#shes an absolutely smitten woman. She brings up her girlfriend every conversation

[duskier]

Don't imagine fem Gaz with a button down that's just open enough to see a clear line of skin from her chin to her belly button and just the BAREST of hints of the swell of her chest don't do it I beg you !!! it's a trap!!

[ssa-montgomery]

Absolutely Smitten

Word Count: 1980

Summary: Addison arrives home late on Valentine's to the perfect surprise from her girlfriend and it turns out to be the best Valentine's Day she's ever had.

Characters: Meredith x Addison, Mark Sloan

Warnings: Fluff, kissing, alcohol, whole lotta romance

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you all enjoy this heap of fluff that I wrote for the occasion, I had almost forgotten about Valentine's so I'm glad I managed to get this finished in time hahaha.

Feedback is what motivates me to work so please let me know what you think! Reblogs are also greatly appreciated.

Taglist is open!

Masterlist

The attending's lounge was quiet when Addison finally made her way inside after her surgery. Her surgery had run overtime and almost everybody else had already headed home for the night. She took a glance at the clock and sighed, it was already half ten and she was still here. She had hoped she could finish early today because as cliche as it was she loved Valentine's Day and all the big romance gestures that went with it. She had hoped to spend as much of the day as she could with the woman she loved. Unfortunately being a surgeon didn't always allow for that. Addison was so lost in her thoughts that it took her a moment to notice Mark standing next to her locker, watching her with an almost knowing grin on his face. Like a child with some secret he knew he couldn't tell but desperately wanted to.

"Mark, what are you still doing here?" She asked walking over to stand in front of him. "Don't you have a date?"

"Little Grey's only getting out of surgery now too so we're heading out to our double date with Torres and Robbins now, just came to pick her up. Plus, someone asked me to drop off a delivery." Mark explained winking at Addison as he said the last sentence. Addison was too exhausted after her surgery to question what Mark was trying to imply so instead she simply laughed at his strange mood and shook her head.

"Happy Valentine's Day Mark, enjoy your dinner."

"Happy Valentine's Day Red." Mark ruffled Addison's hair and pressed a quick, friendly kiss to her temple as he moved past her towards the door to leave.

Once Mark had left the room, letting the door swing close behind him, Addison shrugged off her labcoat and made her way over to her locker to get ready to leave for the night. It was only when she opened her locker door that she realised what Mark had meant by delivery. Gently laid inside was a bouquet of deep red roses, the stems wrapped in brown paper with a piece of red string tied around then. There was a white piece of card threaded onto the string but Addison didn't need to read it to know who they were from. Still, she smiled a warm fuzzy feeling spreading through her chest when she turned it over and saw the neat handwriting printed on the back.

Happy Valentine's Day Addison, I can't wait to see you when you get home. I love you so much. - Meredith.

