#the outfit. the dance. the colour changes. the back up dancers. the close ups. perfection

[snallavanta]

idk what was in the air on this day but whatever it was, i need it to do it again

[kimbappykidding]

Previous Parts: Part One, Part Two and Part Four.

So Jeno hadn't confessed to you in the way he'd wanted at the gaming night and he considered himself lucky that you didn't notice what his body tried to tell you. He didn't think it was exactly the chivalrous approach and he wanted to woo you. He wanted the confession to be smooth and romantic. He wanted you to be impressed and happy. He was devising strategies when Halloween hit.

Halloween was always a fun time and this year Nct were planning on throwing a party. Jeno was more than into it because he knew you'd be invited. He hadn't seen you since the gaming event at Johnny's and he needed an excuse other than gaming to talk to you since he didn't trust his body in a small room alone with you yet. So the party was the perfect way to test the waters and Jeno was happy...until he heard the theme was masquerade. That just was not Jeno's style and you already said you'd found other members of NCT attractive. How was Jeno meant to have a shot with you if he was dressed the exact same as the hunks of the group who would obviously outshine him? But there was no getting out of it so Jeno agreed and lined up with the guys outside the venue to make their entrances. They all were wearing the exact same thing even down to their masks which covered most of their face except their eyes. Jeno supposed you could've worked out who was who based on hair colour or height but for the most part they were pretty identical and that's when he realised there might be an upside to this. You'd have no idea who he was.

In their entrance the boys had been instructed to interact with the guests, specifically to select one and bring them to the dance floor for an old-fashioned ballroom dance. Several of the guys had mentioned how great a time it was to flirt with someone without them knowing it was you. Jeno wholeheartedly agreed with that and when he saw you standing there in a beautiful blue dress he knew he had to get to you. So when the boys spread out into the audience Jeno made a beeline for you. You watched him approach and Jeno bowed before taking your hand, he kissed it gently before leading you to the floor.

"So..." you said when the dance started "cat got your tongue? Are you really not going to speak to me?". Jeno knew if he spoke you'd know it was him so he stayed quiet. "Fine, I won't try and work out who you are" you told him "so you can relax, I can feel how tense you are" and you ran your hands across his shoulders. Jeno tightened them before purposefully relaxing them and you laughed softly. "Well whoever you are you're a good dancer" you said "you know to lead a dance". Jeno wanted to show you just how true that was so he sped up. He made the dance more difficult and led you through it all fearlessly. You kept up amazingly and Jeno could see the genuine joy and excitement on your face. You had great stamina and when the song ended you were both breathing heavily. "Wow a really good dancer...I'm very interested to know who you are now" you said and raised your hand to Jeno's cheek. Being so close to you Jeno couldn't resist and before you could play with his mask he pressed a kiss to your lips. You gasped slightly, caught off guard, but kissed him back quickly closing your eyes. Then just as quickly as he'd done it, Jeno pulled away and disappeared backstage where all the boys were getting changed into their proper Halloween outfits. He was the last one and he hurried to change into his other outfit. "What took you so long?" Mark asked him and Jeno just smiled in response.

The guys all reappeared and dispersed into the party and were now free to do what they wanted, no more theatrics planned. So Jeno re-entered the room and tried to act like he wasn't looking for you when he was. The only way the whole masquerade thing would work was if he managed to show you a good poker face to convince you it wasn't him. He supposed you'd notice if he avoided you all night and that you'd also notice if he came right over to you so he aimed for somewhere in the middle.

He waited about 15 minutes and then came over to you. "Enjoying the party?" he called and you blinked at him before nodding "definitely, what about you?". He shrugged "I'm happy now all that performing is done. Now the real fun can start". You smiled "that sounds like a promise" you said and Jeno smiled "it can be...if you want?". You nodded "I do" and Jeno nodded "well let's go then" and he held out his hand to you. You took his hand and let him pull you into the party.

Jeno felt on top of the world because 1. he'd kissed you and 2. he was at a party with tons of good-looking guys but you were on his arm. Literally! As you took a break to get a drink you hooked your arm through his and Jeno felt like a million pounds walking through his friends and colleagues with you. He noticed them watching but honestly, his eyes were just fixed on you. "Did I mention you look stunning tonight?" Jeno asked referencing your beautiful gown and you smiled "thank you...you look pretty handsome yourself. Did you enjoy the performance?" you asked. Jeno stiffened and told himself to just remain calm. "It was okay" he said "but I'm glad it's over it was kind of nerve-wracking". "Well none of you looked nervous, you all looked really good" you said and Jeno was sure he was in the clear...until you returned to the dance floor together.

Jeno was showing off a little and you seemed to be loving it. You let him do his thing and were also a great dancer which Jeno found really attractive. Finally, the song slowed down a little and Jeno pulled you into his arms mainly so he could catch his breath but was very happy with having you closer. You smiled seeming just as happy and leaned into him "I'm glad I got another chance to dance with you. Our dance was nice earlier but it was too short" you said. Jeno froze like a deer in headlights. You saw the panic go over your face and smiled. Your smile made Jeno relax slightly but he was still tense. "Did you know it was me the whole time?" Jeno said and you smiled "of course I did, your most beautiful feature was on show clear as day". "My eyes?" Jeno asked after thinking and you nodded "I could spot them anywhere, you've got very pretty eyes Jeno" and he blushed which made his eyes narrow and you thought they were even nicer. "See...so pretty" you said, leaning in and kissing him. Jeno had kissed you once tonight but that was hiding behind a mask. This was completely different and it was so much more emotional and passionate.

Jeno kissed you with the confidence you'd been craving and he was so good. You started the kiss as the dominant one but by the end, it was all Jeno and you broke away from the kiss gasping slightly. "I like this Jeno" you said and he paused "you do?". You nodded "you have so much to be confident about, you're so talented, funny, kind, an amazing dancer and not to mention soooooo hot" you said with an exhale "I've wanted you from the start Jeno, from that first night I showed up at your apartment". Jeno was shocked. He'd hoped that was true and definitely got a vibe from you but was never sure if it was just wishful thinking and to hear you actually say it did things to him. So he took note of what you'd said about liking confidence and smiled "well I'm all yours, want to get out of here and claim me? Or should I say let me show you what confident Jeno is like?". You couldn't say yes fast enough and both rushed out of the party in a very hasty hurry.

You went to Jeno's because it was closer and he kept up his confident act...until you felt like you were losing control and knew you had to even things.

"Look at you so excited for me" Jeno commented "who would've thought the one and only Y/n would be so hot for me" he said. That immediately made your competitive streak kick in and you pushed him down so you could be on top. "Well I'm not the only one, I've excited you a few times huh?" you asked "without even realising. Who knew me playing a game could do it for you" and Jeno went bright red as he realised what evening you meant. "I...don't know what to say" Jeno said and you chuckled softly "why didn't you tell me?". "Are you kidding?" he asked "I thought it would be weird and scare you off". "I was surprised but looking back I can kind of get why it happened" you said. "You can?" Jeno asked and you nodded "yeah I was kind of accidentally grinding on you so I'm not surprised things happened" you said "I'm sure it would've happened with anyone". Jeno shook his head "it was because it was you" and you smiled "it was?". Jeno nodded "I thought you were doing it on purpose but you weren't? You had no idea?". You shook your head "no idea but if I had known...well to be honest I probably would've moved around more to torture you". Jeno laughed and shook his head at you "Y/n that's all you've been doing" and he pulled you back towards him.

***

"You smell nice" Jeno said afterwards with a sigh and you laughed looking at him "you're smelling me now huh?". Jeno blushed and you smiled "I'm kidding...you smell good too". "No but you always smell good" Jeno said "I think it's your perfume or something. It smells really fresh and minty". You smiled "I can't remember what's in it but I do like it and now I know you like it I'll buy more". "Let me buy you it" Jeno said kissing your neck and shoulder and you smiled "you're spoiling me already?". Jeno nodded "in all honesty I'd buy you anything you wanted" and you could see how serious he was by his expression. You blushed at his gaze and nodded "I believe you but I don't need you to shower me in things, I'd much rather have you". Jeno nodded "well I'm yours so just take me" and you smiled "I already have". "Yes but again and again and again" Jeno said and your smile grew. You held his face in your hands and nodded "okay then".

After things went quiet you said something that had been on your mind. "You make me nervous Jeno" you admitted and he looked jumped slightly "I do?". You nodded "yeah...I know I put on a strong front but you make me feel fluttery and I really like you. When you were acting confident early I just thought oh shit because you were really powerful Jeno". Jeno couldn't stop the huge grin on his face and you blushed "Stop!" resting your head against his chest so you could hide. "Okay okay I won't be smug" he said cuddling you "I'm just happy because I worried I might be too bland or might not be able to match you but to hear I'm doing good...well that feels pretty fucking amazing". "It does?" you asked peeking out of your hiding place and Jeno nodded "it does" and managed to capture your lips in a kiss.

Jeno thought about what you'd said and spoke again after he'd recovered from the kiss. "How about, and I know this might be difficult at first, but we don't hide from each other? You can be whoever you want to be around me Y/n. I'll never be disappointed with you". "But how can you know that?" you asked and Jeno shrugged "well I'm pretty enamoured with you so I can't imagine it's even possible...but you don't have to do it straight away. I'll prove you can feel safe around me" he said and you nodded "okay I'll try" and he smiled. That was more than good enough for him.

Halloween was cemented as Jeno's favourite holiday ever after that night.

The next part is the last one!

[kalsiferdraws]

The Deadlights: The Concert

Stan started this band as a way to, as one does, express his feelings for someone else. Someone close to him. Someone who was so blind and oblivious that here he was standing in the front section of the concert crowd, with some girl Stan's never seen before. And she's wrapped around him like they're together? Is Bill... with her?

Stan feels his stomach tighten. His hands are shaking as a rush of crushing realization hits him. He doesn't even realize when he hits the ground from his knees giving out. They aren't on the stage performing, thank whatever entity was smart enough to stop them. But that didn't stop everyone back stage from gathering around him.

"Will you give him some space?" Stan knew that voice. He looked up, seeing Richie. Richie had joined as the bassist, and after a lot of convincing the back up dancer. He was always the "fun" of the concerts, dancing and causing mischief as he played, a large smile on his face the whole time. But right now, that smile wasn't anywhere to be seen. His eyebrows were pinched together as he was pushing people away from Stan. His large hands were practically shoving stage production away with little effort.

