#sometimes i think about how we'll have enough drabbles by the end of the year to make our own trio series...maybe...LOL

[nobully]

❛ do you mind if i sleep here tonight? ❜

𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

'Don't you have your own place?' Wang Yi blurts out before realizing that's probably not why Nicolette's asking. In the wake of her suddenly-too-cheerful smile, he folds without a murmur.

'I-I mean, sure...if you don't mind squeezing in with a bunch of guys.' Technically, one of his roommates is a turtle or something, but he's pretty sure the dude's male too. 'We have a spare room...'

On the other side of the condo, now that he thinks about it, and down the hall from a weird dude with heterochromia he's not sure he should poke. He gets Wang Yi's villain radar pinging on odd days, which is pretty suspect already.

'...actually, on second thought, you can just take my room. It's more furnished and, uh, I can change the sheets and stuff...'

Suddenly everything's turned domestic and Wang Yi's not sure how to deal, except to think about the practicalities.

'Do you need a toothbrush? I think I have a spare. Shit, what about facewash stuff and pajamas, uhh...'

"Yiyi, you make it sound like I'm moving in," Nicolette points out after she's had her fill of him ranting.

'You technically are, for a night,' he retorts.

"It's fineeee. I brought most of the things, see?" Nicolette turns around, magically takes out a Ziploc bag, and shows off her toiletries and toothbrush all in one place.

'Oh, that's good,' Wang Yi relaxes before he suddenly tenses again. 'Wait, did you plan this ahead of time?!'

"I wasn't sure if it'd be with you," Nicolette begins, but—

'You mean I could've refused and you would've tried somewhere else?' Wang Yi interrupts before she can finish.

"What kind of question is that?!"

'The common sense kind?'

"Are you saying you don't actually want me to stay over? You could've admitted that from the start, Wangy!"

'I didn't say that—'

"But you thought it, didn't you?!"

'I don't think!' Wang Yi finally snaps back. 'Not about...stuff like this. Dammit Nicolette, it's not like I have friends coming to sleep over every week! Sun only comes once a month and he's, I don't know, a monkey who can sleep upside down if he wants and you're different, I have to make sure you're comfortable and welcome so—shit, why are you looking at me like that?'

Because Nicolette's stopped fuming, but her bright smile is just as intimidating, especially when she corners him on the couch. "No, go on. I want to hear the rest."

'There isn't any more!' Wang Yi grabs a pillow to act as a shield. Nicolette just leans on it like an armrest, effectively pinning him down.

"No? But you were just getting to the good part? 'Comfortable and welcome' so what?"

Wang Yi only rolls his eyes. 'So you don't kill me in my sleep, what else?'

He's only joking about that part. Maybe.

In any case, Nicolette relents while whining about what a killjoy he is before he shoos her off in the interest of preparing his room. Of course she insists on tagging along, if only to see what he's up to as he tidies the place up.

Luckily, Wang Yi's used to keeping his quarters neat. They're also pretty plain, having no decoration beyond the default furniture. There is a mini-fridge in the room though, which Nicolette finds interesting since there's a communal one in the kitchen. While Wang Yi's changing the sheets, she opens the doors for a peek. The freezer contains packs upon packs of frozen anchovies—for his cat, she guessed, though she'd only heard of him a couple times—while the bottom had two pretty familiar presents.

Huh. Weren't these the Valentine's chocolates from her and Zhilan? She recognized that star-shaped chocopop at a glance, and the other fancy box was definitely her booze candy.

"You haven't eaten these yet?" she called out to the guy who was now fluffing up fresh pillows.

'What?' Wang Yi glanced back, saw her at the fridge, and shrugged. 'Oh. They're gifts, so I want to keep them.'

"You know these have an expiration date, right?"

'Yeah? They'll last for a bit though.'

"But they taste better if you eat them fresh!" Already, Nicolette's taking out her own present from the fridge—she'll leave Zhilan's untouched, of course. "Come on, let's have some now!"

'No, I want to save it.'