Addison was certain she was the luckiest woman in the world when it came to her amazing girlfriend. Meredith wasn't the hopeless romantic type and she knew the holiday's had never been her favourite which always made her gestures that much more special. Knowing that Meredith tried because they were Addison's favourite times of the year. She took her phone from her locker and sent her a quick text to let her know she was on her way home and started to change as quickly as she could.

~~~

When Addison finally arrived at the house it was late and everything seemed still and silent. Part of her was worried that Meredith might already be asleep but as she climbed the front steps she could see around the edges of the curtains that the lights in the living room were still on. She unlocked the front door - the bouquet tucked carefully under her arm - and stepped inside. The house was warm unlike the bitter cold had started to settle for the night outside and there was an amazing smell of food suddenly reminding Addison that she hadn't eaten since lunch that day.

"You're home!" Meredith greeted her with a bright smile, sticking her head around the doorway. She stepped out into the hall and shut the door to the living room behind her before Addison could look inside.

"I'm home." Addison nodded walking over to kiss her gently, cupping her cheek in her hand. "And you recruited Mark to bring me flowers at the hospital."

Meredith laughed taking the flowers from her and leading her out to the kitchen to place the roses in a vase of water she had ready on the counter. Addison didn't pay any attention to the fact that Meredith took the longer route to the kitchen rather than straight through the living room. She placed the vase of flowers down in the centre of the kitchen island and moved to stand with her back leaning against it.

"He was here already picking up some stuff for Lexie and I wanted to surprise you so I asked him to hide them in your locker."

"Well, consider me pleasantly surprised." Addison grinned at her reaching out to take her hand in hers. "And what can I smell because I am absolutely starving."

"Just some pizza. I thought you would be so it arrived just before you did. Here take these into the living room for me." Meredith handed two plates and wine glasses over to her before grabbing the pizza box off the counter herself.

Addison stopped in her tracks when she finally turned to look into the living room. Meredith had switched off the lights when she first left the room and it was now only lit by the dozens of candles in varying sizes scattered across every surface. The warmth of the house that she had felt when she first walked in was coming from the roaring fire that was giving off a satisfying crackle. There was already a bottle of red wine laying on the plush fur rug in front of the fire.

"Mer," She gasped turning to look at her and she simply smiled back. It was more than she had expected tonight, especially with her coming home late but it was beautiful and it meant the world to her that she had put in this much effort.

"As I said, I wanted to surprise you. I know how much you love Valentine's Day." Meredith's voice was laced with a loving tone as she watched Addison's reaction.

"It's amazing Meredith, I love you."

"I love you too." Meredith leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before making her way over to sit down in front of the fire, tucking her legs up underneath herself as she did.

Addison took a seat next to her and opened the bottle of wine pouring it into each of the glasses, taking her time to make sure she didn't spill any onto the rug below them and handed one over to Meredith who happily accepted it. Addison took a sip of her wine before tearing herself off a slice of pizza and immediately tucking into the food.

"Oh my god, this tastes amazing. I was so hungry." She groaned around a mouth full of pizza.

"You always are after surgery." Meredith chuckled at her girlfriend as she leaned forward and grabbed a slice for herself. She had started to learn little things like that about Addison since they started dating and now she always had some form of food ready for her when she got out of surgery, even if she still barely knew how to operate the oven without the risk of burning the house down.

"Did you get my little treats?" Addison asked once she had finished her slice. She had placed an order for her gifts for Meredith to be delivered today almost a month ago and she hoped everything had turned out okay with it.

"You mean the red velvet cupcakes and Victoria Secrets set that you had flown in from New York? Yes, they arrived this morning after you left. You really don't anything halfway do you?" She teased lifting her hand to wipe away a bit of sauce from Addison's mouth. She leaned into the contact and smiled at her.

"What can I say, I have a taste for the finer things in life." Addison laughed shifting to sit closer to Meredith so she could lean into her side while they ate together.

"I loved them, Addie, thank you." Meredith dropped a gentle kiss to her forehead and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her even closer to her. "I have another surprise for you after dinner."

"Oh yeah?" Addison questioned looking up at her curious expression. "I can't wait."

They spent the rest of their time eating swapping comfortable conversation about their days, from Addison's surgery to what Meredith had heard about everyone else's plans for the night. Nights like this were perfect, it was easy conversation and even when it occasionally fell into silence while they ate it never felt awkward. Addison was beyond grateful that she had someone she could be this close with and she cherished every minute.

Once they finished their food Meredith folded the box over again and tossed it out of the way while Addison topped up their glasses, emptying out the bottle of wine. The fire had died down to a calmer flame now and they knew it had to be late, nearing almost midnight but neither of them seemed to care. They had the next day off and it didn't matter if they slept in, in fact, it sounded rather ideal. Addison had stretched herself out across the rug, her head resting on Meredith's shoulder while she warmed her feet in front of the fire, her heels now kicked off on the floor next to them. Meredith gently held Addison's face in her hand, tilting her chin up so she was looking directly into her eyes.

"I love you, Addison. I never thought I could love one person in my life this much until I met you, and you drove me crazy when I first met you. You were so confident and I was so terrified of the way you made me feel. I never thought you could feel that way about me too until that first night that you told me you loved me and I fell even harder for you. I don't ever want to lose that feeling. I was afraid to tell you how I felt then but now I want to be able to tell you every single day."

"Meredith," Addison said slowly as she moved to sit up properly in front of her. Her heart was racing at the possibility of what Meredith was about to say. "What are you saying?"

"Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery," Meredith slipped her hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small black box, opening it to reveal a simple silver band ring with a large diamond sitting on top of it. "I am asking you to marry me."

Addison could feel tears beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes as she stared at her in shock. She felt frozen to the spot at first, she couldn't believe this was actually happening. She was certain that it had to be a dream. But the nervous look on her face as she waited for her response told her this was real, Meredith actually wanted to marry her. Before Meredith could say anything else Addison threw her arms around her neck knocking them both back onto the rug as she landed on top of her. There were now tears falling freely down her cheeks as she pressed kisses all over Meredith's face.

"Is that a yes?" Meredith laughed breathlessly as she tightened her arms around her waist not wanting to let go of her a second sooner than she had to.

"Yes! Yes, yes it's a yes. Of course, it's a yes." Addison gushed finally stopping her assault of kisses so she could let Meredith slip the ring onto her finger. "I love you so much."

"I love you more," Meredith whispered brushing Addison's tears away while she pulled her into a deep loving kiss, holding the woman she planned on spending the rest of her life with in her arms.

Taglist: @marauder-level-chaos​

[dust2dust34]

maaaaaaan bre it's been years and I've read it like 8 times already but Wanna Be Yours is Still. So. Good !!!!!

Thank you so much, beautiful anon! I am so happy to hear this!! Re-reading is the highest compliment I could as for as a writer. Also, I just really love that fic so much. It’s everything I love about Olicity. There’s a touch of angst, and it’s all because of what they assume, and we get Smitten!Oliver (my favorite Oliver), and they’re just so soft when they admit their feelings.

Guh. 

Can I share my favorite part with you? It’s in Chapter 5 when they’re being all cute in the kitchen: 

“You wanna help me cut these up and then we’ll go outside?”

“Before my stomach eats us both?” Felicity asked. His stomach gurgled next and she laughed. “Or each other.”

“Eating each other,” Oliver mused. “I was just fine with what I was eating upstairs.”

Felicity’s eyes widened for a very different reason this time and she smacked his arm. He grinned, shooting her a wink before she moved to the sink to wash her hands.

That was mistake number one. Well, no, actually his bringing up how his face had been buried between her legs just a few minutes ago was the first mistake. The second mistake was he didn’t look away when she sauntered over to the sink, so he caught every single bit of her shapely legs where they were encased in the thin black pants, as well as the hint of skin at her back when she leaned over for the soap. It occurred to him that he hadn’t spent nearly enough time worshiping the damn fine shape that was her ass. God, she had to have been working out since the last time he saw her, or maybe it was the pants? Either way, that needed to be rectified.

He should probably clean his hands again.

Yeah. For health reasons.

Just as Felicity turned on the water and started soaping up her fingers, Oliver stepped up behind her and reached around, covering her hands. She made a startled little noise before letting out a tiny little laugh when his fingers laced with hers, getting just as soapy.

The sound morphed into a gasp when he pressed the length of his body against her backside.

It was bold and a little dangerous considering how close to the edge they’d been upstairs, but Oliver didn’t care, and neither did she. A burst of euphoria hit his chest that he was able to do this at all as he pushed her into the counter, dipping down to rub the bulge in his jeans right against her ass. The joy mixed with the pleasure, making him feel faint in a way that had him gripping her hands for strength. She held him back just as tight and he nuzzled his way through her hair until he reached her neck. Her head fell to the side, and he took complete advantage of it, his tongue darting out to taste her.

She rotated her ass right against him, and he was so fucking sensitive that he shuddered, his eyes fluttering shut with a moan.

Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea.

Common sense flew right out the window a second later, though, as she whispered his name, her fingers tightening around his as she moved to grip the edge of the sink. Using it as leverage, she lifted herself up, rubbing against him.

Stars exploded against his lids, the combination of her soft ass and the tough denim against his painfully hard dick sending spiking pleasure straight through him.

Oliver hissed out a series of unintelligible curses and he dug his face into her throat, dragging his face up her jaw, his cheek brushing against hers.

“We should…” she started, her voice strained, fading, the opposite of convincing.

“Yeah,” Oliver replied, his breath sending spare strands of her hair brushing against his lips.

They should stop, but for a second he had absolutely no intention of doing that. No, his mind was already jumping ahead a couple of spaces, running through all the various places on the main floor he could pull her into and ravage her. It didn’t occur to him that they still didn’t have a condom, or that people were waiting for them outside, or that they had things to do. He just didn’t care. All he cared about was the woman in his arms, that she was here, with him, and that his feelings for her combining with the lust racing through his veins was exhilarating.

But he should stop. Because he didn’t want to do that to her, he reminded himself. The sappy side that she’d just teased him about wanted to make it as special and perfect as possible, preferably in his bed and with protection so he didn’t give himself a goddamn heart attack afterwards wondering if he’d pulled out soon enough.

Oliver suddenly stopped moving, pinning her to the counter. She whimpered her displeasure, just as caught up as he was - and god, that alone had him positively fucking floating - but she didn’t move either. At least not the way he thought she would.

Felicity let his hands go and spun in his arms, looking up at him from under heavy lids. It was too close to a come hither look and he groaned, falling against her, his lips slanting over hers. Her soapy hands landed on his chest, curling in his t-shirt as he grabbed her hips with equally soapy fingers, pulling her close.

He was so damn insatiable for her. She burned through him, scorching through his veins, setting him on fire in a way that he’d never felt before. That was addicting. That made him want more… and more she gave him. Felicity kissed him back with equal ardor, using his shirt to tug him down to her height. She moaned, just loud enough for him to hear, and it sent him into overdrive, notching up the need between them to blinding levels.

Neither of them heard the balcony door opening, or the sudden buzz of conversation outside, or the sound of someone’s exasperated sigh.

“Oh my god,” Tommy said, and that was loud enough to pierce the bubble they were caught in. They broke apart with heavy pants, Oliver jerking away from her like he’d just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Tommy was trying his hardest to keep from smiling as he pointed at them. “I’m separating you two. You guys are not allowed to be in the same room without supervision, you obviously can’t be trusted.” The words hung in the air between all three of them, right before Tommy burst out laughing. It was a loud boisterous noise that had both Oliver and Felicity chuckling with him. “Hell has frozen over,” Tommy declared. “I’m cockblocking my best friend in the worst way possible. I’d be sorry, except I’m starving, so at the same time…”

“Right,” Oliver said, nodding. He moved to scrub his face, but his hands were still soapy.

“And you, Ms. Smoak,” Tommy said, walking around the counter towards Oliver’s girlfriend, “are coming with me. Well, if you want it done right, at least.”

Does anyone else have any favorites?

[qionow]

Status Quo

They had one rule: don’t offend anyone. 

Political get-togethers could easily ruin a nation’s reputation if they expressed an opinion too controversial in the eyes of those attending. Especially if said eyes held a more conservative view of the world. 

So naturally, Italy and Romana decide to bring their girlfriends along with them. 

(also happy pride y’all, enjoy some wlw content in the form of “don’t talk to me or my bottom ever again”: the fic)

There were certainly worse ways to spend a Friday night, but being forced to attend a formal party filled with old politicians and exhausted diplomats wasn’t exactly the best thing in the world for Italy either. 

If it were up to her, then she would have slept right through the evening and let the political disaster that started at seven play out on its own without her. But unfortunately, this was something she didn’t have a choice in, so Italy relegated herself to looking around for any signs of free food and smiling at whoever’s eye she happened to catch as she made her way through the crowd.

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” 

Italy paused when she caught Germany’s muttered question, glancing up to see a pair of pale blue eyes scanning the room with no hidden amount of apprehension. 

“Mhm!” Italy replied breezily, squeezing their interlocked hands lightly. “Don’t worry about it!” 

However, Germany did have a fair reason to look so concerned. 

Italy really didn’t draw much attention to herself compared to the rest of the people at the party. Someone like her bouncing around in a dress and heels wasn’t exactly the most threatening thing in the world, after all. 

But a tall German woman in a full suit was about as far on the opposite side of the spectrum you could get from that image. 

“I thought your boss specifically said to be more conservative this time around,” Germany muttered, briefly ducking her head when they passed a small group whose conversation notably silenced as soon as she was within hearing distance.

Still, Italy waved her off with her free hand for that, her relentlessly sunny attitude in full swing. “That’s what he told me to do! You can do whatever you want!” 

She made to start her brisk pace again, but her smile slowly dropped when she caught the persistent hesitation on Germany’s face. Easing Germany’s anxiety was a much more strenuous task compared to tackling her own worries, but there was no way Italy was going to let this loom over her lover’s shoulders for the rest of the night.

That thought was all she needed to change their course in order to usher them both into one of the less populated corners of the room, pulling Germany along with her until they were tucked away from the bulk of the crowd. 

“What’s wrong, cara?” 

Even when Italy tried to catch her gaze, Germany’s eyes still wandered over to the rest of the room every so often with clear caution.

“I’m just worried about you,” she finally answered, voice hushed and nearly drowned out in the chatter of the room.

Italy paused. 

That wasn’t what she had thought would be the problem.

“Me?” She pointed back to herself and received a small nod in confirmation, which did absolutely nothing to explain the situation to her. “Germany, why on earth would you be worried about me?” 

She could tell it was getting harder for Germany to fully verbalize her thoughts as she pursed her lips, visibly tensing up the longer the silence dragged on.

“Well,” she started slowly, pressing her lips together once before she managed to continue. “You’re here with me. And this isn’t a very welcoming crowd.” 

When Italy only stared back at her though, Germany let out a frustrated sigh and crossed her arms. 

“I don’t want someone to try and go after you because of me.” 

The exasperation in her voice was evident, but Italy still caught the undertone of worry that laced that simple sentence together. 

“Monika.” Italy reached out to pull at Germany’s arm, forcing them to uncross enough for her to take her hand and intertwine their fingers together. “That’s not going to happen.” 

“But-” 

“I mean it.” 

Italy made sure to cut off that train of thought as soon as Germany opened her mouth, squeezing her hand in a silent request to let her continue.

“You’re scary enough already. Nobody’s going to bother you or me,” she went on. “And if they do, then you can just beat them up!” 

Germany sighed, but Italy could have sworn she saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes and she knew she was going in the right direction as soon as she did.

“Marzia, I can’t do that here.” 

“That’s ok!” Italy channeled all of the enthusiastic determination she was known for so she could beam up at Germany with the confidence she hoped to instill in her. “I’ll just beat them up for you!” 

Germany only stared at her at first, total shock written all over her face before she dropped her head. It was hard to pick up, but Italy still managed to catch the faint chuckle she let out.

When Germany finally looked up at her, a small smile tugged the corner of her lips up and that sight alone was enough to make Italy melt on the spot. 

“That’s what you’re going to do?” she mused, a teasing curl to her words that Italy rarely heard from her. 

Italy’s cheeks hurt with the force of her grin as she nodded her head fast enough to nearly whip herself in the face with her ponytail.

“Yup! That’s why you don’t have to worry about what you’re wearing!” Italy was sure that her relief was clear as day, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to care at the moment. “Besides, you look good!”

She took a moment to eye the way the sharp lines of Germany’s dark black suit jacket framed her broad shoulders ever so nicely, tight sleeves clinging to a set of very strong arms.

“Really good.” 

Germany shook her head, but she was still much more relaxed than when the night first started and Italy was nothing short of thrilled for that accomplishment.

“Oh, it’s a pleasure to see you two here!” 

And that relaxed state was gone in a flash as a man Italy had never seen before clapped a hand on both of their shoulders. “I’m sure it was hard to make it, with all your work nowadays!” 

Italy was quick to smile back in an attempt to draw his attention to her when Germany visibly tensed up under his grip. It would be safe to assume that he was some politician looking to widen his social network and Germany’s less-than-warm response would undoubtedly send the wrong message if that was the case. 

“It’s no problem!” she replied cheerfully. “We’re just glad we get to come!” 

That was certainly the right move when the man let out a loud laugh, briefly shaking them both before he finally let go. “That’s what I like to hear!” 

He reached over to nudge Germany, a friendly curve to his grin as he beamed her with obvious delight despite her stiff posture.

“It’s good to see you out and about too, Ludwig! I’m sure our little Italy here had a hand in that though!” 

Italy's smile dropped. 

When she looked over to Germany, she caught the silent question she was asking her when her eyes flickered over to the politician before they met hers again. Italy didn’t even have to think before she gave her a nod in return.

She had never been so happy to let Germany take the lead before when she saw the way Germany drew herself back into a familiar stoic expression that was much more composed and much more intimidating. 

“My name is Monika.” 

Italy vaguely registered the fact that the man’s smile dropped in record time, especially when there were more pressing issues to concern herself with.

Germany on her own already had a commanding enough presence with her sharp blue eyes and broad stature, about as close to the embodiment of military power that one could get in a person. But now, that power was on full display as she clasped her hands behind her back and glared down at the man in front of her, practically radiating strength from every inch of her body. 

And Italy was absolutely smitten with her. 

The politician who was currently facing Germany’s silent wrath didn’t seem to share the same opinion though. 

“Ah, of course.” He cleared his throat, glancing off to the side when Germany had yet to break eye contact with him. “Right. I mean-I heard that you would be coming, but I thought you would just look a little more, you know-” 

He waved a hand towards Germany, although that hand quickly retracted itself when Germany’s expression didn’t change.

“I don’t.” Germany said slowly, voice lowering dangerously into a tone that was more suitable for addressing a soldier than a guest at a party. “Would you like to elaborate?” 

That was as clear of a challenge as Italy had ever heard from her, which the politician certainly caught onto as well if the way his face paled had anything to say about it.

“Oh no, no, I’ve taken up enough of your time already,” he fumbled out, shaking his head with a faltering attempt at a polite smile. “I’ll just, um, be on my way.” 

He was quick to excuse himself with an awkward attempt at a wave before he retreated back into the safety of the crowd, vanishing from sight in an impressively short amount of time. 

But even after he left, it took a while for the cold look on Germany’s face to completely melt away as she let out a tense sigh, closing her eyes in order to bring a hand up to her temples.

“Do I really look like Ludwig?”  

Italy couldn’t stop the bubbling laughter from escaping her chest at that point, clutching onto Germany’s arm for dear life so she could keep herself steady. 

“What?” 

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing!” 

Germany raised an eyebrow at her giggling fit, which only served to send Italy right back into a barely comprehensible mess.

“Italy.”

“I’m sorry!” Italy wheezed out. “It’s just-you were so worried about us getting hurt! Us!” 

Germany let out a quiet exhale as Italy slowly managed to pull herself back together, the last of her hiccuping laughter forced away to leave behind a broad grin. “I suppose you were right then.” 

“See?” The smile on Italy’s face was probably the most genuine one she had done all night. “There’s nothing to worry about!”

Germany let out a hum, although it wasn’t quite in full agreement. 

Luckily for her, Italy knew exactly how to change that. 

“Hey.” 

Once she had Germany’s attention, Italy pushed herself up onto the balls of her feet in order to press a kiss to her cheek, rocking back down with the hope that all of the fondness in her chest was properly translated. “You’re still my Monika, ok?” 

And oh, she knew that message was sent loud and clear when Germany’s face burst into a fiery red, quickly ducking her head in a hopeless attempt to hide her blush. 

Italy’s smile widened as she reached down to interlace their hands together once more, tugging Germany back through the crowd with pure delight.

After all, the night would only last so long and she still had a very lovely German sweetheart to show off to the rest of the guests. 

~~

Romana didn’t even know why she was here. 

Italy was more than capable of handling social events on her own, so the reason why her boss decided to loop her into this was a complete mystery to her. 

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she had cursed him out in his own office a few days ago. Maybe it didn’t. 

Like she said, a complete mystery.

“I think that’s another one for ‘close friends.’”

Romana promptly found herself snapped out of her thoughts, glancing over at Spain, who was currently typing away at her phone. “Why the hell are you keeping track?” 

“I just thought it would be funny!” Spain replied easily, shooting a broad grin down at Romana. “Do you want to see what we got so far?” 

“No.” 

Spain’s smile never faltered despite Romana’s curt answer, leaning down to hold her phone out. “Are you sure?” 

Romana's gaze flickered down once, then twice before she snatched Spain’s phone out of her hands with a few muttered insults. She chose to ignore Spain’s light laughter in favor of studying the messy notes on the screen in front of her instead. 

According to the data, three people had mistaken them for waitresses, four people had asked where their husbands were, one poor bastard thought they were sisters, and a whole twelve guests had somehow gotten the impression that they were “close friends.” 

Although, given the fact that Spain was currently decked in a dark crimson dress and a full face of makeup compared to the walking manifestation of butch fashion that was Germany, Romana really couldn’t blame them. 

That didn’t mean that Spain was completely modest with her choice of fashion though. 

“Excuse me, but would you two happen to be Spain and Romana, by any chance?” 

Romana glanced up from Spain’s phone to meet the service-ready smile of some woman in front of them, likely an underpaid and overworked secretary if she had to place her bets. 

“That’s us!” Spain chirped back, plucking her phone from Romana in one fluid motion. “Is there something you needed?”

“Oh no, I just wanted to drop by and say hi.” The woman’s smile softened into something more genuine. “You two look wonderful tonight.” 

Spain’s bubbly enthusiasm riled itself back up in full force at that.

“Thank you!” she replied easily. “You look great too! I love your dress!”

When the secretary looked over to her, Romana jerked her head in a quick nod of agreement, which thankfully seemed to be enough to avoid coming off as a complete brat. 

“It’s not anything special, just something I picked up a while ago,” the woman laughed, waving her off with polite modesty. However, once her eyes trailed down to Spain’s right hand, her smile quickly morphed into a concerned frown. “Oh! Um, I think you broke your nails there.” 

“Hmm?” Spain peered down at her hand with faux curiosity and Romana had to physically resist the urge to groan when she held her fingers up. ���Do you mean these?” 

Romana didn’t know when Spain had gotten her nails done or who had even agreed to do them for her with the stunt she pulled off because really, having your index and middle fingers painted and clipped strikingly short compared to the length of the rest of your nails was a bold move for a formal party.

It was stupid and it was embarassing and it was exactly the kind of thing that Spain would try to get away with.

“Don’t worry, these were on purpose! They do come in pretty handy after all!” 

The woman tilted her head to the side with obvious confusion and Romana was tempted to beg for her to leave before the full force of Spain’s dramatics could be unveiled. 

“On purpose?” she repeated, the connection obviously miles away from being formed in her head at that point. “What would you need them that short for?” 

Spain only flipped her hand over so her palm was to the ceiling, curling her index and middle fingers towards her in a come hither motion with a completely innocent and wildly inappropriate smile. 

Romana had seen a wide variety of reactions that night ranging from complete obliviousness to awkward discomfort and some kind of emotion within that range was what she was expecting, especially with how nice the secretary had been thus far.

But seeing her face twist with pure disgust was the one reaction that Romana had yet to see and that was where she was going to draw the line.

“You got a fucking problem with that?” Romana snapped, crossing her arms with a scowl. 

“Do I-” The woman quickly met Romana’s glare with a disapproving frown that made Romana’s blood boil. “Of course not! There’s just no reason for you two to be putting this in everyone’s face is all.”

Romana would swear to this day that her temper had never jumped up so quickly before in her life.

“The hell is that supposed to mean?” 

“I mean that this is a formal event and there are certain rules to abide by,” she replied firmly, passive hostility dripping from every word that came out of her mouth. “I assumed you would have a little more modesty. It does bring up questions about your integrity as a nation.”

The secretary’s critical gaze drifted down to where the hem of Romana’s dress rested against her thighs.

“And as a woman.”

Oh, did Romana have some thoughts about that little comment.

“You fucking-”

The only thing that stopped Romana from reaching over and strangling the woman herself was the fact that Spain had shot her arm out to stop her from stepping forward, the friendly look on her face looking decidedly more strained than before.

“Roma, why don’t you go look around for a minute?” Spain’s tone seemed to offer less of an offer and more of a command at that point. “I’ll come find you later.” 

She really just wanted to argue and have at the secretary herself, but her mouth snapped itself shut once she caught the hard glint in Spain’s eyes. 

“Fine,” she spat out, glaring at the woman who seemed to be under the impression that she had somehow won here.

Romana didn’t say a word to correct her as she marched right back off into the crowd, glancing back just in time to see Spain’s smile drop into a cold glare. 

Sure, she wanted to chew that excuse of a guest out herself, but she knew that Spain would have that handled without her and that was enough of a victory in her opinion.

~~

Romana turned when she heard the faint clicking of heels against the floor, looking up just in time to see Spain heading right towards her with a bright smile. 

“I’m back!” Spain called out cheerfully, leaning down to press a messy kiss to the top of her head. “Sorry that took a while!” 

“Whatever.” Romana rolled her eyes when Spain wrapped an arm around her waist. “I can handle that shit on my own, you know.”

“I know, I know,” Spain cooed back. “I just got a little carried away. She shouldn’t have said that about you.”

“Right.” Romana’s attention was already fixed on the hand that was currently pressing her body right next to Spain’s. “Are you going to do this for the rest of the night?” 

“Yup!” 

Romana glanced up, ready to find the familiar sight of a teasing grin on Spain’s face only to find complete determination. 

She let out a groan, slapping her hands up to cover her face. Of course, she had forgotten exactly how hard it was to shake Spain’s protective mood off once she really got into it. “No.” 

Spain frowned, mouth already open to protest. “But-” 

“No.” 

“How about ten minutes?” she finally bartered, already quirking her lip out in a rather impressive attempt at looking like a kicked puppy. “Please?” 

Romana’s first instinct was to give her a hard no, but now that she thought about it, it really wasn’t so bad, being this close to Spain. With her mood, she would definitely be more than safe from anyone else who decided to make a scene. And while she would never admit it out loud, it did feel nice to have Spain dote on her so much. 

But Spain didn’t need to know that.

“Fine.” 

The speed with which Spain brightened up as soon as Romana muttered that word was honestly astonishing to see in person. 

“Yes! Thank you!” Spain chirped, leaning down again to press a messy kiss to her cheek, even if she was grinning too widely in order to do it properly. 

Despite the less than ideal attempt, Romana still didn’t move to push Spain’s head away. “Shut up.”

But now that the hectic moment had died down, Romana found that she still had a question that had remained unanswered.

“What the hell did you even say?”