A hand touched Stan's shoulder, drawing his attention to another man. "Stanley, you ok?" Mike asked, his voice way more gentle than what Richies just was. Mike joined as the piano player at first but eventually took up drums as their music taste adjusted. Stan looked into Mike's coffee coloured eyes, trying to find an answer. He was confused, lost. He looked to the ground, the corner of his eye catching Richie leaning with the other two.

"Want me to go say something?" He heard Richie ask. Stan let out a shakey breath. He slowly looked to Richie. He didn't see that anger anymore, just... an understanding. Of course Richie would understand, out of everyone, of course. He had seen this same pain on Richie's face every time they saw Eddie Kaspbrak talking to a girl. No matter what Stan, Beverly, anyone told Richie, that pain was always there.

Stan shook his head, clenching the green flannel that hung off his shoulders. It was funny earlier when Stan put it on. How small it looked on him if he wore it normally, making him look like all his clothes shrank or something. He always had something of Bill's on him when he performed. Shirts that he had modified, socks when he couldn't find a pair of his own. But this flannel, was new to the concert scene.

Bill had left it over during a sleepover. And Stan was going to return it, honest, but he needed something for the concert. It fit so well with his black halter top, jeans and green, black shoes. It was like Bill had chosen the outfit himself. Of course the fishnet under the jeans were Stan's idea, but he couldn't take all the credit, truly.

He had draped it down, looking at himself in the mirror, moving and checking poses as he did. He put his hands on his hips, practically beaming with excitement as he felt "perfect". Even Bev and Eddie praised the outfit. Saying things like "awe you're so cute" and "the flannel completes it". It filled him with pride he only felt when he did these concerts.

At least, that was before all this started. Before his world came crashing down. He was so torn. Angry cause how dare Bill be so touchy with that girl, that none of them ever heard of. Confused, cause he made his feelings obvious, right?And... embarrassed.

Richie and Mike exchanged a look, and before either of them said a word, even a letter, Stan grabbed their hands. All three stood and Stan looked back out to the crowd. His chest had a pain that he could only describe as if someone was squeezing you too tightly. Suffocating. He closed his eyes, taking a large breath. "I need the set list," he stated, his voice threatening to crack. "We're making some changes tonight."

[peteparkersbug]

A Drunk Man’s Actions Are A Sober Man’s Thoughts (Loki x F!Reader)

Hey guys! I hope you’ll enjoy this short Loki fic!

For Context: This takes place sometime before Thor 1, so that’s why I referred to Loki as an Odinson, not Laufeyson. 

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: alcohol consumption

It felt like there was always a celebration going on in Asgard. Whether it was a resolution of a fight between Sif and Loki, or maybe Thor and his friends had won a battle against some foes. No matter the day, someone was celebrating something. 

Today's occasion? The 500th wedding anniversary between Odin and his gorgeous wife, Frigga. They had invited all of Asgard to the palace for a grand feast and a night of drinking plus dancing. 

You were very much looking forward to the event; it gave you a chance to dress up and forget about any and all problems in your life. Besides, seeing the youngest Odinson dress up was always a treat. 

You and Sif were currently in her chambers, picking out outfits from the vast selection of fine Asgardian fabrics that Frigga had brought you two. 

"What about this one?" Sif asked, stepping out of the bathroom to reveal herself in a royal purple gown. 

You smiled brightly, nodding your head rapidly, "that's it! That's definitely the one!"

She returned the smile and pulled her hair out of it's signature pony tail, sitting down on the bed, "okay (Y/N), it's your turn. Pick a gown," she declared, gesturing to all the options. 

They all looked so beautiful and were to your liking, but a certain forest green one caught your eye; it had the perfect amount of lace, it was flowy, and it was cut at the perfect length. 

Lady Sif smirked at the colour choice and watched as you entered the bathroom, closing the door to have some privacy while you changed. When you came out, she had no words; your beauty literally made her speechless. 

"(Y/N)...." she trailed off, making you freeze. Was it bad? 

"It's perfect for you! You're definitely gonna catch the eye of a certain someone-" she cut off her sentence with a squeal as you slapped her shoulder, claiming you had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. 

The two of you finished getting ready and made your way to the dining hall, taking the seats you sat in everyday. Eventually, everyone was gathered at the table, both Odin and Frigga giving excellent greetings and speeches towards each other; Frigga's was so moving it brought a few people to tears. 

Throughout the boisterous and eventful dinner, you kept taking glances over at Loki, who was seated next to his mother with his brother next to his father. What you failed to notice is that Loki knew you were watching him; he always seemed to look over at you when you were already looking away, a blush on your cheeks as you talked to Sif. 

He smirked slightly and took another swig of his chalice. He had no idea what was in it, but what he did know is that he wanted another. And maybe another...

When everyone had had their fill of the delicious meal, it was time for the after party; the chance for everyone to sing and dance and drink the night away. You enjoyed dancing, but Sif wasn't much of a dancer, so the two of you hung out by the corner, drinking your drinks while chatting quietly. 

Loki watched you from across the room, blindly accepting another drink from his older brother, who had a mischievous smirk displayed. The youngest didn't have a clue as to why, but he also didn't really care; Thor was a strange man in his opinion. 

Normally Loki would just watch you from afar, but something about tonight felt different. With a new carefree attitude, he sauntered over to you, chuckling quietly when he saw your panicked expression and your rapid whispers to Sif. When he got to you, Sif quickly excused herself, sending a knowing look to Loki; one that said 'show her a good time but watch yourself.' 

He nodded at her, his way of silently thanking her. 

"It's good to see you, my dear. I was waiting for our paths to cross tonight," he declared, making you cough on your drink. 

My dear? That was new. You took a good look at his face, noticing the way his pupils were dilated, the harsh blush on his cheeks, and the goofy smile on his lips. You also took notice of the way his body swayed slightly; almost as if he couldn't keep his balance.

"Loki..." you trailed off, "....are you drunk?" you asked, making him burst into laughter. 

"Oh (Y/N), my love. My darling, my goddess.....that's actually a good question. Am I? Who knows!" he exclaimed, loud laughter escaping him. 

You tried to hold back any comments; it was very strange seeing Loki so loose and carefree at a party. Suddenly, a slow and melodic song came on, the youngest Odinson recognizing it immediately as his parent's wedding song. 

He turned back to face you, holding his hand out, "well then, shall we, my queen?" he asked, ignoring the way your cheeks exploded into redness. 

You couldn't say anything; you were so star struck, so you simply nodded, placing your shaking hand in his. He eagerly yet softly led you to the dance floor, ignoring the shocked looks from the other guests and the smug looks on Thor and Sif. 

With some trouble due to Loki's intoxicated state, the two of you managed to waltz around like everyone else, genuinely having a nice time. The only rough patch was when Loki stumbled over his own feet, making you bump into Frigga and Odin. With a quick and quiet apology, the two of you continued your dance. 

When the song changed to something more slow, you settled for swaying back and forth in his arms. 

"(Y/N) my love, did I ever tell you how absolutely ravishing you look in that gown?" he asked, mumbling into your ear. 

You tensed as he continued, "truly the most beautiful woman in all of Asgard and the Nine Realms."

You couldn't help yourself, you blushed a deep red. However, you knew you had to put a stop to it, "Loki, you can't say stuff like that..." 

He grabbed your chin, making you look up into his stunning eyes, "and why not, darling?" 

You forced yourself to look anywhere but him as you said, "you're drunk. By tomorrow, you're not going to remember or mean any of this," a quick breath escaped your lips when you finished. 

As you gained the courage to finally look back at him, you saw that he looked....hurt; almost betrayed.

"(Y/N), do you really think that?" he asked nervously, his tone completely serious. 

With some hesitation you nodded, prompting him to stop swaying the two of you. He shook his head, cupping both your cheeks and stroking them with his thumbs. 

"Well..." he began, a nervous yet excited glint in his eyes, "as they say on Migard: a drunken man's actions are a sober man's thoughts." 

You were about to ask him what he meant by that, but you couldn't speak as you suddenly felt a pair of lips on yours. Your eyes widened as you realized Loki Odinson, the prince of Asgard, was kissing you. It didn't take you long to kiss back, the two of you pouring your frustrations and affection into it. 

When you pulled away, the two of you were breathless, panting slightly. You shared a smile and leaned back in, your lips meeting again. You didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but you decided that living in this moment for right now was perfectly fine with you.

[thelanguishing]

when we meet again (mouthpiece x velma)

a/n: as requested by @mp198651-blog, i managed to write a piece on what i thought mouthpiece and velma’s meeting might look like a few years down the road. i wasn’t planning on churning it out so quickly, but i just got rejected from one of my dream schools so i decided writing might help as a distraction. spoiler alert: it didn’t. still disappointed. anyway, this one is a lot longer than my first one, but i hope that you don’t mind too much! i really wld recommend reading my previous one first (it’s called the aftermath) to give more context as to the significance of some of their dialogue when they meet. please enjoy!

word count: 2477 

——————————

Somewhere along the Upper West Side, Mouthpiece finishes organising the comic books along his little stand. Heaving a sigh of relief, he stands back, inspecting his work. Why, he’s getting better and better at this! The newest editions of Superman lie proudly front and centre, and you can barely notice the little tears in the more worn copies at the back. The colour of the magazine covers lie in a perfect gradient of red to black. His boss should be so proud of his up-and-coming apprentice. In no time at all, Mouthpiece would be more than ready to open and close the store on his own. 

As customers stream in and out throughout the day, Mouthpiece helps his boss tend to their products, tirelessly rearranging and taking in the new stock. His skinny, kindly middle aged employer walks up to him and pats his back proudly. 

“Boy, you takin’ good care of the shop, ain’t ya! Ya doing me real proud here.” His jovial warble reverberates around the little store, words of praise bouncing off the walls into Mouthpiece’s ears. Mouthpiece turns slightly red at the generous praise. Compliments from anyone at all were so rare, he nearly didn’t remember the last time someone paid him one.

Oh, wait. It was probably her. 

It’s a rather quiet time of day, so Mouthpiece deposits himself on a little stool behind the cashier, deeply lost in his own thoughts. How long had it been since he saw his beautiful girl? 

Ah, his mistake. She wasn’t his anymore. He thinks back to the day of the Dog Days Dance, nearly four summers ago by now. 

