything I make will look bad.

I once read a two panel comic on here. I can't find it anymore but I remember most of it. First panel showed the artist looking at what they're drawing on their tablet, looking defeated and sad. "Man, I don't even know how to draw this....."The next panel was like them smiling and shrugging, I think rainbows and sparkles were coming out of their tablet, ".....I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO DRAW IT SHITTY!! :D "

IF ANYONE KNOWS THIS COMIC I'M REFERENCING, PLEASE TELL ME AND I'LL LINK IT!!! Because it permanently and positively changed my brain chemistry.

No kidding, making the decision to just do my best even if it's not perfect, helped me a LOT. I was always waiting to "reach a certain level" to tackle a huge project because I felt like I'd never do it justice at my current state. Except I had been telling myself that kind of stuff for years and I still didn't start any projects!!

So the day I said, "Oh well! If I draw backgrounds shitty, then it is what it is! I'll learn from it and draw the next background a little better," Was the day I could commit fully to the project. I'll keep studying how to draw them better for my own benefit, but I won't let my skill issues stop me from even trying!

And for my limited confidence in full-color art, I solved that by making the comic in black and white with no-to-minimal shading lolol. Because I can only address one skill issue at a time before it takes me 25 years to finish this HAHAHA.

It saves a BUNCH of time to work with skill issues rather than against them! Because at least experience is gained in other ways, and who knows, maybe that new knowledge will help address the skill issues someday! So identifying your personal skill issues and deciding which one to try to grow stronger, and which one to work around, could help with big projects!

"Nobody will read this. I'm going to put months or years of my life into a dumb little thing nobody will even care about."

Learning how to draw for my own enjoyment instead of somebody else's was one of the biggest breakthroughs I ever made. Enjoying the feeling of being challenged artistically and just doing my best, even if it's not technically perfect, is the reason why I was even able to start this!

And just because someone doesn't directly like, comment or whatever on a post doesn't mean nobody saw it! I used to get really down on myself for the lack of engagement on my art on other websites.

I was a lurker for pretty much my entire teenage years and never posted my own stuff or commented much. But that didn't take away the fact that I really enjoyed the things I saw online. Those positive feelings were real to me, even when I didn't know how to articulate it in words. Granted, I grew up into a Words of Affirmation main, and I use words to tell people the positive things I think about them as much as I can! But I know not everyone prefers words to express themselves. So I think about the people that I don't know enjoy my work- that just because I don't see it doesn't mean I didn't make a positive impact on someone by sharing my stories.

THIS IS GETTING LONG-- UHHH, STORY TIPS!!

If you work best on technology, start building the story in a Notes app, or a Google Doc! If you work best with pen and paper, start a notebook and rearrange stuff as you need to!

Or if you're chaotic like me, a mix of tech and paper!! I bought a notebook with ring binding so I can remove and rearrange pages of drafts as much as I wanted to! Like here's two very rough concept pages of one Chapter 1 scene made months apart.

I'd say planning out the biggest basic plot points and then filling in between as I went was most helpful! I also have separate notes for character motivations, important story-changing events, etc... So I can have my own reference when I'm writing new scenes!

Okay this was a lot, sorry about the yapping! Hopefully it helps even a tiny bit. If you have any specific questions I'm happy to talk about my experience in the creation process! Or elaborate on anything I said above.

And finally, because I'm not a professional there are probably plenty of other tactics that could work better for some people. My ADHD probably doesn't help with the chaos of my process either, HAHA. But thank you for reading this far and enjoying the peek into the rainbow glitter and soap bubbles that inhabit the right side of my brain, heehee.

#ref #roleswap scraps #roleswap asks #forgotten land roleswap #ask #king dedede #meta knight #elfilis #bandana waddle dee #comics

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trashbin-nie · 3 months

Text

Weather The Storm (Jey Uso x Mixed! OC)

Do NOT copy/translate my fics. Reblogs are always welcome!

Summary: Rosa Winters NXT women's champion, cousin Trinity (aka Naomi), introduces her to Josh Fatu, her boyfriends brother, and they hit it off this is their story

WARNINGS: mentions of anxiety, fluff. This story WILL contain sexual content so minors DNI

Word count: 1728

Thanks for reading, y'all. I haven't posted many stories here, but I figured I'd throw my hat in the pot or whatever the saying is 😅 regardless enjoy!

_____________________

Chapter 1: Runaway Mistakes

NXT, formerly FCW, was in full effect. Camera's were up, fans were screaming, and as usual I sat in my corner of the makeup room, my headphones blasting All Time Low in my ears as Mandy gave me a few touch-ups before I went to the ring.

“Ooooh Rosie lookin like a hot tamalé tonight,” Trin said, pulling off my headphones I turned to Trin a small glare on my face yanking my headphones back from her then returning to look at Mandy who had sent Trin and I a glare of her own before she continued.

I was dressed in my usual westling gear, granted this was a new design, but I was always in full white top to bottom. She also never usually said anything about it, which could mean only one thing. “Mhm, Trin, whatchu want?” I asked, opening one eye to look at her, seeing she had her shiny new boyfriend Jonathan (Jon) Fatu, better known as Jimmy Uso with her. “Whaddup Jon.”

“Not much Ro, not much,” Jon said shaking his head.

“Oh please, I can't just come see my beautiful cousin, who I love more than anything?” She said, throwing her hands up.

“No, you can't. You tryina butter me up,” I said, raising my brows.

“Fine,” She drawled, “You know Jon's brother Josh, right?” She asked. I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

“You've told me about him, but I never met him,” I said wearily, hopping from Mandy's chair.

“Well, that's about to change! Rosa meet Josh, Josh meet Rosa,” Trin said.

I whipped around so fast I wouldn’t be surprised if I got whiplash or broke my damn neck, and sure enough, there was another over-six-foot, Samoan man who was undeniably gorgeous. I've never met someone who's caught my eye this fast.

‘Trin gone done set my ass up without even warning me!’ I thought my eyes widening.

We stood there staring at each other for what felt like an eternity until Josh cleared his throat.

“Uh, Hi. Nice to meet you ma’,” he said, sticking his hand out.

I looked from his eyes to his hand a few times before shakily grabbing it and squeaking out, “Nice to meet you too, Josh,” and scurrying off to prepare for my match against Bayley.

Trin POV

“Did I scare her?” Josh asked, watching Rosa practically run away.

“Nah uce, she's just like that,” Jon said.

“She's always been pretty introverted. At least until she gets in the ring then full-on Rosa Winters comes out. Although she did say something to you so that's better than usual,” I said, Jon nodded in agreement.

We stood in front of the TV and the lights in the arena switched off a white light and smoke coming from the entrance way and Rosa’s music hit.

‘Fire’ by Sleeping With Sirens.

The boy's eyes were glued to the screen as Rosa emerged from the guerrilla only her eyes showing.

This was their first time seeing her live and her entrance was always a shocker since, for the most part, they went to commercials during it. We all watched as Rosa flipped down the ramp before leaping to the apron and flipping over the top rope pulling the hood and mask from her body leaving her in just her bodysuit and pants.

“Winter is coming! Entering the ring first, Rosa Winters!” The ringside announcer said.

The camera zoomed in on her face, a cocky smirk and a fire in her eyes.

“Entering the ring, her opponent,and current regning womens champion! Bayley!” The ring announcer said.

Rosa tilted her head sizing her up, this is her second match with Bayley in our 3 years here, and she was about four inches taller than Rosa who stood at a whopping five feet two inches, but don’t get it twisted she knew how to throw her weight around enough to take down even large strong men.

I’ve seen her take down Joe, Jon’s cousin, on more than a few occasions during training and he had over a foot and over 100 pounds on her.

The boys watched in awe as Rosa flipped Bayley with all her acrobatic moves until finally she made her submit after hitting her with the Icebreaker and dragged her into an armbar.

“Dayum. Girls got moves!” Jon said.

“You already knew that uce,” Josh said not taking his eyes off the screen.

I was watching Josh. I knew about his little crush on Rosie that's why Jon and I introduced him in the first place.

“Your winner by submission and new NXT women’s champion, Rosa Winters!” The ringside announcer yelled.

“YES SHE DID IT!” I yelled jumping up and down while holding Jon’s arm.

The look on Rosa's face was something no one could put a price on. The giant smile I hadn't seen on her face in years since she qualified for the USA Olympic Gymnast team. She was so proud of herself. As she stared at her new belt.

Once she made her way backstage I tackled her in a hug.

“Rosalinda Maria Santos-Winters, I haven’t been as proud of you as I am now since the Olympic qualifiers!” I said, she hugged back just as forcefully.

“Government name aside, thank you!” She said, and as soon as I let go Jon pulled her into a hug of his own.

“Congrats girl! You looked damn good out there!” He said squeezing her so hard I could practically see her turning Blue.

“Jon let her go ‘fo you kill her!” I said. Jon let her go and she took a big breath giving him a giant smile.

“Thanks Jon, I really appreciate it,” she said giving him her own little squeeze afterwards.

“You looked great out there ma’, congratulations you deserve it,” Josh said scratching the back of his head, sending her a small smile. He offered her an awkward handshake as a congratulations, most likely because we told him she's very shy.

Rosie looked down embarrassed a blush spreading across her face before she said, “Thanks Josh, I know we only just met but I truly do appreciate it.”

I watched as Rosie looked from his hand to his eyes before walking towards him giving him a short but sweet hug.

Josh froze like a statue and didn't hug her back, I mentally smacked him over the head, and after she does run from this to the locker room to change I might actually slap him.

She's throwing him a bone, a small lifeline to become her friend and he's messing up.

Almost as quickly as it began she pulled away an even redder blush on her face.

“I-I'm sorry, I should’ve asked and now it's weird I just- I wasn't- I'm sorry,” she said speed-walking away pulling her hood up.

“Wait I- goddammit!” Josh said as Rosie left our sight. “I'm stupid. She gave me a hug and I just stood there?! What is wrong with me?!”

“Boy, you damn well know the girl like a cat the littlest things set her off!” I yelled, smacking him in the back of the head. He yelped. “What was you thinkin leavin her hangin like that?!”

“I wasn't tryin to, I just froze. I wasn't expecting it especially after how introducin myself went!” He yelled, smacking his face into his hands.

“You better go an’ find her uce, apologize or sumin,” Jon said.

“You right, Imma go right now,” he said walking, or well running off.

“He like her so much he didn't know what to do wit himself,” I laughed.

“I told you Trin, my lil’ bro has the hots for her, he down bad,” Jon said.

I shook my head. He was adorable.

Rosie POV

God why would I go and do that?! I can’t believe I did that.

I shoved the door to the womens locker room open before sliding down in slamming my hands in my face.

“Why do I do this every time!? Ugh stupid, stupid, stupid!” I said slapping myself over and over. I sighed pulling my hands down my face before forcing myself to stand, and heading to my locker. I pulled out an oversized yellow sweater that hung to my knees, black leggings, and platform black and white converse. Taking a quick shower I dried off and threw on my clothes, my grey twists pulled into a bun on top of my head before packing up my bag and heading out.

I opened the door my phone in hand as I collided with a chest. Disoriented I backed up and looked up only to be met with the chocolate brown eyes of Josh, or Jey Uso.

“Oh, uh hi?” I said an awkward smile appearing on my face.

“Hey,” he said. We just stood there staring at each other.

I broke the eye contact to look to the floor, “Listen, I’m sorry for earlier. I shouldnt’ve went and hugged you without permission I just thought-”

I stopped short when he pulled me into a light hug, “It’s fine ma’ I was just surprised… Congratulations Rosie, you deserve it,” he said. I returned the light hug my heart racing.

“Thank you Josh, it means a lot,” I smiled pulling away.

“I think we started wrong, whadda you say can we start from the beginning?” Josh asked.

“That’d be nice,” I laughed, “maybe I can actually introduce myself and not run away.”

“We’ll see ma’,” he laughed. I smiled up at him, his smile was as infectious as his laughter. “Hi, my name is Joshua Fatu, you can call me Josh. It’s nice to meet you ma’.”

“My name’s Rosalinda Santos-Winters, but you can call me Rosie,” I said smiling.

“Well Rosie what chu think about heading back to my brother, and yo’ cousin?” He asked.

“Sounds great Josh,” I said following behind with my backpack and suitcase.

“What chu doin wit dem bags ma’? Gimme the damn thing,” he said grabbing my suitcase I laughed letting him take it.

“I’m a big girl I’m capable of dragging my suitcase ya’ know,” I said crossing my arms so he couldn’t steal my backpack.

“Maybe, but still you my friend now ma’ I’m tryna be a gentleman,” he said.

“Mhm, sure you are,” I said. He rolled his eyes, settling for just my rolling suitcase.

#wwe #jey uso fanfiction #jey uso x reader #jey uso x black reader #jey uso x oc #jey uso fanfic #jey uso imagine #jey uso #jimmy uso #naomi wwe #trinity fatu #josh fatu #jon fatu #wwe fanfiction

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buriedpair · 5 months

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AHH SORRY COULDN'T RESIST ASKING FOR MORE!! I just love this whole idea of a casino setting frfr

What if MC wanted to try what OCs do? Following OCs around like a puppy lmao🧎

Amias: they pester him trying to get him to teach them the da way of winning (and pool game. Pool games are hot, you can get quite handsy with someone while teaching lmao)

Edge: they follow him and clumsily try to shuffle the cards and do tricks. Ain't it adorable? Look, Edge, it's a new focus!!