Spain paused, glancing at Romana quizzically. “To her?” 

When Romana nodded, Spain laughed, but she still caught a glimpse of that lingering irritation behind her smile as her grip tightened ever so slightly.

“You don’t need to worry about that, Roma.” 

[star-birthmark]

Hello! I love your blog! i kind of have a weird request but it interests me... what are you personal head canons for La Squadra s/os? Like, what how do you head canon that La Squadra met their s/os, what do you head canon that they look like?

Hello everyone, I’m sorry it’s been so long (I’m also sorry this isn’t something you voted on) but I swear I’m working on your requests and other stuff. College is just kicking my ass right now I’M SORRY

Anyway, here are my La Squadra S/O Headcanons

Meeting Their S/Os 

Risotto Nero

Risotto met his s/o after a failed mission. It was early in his career as an assassin with Passione, and he was too frightened to return to the hideout and face Sorbet and Gelato. 

Instead, he decided to hide out in a bar, which is when his s/o first caught sight of him

The two of them chatted over drinks, eventually ending up together in a nearby hotel room. 

All was going well until Risotto proceeded to take his shirt off (I headcanon he didn’t have the leather straps yet), and revealed a nasty cut he had gotten during the hit.

His now s/o, then stranger, immediately rushed to call an ambulance, but Risotto told them not to.

So instead, they rushed to a store to get supplies to bandage him.

As they were mending the cut, Risotto looked up at them and asked why they were helping even if he didn’t know them. 

His s/o replied, “I don’t know… there’s something about you.”

What started off as a normal night of drinks and flirting soon ended in a heartfelt connection between two lost souls. They two kept talking and eventually began dating. 

Prosciutto

Prosciutto met his s/o because they had been assigned to La Squadra.

He always knew he’d marry a mafioso/a, it’s what his parents had done, grandparents etc. Passione had been his whole life. 

He remembers the day he met them well. Illuso was spreading a rumor around the gang that a “total hottie” was taking Polpo’s test, and the men were excited to see where they would be assigned.

The day Risotto came into the hideout with s/o in tow, Prosciutto felt his whole world freeze. They were exactly what he had been looking for in a lover all his life, he could just tell. 

Since he was the one in charge of tutoring Pesci, Risotto put s/o under Prosciutto wing, but Grateful Dead’s user soon learned they were more than capable of mafia life without his teaching.

That only made him love them more. 

Formaggio

Formaggio grew up in the same town as his s/o. The two of them knew each other as kids. 

S/O would always follow Formaggio around, and the little boy decided to just bring them along - they were pretty cute anyway-

They spent their whole lives together, going to the same school, playing in each other’s back yards, slowly but surely falling in love. 

That is until he had to leave for Passione. 

When s/o first discovered that Formaggio was gone, their first thought was the mafia. Not that he had been abducted by the mafia, more like he left to go join the mafia. 

They both had gotten in their fair share of trouble with the police, so the mafia was the next logical step for the young man, and s/o knew that. 

So they left their normal life in their hometown and joined Passione after Formaggio, hoping to reunite with him. 

And they did, and they’ve been dating ever since. 

Illuso

Illuso met his s/o by approaching them at a bar. He was there with the gang, and Formaggio had challenged him to pick up the hottest person there. Before Melone could lecture about how beauty was in the eye of the beholder, Illuso was already on his way to his s/o

Striking up a conversation with them, it was clear that the two of them had a connection. 

He could tell they weren’t part of Passione, so he tried his best to conceal his profession from them, but one thing that the two of them shared was an inherent curiosity. They kept asking, he kept not answering.

He was able to keep it secret until the two of them were dating, and his s/o told him they’d stay with him as long as he was safe. 

That was when Illuso took them into the mirror world for the first time. He assured him that as long as he was in here, nothing could hurt him. That calmed his s/o’s nerves immensely.  

Pesci

Pesci met his s/o on vacation. Each member of La Squadra is allowed one week of no missions in order to maintain their sanities and every time it’s his turn, Pesci takes a trip to Portofino to enjoy the sea air and to go fishing. 

It was there that he met his s/o. He was calmly fishing by himself when the two of them literally bumped into each other. 

The collision caused s/o to break their rod as they trip over Pesci’s things, and Pesci offers to buy them a new one, knowing the sorrows of not being able to go fishing. 

They talk during the stroll to the supply store, both having effortless chemistry with the other. When they finally come back to Pesci’s seat at the dock, s/o decides to join them, and they spent a lovely evening together, and then a lovely week together. 

When Pesci reveals that he had to return to Naples, his s/o revealed that they lived nearby and that they would commute to see him, and the two of them have been in love ever since.   

Ghiaccio

Ghiaccio met his s/o on a mission. He was supposed to kill a corrupt politician in a local restaurant. 

Right after he got the job done, he was about to make his escape with White Album, when he heard their voice yell out and ring through the whole building. They were complaining about their order and were throwing a perfectly normal tantrum (well, normal for Ghiaccio’s standards).

Ghiaccio was, to put it in a word, smitten. Finally, someone just as loud as him. He had to meet them. 

He rushed to defend s/o’s opinion and the two of them were promptly thrown out of the restaurant together. 

Having bonded from their shared experience and anger, the two of them soon spent time together in a nearby bar and a nearby hotel, having the angriest, hate-filled, passionate night either of them had ever had. 

Melone 

Melone met his s/o at a Passione ball. They were already someone else’s date, but we all know Melone has no shame. 

He immediately began to flirt with them, and since they were only hired by their date to be arm candy, they decided to indulge Melone on his flirting

The two of them spent the whole night talking to each other, and s/o soon forgot about how they were supposed to be someone’s date at that event. 

They were about to leave with Melone when their date ran after them in a rage that they were upholding their end of the bargain. But Melone turned to the man and personally gave him his money back for hiring s/o as his date. 

The two of them left their ballroom in order to ‘bond’ some more, and one trip with Baby Face later, Melone went to collect the money he had given that man. 

S/O Appearance Headcanons. These are my personal headcanons, so they’re under the cut if you don’t want to see them. 

Your f/o loves you no matter what you look like!

Risotto’s S/O (link to picture reference)

Risotto’s s/o is a short, curvy woman with dark curly hair running down to her upper back. 

She’s about the same skin tone as him and has these deep brown eyes that are almost as captivating as Risotto’s red ones. 

She has a dark brow that intensifies whenever she is concerned with him, and she often is considering how much danger he gets into on a daily basis. 

She’s often seen wearing baggy, black clothing to conceal her figure since she hates being objectified for her gorgeous body. 

Risotto is absolutely fine with this since he takes pride in knowing he’s the only one allowed to remove those clothes at the end of the day

Prosciutto’s S/O (reference)

I picture that Prosciutto likes longer and leaner women.

The two of them contrast between his more muscled physique and her lithe appearance. 

Her smaller curves also lead to an ego boost for the man, as it heightened the sense that he’s overpowering his s/o. Idk this man’s into power play. 

Proscuitto wants someone as well dressed as him, so he’s immediately attracted to his s/o when she comes to work at La Squadra in a suit.

He’s attracted to her straight, elegant hair and her calm yet professional demeanor, and respects her mix of traditional femininity and more masculine attire. 

Though he sometimes complains that her clothing is too impractical for their work, she proves herself by doing his job better than he ever could.

Formaggio’s S/O (reference) 

Formaggio loves as many curves as possible. 

He loves snuggling up to his girlfriend’s pillowy body and just relaxing with her together. 

I also picture Formaggio being into blonds. He loves their light coloring and how it contrasts with his dark reddish hair. 

He loves someone smaller than him and loves teasing her because of it. 

In terms of style, he loves when his s/o wears form-fitting clothing, so he can ogle her whenever he wants. 

He loves how his s/o is more serious than he is, it provides balance with how silly he is. 

The two of them grew up together, and still to this day, he can’t help but blush when he thinks about how gorgeous she’s always been even from the day they met. 

Illuso’s S/O (reference)

Illuso loves the contrast between his long hair and his s/o’s short hair.

The two of them are the same height. 

Like Prosciutto, he loves a more androgynous style on his s/o, he finds it very enticing and mysterious. 

He also loves her bright blue eyes, and how they bore into his soul. 

He loves curves just as much as Formaggio, loving the comparison between his toned body and his s/o’s curvy one.  

People often do not put the two of them together due to his S/Os inherent innocent look, but Illuso knows they aren’t that innocent behind closed doors. 

Pesci’s S/O (reference)

Pesci wants someone cute and sweet that he can fit in his arms for a warm and comfortable hug. 

He doesn’t mind what body type she has, but he does have a soft spot for someone with a soft tummy and cute round cheeks. 

Whenever the two of them are lounging on the couch together, Pesci loves to play with his s/o’s curls, even if she lectures him not to. 

Pesci prefers someone soft-spoken like him and someone patient who can help him through his self-doubt and anxiety. 

His favorite thing about his s/o is her sweet, shy smile, and how cute she looks in really feminine patterns and colors.  

Ghiaccio’s S/O (reference)

Ghiaccio loves someone who is as pale and wintery looking as he is, something hard to come by in the sunny land of Italy, but that only makes him more attracted to his S/O

He finds her large bright blue eyes mesmerizing, especially when they darken as her short temper takes over

He thinks she looks absolutely adorable when she’s angry, but seeing her so worked up really gets him going as well. 

He loves curves as well but prefers ass versus chest, so he’s happy his s/o has such a figure

In terms of style, he wants her to cover up as much as possible because he gets really jealous whenever she gets looks in public, but she never listens to him and wears whatever she wants. 

Really his favorite look on her is when she’s naked on their bed, hair in her face and her face bright red, but that’s for another time. 

Melone’s S/O (reference)

Melone always thinks about someone’s genetic makeup whenever thinking about potential s/os. Who’s going to make the best combination with him? Weird I know

This is why he finds his s/o’s red hair so fascinating, as it’s the rarest color population on Earth, and she has it naturally. 

He secretly adores that his s/o is taller than him. When the two of them cuddle, he feels safe as the little spoon. 

He also loves her soft features and dark eyes. They have such a different look from his sharp angles and bright eyes. 

He looks for someone most capable of supporting life. If he’s going to get married and have a family with someone, they better be ready. 

He’s obsessed with hips and chests and loves gripping them on her when the two of them are laying in bed absently.

[peacefiresky-archive]

local girlfriends get drunk and accidentally start the party of the century

The tavern was… a change of pace from their last outing together. 

Anya had, admittedly, been nervous, thinking that the Queen wouldn’t want to go to a normal tavern as the young knight normally frequented, but Rel had assured her that she had felt just as out of place as Anya. Their newfound noble status didn’t seem to help them fit in.

So, for their next outing, Anya planned accordingly. The Left Leg was full of rowdy folks drinking away a day of hard work -- just like the taverns the pair had grown up used to.

The smell of cooking meats and woodsmoke filled the air, and Anya had to strain a bit to hear Rel’s words over the lively chattering of the other patrons and the raunchy songs of the bard. Not that she minded. No, it just gave her an excuse to sit closer to her companion.

“This place smells of home,” Rel said with a grin. “Smelly workers home from a day in the fields. Questionable meats being served. Men gambling away their coin.”

Anya laughed. “Are you sure we didn’t grow up in the same village?”

“Absolutely,” she said, “I would’ve noticed a face like yours if we had.”

Anya scoffed playfully, shoving Rel lightly on the shoulder despite her face flushing pink. “Flatterer.”

“Truth-sayer!”

“Keep tellin’ yourself that.”

Rel squinted and frowned, her face drawn up into a contemplative look. Anya resisted the urge to reach over and smooth the furrow between her brows. “Those are fighting words.”

“Oh?” Anya couldn’t help the teasing grin that pulled at the corner of her lips. “Are you going to fight me, O Great Hero of the Winter’s War?”

Rel leaned towards Anya, mirroring her grin. “I think I will.”

Anya tilted her head - she was centimeters away from Rel, it would be so easy to just close that distance between their lips, and Rel knew that, judging by the way her face turned a shade of red that reminded Anya of her family’s orchards. She could count the freckles that dotted Rel’s face and chart them as a smarter woman would chart stars, she could see the line and curve of every scar, the deepness behind Rel’s good eye that Anya wanted nothing more than to drown in, the way her unruly hair framed her face like a mane of a lion  -- 

Anya winked and pushed herself backwards, fighting back a laugh at Rel’s baffled expression. “Bring us your strongest ale!” she called towards the front, “We’re going to have a contest!”

“Oh, you sneaky little --” Rel huffed, but Anya didn’t miss the smitten smile on her face.

Anya could feel the eyes on the pair of them as the server brought two platters, precariously balanced with five tankards on each. A few patrons pulled away from their conversation when the recognized Rel -- not that she was easily mistaken or unnoticeable, especially with the ornate patch over her right eye designed to look like a dragon’s eye. Still, she was dressed in commoner’s clothes and had put no great deal of effort into appearing… royal.

Rel held Anya’s gaze as the server set down the drinks. “Please,” she said, an all-too-sweet smile on her face, “you first.”

Anya hummed, grabbing one of the tankards by the handle. “If I drink more than you, I get to meet King Cronos. Officially. And I get to ask him all sorts of embarrassing questions about your childhood.”

“If I win,” Rel countered, “I get to watch you train and you can’t let Nikolaus kick me out.”

“It’s a deal,” Anya murmured, before she tilted her head back and chugged down the ale. She grimaced at the burn the ale left as she drank, feeling a bit dribble down her chin. She downed the rest of it quickly before she slammed it down onto the wooden table. She gave a contented sigh. “Ahhh… That hit the spot. Your turn, princess.”

Rel blinked, her face turning apple-red again. She grabbed a tankard and mumbled something grumpily, before tilting back her head and -- 

Well, she tried to chug the ale as Anya did, but more of it spilled down her cheeks and chin and into her shirt, and she was left a coughing mess, banging her head on the table. A few brave souls dared a chuckle at the queen’s expense.

Anya covered her mouth, trying her damnedest not to laugh at her companion’s misery. “Have you -” she coughed to cover a laugh that had erupted from her throat, “Is - You’ve never drank before, have you?”

“There’s a first time for everything,” Rel mumbled.

“I think we’d better st--”

“No!” Rel’s head shot up. “No, no quitting. I am winning this contest.”

Anya glanced over her. She was going to be the one responsible for getting the Royal Majesty, a girl of barely seventeen, drunk, for the very first time. King Cronos was going to kill her, if Captain-General Nikolaus didn’t first. Though, she had a feeling it would be well worth it.

“As you command, your Majesty,” Anya took the next tankard in hand. “Bottoms up.”

To her credit, she had managed the whole thing with nothing but a small cough at the end. Rel was, again, not so lucky. They continued back and forth for a while, a larger and larger crowd gathering around them, cheering as the knight and the queen went back and forth with their drinks --

Before Rel tapped out, barely able to hold her head straight, and the tavern filled with cheers and praises for Anya. She preened a bit, before Rel grabbed her tankard and forced herself upwards, swaying on her feet as she raised the tankard high. “Make merry!” She yelled, her words slurring together. Anya hid her face. Oh, Rel was going to kill her for letting her do this. “All the drinks are on me from here on ‘til daybreak! For the whole city!”

The cheer that followed was loud enough to wake the dead and set Anya’s ears to ringing. She couldn’t help the loud laugh she gave in response. “You heard the woman! Free drinks for all!”

The word had, evidently, spread quickly. Rel and Anya stayed long enough to enjoy a stew together -- well, Anya enjoyed the stew as Rel insisted on feeding it to her -- so that by the time the couple had left, it was well into the night, and it seemed that a party on a scale unseen by human eyes was well under way in the city. 

The streets were lit up with candles and lanterns, minstrels harped and bards sang, people danced and stumbled over each other as the stars twinkled playfully above them. Anya could smell the scent of frying pork and beef carried on the wind and hear the sound of an entire tavern singing together nearby - On the day, on the day, on the cold winter’s day, the crows were set a-flutterin’ away - and she was just barely sober enough to register Rel being pulled from her side to join in some dancing jig.

Rel laughed wildly as she stumbled and twirled with her people, nearly falling on more than one occasion as she was pulled this way and that. Anya was barely able to catch herself when Rel tugged her into the dance. Rel let out a short scream when the first of the fireworks went off from near the castle, before she glanced upwards and saw the colors exploding in the night sky and dissolved into giggles. Anya joined in her laughter, gasping when she snorted, which sent Rel into cackling delightfully, and Anya had never heard her laugh like that, which made her laugh harder, and as the city danced and cheered around them, the lovers held onto each other and laughed.

“An- Anie,” Rel beamed at her, and suddenly she was the only person in the world who mattered.  “Can I tell you a secret?”

“‘Course!” Anya was no-doubt red. She always got flustered when Rel looked at her like that. “‘Less it’s, like… super secret. Don’ wan’ you in trouble with th’ spymaster.”

“The secret iiiiiiiis,” Rel stood on her toes, pressing a quick kiss to the tip of Anya’s nose. “I think I love you!”

Anya giggled brightly, leaning down to rub her nose with Rel’s. “I have a secret, too.”

“Oh! Tell me! Tell meeee!”

“I think I love you too!”

Rel scrunched her nose and cackled again in that earnest way that Anya was quickly growing to adore.

“Annnnd,” Anya said, her smile reaching her ears, “I think it’s time we get you home before you pass out in a gutter.”

--

The revelry had spread to the castle by the time they had reached it. She could hear King Cronos stomping about the cellars, singing an old Dwarven tune that she bet Sigmund was teaching him, with slightly-slurred gibberish in place of the lyrics. Nikolaus seemed to be the most sober, seeing as he could stand up straight and shoot Anya a disapproving glance as she hauled the Royal Majesty up to her chambers, but even he had a tankard in hand.

When she had finally managed to get Rel into bed, and pry the queen’s arms off of her in an attempt to escape her hug, she stood for a moment and glanced down at the queen…

Before she felt a bit faint, and promptly collapsed into a slumber next to her beloved.

[artificialqueens]

The Ballerina and the B-girl Part 11 (Branjie) - Starsha

a/n: so I got some requests for an engagement/ wedding instalment, so my brain spat out this. This one shot is mostly told from Nina’s perspective as Brooke confides in her regarding important stages in her relationship with Vanessa (the crush, becoming girlfriends, moving in together and most importantly, planning the engagement). The actual engagement is in here too for your consideration ;)

Nina West was most defiantly two things. One, she was the best friend of Ms Brooklyn Hytes, CEO of Biomics Engineering Company and deep down hopeless romantic. Two, she was the leading world expert on said best friend’s relationship with Vanessa Mateo.

—The crush —

It was a gradual process, obtaining all this knowledge. It began over lunch one day, when Brooke came out with something that shocked the living daylights out of Nina.

“So I think that I might have a slight crush on someone” Brooke mentioned casually, almost making Nina choke on her spaghetti.

“YOU have a crush?!” Nina spluttered in complete shock. This was her best friend she was talking to, the bitch had never had anything more than a one night stand since they had become friends in college, completely by Brooke’s choice. This was a woman who’s longest relationship was with her houseplant Trevor.

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist about it Nina, I just met someone who I think I might actually want to get to know. You know, further than what they look like with clothes off” Brooke replied with a slight blush.

Nina started at her usually cold-hearted bitch of a best friend dumbfounded. Whoever this woman is, she must be something special to be giving Brooke butterflies.

“Ok then, well lets start with how you guys met and work from there?” Nina probed, and Brooke fell into telling her about the short and sassy Latino girl from the dance studio, about how they had flirted, about how Brooke would be seeing her again same time same place presumably.

“Well girl, you going to ask her out?” Nina suggested. Brooke looked at her with amusement and a dabble of hesitation.

“I mean, I’ll be sleeping with her at some point this Saturday there’s no doubt about that. Better see what she’s like in bed before I do anything too drastic” she replied with a hearty laugh. Nina joined in and rolled her eyes, that was the Brooke that she knew.

—Becoming girlfriends—

Nina received a phone call from Brooke on Sunday afternoon. She picked up quickly, eager to hear about how her little rendezvous with the sexy Latino from the dance studio. She envied Brooke’s goddess-like ability to pick up women, she swore that all the blonde had to do was bat her eyelashes and say anything in her Canadian accent to get the girls to open their legs for her.

“So how’d it go?” she asked.

“Girl,” Brooke started, and Nina knew this was going to be a juicy conversation, “fucking unbelievable. Haven’t had sex that good in a hot minute. She’s such a little minx, swaying her perfect little hips and looking up at me with those big brown eyes, pouting, BOTH daddy and praise kinks…damn”

Nina chuckled at that, deciding to probe further.

“My real question is, did she stay the night?” Brooke usually kicked women out of bed the minute she had finished having her way with them, so Nina was very intrigued to learn that this woman had not only stayed the night, but Brooke had fucked her again (twice) the next morning, made her breakfast AND driven her home! It was like she was talking to a different person!

“Bitch…sounds like you’re really into this girl” Nina mused in disbelief.

“I really am Nina, I’m so fucking confused but honestly don’t even care! She’s taking me out on Wednesday, she’s the kind of girl who’s going to want a relationship outta this. And I think that’s what I want too. But relationships aren’t my gig you know? I really like Vanessa and it’s kinda scaring the shit out of me” Brooke’s voice broke slightly, a change from her usual no-nonsense confidence.

“Brooklyn, as your best friend I can tell you that you would be an amazing girlfriend. I know deep down under that professional ice-queen front you got going on that you are a hopeless romantic. You want someone to spoil, someone to go home to. So you should go for it with this Vanessa girl. Go all in, and see where the ride takes you”

Brooklyn fell quiet at that, before thanking Nina and agreeing that she may as well board the Vanessa rollercoaster and see what the ride would bring.

—Moving in together—

It was 11 months later and Nina boastfully took credit for helping Brooke make the best decision of her life. The blonde was head over heels for Vanessa Mateo, sparing no expense or time when it came to the brunette. They had been on holiday together, Nina and Yvie joining the couple and Vanessa’s best friends, and Nina had seen first hand just how whipped her best friend was. She would probably jump off a cliff if Vanessa told her to.

So it was not a surprise when Brooke organised for them to meet for coffee a week before Vanessa’s birthday to ask for some advice.

“Nina, I think I want to ask Vanessa to move in with me on her birthday. Is it too soon? Am i crazy? She loves living with her friends and what if they think I’m trying to take her away from them?” she rattled out all her insecurities as Nina nodded her heart in solidarity.

“Brooke, that girl is absolutely smitten with you. In no universe would she say no to moving in. I think it’s a great idea! You are at each others basically every night anyways, so why not just ask her?”

Brooke considered for a minute before shaking her head.

“You’re right Nina. I can do this, I’m gunna do this. Oh fuck I’m going to do this! I’m asking Vanessa to move in with me!” she practically squealed with excitement and Nina’s heart grew two sizes seeing her best friend this happy.

—Planning the engagement —

It was four years down the track, Brooke and Vanessa leading up to their 5 year anniversary. Nina had noticed a change in Brooke’s behaviour, she seemed more stiff and anxious than usual. So she decided to ask why.

“Nina, I’m about to tell you a secret and I swear to gay god if you tell anyone I will ruin you” Brooke replied and Nina looked back with wide eyes and a nod. Brooke took a deep breath before continuing.

“I’m going to ask Vanessa to marry me on our anniversary” to which Nina squealed and threw her arms around her best friend. She had suspected this was coming, but hearing that Brooke was actually going to do it and had a planned date had her insides bubbling with glee.

“Brooke I’m so happy for you!! What are you going to say? Have you got a ring yet? Where are you going to do it?” All of the questions fell out of Nina’s mouth before she could stop them. Brooke just laughed heartily and brought out her phone to show Nina a picture of a beautiful diamond ring, which judging from the size and exquisite detailing cost an absolute shitload. It was stunning, yet very unique, and one look at it told Nina that it was so perfect for Vanessa.

“Do you think she’ll love it? I hope she does. I’m planning to take her to the studio where we first met, I’ve rented the place out for the night. We’ll have the cutest little candlelit picnic there ever was, all her favourite foods, some nice champagne…And then the plan is to get down on one knee and all that shit, but I can see myself chickening out. This isn’t some business deal that if the client says no then that’s fine, this is Vanessa. If she said no then I would be devastated” Brooke worried her lip and Nina placed a reassuring had on hers.

“Brooke, she will absolutely adore that ring, and she WILL say yes because she absolutely adores you. I’m not just saying that as your best friend, I’m saying that as someone who has been here through the entirety of your relationship, watched it grow and blossom into the beautiful thing that it is today. Just forewarning I am going to cry at all functions wedding related, as I sure you already predicted”

Brooke chuckled at that and pulled Nina into a hug.

“Thank you. We can get you some strong setting spray for the day if she says yes, can’t have my maid of honour looking a mess”

Nina returned the hug with glee and found herself not being able to wait for her favourite smitten idiots to finally take this step.

—The engagement—

The night had gone to plan so far. That dance studio had been booked, the picnic had been a success with seafood and cookies galore, the champagne had been expensive and flowing, just enough to give Brooke the courage to do the unimaginable for her 5 years ago. She and Vanessa were slow dancing together lost in each others eyes, when Brooklyn made the decision that she could do this, she was ready. She pulled away from Vanessa, the shorter girl looking at her with a confused expression. Before she could ask why, Brooke pulled the ringbox out from her pantsuit pocket, getting down on one knee.

The mixed look of shock and delight on Vanessa’s face was all the encouragement she needed to pop the most important question of her life.

“Vanessa, I love you with all my heart and these last five years have been the best of my life. I couldn’t imagine my future without you in it. Baby, will you marry me?”

Vanessa practically yelled “YES” before jumping into Brooke’s arms. The ballet dancer spun her around, before placing her back onto the ground. They were both teary eyed as Brooke eased the ring onto Vanessa’s finger, before bringing her hand up to her lips to kiss. All she knew in that moment was that her future was Vanessa, and she had never been so happy in her life.

[twoghostys]

the one where they’re soulmates

10.6k words

Zayn handed her glass of water and a pair of Alanna’s best heels, “come on,” he rushed, “you’re going to be late.”

Dawn sat on the edge of Zayn's couch and took her time drinking every drop of water before bending forward to strap the shoes belonging to Zayn’s soulmates into her feet. She fumbled with them a bit, confused as to how to wrap the strips around her ankles before huffing in exasperation and sitting back. Zayn sighed and knelt down without a word to wrap them himself. “Anna can’t do them herself either, don’t know why she bought them. I always end up having to fix them for her.”

“You’re her soulmate,” Dawn responded, “it’s what you’re made for.” Zayn smiles fondly, the way he does whenever anyone mentions that Alanna’s his soulmate. Dawn couldn’t help but mirror his smile as she watched him, her best friend was absolutely smitten with his girlfriend. His countdown had gone to 00:00 on the same day Dawn had gone into a shelter to adopt a kitten. They were standing at the front desk, waiting for an employee to bring her new pet when Alanna walked up with a cat in her arms. Dawn remembers how Zayn tensed, grabbing her arm and shoving his wrist in front of her eyes for her to see his countdown rush to zero. Just as it did, Alanna looked up, clueless that her countdown was mirroring Zayns. She handed Dawn the cat and was telling her some last minute details, but Dawn was gaping at Zayn and he at the beautiful chestnut skinned beauty across from him. They’d been inseparable since, and Dawn still claimed she was the one that brought them together.

Zayn tsked, “I know what you’re doing. Don’t try to distract me, you have to go to this release party!”

Dawn groaned, kicking her leg at him in a small fit, “you know I hate these things.”

Her best friend nodded, “it’s why we’re friends, we’d both rather stay here and marathon Jurassic Park instead of going to a bougie social event. But this is for your future, and I’ll be your date. So how bad can it get?”

“I don’t know anyone there, they’re all going to be Ph.D. owning rich people and I’m going to humiliate myself.”

Zayn finished tying the last strap and clapped in celebration, “it’s a good networking event, plus, you were invited by the author of the book! You belong there.”

Dawn took the hand he had extended for her and let him pull her up, “he’s only inviting me so we can meet face to face before the school year starts. He’s my thesis advisor.”

“He could meet you at a coffee shop, this is him introducing you to his academic circles. The man’s already started mentoring you.”

But Dawn was still nervous to go. Realistically, she knew she had too, and that it would be good for her. But the list of reasons not to go was a mile long. For one, she knew that all those accomplished academics would make her feel stupid. Hell, they probably think she’s stupid. And, she’d have to explain over and over again that No, Zayn isn’t my soulmate. Just my friend. Yes, I’m a woman in my twenties and haven’t found my soulmate yet. My countdown is broken.

As Zayn locked the door to his apartment behind them, Dawn pulled out her phone to double check the address her advisor had sent her. She read over his email one last time before locking her phone. Her eyes shifted to the numbers on her wrist, and she couldn’t help the feeling of devastation that clawed at her chest as she watched her countdown continue to glitch, like it had been for the past three months.

30:00

05:00

00:00

20:00

02:04:00

She doesn’t know what caused it, and the experts she consulted were just as baffled and lost. So Dawn had since accepted that her countdown was broken, that something was wrong with her, and she wouldn’t find her soulmate. Quickly, she covered her wrist with the sleeve of her blue dress before Zayn saw her moping. He always got upset when he saw her looking at her countdown. “Ready to go?” he asked, a comforting hand finding its place on the small of her back. Dawn hummed her response, and they set off.