They were in her bedroom, after she’d let him in through her fire escape. It was their tradition to let one another do the final touch ups on their outfits before going out. His well worn signature cap in hand, Mouthpiece extended it to her after plopping himself on her duvet, looking at her expectantly. She adjusted it deftly onto his head, placing a little kiss on his cheek after she was satisfied. In return, he’d helped her put on her necklace, careful not to catch her hair in it. He remembered how excited she had been that night. 

“I’ll get to dance all night with the best dancer in alla New York tonight! I won’t let you go even for a single minute. And, my, don’t you look handsome.” She declared, voice lilting the way it always did when she felt pride. Mouthpiece grinned cheekily, pulling her close. 

“Of course we’ll dance all night. Just you and me, Vel.” He promised, even going so far as to link their pinkies together. Velma loved it when they got to do cheesy, childish things like this. It made her feel as if the boy underneath wasn’t completely lost to the anger of his world. He remembered how pleased he’d been by her offhanded, but genuine compliment, as they remained entwined in each other’s embrace as they made their way to the school gym. 

Refocusing on the cash register, Mouthpiece forces himself to count the spare change, making a mental reminder to go get more dollar bills for the till. But as he attempts to apply himself to his work, he finds Velma clouding his thoughts. It isn’t uncommon, per se. It’s the little things, like seeing a blue dress in Gimbels or red roses from the florist he used to frequent. There are bits of her in everything. Even the way the sun would so brightly shine through an overcast afternoon. I hope Vel’s doing alright now, wherever she is. 

The same day, Velma poises herself in a seat opposite her mother at the dining table, hands perfectly folded while she waits for her mother to speak. Hands together, shoulders back, chin up. She has done everything to work on her posture at the table, just like her mother demands. As her mother gestures to the food, Velma daintily picks up the soup spoon and begins eating. Her other hand is casually but constantly resting on her napkin, ready to wipe her mouth should the soup stain her face. It is an effort to consistently remind herself of etiquette, but she will practise diligently until it comes to her as naturally as it does to her mother. The perfect Upper East Side wife. 

“Velma, you have been doing wonderfully with all our etiquette practice. I arranged for you to meet the son of your father’s business partner. The boy’s name is Thomas. He’s very handsome, and you’ll make a good wife for him. If all is well, we can have you two married within the year. Go shopping sometime today, please, and get yourself a good dress to meet him in a few days.” Her mother issued her instructions before excusing herself to her room. 

Velma isn’t surprised by the idea. No, she’s always known she would have to marry the heir of some business. The younger, more naive girl in her might have tried to oppose that, wishing to marry for love instead. But over the past few years, she’d learnt what stability and comfort could do for you. If you married well, there wouldn’t be a day in your life where you worried about rent or food. You could go to as many dances as you wanted. You’d probably end up organising some of your own. You might not be blissful, but you sure as hell wouldn’t be destitute. 

Oh wait, ladies don’t use the word hell. 

But that name. Of all the Johns, Davids, and Jameses, why did he have to share the same name as the boy from her past? The only boy, really, who she could truly count as a part of her history? 

Velma indulges herself and leans back on the dining room chair. She thinks back to the last Thomas she’s known, the last Thomas she’s ever loved. She is always cool and collected, and the way she filters her thoughts is no different. Mouthpiece is a part of her life that no longer fits, and therefore she tries to sieve him away from memory. But she admits that he slips through the gaps a lot. It’s the little things, like watching a passerby adjust his cap or the Batman comics she sees in the shops near her house. There are bits of him in everything. Even the way the sun would so brightly shine through an overcast afternoon. I hope Mouthpiece is doing alright now, wherever he is.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Velma grabs her purse and strides out of the house. The sooner she gets that dress, the better. Gimbels is still the biggest clothing department store near her, and so she heads that way. 

The Upper East Side and the Upper West Side aren’t all that far away from each other, in reality. But Velma oftentimes finds herself subconsciously steering away from the Upper West Side wherever possible, away from her old haunts with her old friends, and as far away as she can from Doc’s. She tells herself that it is because of all the reconstruction, but her heart knows better. It is better to avoid the place and people who wounded you, lest something happens again. 

Walking through the outskirts of the Upper West Side streets, Velma already notices how much the area has changed over the few years. Shiny new apartment complexes rise from where old rubble once was. There is less dust and more delight. It’s almost unrecognisable. 

She soaks in the new Upper West Side, surveying the smaller shops surrounding Gimbels. A small diner. A pub. A comic book store. The establishments are unfamiliar, but not exactly everything is. She’s no stranger to the longing in her gut as her eyes fall on the comic book store. 

It’s just a comic book store. You don’t even like comics. 

But she remains fixated on that quiet little shop. There’s no point even trying to stop the floodgate of memories as she burns a hole in that shop with her eyes. She can suddenly hear Mouthpiece’s laugh; he is chuckling as he tries to show her his favourite characters from whatever comic he has on hand, and she playfully swats at him. She can smell the sweetness of their chocolate milkshake; they always used to share one whenever they went out for dates. She can feel his arms around her waist again; he was always pulling her impossibly close everywhere they went. Her chest tightens as she recalls how happy she was, how happy they both were. He always did have a way of making her feel like the only girl in the world. 

From inside the store, it is hard to make out clearly who that figure across the street is. Mouthpiece has long noticed that woman standing there on the road, just waiting to get knocked down by an oncoming car. He has half a mind to go across and tell her to step aside, unless she has a death wish. Watching for about half a minute more, he finally brushes himself off and opens the door of the shop. 

Dumb broad ain’t never heard of road safety before. 

Mouthpiece has every intention of calling, “Hey, miss! Ya wanna step aside or get railed down by the next car?” But the words die in his throat as he makes eye contact with the one girl plaguing his mind for the past three, nearly four years. She’s older, curvier, and taller, but the first thought that crosses his mind is that she’s still pretty. 

They awkwardly stare at each other for half a second before recognition fully sets in. Now on the cusp of adulthood, Mouthpiece looks a lot taller and stronger from their last meeting. His jaw is more defined, his cheekbones a little sharper. He looks like a man now. 

Settling for a wave, she finally inches tentatively towards him into the store. Their last meeting had been tearful and angry and messy, and looking at his grimace, Velma knows he’s recalling it vividly too. A bit of a bad place to pick up off, if she was being honest. 

Neither of them want to break the ice, but the suffocating tension in the shop doesn’t go unnoticed by Mouthpiece’s boss. He meaningfully clears his throat, gives Mouthpiece an encouraging look, and retreats to the back of the shop. 

At this, Velma finally asks, ‘This where you work now?’ 

Mouthpiece dumbly nods, for once at a total loss for words. What are you supposed to say to the only girl you’ve been thinking about for the past three years and counting when you finally meet her again? But even through the speechlessness, there is no apprehension or nervousness looking at her. His chest relaxes, his eyes soften, his back slouches just a little. It feels like he is looking at home. 

Looking at this lost visual of Mouthpiece, Velma grins. She doesn’t think he’s ever been this silent around anyone. It’s rather refreshing. 

Finally, he strings together a few words, enough to make him look less like a mute fool. 

‘It’s good to see you, Vel…ma. Ya look great.’ 

She picks up on the delayed addition of the final syllable in her name. It’s all Velma can do not to hold back a bittersweet smile. He never did forget what I said about people calling me Vel. 

She accepts the polite remark with a deferential nod of the head, but not before returning one of her own. 

‘You look good too, Mouthpiece.’ And she means it. He does look good. A lot healthier. Happier, too. His eyes are less clouded by hate and rage. There is an added element of contentment in his expressions now. 

Small talk emerges, and it is clear from the way Velma responds and reacts that she has not maintained contact with anyone on the Upper West Side. Not any of the Jets, not their girlfriends, not even Graziella. Mouthpiece provides her with careful updates about the Upper West Side girls. Grazi has a little boy who just turned three. It doesn’t take much for Velma to figure out that the boy is Riff’s. Rhonda got hitched, though Mouthpiece evasively avoids the name of the groom. Velma has a feeling she knows who it is, though.

In turn, Velma provides updates of her own. She has been going to school, practising her manners with her mother, and learning to cook. She mentions going to Gimbels to shop for a dress at the request of her mother, but leaves out the detail that it is for a meeting with a potential suitor. She has a feeling Mouthpiece knows what it’s for, too. 

As they get more comfortable, Velma perches herself on the armrest of a couch in the store. Their first meeting is not perfect, but she appreciates how they both try to put the other at ease. It is what she imagines meeting an old, distant friend is like. 

‘Velma? I wanted ta tell ya somethin’ else.’ Mouthpiece’s words cut through Velma’s musings, and she nods at him to continue. 

‘I never said sorry for what I did. I never told ya how sorry I was for what I did and didn’t do that night. So even though it’s late, I’m sorry, for how I treated ya and Grazi and Tessie, and I’m even sorrier to the Shark girl for what I’d did. I already apologised to her, if you’d wanna know. It don’t make things any better, saying sorry like that, but I knew I just gotta say it anyway. It’s worse if I don’t.’ 

Mouthpiece fears her reaction to his vulnerable confession. What if she thinks I’m being patronising? What if she cries all over again? What if she remembers how bad it really was and storms off? Time stops for him as he holds his breath, nervously anticipating a reaction as violent as the one he faced that last day they met. 

But the explosion never comes. Velma finally smiles that beautiful, bittersweet smile of hers, and takes a deep breath before formulating her response. 

‘I forgive you. And I forgive all the other Jets too. I didn’t get the brunt of the attack that day, but thank you for apologising to me anyway. It took me a long time, but I forgive you now.’ 

At that moment, Mouthpiece swears he feels tears spring to his eyes. The only girl he has ever loved, who once pushed him away from her bedroom window, now sits before him with forgiveness in her heart? He thought he’d never live to see this day. Trembling, he reaches out and grasps her hand gratefully. 

‘Thanks, Velma. Really. Thank you.’ 

Her smile grows into something more loving. 

‘It’s Vel.’

[cilldaracailin]

These Are The Days Of Our Lives

Hello my Tumblr lovelys!

It is here! A new Robyn and Taron story! Took a long time to get this one done, not gonna lie, slightly struggled at points but I am so glad to have another one ready for you all.

I hope you all enjoy.

