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moonystoes · 11 months ago

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Safe Dance - Elisa De Almeida x international!reader

summary: this pretty much explains it all lol.

Warning: Sexual assault, old man being a creep, mentions of alcohol, not well written, slowww burn like it's pissing me off too im sorry, elisa being our protective queen.

a/n: i'm bringing this up again, i just started writing, especially fics as long as this (the last one -and the first- had only 500 words). So feedback and help is needed!! also sorry i got a little bored and wrote too many useless things lol.

w/c: 5.218k

You knew you needed to celebrate your high GPA after graduating from your bachelor degree at some point. But you've been putting it off, feeling like it's too much effort and energy for your introverted self. It's no secret French people are distant towards foreigners, it's been something known worldwide (which is ironic since a big part of their population are people of color coming from different countries from Africa and Asia). But you ignored all the toxic things you heard about France when you unexpectedly got a scholarship into the University of Paris.

Now, four years later, you are still alone. You have made friends in some projects, but right when the project is over, your friendship ends as well. Your mom has messaged you a long paragraph on how proud she is of you, but the loneliness is still wearing you down. You knew you probably looked silly walking down the street, wearing a short V-neck dress with high heels obviously to party, but there is a permanent frown on your face.

When you looked up from your phone, you didn't even need to look for the club. You can feel the music vibrate the ground and there is a huge line at the entrance. You turned off your phone and waited in line, wanting to just drink all day and celebrate by then. You checked on your friend (an international student like you) who promised that she'll be here, but your message was left on delivered for 2 hours.

After 15 minutes of scrolling through your Instagram and 3 missed calls to Liz, it was your turn to show the security your ID. His dark eye bags showed you that he was too exhausted to care, so he took less than a second to glance at your card before returning it to you, and opening the door for you in a frustrated way.

You walked in awkwardly, couples grinding and dancing around you, you felt disgusted - and secretly jealous. The club was dark and had red LED lights, it was filled with large posters of icons and models from the 70s, and of course the playboy magazines of women wearing lingerie. It looked good enough for you to settle down on the bar stool and immediately order a light drink.

While you were sitting there to decide whether you should dance or wait for Liz (you were honestly frustrated at her for ditching you with no explanation), the bartender passed a large drink towards you. You glanced at him with a confused look, “oh sorry, I didn't order this.”

“Yeah I know, it's the man there.” He pointed to the table on your left, to an older man with thin white hair. Your jaw dropped when you looked at him, realizing that he caught you staring.

“Umm… that old man?” You tried your hardest to whisper over the thudding music, trying not to let the creep that is sitting just 2 meters away from you hear what you said. The bartender nodded and walked away to the other side of the bar, making you sigh in annoyance that he didn't bother to even help you out. You slowly pushed the light pink drink away from you, it smelled strong which showed his true intentions, getting you drunk.

You pulled out your phone and texted Liz a quick message, “Liz a man is being weird where are you ☹️☹️?” You scrolled through your gallery to pretend you are doing something and distract yourself from the man on your left, until you are tapped on the shoulder. You froze, quickly turning off your phone as you took a deep breath, pretending that you didn't feel it.

“May I know why you didn't accept the drink, it was really expensive.” you flinched when you felt his breath hit your neck, no way this is happening today. Where the fuck is Liz? You turned around slowly, trying to act calm and collected, “sorry, I didn't want to drink today, I'm just here for someone.”

“I don't see anyone here,” he mockingly glanced around the bar to see the ‘person’ you were waiting for. “I saw you drink just a few minutes ago.”

You closed your eyes for a second and took a deep breath. You glanced at his striking blue eyes and felt your hands starting to shake, you looked away back to the drink he ordered for you and grasped it, taking a small sip just to taste what it is. You knew you were fucked, Liz isn't here and she's probably not going to come, the bartender couldn't give a shit, and this man won't leave you alone. Why was he at a bar on a Wednesday night? Doesn't he have some office job to do tomorrow or is he too old that he's retired now.

The drink tasted sour and tangy, but had a strawberry flavor. The burning of your throat made you cough and your eyes shutting close, it was definitely alcoholic, very alcoholic. You rested the drink on the table and faked-smiled and awkwardly nodded, but your smile disappeared when his hand clutched your arm and pulled you forward, “why don't you dance with me, huh? Wearing this dress for nothing must be a shame.”

You panicked and took a quick scan of your surroundings to see who could help. On the bar table to your left, there were other older men, possibly friends of the weirdo that's now bruising your arm. On the large leather sofas that were placed on the other corner, there was a couple?...a throple? A man was sitting comfortably on it as he crossed his legs on the mini table in front of him, two girls were sprawled over him, one playing with his hair and the other playing with his shirt while she chugs from a beer can…yeah they will be too busy to help.

You took a quick turn to the VIP entrance, seeing a short girl with a Gucci bag waiting to be let in… rich spoiled people are too busy to look around. You swore you never cared about religion until then, when the man tugged you to his chest, your eyes slowly closing as you were holding your tears praying to God to let you out of this misery.

You felt his hands being placed on your hips, as he forcefully tugged your back towards his groin. He pushed you to the crowded area so people can't see your discomfort in your face.

But before he does more than this, a large hand tugged you away from the man, making the man behind you exhale loudly. “Anna! I'm sorry for making you wait, hey let's go…umm do you know him?” you've never heard such a soft yet deep voice like this. Before you even had the chance to look at who grabbed you, her right arm tugged you into her chest, trying to hide you from the stranger. “No, I don't.” You whispered, afraid of making the situation even bigger.

“Seriously? you were waiting for this…” His angry voice and arm pointing at the both of you made you anxiously stare at him. He looked at the woman hugging you up and down with disgust before muttering a ‘nevermind’ and stomping off.

You shakingly held tightly into her, staring at the spot the man was at. “Are you okay?” She let out a soft whisper from above your head. You were shaken at the whole encounter, blocking off what she said until you felt soft taps on your shoulder, making you look up at her.

This was the first opportunity you had to actually see who saved you from this, and she was gorgeous. She had sunglasses placed on the collar of her dress shirt with two of the buttons opened. Why was she even wearing a dress shirt at a club? When you looked up to her face (because she's 5 '9 and the first thing you saw was her tan skin), her hair was short, swooped to the side. Her cheekbones were sharp and her eyes were furrowed worriedly. You quickly separated from her and took two steps away.

“Hey, it's okay.” She took a step forward, opening her hands around her face to show you she doesn't want to hurt you, “are you waiting for someone?”

You looked away from her eyes, the smell of alcohol and sweat is making it difficult for you to think straight -literally. You looked at your phone, finding a new notification, “oh thank God she responded!” You relaxed, until you pressed on it.

“Hey baby!! It's your favorite uncle 😉, just saw your post about graduating. Congratulations! I miss you so much. Maybe one day we can all reunite when you graduate your masters 💪keep working hard!”

You inhaled deeply, turning off your phone and throwing it in your mini purse. You looked at the woman, she looked at you with raised brows waiting for an explanation for your reaction. You rested your hand on your forehead and frustratedly groaned out, “no she fucking ignored my messages.”