"Well, I want to eat it!"

'Tch, it's my gift,' Wang Yi points out.

"Yeah, and I bought it for you? That means dibs for me too."

'That's not how it works—'

"Besides, if you like these so much, I'll tell you where to buy them."

'I'm not going to buy myself a box.'

"Oh, so you want me to gift you another one instead?" Nicolette arches her eyebrows, reveling in the sight of Wang Yi left momentarily tongue-tied. "Or did you just not like my gift, Yiyi?"

She's getting better at navigating his highs and lows; as expected, whenever it was something that could hurt her—or anyone's—feelings, he always backtracked.

'No, I just...I just wanted to save it for later...'

"That just sounds like you just don't want to eat them."

'It's not that!!'

When he panics, she knows she's got him.

—

They end up finishing half the box, though she insists on Wang Yi eating most of the chocolates since it's his present. Sadly, there's hardly enough alcohol in them to get him close to drunk. Instead, Nicolette finds something else in his room to entertain them: fairy tale books for kids.

'They're for Sun,' Wang Yi explains when she holds up one with a questioning look. 'He can't really read so I...read to him when he stays over.'

"Oh really? I didn't think you were the type." Nicolette's eyes are shining with mirth as she sits in his bed, dressed in an oversized sweatshirt (his) and shorts (hers). "Can you read me one too?"

'Uhh...but can't you read just fine?'

"It's not the same! Come on, Wangy? Pretty please~"

'Ugh, I'll do it if you stop talking in that tone of voice.'

Another point taken: Wang Yi's more likely to do something if he has an excuse for it first. Honestly, she's pretty sure she can read him like a book by now.

"What are we reading tonight?" Nicolette asks, milking this for all it's worth as she sits expectantly on the bed.

'Uh, The Princess and the Pea,' Wang Yi grabs the first book off the pile. 'Pfft...oh yeah, she reminds me of you.'

"What, because she's royalty?"

'Because she ends up sleeping in some random guy's house.'

She throws a pillow at him. "Well then, you're the pea because you're being a pain!"

'If you know the story already, we can read another one...'

"No, this one's fine," Nicolette stops him before he can replace the book. "Besides, aren't you supposed to keep reading until I fall asleep?"

'You can't be serious.'

"Or I can talk your ear off."

'Okay, okay, I'll read, I'll read...'

She doesn't expect him to do as she says, but Wang Yi's surprisingly docile tonight. He finishes the first book and picks up the second, going through it at a steady pace. Although he doesn't bother acting out any of the scenes or changing to different voices for the characters, there's a soothing steadiness to his diction, more than enough to put her at ease. Though that just puzzles Nicolette some more.

Was he...always this easygoing?

Their dynamic has always been more push and pull, but today he's stepping completely to the beat of her drum. He's not wholly relaxed either—there's a tenseness in his body that tightens up whenever she gets too close, like he's wary of something.

It's really fucking weird, but it'd be weirder to call him out on it, so she'd poked and prodded and ended up literally having story time like a kid.

...wait, story's not going on anymore.

Nicolette looks over and sees that Wang Yi's actually nodding off. She immediately stops moving, watching as his head bobs up and down before he finally knocks out on the bed, head sprawled over her stomach under the sheets. She gently plucks the latest book from his fingers and glances at the cover; ironically, it's Sleeping Beauty.

He is the pretty type, isn't he? His eyelashes are long enough and the pink hair speaks for itself. She wonders whether she should wake him and reaches out to poke his cheek...

Wang Yi stirs.

Faster than the speed of light, Nicolette lies down and pretends to be asleep herself. She hears rustling before the sharp scrape of a chair—that would be Wang Yi pushing himself back from the bed—and then a creak as he gets up and tiptoes to the bed and mutters to himself.

'Shit—did I fall sleep first? Or did we doze off together? Uhh...where's the book...'