~~~

The book release party was a bigger event than she thought it would be. Dawn had been there for almost 20 minutes and hadn’t yet met her advisor. She knew what he looked like from his info page, and because she had a multitude of his books on soulmate research stacked on her desk at home, so there’s no way she could have missed him. In her time at the book release, two people had walked up to her and started a conversation. It seemed like everyone knew that the author had taken on a new graduate student, and she must have looked like a grad student because they both assumed it was her. The two conversations were nice, they started off asking questions about her research, and Dawn explained that her thesis would be about the impact of the soulmate culture on societal rules. For example, there have been many articles about how two men in a very religiously dependant culture find out they’re soulmates, and how it had devastating consequences for everyone. The people were always amazed at her idea and knowledge, one even gave her his card and said he’d like to discuss it further! Then came the haunting part of the conversation.

“Well,” the second one had started, “it’s no news you’re so passionate about soulmate culture, since your soulmate here is ever so handsome.”

Zayn practically choked on his cocktail that time, trying not to laugh at the compliment he was given as he gave Dawn a cocky glance. The man knew he was good looking, but loved when he heard it from other people. Dawn then tried to ignore him as she smiled at the professor in front of her, who was clearly confused by Zayn’s reaction, “he’s not my soulmate,” she would throw in a lighthearted laugh with that, “just a close friend.” Then they would ask her why she didn’t bring her soulmate, because she had to have found them by now. “I haven’t,” she would force a smile, “not yet.”