Her face turned sour as she looked behind you, probably to the place where the old men were sitting, giving you the chance to look at her face once again. You blushed at her clenched sharp jaw, slight pink cheeks, and the soft lips. When you looked back at her eyes, she was already looking at you.

You internally wanted to kill yourself for looking at her lips, because she definitely caught that. You looked away to her arms, doing everything in your power to not look at her face again. But then you realized glancing at her arms will make the situation even worse. Her arms were athletic and the sleeves were tight around her biceps. How is she this hot?

“You can stay with me, my friends are here.” She softly grasped your hand, pulling you away from the crowded dance floor. “It's fine, I'll just go home.”

“No, come on! It's a secluded area, no one will bother us.” She encouraged you, her hand still in yours. You looked down at your heels, you felt like shit. This whole time at the bar was for you and Liz to celebrate your day and you end up being a charity case for a hot woman. You don't even know why you chose the club, you hated partying anyways. You bit into your lip, one single line going through your head:

I deserve to celebrate my achievements no matter with who. I'm the one who worked hard for this, I need this.

“Okay just… Please don't do this because you feel bad for what happened.” her eyes softened, intertwining your fingers with hers and whispering a soft ‘never’. You felt embarrassed as she was dragging you around the bar to the place her friends are staying at, you didn't want to see anyone’s face so you just looked down at your intertwined hands and hoped you won't collide with anyone. Your hand looked small compared to her large ones as she held into you, feeling her rough skin tightly around yours.

When you realized she stopped, you looked up to where she took you. “Oh no… I'm not going there,” You frowned at her, “VIP? I heard it's expensive here.” You felt guilty that she might spend money on a spot for you, but you were curious on how she makes enough money to be here.

“Don't worry, my work has paid for the night here, I didn’t spend a euro on me or anyone.” She smiled at you, finding it cute how you were worried about her money. She let go of your hand and opened the door slowly, signaling her hand to follow her.

You stood still for a few seconds, feeling exhausted and tired. And unfortunately, you felt gross. You looked down at your dress, remembering what the old man said. It was your favorite, it may not look fancy but you've loved it and waited for a moment to wear it, now you can't even glance at it without feeling down. You glanced at the woman, she had already taken a few steps until she realized you weren't following her, “Do you want to go home? I can order you an Uber?”

This was your chance to actually get to know someone, you've been alone all this time in Paris and Liz was an American student. The woman in front of you seemed like the first French woman that actually tried to befriend you, and she's attractive. Her face softened as she took a few steps towards you again, understanding your silence. “My name is Elisa, what's yours?”

“Y/n.” You didn't know what to do after this so you reached out your hand to handshake her, internally cringing from how awkward you are…no wonder why your love life is as low as your mood today. She giggled and grasped your hand, shaking it aggressively. You looked at her with a confused face and she just winked quickly, “so… y/n why are you here at the club on a Wednesday night?”

“I just graduated so I wanted to celebrate.” You were staring at your held hands, feeling awkward when looking at anyone's eyes, especially élisa's. But when you felt her hand immediately let go of yours and wipe it off with her dress pants, you looked at her face slightly hurt. Her eyes are slightly widened, which made you realize why she let go of your hand, “bachelor degree in physical therapy.”

“Ohh! That's so nice. You know at my job we need a lot of physiotherapists, I like them.” Her body physically relaxed, making you laugh at her panic. The poor woman thought you were some high school student, but you didn't blame her, you never made it clear when you spoke about it.

“Cool… what do you work as?” You asked, a smile appearing in your face. You didn't realize that by a small comment, Elise made your feelings better just as she planned. She let out an open smile when she noticed yours, feeling proud of herself for making you feel better.

“Guess.”

Your smile wiped off your face, “no please I don't like doing this game just say it.”

She laughed, “I'll give you a hint, I wear number 5.”

It took a moment for you to answer because you froze when you heard her laugh, making a stupid grin plaster into your face, “...football?” You dragged the word as you questioned, worried it might be wrong. She nodded with a proud smile.

“Wow, that's so cool I do watch football!... not the women, I don't know where to watch…sorry.”

She laughed, stepping closer and resting her left arm around your shoulder, encouraging you to walk through the dark maroon hallway with her. “It's okay, we're used to it.”

When you looked up from this angle, your attraction worsened. Her side profile was perfect. It took a moment for you to recover from it, “ehm…some girls in my class wanted to be football physios so they could work with Szoboszlai.” You muttered, obviously not knowing what to say. You didn't know if you should wrap your right hand around her waist or just keep it awkwardly limping between the both of you.

She glanced at you and laughed, “and you? Is that what you wanted?”. You looked away, deciding to focus on the dark walnut wood corridor in front of you instead of her eyes. “I don't really like men.”

“Ha! Me too.” Her left arm tapped your shoulder to the beat of the music. Elisa was glad that you weren't into men; she felt like it's finally her time where she can get attention from a woman that isn't a fangirl. She pulled you inside a room, filled with people singing and jumping around.

You felt sick all over again, not knowing Elisa had this many friends. You remembered her speaking about her work paying for this, are all of these people her teammates? The room was built almost like a sunken living room, the leather couches were placed into the ground around the walls with stairs in the side, and two small tables placed in two opposite corners that were filled with drinks and purses. Elisa felt your body turn rigid, she leaned in close to your ear and whispered gently, “They're all nice, I promise.” You turned to look at her, you didn't understand why but you felt at ease around her, maybe because of what she did earlier, but you took a deep breath and calmed down.

She pointed at an empty seat next to a blonde woman, “hey Jackie, this is y/n, she's a physiotherapy graduate.” Jackie turned to look at you and elisa, she smiled brightly and raised her hand to signal you to sit with her. You let out a tight-lipped smile and approached the table to sit. You noticed Jackie looking at your attire and glancing at Elisa with a confused look, but before she said a thing, Elisa interrupted her by saying she needed to go to the bathroom.

Well shit, now you have to do this alone. You stared at Elisa as she was walking out, secretly checking her out and also praying that she’ll come back soon. “Umm… do you work here?”

You turned to look at Jackie, “oh, no. I'm just here to party.”

“Ohh…I thought you were one of the dancers offered here.” She looked at her whiskey and took a sip, clearly not seeing the shock in your face.

You froze as you gave her a confused glance, “oh. You thought I was a stripper?” You glanced down at your dress… It's a short dress, yes, but a dancer? You had no disrespect for them, just felt a little confused. Does Elisa call dancers for a lap dance? Is this where she went to?

“Oh not your dress! It's just that Elisa never spoke about bringing someone here so I assumed. Also, you're really pretty.” She gave you a wink with her compliment.

You gave her a soft smile with a shy ‘thanks’. “Elisa isn't really into those things, that’s why I was kind of confused.” She nudged your arm when you glanced at the exit again, realizing that you were waiting for Elisa. After hearing what Jackie said, you relaxed into your seat and looked at your surroundings.

Everyone seemed drunk except one, her thick black hair was tied in a high ponytail, too engrossed with her phone to really notice anyone. The other players were dancing, some were singing loudly to some song by Aya, an icon in french music from what you noticed in the past four years living here. “May I ask how you know elisa?” Jackie asked.