She'd placed Sleeping Beauty by the window, which means Wang Yi has to reach across the bed to get it back. He does so gingerly, and that's when she has the brilliant idea to roll over in the bed just to screw with him. Nicolette can pinpoint the exact second he freezes mid-grab just to make sure she's still sleeping. When he recovers enough to readjust himself, she rolls back on her back and draws up her knees, knocking into Wang Yi enough that he almost crashes into her with a muttered oath.

Oh no, this is more fun than she thought.

So of course when Wang Yi does snatch the book and tries to make a speedy retreat, she lunges upright and grabs him.

"Boo!"

'YAGHH!'

They collide in a mess on the mattress, her arms and legs trapping him against her torso and damn, she's never seen Wang Yi this red-faced in his life.

"Oh my god," she chortles in mock astonishment. "You're not a pea, Yiyi. You're a freakin' tomato."

'And you're a fucking heart attack!'

Now this is the tempo she recognizes. "Says the guy trying to climb into my bed?"

She doesn't think it's possible, but Wang Yi turns even redder and starts sputtering excuses which while cute as they are, don't really help his case.

"I mean all right, so it's technically your bed. Since you're halfway on it already, why not climb in all the way?"

'What—no, I—aargh!' Summoning strength from nowhere, Wang Yi finally breaks free and runs for the hallway. 'Dammit, go put yourself to sleep!'

In hindsight, Nicolette realizes she probably pushed him too far for that last bit. But well, it was a learning experience!

Next time she'd get him for sure.

[thecoziestbean]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you for the tag @iamstartraveller776 !

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 11

2. What's your total AO3 word count? 127,389

3. What fandoms do you write for? LOTR: The Rings of Power, Baldur's Gate 3, and The Night Circus

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

run through the forest (settle before the sun): you get more than you bargained for when you stumble upon a little cottage after getting lost in the Wood [BG3, Halsin/Reader, dark fairy tale au]

The Venus of Valinor: Galadriel has her work cut out for her covering up that her family's art collection is fake. When too much interest threatens to expose her secret, she enlists rakish thief Halbrand's help. [LOTR: TROP, Haladriel, modern-ish art heist au]

meet me at the edge: Nobody talks much about the Noldor family anymore. Like saying any of their names aloud will bring their misfortune down upon the speaker: a lesson to be learned, a warning to be issued, a curse to be conjured. [LOTR: TROP, Haladriel, prairie gothic horror au]

sharp as a razor, sweet as honeysuckle: The fic where Galadriel's a professional barrel racer on the rodeo circuit, Hal's a washed up bull rider running a honky tonk, and they're both idiots in love. [LOTR: TROP, Haladriel, modern rodeo au]

My Way or the Highway: Workplace rivals Galadriel and Halbrand are sent on a business trip to meet with a reclusive client. The trip does not go according to plan. [LOTR: TROP, Haladriel, modern roadtrip au]

5. Do you respond to comments? I try to! I'm not always prompt, and sometimes I don't have the bandwidth. But I really really really appreciate every one I get, and I hoard them like a weird little dragon.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I don't really do angsty endings, but I guess Missed Connections? There's a good chance I'm going to expand on that one this year, but where it stands now I'd say it's angsty.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I guess run through the forest? That's the one that probably comes closest to a HEA ending. But I'm also partial to the ending of sharp as a razor.

8. Do you get hate on fics? Once, on a 100 word drabble. It was a bizarre experience.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yessss. I tend to write the E variety, and it often has an... energetic quality to it, we'll say. But I like smut that reveals something about the characters, either to themselves or to each other or just to the reader.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? Nope. Not really something I'm super interested in doing, either.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not that I'm aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? No, but that would be very cool.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Not yet...

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? I feel like I shouldn't say Haladriel because it's too obvious, but I'm also astounded that I'm still here and the brainrot has somehow only gotten worse.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Oof, I really hope I finish all my WIPs. I do have a Haladriel Western AU that I've been working on for a year (?) now, though, that feels like it'll never be done. (Different from meet me and sharp as a razor if anyone's wondering, and yes, I realize that means I had/have 3 western/western adjacent au's. Stop looking at me like that.)