That time, she was spared the sad oh, and attempt at awkward comfort by an accented voice behind her. “Professor Harmon! I see you’ve met Dawn before I have.” Dawn and Zayn turned to see her advisor walking towards them, a large smile plastered on his dimpled face. Dawn knew he was good looking, she’d seen him before. But the countless pictures on the back of his books did the man standing in front of her no justice. His heeled boots clicked on the wooden ground as he walked to them in his patterned, and clearly expensive, well fitted, suit. But the beauty of his wardrobe choice was dwarfed by the leafy green eyes that fixed themselves on Dawn with a friendly look. She could see little swirls of brown circling the irises and felt as if she could lose her bearings just by looking at his eyes. And his hair, wonderfully styled to make it seem like he didn’t style it at all, with brown curls perfectly circling around the back of his ear and a few falling onto his face. He was perfect, one of the youngest professors in his field (just a few years older than her) and one of the most successful, and now he’s also one of the most beautiful beings she’s laid eyes on. Dawn snapped herself out of her trance as her advisor finished talking to the professor and turned to face her. “Well, I was starting to think you stood me up.”

She must have still been gaping at him, because Zayn elbowed her in the rib to stir her into action. “Oh, of course not! I’ve been here for almost 30 minutes, you’re just too popular is all.”

He chuckled, definitely just humoring her, “ah, all of these people probably think I’m a nut. Anyway, nice to finally meet you Dawn! I can’t wait to discuss your research. I’m Harry Styles.” He extended his hand, introducing himself as if she didn’t already know who he was. The gesture somehow comforted her though, almost as if he were telling her they’re on the same level.

“Nice to finally meet you Dr. Styles,” she shook his hand, ignoring the goosebumps that spread across her body at the contact. “This is my friend Zayn.”

Harry turned to look at Zayn, who was once again in the middle of downing another drink. He looked at the two of us wide-eyed before forcing himself to swallow a big gulp, “it’s nice to meet you,” he coughed, shaking Dr. Styles’ hand, “I’ve heard great things about you.”

“Are you in academics as well?” He asked, his eyes not leaving Zayn’s, as if his answer was incredibly important and he didn’t want to miss a word.

“Um, no I’m an artist,” Zayn smiled.

“Have I seen any of your work?” Once again, Dr. Styles was invested in this conversation, and Dawn could see Zayn perk up at the attention.

“Probably not? I do a lot of contemporary work and it only features in small galleries downtown.”

Dr. Styles nodded, “I go to those all the time actually.”

“Really?” Zayn and I asked at the same time, and he nodded. “What are some of your favorites? Zayn asked.

He thought for a moment before saying, “last week there was this exhibit, it was three paintings set up next to each other and they were absolutely breathtaking. You could tell they were all of the same woman, but each was drawn so differently, yet I couldn’t imagine them not being together. There were no facial features, but the way her hair and body were drawn had an expression to it. I must have stood at that one for fifteen minutes just taking it all in.”

Dawn’s jaw had reached the ground long before he had finished talking, and now she looked over at her best friend, who seemed like he’d forgotten how to breathe, his eyes were practically popping out of their sockets. “That’s uh… that’s mine. Yeah, wow! I can’t believe you saw that.”

“No way!” Now it was Styles’ turn to gape, “you are incredibly talented! What inspired those?”

“My girlfriend,” Zayn had that smile again, “they’re of my girlfriend.”

Styles’ eyes softened, “that’s lovely, your soulmate?” Zayn nodded, and he was practically radiating fondness that all Dawn wanted to do was just coo at him. But before she could, he thanked my mentor again before saying he’d leave them to talk.

It was silent between the two for a while, Dawn could feel him studying her and busied herself by picking up a drink from one of the caters walking by so she could have something to do with her hands. “I see why Zayn keeps drinking these,” Dawn laughed, “they’re wonderful.”

“Don’t let him drink too much,” Styles responded, “most academics need to be loaded with alcohol to socialize like this, so they’re pretty dangerous.” She hummed in response, looking around to spot Zayn grabbing another drink as he made his way to the garden outside.

“This is a lovely home,” Dawn finally spoke up. It truly was, the place was grand and screamed professor. The walls were a calm beige and the decor had a cozy, vintage feeling to it. It reminded Dawn of her own apartment, which had a similar decor style, but everything she had was from thrift stores.

“Thank you,” he responded, “have you had a chance to look at the book?” As he said that, he reached for a stack and opened one, “not to brag but there’s some interesting stuff in there. I think it would perk your interest, considering your work.”

“I was planning on purchasing one before you even said that,” Dawn nodded, “I have all of your books, your work is amazing.”

He rolled his eyes and waved off the compliment with his hand, “here, take this one. Lord knows I have plenty.”

Before Dawn could say anything, a man with a camera walked up to them. “Hello,” he smiled sweetly at the two of them, “Dr. Styles, I’m Liam, the photographer you hired.” Liam nodded his head at Dawn politely. “Would you mind if I take a picture of you as you hand her the book?”

“Um, if it’s okay with you?” he looked at Dawn, his eyebrows quirking up curiously, and she couldn’t say no.

So Liam helped them pose for the picture and snapped it. Before he left, he looked over at Dawn once again, “you look lovely in that dress. Blue is your color.”

Dawn’s face flushed as she thanked him and he walked away. Her mentor gave Liam a tight-lipped smile as he was leaving before turning to Dawn. They talked for a while about meeting times and how she plans to go about her research before he excused himself to go see the other guests. “Find me before you leave,” he gave her a dimpled smile before walking away.

Dawn turned to find Zayn, suddenly feeling drained and unreasonably upset that she was standing alone. She tried not to think that it was because she wanted to talk to Styles’ more. As that thought crossed her mind, she remembered to find the photographer and ask him for that picture. Dawn continued to weave through the people in search of Zayn, growing more and more agitated before realizing that the source of the agitation was the bracelet on her hand. “Must be allergic or something,” she mumbled, slipping it off and folding her sleeve back to itch at the spot. She looked down at the redness, and her heart stopped.

There on her wrist, it read 00:00. And it wasn’t glitching anymore.

~~~

She finally remembered that she’d seen Zayn go to the garden and ran out to find him crouched down amongst the flower bushes, snapping pictures with his phone. He knew she was walking up without looking, “I think I’m going to paint these, there are so many colors it kind of turns me on. Is that weird? Nah, I’m allowed to be weird. You know what else turns me on? Your advisor, kind of. Now that’s weird, but he’s like really pretty and he likes my art. His soulmate is so lucky. Of course, I’m lucky too, I think I’m a little drunk. Those–”

“Zayn shut up.”

“Oi!” he snapped his head to glare at her, “ok! No need to be rude, what’s got you all wound up?” Without a word, Dawn shoved her wrist down to his eye level. Zayn grabbed it and pulled it closer, yanking her down with it. “Holy shit! What does this mean? Did you find them?”

“I don’t know!” Dawn squeaked, trying not to panic. “I stopped looking at that thing a long time ago! I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Okay, okay don’t worry!” Zayn stood up a little too fast and wobbled a bit, “yeah I’m definitely drunk.” He shook his head, “okay focus. Who did you talk to since we got here?”

“You, the two professors, and Dr. Styles?”

Zayn nodded, “who else?”

“No one! What if it’s just broken? I didn’t talk to anyone else I– Oh my god!”

“What? What!” Zayn yelled, still holding onto her wrist and jumping up and down anxiously. He always got loud and weird when he was drunk.

“The photographer!”

“Who? He hired a photographer? This guy’s loaded” he exclaimed, then shook his head. “I don’t care. Focus Malik. Let’s go find your soulmate!”

They found Liam leaning against a wall, deep in concentration as he cleaned one of his camera lenses. Once Dawn pointed him out, Zayn started to pointedly walk towards him until he was pulled back by his best friend. “I don’t know about this.”

The tipsy Zayn rolled his eyes and let out a childish groan, “why? He’s right there! You had given up and he’s right there!” When Dawn chose to bite nervously at her nails instead of respond, Zayn softened, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Hey, it’s okay to be nervous, yeah? I’ll be right here the whole time. I was terrified when I met Anna, and you helped me through it. So this is the least I can do.”

Although his words soothed her nerves, Dawn was still hesitant to approach the photographer. Something in her was screaming no! That this wasn’t right. Zayn was patient as she stood there, trying to sort through her thoughts. Dawn had read a multitude of books about soulmates, and you were supposed to know the minute your clock struck zero and you looked into their eyes. Everything was supposed to click immediately and make perfect sense. You were two parts of a whole, and you were supposed to feel the countdown to zero in every atom of your body. But she didn’t feel that, and right now, looking at Liam, she didn’t feel anything.

But if it wasn’t him, he’d tell her, right? He’d confirm all of her doubts and it would be a little humiliating but she’d get it over with. Then she’d know for sure that she doesn’t have a soulmate and she could go on living her life as normally as she could. Right, he’d fix this. With that resolve, Dawn walked up to Liam, conscious of how Zayn was practically vibrating beside her with excitement. “Hi,” she greeted, and Liam’s gaze met hers.

“Hello, would you like a picture?”

Dawn was thrown off, did he not know his clock had gone to zero? Maybe, if he was her soulmate, what was wrong with her was wrong with him too, and he hadn’t noticed yet. “This is going to sound weird but–”

“She’s your soulmate!” Zayn nearly screamed, turning a few disapproving heads. “I’m sorry I couldn’t contain myself. I’ll leave you guys alone. I think they have more cocktails somewhere.”

Before either of them could say anything, he had disappeared. Dawn turned sheepishly to Liam, “are you?” Liam’s face was skewered in a confused frown, and she had to admit he was kind of adorable, reminded her vaguely of a puppy. She tried to explain everything to him, about her countdown and seeing him and the itch that happened when she remembered him. She watched as his expression changed, and Liam then slowly lifted his long sleeve and looked at his wrist, head snapping up to look at her.

“Holy shit! It’s you!”

Something snapped inside of Dawn, and she cried in relief while rushing to hug him. She wasn’t broken, she had a soulmate! Liam held onto her for dear life, and she to him. He smelled like vanilla, her favorite lotion was vanilla scented.

~~~

Dawn cared about him, a lot. But it wasn’t as smooth sailing as she thought it’d be at first. The feelings weren’t as intense as Zayn’s were for Alanna. When he had first met her he hated being apart, and he kept telling Dawn about these crazy similarities in their lives and these intense feelings that made him want to punch a wall or do cartwheels. Dawn didn’t feel any of that. She knew, from her research, that not everyone had intense feelings when they first met their soulmate. It’s very rare, but sometimes there’s awkwardness and a lot of avoiding each other. Sometimes the feelings come slowly, in slow bursts. That’s what kept her going, the slow bursts. Because butterflies always seemed to spread from her stomach to her toes when Liam bought her gifts or called to wish her goodnight. And she always felt a little light headed when they kissed. She liked him, but it was slower than she would have liked.

He gave her all the space she needed, that was one thing she loved about him. Liam understood that her feelings weren’t as intense as his and he wasn’t hurt by it. Usually, soulmates move in together right away, because when they meet it means they’re ready. But Liam didn’t push her to do that. Sometimes he spent the night with her, when she asked, and during those nights he cuddled her and cooked for her and tended to her in ways that made her toes curl. She liked having him over for nights, but then she’d always wake up with a nasty feeling in her stomach if they did something remotely sexual during the previous night. She felt like she’d betrayed herself, or cheated on someone. They hadn’t even actually had sex yet and she was already feeling terrible. So she always asked him to leave, and he did. Then she’d shower and go to work, Dawn always felt better at work.

When she wasn’t in her office doing research and writing, she was either doing her job as a teaching assistant or going over her work with Dr. Styles. Dr. Styles was her favorite part of the week. They met twice a week to discuss her work, and he was always excited and amazed at everything she did. He’d read her work and shower her with compliments that made her warm. And he’d listen as she spoke with his eyes glued to hers, a soft smile playing on his lips. “I love how passionate you are,” he had said once, “your eyes almost literally light up and your energy captures everyone in the room. It’s inspiring, really.” His words made dawn feel dizzy, she felt her heart beat faster and her face turn red, and that feeling was followed by guilt as Liam’s face floated into her mind. She should be feeling this for Liam, not her advisor.

Dr. Styles must have sensed that it made her uncomfortable, “I’m sorry,” he shook his head, confusion etched on his features, “I don’t know why I said that.”

That conversation was weeks ago, since then her and Dr. Styles had developed a friendship. They no longer just talked about their work but also their favorite books and TV shows. Dawn guiltily told him she sometimes watches kids TV shows and he nearly fell off his chair with laughter. Then, to comfort her, he told her about his love for children’s books, and how he tells people they’re for his nephew but really they’re all his. She knew small insignificant things about him that he admitted no one else knew, and it was the same for her.

She knew that he developed emotional connections to some of his shoes, and wore them until they fell apart, then he’d get sad when he had to throw them out.

He knew that she named her cat Tika after the elephant from Barbie and the Island Princess

She knew that the nighttime made him anxious and he didn’t like to spend it alone, although he did a lot.

He knew that she got angry when she watched sad movies instead of crying.

She knew he started studying soulmates so he could understand his own better someday, and she knew it was hard for him to talk about so she never pushed.

They were friends. He knew her in ways that Zayn didn’t, in ways she didn’t want Liam to know her. And it scared her a little. Is it possible to fall for someone else when you’re already with your soulmate?

~~~

“Sloths! Of course it’s sloths. End of discussion!”

Liam snorted, “wrong, the cutest animal on the planet is a baby chimpanzee.”

“I don’t know where you’re getting your information but it’s wrong.”

He rolled his eyes, reaching over his empty plate for one of her french fries, “I could say the same for you.”

Dawn whacked his hand away, but he caught hers in his before she could pull away and left a light kiss on it. It had been a little over three months since she met Liam, and she could now confidently say she was absolutely smitten with him. She didn’t know when exactly it clicked for her, maybe it was when they were talking during a movie and he said, “sometimes I’m convinced I have an extra finger on my right hand. I know I do!” and it was so out of the blue that she soda spewed out of her nose because she was laughing so hard. Or maybe it was when Zayn got food poisoning and Alanna called Dawn in a panic, then Dawn called Liam and he somehow got to Zayn before she did, and took him to the emergency room. She found him comforting Alanna when she rushed in, and he assured her that everything was alright.

The food poisoning night was when she told him she loved him. It was when she threw all her anxieties out of the window and let him in because Liam was so good. And he made her feel amazing so of course, he was her soulmate.

“So,” Liam said, giving her back her hand and snatching a hand full of french fries, “I have a gift for you.”

Dawn raised her eyebrows at him, he was always showering her with gifts. And she knew by now that rejecting them was hopeless, “oh yeah?”

Liam dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a black velvet box the size of Dawn’s palm. Her breath hitched in a panic and Liam laughed, “don’t worry, I’m not proposing. I know you’re not ready for that.”

She hummed gratefully, pushing away the feeling of unease in her gut as she took the box from him and opened it. It was a necklace chain, and right in the middle of the box, attached to the chain, was a key. “Think it’s time we moved in together, yeah?”

Her nerves seemed to freeze, her brain refusing to work. Liam sat across from her, his smile slowly fading into confusion and then hurt. He sat back, his lips forming an ‘oh,’ and he suddenly found the grease stains on the table incredibly interesting. “I...I’m not saying no,” she croaked, although it still felt weird, “can you give me a few days?”

He shrugged, “I thought we were moving forward is all, I’m sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable.”

Guilt gnawed at her chest, “just a few days, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Liam sighed, then nodded. “Ok, whatever you need.”

“I love you.” She said, and she meant it.

He smiled, “I love you, too.”