“Oh we just met here so…” you shrugged, you didn't feel like telling anyone what actually happened. Jackie nodded, taking her purse into her lap and pulling things out, trying to find something in it. After a while of scrolling on tiktok and looking at the girls partying, Elisa came back in, immediately settling down next to you. You looked at her with a smile, glad that she's back, but your smile was wiped off when you saw her frustrated and sweaty state. When she noticed the worry in your eyes she leaned in closer to you, “Do you like this club?”

You were caught off guard from this question and nodded slowly, “good because I want you to come back here,” You were confused, obviously you'll never come here. It doesn't matter how nice and fancy this place is, after that weirdo, you'll never step foot here. “I kicked him out, he's banned from coming here again.”

“Wa- wait what?” You gasped, looking at the door she came back from, expecting to see him standing there. But he wasn't, and even from the small glass window on the door, you can see that his spot is now empty, as well as his friends’.

“I want you to feel safe celebrating your achievements, I know today has probably been shit.” You bit your lip, turning to look at Jackie playing with her now found camera. You couldn't look at Elisa's eyes or else you would cry. You felt her hand softly caress your shoulder, bringing your body closer to hers. “Thank you, I mean… I don't even know what else to say.”

She gave you a gentle smile and turned to look at her teammates singing karaoke now. “No problem, now do you want to sing and dance with them? Or just sit here?”

“I'll just sit here, you can have fun with them.”

She looked back at you, deciding to lean back into the coach and find a comfortable position. “I play for Paris Saint Germain.”

“What! No way…I feel like shit for not watching you play.” You gasped, psg is the biggest team in France. And that's probably because they are loaded with money and can afford the top players, but you wondered how powerful the women's team is.

She laughed, quickly shaking her head, “don't feel that way! I just wanted to tell you. We just got qualified for the quarterfinals of the champions league that's why they're all drunk and shit.” She tilted her head towards a player dancing on the table. You bit your lip trying not to laugh at the poor woman, but when you heard Elisa's cackle, you let out a little laugh.

“Quarterfinals to the champions league… that's great! That's so cool, honestly, you should go and dance with them!” You pushed her towards the women, but she didn't even budge. She winked at you when she saw you try to move her and held your arm down, “Are you actually trying to push me or are you playing around?”

You knew she was joking, she can tell your struggling face when you tried to push her. You glanced at the way she grabbed your forearm, feeling the blush coming around your cheeks. Her muscles tensed beneath her fitted black shirt, elisa has been trying to subtly send you hints without panicking too much. But she knew she needed to do something even more, so she let her hand slowly go from your forearm to your hand, intertwining your fingers with hers. A shy smile broke out in both of your faces, looking up to see her already smiling at you. “Okay…maybe I do want to dance a little.”

You bite your lip and give her a soft nod, indicating that you wanted to dance with her. She grinned brightly and stood up from the couch, delicately pulling you with her. You felt content for the first time, you're finally going to dance and party like how you wanted before you came here in the first place. Elisa pulled you into her body, looking at your eyes to see if you're okay with her wrapping her arms around your waist. You felt speechless so you just nodded and dragged your hands from her forearms all the way to her shoulders, blushing at the feeling of her rough muscles.

Because you were busy trying to mask your flustered state, you didn't notice the panic Elisa was in. Her tightly wrapped hands were shaking and it seemed like she couldn't even glance at your face for three seconds without finding something else to look at. The girls had stopped singing karaoke now, the speaker playing some french afrobeats. “I forgot to tell you, I'm shit at dancing. I was planning on getting too drunk to care.” You admitted with a laugh, elisa tightened her hands around your waist, making your chest flush with hers. “Oh wait until you see me dance.”

“You do realize this song isn’t for slow dancing?” You loved the feeling of her body against yours, but the idea of slow dancing to afrobeats in front of people is confusing you. “Shhh don’t ruin the moment now.” she joked, turning her head around the room, she looked back at you and said, “They’re all too drunk to care.”

You looked around the room, and fortunately she was right. The girls were all dancing, separated into multiple groups and only focusing on them. Even the sober one had stood up and was dancing with the rest. You rested your head on her shoulder, feeling like it doesn’t matter at this point what happens between you. Elisa will probably forget about you, and date an instagram model like every football player does -well… that’s what the male players do at least.

“You tired?” her velvety voice soothed you as she leaned her head on yours. You closed your eyes and hummed in response, not feeling like moving your body. You tried to excuse the exhaustion as the sickness from the old man, but throughout the semester, you have been sleeping 4 hours and only working and studying. And today has been the day you can finally rest.

Elisa moved her hands from your waist to wrap them around your shoulders instead. As much as she was worried about the possible rejection from you, she felt great about you being okay with her physical touches and wanted to enjoy the chance. She can feel your beating heart from the thin dress you’re wearing against her sternum. Elisa’s long fingers were playing with the hem of the dress from your neck, her body slowly rocking as if she’s putting a baby to sleep.

“Thank you,” You whispered, opening your eyes just to see her jaw. “For today. I may not seem happy, but I am really grateful for this, I’m happy.”

“Do you want to go home?”

You stayed silent for a few seconds, before letting out a short breathy laugh, “Is it obvious I don’t like to party?” You didn’t want to offend her, especially after what she did.

“I can call an uber for you, or I can drive you home if you don’t feel safe.” You almost wanted to cry at how thoughtful she is, but you knew you needed some alone time after all of this. Also, the thought of parting ways with Elisa and her completely forgetting about you is eating you alive.

“Thank you, but I’ll feel very guilty if I take you away from the party you should be celebrating.” You let go of the tight embrace you were in, looking at her eyes to let her know how much you meant it. She sighed and nodded with a small hidden frown in her face. Elisa felt like a child attached to a toy, she was worried to let you go and never find you again. Now that she kicked the assaulters out, she hoped you’d come to the club more often.

“Okay, I’ll walk you out.” She held your hand and walked you out of the VIP entrance. The smell of sweat and alcohol hit you in the face, the club is even busier now since it was around 10 at night. Elisa pulled you to her body, putting her arm around your shoulder protectively in case someone does a thing to you. Once you reached the closest exit, she pushed the heavy door and let you go out.

“Ehm… Can I have your phone number?” Elisa suddenly blurted, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye, so she said the lamest thing she thought, “Just to make sure you went home safe…you never know what can happen.”

When Elisa asked that question, your heart started beating faster, your worry about losing her is now out of your head, feeling glad that she wanted to contact you. But after her explanation, you sighed in disappointment, she’s probably not interested in you, she wants to know if you went home safe only.

“Yeah, okay.” You opened your hand, waiting for her to hand you her phone. She pulled out her phone from her front pocket, and passed it to you quickly. Her palms were sweaty from anxiousness, and she hoped her sweat wasn’t all over the phone. She knew she fucked up, she could’ve told you the truth but instead she acted like some sick teenager, and it made her even more annoyed with herself when she saw the excitement in your face disappear like fog. She wanted you to know she’s interested in you. You typed your phone number quickly, before giving it back to her with a tight smile.