16. What are your writing strengths? I think I'm pretty good at scene setting and atmosphere. And creating a clear sense of space through description and action/movement.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I struggle with articulating the emotional pay off in big scenes. And endings! Endings are rough! Let me just stew in the atmosphere for 40k with no end in sight.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? I've used a little Quenya and Sindarin here and there, but I'm not comfortable enough with any other languages to use them extensively in fic.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Rings of Power is the first fandom I've ever really finished or shared anything in. I dabbled a bit in some other fandoms years ago, but nothing ever saw the light of day. I'll forever be grateful to this fandom for getting me writing for fun again.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? Ooo, that's hard. They've all been my favorite at one point or another. Right now, I'd have to say A Lust for Light, the fic I wrote for the most recent Haladriel Exchange is top of the list. I'm so so so proud of how that one turned out.

No pressure tagging: @nocaptainonthisship @lisenberry @liminal-zone @conundrumoftime @wyrd-syster @myrsinemezzo @the-sweet-hibiscus @klynnvakarian @jhalya @stitchingatthecircuitboard @hazelmaines and anyone else you wants to play!

[enigmaart]

Grabby hands

Gimme that angst drabble

Here it is! The angst is here!!! Lemme know what you think <3

Credit for au idea goes to @feralmoonlight

《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》《》

"Mr. Sun," said Jewls," am I gonna get to play outside when it snows tomorrow?"

Sun had been working - sorry, OPERATING - for a few months now, and had developed healthy little friendships with his patients. He worked with children who had been born with types of ailments such as Jewls, who had been diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome when she was barely a year old. She practically lived in the hospital, mostly because she would refuse to lay still for too long and eventually would end up over-exerting herself and needing to come back. Because of this, she's developed a close friendship with Sunny which, fortunately, helps to convince her to do the right thing and lie down more.

Unfortunately, she also convinces Sunny to let her play more often than normally allowed because, how can he say no to those puppy eyes??

Sunny sighs, and goes to say no, but thinks about his time in training. He thinks about how they made him and moony watch as other doctors got to play with the children, got to help them feel better, and sometimes even got to watch them leave when they were old enough or healthy enough. He thinks about all those times he's seen Jewls look out of the window, watching the healthier kids play in the yard, wishing that could be her.

He sees a bit of himself in Jewls, which perhaps is why he blames himself so much when the most unfortunate happens not too soon after. But why ruin a happy moment so soon?

"Alright, but you can't tell the other doctors, or we'll BOTH get in trouble," says Sunny.

Jewls nearly explodes with joy, or, as much joy as she can lying down in bed. "YAYY, SNOWMANS!!"

And as she's happily thinking about making new friends of snow, Sun sits and looks at her fondly, a familial warmth resonating in his chest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

("We're losing her," says the doctor, with an unusual calmness in his voice. Sunny is on the other side of the door, anxiously waiting for them to say they can fix it, say they can stop her from leaving him, say ANYTHING besides what he doesn't want to hear the most. Unfortunately, his hearing is much better than humans, so even if he can't see the heart monitor, he can here it almost as if he's in the room with them all. The doctor, the nurses, the parents...

Jewls. His friend. His friend who is dying.

They HAVE to HELP HER. WHY CAN'T THEY HELP HER. WHY COULDN'T HE HELP HER-

. . .

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

[mondayrobot]

120-Day Fanfiction List (M)

A collection of my recommended Eren/Mikasa fanfictions for the first one-hundred and twenty days of the year.

Warning: The contents contain adult themes.

Rating: Mature

A Prompt for a Romp by Timid Mew

A bunch of short stories compressed together in one big pile. All of which are EreMika and AruAni.

Across Realities by BladeOfRain

Eren stands on Paradis Island as its saviour. Yet he could not help but question if the sacrifices he had made were worth it. They were free, but his demons still haunted him. He was ready to let go, but a second chance sparked hope inside him, hope that he had not felt for a long time. In this new reality, he strives to protect those he had lost and protect the future of Paradis.