DD: MC wearing clothes to match him and begging to get their hands on DD's scythe to try to scare away problematic players like a bouncer (they don't. The one scaring folks is behind MC l can sense it 😭)

Jackpot: dancing. Pole. Pole dancing 😳 shy MC wanna try it, but oh my would you look at that, such snuggly fitted outfit may reveal too much (and everyone can see it? Scandalous!)

Gambit: MC follows them with a masterfully crafted pout, trying to copy them and their stoic posture. Someone giving trouble to Gambit? MC is here to save the day! (apparently, the poor naivety doesn't realise Gambit can scare everyone in this room by only a stare)

- stargazer who is set on knowing the lore!! 😭

Well well well, stargazer. Ask and ye shall receive!

Yandere!OCs x GN Reader

Teaching MC to be like them!

Amias

You're right. Pool games are hot. Amias is definitely enjoying his chest pressed against your back as he leans over you to teach you how to hold the pool cue. You seem thrilled when you so much as hit a ball. It's cute.

You wanna learn to gamble like a pro? Sure, just sit on his lap and he'll teach you the ways of the cards. He'll tell you all the values of every hand, he'll teach you to spot a liar, and he'll teach you how to get past Edge's tricky dealing.

Edge

Did you know you only have to shuffle a 52 card deck seven times in order for it to be as shuffled as it can be? Well you will. Edge will literally lecture you on cards and dealing and drunk customers. Hell, Gambit will practically hire you after he's done.

He's happy to teach you all he knows, especially if it means you're giving him your undivided attention. EXTRA especially if it means he can punish you when you get something wrong. Nothing too bad, dear. It's a beginners mistake. You still need to learn somehow, though.

Double Down

'Oh my god couples outfits' is probably his first thought. God, you look so cute. He's not even sure where you got clothes that match his, but he's living for it. As for his scythe... Sure, use it. He doesn't care if you wreak havoc on those around you, it just means you're a quick learner. Even the adorable you is more threatening with a giant human-sized weapon.

He still thinks you're cute though. Of course you can't stomach his job, that's why he has to do it. It's okay though, you can pretend like you're scaring off drunkards with your silly scowl and he'll threaten to throw them into the fountain if they try to tell you you're not scary.

Jackpot

No. Never. Not in a thousand years. You're too divine to be seen in that outfit, please change. He's a hypocrite in this situation, but does he care? Absolutely not. He'll steal Gambit's jacket to cover you up and sneak you off to probably go cry.

He'll sob into your confused, barely covered arms in the back room, whining all the while about how unfair it is. You're for his eyes only! Don't you even care? Why are you laughing?!

Gambit

Gambit doesn't understand why you want to be like him. He'll teach you how to handle finances if you want, but he doesn't think you'll like it. It is enjoyable to watch you glare at disrespectful customers like you're his own personal bodyguard, and it's nice to have you hang around, too.

If anyone gives you trouble, though, they're banned for life. You're the new co-owner, and he will not tolerate any disrespect toward you. Besides, you'll have to get used to it anyways when you eventually become his sweet little spouse.

#yandere oc #yandere #yandere x you #yandere boy #yandere x darling #yandere x reader #yandere boyfriend #bpamias #bpedge #bpdoubledown #bpjackpot #bpgambit

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xxavengingangelxx · 3 months

Note

I am very curious about your version of Graves, I want to hear a detailed run down from you on how he’d be like in a romantic situation, would he commit? would he get married? would he “fall in love”, would he want a trophy wife to show off? I am just very curious and would love to hear you speak about this. I want to know what he’d be like if he actually did commit to a long term relationship or marriage, and what kind of woman would make him commit if so? I personally feel like he’d get married to a woman who works alongside him in shadow company, it just makes sense for him to get with somebody who is on the same level of psychopathy as him and understands his actions and behaviour, more so, he’d love being around a woman like that in my opinion. somebody who is as intelligent and knows how PMC’s work and can help him manage it too.

This is a good question! Sorry it took a while work has been absolutely insane. Like 60+ work weeks and now I have Hurricane Beryl headed my way! I use she/her pronouns just because that’s what I wrote my fic about but I think it certainly applies the other way around, too! 😉 I also found out after copy-pasting I've exceeding the character limit so this is part 1! Triggers for mentions of domestic violence and dubcon.

ALSO: This is my version of Graves based on what I know and based on the limited information we have. Another anon post said I had Graves wrong, a different opinion. Totally okay! We all have our own versions of him.

Graves in a romantic situation. This is a difficult one. I think it would be very difficult for Graves to differentiate between romance/love and possessiveness. In a fic I wrote, Graves decides OC is his immediately upon meeting her. I think he would be similarly inclined in the civilian world. I’m not sure if he could a civilian could handle Graves, to be honest ☹But he would be similarly possessive. When this type of man (narcissistic with a touch of psychopathy/sociopathy, and if I’m honest, just a little sadism) is deeply interested in a woman, he gets her one way or another.

My version of Graves likely wouldn’t give his chosen partner a choice. In the military, he’d use his clearances (and his Shadows!) to keep track of her. He’d treat a civilian the same way. He’d follow her and then act like: “Hey! Weird running into you here!” when in his head he’s thinking, “I better not see you talking with any other men.”

I think he would commit/not cheat but not for the reasons normal people would. He would commit because he’s obsessed. He would commit because stalking someone and making sure they don’t escape you once you have a hold of them is like two full-time jobs even with his Shadows. And if we’re talking about a female I can see Graves being worried about said female trying to seduce a Shadow to let her go. If she’s on the smaller side, there’s the risk of her slipping out somewhere. His mobile job would help in the sense that his wife would be clueless as to where she was most of the time. She would never go anywhere alone. He’s got a PMC to run. And when he has down time, he’s tired.

He would love showing off his wife. In a fic I wrote he does just that. He would marry to legally tie his wife to him. And in COD, to make it a legal barrier for her to testify against him. She wouldn’t have a choice. I can totally see him pregnancy trapping his wife to further trap her with him. He’d say there was no way she’d leave and take his children and she’s not going to leave her children behind so she stays. I can’t say him mentioning his kids too much as he realizes they would be a bigger target for his enemies. Even Graves has a bit of a heart when it comes to kids.

I see Graves having more of a traditionalist especially since he’s a conservative type from Texas. I'm a Texan living in Texas y'all: Graves is typical down here (but most of them aren't as good looking!) I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the type to think: the man works, the wife stays home, raises kids, and spends all her time with her husband when he’s home. However, I can also see him wanting to keep said wife busy so her mind isn’t on escape. After kiddos start entering scene, I see him putting her on intel or something like that. Work from home, ma'am.

Graves would absolutely be attracted to intelligence because Graves is smart. Generally, if there is a big mismatch between intelligence (IQ) between parties, they struggle with not only communication but common interests. I think he would want any children he has to inherit that intelligence and continue his company.

An upside (I guess?): Graves is rich as fuck. His wife would have everything and anything she wants (except freedom, ha).

-OC wants an SUV to transport the kids on base? "Sure, darlin’ I already ordered a top-model Audi/Porche." (By the way, when traveling off base, she and the kids are in a military, armored vehicle with no windows. Graves knows his enemies will try to target them.)

-OC wants to be in a home-like environment on base to give the kids somewhat of a normal life? "Of course, sweetheart. Custom built. Whaddaya want?" (No way they would ever live in a normal neighborhood, too risky.)

-OC asks about schooling since they’re constantly moving around. “Don’t worry about it, love. Paid private school, one-on-one attention online and one-on-one in-person attention in the US. I’m not putting them in the shitty public school system. I want them in military universities.” (Plus, they’d start their military education young.)

I think that Graves, like most full-blood psychopaths/sociopaths as well as those who have a touch of it like Graves, he would equate giving his wife whatever she wanted (except freedom!), any material thing she wanted as well as his kids the best of everything with love. He’d equate sex, even dubcon sex, as love.

Now, more about kids. He’d want the best for his kids but there’s no damn way the kids would get whatever they wanted. He’s got some psychopath in him (see Graves Defragged posts as to why, based on the info we have, he does not score high enough on the psychopathy scale) so he’d literally shape his kids’ (and his wife’s tbh) behavior with positive reinforcement because that is what he responds to. Being a narcissist, he believes everyone thinks like him and that everyone responds to positive reinforcement (but in reality there are other ways of shaping behavior like negative reinforcement, negative punishment, and positive punishment). He literally cannot empathize or put himself in someone else’s shoes (again, see Graves Defragged posts). It’s not that he feels guilt/empathize and chooses to ignore it. This man’s brain is physically wired differently and cannot, cannot, CANNOT feel it. So of course he’d think positive reinforcement is the only way to shape behavior.

Now, Graves’s version of discipline. Yikes. Do I see Graves hitting his partner? Absolutely. Graves is in general not impulsive, especially when it comes to important, long-term decisions. For my Criminal Minds fans, he'd be an organized serial killer, not a disorganized one if that helps. His brain structure is different so his limbic system (the more animalistic part of our brains) can be overwhelming to him and I can see this overtaking his prefrontal lobes (PFC) when emotions are involved. What happens? He will lash out with violence, like, with little warning. (I can write another post as to how most homicides are actually crimes of passion, between people who know each other and not planned out/between strangers like the media/TV shows make it out to be.) He will hit his wife, hard, if she gets (what he deems to be) “out of line.” I can’t really see him doing it all the time. But I can definitely see that if his partner pisses him off enough, that partner can easily spend a few nights in a hospital. Yes, Graves sees his wife as somewhat below him: someone needing guidance, direction, and discipline.

For the kids: He’s the disciplinarian, no doubt and the kids go to mom for comfort. Mom gets in the way? He’ll shove her at the least. I can’t really see him seriously hurting his kids. His kids are half him and he’s narcissistic, remember?

There’s emotion involved and based on what I’ve been trained in, men like Graves can only feel two emotions strongly: joy…and rage. We’ve all gotten angry and done/said something we regretted. Imagine that tenfold with an overactive limbic system and some glitches in the frontal lobes.

Now: In one of my darker fics, Graves writes (and then burns) a letter to OC where he starts to feel some kind of guilt. But, xxavengingangelxx, you said he couldn’t feel that! I know 😉 But we all love somewhat happy endings, right? We all love seeing Graves with somewhat of a human side. That’s why I added that little tidbit even though in real life, he wouldn’t be able to feel that. In my fic he’d continue to blame OC for what she went through because “she should’ve talked when we first got her.”

Wow, ok. Two pages of this. I need to shut up. I went to school for this, I trained in this, I see this every day, and I read on average a book a week on this topic. I’m obsessed fascinated!

Anon, I hope I answered both your questions 😊 Any other questions, let me know!

#phillip graves #cod mw2 #phillip graves x reader #graves x reader #cod mwii #cod mw3 #mw2 141 #criminology #forensic psychology

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resowrites · 4 months

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Special Brew - oneshot.

Summary: Henry’s interview gets gatecrashed…

Pairings: AU!Henry Cavill x Reader/Wife!OC, Interviewer

Warnings: fluff, banter/British humour, fake interview, language, dialogue heavy, nondescript reader/OC body type/appearance, hastily written/lightly proofread.

WC: 2221

A/N: Hi folks I know it’s been a while, work’s nuts these days. This is very rushed and was meant to be longer (I wanted to base it on something I’d written previously) but for the sake of just getting something uploaded I decided to post as is. Sorry I can’t post regularly anymore but I hope you enjoy all the same - R x

Remember, this is pure fiction (as in completely made up), and not in any way meant to reflect reality. My work must not be copied, reposted, or translated elsewhere. Gifs/pics not my own. Thanks for visiting!

Special Brew - oneshot.

The following is an excerpt from an article that can be read in full here.

— It's at about the halfway mark in my interview with the 41-year-old Hollywood actor, Henry Cavill, when I notice his attention is caught by something offscreen.

"Where did you get that?" I think I hear 'the fridge, you dickhead,' in reply. He grins. But instead of resuming our discussion about his upcoming role in the rebooted 80's classic, Highlander, he starts gesturing for someone to join him. It fails. So seconds later his partner is pulled onto his lap despite some very loud protestations. He tells her it's her fault for taking his last tin of lager. She tells him she needs it more. What then follows is an almost a four-and-a-half minute squabble - yes I actually timed it - which ends with Henry relinquishing the can on the proviso that if he has to be interviewed, she does as well. I don't take offense but soon wondered if that was premature:

"Who's interviewing you? The Telegraph?"

"No, The Guardian--"

"Wouldn't the Telegraph be more interested?" He gestures in my direction.

"Well, I assume Mark is all the same!"

"And how long have you been keeping this poor bastard?"

"We've not even been chatting half an hour!"

"Oh… have you got a second question for him?" I smile. The 35-year-old financier first met the actor in 2015 and they were rumoured to have married in 2022. Not that either of them, his publicist, or even various social media accounts provide much in the way of confirmation. This seems to stem more from a desire for privacy where possible than anything else. Though it must be said, at first glance they make for an incongruous pair. She catches me peering at her still towel-wrapped hair, Celtic jersey, and joggers combo and wastes no time striking first:

"That's a nice shirt--"

"Don't be cheeky, just 'cos you could have made more of an effort--"

"It's my day off! At least I don't look like an undercover policeman." Is she referring to Henry or myself?

"I don't know, stand up," I laugh but he just rolls his eyes. "Has he apologised for Aryglle yet? To be fair that was actually my fault, I wanted a new kitchen." This lays the ground for what is arguably one of the most chaotic interviews I've experienced in a while.