“Bye-Bye,” You stepped back, still facing her. “Again, thank you for today.” You gave her a small wave, and then turned and walked your way back home. She was invading your thoughts, her face, her smile, her deep yet delicate voice, her body, and the fact that she’s a professional player that can get anyone she wants.

Once you reached home, you looked at your phone notifications, there were none. 0 from Liz, and 0 from Elisa. You cussed yourself, why would she even bother to text you? She is the hottest woman you’ve ever seen, you probably look like charity work next to her exes. You boiled water for instant noodles, feeling too low to even worry about making dinner. After eating the soggy cheap noodles, you turned on the bathtub faucet and added some oils to calm you down and distract you from Elisa. You contemplated on searching up her name and see what google says about her, but you forced yourself to not even look up a picture of her. She clearly doesn’t care about you, why would you care about her?

After the 30 minute depressing bath, you plopped into the bed, not bothering to put the blanket over you. You suddenly heard a notification ding from your phone. Closing your eyes tightly, you swore that if it's Liz you'll run to her house barefoot to yell at her. When you heard another ding, you opened your eyes slowly and reached out for your bedside table.

[Unknown number]

I'm sorry

I was acting like a kid around u I wanted to ask you out but I got too shy

Can I take you to dinner one day?

You bit into your lip harshly, trying so hard to suppress your blush. You thought about it for a second, you weren't mad because she couldn't ask you out in front of you. You couldn't do it either, and you were also flattered to the thought of her being too shy in front of you. It felt as though she was the confident one there. It didn't matter anyways, what mattered is that you wanted to be hers. And if this date is the first step, you'll take it.

[You]

Okay

Only if I can go and watch you play on the quarterfinals

[Elisa ⚽️]

Really??

YES OF COURSE

Only with my jersey 😉

You turned off your phone and banged your head into the pillow, grabbing your phone again to send her a quick message.

[You]

Of course

I'm going to sleep rn

Good night 💞

[Elisa ⚽️]

Good night 😴

You turned off your phone and closed your eyes, immediately sleeping from the exhaustion of the day.

[Elisa⚽️]

The dress looked perfect on you.

#elisa de almeida #élisa de almeida #nel's writings #elisa de almeida x reader #élisa de almeida x reader #elisa de almedia fluff #woso #woso fanfiction #woso fanfics #woso x reader #women’s football #wlw fanfic

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newyorkthegoldenage · 13 days ago

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Reginald Marsh, Cabaret, 1938. Tempera and pencil on gessoed panel.

The painting’s subject, Casa Mañana, was a nightclub at 50th Street and Seventh Avenue, equidistant between Times Square and Carnegie Hall in the center of the theater district. In 1938, the Club was owned and operated by the flamboyant entertainment impresario Billy Rose. Fortune magazine commissioned Reginald Marsh to paint a picture of the interior during a performance for a full-page illustration in its planned article, “Put Their Name in Lights,” an examination of the very substantial business of the William Morris Agency, the “oldest theatrical agent in the U.S.” The article ran in Fortune’s September 1938 issue. …

Fortune accompanied the illustration in its September 1938 issue with a text explaining that vaudeville, “with its old-time acts has almost vanished. But variety as an entertainment form lives and thrives in theatre restaurants like Billy Rose’s Casa Mañana … The roster of artists who passed through Casa Mañana in its brief year-and-a-half run (it closed in May 1939) illustrates Rose’s ability to present the talent that the people wanted to see: Helen Morgan, Abbot & Costello, the Three Stooges, Jimmy Durante, Bert Wheeler, Betty Hutton, Louis Armstrong, and Millie Picon among many others with orchestras led, at various times, by Vincent Lopez, Louis Prima, and Paul Whiteman. …

In classic Marsh fashion, the artist focuses his attention on a few figures of special interest. In the left foreground, a waitress leans over in conversation with a male patron. Behind her, a waiter makes his way through the crowd, holding aloft with one uplifted arm a tray with food and drink balanced high over his head, an acrobatic feat as much a part of the nightclub show as the activity on the stage. Two women and a man share a table near the stage, all watching the show intently. A bottle in an ice bucket sits adjacent to the table, the economic engine that made this whole scene a working business model. The patrons are dressed neatly in street clothing, the ladies with everyday hats. They are decent but there is no show of finery. While Billy Rose was famous for glamorous showgirls and as much bare skin as the law would allow, he also had an enduring fondness for vaudeville-style family entertainment. The two performers on the stage appear to be some version of acrobatic dancers, the excitement in their performance the result of breathtaking agility and grace with nothing to arouse either the libidos of the audience or the attention of the licensing authorities.

Photo & text: Hirschl & Adler Galleries

#vintage New York #1930s #Reginald Marsh #Casa Mañana #nightclub #vintage nightclub #vaudeville #Billy Rose #painting #1930s New York #nightlife #vintage nightlife #cabaret

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starillusion13 · 3 months ago

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FRIENDS!? Chapter 22

🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳🔳

Series ML

Pairing: poly!ateez × f!reader (An ATEEZ Office AU)

Genre: Mature, Angst, Yandere

Warning: mention of memories (nothing much just go with the flow).

W.C: 3.4k Network: @k-vanity

[Reblogs and Reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for reading and have a nice day ahead. Please always take care of yourself everyone.]

Hello, Can we be friends please?

It was a late Saturday afternoon when Hongjoong, with that familiar mischievous grin, told you to get dressed. "Wear something nice," he said, his voice full of playful mystery, making your heart skip a beat. You stood in his cabin for a moment, unsure whether to press him for more details, but the glint in his eyes stopped you. He loved surprises, and his excitement was contagious. The twinkle in his eyes as he watched you try to guess what he had planned made it clear that today would be something special.

You hurried to your floor, meeting Seonghwa and Mingi in your way to the elevator.

"Where is the pretty lady hurrying to?" Mingi playfully raised a brow at you. Three of you exchanged smiles and seeing no one was around, you sighed.

"Joong wants me to get dressed nicely and he told me to hurry up. I don't know what's the reason." You said and looked expectantly at them, if they know something.

Mingi nodded his head in understanding but something clicked inside Seonghwa's mind when he smirked and patted your head.

"Then do accordingly. He doesn't want you to be late."

You narrowed your eyes at him, "do you know why is this demand suddenly?"

He raised his hands in defense, "of course not. Neither Mingi."

Mingi nodded his head in agreement, "yeah. How will we know? Also, we are getting late. Let's go, Hwa."

Ignoring their laugh when you hurried inside the elevator k, you waited for your floor to arrive.

rummaging through your closet, finally settling on a soft, flowy dress. As you stood in front of the mirror, you tried to keep your imagination in check. You have called Star earlier and she guided you how to get ready pretty and here all done with her telling you that he might be taking you on a date.

Where could he be taking me? A romantic dinner? A gallery? A stroll in the park? His surprises always left you guessing.

Once you were ready, Hongjoong drove through the bustling city streets, and you could feel the anticipation building. Every time you tried to sneak a peek at the route or ask another question, he'd just smirk and shake his head. The buildings blurred by as it moved deeper into the city center, past familiar landmarks and busy intersections, until you pulled up in front of one of the most luxurious shopping malls you've ever seen.