After It's All Done by somecatastrophe

In another life, there was no one waiting on the other side of the sea. Thus Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman get to live the peaceful and domestic life they always wanted.

Came Out Swinging by fevversinherhair

Nine months ago, Eren Jaeger and Mikasa Ackerman fought for the first time. Eren pursues his MMA career, Mikasa goes off to college. When his first big amateur match brings them back together, old memories and new feelings muddle the issue.

Encounters by rainycliff213

Mikasa had not expected to find a creature like him, supposedly extinct for millennia, wandering in the same woods as her. The monsters had for centuries terrorized humanity, and it seemed she was the next victim.

Yet, after her escape, it seemed that neither the princess nor the monster could shake their encounter.

fide et amor by hellsiren @zoldyckvevo

drabbles. Eren, Mikasa, and a different kind of love.

Four Years by Kaekiro @kaekiro

A collection of drabbles that center around Eren and Mikasa's life after running away together.

Hearts afire by Sharinganblossoms

Collection of eremika snippets exploring the spectrum from canonverse to AU.

In another life by Sharinganblossoms

In a world without walls and burden and dreadful fate their paths collide once again.

Matrimony by waddlestreet

A marriage of convenience between Azumabito Princess, Mikasa Ackerman and General of Eldian army, Eren Jaeger.

My Mind Turns Your Life Into Folklore by ygrittewildthing @ackermanstyle

Historia Reiss could not have approached Mikasa Ackerman with the idea of joining a band at a better time. After a falling out with Armin Arlert and Eren Jaeger, Mikasa decides to take her up on her offer joining alongside Ymir Langnar (bassist), Sasha Blouse (drummer), and Annie Leonhart (guitarist). With their new keyboard player and lyricist, they set off on a journey that takes them away from their hometown. After winning the battle of the bands, they scored a record deal. As they set out to record their first album, their past begins to catch up to them.

my most beloved by misswongs

Within the false reality he's created, in a cabin that encompasses all of the selfish desires he'll never have, Eren makes sure Mikasa is happy. She’s here, and for a quiet, fleeting eternity, she’s his.

Mysterium by dialectus @dialectus

She sees him change, he sees her grow. After discovering a piece of the world to call their own, two troubled souls find solace in each other

Never again by iliankasmoulinka91 @ili-akkaman

On the verge of death, they both regret what could have been but was never. But there is always an afterlife.

Oath by StormyInk

She didn't want to leave Eren but her past had caught up with her and she refused to let those shadowy fingers reach him, refusing to keep putting him in danger, even if it meant tearing herself out of his life. "Are you coming?" Levi asked her & she looked away from the boy who'd saved her life all those years ago. It was time to keep the oath she'd made. "Yes. I am."

On a Beautiful Mountainside, I Love You by sentimentalblue @isayamasideblog

How easy it was to run. Runaways. That’s what they are.

Sight Beyond Sight by Timid Mew

Mikasa ponders over the loss of her sight, making her feel isolated and detached. Eren, however, quickly shows her that even though she's lost the use of her eyes, she still has him.

Somewhere Impossible and Lovely by rainycliff213

Could they escape it all, if they ran away? Would a life in peace be worth it?

Stress Relief by Pepin-Bones

Soldiers lead stressful lives, which means they need ways to unwind and cope with the stress of what they see and what they do - sometimes in unconventional ways. But Eren thinks it's ridiculous, or at least he did...

Teenagers by theothardus

In a world of no Titans, they would be normal, and normal teenagers might snuggle up, and Mikasa might be the one to make the first move.

The Journey by adieemus

Running away to the edge of the world with her lover, makes a soldier wonder how to get back living in her own body, after holding another in her arms for one night.

The Life I Wished For You by Timid Mew

Eren never expected to find a woman tucked away in the dark depths of a deep cave when finding shelter from the rain. He also never expected her to be a mythical creature only depicted in books.

the way home by bacondestiny @@inbothourhandsgloria

Eren crosses the ocean on the backs of his Colossals.