"Do you see what I mean, Mark? It's not that she wouldn't be media trained, it's that she couldn't." Now she rolls her eyes.

"See, he thinks he's being slick by making me look bad--"

"I'm the one who does that?!"

"So he looks better by comparison--"

"Is that right? And what was wrong with Aryglle?!"

"Nothing! It's the best thing you've ever done. Even if you didn't mean for it to be." She coughs to try and cover a laugh. I ask for her thoughts on his most recent box office offering (Guy Ritchie's spy action comedy, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) but for a split second, the title escapes me.

"You mean The Manly Ministry of Something?" Henry tuts and grabs back the can. I dare to question if she has a low opinion of the profession in general. "No, it's more to do with the actors themselves." How so? "Well, considering they're usually the biggest gobshites you'd think it'd be great craic hanging out with them--" he quickly interjects.

"Who are you calling a gobshite?!"

'What do you mean?"

"You know fine well what I mean!" Henry turns back towards me and continues. "Even her own mother took me aside a couple of weeks after we started dating to try and warn me--"

"She never! What did she say?"

"Do you really want to discuss that right now?!" It can't be that bad then, I respond. He shakes his head, despairingly. "Oh no, just that she once walked on stage at a school assembly and instead of graciously accepting an award, pretended to trip so she could drag every single trophy off the display table!"

"… Can you tell he went to a private school?" I almost spit my drink out.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you not realise how tame that sounds?!"

"But that was just the first month you were there!"

"Then I deserved an award--"

"Hang on, she also told me that when you had an after-school detention on your birthday, you climbed out the window of the room you were being supervised in--"

"Normally I'd just get on the bus and go home so that time they gave me a personal escort--"

"And then refused to come down from the roof unless they gave her a birthday cake!" Laughter rings out between our two screens. "In the end, they had to call the fire brigade and she became the reason why their school couldn't properly open their windows any more--"

"I also got a ride home in a fire engine so, hands down one of my best birthdays." Henry sighs. I wonder aloud how this contrasts with his own experiences of school.

"Er, I mean I was a bit of a goody-two-shoes, so I felt a bit intimidated by that sort of thing."

"He still is." He now chokes on his drink. Does this mean they wouldn't have crossed paths as kids?

"Nah, she'd have bullied me then as well." They both laugh. So she hasn't mellowed at all in the intervening years?

"I would say I have, yeah… you do as you get older." Henry's eyebrows hit the ceiling.

"Oh right, so I just hallucinated that night at the Bafta’s then?" She clears her throat and takes a large swig from the can. Is this why she doesn't typically attend red carpets with him?

"Ugh, I'd rather shit in my hands and clap--"

"That and the fact you're a fucking liability!" She shrugs as he explains. "A few years ago, I made the mistake of dragging her along to the after-party--"

"Well, that explains why I didn't fucking remember. Why did I have to come? You didn't win anything you were just presenting--"

"Oh fuck off! I even promised to take her on holiday for a couple of weeks if she at least tried to behave herself--"

"'Cos that's a good incentive--"

"And Jesus Christ, never again. If I wasn't blackballed in this industry before, I was that fucking night--"

"No, it's 'cos you won't take acting lessons." Henry smirks and tries to cover her mouth this time.

"At least I didn't go up to a circle containing Judi Dench, Helen Mirren--"

"Look at him dropping names! And it's Dame Judi…"

"And last but not least, the Meryl Streep--"

"You know, of Mama Mia…" A laugh escapes me before I can stop it.

“Only to ask them where their cauldron was!"

"But that's the great thing about being a nobody, you can say whatever want--"

"You're not a nobody--"

"No, I'm your plus one…" They howl with laughter. "The best thing is to underdress slightly as well so they think you're staff, the reactions are even better." And what was the response? "None of them heard me." He snorts.

"Judi just burst out laughing--"

"Judi! Like they're friends! Yeah, well she saw us arrive together so I think she was onto me."

"Luckily she's got a robust sense of humour…"

"Not like that other one. Oh, what's his name? You know… the one that says he'd rather be making shoes?" Sir Daniel Day-Lewis?

"Yeah, she asked him if he wanted her to go look for his top hat." I can feel my own jaw drop.

"That's how he reacted! Oh God, I'd give my left tit to relive it…" I ask where Henry is when these interactions go down. "Usually trying to find the nearest exit--"

"Is it any wonder!"

"But we were only there twenty minutes--"

"And he wasn't even the first Daniel you managed to piss off!" And who was that?

"Dan Snow." The broadcaster? Henry glances heavenward, exasperated.

"No, Jon Snow - and she means Kit Harrington. She got talking to him and somehow things managed to go south even quicker than usual." I can see how referring to him instead as the 50-year-old historian might have that effect. "No, it wasn't that, it was when he asked whether she was enjoying Game of Thrones--"

"Which is presumptuous isn't it?" For once even I'm at a loss for words.

"And so she asked him if that's the show with dragons and when he said 'yes,'" he starts cracking up, "she went 'then, no.'" I don't think I've ever seen a man look so crestfallen - not even when you accosted Sam." Mr. Rockwell? I'm assuming that took place while Henry was still on the Argylle press tour?

"Oh yeah that was a gas, I waited until we were a bit better acquainted--"

"So the poor sod had his guard down--"

"And on the last day, I asked if he'd sign a picture for me. I think he assumed it was for a friend or something so he wasn't expecting me to thank him for gifting Henry his picture to put above the toilet--"

"What's worse is that it was that still from The Green Mile, you know? Literally, the first one that pops up on Google!" This anecdote puts me in mind of a similar story I heard on the grapevine during the first season of Netflix's The Witcher. Against my better judgment, I ask him if knows what I'm talking about and immediately his eyes flash in recognition.

"Yeah, and it pains me to say that's also true."

"What is?"

"Your stunt at the Witcher premiere…" For a moment she looks genuinely confused. "Don't pretend you can't remember!"

"Remember what? I wasn't even there!"

"And even that didn't spare me!"

"Oh I can't fucking win Mark, all I did was try and bring a smile to his face 'cos I knew he was sad about me having to work that night--"

"So naturally you had an 8x10 still printed of me with Orlando Bloom's head (as Legolas), photoshopped on top? Which, by the way, you could have just messaged me. But what did you do instead? You made dozens of copies and had my bodyguard hand them out to fans for me to sign." She waits for a beat.

"But how long did it take for you to notice?" Gentle reader, when I tell you this is one of only a handful of occasions I've ever laughed so hard in an interview, it's because I want you to know how rare that's actually been over a 35-year career in entertainment journalism. Still, I imagine that if she was brazen enough to taunt some of Hollywood's most influential stars, far worse shots have since been fired.

"Oh yeah, why don't you tell Mark how you recently mouthed off to Aaron Taylor Johnson?" Even she begins to look sheepish.

"Yeah, but I was only trying to make conversation." Henry's head falls into his hand. She snickers. What on earth happened? "Honestly, nothing. I just said I hoped he really was being considered for Bond ‘cos he looks great in a suit." I hardly know how to respond. "Now that I think about it, he probably just thought I got you two mixed up--"

"Stop it right now!"

"What? You bought me in on this interview!" This of course is true and seems to serve a more serious purpose the longer our conversation continues. That he adores her is plain - his eyes never leave her. But it's the fact she can keep making him laugh, even under the scrutiny of being interviewed, that seems to make all the difference. Is that the key to the success of their relationship? "Well, that and the fact he's gone for six months out of any twelve--"

"So all the messages saying you miss me is just lip service?"

"Oh alright, it's cos he's got a huge… heart. Almost as big as his bank balance." Henry's legs are suddenly thrown in the air. At first, it seems he lost his balance, but judging from how quickly he then chases her from the room, I assume it was she who pulled the lever on his office chair that sent him hurtling to the floor.

A couple of days later, I received a brief email from her which apologised for them both having 'christened more than a couple of ships' that day and explained how she was grateful that even though she 'had a lot of baggage' before they met, Henry refused to give up on her. She signed off with the following; 'His biggest problem is his limited self-belief. But seriously, he's admired because, in a professional and personal life full of arseholes, he's still, as Virginia Woolf said of her husband right before she died by suicide, 'entirely patient and incredibly good'. I'll never be drunk enough to say that to his face so I've cc'd him in.' I double-checked and saw that she had indeed emailed him as well. It's an oddly moving, albeit characteristically funny postscript and one that underlines her devotion to him no matter what. We should all be so lucky.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is on Amazon Prime Video.

To be updated on when I post please follow @resowrites and turn on post notifications.

@fanfictionaddiction99 @luclittlepond @caffeinatedfestivalsheep @summersong69 @ushijimbo @livesinfantasyland @jackjanira @thearcana-moonlight

#henry cavill #henry cavill fandom #henry cavill fanfiction #henry cavill imagine #henry cavill x reader

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wanda-widow · 7 months

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Wait For Your Love

Civilian!f!Reader x Male!OC, Avenger!Bucky x Civilian!f!Reader

listened to "We Can't Be Friends" and decided to write on a whim.

Word Count: 1k

Summary: After loving one person that felt like your everything, you can't find it in yourself to love someone else the way you should and they know it. A run in with the person you loved most doesn't help your case much either.

Warnings: divorce, angst, bad writing (sorry it's my first time)

Don't forget to like and reblog 🫶🏻 please don't copy my work

To say that you had no luck in the relationship department was an understatement. Not one of those cliche “oh, I can’t find love, I’m hopeless” situations, but the kind where you couldn’t find yourself loving someone after you were in love for the first time.

Your first and quite possibly only love was the man you ran into the street one Sunday afternoon in Bucharest. The man that had eyes the color of the ocean in the sunlight and a smile that could warm your insides like hot chocolate. The man who was Bucky Barnes himself, the infamous Winter Soldier, the noble Sergeant. But all that put aside, he was your Bucky, your James. Yours.

Yours until one morning, you went to his small apartment to find it wrecked with no sight of him. Bullet shells littered the floor and the wood was broken near a corner of the room. You didn’t see him since, but he was always a lingering “what if” in your mind.

6 years later, your fourth attempt at love had landed you in a marriage that barely seemed to hold itself together. Owen, your husband, was constantly busy and on days that he wasn’t, all the two of you seemed to do was sit around. “I love you’s” had become a barely heard statement, the efforts to try and rekindle what was once a blooming romance falling flat. Maybe it was partially your fault, looking for what you loved in Bucky in other people. You fell in love with Owen because he had made you feel seen, made you feel that warmness you felt when you were with Bucky, a rare gentleman in a messed up society. A rare gentleman who reminded you a little too much of a certain someone. A rare gentleman who wasn’t Bucky and who didn’t quite love you anymore.

Your eyes fell on the overdue divorce papers on the kitchen counter, various bills and letters covering the majority of it. A full year had gone by since Owen had filed for divorce and yet, neither of you had signed it yet. Gently pulling it out from the stack, you sighed as you ran your fingers over it before reaching for a pen.

“Dammit” you sighed softly, signing your name carefully at the bottom before placing it on the kitchen table where he would see it when he got home for work. Walking to your bedroom, you took in the house one more time, gaze lingering in places where you and Owen would cuddle for hours, make meals, and just be in love. Finding your suitcase in the closet, you packed your essentials before leaving your house keys on the table, leaving the house for good.

Deciding to get some food before you crashed at your friend’s house, you found a small sushi bar and parked your car, entering the shop.

“Welcome to Izzy’s, just take a table anywhere or come sit at the bar” A bartender called out as another staff member ushered you to the bar and put the menu in front of you.

“The California roll’s here are good. Basic, I know, but you gotta try them” A warm voice came from your right as you looked up, nodding and looking back down at the menu before doing a double take. Short brown hair, slight stubble, the same ocean blue eyes and charming grin. The same man you fell in love with all those years ago.

“Bucky?!” came the loud response before you could stop yourself, face flaming red from your loud exclamation as he drank you in, putting the pieces together as well.

“(Y/N)... I uh… it’s been a while” he said quietly, turning so that his stool now faced you, sliding the menu over to the server and ordering for you before looking back. “How have you been?”

“How have I been? How have I…” you scoffed, hand coming up to rest on your head, mind reeling from the sudden change of events and the sheer audacity that he had to ask how you had been after running 6 years ago. To be honest or to lie through your teeth, you went with the latter. “I’ve been stuck wondering every night where you had run off to, James. Better yet, my marriage just ended because he didn’t love me anymore and he…” He wasn’t you. I only loved liked him because he was kind of like you. “We just didn’t work” you ended flatly as you stared at the counter.

“That night…” he started to say, throat bobbing as the memories started to flood back. “I ran because I had to. Fuck, if I could be with you without the risk of your safety, I would, (Y/N).”

“Bullshit on the risk of your safety” you retorted, jaw clenched as you remembered the news announcing that he had gotten a full pardon, that he was partnered alongside the new Captain America. Pushing down the hurt and the longing, you shrugged. “It’s fine, guess some things are better left in the past.”

“Doll, c’mon” he said quietly, watching as you shoved a piece of your California roll in your mouth to avoid talking. “Give me a little time to make amends, gather myself after the whole Flash Smashers situation. A-And then we could try again? Start as friends, see where that goes… I…” Sadness flashed on his face for a moment when he saw how dejected you looked. “Please?”

“Maybe”

“Just a couple months wait. Even less if I push through it” He said earnestly, raising an eyebrow as you shoved another piece of sushi in your mouth, waiting for you to swallow.