The towering glass facade of the mall shimmered in the evening light, reflecting the soft glow of the setting sun. Marble columns framed the grand entrance, and inside, you could see high-end boutiques, each one radiating wealth and exclusivity. Your eyes widened as you stepped out of the car, your gaze wandering over the elegant architecture and the sleek, polished displays of designer brands in the windows. The kind of stores you had only admired from afar but never dared to step inside.

"Wait," you said, laughing a little nervously as you turned to him. "Are we... shopping?"

Hongjoong's grin widened as he slipped his hand into yours, pulling you gently toward the entrance. "Something like that," he said, his tone teasing but full of affection. You followed him, still confused but intrigued. The cool air of the mall greeted you as the two walked in, the scent of expensive perfumes and polished leather filling the space. Everywhere you looked, there were glittering displays of luxury — from designer handbags and dresses to elegant jewelry sparkling under the lights.

You walked slowly, hand in hand, passing by brands you had only ever seen on billboards or in glossy magazines. Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton — names that spoke of an unattainable world, a world that felt foreign to me. You glanced at the price tags as you passed, your stomach flipping when you realized how wildly out of reach everything was. Even the simplest pieces were priced higher than anything you could imagine spending.

Eventually, he led you into a Chanel boutique, the interior sleek and minimal, designed to highlight the elegance of the products. You felt a mix of excitement and unease as you wandered through the store. Everything was beautiful, but the price tags — they were astronomical. You hesitated in front of a shelf, your fingers gently brushing the leather of a bag you've seen in fashion editorials, one you'd admired but never dreamed of owning. It was soft, buttery under your touch, and you couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to carry something so luxurious.

But then reality hit, and you quickly placed it back on the shelf, laughing softly at yourself. "I don't think this is really my scene," you said, trying to hide the discomfort in your voice. "It's all a bit... much."

Hongjoong turned to you, his expression suddenly serious but gentle, his eyes full of that unwavering affection. He stepped closer, his fingers brushing yours as he softly spoke. "You don't have to worry about the price today," he said firmly, his voice both kind and insistent. "Whatever you like, it's yours. I'll take care of everything."

You blinked, taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. "What? No, no, that's too much," you stammered, feeling a flush creep up your neck. "I can't let you spend this kind of money on me. It's crazy—"

But before you could continue, he gently pressed a finger to your lips, his touch soft but stopping me mid-sentence. "Shh," he whispered, his eyes locking onto yours. "You deserve this. I brought you here because I want to spoil you. I want you to have whatever you want, no matter the price. Let me do this for you."

Your heart raced at his words. His gaze was so tender, so full of love and certainty, that for a moment, you didn't know how to respond. He wasn't just offering to buy you something; he was offering to make you feel like you're worth the luxury, worth the indulgence. And in that moment, the overwhelming kindness of it all nearly brought tears to my eyes.

You wanted to scream and jump in excitement but to keep your cool, you cleared throat before facing him.

"But... it's so much," you whispered, still trying to process the generosity behind his gesture.

Hongjoong smiled, that soft, knowing smile, and gently took your hands in his. "It's not about the money. It's about making you happy. I want to see you smile, to watch you light up when you find something you love. That's what matters to me."

There was a long pause as you let his words sink in. Your heart felt full, and you realized that this wasn't just about the things he wanted to buy you. It was about what they represented — the way he saw you, the way he wanted to make you feel cherished, even if you sometimes found it hard to accept.

Finally, you nodded, a shy smile breaking through. "Okay," you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "If you're sure..."

"I'm more than sure," Hongjoong said, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he grinned. He gave your hand a squeeze. "Now come on, let's find something you love."

With his encouragement, you allowed yourself to let go of the hesitation and enjoy the experience. moving from store to store, and with every step, you felt a little lighter, a little more comfortable.

In Dior, you tried on a stunning dress — sleek, elegant, with a classic cut that made you feel like you had stepped straight out of a Hollywood movie. As you stepped out of the dressing room, his eyes lit up, and you could see the admiration in his gaze.

Yes. He wanted to see you all smiley and shining in elegance and luxury like this. He always wanted you like this. The past should not haunt you anymore, he will do everything possible to make you experience that you deserve and haven't.

"You look incredible," Hongjoong said, his voice soft but full of awe. You blushed under his intense gaze, feeling like the most beautiful woman in the world.

you picked out a few other pieces, each one making you feel a little more confident, a little more willing to embrace the luxury of the day. A pair of delicate heels that fit like a glove, a simple but exquisite gold necklace that caught the light just right, and a soft leather bag that you had been dreaming about for years. Each time you hesitated, glancing nervously at the price tag, he would smile and remind you that today was about more than money — it was about joy.

and his love for you.

Hours later, you found ourselves at a cozy little café tucked into the corner of the mall, surrounded by shopping bags filled with beautiful things you never imagined you would own. The café was quiet, the gentle hum of conversations in the background blending with the clinking of cups and silverware. Outside, the sky had begun to turn a soft shade of pink and gold, the last light of the day filtering through the large windows and casting a warm glow across the table.

you took a sip of my iced latte, glancing over at him as he leaned back in his chair, watching you with that same, patient smile. you felt a mix of gratitude, disbelief, and something deeper, something more intense that had been building all day.

"You really didn't have to do all this," you said softly, my fingers tracing the rim of the cup as you looked down, overwhelmed by everything he'd done. "I don't even know how to thank you."

He leaned forward, reaching across the table to take your hand in his, his touch warm and grounding. "You don't need to thank me," he said, his voice gentle but full of emotion. "I did it because I wanted to. Because you mean the world to me. I just wanted to make you feel special — the way you make me feel every day."

and to say sorry.

His words hit you like a wave, and you felt your heart swell in your chest. There was a lump forming in your throat, the kind that comes when you're so overwhelmed with emotion that you can barely speak. you looked into his eyes, and in that moment, you knew. you knew that what you felt for him was something deeper than anything you had ever experienced.

"I... I love you, Joong" you whispered, the words slipping out before you could stop them. They hung in the air, raw, real, and honest.

Hongjoong's heart stopped for a moment. you confessed to him. he wanted to hear this from you and he waited for so long and finally you said it. he can't express just how over the moon he is.

For him, everything went quiet. The world around him seemed to fade, and all you could see was him, his eyes softening, his smile widening, like he had been waiting for those words. He stood up slowly, coming around to your side of the table. Kneeling beside you, he took your hand in both of his, his thumb gently brushing the back of your hand as he looked up at you with that same, unwavering gaze.

"I love you too,y/n" he said, his voice steady, filled with so much warmth and certainty that it felt like your heart might burst. "I've loved you for a long time. And I'm so glad I finally get to tell you it this way."

Tears welled up in your eyes, but they weren't sad tears. They were the kind of tears that come when something beautiful happens, something that you've been waiting for without even realizing it. He leaned in, his lips brushing gently against your forehead, and then, as you closed your eyes, he kissed you softly on the lips.