Thank you so much as always for the love and support, likes and comments you have shown Robyn and Taron. I can’t believe it is nearly a year since I started this story as a way to keep me busy during the first lock down (We are on our third now..) and look at where it has ended up. It’s been amazing and I love these two so much.

Ok enough talking, welcome to the next story in the Robyn and Taron series.

Suze xx

*Here is the disclaimer. I don’t know Taron and this is all just fiction*

1

“Birthdays were made for going wild over the people we think are amazing.”

Robyn shook her head towards the air steward as he asked her if she would like anything to drink.

“No thanks.” She answered turning her attention back to her wordsearch in her hands, taking a glance out of the window, seeing nothing but willowy grey and white clouds. Her lips had been in a permanent grin since she reached the airport and she was beyond excited at her reason for flying back to London again. A certain thirty-one-year-old man who had a weekend of surprises planned for her, the Welshman keeping tight lipped when she tried to tease it out of him even bribing him with the promise of a full back massage.

“Robyn why on earth would I even take you up on that offer when I have a book full of massage vouchers to be used whenever I want?” Was his reply.

Robyn grunted at him over the phone, frowning as he chuckled her way.

“Chicken, you really don’t have patience when it comes to certain things, do you? It’s only two days and then all will be revealed. It’s your turn for a bunch of surprises and treats.”

Shaking her head as she recalled the conversation with him, Taron not giving into her, even when she threatened to never give him a head massage again.

“Do you even think you can hold yourself to that? You know that’s your favourite thing to do for me.”

Robyn had to admit defeat herself, knowing first that she would never not be able to give him a head massage and second that she would have to wait until see she saw him to know what he was up too and went along with the change in conversation as she asked him about his filming. She did try to get the plan from him as they came to the end of the phone call, easing it back into their laughter but Taron only chuckled at her again.

“You can wait Robyn.” He insisted.

She turned her phone over on the airplane tray top, grinning at the pop socket of his face which was still stuck on her back cover. Even with the slagging she had gotten from Emma, Robyn hadn’t been tempted to take it off. It was a little reminder of her wonderful weekend with him at his premier, the cushion he got her sitting beside cwtch in the corner of her couch, the lava lamp on her dressing table in her bedroom.

Turning her phone back over, she pressed play on her music app, smiling to herself as Taron’s voice filled her ears, the Rocketman soundtrack her chosen music choice for the short flight to London. For the first time since New Year’s Eve when she went to visit Taron in Aberystwyth, Robyn’s journey to the airport was a stress free one. She left work on time, drove to the airport and arrived with two hours to spare for strolling around the duty free, giving her lots of time to frown at the over-priced products. Once settled in window seat of the airplane, she had pulled out her phone and without a second thought, chose her most over used playlist to listen to; songs that reminded her of Taron or of him singing himself. She scrolled through her messages from Taron, his zipped smiley face emojis making her grin. She had tried to get him to talk about his plans for the weekend through text message too but his answer came back with the tight-lipped zipped emoji and all she knew was that he had something planned, so gave in asking him yesterday, realising she had to be patient and trust in Taron and his secretive birthday plans.

His skype call on her birthday was very early and from set in London and after he had sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to her twice, once in English and then again in Welsh, he had just told her to bring two nice outfits, one more fancy then the other for the weekend plans and left it at that. Robyn of course started to panic and had begged him for more information about the weekend but Taron had answered her with a ‘I have it all under control chicken.’ After another worried phone call explain to him what she was bringing to wear, Taron had told her that her two chosen outfits were perfect for what he had planned. Robyn still wasn’t convinced that her second outfit was good enough for his secret evening activity, concerned it was another red-carpeted event, so took a late-night shopping trip to the designer dress shop in the next town to pick up a brand-new special dress, even ringing Stella for advice as she stood in the dressing room. It was packed neatly in her suitcase ready to be worn with a pair of matching heels and she hoped it would be suited for his plans.

She happily sighed as she closed her eyes, listening to Tiny Dancer, the fingers of her left hand running over the healing bruises on the back of her right hand. It had taken the four weeks since she had last seen Taron for the worst of the bruising to fade and thankfully, even with the light blue and yellow discolouring on her skin, she had full use of her hand which she was so grateful for. It made the mundane tasks simple again and was glad that she could now blow dry her hair properly and wouldn’t have to worry about asking Taron to help her in and out of her dress, though she hadn’t really objected to his help out of the green one, or the lightest of touches he made with his fingers on the skin of her sides. Memories of dancing to her new favourite Elton song at Taron’s premier flashed through her mind and she grinned. Her thoughts then turned to the tabloids on the Monday, the showbiz pages of all the newspapers had their picture as the main focus of the articles about the premier and Robyn counted her lucky stars as the words underneath the picture were kind and lovely, the critics raving about Taron’s movie and their framed picture on her piano took pride of place in the middle of all of her other photos of her and Taron together. She half smiled as Take Me to the Pilot came on and skipped the song, moving on through the sound track.

She had absolutely no idea what Taron was up to for the weekend apart from the fact that he was working late that evening and he had told her to let herself into his flat in London which she was very much looking forward too, planning to snoop thoroughly through every inch of his place in the same way he had snooped through hers last year. Whatever he had up his sleeve, she was just happy to be seeing him again, glad he had the two days off from filming, giving him an emotional break from the demanding script, his first since he started back working. It would be another quick forty-eight hours but with Taron’s tight schedule, she was glad to get any time with him.

The flight was a quick forty minutes and having been through Heathrow airport four times in the last five months, Robyn could walk to the baggage carousel with her eyes closed. After a quick trip to the toilet, she pulled her case from the moving belt and wandered toward the arrival’s hall. She stopped for two minutes to text Taron, not expecting a text back as she knew he was working through his extremely busy daily schedule as he filmed with Matthew but wanted him to know she had arrived safe. Making her way out of arrivals with her suitcase, Taron had told her he had organised a driver for her to bring her to his flat and she smiled as she recognised the smartly dressed man waiting for her at the exit to the airport as she headed towards the pick-up area of arrivals.

“Miss Quinn!” Anthony grinned, laughing as Robyn rushed towards him with a light jog and gave him an unexpected hug. “So lovely to see you again.”

Robyn smiled back his way as they took a step apart. “You too Anthony and you know you can call me Robyn.”

“Of course Miss Quinn.” He nodded taking her case from her. “Going to Taron’s, right?”

“Please.”

Robyn went to open the car door but felt a hand on hers as Anthony shook his head her way. “Miss Quinn, you should know by now how this works.” Robyn stepped back and he opened the door for her, gesturing for her to get into the car.

“Thank you.” Once inside the car she let Anthony close the door and smiled to herself, taking her shoulder bag off and putting it to her left, her head turning in the same direction as she wanted to route through her bag for her phone to give Taron another text to say thanks for asking Anthony to pick her up when she noticed the very large bunch of flowers on the back seat beside her. She reached over to pick up the bunch of colourful flowers, different varieties in the bouquet, a card stuck in the very middle. “Taron…” She murmured to herself.

“I see you got his flowers.” Antony settled himself into the driver’s seat, seeing Robyn’s reflection in the rear-view mirror.

“I see Taron is up to his old surprise tricks.”

Anthony turned around in the seat to look at her. “Taron is not actually the person behind these flowers. I suggest you read the card Miss Quinn.”

Robyn stared at Anthony, trying to frown at him as he called her Miss Quinn again but he only gave her a small wink and started the car.

“We will at Taron’s within the hour Miss Quinn.”

As the car pulled away from the curb, Robyn took the card from the centre of the flowers and opened the small envelope.

‘My dear darling Robyn. Wishing you a very Happy Birthday. I look forward to another duet with you. We must organise another visit soon. I never did get to hear you play but would most definitely enjoy your company once again. Hope you get everything and more that you wish for on your special day. Love Elton and David.’

Robyn’s mouth dropped as she read the card once more, catching Anthony’s eye in the mirror. “Not from who you thought.”

“How did Elton know it was my birthday?”

“You do know that Taron and Elton are friends Miss Quinn?”

“You do know that Miss Quinn is my mother?” Robyn answered bringing the flowers to her face to smell their fragrance.

“I believe your mother is actually Mrs Quinn, Miss Quinn and Elton wanted to mark the occasion of your birthday with something.”

“You will have to thank him for me. These are beautiful.”

“I will do Miss Quinn.” Anthony chuckled as his passenger frowned at him. “Sit back and relax Robyn. We will be at Taron’s soon.”

Placing the flowers carefully beside her, Robyn got her phone from her bag and finally got to text Taron. Knowing he wouldn’t get the two messages until he had a break in filming, she popped her phone back in her bag and ran her right hand over the pink plastic wrap of her flowers. She had barely stepped out of the airport and already was met with a birthday surprise, starting to worry about what Taron had in store. He had been so secretive about it all and her mind drifted back to his birthday weekend in Aber. It had been a wonderful weekend getting to know his family, nice and simple with no plans at all, their sudden swim in the ocean the only unexpected surprise and with their relationship changing so much over the last few months, Robyn was a little nervous about what he had in store for her, especially as she became more open to his world in the public eye but she knew he wouldn’t do anything she would be uncomfortable with. Leaning her head back against the headrest, she couldn’t help but smile. Four weeks seemed like an age since she had a wonderfully tight squishy hug from Taron and she had a feeling her birthday hug from him was going to be a great one.

The drive to Taron’s apartment block was quick and as Anthony took her bag out of the boot of the car, Robyn waited patiently with her flowers.

“Are you sure you can manage Miss Quinn? I can help you carry this inside.”

“I can manage thank you Anthony and please call me Robyn.”

Anthony grinned at her. “Enjoy your evening Miss Quinn and I will see you and Taron tomorrow.”

“Oh so you call Taron Taron but you won’t call me Robyn?” She stood with her hands on her hips as he got back into the car, her flowers on top of her case.

“Good evening Miss Quinn!”

Robyn rolled her eyes as he closed the car door and drove off slowly leaving her alone outside the gates to the apartment complex. She picked up her flowers and wheeled her case over to the pillar with the keypad on it, pressing the code in which Taron had given her to open the gates. She waited for them to open enough so she could walk through and pulled her case behind her entering the grounds of the private apartments.

“Good evening Miss Quinn.” Ben the security guard, strolled out of his box and leaned against the door giving her a wave. “Happy birthday.”

She gave him a small wave, stopping as he hopped out of his security hut and strolled over to her. “Taron asked me to give you this.” He handed her a key. “Said you would need it to get in to his flat.”