“I’ll think about it”

“Remember when we used to cuddle on the small mattress in my apartment. You’d make little hand shadow puppet shows for me until I fell asleep” Bucky pushed on, feeling hope bloom in his chest when a small smile tugged at your lips. “And sometimes we’d sit on the balcony and wait for the stars to come out while we made up constellations because Lord knows we don’t know a single one.”

“Okay” you whispered, eyes finally meeting his. “I’ll wait for your love”

Authors Note: Thank you so much for reading! Appreciate all of you so so much 💗

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leapdayowo · 5 months

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Redstone and Skulk OC time :3

Thought I’d turn my persona into a rns oc and give them a helsmet :3 I basically looked at my play style in Minecraft and took a few things from my own life and combined them to create these two! Short version about them below and a little story of their origins under that:

short version:

-Leapday_art (short version Leapday, she/he/they, the player) is afraid of losing important things in their life. He is very cautious about doing anything that could result in him dying and loosing everything in his inventory (sleeps through the night everytime to avoid monsters, barely visits the nether, strip mines, etc) +the cats next to Leapday are two of my darling kitties who unfortunately passed away irl, their names are Toby (left) and Toes (right)

-Nightfall_collections (short version Nightfall, all pronouns, the helsmet) was created from Leapday’s extreme fear of losing valuables and her grief from having lost valuables too many times. Xyr driving goal is to collect and preserve everything that xe can and to make sure there is always at least one copy

-other things about Nightfall: she is a magma cube hybrid while Leapday is a ??? hybrid player (if you read the story below this may make more sense👀). Nightfall can split into smaller duplicates which allows them to be in more places at once and thus more productive in their goal. She uses her goop-like body to write reminders on her clothes, then re-absorbs the goop later

-I think Nightfall would find himself as an organizer between lots of different parties/people in Hels due to being so dedicated to his goal + only being dedicated to this goal (his alignment is probably chaotic good because he’s loyal to his own goals and not to other people or outside rules. He does not take bribes or backstab). Also, Nightfall does not need to have possession of everything, but xe is trying to keep tabs on where everything that exist is at(this makes xem the go-to person for trying to obtain something in particular)

-I think Nightfall would become a sponsor (if that’s the right word?) for the Order of Remembrance because she greatly admires the work they do to preserve Hels’ history. She would also love Zedaph’s hall of all and definitely tries to work with private collectors to protect (and document/track) what they have (and she will keep what she knows a secret if it means protecting valuable things)

-Nightfall does not care about thieves unless they steal one of a kind things

-the doodles below were my earlier concepts, so Nightfall has green eyes before I realized it’s much more fitting for xem to have orange eyes

okay, okay, story time (because I realized the ‘short’ version was getting very extensive):

Maybe it had started in the very first world she spawned in. A brilliant blue sky that stretched over jagged, looming cliffs with forests scattered underneath. Trickling waterfalls and bubbling lava pits here and there. The natural beauty of the world left Leapday in awe and eager to explore what other wonders lay beyond the horizon.

It must have started with the first tree she broke, a squat little oak, one of hundreds in the forest. When the leaves of that little oak had all fallen, saplings littered the grassy floor. She should’ve been excited, feel triumphant even by taking down the tree, after all it’s how the journey had to start. Except, all that Leapday could see was the awkward gap in the canopy from the absence of the little oak. It felt like an itch unscratched, nagging and uncomfortable. Well that wouldn’t do.

They scooped up all the saplings littering the floor and planted one in the same dirt plot the little oak was uprooted from. Then they planted a few more just for good measure. The unease lingered, but planting the saplings felt good. It felt right. Now their adventure could truly begin!

——

In this world, Leapday’s only companions were the pigs and sheep that he passed on his journey, though he would argue, if there were someone to argue with, that the world itself brought him company enough. That the days and nights passing was a conversation between the universe and Leapday, and thus a consistent companion. And what gifts did the universe provide for him to find! Rushing rivers that fed into powerful oceans, plenty of trees to sleep in and collect, and mountains to climb with the best views of the sunset. Never a dull moment for him as there was always something new to experience and see.

However, despite all its gifts, the universe was slow to explain the finer mechanics of the world, such as health to Leapday. A week of traversing through thick forests and steep cliffs left them battered and bruised. They learned how to gauge the distance of a drop and how to place blocks to minimize the pain in their ankles from falls. A similar pain gnawed from the inside of their stomach, which they discovered was briefly satiated by devouring the apples that fell from the trees.

During one climb up a particularly harrowing cliff, Leapday learned about the unforgiving weight of sand by placing it under her feet in order to reach the next ledge. The block had crumbled in a near instant, sending her plummeting towards the ground. Instead of hitting the hard rocks below, she splashed into a stream from a nearby waterfall. When she had dragged herself onto land and her heart had steadied to a more familiar pace, she let out a fit of bewildered laughter that overwhelmed the panic from moments ago. She knew falls much shorter than this one could take days to recover from, so what kind of pain would she be in if she hadn’t gotten lucky and fallen in the stream? Something cold ran through her and sank to the pit of her stomach. Dread of what could have been, what could still be if she wasn’t more careful. She resolved to never find out what would happen. How unfortunate that her next fall would be into a pit of lava, the very one she had been camping at throughout the nights.

He was being careful, more so than he had been for the first week in this world anyways. That didn’t seem to matter because he had still slipped when placing the block before him and fallen. It was his first respawn, and it introduced him to a few new things like a punch to the face. The first revelation was the agony of burning to death, and death itself. He curled into himself, crying at the phantom feeling of the lava eating at his flesh. The intense heat and how the lava had trapped him in place and burned. It was a twisted version of the warmth of the sun, which was shining down on him and in comparison felt as cool as the air in caves. The second realization came slowly as the memory of fire ebbed. Their knuckles no longer popped and their joints no longer ached. The tightness in their muscles had vanished, leaving softer tissue on the bone and the emptiness in their stomach no longer hurt. They felt new and full of energy, ready to begin their journey again. How strange they had forgotten what this felt like. White scars from their oldest injuries and freckles from sun touched skin still littered their body. They had died, but now were in perfect health again. Leapday took in her surroundings, her face lighting up with delight at the sight of a familiar oak tree. It had grown into quite the study tree since the start of her adventure. Soon after her reunion, Leapday discovered her now empty inventory when she reached for blocks to place in order to climb the canopy. The absence of stacks of logs, dirt, and sand had her racing towards the lava pit before her mind could catch up. Panic pushed her feet to run faster and dodge every obstacle. She ignored nicks from branches in her way and the sting of sharp rocks on her bare feet. The timer was ticking down. Her items would be gone- she just had to- if she wasn’t fast enough-

She burst through the tree line and was greeted by the familiar heavy heat of the lava pit. The sight of it made her recoil out of fear of falling back in even from many blocks away. On shaky legs, she circled the perimeter and searched for her items. The timer was still ticking, but they were nowhere to be seen! She crept as close as she dared to the lava and swept her eyes across the surface of the pool. Then she darted into the surrounding trees looking high and low.

Nothing.

No logs. No saplings or dirt or anything!

This was their third lesson. You lose items after death, and lava destroys those items.

Don’t die, especially not in lava, and don’t lose your items.

Now they had to start over, and this time not dying proved to be harder than expected. More falls and similar accidents happened. Zombies began appearing, persistent in their pursuit of Leapday’s flesh. Then skeletons, creepers, and spiders appeared and introduced many more ways one could die. The pain from the deaths hurt, but they became mundane as weeks turned to months. Loosing items became more painful and frightening when Leapday discovered crafting. More time and resources were needed to start over after dying with crafted items, so they took to the world underground. They followed their instinct to craft pickaxes and torches, to chip away at the stone in search of more sturdy materials. They crafted their first stone pickaxe and found it to be superior to the wooden one.

Maybe it truly started with that wooden pickaxe. When she crafted the stone tools, the wooden pickaxe sat in her hotbar, still good for half a day’s work but now obsolete. It had served her well to progress her journey, a necessary step, but it felt wrong to simply set it aside. It felt like the gap in the canopy all over again, but she very well couldn’t plant the pickaxe in the ground and solve her unease. Not sure what else to do, she attached it to her hip and went on with her day. She wouldn’t destroy it or toss it, she would simply carry it with her until she found what she needed to do with it next. It became her new companion (it was her first crafted tool. It was the first and therefore the only one that would ever exist).

Now equipped with wood and stone blocks, Leapday built their base over their mine. The wooden pickaxe found its place over the doorway leading outside, marking the build as their home. It felt right, so they continued their expansions. Farms were planted along a nearby river and fences placed to corral cows and sheep. Torches were the one item they were generous with. They were thrown across their property liberally since their light would deter creepers spawning too close for comfort.

During a thunderstorm that had picked up abruptly one morning, Leapday poked around at their communicator. It was a lightweight device that had been attached to their forearm since first spawning into the world and never disappeared after dying. After lots of fiddling with the different menus and buttons on the screen, they came across YouCraft. It was an archive of videos made by other players scattered across the universe, documenting their own worlds and progress! With the storm still crashing down around Leapday’s base, they curled up in bed and began watching the first video that caught their eye. It turned out that he had lots more to learn about the universe! After waiting out the storm, and then the night, by watching these videos, he learned about other biomes and blocks still left to discover as well as potions, enchanting, and other dimensions! A dragon was where this journey led for most players, though some took their time getting to it. Above all, he realized he needed diamonds. Diamonds were what every player sought due to their strength, but they were rare and dangerous to collect being so deep underground. They were needed to further Leapday’s journey however, so collecting them became his top goal. Quickly he learned how impossible achieving this goal would be. Well, it seemed impossible after spending days underground chipping at the cold stone and coming up empty. Strange echoes rang through the tunnels and more than a few times paranoia of something (or someone. He had heard the legends of Herobrine) sneaking up on him was enough to make him hole up for hours. Grey, grey stone that went on for miles. Grey cobblestone trailed behind him when his inventory filled. Leapday found other minerals, but the sparkling teal of diamonds still lay buried elsewhere. He mined for so long he began to doubt that the rare mineral even generated in this world. That only grey existed. That was until he broke away the next layer of stone before him and found himself staring uncomprehending at the bits of teal poking through stone. Uncontainable joy broke through his shock like sunlight through parting storm clouds. They were real! Diamonds were real and right in front of him! Invigorated with new energy, Leapday got to work extracting the diamonds just as they had seen others do. The amount paled in comparison to the stacks other players had, but in that moment he didn’t care. It was enough to have found them and confirm they even existed in this world. That weeks of sore arms digging at indifferent stone and unsteady gravel caches falling finally amounted to their new prized possession.

By the time he arrived back at his base, the novelty of finding diamonds began to wear off. He had to admit it was a measly amount. Just barely enough for a diamond pickaxe. What good would a stronger pickaxe be with no enchantments or replacements for when it broke? It had taken so long to find just a few diamonds what were the chances of finding more? No, they wouldn’t craft anything with the rare mineral until they had enough for spares and back ups. So back to the mines they went, and excruciatingly slow they found more, and continued to reason that crafting them was a poor decision. What if an accident happened and they couldn’t get back to their stuff? If they were swallowed by a pit of lava? So much time would be spent only to be wasted. Almost like their thoughts and fears had manifested it, a freak lava incident happened not long after. Leapday had been feeling good that day, so good because their most recent mining trip had yielded 13 diamonds and another cluster just across a lava lake. As they bridged across the lake, plans of finally crafting their collection of diamonds began to form making them giddy. It was the type of giddy that made any obstacle feel like child’s play and beyond consequence. That they finally could start progressing on their journey once more. It was enough to distract Leapday from the crunch of gravel under their feet and for their pickaxe to swing off its mark into the unsteady floor. The ground gave way and sent her tumbling into the lava.

She woke up screaming in her bed. Screaming from agony of ghostly flames that ate flesh, and then from loss and frustration. It wasn’t fair! Her luck had just turned up for the best and now all of it was gone! Every plan to use the diamonds tossed out the window and into a burning pit of despair. How stupid of her to not notice the gravel! All that time for nothing! She should have called it a day and come up 13 diamonds richer with plenty of levels for enchanting. All her gear and tools and items from mineshafts would still be intact, but no. Her head was too far in the clouds and now it was gone. She hadn’t even had the foresight to mark the cave to return to, so sure of her victory. There would be no hope navigating the twisting and sprawling tunnels below, and even if she tried to go back, the sight of lava would probably be enough to make her hurl. Fat tears began dripping down her face as she cursed and wallowed. They blurred his vision, so with a few steadying breaths and a final gross sniffle, he wiped at his eyes. Then he went to swing his legs over the bed to pick up the pieces of his day and froze. On his hand, both hands actually, were thick black smudges of… of something. What was that? He reached up to his face and traced the wet tear tracks with a clean finger. It too came away covered in the strange goop. An incredulous laugh burst from him, which evolved into hysterical crying. More tears fell from his eyes and he let them. The tangled web of grief in his chest unraveling as he did so, and he felt the last of his energy drain away until-

Sunlight trickled through the curtains and roused Leapday from their sleep. Birds were chirping and the familiar sounds of the animals grazing and leaves rustling cradled their mind while the events of the previous day trickled back to them. They felt heavy and gross. Their eyes crusty and mouth dry as a desert were a sure sign of their emotional distress. Disappointment felt like stones being dropped on them when they pulled up their empty inventory. It really was all gone. They let their head flop back onto their pillow and took a steadying breath, trying to recount the reasons they should get out of bed. Maybe they would stick to the joys of the world above ground for a month or two. Take up weaving or painting. They had plenty of resources to finally build a barn and an expansion to the house. Maybe they would go with a grassy roof.