~~~

Alanna’s face lit up when she opened the door, “hi! come in! Zayn! Dawn is here!” she shooed Dawn in and went into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out the pomegranate juice they always kept around specifically for her. Alanna was amazing, she and Zayn were total opposites, kind of like Dawn and Liam. Where Zayn was quiet and mellow, only getting loud when he had a few drinks in him, Alanna was talkative and energetic. She was always doing something. If she wasn’t working at the shelter she was volunteering or working out or helping Zayn with his art. There were days when Zayn and Dawn would lounge in his apartment and watch movies and she’d bustle in and out, doing a million things while they barely did one.

“I feel like it’s been forever since I saw you! I keep telling Zayn that the three of us should hang out more together but you know how he is at making plans. How’s Liam?” she handed Dawn a glass of juice and waited patiently as she drank the whole thing.

“I’m actually here about Liam.”

Zayn ambled out of their bedroom, zipping up his jeans and throwing a jacket over his shoulder. “Hey Dawn, you alright?” while Alanna was clueless to Dawn’s sour mood, Zayn picked up on it the second he saw me. “What is it?”

But she saw that he had a nice jacket on his shoulder and Alanna was wearing those fancy heels, and knew she couldn’t ruin their date. They’d both stay here if he even suggested she might want them too and throw their whole night away. But ruining one pairs day was enough for Dawn, so she waved it off. “Nothing, I just came to pick up some books I left here.” She got up and picked up a stack of books she left there from the yesterday before hugging them both goodbye and humming as she walked towards the door so as to seem casual. From the quizzical look Zayn was giving her, she knew he didn’t buy it, but he wasn’t going to push, so he waved goodbye as she shut the door.

~~~

Dawn didn’t know what she was doing, she felt dumb and pathetic and her arms hurt from carrying all those books all the way to campus. And now she stood in front of Harry’s office, staring at the closed door and wondering how she got here. She was just deciding to turn and run before he sees her when she heard his voice, “Dawn? Did we have a meeting?”

She shook her head, refusing to face him because for some reason there were tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, “no, I was around, just thought I’d drop by and say hello.”

Her feet had finally started carrying her away when she felt a gentle grip on her shoulder, “you’re crying.”

Then she couldn’t hold it in anymore, Daw let a sob rack through her body as she continued to fade away from Harry, “sorry, I don’t know why I came here I just couldn’t go home and I didn’t want to ruin Zayn’s day because I seem to be ruining all the men in my life’s days and now I’m here ruining yours I’m so—”

Harry shushed her, “stop that. Come in, let’s talk.”

Dawn rushed to decline his offer, “no you’re probably busy I don’t want to—”

“I don’t care,” he interrupted again, “I don’t care how busy I am. Let me take care of you.” He tugged on her sleeve, taking the books from her hands then fixing his in between her fingers. Dawn tried to ignore how her breath hitched and she instinctively squeezed his hand. He pushed his office door open and lead her in. Dawn reluctantly let go of his hand and walked towards the couch at the far end while Harry started to make some tea. “This should calm you down, it’s not as great as tea made properly with a kettle, but that’s a fire hazard and they told me to stop bringing portable stoves into my office so this electric one will have to do.” Dawn cracked a smile at that, and Harry chuckled, “that wasn’t a joke, but I’m glad it cheered you up. Now, what’s wrong poppet?”

Dawn’s heart squeezed at the new pet name, it made her feel warm and comforted, but it also hurt her, making her unexplainably sadder. “Is it…” she huffed, closing her eyes and taking a sip of her tea as she scorned herself for asking this question, “is it possible to end up with the wrong soulmate?”

Harry cocked his head, “what do you mean?”

She huffed, knowing it was too late to go back now because she knew Harry and he wouldn’t drop this. “I mean our countdowns went down at the same time, and I love him,” she ignored how his jaw tightened when she said that, “but I don’t have those intense feelings or that feeling of completeness with him. If anything I feel like something’s missing.”

Harry nodded, “there are cases where two pairs would meet at the same time, and then get their partners confused. But they always find their way back, because if you’re with the wrong person after your timer has stopped, your body starts to reject them. Even if your mind doesn’t, those people may think they love their partner but they always get sick until they find their true soulmate.”

Dawn sighed, a little upset and a little relieved because her body wasn’t doing that. She wasn’t rejecting Liam, and she did love him. She would die for him. So he had to be the one. “What if, it is the right person but you still have those doubts?”

Harry played with his lip, something he did when he was deep in thought, Dawn loved that habit, she’d even started to pick up on it herself. “Soulmate is an imperfect science, you know that, because everyone is so different. No two minds and bodies are the same or react the same. Again, there have been cases, although very rare, where it took the couple a longer time than usual to get into the swing of things.”

“But we are in the swing of things!” Dawn couldn’t help her voice cracking in frustration, “and he doesn’t feel any of this. He’s fine! It’s just me.”

Harry places a comforting hand on her knee, and again, Dawn tried to ignore how her mood immediately lifted but her heart hurt even more. “Do you think that could just be you being in disbelief? You said you had started to think you didn’t have a soulmate. So maybe you’re just doubting it because you can’t believe you do?”

“Maybe,” she nodded, although her heart tugged at that. “What do I do in that case?”

Her advisor shrugged, “fake it ‘til you make it. You said you love him, and that you're certain he’s your soulmate. All those doubts will go away if you stop mulling over them.”

Dawn exhaled, “you’re right. You’re right! I just need to stop running away every time I voice in my head whispers for me too. Thank you, Harry.”

“Anytime love, you can always come to me.”

Dawn doesn’t know what pushed her to say what she said next, but once she said it surprised her more than it did him. “What’s your deal? With your soulmate.”

Harry’s eyes widened, he always shifted the conversation when she tried to get information about his soulmate. Now it’s been months and she still didn’t know. He was studying her, playing at his lips again, before finally saying, “I don’t have one.”

Dawn’s heart broke for him, because he looked so defeated after that confession, playing with the fabric of his pants and refusing to meet her eyes. “What about your countdown?”

He showed it to her, 00:00. “It’s been like that for as long as I can remember. I don’t know why. An expert once said that maybe they died when we were young. But if they did I’d feel it, and I don’t. So I just don’t get a person like everyone else does.”

She shifted closer to him, not knowing why tears sprung at her eyes from his confession. All she knew was that someone with as much love in his heart as Harry deserved to be loved, and the world was cruel and unfair for not giving him that. “Harry, I’m—” but he shook his head, silently asking her not to apologize. He never liked pity, but it was so hard not to feel sad for him when he looked so broken. Dawn ran her fingers through his hair, he once told her that always comforted him, and her heart seemed to sour when his eyes fluttered closed and he leaned into her touch.

He was so beautiful, in every possible way. Harry was kind and generous and passionate and loved everyone. He also had the most mesmerizing eyes and the perfect curve of his nose. He had a voice that calmed Dawn’s biggest worries, and a dimpled smile that made her want to coo every time she was granted one. Harry also has unbelievably pink lips, lips she always found herself staring at. Ones he liked to play with and cones that drew out every word he chose with care and precision. She knew his lips were soft, she knew it like she knew her name. And she wanted so badly to feel them.

His eyes were still closed, a comforted hum slipping out of his lips as Dawn massages at his hair. That sound was enough to make her lean closer and brush her lips against his.

Harry’s eyes shot open and he straightened up so quickly that Dawn's hand fell limp onto his led.  Neither of them said anything, Dawn didn’t know what he was thinking. As she waited for him to say something, a fire seemed to grow inside her, getting hotter and hotter until she felt like she was going to melt. The brush wasn’t enough, she wanted more, needed more and she was certain she’d suffocate if she didn’t get it.

Dawn didn’t get a chance to think of what to do because Harry leaned in, his lips crashing with hers so quickly it knocked the wind out of both of them. He kissed her hungrily, with a monstrous passion as if his whole life was building up to that moment. And Dawn kissed back, she pulled at his hair as he sucked on her lower lip and pushed him closer to herself, so close that she could almost feel his heartbeat through his lips.

He sucked at her lips and she bit at his, his tongue danced around hers and she let out sounds she’d never heard before. His hands held onto her face, directing her where he wants her to be and Dawn was certain she’d have a mark on her face for days because his touch was so hot. Liam would definitely—

She pulled away with a gasp, and Harry tried to lean in again but she shook her head, “this was wrong,” she said, almost trying to convince herself, because she felt no remorse, and wanted more than anything to continue to kiss him. She finally looked at Harry, who’s swollen red lips were now pointing down in a pout, “I have a so— I have Liam. I’m sorry.”

Harry seemed to want to argue with her, and she wished he would. She wanted him to give her a reason to stay with him all night. Instead, he coughed and said, “right. Liam.” Dawn waited for a little bit more before forcing herself to walk out of his office, out of his building, without turning back. If she turned back she’d go all the way back, and say screw Liam. Screw soulmates and kiss me.

The guilt started to seep in when she was a few minutes away from her apartment. It was a nasty feeling, she was used to feeling guilty but it didn’t hurt her stomach the way this did. It didn’t make her hands shake until she dropped her phone, and it didn’t make her lose her bearings until she was crying in the middle of the street. This is what happens when you cheat on your soulmate, she thought, I’m going to die. It hurts so much it’s going to kill me.

She didn’t want to go back to her apartment and be alone, so she kept walking until she was at the one place that never filled her with confusion and turmoil. Zayn opened the door this time, and only saw her face for a second before pulling her into a hug, “oh, button.” Dawn blubbered, in the middle of sobs and sighs, her apology about ruining their night. “Nonsense, love. We just got back and Anna’s tired anyway. Come on, let’s clean you up.”

Alanna and Zayn forced her into the shower, and now she had on a pair of Alanna’s softest pajamas and socks. She was laying on the couch, covered with a blanket and her head in Zayn’s lap as she recounted the events of the day. From Liam asking her to move into kissing Harry, and Zayn listened quietly through the whole thing, humming at the right parts and playing with her hair to keep her calm. Her body still aches, especially as she explained how guilty she felt. Zayn squeezes her arm when she told him it felt like dying, and he peppered her hand with soft kisses and comforted her with kind words when her body started to ache again. Dawn wondered then if Zayn was her soulmate, not in the way he was Alanna’s, but as her friend. She sometimes felt like he was her other half, like him and her were made from the same fabric and sent down to watch over each other, even though most of the time it was him protecting her.

“You know what you need to do, button.” He said softly, massaging circles into her scalp, “it’s the only way to make yourself feel better.”

“But what about him? It’ll break Liam, I know it.”

“He’s stronger than you think. And he loves you so much.”

Dawn groaned, covering her face with her hands, “I’m the worst soulmate ever. Why did he have to get stuck with me?”

“No, you’re not. No more of that, okay? You’ll stay with us for a couple of days until you feel better, I’ll tell Liam you’re sick and I’m taking care of you. Then you can tell him, he’ll understand. Soulmates always do.”

“Soulmates don’t cheat.”

“Yeah well, your story was never like everyone else’s was it?”

~~~

Soulmates always understand.

Liam understood. Of course not at first, at first. At first, there was yelling and crying and Dawn feeling so sick she had to run to the bathroom before she emptied her stomach on his carpet. But then he took care of her, he helped her clean up and made her some lemonade. Liam sat down across from her, his head in his hands for what seemed like an eternity before finally speaking up, “what are you going to do?” Dawn didn’t understand, “do you want to fix this?”

“Yes! Of course I do Liam I’m so sorry! Please let me fix it, it’s killing me.”

“What are you going to do to fix it?”

She fixed it, she did. Dawn emailed Harry the next day and requested a new advisor. She didn’t see him or think about him again. For a very long time, the guilt still ate at her. She was sick and fatigued and irritable, “a proper monster,” is how Zayn described it. But Liam was patient and tended to her all throughout that. And the more time that passed between her and Harry, the better she felt. Yes, every now and then she’d get sick again. And sometimes she couldn’t bear being near Liam or the guilt would eat her up. But that was better than before, things got better.

Harry did give her good advice. She faked it until all the bad feelings about Liam were gone, and she only got them when she thought about Harry. It worked. And a year later, when Liam proposed, she was able to say yes without a second’s hesitation. They were soulmates after all.

Everything was wonderful. They were engaged and living together, Liam’s photography was getting more recognition, and Dawn was almost done with her thesis. Her new advisor was kind, strict, but kind, and she respected her. It was almost Christmas time, and nothing could go wrong.

Liam and Dawn were gift shopping, walking hand in hand through a pet store as Dawn looked for a cute Christmas outfit for Tika. She had met Liam at the mall after a meeting with her advisor. Harry had walked in during that meeting, not knowing that Dawn was there. And when she saw him she felt her hands start to shake again. Her mouth was dry and her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest, so she excused herself and came back when he left. Other than that, the meeting went great, and Dawn was telling Liam about all of her research and the possibility of it getting published when someone approached them.

“Liam? Liam is that you?”

Liam froze, squeezing Dawn’s hand once before turning to face the voice. Dawn saw it was a woman, maybe a few years older than the two of them. She had a short blond bob cut and big blue eyes, and she her face was one of wonder when she saw Liam, but then her eyes turned to Dawn and were confused. And when they saw their interlocked hands they got angry, was she an ex? Sometimes people dated others before they found their soulmate, it was rare, but it happened. But usually, there are no hard feelings when the soulmates are found.  “Daisy,” Liam forced a smile, “it’s been a while.”

Something felt off, Liam was being so cold, and he was such a sweet person. Daisy cocked her hip and crossed her arms, “yeah no shit, you told us you were leaving town to deal with everything. Yet here you are.”

Dawn wanted to ask what was going on, but the tension between her fiancé and Daisy made her keep quiet. “I was out of town.”

“Yeah?” she cocked her eyebrow, “and who’s this missy?”

Dawn responded before Liam could do it for her, “I’m his fiance, his soulmate. Who are you?”

Daisy gasped, then threw her head back and laughed. When she stopped, she looked from me to Liam, “his soulmate? Well I know that’s not the truth.”

Dawn’s mind was reeling as she tried to keep up with everything, “I’m sorry?” she asked, confused.

“His soulmate’s dead baby girl,” Daisy rolled her eyes, “I should know, I’m her sister.”

Dawn froze, not being able to comprehend what was going on. The girl didn’t seem to be lying, and Liam was frozen as well, unable to say anything. Was it true then? He already had his soulmate? There’s no way, because that would mean Dawn wasn’t his soulmate, and that would mean he’s been lying to her. “Liam?” was all she could force out.

Liam threw daisy a dirty look and pushed Dawn away gently, “ok listen to me, she’s right. I had a soulmate before you. Her name was Sophia, and she passed away. But you’re my soulmate too! You’re my second one.”

Second soulmates were rare, but they happened. When someone loses their soulmate, their clock resets again, and they find another. “But that’s like... everyone in a million,” Dawn choked out, starting to calm down, “and why wouldn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want it to bother you, babe,” he comforted, “you’re my one in a million.”

Daisy wasn’t done yet though, “another lie!” she cackled, “oh my God Liam, I can’t believe you. You’ve always been a snake.”

“What?” Dawn questioned, “what is it now? Why can’t you just leave us alone?”

“I’m trying to help you, baby, his clock never reset after Sophia. He doesn’t have a second soulmate.”

Liam growled, “she’s lying, Dawn.”

That seemed to push Daisy off the edge, “lying? I’m not a liar! I have proof.” She opened her phone and after a few long seconds, turned it to me, “this was before the funeral. We were all standing outside and my mom snapped a picture, remember that? Then she wanted to process it and put it with Sophia so she could have us all with her but she didn’t have time? Remember when we were all there together grieving for your dead wife?”