Robyn took the key from him and pushed it into the right front pocket of her jeans. “Yes please. Thank you.”

“No problem. Have a good birthday.”

“Thank you Ben.” Robyn smiled his way and then kept walking towards Taron’s block, shaking her head as she walked. She knew she had to get the key for his flat from the security guard and it really shouldn’t have been a surprise to her that even the security guard knew it was her birthday weekend but it seemed Taron had told the whole world about his weekend with her. Pushing her way in through the doors, she reached the lift and once on Taron’s floor, headed to the end of the corridor to his apartment. She dug the key from her pocket and held it against the keypad, the door unlocking with ease. The apartment was dark in comparison to the light of the hallway but Robyn figured with his very early starts on set, Taron just got up and ran, not bothering to open curtains around his home. She dragged her case in, the bag falling over onto the ground as she fumbled along the wall for a light switch, not remembering quite where it was. She kept the door open with her left foot giving some light into his flat and eventually she found the light switch. Bight light flooded the open space of his living area and as she thought, it looked like he had left in a hurry. The grey fleece blanket she had given him was in a bundle on his couch, a cup on his coffee table. She pushed her case over with her foot and walking into his living area, placed the key and flowers on the coffee table beside his couch. Shrugging her light coat off, she threw it onto his couch too and walked into the dark kitchen, heading straight for where she thought the light switch was. She flicked it on and screamed as a loud shout and bang disrupted the silence of the apartment.

“Surprise!”

Robyn turned her on feet, her heart beating incredibly fast in her chest and tried to catch her breath as a flutter of colourful confetti fell over her head, Taron the other side of the island in the kitchen smiling her way, his hands in the air, a party hat on his head, a glittery rainbow banner over his right shoulder.

“Jesus Christ Taron!”

On seeing the shock in her face, Taron quickly walked around the island to stand in front of her. He knew he finished filming early on the Friday that Robyn was coming to London and he hadn’t told her so, wanting to surprise her for her birthday but he never meant to give her a fright and as he placed his hands on her shoulders, he gave them both a squeeze, watching as her eyes looked to him.

“Surprise.” He repeated again but a little quieter this time.

As Robyn placed her hands on his chest to steady herself, she was relieved to know it was Taron who had frightened her but she could have killed him for giving her a slight heart attack. She saw the concern in his eyes and tilted her head at him a little taking in the hat on his head and birthday banner over his shoulder, seeing his concern change into a grin as he took his hands from her shoulders. She caught his quick movements as he pulled something from his back pocket and she jumped a little as he pulled another confetti popper over the two of them.

“Happy Birthday!” He cried excitedly, chucking the now empty popper behind him and quickly pulling her body into his for a hug, her hands trapped between the two of them. “Happy birthday.” He repeated into her hair, smiling at the confetti scattered through her ponytail, rubbing her back in circles. “I think I scared you. Not my intention at all. It was meant to be a surprise.”

“Oh it was a surprise all right.” Robyn mumbled into his shoulder, breathing in his freshly showered scent, freeing her hands so she could give him a hug back. “Thought you were filming.”

“I was.” He gently kissed her head. “This morning.”

“You plan all this? To get the day off?”

“I wish I could say yes but nope just the way our schedule worked this week. We were actually supposed to be finished at eleven but we ran over. I had trouble with a scene.”

Robyn moved her head from his shoulder. “You ok?”

Taron nodded. “Some of the lines are just horrible and hard to react to. It is very difficult to stay in character at times.”

“Sounds like you need a squishy hug this time.”

Taron smiled a little sadly. “I definitely could have done with one earlier but I am ok now.”

“You sure?” Robyn asked as she reached up to take some confetti from his forehead.

“Yep.”

“I am going to give you one anyway.” Robyn said firmly as she pulled him close to her, one hand flat on his lower back, the other going to the back of his head, scratching his scalp deeply. “Apart from the difficult scene today, filming going well?” Robyn knew how hard Taron was finding the abusive script and was emotionally drained by it already and it was only a month into filming. He hadn’t given her the indebt details of the script but Robyn understood that the part of the son that Taron was playing was subjected to physical and emotional abuse within the script from his father. Over the last week the scenes required more specific details and Taron had to sit in make-up now, Stephanie, the same make-up artist from Kingsman, applying bruising effects to his skin just making the realism behind the movie much harder to take in.

“It is. We are on schedule which Matthew is delighted about and will be due to move to Belfast now in the next two weeks.” Taron nestled into Robyn’s neck. “You will come and visit me, right?” He asked in a whisper.

“Naturally and I will be bringing cookies with me.”

“Just for me though?”

Robyn moved her hand to the short hairs at the back of his neck, her fingers running in light circles on his skin, some confetti falling from the back of his head as she gave him a small massage. “Only for you.”

Their cuddle was close and tight and Robyn kissed his neck lightly, grinning as he lifted her off her feet a little.

“Happy Birthday Robyn.”

“Thanks Taron.”

He carefully let her go, Robyn finally getting a chance to look at him. A tiredness was evident on his face but it wasn’t from lack of sleep but more so an emotional fatigue and his eyes looked laden with worry even though his mood had been bright and cheery when he surprised her. The short-cropped hair was the same cut, if not a little shorter, as when he came to see her in April and the tight shave around his ears and back of his head was waiting to be scratched with her fingers. Not even hesitating, Robyn brought her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks very lightly, her hands moving to his head, taking the birthday hat from his head and letting it hang off her elbow. She returned her hands to his head and let her nails graze his scalp as she went. As expected, his head fell towards his chest and she was very happy to continue her little treat for him.

“Jesus Robyn.” Taron moaned as she knew exactly how to scratch his head, which spots to hit and how to literally make him melt on her hands. He felt her body move closer to his and his forehead rested on her shoulder as she deeply massaged his head, another grateful moan leaving his lips when she further increased the pressure she was using. A long happy breath left his body along with the stress he had felt that morning and he was amazed with how easy it was for this wonderful woman in front of him to know what he needed so quickly. He would have stayed with her hands in his hair all evening but this weekend was for Robyn and reluctantly he reached up to take her hands from his head, kissing each one as he lifted his face from her shoulder. “Thank you.” Her smile was perfect and as always, his heart skipped a beat with love for her.

“Any time.” It was quick two-minute massage and Robyn could see a slight light back in his eyes and she loved being able to give Taron that feeling of relief, even more so getting to give him a small massage and hear the appreciative sounds that came from him as she gave him a little bit of pleasure. His quiet moans made her shiver and her body tingle in all the right places.

“These are actually for you.” Taron took the cone shaped birthday hat from her elbow and carefully placed it on her head and then slipped the rainbow birthday banner from his shoulder and over his head, onto her body, making sure it was sitting right. “You need to look the part.”

“And do I?” She jumped as he pulled another confetti popper from another pocket of his jeans, another cloud of coloured paper confetto falling over the two of them. “You need to stop doing that.”

“Last one, promise.” He grinned, fixing the hat so it sat a little straighter on her head. “And yes you do. Ready for all the birthday activities.”

As Taron fixed the hat on her head, her eyes glanced past him and to the island in his kitchen, only then noticing the mess on the marble countertop. “What on earth have you been up too? What are you making?”

Taron’s eyes opened wide and his mouth fell open. “Oh shit!” He stepped away from her and quickly dashed around the island to open the oven, Robyn following him, looking at the chaos of stuff on the island. Bowls, spilt flour, a weighing scales and food colouring littered the usual tidy kitchen unit. She watched him open the oven and saw a cloud of smoke puff out from the oven. She heard his curse loud and clear along with a second one and a clatter of something metal.

“Taron?” She walked over to him as he stood running his hands through his short hair and then down his face, a new aura frustration radiating from him, his whole body slightly hunched in exasperation. She came to stand beside him and saw what had caused his sudden change in mood. “Oh Taron. It’s not that bad.”

He turned to look her way. “Not that bad? Not that bad?” He repeated. “Robyn it’s black. It’s meant to be pink! It’s the last layer and I ruined it.”

She stepped a little closer to him, wrapping her right arm around his waist and she could feel the tension as he now stood straight, his body almost shaking in his growing irritation. “You baked?”

“If you call this disaster baked, then sure, I baked.” He groaned furiously. “I just wanted to do something nice for you. Make something for you and I even followed the recipe you wrote down. I figured I made the key lime pie for my mam; I could make the rainbow cake for you but of course I fucked it up.” He pushed the tin away from him in anger, cursing once more as the hot tin burned the tip of his index finger. He immediately brought his finger to his mouth, sucking on it to ease the slight heat he felt.

Robyn gave his side another tight squeeze, taking his hand from his mouth, running her own index finger over the tip of his slightly red one. “It is ok Taron.”

“No it’s fucking not.” He returned irritably pulling his hand from her roughly. “One thing I wanted to do for you, that I did myself, that’s not from a shop and I fucking ruined it.” In huff of frustration and annoyance, Taron stormed past Robyn and out of the kitchen and she heard the bedroom door slam loudly, leaving her completely bewildered standing in the kitchen alone.

Robyn stood still entirely perplexed by Taron’s sudden and complete change in his mood and pulled the slightly cooled baking tin towards her. She could understand his disappointment as she touched the burnt cake but couldn’t figure out why he was so infuriated. She turned to face the island, taking the three steps needed to cross over the kitchen floor. A mess was an understatement for what Taron had been up to as he baked. Her eyes roamed the table and sitting on the left corner was the memory book she had made him last year, the page for the rainbow cake open and lightly dusted with floury fingerprints. She walked over to the book and smiled sadly, his upset becoming more understandable. When he came to visit her, it must always have seemed to him like her life was perfect especially when he always got a good sleep and respite with her and he only wanted to return the favour to her, giving her the same love and affection that she always gave to him. From the outside it looked like her life was perfect but she had her own worries and troubles just as he had.

She turned the book over and flicked through a few pages, her smile growing as she looked at the photos she had stuck into his book. Such lovely memories filled her mind but her face became sad as she picked up the book to look at his bruised and hurt face in the photo of him kissing her cheek. It was the first photo they had taken together, their first kiss. Sometimes her dreams were still filled with images of Taron unconscious in the 7/11 and lately she woke up with a fright, her hands shaking. Now at the end of May it was only three months away since she had saved his life and she wasn’t surprised to be caught up in the horrible nightmares again. She ran her fingers over the photo of them. They had had so many more kisses and hugs and touches and moments since then and she felt her heart flutter as she thought about the closeness they had with other, how warm his body was, how wonderful it felt to be back in his arms.