Yeah. That could be alright. With one final sigh, Leapday pushed themself up off their bed and dragged themself over to their cauldron to clean up. They could see from their reflection that only a few faint smudges remained on their face, which they gently wiped away. Crying black goop was probably not normal now that their mind was more stable to think it over. Or maybe it was normal? It had never happened before, but the players on YouCraft all had their own quirks that Lepaday lacked, so maybe it was normal for them?

It turned out the inky tears were a new normal. From that incident onward, whenever they experienced a great sense of loss the strange tears formed and sank into the ground. They appeared when Leapday lost their first wolf companion and when they accidentally deleted a creative world full of builds of an ambitious project.

Meanwhile…

in another world…

In Hels, black goop bubbled to the surface of a sea of lava. From a distance, the surface seemed its usual hungry self, shifting and popping as it patiently waited for Hels and its inhabitants to finally crumble in. The goop was not consumed by its hunger however. It stretched towards the netherrack shore like a snake in water. Once it had gathered all of itself onto more solid ground, it sat and waited for more of itself to arrive, bouncing and bubbling over the terrain in the meantime. They could only wait so long however, after all, there was much to collect and preserve and too little time to do so.

And it’s finished! Whew, I don’t typically write, so this was a lot to work on amidst all my finals projects (totally worth it tho! It was great practice). I wasn’t planning on writing so much about leapday, but then I realized the interesting potential of writing about players when they’re new to the world. If they are akin to gods, they still enter the world with a lot to learn. The goop at the end is Nightfall, who then went on to travel Hels and collect as many blocks and items as xe could before xe came across the city Evil X established. At first they were incredibly overwhelmed by the amount of stuff to preserve in the city and mostly stuck to collecting free scraps and garbage. It probably did something to gain the attention of a member of the Order of Remembrance, who taught Nightfall about their goals and a few things about how society/Hels worked. From there, Nightfall set off to establish a massive collection and documentation of anything and everything, working with people in the process but also quite an eccentric personality that can be quite a hermit when buried in paperwork (not many people are willing to do paperwork as diligently as Nightfall)

Also, YouCraft is YouTube in the Minecraft world :P I felt I needed to separate it from our version of mcyt because in this universe the characters are real and making videos about their lives rather than people playing a video game (at least that’s how I’m headcanoning it)

thank you @silverskye13 for providing some more lore about Hels and the Order of Remembrance (as well as Redstone and Skulk as a whole <3) as well as inspiring me to keep trying to improve my writing and thank you to @/yayforocs for inspiring me to finally make my own rns OCs and this post :3

#If I had a nickel for every time I designed a goopy character that has that ‘tism stare I’d have two nickels #which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice #Also I’m not familiar with using neopronouns but wanted to try so hopefully the usage is correct #And even though I use multiple pronouns for myself I’m still not sure how to use multiple pronouns in writing so hopefully that’s okay #So yeah that’s leapday and nightfall :) I’m not sure if I have any more plans to work on stuff about these two #probably just some drawings but I feel satisfied with this #I don’t want to insert nightfall into hels with a bunch of lore that might contradict what’s in rns #Wowza look at you! You read this far why thank you :3 here is a super secret item that will aid you in your time of greatest need #*hands over something vaguely shaped and seems possibly tangible if you look at it from the corner of your eye*#redstone and skulk #my ocs #my art #traditional art #watercolor #I tried to find all the typos but it is late and I would like to post this

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starcrossedxwriter · 1 year

Text

Wicked Fantasies Part 3 (MBJ x Black OC)

Warnings: NSFW, Smut with a plot, Heavy BDSM (spanking, bondage, daddy kink, name calling)

Raven hoisted one of the three heavy canvas bags onto her shoulder as she hastily swung open her door. She let out a shocked yelp as she looked up from her phone to find Michael standing at her door, his arm frozen in air as if she had interrupted his attempt to knock. She glanced from him to her beaten up watch. They still had hours before her date.

“Oh… hi? W-what are you doing here? Did I miss a text or something? N-Not that I don’t wanna see you or anything.” She added quickly. She certainly was not complaining. She would never grow tired of seeing him, he looked damn good per usual.

He laughed. “Yea, I texted you an hour ago saying I was gonna pick you up? Hair and makeup is waiting at my spot for you.”

She hit herself in the forehead, frustrated with herself. “Ugh, I’m so sorry. Been running around town and lost track of time. Do you think we have 20 minutes to spare? I really need to drop these off.” Her arms weakly lifted up the other two bags in her hands, both heavy laden with books.

“What is all this?”

“Just books for the kids in book club. It looks like a lot but most of them live on the same streets or in the same apartment buildings so it’s not many stops. Promise.”

He waved her hand to dismiss her clear anxiety and stress. “No worries. We got plenty of time.”

She let out a breath of relief. “Perfect, thanks. You know you didn’t have to do all this? Hair and makeup… I was just gonna do it myself before I came over.”

Though his presence was a surprise, Raven would have been lying if it was not a welcomed one. She had filled the morning with pampering, as he requested. She had been shocked to find an envelope filled with $2,500 in cash under her door the day before with a note that said this was her first payment and to use a portion of it to get a mani, pedi, and whatever other self care things she chose in preparation for their date.

Her first instinct was to give it all back since it was not part of their agreement. However, he seemed to anticipate that action and warned her not to try to return it or he would just find another way to give it to her. So she used it for the things he requested and to get a wax and then used part of it to buy all the books for the kids in her club since the library did not have enough copies. She sat aside a small portion to cover the rest of her rent. The rest was sitting in her wallet until she could deposit it in the bank to replenish her savings. Though she knew her father or sister would likely come calling needing something at some point. They seemed to have a sixth sense for when she came into any amount of cash.

“Nah, all good. We’ll need to post on instagram after the night so professional hair and makeup will help.”

“And you really didn’t need to pay me. I haven’t done anything yet.” She dropped the bags so she could lock her door. However, when she turned to pick them up, they were already in his hands and one was outstretched to take the one on her shoulder.

She bit down the independent voice in her head that wanted to tell him she did not need help. And she didn’t but she rarely had anyone offer to help her with anything so she appreciated someone lightening the load for her. Besides, as she watched his bulging biceps flex, she could tell the three bags weighed nothing for him.

“You agreed, which was more than you had to do. Consider it a signing bonus.”

Their journey around her neighborhood was virtually silent, Raven instructing the driver where to go and jumping out at each stop. Michael waited for her at each one, surveying the neighborhood and people watching through his tinted windows.

He did understand what she meant about community. Every time she got out of the car, he could hear her chatting with folks who were outside, see her waving and interacting with people. It seemed like she knew everyone, and not just in a polite way like she knew their faces but nothing more. She knew their names and details of their lives, checked in on people on a far deeper level than most people ever cared to.

“You a local celebrity yourself, seems like?” He asked as they drove to her last stop, which he found odd since she still had a bag full of books left.

She shrugged. “Not really. I just know a lot of people between the library and their kids. Also just being around, you meet folks. I like to walk so you know, eventually you just get to know everyone.”

“This neighborhood is safe to walk in?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, dad. It is. You gotta leave Beverly Hills or where you live at sometime. Right here is perfect,” she told the driver as he pulled up in front of an apartment building. She glanced down at her phone. “He’s on his way down. This is the last one.” She paused before sitting up in her seat. “Oh and I never got your name?”

Michael’s driver glanced in the rearview, surprised she was talking to him. “Oh, Allen, ma’am.”

“Allen, got it. Nice to meet you. Thank you, I’m sure all these stops were not on your to-do list. I appreciate it.”

Allen merely nodded. “No thanks necessary. I go wherever Mr. Jordan tells me.”

“Well I’ll say thank you anyway,” she told him with a smile as she rolled down her window. A few moments later, a lanky kid made his way out of the building, Raven’s manicured hand waving him over.

“Hey Jamal!”

“Yooooo Ms. T. This a fine ass whip. Where you get this at??”

“Boy… language,” she reminded him as he braced himself on the frame of the car. However, her voice was void of any real discipline. “Got you something.” She pulled the last book out of one of the bags and slid it into his hands. “And…” She handed him the entirety of the third bag, the young man rifling through it to find several brand new SAT prep books, practice tests, and vocabulary flash cards. “Saw you hunched over that one in the library and it’s a hot mess so figured you’d need new ones.”

His face immediately lit up. “Thanks, Ms. T. These are clutch. That one had all the answers marked up and sh- stuff.”

She chuckled. “I know, I know. We tell people not to write in them but they don’t listen. Well, just wanted to make sure you got those before the weekend was done. Won’t hold you up for too long. How’s your mom?”

The young man’s eyes dimmed ever so slightly, his shoulders hunching over in exhaustion. “She’s better. Back at work this week. But we gotta catch up on bills so it’ll be a rough two weeks till her paycheck. Behind on things since the funeral…” his voice trailed off.

Raven adored all the teens who frequented her book club and would go above and beyond for every single one of them. But there was a soft spot in her heart for Jamal.

“Rent’s paid and good though?”

“Yea, that’s it. Every other bill though…”

She grabbed her purse, which was sitting in the middle seat between her and Michael. Truth be told, she was so caught up in her conversation that she forgot he was even there. She grabbed the rest of the cash out of her wallet and slid it into his hands.

“Here. Utilities first, whatever’s left, see if you can get caught up on the other stuff like your mom’s car and stuff like that. It’s probably not enough for everything but should get you caught up on the most important stuff until your mom’s back on her feet.”

He immediately shook his head and tried to thrust the money back toward her.

“Nah, I can’t take that. I walk in with that much cash, ma’ll ask where I got it and we can’t repay you for months.”

Raven pushed his arm back gently and smiled. “Tell your mom it was payment for computer support at the library. You recovered a year’s worth of work on my laptop two weeks ago, which was honestly priceless. I owed you.”

“You sure?” he turned the money clip over in his hand. “This gotta be a grand or more here.”

“Positive. Just remember lil ole me when you start the next Google. Cool?” She winked at him as he nodded enthusiastically. “Enjoy the rest of the weekend. See you on Wednesday.”

She waved at him before rolling up the window, the driver taking off to drive them toward downtown. She noticed Michael staring at her with an incredulous look on his face.

“What?” She asked softly, wondering if he was upset that she gave his money away. Well, technically it was hers now but she knew he intended on her spending it on herself, not blowing it on someone else within 24 hours. However, she knew better than anyone that sometimes people just needed a boost and someone willing to give it to them, no strings attached. No one had ever done that for her when she needed it so, when she could, she tried to do it for others.

However, he just turned and glanced out the window. “Nothing.”

She opened her mouth to explain herself before closing it immediately and fidgeting with her phone. She did not know what to say or how to explain herself or if she even should. So she opted to say nothing. If he was mad because she was a giving person, he would just have to be mad.

***

She was fine when they first arrived at Michael’s place. However, she quickly realized that the styling of the rich and famous was far from the relaxing experience she would have envisioned. Michael barely had time to introduce her before the glam team and Michael’s stylist started bombarding her with questions about “her look.” And she had no earthly idea. When she stripped in college and for her dates, she had to curate a look but the point was always to show off her sex appeal. It was fairly simple. This was far from simple.

She stayed silent as Michael’s manager and stylist argued back and forth, a heated tennis match that she could not get a word into even if she tried.

“That’s too sexy… we’re not trying to make it seem like he’s dating a fuckin’ video vixen.” Alex dismissed yet another dress the stylist pulled out for her without giving Raven even a chance to look at it.

“But look at those curves. No one’s gonna want to see him with a church girl either. That looks hella forced.”

“It needs to look like a regular date night. If she’s too dressed up, it’ll seem orchestrated. This is their introduction, it’s gotta strike the right tone. She needs to compliment him but also stand out cause no one covets the vapid trophy girlfriend anymore. But she can’t outshine him, that’ll lead to too much attention she and we don’t need.This photo is gonna follow them for the entirety of their relationship so it’s gotta be perfect.”

Raven sheepishly glanced between all of them as they talked about her like she was not sitting there getting her hair done. She sent a pointed glare at Michael, begging him to take over and say something. After all, he was the only person in the room who knew even the first thing about her. And he did not disappoint, immediately swooping in like her own personal Avenger.

“I think we’re overthinking this a lot. It’ll be more natural if we keep her style the way it is. Ain’t gotta dress her up into something she’s not. Some of this ain’t her anyway.”

Michael made quick work of narrowing the options down, immediately eliminating all the ones Raven silently hated herself… everything that was loud or too outrageous. By the end of his pruning, they were left with a more palatable selection of muted tones, all items that Raven would have dreamed to have in her closet one day. He held them up one by one, having her dismiss or keep each one until she was down to two options.

She opted for an olive midi silk dress. It was simple but elegant and classic. And felt like exactly what Michael wanted: an elevated take on her own style.

By the time they finished her make up and blew out her coils and she stepped into the dress, she almost didn’t recognize herself.

While Raven was good for a daily natural beat, she could not deny the power of professional makeup. The glam team made her routine look like child’s play.

She stood in front of the full length mirror in the second bedroom and studied herself, her fingers grazing over the soft silky material hugging her hips. She was so enthralled by it that she did not even notice Michael in the doorway staring at her.

“You like it?”

“I love it. How’d you pick these out?”

He smiled. “I sent my stylist your Instagram and he had pieces pulled for you. I bought this one and the other ones you liked. They’ll be in the closet here so you can wear them on dates. So we aint gotta go through all that shit every week.”