In that kiss, you felt everything — the love, the gratitude, the sense of belonging that had always been there, just waiting to be spoken out loud. It was as if the entire world had been leading up to this moment, this quiet confession in the corner of a luxury mall café, surrounded by the fading light of the day and the glow of your happiness.

When you finally pulled away, he stayed close, resting his forehead against yours, his hands still holding yours tightly. "Thank you," you whispered, voice thick with emotion. "For everything. For making me feel like... like I'm enough."

no, y/n...thanks to you for staying with me...atleast as a friend for this long.

He smiled, brushing a tear from your cheek. "You've always been enough," he said softly. "You're more than enough."

And in that moment, surrounded by shopping bags, the soft murmur of the café, and the fading glow of the evening, you knew that this was more than just a surprise date. It was the beginning of something real, something deep and lasting — a love that was yours, and yours alone.

>>>><<<<

when you thought, the days are getting better. you didn't thought that you would be enjoying a day with bright smile with Yeosang in the rooftop of the building.

It was a warm late summer evening, one of those nights where the sky melts into shades of lavender and peach, the city skyline bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. Yeosang had been acting strange all day—quiet, contemplative, but with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. He told you he had something special planned, but no matter how much you probed, he wouldn't give you a clue. you could feel a knot of curiosity and anticipation twisting in your stomach as you climbed the stairs to the rooftop of his apartment building.

he had asked others not to give you any work for the day so that you could dress up all pretty in a skirt and a plain top under the surveillance of Star.

"Where are we going?" you asked for what felt like the hundredth time, your voice half-laughing, half-impatient.

"You'll see," he replied, his voice soft but filled with emotion. He reached for your hand, lacing his fingers through yours. you could feel the slight tremor in his grip, which only heightened your curiosity.

As you reached the top of the stairs, Yeosang stopped in front of the door to the rooftop, turning to face you with a small, nervous smile. He let out a breath and said, "Close your eyes." His voice was tender, yet there was an underlying tension, as if this moment meant everything.

you raised an eyebrow but complied, closing your eyes and trusting him to guide you. He led you carefully up the last few steps, his hands gentle but sure as he positioned you in place. your heart pounded in your chest, a mix of excitement and nerves.

What was he up to?

"Okay," he whispered close to your ear, his breath warm against your skin. "Open them."

When you opened your eyes, you were greeted by a sight that stole your breath. The rooftop had been transformed into an intimate, magical world, like something out of a dream. Fairy lights were strung in a canopy overhead, casting a soft, golden glow over the entire space. Lanterns of all shapes and sizes lined the perimeter, flickering gently in the evening breeze. The ground was scattered with rose petals, and there were candles—hundreds of them—glimmering in every corner, their warm flames dancing in the twilight.

In the center of it all was a small table set for two, draped in a white linen tablecloth. A delicate bouquet of your favorite flowers, lilies and roses, sat in the middle, their fragrance gently carried by the breeze. On the table, perfectly arranged, were all your favorite dishes—an assortment of comfort foods that made your heart swell with affection. To one side, a vintage record player played one of your favorite songs softly in the background, the gentle melody weaving through the night air.

you stood there, stunned, unable to move or speak. your heart was pounding in your chest, overwhelmed by the sheer thoughtfulness and beauty of it all. The lights, the flowers, the music—it was perfect, almost too perfect to believe.

"You... you did all of this?" you finally managed to whisper, your voice shaky with emotion. I turned to face him, and the look in his eyes—so tender, so full of love—made your breath catch in your throat.

Yeosang nodded, his lips curving into a soft smile, but there was a flicker of nervousness behind it. "I did," he said, stepping closer to you. "I wanted to do something special for you. Something that shows you how much you mean to me."

you smiled to yourself. he is still guilty for what he said that day.

you felt tears prick at the corners of your eyes, but you blinked them back, not wanting to cry just yet. you reached out, taking his hand, which felt warm and steady in yours. "It's beautiful," you whispered, your voice barely audible over the soft music. "I can't believe you did all this... for me."

He smiled, but you could sense something deeper, something unspoken behind his eyes. He pulled you toward the small table, guiding you to sit. As you lowered yourself into the chair, he sat across from you, his hands resting on the table, his fingers fidgeting slightly. It was as if he was building up to something, something important.

For a while, you both sat there, enjoying the food, talking softly, but you could feel the weight of something unsaid hanging in the air between you two. The evening was beautiful—perfect, even—but there was a tension that you couldn't quite place. Yeosang kept looking at you, his gaze lingering, like he was trying to work up the courage to say what was on his mind.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a slow breath and reached across the table to take your hand. His grip was firm but gentle, his thumb brushing softly over your skin. "There's something I need to tell you," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes met yours, and you could see the raw emotion there—the vulnerability, the fear, the love.

your heart skipped a beat. "What is it?" you asked softly, searching his face.

Yeosang hesitated for a moment, his fingers tightening around yours as if he was afraid to let go. Then he spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "I've been thinking a lot about this... about everything I told you. And I realized that I need to apologize."

you blinked, confused. "Apologize? For what?"

"For the past," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "For all the times I hurt you. I didn't always handle things the way I should have. I let my fears get in the way, and I hurt you when I should have been honest with you and knew it was not your fault. I made mistakes—mistakes that I've been carrying with me, and I can't move forward without telling you how sorry I am."

His words hit you like a wave, and suddenly, the memories of your past—both the good and the blurred—came rushing back. There had been moments of pain, moments where you didn't know how to communicate, moments where you both felt lost. But standing here now, hearing him admit it, made all those moments feel distant, like they were being healed in real-time.

"I should have told you sooner," Yeosang continued, his voice breaking slightly. "I should have been better at showing you how much I care, instead of letting my own insecurities get in the way. I was scared of losing you, scared of not being good enough for you, and sometimes... I took it out on you. And for that, I'm so, so sorry."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but you didn't try to stop them this time. His words were so honest, so raw, and they struck a chord deep within you. you could see how much this apology meant to him, how hard it was for him to admit his mistakes. But at the same time, you could feel the weight lifting between you both, the unspoken pain of the past finally being released.

"You don't have to apologize," you whispered, your voice thick with emotion. "We must have made mistakes. But I've never stopped loving you. I will never stop. I promise."

you should hate me, y/n.

Yeosang let out a shaky breath, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I love you," he said, his voice filled with so much emotion that it made your heart ache. "I've loved you for so long, and I was too scared to admit it. But I can't keep it inside anymore. You're the most important person in my life, and I need you to know that. I love you, and I'm ready to do whatever it takes to show you that."

Tears spilled down your cheeks, and you let out a small, breathless laugh, overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment. you stood up from the table, and he did the same, meeting you halfway as you threw your arms around him. He held you tightly, his arms wrapping around you as if he never wanted to let go.

"I love you too," I whispered into his chest, your voice trembling with emotion. "I've always loved you."

Yeosang pulled back just enough to look at you, his hands cupping your face as he brushed away your tears with his thumbs. "You don't know how much that means to me," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I promise, I'll spend every day showing you how much I love you, how much you mean to me. I never want to hurt you again."

you smiled through your tears, your heart swelling with love for him. "You already have," you whispered.