“Robyn get a grip.” She said to herself, feeling her cheeks blush and that all too familiar heat on her skin that seemed to be gaining fire the more she thought about Taron, the more she was in his presence.

She turned the pages in the book and it warmed her heart to see how well he had looked after the leather journal but also how he had tried to make her something special for her birthday using one of the recipes she had wrote out for him. She could imagine how perfect he wanted this weekend to be for her and a burnt cake just pushed an already emotional charged and tired man over the edge.

She closed the book over, took off her birthday hat and banner, leaving them beside the sink and walked down the small hallway towards his bedroom and the closed door. She didn’t bother to knock but pushed down the handle and let the door roll open and took a single step into his room. It was dark inside, his curtains pulled and no lights on, the only brightness came from the open bedroom door but the body on the bed could only have been Taron’s. Laying on his stomach, his face was buried in the green dinosaur in his hands and he was so still, Robyn found it very hard to see in the dark the easy rise and fall of his back as he breathed.

“Taron?” She called quietly, a mumble coming back to her in reply. Walking over to the double bed, she climbed up beside him. “Taron?” He didn’t answer her this time and she moved closer to him, sliding down the pillows a little so her hip was in line with his head. Without even asking him she placed her right hand onto the crown of his head and very gently started to run her fingers in circles over his scalp.

He desperately wanted to be mad and stay mad but as Robyn lovingly scratched his head, he could feel his anger slipping away fast. He was so distraught with the disaster of a birthday cake he had been making for her and the fact that he had arrived home late had put him under pressure to make the cake and he was already feeling down after filming that morning and even though Robyn had tried to lift his mood when he burnt her cake, he just knew he had ruined the perfect birthday he had planned for her and stormed out of the kitchen, falling dramatically onto his bed, cuddling draiocht to his face, inhaling the light lingering scent of Robyn’s perfume on the blouse that the green dinosaur wore. He couldn’t even bring himself to his look at Robyn who naturally had followed him to his bedroom. He now felt ashamed of his actions and though it wasn’t her intention and he knew she meant well, feeling Robyn’s hand in his hair made him feel worse but so wonderful at the same time.

“When you are ready, I am here.”

Exhaling miserably, Taron turned his face to the left, his nose touching Robyn’s leg, she sat that close to him. He shuffled closer to her and as Robyn encouraged him up onto her lap, she cradled his head and with two hands started to massage his scalp again. He blinked away tears that had suddenly come to his eyes and moved his hands to rub them roughly, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes. A new tiredness filled his whole body and it was worse than feeling weary and drained and when he felt Robyn so carefully run her left hand up and down his waist comforting him, his whole body was filled with guilt. He knew in his heart, she wasn’t mad at him and with her soft hands on his body, he cuddled into her some more but he still felt extremely awful for his behaviour.

“I am sorry.” He spoke into her leg. “Fucking hell Robyn, I am so sorry.”

Robyn eased her fingertips into the shaved part of his hair and let her nails lightly scratch his head. “Nothing to be sorry for.” She assured him.

“On your birthday and everything.”

“My birthday was on Wednesday. Today is Friday. Not my birthday anymore.”

“Robyn…” Taron tilted his head back a little, Robyn’s hand moving with him so her hand was now on his forehead.

“You have nothing to apologise for Taron.” She smoothed his frown away. “And you haven’t ruined anything.”

“I think the words I used were fucking ruined it.”

Robyn applied a deeper pressure to his head. “You haven’t fucking ruined anything. I have only stepped in the door Taron.” Robyn ran a finger lightly down his nose, watching as his eyes closed. She did it again before her hand wandered back to his hair. “Matthew have anything to do with this?” She asked, her fingers running over his short hair, making sure to scratch deep over his ear.

Taron inwardly groaned as Robyn lovingly kneaded his head, once again taking care of him without question and he snuggled a little further into her warm body, craving her touch. “It was longer earlier in the week but for the movie and script, I had to cut it myself on camera.” He felt her hands stall momentarily before they picked up their pace again and if possible, the deep pressure on the side of his head felt even more pleasurable than before.

“You had to cut it on camera?”

Taron nodded into her lap. “It was in the script Robyn. I didn’t just cut my hair for the fun of it.” Robyn heard the change in his voice and went take his right hand which was tucked under his chin, giving it a very light squeeze.

The new touch to his hand was comforting and inside Taron was kicking himself for being short with her. “I mentally can’t go into it at the moment but within the script my father likes to grab and pull my characters hair, giving him something to hold as he rips into me. By my character cutting his hair, he prays it will ease up on the beatings.”

Robyn wrapped her two arms around him and hugged him tight against her, kissing his head. “I like your hair like this.” She whispered against his temple.

Taron slipped his arms around Robyn’s. “Can we just stay here for a little while?” He asked her very quietly.

“For as long as you want.”

Robyn moved her hands back to his head and starting above his right ear, gave every part of his head a deep rub, making sure she got a few nose strokes in too, finally feeling him relax against her after a good five minutes of silence. “Anything else you want to get off your chest?”

“Sorry I burnt your cake?”

Robyn gave his side a playful pinch. “Not what I meant and you know it.”

Taron sighed against her. “I am sorry for getting angry in the kitchen. I just want this weekend to be perfect for us and you are barely in the door and I found a way to just upset everything.”

“You have upset nothing. Like you said, I am only in the door and something is so obviously bothering you and the weekend doesn’t need to be perfect Taron.” She heard him mutter something. “Wanna repeat that for me?”

“It has to be perfect.”

“Taron…” Robyn placed her right hand under his chin, lifting it so he had to look at her. “It does not have to be perfect. I will take confetti in my hair, a burnt cake and a squishy hug over perfect any day. It is more than I have been given before and we could just sit and watch movie’s and I would be happy and I know you know this.”

“I know chicken.” Taron nestled back onto her lap. “Keith never celebrated your birthday?”

“He thought a six pack and a ready meal was perfect and then during our last year together, he was hooking up with that ex friend I told you about and came home with take out for one after a good few beers. You can guess where that went.”

Taron sat up quickly, his face in shock. “Robyn…”

“Not there you tosspot.” She felt him sit beside her, their shoulders and legs touching. “Not even close. He fell asleep on the couch after he had puked all over my rug. Such a lovely thoughtful gift which by the way was the only one I got from him.”

“Fucker.” Taron replied to her.

“Homemade cake and scary surprises trump any birthday Keith ever did for me Taron. So, while to you cake and confetti might not be perfect, to me it is. Just to be here is perfect and I know you have a lot of stuff planned, secret stuff Taron, so please don’t be fretting over a cake which by the way, you made from scratch and if only the pink layer got a little bit crispy, I am imagining there are six other layers and while we are on the subject of layers, anything you want to get off your chest? You seem to be carrying a load on your shoulders.”

“I never thought about the other layers.” Sighing, he moved a little so he could rest his cheek on her shoulder. “I am so sorry for the shitty mood. It’s been a hard week. I am so emotionally drained by the script and I knew it was going to be a tough shoot and Matthew and the cast have been great but still, it is heart breaking acting out the lines and reacting on set and for some reason, I can’t shake the day off when I come home. I was beyond frustrated today when I kept messing up and not because I couldn’t get the lines right but because I was so overwhelmed and overcome with emotions and just needed to collect myself before we could continue. We were due to finish early and we did but it was probably three hours later than planned but we never got the scene completed. Matthew insisted on letting us finish up early as planned, even though I wanted to try again. He practically pushed me out.” Once Taron started to speak, he found it hard to stop and felt a little better after his confession. “Like I said earlier, today was just horrible.”

“And then you put yourself under such pressure for me.”

Taron closed his eyes, reaching for Robyn’s right hand, being careful as he was not sure if it was still injured four weeks after she caught it in the gate at work. “You always do such wonderful things for me Robyn. I just wanted to make sure that this weekend was one full of lovely things for you to enjoy.”

Robyn slipped her right arm around his shoulders and guided him under her chin, Taron moving to lay on his side, a long sorrowful sigh filling his lungs, as he closed his eyes, his ear right over her heart. “We could stay like this for the whole weekend Taron and I would be more than happy. I don’t need big gestures.”

“Which is why I wanted to make your cake for you. It’s something so special for you, something you deserve and have every right to get. It’s your birthday and it should be celebrated.”

Robyn kissed Taron’s head. “Thank you and it is ok not to get your scenes perfect on the first try and I am only a phone call away when you need to get this stuff off your chest.” She kissed him again, her lips lingering on his warm skin. “A fresh head on Monday will make all the difference to how you feel and how you act out the script. Trust Matthew, even more so with this movie. It’s so awfully hard in comparison to Kingsman and when he tells you it’s ok to stop, then stop. It doesn’t take from your ability or skills but rather gives you the moments you need to process the emotions you feel so you don’t exhaust yourself and if you still have six layers, we can still make a rainbow birthday cake.” Robyn ran her the back of her fingers of her right hand very slowly and lovingly down his right cheek. “I never was partial to the colour pink anyway.” She felt the grin on his face under her hand. “Would you like me to help you with the rest of the cake?”

Taron nodded and then spoke. “Can I just have a few more minutes of a Robyn cuddle first? I can use my voucher.”

Robyn chuckled. “Since it’s my birthday and I get to do what I want and I want to cuddle you, this one is on the house.” Wrapping him up in a tight squeeze, Robyn closed her eyes, resting her cheek on his head. “You are doing a wonderful thing with this movie Taron. Please don’t doubt yourself and I am already having the best birthday I could ask for.”

[dat-town]

7 ways to fall in love | winwin

~ shyly, in a heartbeat

Sicheng joined your contemporary dance group recently but he was an incredible dancer straight from Wenzhou and his stage presence left many people from the audience in awe.

However, when you were assigned to be partners for a duo performance he was adorningly shy. You quickly learned that it was probably because he was mostly a solo or group performer in his previous groups but no matter how graceful and talented dancer he was, if he didn't dare to grip you hard enough it could have easily led to accidents involving you falling and you couldn't have had that. So you suggested staying later to go over your duo part in detail before actually learning it.

"So this is the part when I turn, like this, and since the angle is quite low as I lean backwards, you will have to hold my weight," you pointed to the screen when the dancers in the demo recording did that risky move.