They can swim; he cannot. This body is too huge, too dense. He has arms but they’re useless. He has legs but they drag after him. He scuttles along the ground on his hundreds of protruding ribs. He feels them puncture the soil, the sand. Rocks scrape against the exposed bone, and when he stands on the blisteringly hot exposed muscle of his Titans, the water steaming up around, it would be enough to char if it weren’t for his healing. He’s kept on the brink of burning, unable to let the heat kill his nerves.

It hurts.

But it only lasts a few hours.

And while the steam still burns, while the pressure on the points of his ribs is odd and painful, now, it is time for others to hurt —

—“Mikasa,” Eren says, shaking her awake. “Mikasa, wake up.”

this love we share by MintToy @minttoy

She loves him and he loves her back. On the surface, it seems easy, but she knows in some dark crevice of her mind, that even though love is selfish – escaping to these mountains was selfish – it is also good.

Her source of strength. The root of his humanity.

Time will come when it will teach her to grow, too.

Through Thick and Thin by Moonstars (Flamingo27)

Eren is a university student with a bright future ahead in the field of medicine, very much like his father. At the same time, Mikasa is a student in the same university, specifically in the nursing school. Just like the green-eyed boy, she is very much considered a genius in her department. When the two met, they fell in love and it was widely known in the university for both of the students had a promising future in their respective fields.

However, a sudden revelation had shattered both of their future plans: Mikasa’s unexpected pregnancy.

Till Death Do Us Apart by misswongs

Through the confined expansions of the wood that it's made of, through the grass, the trees, the birds soaring in the skies, they feel each other. They exist for one another, holding on to whatever is left of their fragmented bodies and withered souls—for everyone will be bone and ashes soon but they're still here, still flesh and blood, still alive.

Still alive.

And for now, just for now, it's enough.

we'll never be those kids again (but we can try) by rilakkuma5 @uhhstar

She had hoped this would happen differently. In an ideal world, it would have. They’d have been blushing and fumbling. Awkward laughter. Unsure hands. Soft kisses. All of it. In an ideal world, this would have played out like her fantasies—tender and loving.

But the world is ending. For the umpteenth time. She’s lost count.

What Ifs by qeen124

"I love you, Eren."

She gasped as soon as the words came out of her mouth. There was a sense of relief, followed by a wave of panic. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground. Suddenly, she saw his shoes step closer to hers, and felt his fingers lift her chin up, allowing her dark eyes to settle into his.

He didn't speak a word but what he did next was more than enough as a response.

Your one and only Dark Knight by kuchenackerman @kuchenackerman

In the daytime I’m Eren. Just a normal boy with a normal boring life. But there’s something about me that no one knows yet. Emphasis on yet. ‘Cause I have a secret. No, but seriously, can I at least tell her? It's so unfair...

You can also check out: 2020 Eremika Fanfiction Masterlist

[lilibug--xx]

We'll Be Alright

here’s a little drabble i dipped into, based on sabrina carpenter’s song, ‘why’.

it just seemed like bughead to me. 

i’m not actually fond of this, because i couldn’t really figure out how i wanted to write this. but i’m sharing it anyway.

here is the link to it on ao3 here

His girl would be beautiful.

He couldn’t help but think about her while waiting, his eyes closing.

He thought about her smile, about all the different ways her lips curved up. Then the way she always pursed her lips, while deciding on her lipstick for the day. Her green eyes shining in the light of the sun, the little wrinkles at the edges from always forgetting her sunglasses. The way her hair got lighter after time in the sun, blonde locks filling in with natural summery highlights.  The way her skin soaked up the sun, turning golden and soft. The way her skin flushed pink when she was embarrassed, angry, or turned on.

He thought about all the reasons they shouldn’t be together, but were.