Liam made a sound at the back of his throat, no doubt saddened by the mention of his late soulmate. But Dawn paid that no mind, because she zoomed into the picture, where Liam was fixing one of his sleeves, and his wrist was turned towards the camera.

00:00

It felt as if the air was taken out of her, like she’d been hit in the head and forgot how to breathe. She looked at Liam, who was frozen, guilty. She spent her whole life looking for him, only to find out after two years of them being together, that he wasn’t him. Everything she felt, or didn’t feel, it was all valid and she was made to be the bad person in the relationship because of it, while he knew the whole time, that she didn’t feel everything because he wasn’t hers.

Liam reached for her, but she dodged him, not wanting to touch him ever again. All she could do was force out a “don’t follow me.” Before turning and walking away.

She wound up in the apartment they shared, surrounded by pictures of them and the things they owned together. Tika pawed at her foot, wearing a collar Liam bought her. Dawn knelt down and took the collar off, tossing it across the room and it hit the front door, which swung open right after to reveal Liam. “Dawn,” he breathed, “please listen to me.”

“Get out.”

Liam stepped into the apartment, shutting the door behind him, “Baby, please we can get through this.”

“So it’s true?” she asked, part of her hoping he’d say no.

“Yes but that doesn’t matter! I love you, and you love me. This whole soulmate thing is shit anyway.”

Dawn scoffed, finally getting angry, “the past two years have been a lie! Everything about us is built on your pathetic lie! You’re shit, you are. You’re a liar and a psychopath and I want you out.”

Liam’s face twisted, “oi, this isn’t on me! You’re the one that walked up to me and told me you were my soulmate!”

“And you didn’t think to deny it? Instead, you had me believing that I was your soulmate! And that I was a shit soulmate at that because I didn’t love you at first, and I didn’t trust you. My whole being was telling me something was wrong about this, but every wrong feeling I got just made me feel worse, and you let that happen.”

He stepped closer, his arms extended towards her, but Dawn stepped back. Tika looked from her owner to the man she’s grown used to, sensing the negative energy and decided to go hide in a room. “But we got through all of that, right?” Liam continued, “every time you had a doubt or started pulling away I was understanding! I took care of you and loved you even when you treated me like shit and ignored me all the time. I was patient with you. I was patient with you when you wouldn’t sleep with me for a month and I was there even when you cheated on me! You’ve hurt me time and time again and I always forgave you. Now it’s your turn.”

Dawn was disgusted, she wanted to throw up. The thought that she fell in love with him, slept with him, has lived with him and was going to marry him without knowing all of this. “I didn’t lie to you about being your soulmate! I thought you were mine and I tried so hard to love you! I did love you!”

“You’re crazy! What were you going to do when we got married huh? When we couldn’t have kids because you’re not my soulmate? Tell me it was my fault?”

“Dawn please.”

“Get out! I don’t want to see you again.”

Liam clenched his jaw, “this is my apartment love, if you’re going to refuse to talk to me then you get out.”

Her blood was boiling, and if she didn’t get away from him she’d either hurt him or hurt herself. “Fine, I’ll fucking leave. Can’t stand this stupid place anyway.” Dawn stormed to the room they shared and started shoving her belongings into a stray backpack. “I’ll send Zayn for my stuff, don’t talk to him, and that’ll be it.”

Liam then started to grow desperate, “no, I’m sorry Dawn don’t go. Please, Dawn, we can work this out. I love you. I’m sorry I lied please just stay I can’t lose you.”

“I’m just your fucking replacement, Liam.”

“But I fell in love with you. We can fix this, I can fix this and we can still get married.” He blocked the door, “please, Dawn. You probably don’t have a soulmate anyway, this is better for both of us.”

That was it for her, she swung her backpack onto her back and shoved him out of the way, “anything is better than being with you. You stay the fuck away from me.”

She forced off her engagement ring and threw it at him, “Dawn!”

Dawn picked up Tika and grabbed her purse. “If you bother me or my friends, I’ll tell the police you faked being my soulmate. And you’ll go to prison. Stay. Away.”

Liam finally gave a defeated sigh, “fine, ok. Just don’t turn me in, please.”

“You’re pathetic.”

~~~

When she told Zayn what happened, he was livid. If it wasn’t for Alanna yelling at him to stay put, he would have gone and done who knows what to Liam. Zayn was gentle, but he had a temper and it was scary when he got mad. Instead of taking it out on Liam, he put all his energy into caring for Dawn. He and Alanna set up the guest bedroom for her, “you’ll literally live with us until our grandkids kick you out. Shut up about being a bother it’s really annoying.”

Zayn didn’t trust that Liam would stay away, and he insisted on driving Dawn to and from work. In order to try and forget everything, Dawn threw herself into her work. She increased her office hours and helped more of her students, and spent all her days in the office, working on her research or studying for her classes. The deadline was approaching fast, and she had allowed herself to get distracted with all the wedding planning, but now she was back on track, she’d get her masters on time.

Dawn was typing away at her laptop, so lost in her work that she didn’t notice a figure at her door until he knocked on the wall. Harry stood at her office door, looking nervous and holding a wrapped present in his hands, “Hello, can I come in?”

There was no longer a reason for her to say no. Harry sat on a chair, “I just wanted to congratulate you on your thesis almost being done. I’m a little upset I couldn’t read it but I will when it’s published. I got you something to celebrate.”

He handed her the present and Dawn opened it to find two CDs. A Dragon Tales, seasons 1-5 and CD featuring three Barbie movies. She laughed, her eyes springing tears because he remembered such small insignificant things about her. “These are wonderful,” she breathed, “thank you so much.”

Harry beamed, his dimples pinching in and giving her a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time, one she only felt around him. “Your welcome. Maybe I’ll get you Teletubbies as a wedding gift.” Her smile faded and she didn’t respond. “How is Liam,” Harry pushed, clueless to everything that happened.

“Harry,” Dawn sighed, “thank you for the gifts, but I really don’t want to talk about him right now. And I have a lot of work to do.”

His smile dropped and he looked like she wounded him, “right. Sorry, I overstepped once again.”

As he was walking out, Dawn spoke up, “I’m sorry, Harry.” He turned around, “I didn’t mean to snap like that. You never overstepped, it was always me. You shouldn’t feel bad about anything.”

He gave her a small nod, “I don’t think you overstepped either. With me.” Dawn didn’t know what to say, so she just gave him a forced smile and looked back at her computer. “I miss you.”

Her head snapped up, her blood feeling like electricity at those three words. But Harry left before she could say anything.

~~~

She couldn’t sleep, every time she closed her eyes she saw Liam, and it made her afraid to sleep. She also had a pounding headache. It was three in the morning, and she couldn’t stop thinking about everything. Her countdown had turned to zero, which means someone else’s must have too, right? Her real soulmate was out there somewhere. She wished she could remember the party clearer, but it was too long ago.

There was also a possibility that she didn’t have a soulmate. Her countdown had been glitchy and maybe that was just it finally breaking down. Maybe she still was broken.

She had to do something, so she got out of bed and went to get a glass of water. Once she returned to her room, Dawn started rummaging through her unopened boxes, looking for something to make her feel better.

“Dawn?” Zayn’s sleep filled voice yawned and he flicked on the lights, “what are you doing up?”

“Did I wake you?” she said guiltily, “Sorry.”

He shook his head, squinting at her as he tried to keep his eyes open, “was going to get a drink and heard you. Can’t sleep?”

“I’m looking for something.”

“What?”

Dawn sat back on the bed and Zayn joined her, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, feeling dizzy. “The picture.” Zayn hummed for her to go on, “the one Liam took from the party, I don’t want it around anymore. I have to get rid of it. God!”

“What?” Zayn asked, concerned this time, because Dawn had knelt over, gripping her head. “Dawn what’s wrong?”

“Dizzy,” she croaked, “my head hurts. My whole body hurts.”

Her best friend stood up, “ok lay down, I’ll go get you some medicine.”

“No, I need that picture.”

“Dawn that’s not important right now.”

“Yes it is!” she yelled. She didn’t know why she needed the picture so badly, but she just did.

“Okay, okay. Lay down and I’ll find it for you.”

She must have dozed off, because the next thing she remembered is Zayn waking her up, the picture in his hand. Dawn sat up and took it from him, studying it. Harry was giving her his book, his dimpled smile present as he looked at her. Dawn was enamored by the book, probably focused on not dropping it. The picture made her sick, “this is what started everything,” she hissed, going to tear the picture.