Glancing at the boy, you immediately saw that he was concentrating very hard, pursing his lips cutely while he was doing so. You hadn't had the opportunity to get to know him better during the last few weeks since he had been with your group but you could already tell that he was a soft-spoken and very kind person. That's why you didn't hesitate to share your worries with him because you were sure that he would have understood and wouldn't have made fun of you. You had had all sorts of dance partners before, so obviously you experienced bad and good examples as well and it wouldn't have been so easy with everyone. But Sicheng seemed genuinely interested in making this performance the best for both your and the audience's sake.

"Okay, should we give it a go? On counting?" you suggested when you finished analysing the most difficult parts of the choreo. Sicheng agreed, lips pursed in concentration as you both stood up and got into position in front of the huge wall to wall mirror.

Your reflections looked a bit in contrast at first with him overtowering you in height and his monochrome clothes next to your usual colourful outfit. When you were both in first position, you found his eyes in the mirror, smiled encouragingly and then started counting the beats. Sicheng followed the choreo closely and perfectly and his hands on your waist were gentle when it was your time to turn but following that you had to lean backwards and the boy wasn't fast enough to shift his palm from your side to the small of your back to catch you in time, so you fell onto your butt.

"I'm so sorry," the dancer apologized fervently, offering his hand quickly to help you get up. You accepted the right hand and got to your feet.

"It's okay, I'm fine," you waved off his worries since there were numerous accidents like this during dancing, it wasn't necessarily just his fault. Learning how to stand up smiling after a fall was something dancers had to learn early on. "Maybe you could put your hands on my lower back to begin with, so we wouldn't miss the timing," you wondered out loud and you two tried out different approaches to that spin and lean combo until you perfected the movement. You were in awe how easily dancing went with him, it felt like you were on the same wavelength, feeling the rhythm all the same.

It didn't change later either, you two were really in sync during practices and you liked to bombard him with questions because as you realized he could become quite talkative next to the right people. At least, he seemed more and more comfortable around you as time went by. He told you why he joined this dance group, what his aspirations were, what he enjoyed the most in dancing and somewhere in-between these talks, you realized that you wanted to know even more about him because he was not only a very interesting person but also someone genuinely cute. He made you laugh effortlessly and he was always so caring, asking you about your problems when you seemed upset and surprised you with a chocolate on the day of the performance.

"Thanks," you smiled at him and you were touched that he remembered the tiny detail you had shared with him: on the big days you were usually unable to eat anything very solid, so you opted for thicker smoothies and melting chocolate cubes.

"Nervous?" Sicheng asked kindly, fixing his outfit while you tried hard not to touch and mess up your curly locks.

"A bit. But we practiced a lot, so I know we will do great," you let a smile paint your lips and it was meant to be reassuring to both you and him. You had trust in him and in the whole group, so there was nothing to be afraid of. But there was something that made you jittery before each performance every single time.

"Would you perhaps like to grab something to eat after? With me?" Sicheng asked out of the blue, visibly shy about his question, scratching the back of his neck before you would have walked onto the stage. The implication of his question awakened different kinds of butterflies in your stomach.

"Yeah, I would like to," you smiled at him bashfully and in fifteen minutes you were up on stage, acting out a tragic love story, hoping that yours wouldn't turn out like this while you were holding his hands as you bowed at the audience's cheering and clapping.

7 ways to fall in love masterlist

[perseusjackson-jasongrace]

Hello!!! How are you?

So I had this idea have you ever written or read a double date fanfiction of pipabeth and jercy? I really wanted to read one

and what's your all time favorite jercy and pipabeth fanfic?

You are my favourite blogger and I love this blog so much!!!

Okay this has legit taken me like a week to get to because life has just been the most hectic but even if I do say so myself I am obsessed with this fic and I really really really hope you like it.

Also you legally own my soul now because you said so many nice things it automatically ascended from my body and it's on its way to you😩🥺thank you my angel!!!!!

I have never done an active pipabeth x jercy double date thing but I think pipabeth is sometimes mentioned and/or featured briefly in my jercy fics or vice versa. The only one i can think of is my Bakery AU. My favourite pipabeth x jercy fic is Stranded by @punkpipabeth because everything about it is just *chefs kiss* and I love it endlessly. I cannot tell you the amount of times I've read that fic.

Masterlist

Okay here's my one, please enjoy:

Find definitions to ballet terms here;  ma raison d’être means ‘my reason for being’

"Alright everyone, let's start from the chassè."

"And," His teacher rolls, "Five, six, seven eight."

Percy Jackson pushes off from the bar and strolls to the middle of the room, amusement swimming in his eyes. Jason Grace winks before turning to the front and standing in position.

He pushes his foot forward bending over his leg and brushing the floor with his fingers.

"Good Piper," She calls, "And grand jetè and pas de chat and relevè, relevè. Pirouette."

The music fades as they all breathe heavily, a leg raised behind them and arms fanned over their heads in a V.

"Well done everyone, good class. I expect to see that perfected by Tuesday. But for now enjoy the weekend and rest easy."

The class breaks into chatter and excited bubbling as the weekend stretches out before them.

"Piper," Their teacher says, "Can I talk to you about the costume?"

Percy flops onto the floor, talking a large desperate sip from his bottle and tugging off his ballet shoes.

"Ugh," Jason groans, "I swear these elastics get tighter every time I wear these."

"Maybe if you stopped stretching them with your massive feet you wouldn't have these problems." He teases, green eyes dancing.

"Shut up. Not all of us can look like faerie princes."

"You think I'm a faerie prince?" Percy wiggles his eyebrows.

"Graceful and devious?" The blonde matches his expression, "Hell yes you're a faerie prince."

He blushes, brown skin heating under that electric gaze.

"Hey you two," Piper McLean crashes down next to them, pulling at the ribbons wrapped under her ankles.

"Sup Beauty Queen," He smiles, "You looked incredible out there."

"You really think so?" She shares a rare look of shyness.

"Definitely." Jason's gaze is full of pride.

"Well thank you. Who knew playing Cordelia would be so..."

"Challenging?"

"Inevitable." She sighs and there are possibilities flickering in her brown eyes.

They finish changing out of their sweaty ballet gear in content silence. Percy doesn't bother taking off his tights, just shoves a pair of grey sweats over them before threading his arms through a wind jacket and leaving it to fall open on his bare chest. The wind is cooling against his heated skin and he almost groans in relief.

"You guys want to grab burgers at the Banter Bar?" Jason looks between them.

"Yes!" He squeals, "Gods yes! Let's go." He grabs their hands and races out the studio doors and into the vibrant night air.

Piper laughs, "Let me at least tell Annabeth to meet us there before she thinks I ditched her with no warning."

"Good plan," He echoes her happiness, as he tugs them out the gates and down the road.

The neon lights from all the little diners and bars make their skin look effervescent and their eyes glow with the magic of youth. The wet ashpalt from the afternoon storm is neon with allure. Tonight it feels like the world is theirs to spin and whatever direction it goes they'd go flying with it. Tonight feels like the start of something wonderful. He breathes in the winter wind and his lungs gasp like it's the first time they've tasted life. Tonight feels limitless.

The three of them skip up to Banter Bar to see an amused Annabeth Chase already waiting outside, her skateboard tucked into her side.

"Hello babe," She crashes into her girlfriend and they squeeze each other.

"Hello ma raison d’être," Piper whispers, kissing her softly.

Soon enough they're all flopping into a booth, menus placed in front of them and smiles stretching their cheeks.

"How was class?" Annabeth wraps a hand over her girlfriend's shoulder and slouches into the leather.

"So good! Your darling is spectacular." Percy grins.

She squeezes her shoulder, "I can't wait to see the show."

"It's not only me that's wonderful," Piper looks to the boys across from her, "They're unbelievable. I think Madam Alima is still astounded that Jase can jump that high."

"Says she hasn't seen anyone do that in all her thirty years of teaching or her twenty years of dancing." Percy brags.

"Well everyone in class is in awe of this one’s grace. Cannot count the amount of times people have stopped to stare as he does his adage." Jason fires back, blue eyes sparking.

"Can't believe I'm friends with the most talented dancers in the school." Annabeth smiles at them, her pride shining bright on her face.

The waiter comes back then to take their drinks order and when they all get chocolate milkshakes laughter bubbles from them like brooks and breezes.

"Gods," Black curls bounce as he turns, "Doesn't it feel like you could do anything right now?"

The girls thread their fingers together and squeeze softly before looking at him.

"There's just something about tonight." Piper agrees.

"Everything is irrelevant but this: to embrace life. To feel it. To savor it. To love it. Marty Rubin." Jason whispers.

"Yes," Percy turns to the blonde. To that strong jaw, and scarred lip and cerulean gaze. "That's what it feels like."

His head falls to his friend's shoulder and he feels a little closer to home. Their milkshakes are set down before them, a glazed cherry gleaming on the mountain of cream. With a delicious smirk he licks off the sugary whipping and offers the cherry to Jason. A gleam enters the blonde’s expression as he leans forward, eye contact like concrete sin, and closes his lips around the bright red fruit.

Their boundaries had always been a little blurred. Had always been one trip away from more. But it was fun, exhilarating to tiptoe on this edge. See who fell in first. If they would catch each other. Drag one another down with wicked smiles and warm hands.

"Where are we going after this?" Piper pauses her slurping to ask.

"Wherever the cobblestones take us." He shrugs. It's the kind of night to dream about the future and pretend the present is nothing but an exciting mystery.

"Let's go to the Hovel?" Jason suggests, pushing away his empty cup.

"Oh gods," Annabeth groans, "I couldn't even walk the last time we went there."

"Whose fault is that?" Her girlfriend laughs, "You were the one that fed us more shots than we have fingers."

"I’m a sucker for two-for-one. Sue me." She grumbles, sticking her tongue out.

"I'm down. But first I have to get out of these clothes."

"Before all that you little gremlins," Grey eyes narrowed, "Eat. I know how you guys get. Once an idea is sitting in your brains nothing else matters."

"Alright mom," They laugh and wave the waiter over to order greasy, cheesy, stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink burgers.

Class always makes them hungrier than should be possible and they can devour just about anything in front of them. When the food arrives, they dig in immediately. Faces stuffed and giggles bursting between them.

Jason picks a fry from Percy's plate and he looks at him incredulously.

"You did not just steal a precious potato from me."