Yeosang leaned in slowly, his forehead resting against yours as your breaths mingled in the cool evening air. And then, with the soft glow of the fairy lights around you both and the music playing quietly in the background, he kissed you—gently, tenderly, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

In that moment, all the pain of the past melted away. All that mattered was him and you—here, now, in this perfect, intimate space he had created. It felt like a new beginning, a fresh start filled with love and hope.

As you stood there on the rooftop, wrapped in each other's arms, surrounded by the soft glow of the candles and the twinkling lights, you knew that this was the love you had both been waiting for—the kind of love that was real, deep, and unshakable.

And for the first time in a long time, you felt truly at peace.

which is soon to be shattered in pieces....

—————————————————————————

Taglist :

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scotianostra · 3 months ago

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On October 20th 1938 photographer Iain MacMillan was born in Carnoustie.

After leaving Dundee high school in 1954, he worked as a trainee manager in a local jute mill, before studying photography at the Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster). He returned home in 1959 to photograph Dundee tenements and street scenes - powerful images of a way of life about to disappear. His talent was soon recognised by magazines and publishers, and by the early 1960s he was getting commissions from the Lutterworth Press, the Sunday Times, Plays & Players and the Illustrated London News.

Later in the decade he took photographs for a book, The Sculpture of David Wynne, and for Wynne's exhibition catalogue, while also working on a photographic essay about life in the capital. The Book of London (1966) contains some of his best work, and brought him to the attention of Yoko Ono, who commissioned him to photograph her exhibition at the Indica gallery, in St James's. It was there that Yoko met John Lennon, who invited MacMillan to photograph the Abbey Road album cover.

MacMillan continued working with the couple on such projects as the Live Peace in Toronto album (1969) and Sometime in New York City (1972). He also collaborated on the film Erection, an animation of shots of a London hotel under construction with a soundtrack by John and Yoko.

By the mid-1970s, MacMillan was teaching photography in Stoke-on-Trent. As well as possessing a sense of composition and a lively imagination, he was a meticulous craftsman with a sound technical knowledge. He tried to instill these values into his students. In the 1980s his photographs were exhibited in galleries in Britain and the US, and on the continent. The BBC used his work in the series The Rock and Roll Years.

In the 1980s, after his parents died, MacMillan moved back to Carnoustie. He continued to take photographs of Scottish landscapes, his friends and families - and his beloved collie dog, Mac - often using a borrowed camera.

In 1993 Paul McCartney invited MacMillan to take another picture on the famous zebra crossing near the EMI studios in St John's Wood, this time of the Beatle and his Old English sheepdog. MacMillan contrasted the simplicity of the earlier picture by including a team of policemen, press photographers and a lively crowd. The resulting image was used on the cover of the album Paul is Live, thus scotching rumours that McCartney was dead.

MacMillan was modest about his own achievements. He retained a lasting affection for Paul and Linda McCartney, whom he described as "the most solidly down to earth and unaffected couple imaginable".

Iain MacMillan passed away on May 8th 2006 from lung cancer.

#scotland #scottish #history #photographer #the beatles #abbey road

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ladyjaneasherr · 4 months ago

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New!!

February 21st, 1967. Beautiful Jane Asher in Fifth Avenue, New York, February 21st 1967. Asher was on tour with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre.

Picture 1 and picture 2 ( a new release plus my colourisation) and picture 3: 📸Harry Benson/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Picture 4 to 8 Date Book magazine scans from my lovely friend Vio that has allowed me to use! July 1967 issue.

Jane’s here!

DATEBOOK MAKES THE NEW YORK SCENE WITH JANE ASHER. Braving New York's traffic.

The girlfriend of an old friend of ours came to town recently and we showed her a bit of the Big City. When Jane Asher was performing with the Bristol Old Vic in New York, we lunched with her and took her to a pop-art dinner party on her last night in town.

When we picked her up for lunch she was wearing a bulky, horizontal-striped fur coat she had bought the day before. "Red fox?" we asked. "That's what you're supposed to think,"she said. "But it's really opossum!"*

We had lunch in the Italian restaurant in the hotel (Gorham) in which she stayed—it was across the street from the theater. We talked about everything-her acting plans (to do Shaw's "Arms And The Man" when she got back to London), Paul's plans (to write and direct a movie in which she will star—a short experimental film, that is), Paul (she'd just had a letter from him in which he told her that he'd had the whole London Symphony improvising), her refusal to sign up for more than one movie , at a time ("no long-term contracts for me"'), her interest in pop art ("I'm really fascinated by artists like Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. My brother Peter has a gallery, in London, you know.") We chatted away about New York she think's she loves it, but it will take more time to be certain), George and Patti (she wonders if they'll some day go to live permanently in India), Beatle fans at her performances ("It's so marvelous to see them react to Romeo and Juliet as if it were a contemporary story. Many really don't know how it all ends and they sob and laugh so naturally.")

Jane talked about Paul unseltconsciously when his name came up naturally in the conversation— and it did now and then since we discussed pop music and all the personalities in it. But, the subject of her relationship with Paul did not come up. And we decided not to bring it up since it was obviously a personal matter which she felt was not in order.

(Jane said a New York newspaper interviewed her and then made up a quote "Paul is not exactly my Romeo'' and used it as the headline, although it had nothing at all to do with the interview.)

What's Jane Asher really like?

She's much more beautiful than her pictures would lead you to expect. Her hair is a marvelous orange-red and her skin a milky white. She has delicate features and a lovely Puckish grin which breaks into a wide smile very often. She's shy-but she knows exactly what she wants and is strong enough to fight for it.

Jane was very eager to meet some of the top pop artists and we invited her to a gallery opening, party and dinner the following Saturday night.

She accepted and a few nights later, bedecked in her red minidress, her red coat and her red hair, she made the artscene with us. Jane impressed everybody with her glowing beauty, her quiet intelligence, her gentle humor and her real interest in the world around her.

By this time, we knew for sure why our London friend was so involved with her!

When we said goodbye back at her hotel, we wished her a pleasant tour (she was to leave the next day) and we asked her to give our regards to Paul. She told us to be sure to look her up in London next time we were there.

Gentle Jane waved goodbye to us as the elevator doors closed. Her next stop was to be California and then Denver, where a big surprise would be awaiting her. Turn page for the big surprise.