“And how much was that bill?”

“An amount that you don’t need to worry about.” He answered shortly before walking up behind her. He ran his fingers through the big curls they put into her hair. His hand moved to her shoulder, her breathing hiking slightly as his fingers grazed her bare skin to move all her hair out of the way. “Hold it up for me.”

He reached around and placed a gold choker around her neck. He adjusted it before she let her hair fall around her.

Michael’s hands grabbed her hips to turn her around in his grip, his eyes trained on the tops of her breasts, perfectly pushed up and on display in the deep neckline of the dress. He licked his lips as he drank her in, part of him wanting to forgo the date and public spectacle to fuck her brains out. But he forced himself to take a step back.

Just business, he reminded himself as he stuffed his hands in his slacks. Just business.

He cleared his throat, “You ready?”

Raven merely offered him a nod, afraid if she spoke, her voice would betray her and reveal the overwhelming need she felt. She hated the effect he had on her. He was the sweetest addiction, her body craved him. And she had been feeling the effects of that withdrawal since the first night they met. She could still feel the ghost of his hands on her, the paths he treaded etched into her skin like a brand. But she knew this was merely sex. No feelings, no desire beyond pleasure. That was the only way this would work.

She nodded and fell into step behind him as he led her down to his car. She opted for silence as they drove, her sole focus trained on trying to ensure she did not pass out again as her anxieties ran wild in her mind. Once was a fluke but twice? She did not think she could survive such embarrassment.

Typical LA traffic slowed their approach to the restaurant to a dreadful crawl, giving Raven several minutes to stare at the gang of paparazzi and cameras packed out at the entrance. She supposed it was great that the owner and chef had such a significant buzz for their opening night, and was the perfect introduction for their relationship. But as she counted each person holding a camera, she could not help but look down at herself and wonder if she had made a terrible mistake agreeing to this. If it were possible for her knuckles to turn white as she gripped the door with all her might, they would have as a million and one ways she could embarrass herself popped up in her brain.

What if the paparazzi saw right through her? She may be dressed in the role of a star’s girlfriend but she was far from it, a regular girl with nothing spectacular or special about her. And certainly nothing that would have made someone as handsome and important as Michael look twice at her. Was it even believable for him to date someone like her? What if she did something to embarrass her in the mere ten feet she needed to walk? She glanced down at her impossibly high heeled shoes. What if she fell?

It also did not help that, as she inched closer and closer to the cameras, she realized that this step made their ruse real. It was one thing for his team to put out a statement with her first name and allude to a girlfriend. But now, she would be putting her face and identity to it, giving the world the ability to private detective their way into every faucet of her life. Was that a mistake? Was she playing with fire to allow anyone close enough to discover the skeletons she kept hidden in the closet? Would she wake up tomorrow morning to find all of her dirty laundry in a viral tik tok for the whole world to see and dissect?

“Hey, hey, Raven, breathe for me.” She felt two hands grab her cheek lightly, clearly cognizant of not disrupting her makeup as they forced her eyes toward his kind ones. “There you are,” he whispered, his voice light as if she would crumble if he spoke too loudly. “Deep breaths for me.”

At first, she was confused as to why they seemed so filled with concern. That is until she heard it, the ragged breathing that filled the car. It took her longer than it should have to recognize it as her own.

“Circle to the back, Allen.”

“N-No, no!” She called out, a bit louder than she intended. “Y-You’re paying me to do this. I c-can do it.” She hated that she was already failing him. She was utterly useless to him. “J-Just got overwhelmed. F-feel l-like I’m g-gonna have a heart attack,” she admitted as she pressed one palm into her bare chest. “I’m sorry. I-I can do it.”

Michael immediately shook his head at her insistenting. He knew this would be overwhelming. His hand rested on the meat of her thigh, the slit in her dress allowing his warmth to touch her skin, an action she immediately found calming.

“Don’t apologize, aight?” He helped her slow her breathing while he rubbed gentle patterns into her skin. “You’re about to be on every gossip site and your life’s about to change. I’d be more worried if you weren’t freaked out. We’ll go in through the back.”

She clenched her eyes shut, hating herself for disappointing him. “How am I managing to ruin every interaction between us?” She mumbled. “Like a fucking’ embarrassment magnet over here.”

“Aint shit to be embarrassed about. Panic is normal, swarms of those fuckin’ vultures is terrifyin’ even for people who are used to it. We’ll go in the back, by the time we leave, there’ll be way less of them and easier to get out. We already got our picture for the gram so we’re good. You fulfilled your duties for the night and then some. The rest’s just for fun.”

“You sure?” She bit her lip as she studied him, expecting to find anger or annoyance.

He tugged her painted lip out from between her teeth and nodded. “We’re good. Now relax, take some deep breaths. We’re gonna enjoy dinner and then go back to my spot and enjoy some other things. I promise we’re good.”

He reached over and pried her fingers from the door and took it into his. “Wanna squeeze somethin, squeeze my hand instead. I’m right by you the whole time, promise.”

Raven found her heart was still racing but she did feel more at ease and she knew it was all because of him. He did not take his hand off her thigh as Allen looped them around to the alley behind the restaurant so they could enter through the kitchen.

Before they stepped out of the car, Michael squeezed her hand. “Just take a breath and enjoy the night.”

And he was not wrong. The restaurant was spectacular and bustling as the owner led them to their table.

“This is amazing.” Raven’s eyes drank in the soft decor of the restaurant, it felt intimate and romantic. “How’d you find this place again?”

He shrugged. “One of my boys… well’s one of my boys’ boys opened this spot. Figured it was a good option for our first date. Get him a lil publicity and it’s a natural reason for us to be out on the town. And I knew we could get a hella secluded table.”

She nodded, their table was perfect. They could see most of the main restaurant and main dining without actually being in the midst of everyone. They were tucked away and hidden, which eased most of her remaining anxiety.

He ordered a bottle for them, the pair sipping on wine as the head chef brought them his specialized tasting menu. She enjoyed not having to think and decide what to order as dish after dish made its way to them in a steady fashion.

“Can I ask you a question?” Michael asked, the pair sitting in comfortable silence for a bit as they ate.

“Shoot.”

“Did you spend any of that money on yourself?”

Raven tilted her head to study him, trying to decipher if he was upset. “Yea, I did what you asked. Manis, pedis, wax. And then I set aside a bit for the rest of this month’s rent. And then I used some to buy all those books and gave the rest to Jamal.” She sat her fork down. “I hope that’s ok?”

“You don’t gotta ask me how to spend the money you earned and I paid you.” He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. “I was just curious. Why’d you have to buy the books?”

“I don’t have to,” she admitted. “But the kids use the library copies and then can’t keep them when they like the book. Since I had the cash, thought’d it be nice just to buy the copies so they can keep them. These kids all love to read, just trying to help foster that in small ways.”

“But what about you?”

“What do you mean? I own a million books as you saw,” She chuckled as her attention focused back on her plate.

“Nah you don’t need a single other book,” he teased before lowering his voice. “I mean… you lost your job. You didn’t have shit to do with that money for yourself?”

“Oh of course I did. But I dunno, when someone needs a boost, I give it. Besides, I always figure my shit out.” She paused before adding, “Part of building community is taking care of others. And you hope if you ever need it, they’ll take care of you.”

“Who takes care of you now?”

Raven stilled. For some reason, that simple question knocked the wind out of her.

“Since I met you, all I’ve seen you do is take care of other people. Inconvenience yourself and sacrifice for it seems like… everyone you know. Tasha has an emergency so you take care of her client even though you’ve never met me before, which I know was terrifying. You’re sitting in a hospital bed and you spend hella bread to bail someone who didn’t seem to appreciate you at all outta jail. You get paid and you spend pennies of it on yourself before giving it all away to someone else. I’m in a bind professionally so you agree to change your whole life, even just temporarily to help me out.”

She jumped in, “Yea but I’m getting something outta this whole thing too.”

“Ok fair. But still… Your coworkers, your neighbors, these kids, even me. I mean it’s great that you care so much but who takes care of you? Who sacrifices or inconveniences themselves for you?”

She rolled the stem of her wine glass in her fingers as she contemplated his words.

“No one,” she whispered, the two words felt painful leaving her lips. Saying them forced her to acknowledge an ache she ignored on a daily basis but now she felt it and she wished she could lock the pain away again. But she knew he knew the answer before he even asked it. She cleared her throat, forcing herself not to fall into that sea of despair. If she thought too much about it, she’d never break through the surface again. So she offered a nonchalant shrug and a half smile. “It’s not bad though, I guess? Been taking care of myself since I was 19. Got pretty good at it.”

“That ain’t lonely?”

“Maybe if I knew something different? But that's all I know so it’s fine.” She took a long sip of her wine hoping to end the conversation there but she could feel him studying her.

He wondered why that was, she was so vibrant and kind, too kind for this world in his opinion. Did she not have a family? Friends? People who cared whether she was safe and attended to. He simply could not fathom having someone like her in his life and not ensuring she had the world resting at her feet.

“So who takes care of you, superstar?” She flipped the question around on him, desperate to remove the uncomfortable spotlight of vulnerability from her.

“My family, they keep me grounded… keep me sane. Make sure I’m not runnin’ myself completely into the ground, though I still do a lot.”

She raised her glass and lifted it toward him as if to toast him. “That’s good. Everyone deserves that.”

He could hear the sadness in her voice, a sign that she longed for what he had. He was used to people coveting his life but it was always the money, the fame, the women, the superficial things that could disappear within an instant. It was never the one thing he often forgot was not the norm for everyone: the love and support of family. He took care of them financially but that was a small price to pay for the emotional support and care they offered him along the way.

“Yea, they do. So I feel like I should know more about you if we’re gonna sell this whole thing.”

“What? You wanna play 20 questions or something?”

“Nah, I just don’t know shit about you except your name and that you’re soft as fuck,” he winked at her, which caused her to roll her eyes. “I don’t know where you grew up, where you went to school, if you went to school, your major, hell I don’t even know your birthday.”

She nodded and leaned forward. “Ummm ok. Grew up in North Carolina, went to UNC for college, took out loans and worked a couple jobs to afford it but I got through it. And October 15.”

His eyes grew wide. “Wait, that shit is in like two weeks? You only giving me 14 days to put together a celebration worthy of our fake relationship. Ain’t enough time, baby girl.”

“Because you don’t need to. I don’t celebrate my birthday, never have. It’s just another day.”

He was shocked at how her tone and demeanor shifted at such a simple conversation. Who didn’t enjoy their birthday? However, it was very clear to him that she did not. Her body shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she tried to force a neutral expression on her face but it did not really work. He tucked that information away for another day, so many questions and conversations he had but knew he could not ask today.

“Understood. Can I, at least, take you to dinner?” He could not imagine letting the day pass without celebrating her somehow. He quickly added as he could see her starting to shake her head. “Some tik tok detective’ll figure out your birthday and then the blogs will think it's weird if it passes and we don’t do anything.”

She hated it but she knew he was right.

“Fine. But no fancy shit or gifts,” she warned. “Just dinner and you’ll pay me like any other date.”

“Aight. Fair enough.” However, he knew that there was no way he was letting her birthday go by without getting her a gift of some kind. He did not care if he had to send it anonymously to her damn apartment.

“What else do you wanna know?” She asked, shuffling the conversation away from her least favorite day of the year to other topics.

“You said you’ve been on your own since you were 19. You’ve always done… you know?” He tilted his head causing her to laugh.

She understood why he was being discreet. There was no one table close enough to hear their low conversation but that did not mean wait staff or others were not lurking around.

“No, I didn’t jump off the deep end immediately. I worked on campus, work study shit for my loans and I danced,” she put a slight emphasis on ‘danced’ to ensure he understood the implication. “It was Durham so not the biggest market in the world but I was good and it paid the bills. When hard times came around again, an old friend from those days hooked me up with Helen… figured why not. Thought it would pay better and faster than a club.” She shrugged.

“You said you were a writer. Publish anything?”

She scratched her head, frustrated that he was asking so many questions that she knew likely felt innocuous to him. But to her? He was stomping on the landmines of her life.

“Umm yea, just a young adult fantasy novel. Nothing special,” she answered. “Do you read often? Favorite genre?” She quickly pushed the conversation back toward him, her skillful albeit obvious attempt to avoid yet another conversation she was not ready to have.

“You don’t like talking about yourself, do you?”

“Not much in my life is worth rehashing.” And she certainly did not want to rehash the greatest failure of her life to anyone, least of all the most successful person she had ever met.

“Ain’t no way that’s true.”

“Unfortunate, sure. But it is most certainly true. But I’m also ok with it. Not all of us are destined for lives worthy of a lot of fanfare. You,” she emphasized with a smile, “Are a main character. The narrative, the story, all of it and everyone around you revolves around you. You take up the most space as you should. Some of us though? Destined to be the sidekicks… foundational, necessary for the main character, faded into the background. We take up as little space as possible. And every story needs them. Personally, I think it’s ideal. Flying under the radar has its advantages.”

He took a sip of his wine. “Well you’re about to be everyone’s main character, the farthest thing from under the radar. Tomorrow, half the women in America are gonna want to be you. You ready for that?”

“Or kill me so they can have you for themselves,” she joked. “But I haven’t really thought about it? It’s also temporary, fleeting. And when it’s over, I’ll go back to my life in the shadows where it’s safe.”

The word safe hung in his ears. He wanted to press more but he could tell she was uncomfortable.