They lived in New York, Manhattan to be precise. In a shoebox apartment, all one room with their bed up a couple stairs on a sort of loft. It was small, and they felt it. But she wanted to live close to downtown nightlife, to her job at the New York Post, to her favorite Chinese restaurant. She loved being able to sit on the fire escape at night time, watching the people and lights.

He liked the day time, walking through the city amongst the tourists. He always found someone or something new to photograph. He made a living this way, taking pictures. He was a small time artist, but his name was growing. He liked the chaos of Times Square, the Socrates sculpture park, and Brooklyn’s Botanical Gardens. He liked to photograph in alleyways, in fountains, on rooftops, in trees. Odd and weird locations, abstract and different poses. He loved taking pictures of her, too. She was beautiful from every angle, clothed or not, fresh face or made up, smiling or angry.

He loved making her angry. He didn’t really do it on purpose (ok, sometimes he did), but she was just so beautiful when her brow was furrowed and her eyes were dark, dangerous, swirling with unbridled emotion. Eventually they would start laughing, because she couldn’t stay mad at him when he brushed his fingers against her neck, apologized for being an ass. He would tickle her sides and feet until she had tears in her eyes instead.

They slept on a queen sized futon which was hardly big enough for they way they each liked to stretch out. He liked to sleep with the windows open, cool, fresh night air coming in, the street lights bathing them in orange red light. She liked to sleep with the air conditioning on full blast, blankets piled on top of her and her ocean sounds in the background.

She liked to go to bed late and sleep in. Jughead liked to wake up early and drink coffee. He liked his jeans, flannel shirts, and suspenders. She wears pencil skirts and fancy jewelry, curls her hair every day. She’s a vegetarian, and his favorite food is cheeseburgers. He likes to eat junk food and she buys vegan chips that taste like air and dirt but he eats them anyway.

He likes to drink locally brewed beers, supporting the small businesses. She drinks water or Shirley Temples. She has tons of friends, co-workers, family. He has two best friends and a sister, and that was including her. He doesn’t like to socialize, but she loves going to dinner parties and events.

She’s always cold, even with the rainbow of sweaters she has. He’s always slinging his flannel shirt and jackets around her shoulders even when the ground not even cold. She’s addicted to watching the cooking channel, even though she can’t cook for shit, though not for lack of trying. He hates cooking, but they have to eat something after all.

He would never forget the conversation he had with her best friend a year into their relationship.  

“I’m just worried that she’s holding herself back,” the black haired girls words shouldn’t have surprised him. He remembers almost choking on the handful of peanut m&m’s he had just shoved into his mouth.

“No. I think the words your looking for are: You’re not good enough for her. Right?” he remembered being bitter at her for so long, seeing the judgement in her eyes as she looked over his dirty combat boots, worn leather jacket and tattoos.

“I just don’t see what she sees in you.” He snorted at her, grabbing another handful of the candy he was snacking on, blue eyes glaring at the girl across from him.

“I could say the same for you.” He practically sneered.

He didn’t try to hide his feelings from the girl in question when she floated back to the table. She had kissed him on the cheek, fitting herself against his side and tucking her head under his, arms looped around one of his. He leaned back into the seat, staring out the window.

They continued on, the black haired girl pretending she hadn’t just insulted him and he pretending she wasn’t there. His girl could tell their was something going in, but kept the mood light and redirected them both.

He wondered what he did to deserve this girl. What made her stay, what made her love him?

He grew up without a family, only his sister by his side when they moved from foster home to foster home. He came from nothing, built himself up from nothing. But like hell if he wasn’t proud of himself.

She had two parents that gave her the world, a sister she was close with. She had gotten a scholarship to a school her parents could have easily paid for. He was in debt up to his eyeballs.

He wasn’t sure what it was that she saw in him. They liked different things, different people. But they fit so well together despite that. They never asked each other to change. But they adapted and they compromised.

They made each other laugh and smile. They both had issues with anxiety and it was so great when someone just understood without having to explain. They both liked red velvet cake and vanilla milkshakes. They liked movies from the 80’s the best, sci-fi even better.