#jane asher #the beatles #60s #beatles girls #actress #lady jane asher #something about jane asher #model #beatles women #redhead #red hair #1967 #beatles girl #explore page

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princesscatherinemiddleton · 1 year ago

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The Princess of Wales’ Year in Review: June

June 1st - The Prince and Princess of Wales were present at the Marriage of The Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with Miss Rajwa Al Saif which took place at the Zahran Palace. They then attended the wedding reception June 6th - The Princess of Wales visited Windsor Family Hub. That afternoon, she received Mrs. Alice Webb (Trustee of The Royal Foundation) at Windsor Castle June 7th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation and Patron of the Rugby Football Union, visited Maidenhead Rugby Football Club June 8th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, held an Early Years Meeting June 14th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, held an Early Years Meeting June 15th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, visited Riversley Park Children's Centre. Later, she received Professor Eamon McCrory (Board Member of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Advisory Group) at Windsor Castle June 16th - A film was released highlighting the vital role that health visitors play in the community, which includes footage of The Princess of Wales shadowing health visiting teams at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. That evening, the Prince of Wales, Colonel of the Welsh Guards, and The Princess of Wales, Colonel of the Irish Guards, attended the Senior Colonels' Conference and Dinner at Clarence House June 17th - The Wales family joined the extended members of the British Royal Family at The King's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour June 19th - The Princess of Wales was present when the King, accompanied by The Queen, The Prince of Wales, and others, held a Chapter of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in the Throne Room, Windsor Castle. The King later gave a Luncheon Party for the Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter at which The Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and others were present June 20th - The Princess of Wales, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, officially reopened the newly renovated National Portrait Gallery June 22nd - Prince George was spotted touring Eton alongside his parents June 23rd - The Prince and Princess of Wales honoured Royal Ascot with their presence June 24th - The Princess of Wales joined Roger Federer in a video for Wimbledon, focusing on the ball boys and girls June 27th - The Princess of Wales officially opened Hope Street June 28th - The Princess of Wales, Patron of the Victoria and Albert Museum, officially reopened the newly renovated Young Victoria and Albert Museum June 29th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, held an Early Years Meeting. Afterwards, she held further meetings. The Country Life cover photographed by the then-Duchess of Cambridge won the Cover of the Year title at the PPA Awards, the ‘Oscars’ of the magazine world June 30th - The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron of the Royal Foundation, received Professor Eamon McCrory (Board Member of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Advisory Group) at Windsor Castle

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angeliqueiguess · 1 month ago

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“Focus!” (j.jh)

034. epilogue (written) warnings: none

Three years later...

The city was alive with the golden glow of sunset, its streets buzzing with life and energy. In the heart of the arts district, a newly opened gallery was beginning to fill with the sounds of conversation, laughter, and the occasional camera flash. The main event? A photography exhibition titled Focus, the debut solo showcase of Y/n, a photographer who had not only mastered the world of fashion but transcended it.

The walls of the gallery were adorned with photographs that told stories—each frame carrying an emotional weight. Portraits of models, candid urban scenes, and studio masterpieces that merged fashion with fine art captivated the audience. Yet, one photograph stood out among them: a black-and-white portrait of a man whose piercing gaze seemed to connect with anyone who dared to look too long.

It was Jaehyun.

Y/n stood at the back of the gallery, a glass of wine in hand. Her smile betrayed a mix of pride and nervous excitement. She watched the crowd—colleagues, friends, and admirers—but her thoughts drifted to the journey that had brought her here.

“Never thought you’d make it here without losing your mind,” a familiar voice teased beside her.

She turned to see Johnny, her brother, impeccably dressed in one of Mark’s latest designs. His expression held a rare softness, the kind reserved for moments like this.

“Well, that’s what I have you all for,” she replied with a smirk. “Especially you, even if you do love stealing the spotlight.”

Johnny chuckled, raising his champagne glass to hers. “It’s my job, isn’t it? But tonight... tonight, the spotlight belongs to you, Y/n. I’m so proud of you sis.”

Before she could respond, Yuta appeared, his confident stride making heads turn. “The press loves it,” he said with satisfaction. “Some are calling it a renaissance in fashion photography. Not to pressure you, but you might want to clear your schedule—there’s going to be a flood of opportunities after this.”

“A renaissance? Please, it’s more like a revolution,” Ten interjected dramatically, joining the group. “I just hope you remember who made Jaehyun look like a Greek god in that session everyone’s raving about.”

Y/n laughed, relaxing in the comfort of her friends' banter. Her gaze drifted to where Jaehyun stood, deep in conversation with Haechan, now a junior editor at Johnny’s magazine. The years had refined Haechan’s charm without dulling his mischievous edge, making him a standout even in the competitive industry.

When Jaehyun’s eyes met hers across the room, he smiled—that same smile that still had the power to make her heart race.

“He still looks at you like you’re the only thing that matters,” Ten whispered, his tone soft but teasing. “That’s real love, darling.”

“Why do you always have to be so dramatic?” she muttered, though her cheeks flushed, betraying her feelings.

“Dramatic? Me? Never,” Ten quipped before being pulled into a heated debate about seasonal colors with Mark, who was furiously sketching notes on a napkin.

Y/n felt a hand on her back and turned to see Jaehyun. He was effortlessly handsome, his casual suit fitting him perfectly, but it was the warmth in his eyes that made her chest tighten.

“Planning to avoid me all night?” he asked with a playful tilt of his head.

“I’m not avoiding you,” she said, raising an eyebrow. “I’m observing. It’s my job, remember?”

He leaned in, brushing a kiss against her cheek. “Well baby, it’s my job to make sure the star of the night enjoys her success.”

Before she could reply, Haechan bounded over with his signature enthusiasm. “Hate to interrupt, but they’re asking for a speech, Y/n. Your moment to shine!”

Sighing, but unable to hold back a smile, Y/n made her way to the center of the gallery. Johnny handed her the mic, and the room quieted.

“Thank you all for being here tonight,” she began, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions. “Every photograph in this gallery represents a part of my journey—not just as a photographer but as a person. This work is not just mine. It’s the result of countless people who supported me, even when I didn’t believe in myself.”

She scanned the room, her eyes landing on Johnny, who gave her a subtle nod, then on Mark and Ten, who exchanged proud smiles. Yuta stood near the back, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable but knowing. Finally, her gaze found Jaehyun.

“Photography has the power to capture more than just moments. It holds emotions, stories, and dreams. And this,” she said, gesturing to the gallery around her, “is just the beginning. Thank you.”

The applause was thunderous. As Y/n stepped away from the mic, Jaehyun was the first to meet her.

“You were amazing honey,” he said, taking her hand in his. His voice was quiet, but the pride in his eyes was unmistakable.

---

That night, as they walked home under a canopy of stars, Y/n paused, turning to face him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concern flickering across his features.

“Nothing,” she replied, her lips curling into a soft smile. “I just... I’m glad you’re here.”

Jaehyun wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll always be here, Y/n. That’s a promise I’ll never break.”

With her friends by her side and Jaehyun’s unwavering love, Y/n knew her story was far from over. In many ways, it was only just beginning.

---

prev//next. masterlist

angie’s note: Heyya! Hope y'all going well and taking care of yourselves! Focus! has officially wrapped up, but dw-I'm not done with it yet (there are some spin-offs on the way) Seriously, thank you so much for all the love and for sticking with me through every single chapter. You're the best <3

(if you want to be tagged in the spin-offs let me know <3)

taglist @apolloxxivmin @aerivrs @chan-yeoldelling @livingdoll-hara @cryingforjae @heavenjae @milanco @sibwol @neocupidd @minkyuncutie @miniature-tragedy @kukkurookkoo @kodasity @injunnie-lemon @thegracerammy @hahaechans @illitzen @pandagirl753 @flamingi

#nctu #jaehyun #jungjaehyun #jaehyunnct #jaehyunau #jaehyunsmau #nct #nct127 #nctsmau #nctimagines #nctau

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