He stretched his hand across the table to take hers. She hesitated but then remembered couples do things like this, hold hands and share intimate but appropriate touches in public. She slid her hand into his, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand.

“I dunno… I think you underestimate how important you are. You can force yourself into the shadows but all I’ve seen of you so far is a main character who doesn’t realize we are all in her story. The spotlight is good on you, you should embrace it more.”

Her heart fluttered a bit at his words. This dude, she thought to herself. Every word out of his mouth was perfection. Why couldn’t he be more of the asshole Tasha claimed he was? That would make this arrangement far easier. But instead, every interaction made her fall deeper for him in ways she knew she could not.

“W-what else d-do you wanna know?” she asked quietly.

They spent the rest of dinner trading critical information about each other, their makeshift game taking up the rest of dinner.

“Ok Beyonce’s your favorite artist… Not surprised by that. Favorite album?”

She laughed, “She makes stanning so easy, I’m gonna be honest. Been a fan since Destiny’s Child. And probably Renaissance or self-titled.”

“Ever seen her live?”

Michael enjoyed how the wine made her a bit looser and energetic. He could tell the nerves melted away with every glass. She was far from drunk but she was more relaxed than she had been all night, “God I wish. But she’ll go on tour next year for Renaissance hopefully so if I can set aside money for it, I’ll go.”

Michael nodded, the wheels in his brain already turning. He glanced at his watch, realizing how long they had sat there chatting even after the courses concluded.

“You ready?” At her nods, he stood up and helped her from her seat before wrapping one arm around her waist as they walked toward the front door.

As they walked, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “When we get outside, don’t engage with them or look at them. Eyes straight ahead on me, hand in mine. Security’ll clear a path so don’t worry about that. Whatever they ask you or say, don’t respond, aight? Squeeze my hand if you get overwhelmed but it’s just a few feet and it’ll be over before you know it.”

He stopped her as he thanked the owner and shook his hand before they reached the glass double doors to leave. She was immediately overwhelmed by the blinding camera flashes pointed in their direction, her smile faltering ever so slightly. However, before she could even squeeze his hand, Michael pulled her body flush to his and kissed her. Her body melted under his touch as he set every sensor in her ablaze. He was intoxicating. That’s how she felt every time she was in his arms, completely and utterly drunk on his being. She had to stifle the whimper that almost escaped when he pulled away, a sly grin and wink thrown her way.

“Better?”

“Y-Yea.”

“Good,” he responded, the evidence that his kiss worked wonders clear on her face. He wrapped her hand in his again and gestured for her to follow him out.

With the grace and poise of a trained movie star, he offered the crowd of paparazzi a few waves and a bright smile. Raven kept her smile small but natural as she held onto Michael’s arm and he led her through the cameras. He was the perfect gentleman, not letting his driver open the car door for either of them so he could help her in himself before getting in. As soon as the door slammed shut, she let out a deep sigh of relief and sat back in her seat.

“See? Wasn’t so bad. First paparazzi experience and you were a pro. Now we gotta pick a photo for instagram and a caption. Alex sent me all the ones from earlier.”

He scooted over to the middle seat so he could show her all the photos in his text chain with his manager.

“This one’s my favorite but…” he went to the next one. “Alex says this one’s the one we should post.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Absolutely not. Look at my three chins in that.”

“I only see one very cute, kinda pointy chin.”

She moaned and rolled her eyes. “Be serious, please. This is our first instagram post. It needs to be perfect. And it’s not just the triple chin. I look so stiff, we both look uncomfortable.”

Her finger continued swiping through the photo set, her voice muttering no as she passed photo after photo of the pair looking as if they were strangers forced to take a photo together. She finally stopped when she reached the last two, the only two candids in the entire bunch. One was of her laughing at a corny but well timed joke Michael told as they wrapped up their photos and the other was of Michael adjusting the choker right after he put it on her neck. She had not even realized the photographer caught that one.

“Those two.”

“Why those?”

She shrugged. “The others are clearly staged. But we both look the most relaxed and at ease with each other in those two, like we aren’t trying. We’re just being. Trust me.”

Michael knew he should take Alex’s expert opinion over all else but he did… trust her. So he saved all the photos, hearting the two she identified.

“Ok caption?”

“I’m terrible with those. I picked the photos. Caption’s all you. But I would do something short and simple. One word, an emoji. Or no caption and just let it speak for itself.”

The short ride to his condo was quiet as he mulled over what to post. He hated how much energy he had to expend on something so trivial but that was his life. So he decided to just post it with a simple brown heart, taking Raven’s advice, yet again.

Once the post was up, he tossed his phone down to the middle seat between them and watched her as her eyes followed the passing buildings as they weaved through LA. He would have been lying if he said he had not been worried about how the night was going to go, if she was going to come to regret their whole arrangement. However, she seemed content. Happy even? He doubted that. She gave the impression of someone who rarely felt that emotion, knew precious little of what happiness truly was. He desperately wanted to know why, the puzzle pieces he had gotten thus far were so incomplete he could not even imagine what picture he was putting together. And while he knew he shouldn’t, he desperately wanted all the pieces so he could truly know her. And not just so he could get to know her for the sake of this ill-conceived plan but so he could satisfy the urge in his very soul to tear down whatever barriers stopped her from being happy. If he only had six months with her, the least he could do was ensure she was happy during it.

“You still up for the rest of the night? I know that shit was a lot so no worries if you wanna call it.”

Raven shook her head, though she appreciated that he was giving her an out if she wanted one. She, of course, knew she could have said no and left but she appreciated he understood the pressure the transactional aspect of all this put on her to say yes. Thankfully, going home was the furthest thing from her mind.

He had not even touched her in a sexual manner all night and just being in his presence, she could feel the wetness growing between her legs, her nipples hardening with anticipation. She wanted him, all of him.

“No, I’m good. Besides, our last date got cut short. Gotta make that up to you somehow.” She winked at him.

“Yea, you do.”

The rest of the ride was filled with silent anticipation, Michael and Raven’s thoughts were simply runaway trains of lust and desire. Their first night together was imprinted into Raven’s brain matter, like he had altered her very chemistry.

And Michael, well, he had more than enough time to fantasize about all the things he wanted to do to her perfect body. He would need to build up to some of it but the lengths he wanted to push her? The heights he wanted to take her? She said she wanted to live out her fantasies and he was more than happy to make the wildest ones come true.

By the time they found themselves in the private elevator to his penthouse, the sexual tension between them was overwhelmingly thick. To the point where Raven did not even care about foreplay, she just wanted him to bend her over the nearest surface and fuck her senseless. But she knew that was not the game either of them truly wanted to play.

Obedience. Submission. That is what she wanted. She wanted to fully surrender control and let someone else do all the thinking, all the decision making. She thought it would be blissful, to have her thoughts only be consumed with bringing him pleasure and enjoying her own.

They immediately exited the elevator and made their way to the master suite. There was an awkward pause as they stared at each other, Raven biting her lip as she wondered if she could take charge or let him lead.

“You good?”

“Y-Yea… just this part is still kinda awkward,” she admitted.

“You still nervous with me?” She picked up on the tone of surprise in his voice.

“I mean you are you and I’m just…” she played with her hair as she spoke, her eyes forced down to the ground. “Me.”

She did not lift her eyes even when she saw his loafers into her line of vision. He hooked his finger under chin, forcing her eyes to his.

“I know your hard limits but you should know one of mine. I won’t tolerate you actin’ like you’re some nobody and like you aren’t the baddest bitch around. I told you once, you’re one of a kind. The only person who seems confused about that in this room is you. Say some shit like that again and I’ll take that paddle to your ass so hard, you won’t sit for a week. Understand?”

She let out a breath she did not realize she was holding in. “Y-Yes.”

“See, I thought we were gonna make it through the night without punishment but I see you’re a slow learner. 10 spankings. Yes what?” His usually soothing baritone had lost all of its warmth within seconds. It held a menacing quality that made her want to cower beneath him but not in fear. She was far from afraid of him. But the tone did something to that quiet part of her that craved submission.

“Yes, sir.”

“There we go. Much better. I remember your limits. But if you feel overwhelmed or need a break, say yellow. If you need me to stop completely, use your safe word. You remember it?” She wished the ground could swallow her whole as she heard the hint of humor in his voice as if he was struggling to hold in laughter at her ridiculous choice of a safe word.

“Unfortunately,” she mumbled, still overflowing with embarrassment. “Can we change it?”

“Nah,” he answered immediately. “I like it.” He winked at her.

“I hate you.”

He closed the space between them and slid his hand up her thigh, slow and tantalizing, he dragged his fingers against her skin until they reached her promised land. She widened her stance slightly to give him better access as he slipped one finger into her thong and between her lips.

She stifled the moan that almost escaped as he dipped that finger inside her, her eyes fluttering closed for a moment. She could not stop the groan that escaped when he removed his finger, leaving her feeling empty. He held it up to her, her juices glistening on his skin.

He kept his face neutral though internally, he was grinning. He had touched her once and she was already drenched. That one touch had almost been enough for him to fall to his knees and worship her.

“That tells me otherwise,” he whispered in her ear. “Suck.”

She had never tasted herself before and something about it felt oddly erotic. She parted her lips enough to allow him to slip his finger between them. She savored the taste of herself as she sucked his finger clean.

“You like the way you taste, baby?”

“Yes, sir,” she admitted, her voice flush with embarrassment at how easily he read her. But she found that the embarrassment also turned her on. She guessed he knew that too.

“I knew you would. Strip.”

She took a small step back from him, her fingers finding the straps of her dress as she let it slide off her body to the floor. She immediately picked it up and glanced around for a second.

“What’s wrong?”

She bit her lip. “I need a hanger.” At his incredulous look, she shrugged. “What?? I don’t leave nice clothes on the floor. Don’t want it to get ruined.”

Michael almost wanted to laugh before nodding. It was so perfectly on brand for her that he merely took the dress out of her hands instead of following his instinct in telling her that he’d just buy 8 more dresses like it if that one got ruined.

“When I come back, I expect you naked and on your knees waiting at the foot of the bed. Eyes on the ground.”

“Yes sir.”

She waited for him to exit before making quick work of removing her spanx, bra, and panties. She cared far less about leaving them in a heap on the floor as she sank down to her knees at the foot of the bed. As directed, she kept her eyes trained on the carpet beneath her as she waited with bated breath. This was the hard part: waiting, resisting the urge to lift her eyes and turn to search for him at every sound.

The seconds stretched to minutes, letting her know he was taking his sweet time. A test, and the brat in her wanted to fail it deliberately. But that was outweighed by the desire to hear him praise her for her obedience. Every moment spent in that position made her pussy grow wetter and wetter. She could hear him moving around the penthouse, heard his voice fill the hall as he talked on the phone for a few minutes. She desperately wanted to rise to her feet and find him so he would fuck her. But that wasn’t the game. The game was total obedience, sacrificing to his will. That was harder than she expected but as she sat down on the floor listening to his voice drift through the open door for over 10 minutes, she knew it had the exact effect he wanted: turning her into a needy mess. And showing her that what she wanted meant little. Everything, from when they started to how they would finish, was under his control and he could leave her waiting for him as long as he wanted.

Even when she finally heard footsteps returning to the bedroom, she did not move an inch.

“That’s my good girl.” She let out a breath of relief that she did not even realize she was holding in when she finally heard his voice directed at her. “I think I could’ve left you down there all night and you wouldn’t have moved a muscle. What’d you think? Would you stay down there for me?”

“Yes, I would. But it sounds like torture,” she added.

“Torture we’d both enjoy,” he whispered. His hand ran through her soft hair, cradling her face. “This is how you should wait for me after every date. Just like this.”

She continued staring at the ground as she heard him move throughout his bedroom. Every sound ratched up her anticipation. She could hear him fiddling with a latch, her mind immediately going to the chest of goodies he kept in the corner. His hands rummaging through it made her wonder what he was searching for. Was it something to punish her, pleasure her, or both?

“Look at me.”

Michael could have come right then and there as she lifted her head, an innocent doe-eyed look painted on her gorgeous face. Her plump lips were parted ever so slightly, he was unable to stop his thumb from grazing over it with the lightest touch possible. His dick strained against the confines of his pants and briefs, his desire to be buried in her heat almost painful as he looked down at her.

Patience, an inner voice growled at him. Patience… one trait he was not fairly good at.

“You trust me, baby?”

“Yes, sir.” She answered immediately. She was nervous but the one thing she knew is that Michael had no intention of hurting her. She knew he respected her body and limits if nothing else.

“Good girl. Stand and get on the bed, legs spread.”

She shuffled to her feet, her legs wobbling like a fawn as they had fallen asleep beneath her. She tried to temper her excitement with slow, measured and sensual steps. She could feel his eyes trained on her ass causing her to add a sway to her hips as she walked around to the side of the bed and crawled on. She laid down and spread her legs, putting herself on display for him.

Michael licked his lips as he took in the glistening mess at the apex of her thighs. He could see the slight shake in her legs as she laid there, waiting for him to strike.

“You’re being such an obedient slut for me,” he praised as he walked to the corner of the bed. She felt his touch against her ankle before it was replaced with the cool leather of a cuff. She felt it tighten around her ankle before it loosened a bit. Instinctively, she tugged at it, finding that her mobility was heavily restricted. She did not have time to react before he moved to the other side and bound her other ankle, keeping her legs spread eagle and open for him.