She loved to take long bubble baths in their tiny little bathroom. He would sit on the floor and keep her company, editing photos and fetching her things she needed to work while she soaked. Then they would lay in bed together, pressed tightly while she plays with his hair, lulling him to sleep. It’s the little things.

He loved her with all he had. She was his world, his everything. He wanted her to always be his girl.

The music started then, and he opened his eyes.

He thought his heart might stop beating at the sight of her. Dress made of delicate lace, swirling and draped around her curves like a glove, the color of buttermilk. The curls in her hair spilling over her bare shoulders, brushing the golden skin, freckles peeking out. Her eyes lined in black, long lashes, pink cheeks, dark red lips. He wanted to memorize every part of her face on his day, especially the smile she was wearing.

Jughead took a breath as her hand slipped into his, their eyes hadn’t strayed from each other since she appeared. He didn’t dare look away and miss a moment of gazing at her beauty. She squeezed his hand gently, quirking her head slightly and he realized he was staring, not speaking, when he really should be. He didn’t realize the time was passing, words were being spoken, and he too had to do his part.

“I, Forsythe Pendleton Jones III, take you Elizabeth Cooper, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

He swallowed his tongue, mouth dry and hot like the desert. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was.

He barely heard anything that was happening, could only hear his heart thumping loudly in his chest, pulse pounding in his ears. He registered Archie nudging him in the back and he accepted the ring he was offered, turning back around. He slipped the delicate rose gold band onto her finger, sliding it up to fit against her engagement ring.

Betty did the same for him, fingers cupping his hand, pushing the ring onto his finger. The black metal band gleaming under the twinkling lights. He looked from it back up to her face. She was still smiling at him, but the corners of her eyes were wet, tears starting to leak out the edges. He swallowed thickly, his own eyes starting to burn.

“–ceiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You may kiss the bride.”

At that he knew what he was supposed to do next and he was never more grateful.

He surged forward, cupping the sides of her neck in his hands, thumbs grazing her cheeks. He gazed from her eyes to her lips, cherry red and trembling slightly. Looking back up again, she was waiting. He closed the small distance between them, everything else fading to the background. Her left hand came up to gently brush his jaw, fingertips sliding back into his hair. Her other hand was clutching one of his suspender straps, fisting it and his shirt underneath. Their mouths moving together slowly, softly. He flicked his tongue against the seam of her lips, their tongues touching briefly.

Her mouth was warm, sweet against his. Betty was wearing that God damn maple syrup lipstick and he knew his mouth was going to be cherry red at the end of this kiss. Of course, he would let her cover his whole body with it if she wanted to. He felt a flame of heat surge up his spine at the thoughts of getting her to their honeymoon suite later. With that, and the fact that there was an audience, he pulled back from her lips.

Jughead kept himself close, could feel her parted lips still brushing just against his as he leaned back just enough to look into her eyes. Her lashes were fluttering, long, black and gently curled. He could see the tear marks just under her eyes, giving them a smoky vibe rather that the clean cut lines from before. He didn’t dare move, watching with his breath stuck in his throat as her eyes opened, green staring back at him with wide pupils. She was smiling, with her smudged lipstick and watery eyes. She was vision to behold.

My girl.

He couldn’t help but think it, he was selfish. Years of being told he couldn’t ever have happiness like this being trampled and forgotten, her standing on top in her pale pink heels, smiling like this. He could feel how much Betty loved him. He closed his eyes, letting out that breath he had been holding, tight shoulders relaxing. His thumb on the apple of her cheek, brushing against the skin softly, making sure she’s still there while his eyes are closed.

He opened them again, thanking God that this wasn’t just a teasing dream. His blonde haired goddess of a wife is still here in front of him, still pressed to his chest with her heart beating against his and looking at him, loving him with every fiber of her being. Despite the odds thrown against them, they had made it work. Blue and green eyes drowning in each other, but the end was clear to them both, they could see it just fine. They would be alright.