“No, no! Dawn wait!” Zayn practically tackled her for the picture, taking it out of her hands before she could tear it in half. She glared at him, hoping he had a good reason for doing that, “look.” He said, pointing to the book. But Dawn didn’t see anything, she cursed Zayn for being too sentimental and went to take the picture back. “No stop it! Look!” This time he pointed at her wrist, where the numbers were grayed and rapidly approaching zero. Her breath hitched, Liam had captured the moment her countdown went to zero. But that wasn’t what Zayn was referring too, because after he made sure that Dawn saw her countdown, he moved his finger and placed it just above Harry’s wrist.

~~~

This was stupid, this was so stupid. But Dawn could barely think straight over her heart beating so fast. She had taken Zayn’s car as soon as she noticed what he was pointing too, the picture was crushed between her hand and the steering wheel. She didn’t know if he’d be at his office at three in the morning, who’s at their office at three in the morning? But she had to go.

Dawn practically ran to the building, the door was open. That was a good sign, nevermind the fact that it could be any of the hundreds of people that worked in this building. She rushed up the stairs and down the hall, stopping short in front of his office. Her hands were shaking so hard she almost dropped the picture multiple times, so she shoved it into her pocket before putting a shaky hand to the door and pushing it open.

Harry was laying on the couch, a mug of black coffee sat on the floor beside him and he was reading a paper, a red pen settled behind his ear. His legs kept warm by sot grey sweatpants and instead of a dress shirt, he wore an old Rolling Stones T-shirt. He turned when he heard the door open, startled, then confused when he saw who it was. “Dawn?” he sat up, taking in her pink pajamas, the bun of hair toppled on her head, and the star wars slippers that belonged to Zayn, “are you alright?”

“When did your countdown go to zero?” she was panting.

“What?” Harry tilted his head, “Dawn what are y–”

“Tell me! Please,” she calmed down, “when did your countdown go to zero.”

“I already told you, love,” his eyebrows knitted in concern, “are you drunk?”

“You lied.”

His eyes widened, “excuse me?”

“You lied! Tell me the truth, please, Harry.”

Something in her voice unwound him, and he leaned back onto the couch before saying, “at the book release.”

“Why didn’t you notice it?”

“Dawn what’s going on?”

“If you knew that your time was approaching, why didn’t you notice it and know who your soulmate was?” Harry’s jaw twitched, he was embarrassed of the answer, and she knew why. “Because you didn’t expect it to ever get to zero, right? Because it was glitching for months before that and you had given up, so you didn’t notice it was at zero until way after.”

He stood up, eyes wide, “until after the party, when it was too late. How do you…” his jaw dropped when the realization hit him. Harry looked at his wrist, then back at her, then at his wrist again. He went to sit down, putting his head in his hands and exhaling through his nose. “What about Liam?”

“He lied to me.”

Harry fell silent, he laid back on the couch, then sat up straight. Dawn watched him repeat the motion over and over, then stand up and pace the length of his office. He was in shock, she understood that. Harry had thought he lost his soulmate forever and now here she was, in oversized pink pajamas, wide-eyed and panting like an animal. She looked away, trying to give him some privacy. “What are you doing?” Harry spoke, she turned around to answer, but was stricken silent by his dimpled smile, “come over here so I can kiss you.”

She practically jumped on him, and Harry laughed as he stumbled from her weight to the couch. Dawn tried to take in all of his features, to look at him and take in two years worth of him. Everything made sense then, why she was always drawn to him, why she felt guilty when she was with Liam. Why she kissed him, and didn’t feel guilty about that. Even why she started getting sick after they kissed. Her heart knew, it always knew that Harry was her person, it just took two years and a Zayn for her to catch up.

Harry’s lips captured hers, and he hummed happily as she kissed him back. Dawn could swear she heard their souls clicking together. She knotted her fingers with his hair, and Harry pulled her closer until all that's separating them was the clothes on their bodies. Between his kisses and their happy giggles, Dawn felt like she could finally breathe. His tongue on hers was fresh air, his lips on her cheeks and neck and mouth were fresh air, she felt like her soul could have floated all the way to heaven if it staying here and kissing Harry wasn’t more enticing.

[eirstohter]

AtlA Ficlet: Three

This is really not what I wanted to be working on, but when the brain suddenly turns the OTP into an OT3, what are you gonna do?

It doesn't happen right away.

Izumi is nine, Lu Ten seven, and Kya finally sleeping through the night when Katara returns from one of her visits to Republic City. The Fire Lady coming home always brings a flurry of activity for both of them, but at the end of a long day Zuko and Katara at last find some time to talk alone as they go to bed.

“How’s Aang?” Zuko asks and Katara can’t hide a bit of a grin.

“Honestly? Kind of hot.”

Zuko nods gravely. “This summer really is the hottest we’ve had in years. I’ve been thinking—”

“No.” Katara waits until he meets her eyes and she has his full attention. “I mean he’s,” she wiggles her eyebrows and licks her lips, “hot.”

For a long moment Zuko simply stares at her as though he can’t make sense of what she’s saying. Then he shakes his head sharply.

“No. Katara, he’s a child.”

“He’s twenty-six.”

“He is tiny.”

“Taller than you. Remember the Equinox festival? You had to look up to talk to him.”

“I can hold him up with one arm!”

Katara is giggling now, both at Zuko’s incredulous expression and at the thought of what would happen if he tried that move today.

“That was thirteen years ago.”

“That can't be—”

He breaks off and Katara uses the opportunity to snuggle against his chest while he is lost in mental calculations. Suddenly he perks up. “That means we’ll be married ten years next spring!”

“I know. I already have a planning committee stressing out about it.”

She can almost hear the face he makes.

“I guess that means no chance for a quiet family celebration on the South Pole?”

“None at all.”

“Hmph.”

She starts tracing familiar patterns around the scar on his chest with her fingertips and feels his breathing shift in response. After three weeks without her husband it doesn't matter how tired she is. Right now she needs—

“How hot exactly?”

She blinks up at him.

“What?”

“Aang. Just how hot would you say he is? Just a little bit, or really really hot?”

Katara frowns as she considers the question.

“You know, I never thought I’d say this, but if he didn't have a girlfriend, and if I wasn't married to the sweetest, sexiest, most amazing man in the world? I would absolutely tap that.”

“Hm.” He pulls her up for a kiss, then rolls them over and starts nuzzling her neck. “Tell me more about this man you married. I think I like him.”

Katara giggles again, which turns into an almost-whine when his tongue finds that spot below her ear.

“Or maybe,” he continues in that playful purr that makes her shiver in anticipation, “tell me about the things you’d like to do to Aang.”

“Are you—mmh, yes—are you sure?”

He gives her earlobe a gentle bite.

“Don't pretend you haven't thought about it.”

He knows her so well and she loves him for it.

“I may have.”

“Naughty woman. Tell me everything.”

And she does. Or tries to, at least, until all thoughts of Aang flee from her mind and she is full of Zuko in every way.

Three months later Aang arrives just in time for his godson Lu Ten’s birthday celebration. Busy as always with the festivities, Katara barely gets a moment to rest her feet. She loves it, of course, loves the excitement of the children--her own as well as her many nieces and nephews by blood and by choice--loves the joy of seeing old and new friends and all the little tasks of making everyone comfortable.

Still, when at last she sits down to let Zuko braid her hair for the night, she closes her eyes and breathes a deep sigh of contentment. They keep quiet at first, as they do, giving each other some space to breathe and come back to themselves and be present in this time they have together. Today Zuko is the first to break the silence.

"You were right."

Katara smiles, eyes still closed.

"I know. About what?"

"Aang. He is hot."

It takes her a moment to recall their conversation of a few months ago, then she laughs out loud in surprise.

“Finally noticed that, didn't you?”

She meets his eyes in the mirror as he shakes his head with a bemused smile.

“When did that happen? He used to be this tiny, scrawny kid and suddenly he’s all made of muscles.”

“Very nice muscles. And also nice hands. Did you notice his hands?”

“Not as much as his voice. His voice, Katara.”

“I know. Can't you just imagine him telling you to get on your knees?”

“I can now. Did you hear the way he talked to those Gaoling delegates? He's really growing into a leader.”

Katara smiles at the mixture of incredulity, pride and admiration in his voice.

“Our little Avatar, all grown up.”

“Hm. I can't believe I didn't notice him becoming a man.”

It is not that hard to believe for her. With all their responsibilities to the world, to their nation, their children and their marriage, every day is full from sunrise to nightfall with barely a minute to breathe in between. And even though Katara loves the live she leads and would not change it for anything, sometimes she does find herself surprised when another year has slipped past already.

“We’ve been busy.”

“True…”

Before he can lose himself in his thoughts Katara tilts her head backwards until she faces him upside down. When he meets her eyes, she gives him a cheeky smile.

“Sooo…?”

“All right, fine.” He bends down to kiss the tip of her nose. “If he didn't have a boyfriend and if I wasn't married to the smartest, most beautiful and most fearsome woman in the world, I would absolutely tap that.”

“Hah. I knew it.”

“What? That my taste in men is as questionable as yours?”

“It can't be that bad. Just look at who I married.”

He doesn't reply but turns back to his work with a smile and a barely visible blush. Katara allows herself a moment of smug self-satisfaction—getting Zuko to accept her compliments and praise without deflecting or searching for hidden meanings took far longer than she expected, but it is one of her most cherished accomplishments.

“What did you think about his boyfriend?”

The question surprises her and she tries to recall the man Aang brought with him. An air nomad, of course, maybe a year or two younger than Aang. Handsome, friendly, and she realizes with a pang of guilt that she didn't even bother to remember his name.

“He seems nice. Very… smitten.”

“Full of hero worship, you mean.”

He is right, and there is no accusation in Zuko’s voice, but she still feels compelled to defend her friend.

“Aang seems really fond of him.”

“He always does.”

Which is also true, but still. They can both guess where this is going.

“Another four weeks, maybe?”

Zuko purses his lips as he considers her estimate.

“That would make it his longest relationship so far.”

“That's not true. There was that healer, remember? From the North Pole?They were together for almost four months.”

“You’re right, I remember. Didn't he spend most of that time in Omashu?”

There is nothing she can say to that, because it is true. Katara combs through her memory of Aang’s relationships, trying to find one that might qualify as more than a fling. Eventually she gives up with a sigh.

“Do you think he’ll ever settle down?”

“Aang?” Zuko meets her eyes in the mirror and frowns. “I don't know. I’m not sure he could, even if he wanted to.”

“I just want him to be happy.”

“I know.” He pauses his work to stroke her cheek with his thumb and Katara leans into the touch. “But maybe he has to find his own way to be happy. And someone who can be happy with him in his way.”

There is no admonition in his voice, just the gentle reminder that they've had this discussion before, more than once. With a quiet sigh Katara mentally repeats the words she has told herself so many times: You do not owe it to Aang to sacrifice your happiness for his. The best you can give him is to love him in your own way, even if that's not the way he used to want.

Behind her Zuko ties off her braid and steps back.

“Time for an early night?”

It’s what he always asks when he suspects she might not be in the mood for a more passionate conclusion to the evening, but today it only serves to shake Katara out of her wistful thoughts. She rises from her stool and raises her arms above her head, stretching out her whole body. In the mirror Zuko’s eyes follow the movement of her nightgown as it falls open and she smiles. Turns around and approaches him with swaying hips until she can place her hands on his chest.

“Actually,” she murmurs with a tilt of her head, “I was hoping this time you would tell me what you’d like to do with Aang.”

The hitch in his breathing and the faint flush creeping up on his cheeks tell her that Zuko enjoys this game as much as she does, but he shakes his head with a small self-conscious smile.

“I’d love to, if I knew what to tell you. You know the only time I ever—well.”

She knows that he avoids the topic for her sake, but after all these years the memory of Jet brings only a vague fondness. And a quiet amusement that she and Zuko made out with the same boy within a few months of each other.

“That's a pity.”

Katara sticks out her lower lip in a mock pout that earns her a soft chuckle. Strong hands reach for her hips and pull her flush against Zuko’s body, then he bends down to give her lip a gentle tug with his teeth.

“Believe me, my Lady, I am devastated over causing you such grave disappointment.” He is purring into her ear now and Katara feels her body melting against him. “But I will do my best to make it up to you.”

And he does, with the thorough and single-minded devotion that makes her forget everything else in the world. 

Or almost everything, because a little later, when their two bodies are moving like one to a rhythm of ‘yes’ and ‘there’ and ‘more’, when she is at the point so close to the brink where sometimes Katara herself is surprised at the words that come from her mouth, she pulls him close and whispers, “Do you want to watch me fuck Aang?”

The noise he makes drives her right over the edge, and Zuko follows less than two heartbeats later.

TBC, possibly, if anyone would like more?

(And yes, I know this isn't technically a ficlet, but it was really supposed to be a tiny little headcanon dump and I’m going to pretend that's what it is so I don't get suckered back into the Black Hole Of Long Fic And Despair)

[diyunho]

The Joker x Reader- “Grandpa”

The Joker just had a heart attack at 55; he was ordered to rest and not do anything for a while. Of course he’s not the one to accommodate the doctor’s recommendations but you are there to make sure he complies. And the adorable grandson visiting all the time makes things better no matter what.

Related to LOST saga: http://diyunho.tumblr.com/post/154759609421/the-joker-x-reader-x-dead-son-lost

The Joker is in bed, flipping through the TV channels, bored as hell and beyond.

“Baby, look who’s here to see you again!” you announce and open the door, letting your 5 year old grandchild in the bedroom.

“Grandpaaa!!!” Alexis charges at the bed, jumping on it to sit by J.

“Hello, Pumpkin,” he kisses the kid on the top of the head, then feels the need to add: “...and don’t call me grandpa, I told you before, yes?” he tickles the little one. “I’m not that old, I just turned 55.”

“That’s pretty old,” you mutter and J grabs the drawing handed over by his grandson, huffing:

“I heard that, Princess!”

“You can call him grandpa, honey, don’t mind him,” you ignore your husband’s nonsense.”Don’t confuse Alexis, ok?”

“Whatever! You guys always plot against me,” The Joker complains (what else is new?), bringing the paper closer to his face. “HA!HA!HA!HA!” he cracks up, seeing the  five sticks and a circle with a bunch of green lines around it representing him. “The kid nailed it, he has talent!” he kisses the child’s forehead, smitten with the masterpiece. “You absolutely captured how handsome I am,” he winks, amused on a whole different level.

“You like it grandpa?” Alexis smiles, excited to see J is so happy.

“Oh, I absolutely love it!” and he begins to laugh with all his heart noticing the stick figure laying down at his feet, wearing a black cape, representing Batsy. “Oh my God, this is great!” The Joker proudly states, not bored anymore. “This is going on the fridge, Kitten! Actually no, I’m gonna frame it! Great job, give me a kiss.”

Your grandson reaches over to peck J’s cheek and the inevitable question arises again ( he asks this at least twice a week):

“Why are you so pale, grandpa?”

You snicker, going through your clothes in the walk-in closet, but eavesdropping on them like you always do. The Joker always tells the same story and Alexis listens with his mouth opened every single time:

“When grandma fell from heaven right in front of me, she was so beautiful that I died for a few minutes, but then she kissed me and brought me back to life. Ain’t that right, Doll?”

“Suuureeeee,” you peek out of your spot, amazed how J’s baloney sounds so interesting to your grandchild, even if he heard it a million times.

“I was dead for a while, that’s why I look so pale.”

“Waaaahhhh,” the kid gasps, fascinated, kissing The Joker’s cheek again.

“Isn’t grandma beautiful? How was I supposed not to die when I saw her?” he devilishly smirks.

“Yesssss,” Alexis meows when his grandpa squeezes his face together.

“She doesn’t look a day over 50, am I right?”

“Yessss,” the child agrees again, squeaking under J’s embrace.

“That’s because I am 50!” you shout, irritated.

You certainly didn’t marry him for his flattery skills.

“What did I tell you, hm?” The Joker purrs. “Your grandma’s a fox! Hey,” he whispers, ”you got a girlfriend since last time I saw you?” (which was… 2 days ago), your husband teases the little one, elbowing him and he giggles like crazy.

“N-no, nooooo!” he struggles to respond, trying to catch his breath, even if he doesn’t really understands the meaning.

“You’re not missing anything,” The Joker continues to whisper, accomplice with his grandson. “She starts out as your girl, then she wants to get married, then she wants to have kids and she keeps on telling you what to do. Princess! Nobody tells me what to do!!!” he yells, addressing the issue and you would answer if you would give a damn.  He just hears your heavy sigh from the closet so he lowers his voice again:

“What did I tell you? Probably she’s rolling her eyes right now.” He’s right, you are because you can still distinguish their “man to man” conversation. “Don’t get a sassy girl like grandma, alright? She’s very feisty! Pinky promise?” J gets deeply secretive and Alexis agrees to it, sealing the pact with his tiny finger. It feels really important so he kisses J’s cheek once more, thrilled they have another secret together.

“Grandpa, are you going to die?” the sudden question unexpectedly comes and it makes you sad. It was a child’s innocent curiosity but it really pulls at your heartstrings.

“Nooo, I’m not going to die: grandma would kill me and never speak to me again.”

“Exactly!” you take a step out of your sanctuary, then turn around and go back in so they won’t see your teary eyes.

“What did I tell you, hm? She’s so feisty, don’t get a feisty woman. Actually, I take it back: get one, they’re awesome.”

Alexis repeatedly nods a yes, not having a clue about what The Joker is rambling about, but signs he’s going to keep his lips sealed. Him and J are great ones for secrets nobody knows about.

You finally get fed up sorting out all your dresses so you come out, joining the guys’ club on the bed. The kid screams and jumps up and down until your catch him in your arms and cover him in kisses. He absolutely loves it since you two spoil him rotten.

“You look like your dad when he was your age,” you get sentimental, remembering when Kase was a baby.” Alexis hugs you and laughs in your ear, wanting to play some more.

“You know what that means, Y/N: Kase resembles me so well and when this kiddo grows up, he will probably look like me too. I have such amazing, strong genes!” The Joker concludes, flaring his arms around.

“Yeah, baby, it’s all you, you didn’t get any help,” you scoff, lifting your grandchild up in the air and he snickers, urging you to lift him higher.” I wish I could but you’re heavyyyyy!!!” you grunt, still making an effort and he screams up a storm, delighted and laughing.

“I really think we should have a granddaughter,” J brings up the subject again. “ I need a tiny Princess to play with; she’ll have to have my charm and your attitude.” “Shut up, J!” you snarl at him and he kicks you with his leg.

“I’m going to put in an order with our kid and his girlfriend, we waited enough.”

“It’s not a McDonald's drive-thru where you just go and order a granddaughter,” you shake your head, wishing this one was actually true.

“Yes it is. I am The Joker and if I want something I get it.”

He’s overconfident on this one.

“Can I go play in my room?” Alexis jumps from the bed on the floor, hyper and energetic after he warn you out. He has his own room at the Penthouse since he sleeps over so often.

“Yes, you can go,” you agree, falling on your back on the soft pillows, drained. “Goodness, he has so much stamina,” you inhale, watching him storm out of the bedroom.

“Just like me, I told you I have good genes,” J really makes it a point of reminding you.

You crawl in bed by him and tuck a rebel strand of green hair behind his ear, smiling, letting him have it:

“You do, you really do.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice your red eyes. Were you crying in the closet?” J frowns, tracing your lips with his thumb.

You avert your gaze, gulping, and he forces you to look at him:

“I just had a stupid heart attack, I’m not dying or anything, got it?”

“U-hum,” you sniffle, cuddling to him.

“I mean, come on, you would probably drag me out of the coffin so you can send me to get you a diamond necklace you want or something. Am I right?” he caresses your back and you chuckle:

“Yes, I would.”

“See? I can’t disgracefully embarrass myself like that at my own funeral, it would be a disaster. So I have to postpone the moment.”

“Wow, you and your scenarios,” you actually laugh even if you are not in the mood to.

“Hey, Y/N, wanna fool around later on?” The Joker kisses you, covering both of you with the blanket.

“No, the doctor said you can’t strain yourself.”

“Huh??!!! Since when having sex means I’m straining myself?” he mutters, annoyed.

“You’ll have to ask the doctor, baby,” you nonchalantly reply, entertained on how stubborn he is all the time.

“What?! I’m not gonna ask the doctor if I can sleep with my wife. No way!“

“I wouldn’t risk it,” you try to reason with him.

“I’m a natural, ok?! Pfftttt, straining myself,” J mocks, insulted, squeezing you in his arms.

“Oh,” you suddenly remember, “time to take your med,” and you get out of bed, searching for it on the coffee table.

“I’m not taking that stupid pill, I don’t need it!” he whines, unhappy.

“You’re worse than Alexis, you know that?” you scold him, taking one tablet out of the foil.

“You can’t make me take it!” he pouts.

Well, I guess there is only one thing left to do.

“If you take your medication we can full around later tonight,” you wink at him, biting on your lip.

“This is sabotage, Kitten!” he squints his blue eyes, sulking. “But you have good negotiation skills. Deal!” he reaches his hand for the tablet and you give it to him. “And I want you to wear that red outfit I like,” he grins, anticipating all the fun.

“Which one? I have about 50 red ones.”

“The red, lacy one.”

“Which one? That narrows it down to about 15.”

“Jesus, Doll, the strapless one.”

“Two piece or one piece?”

“The two piece, woman!!!!” he raises his voice, impatient.

“Oh, that one,” you pretend you finally got it even if you knew all along. You just love to tease him. “Wanna have another heart attack, old man? That’s a very indecent outfit,” you smile and he takes his pill, lifting his shoulders.

“Not the worse way to die,” he grinds his teeth, rightfully concluding it’s worth the risk.

“Alright, you asked for it,” you pucker your lips, realizing it’s so quiet. “I think I will go check on our grandson, I don’t like this calm before the storm,” you let J know, certain the kid is definitely up to something.

“I’ll be waiting, Princess,” The Joker purrs as you head towards the door.

“Fine, get ready; you’re in for a treat,” you tease him before closing the door behind you.

“I don’t have to get ready, you know I’m a natural!” he shouts and hears you giggle as you walk away.

Definitely worth having a sassy woman in your life, The Clown Prince Of Crime decides, wanting to take a nap before the grand finale tonight.

Also read; MASTERLIST

http://diyunho(dot)tumblr(dot)com/post/153664676321/joker-x-reader-masterlist