His fingers dragged a tantalizing slow pattern from her ankle up her thighs onto her soft belly over the peaks of her breasts and down her arm until he got to her wrist. He brought her hand up and put another cuff around it so it was restrained to the headboard. He repeated the motion before climbing on the bed and hovering over her naked body. She looked delectable as she pulled against the restraints but she could not go anywhere. Her body was completely and utterly at his mercy and she would not be able to move until he allowed it. She would not even be allowed to touch him and that felt like the true punishment in all of this.

“One last thing,” he pulled a silk black blindfold out of his pocket and tied it around her eyes, plunging her into utter darkness. She felt him move off the bed, his weight shifting before she felt and heard nothing around her.

It only took a mere moment for the fear of sensory deprivation coupled with the loss of Michael’s presence to hit her. Her head turned left and right in a panic as her ears strained to listen for him, for any sort of movement or sound that let her know he was still around. She felt utterly vulnerable without her eyesight, a prey waiting for their predator to pounce. A whimper escaped her lips as the seconds stretched on without an utter sound.

“M-Michael?” she whimpered his name this time. She hated how she sounded, fearful and needy but she just needed reassurance that he was still there.

“I’ll let that slide cause this is new and I know the blindfold is scary,” his voice filled her ears, causing her to relax a bit. His usual gentle tone was back, a stark contrast to the demands he had been giving just moments earlier. She felt safe, assured, cared for. “I’m right here. Not gonna let anythin’ happen to you, I promise. Just remember your safe word and use it if you need it. You ready for your punishment?”

She let out a soft gasp, “This isn’t it??”

“Nah… this is just for my own pleasure and yours. But I owe you ten spankings. But we gon’ try something different. Use your safe word if it’s too much.”

She could feel him moving around the bed before she felt the featherlike touch of soft leather straps against her skin. A shiver racked through her spine causing her to arch off the bed as every sensor in her body focused on the trail of arousal he created. It was so faint, like it was not even there. However, as the straps rolled over her aching breasts and her core, she wanted to plead for more. Begging, she wondered if that was what he wanted, to hear her plead for more. She was a brat but she was not prideful. The pleas were on the tip of her tongue, ready to fall off without much prompting. However, before she could start begging him to touch her, she let out a gasp of pain as she felt the straps whip against her thighs.

“What the fuck??” she cried out, unexpected pain radiating through her. She was not surprised that it still sent a shockwave of pleasure through her but fuck did it hurt significantly more than his hand did last time.

“Watch your fuckin’ mouth. 10 more. Talk to me like that again and I’ll use it on a spot far more painful than your thigh.”

To emphasize his point, he resumed his teasing, running the straps right over her clit causing a moan to escape her. If that was how badly it hurt against her thigh, she shuddered to think how it would feel against her clit.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I-I just w-wasn’t expecting that. No more, p-please. I’ll be good.”

“That’s a good slut. I forgive you. But you still have 19 left. Count ‘em out for me.”

She took a deep breath as he brought the flogger down on her other thigh and counted. She forced herself to breath through it and relax, finding that tensing and anticipating each blow just made them hurt more. He switched where he hit her so she found it difficult to anticipate them either way. Her counting was barely audible in between her shrieks of pain as he rained each blow down on her breasts, thighs, and her stomach. He made sure to hit each one several times, the additional lashings stinging ten times as much than the first one. By the time she whispered 20, her voice was broken and her blindfold was soaked with tears.

Despite the stinging pain radiating from every portion of her body, she could not deny her pussy was throbbing for him. She could feel the mess she made on his comforter as her juices dripped onto the bed. And the aspect of it all that she could not truly understand was that, even at the height of the physical pain, she had not once even contemplated calling out her safe word or even asking for a break. She was drunk on the pain because every bit of it was really just pleasure in a different form. Part of her was almost crestfallen when she said 20. She did not think she could have handled much beyond that number but something in her wanted him to keep going, to push that physical limit as far as he could.

“You should see your body right now. All red and marked up. It was hardly a punishment,” he mused. “It just made you wet like the filthy whore you are. Next time, you’ll remember that daddy chose you, won’t you? That he doesn’t like it when people talk badly about his plaything.”

Plaything… every degrading name he called her felt like a heavenly chorus in her ears. She nodded quickly. “I’ll remember. I promise.”

“You want daddy to touch you?” he asked as he ran his fingers over her thighs. With every circle he drew, he came closer and closer to her flower.

“Yes, daddy. Please,” She willed him to stick something inside her. At this point, she would take anything.

The teasing was hard for him too but he enjoyed the way her limbs arched into his touch, trying to steal more stimulation than he was prepared to give, how her moans of pleasure turned to whines and whimpers, how he could feel the heat of her core against his hand without even touching her, how her entire body seemed to vibrate with need and anticipation. It all just increased his own pleasure and knew it would make her first orgasm of the night spectacular.

She let out a sob as she felt him hover right above her clit, so close she could almost feel his touch but it wasn’t enough. Her hips started to hump the air, as much as she could with her legs restrained but his hand held them down to the bed.

“P-please, p-please. It’s… I-I n-need you.” She had never heard such desperation in her voice. She never knew sex could feel like this. It was overwhelming how much she needed him. It was a sexual need but it felt as foundational as air or food or water, like she would die right then and there if he did not caress that bundle of nerves between her legs or slide his fingers between her lips again. She recalled that sweet moment when they first got home. That felt like hours ago now, like he had deprived her for hours without his touch when she knew, realistically, it had only been a maximum of 30 minutes.

“This what you want?” he whispered in her ear as his thumb drummed against her clit.

A high-pitched scream of pleasure filled his bedroom, Raven not even realizing it was her for a few seconds. He settled between her thighs as he slid two fingers inside her. She moaned and rocked her hips against his hand as his thumb continued to rub her clit.

“That’s it. Fuck my fingers like the cum slut you are. So desperate to cum all over my hand. You gonna cum for me, baby?”

She knew it would merely earn her another punishment but she was so enthralled in the building pleasure in her core that she could not answer him. He had stolen all her words and thoughts that weren’t pleas for more, pleas for him to ram his length inside her and send her to another dimension. She wanted him to destroy her, her back… her walls… her entire being until she was just a mess left behind.

“Y-Yes… s-so c-close. C-can I c-come, d-daddy?” She begged him as she felt the telltale signs of her approaching orgasm. She was dangling on a rope over a cliff, her grip loosening so she could free fall into that sweet abyss of pleasure. However, she remembered his rule from the first night. He could give orgasms and without proper permission, he would take it away. She wanted his praise and she wanted to fall. She just prayed he would give her both.

“Cum for daddy. That’s it, that’s a good whore. Such a perfect little slut for me.”

His voice guided her through as she let go and allowed herself to fall apart, and the free fall was well worth the wait he had put her through. If this was the result, she would endure whatever forms of torture he wanted her to to reach this promised land.

She muttered nearly incoherent words of thanks as he continued praising her and fucking her with his fingers. Her legs spasmed slightly as he forced her orgasm to drag out for a bit longer than she was used to. He only stopped when he felt her hips stop rocking and start shying away from his hand.

He gave her a few moments to calm down while he stripped off his own clothes. His dick stood at attention, a weapon ready to destroy the perfect pussy laid out for him. He undid the cuffs around her feet, her legs still wide open which let him know she was too out of it to notice.

“Check in for me, baby girl. Use your words, you need a break?”

She shook her head. It was the exact opposite actually. “F-fuck me. I need you.”

With pleasure, he thought to himself. He climbed between her legs and immediately sheathed himself inside her with no warning, causing a guttural moan to ring out in the air.

He ripped the blindfold off of her eyes as he positioned her legs over his shoulders and fucked her with abandon.

It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the soft lighting of his room before she made eye contact with him. She forced her eyes away from his, training them on the ceiling. She could not look into those deep brown eyes, afraid she would mistake the clear lust she saw there for other things, other emotions she knew in her soul he could not hold for her. She almost wished he would put the blindfold back on her. Not being able to touch him did help, though she longed to run her nails down his biceps and claw into his back as he fucked her, cradle his head into her neck as he sucked and bit the skin there and marked her as his. But so much of that was so intimate and she did not need intimacy, they did not need intimacy. This was fucking, plain and simple.

“Oh God!” she cried out at a particularly deep thrust.

“God can’t save you, baby girl. Only name you should be calling out is mine.” Each word was punctured by particularly forceful thrusts to emphasize his point. “F-fuck I missed your pussy,” he cried out as he pushed her knees up to her shoulders, causing her body convulse with another orgasm beneath him. She felt as if he was splitting her into two. She wanted him to destroy her and this was pure, unadulterated, blissful destruction.

“D-don’t stop,” she panted. “F-fuck me harder,” she begged as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. This time around, she saw stars yet again but only the good kind.

She groaned pitifully as he pulled out of her. He quickly undid the cuffs around her arms, allowing her only a quick moment to roll out her wrists and shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her waist and flipped them over so she was on top.

“Get to work. You’re gonna ride me until I cum inside that pussy.”

She sighed as she sank back down on his dick, savoring every inch until she bottomed out on his lap. She remembered what he said at dinner about liking the spotlight on her and decided then and there that she would put on a show that had him showering her with praise. She started off with a slow grind, one hand braced on his chiseled chest while the other roamed her own body. She let her head fall back in ecstasy as she fondled her titties and got lost in pleasuring him and herself. Her body was exhausted but she was committed to her task and was desperate to feel him fill her.

He swatted her hand out of the way and leaned up, his teeth sinking into the swell of her breasts.

“Fuck!” she cried out. “Just like that.”

He moaned as he felt her pussy quiver around him, feeling her body’s response to everything he did. She got off on nipple play, he noted to himself as she continued grinding on him while he sucked and bit every inch of her perfect breasts that his lips could find.

He only paused to wrap his hand around her throat, he squeezed ever so slightly. Just enough for her to get her attention before he used the other hand to slap her ass.

“Playtime’s over. Fuck me like you mean it,” he growled in her ear.

“Yes, sir.” She decided to up the ante and slid off of him. She could hear the growl and command about to bubble up when she pressed a finger to his lip. “You trust me, don’t you? I’m your good girl and good girls follow orders.”

She flipped her hair behind her as she turned away from him with a wink and slid back down on him, her back to him so her ass was in his face.

Michael was in pure heaven as she bounced up and down on his dick, her ass shaking in his face. He almost resisted the urge to slap it but he did not have that level of self control.

“You like that?” he demanded as her screams of pleasure grew louder with every slap against her soft skin. He loved watching the skin grow redder and redder with his handprints. He knew bruises would likely form the next day but something told him she would like that as her moans got louder the harder he slapped her ass.

“Y-Yes I love it!”

Her thighs burned but she kept her mind focused on one singular goal: bringing him the same pleasure he offered her. She could tell he was close when he grabbed her hips, his fingers digging into her skin and he used his brute strength to lift her up and down on his dick. She could have been a rag doll with the way he lifted her body with ease, furiously fucking her before slamming his hips into hers with a loud shout.They had forgone a condom so she felt the warmth of him fill her as her body collapsed forward.

She could barely move her limbs as she fell limply, her body hinging at the waist. Michael stayed inside her for a moment before he lifted her off of him. He positioned her on her stomach, Raven too exhausted to say or do anything other than continue to let him lead. He straddled her back before she felt his hands softly knead her stiff muscles.

“W-what are you… doing?” she moaned out, confused by the gentleness of his actions after how rough and dominating he was.

“Taking care of you. Just relax and close your eyes, Rae.”

Her heart melted as she heard those words. He was taking care of her, that was all he had done since they met: take care of her when he had no cause or reason to. How was it that the most transactional relationship in her life, the one that was strictly business and should not include any care, was the only one that did not leave her feeling utterly depleted and empty? The only one where someone put her needs first. Hell, even when the entire point was to center his own pleasure, hers was still center stage.

She did not expect how that would make her feel, like hot chocolate on a frigid day, like stepping into the warmth of a thousand suns after being stuck in the cold. It was everything and deep down, she still felt as if she did not deserve it. Tears sprang to her eyes and she hastily wiped them away and sniffled.

“You ok?” he asked quietly, his hands stilling.

She cleared her throat and nodded. “Yea, yea. You just hit a sore spot. I’m good,” she whispered. She knew she should have told him to stop or used her safe word, this was more dangerous and unsettled territory for her than anything he had done to her that evening. But she couldn’t, couldn’t find the words or desire to stop someone from filling her up while everything else only took away. Even as she drifted off to sleep, Michael’s expert hands working out the kinks and knots he created, she knew she could not rest in that feeling for long.

His kindness could not be mistaken as love or anything of the sort. It was still just business and everything he made her feel: all the pain, all the pleasure, all the butterflies, all the spotlights, and everything in between was fleeting. All of it would come to an end and she would fade back into obscurity.

Mere hours ago, she thought she would welcome that. But now? For the first time, she feared how painful the return to her lonely life, regardless of how fake this one was, would feel now that someone had taken the time to show her something different.

Tag List:

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A/N: The babes had their first official date! And had a swoon worthy after party at Mike's lol What do you think the public reaction to their romance will do? We also have some key folks (Raven's family, Tasha) reactions to their "relationship" lol so we'll see how that unfolds next week. Also, just as a note cause I changed it and didn't want it to be confusing, MBJ's birthday is in September not February like in real life. Should've clarified that in chapter 1 but didnt want folks to be confused lol

Drop a comment and let me know what you think or if you want to be tagged! Thanks for reading!

#black writers #michael b jordan #michael b jordan x oc #mbjordanedit #michael b jordan x reader #black panther #michael b jordan fanfic #creed 3 #adonis creed #creed iii

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