The blonde responds by reaching over and stealing more.

With a laugh from the girls and a gasp from him, the black-haired boy jumps at Jason and attempts to steal his fries. But his friend is quick and the fries are held up in his right hand, high in the air and faraway from him before he blinks.

He scrambles onto the blonde's lap, unaware of the sharp inhale it drags out.

"Give me your fries you thief." He bounces as he tries to reach them.

Jason's hand is warm on his hip, keeping him pinned down so he doesn't go toppling onto the floor, "Nope. You were too slow."

He whips his ocean eyes to look at his friend, shoving his face so close their noses brush, "I was too slow?"

The boy hums and Percy’s attention falls the vibration of that smooth throat.

"Maybe you should have used some of that grace everyone loves you for."

He huffs a laugh, "Maybe you shouldn't steal."

"Trust me you stole something first." Blue eyes flash.

"And what exactly is that?" He breathes, as their foreheads fall together.

Jason just smirks and pushes him off his lap.

Annabeth and Piper are wrapped up in each other, whispering softly into their skin. They all turn to one another and if you ever went back to ask the waiter what they saw that night they will swear the room changed colours for that brief moment.

Later when the group arrives at the club, donned in outfits made from glitter and sacrilege, they shove their way to the center of the dance floor and became one with the music. Hands and skin and magic weaves between them. Like the start of something dazzling. Like obsession.

Percy wraps a hand behind Jason's neck and pulls their bodies together, so nothing is between them but electricity and indulgence.

"If this night never ends I'll be happy." He screams over the music, hot breath and joy in his friend's ear.

"Wanna die here?"

He can feel Jason's smile on his cheek.

"In your arms?" His lips graze a golden neck, "Every time."

"Want to know what you stole from me?" They pull back slightly, so emeralds and aquamarines meet.

"What?"

The blonde grabs his hand and puts it on his chest. He feels the rapid beating under his palm and his fingers curl into the shirt.

"If I fall into hell," He pushes into his face, "Catch me will you?"

"Let's fall together?" That grin is ungodly in its beauty.

"Lets fly."

And then Percy Jackson kisses his best friend and finds home between their souls.

[sweetwritertanya]

Sing With You

Summary: You were a new solo artist that was climbing up in the music industry. At a charity concert, you end up being a guest artist alongside many others, including BTS. What happens when you run into Jungkook, who was also your biggest crush?

Warnings: FLUFF. This is the tamest fluff I have writing in a while.

REQUESTED: yes! My first request :)

Word Count: 1723

It was a cold morning as you snuggled even more into your soft fluffy sweater, the hood covering your hair and almost falling above your eyes, shielding you from the wind blowing. You loved your job, you truly did, but on days like this, when you had arrived from the airport mere hours ago, feeling tired and grumpy, but still had to go and make the arrangements and sound check for the concert you had tonight, you envied the people who worked normal hours.

Sighing, seeing your hot breath fog in front of your face, you tried to think of your fans in order to keep going. They were anticipating your performance tonight, and they were the reason you could make music your career, something you never dreamed of. You could not disappoint them.

Being discovered by an agency when you were already in your twenty’s and asked to sign with them was a miracle on itself. Having people listen to your music and actually gather a loyal following was simply a God-sent present you still had trouble believing in.

Today was not about you, though. You had been asked to be part of a huge line up of famous artist to a charity concert in Seoul of which the profits would go straight into cancer research and mostly to help children baring such an awful sickness. The fact that they even thought of inviting you was flattering, for you knew you were still barely recognizable in the industry. You had only debuted a few months ago and were still trying to raise a name for yourself as a solo artist in the industry.

Following your manager and security backstage through the halls, you asked where the toilets were and they pointed down a hall to your right. You told them you would be right back and bolted ahead, not realizing as you turned the corner that someone was coming down the hallway your way.

You ended up bumping into the tall person’s chest, yelping slightly at the contact, before starting to mumble apologies.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t seeing where I was going. I’m so very sorry…” You words got caught up in your throat as you raised your eyes to see who you ran into.

Baggy black pants, with a dark grey hooded jacket and a white sweater underneath, he had a mask covering the bottom half of his face and a cap on top of his head. Basically, only his eyes were visible to you. But it was more than enough. You would recognize his eyes anywhere.

“S-Sorry” you said one last time, running past him before he could see the blush creeping to your cheeks.

You entered the toilet and locked yourself in a stool, breathing heavily as you took your hands to your warm cheeks. It was Jungkook. You had just bumped into freaking Jeon Jungkook. You have had a thing for him since you first found out about BTS, something about him just catching your eye immediately. It was really frustrating, actually, the way that any other male you ever came in contact with seemed to pale when you thought of the popular boy, this stupid one-sided crush being the reason your love life was going nowhere.

And now you had just smashed into him. You could still smell his alluring scent from the proximity you two had. It was then you shrieked, as you realized you were wearing no make-up and had the most unflattering outfit on your body. Whining, you sat down on the stool, wondering why you had to run into him looking like this instead of later, when you would be all dolled up and with gorgeous make up for your performance.

Sulking about it wouldn’t change anything, the damage was done, and so you just went about your business as normal and met your manager who guided you to your dressing room.

While you were on stage, amazed at how big the venue was, certainly the biggest stage you had performed on to date, your song started to play and you smiled. It still gave you chills to listen it coming out of the speakers as you held the microphone tightly in your hands.

You didn’t have to sing to the outmost perfection while doing a sound check, they just had to make sure the track was playing at the correct speed and volume and that your voice was heard clearly. But you couldn’t help it, you loved singing so much.

You closed your eyes and the song took over you, not only by the strong vocals you worked so hard to perfect, but also your body, making you sway your hips to the beat, swirl around the space, dancing around even though you were definitely not a dancer. A smile would never leave your face when you were like this.

As the song ended, you looked at the sides of the stage searching for your manager, who was smiling back at you giving you a thumbs up, indicating everything was okay. However, it was not at her that you were looking, but rather at the seven boys getting ready behind her, one of which seemed to be incredibly focused on you.

As soon as Jungkook noticed you were staring back at him, he shifted his gaze and turned away from you, missing how red your cheeks turned at the thought of him seeing you sing.

Later that night, you had your beautiful sparkling dark blue dress on, makeup bringing out your most attractive features, styled hair framing your cute face. You were at the side of the stage, getting your mike pack on, taking deep breaths as you felt the familiar nerves coming up. You still felt a bit nauseous at the thought of performing in front of many people, and the nerves only ever went away when you started singing.

Playing with your fingers, you were anxiously looking around awaiting your turn to go up on stage. That is when you saw them, seven boys also getting their mikes ready, all elegantly dressed in dark suits, all slightly different from each other but still cohesive. Once again, your eyes met big dark brown ones that shied away when you noticed them.

You were about to walk away, feeling like you were imposing on their space a bit and also to try and calm your already pounding heart, when one of the boys seemed to push Jungkook just hard enough for him to land right in front of you as you were passing by.

Gasping in surprise at the sudden man in front of you, you watched the vicious look he threw back at whoever pushed him before settling his gaze on you. He blinked a few times, pursing his lips as his skin gained a bit more colour around his cheeks, much to your delight.

“Hum… H-Hi” he greeted, sounding unsure. You tried to remember how to breathe in order to answer him.

“Hello” you said back, fighting back your own blush. You couldn’t believe you were actually talking to him.

“I like your voice” he blurted out with nervousness, eyes shifting between you own and just above them, not being able to keep them still.

That was the best compliment any one could really give you and you were astonished it was coming from Jungkook, the boy who had a voice you could listen to for the rest of your days. You couldn’t help but smile brightly at that.

“Thank you. I like your voice too, Jungkook” you shared, watching him shuffling his feet beneath him as his hand came up to scratch his neck, flushed skin growing darker.

“You know me?” he asked shyly. You chuckled at that.

“Of course I know you. I’m a big fan” you confessed, biting your bottom lip as you felt timid about it. Surely it wouldn’t come as a surprise, many people were fan of the group. It just so happened that you were a fan of him in particular, beside the group itself.

“Me too!” he gasped, but shook his head when he figured his words didn’t make much sense. “I-I mean… I’m your fan too. You have lovely songs.”

You gaped at that.

“You know my songs?” the thought seemed absurd to you, but when he nodded eagerly you felt like flying.

“I… I would like to sing with you” he proposed, eyes settling on your incredulous wide ones. There was no way he was just asking what you thought he was asking. “Can we meet? T-To talk about it, i-if you want to!”

He was stuttering on his words, as if he was actually afraid you would deny him. The only reason it was taking so long for you to respond was because you were in a state of absolute incredibility, certain that this was some kind of dream. Your breath was caught on your throat, your heartbeat deafening you with how loud it got. It was when his face muscles winced slightly, thinking you were refusing him, that you snapped back to reality.

“Yes!” you jumped, startling him in doing so. You then broke into a shy grin, eyes glistening with joy. “I would love to sing with you.”

“Y/N, you’re up in a minute!” your manager called.

“I need to go, I’m up next. Do you have your phone?” you asked. He wrestled with the pocket of his jacket and took it out, unlocking it for you. With shaking fingers, you pressed your number on his phone and gave it back to him. “Here’s my number, call when you want to meet up about it, okay?”

Again he nodded, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he was, once again, avoiding your gaze.

You wished him luck on his performance and bid him goodbye, rushing to your place on the side of the stage where you would be coming out from. Your heart was hammering against your ribs, legs were shaking underneath you and breath was coming out in shaking pants, but you had the happiest smile you ever had on your lips.

That performance was one of your best performances ever, shadowed maybe by the show where you and Jungkook ended up singing together at, many months later. But that… that was another story.

[the-fiction-witch]

Little Angel P1

REAL LIFE: X 30′S COUPLE: TBS X READER (SHOWGIRL) RATING: SWEET + MILD FLIRT

I sighed listening to the stupid act on stage at the moment leaning on the light I was in charge off almost falling asleep

"Hey! Thomas stop leaning on the light!" Mark yelled as he got back

"Sorry Mark," I told him quickly moving away

"Go on get back," He said just as the act on stage cleared out and the curtains dropped

"Come on Mark" I complain "Can't I stay and see her?"

"Alright, but shut up and get down, you'll get me in trouble you horny dick" he laughs

"I'm not horny" I complain sitting on one of the closed gel boxes

"Ohh come on we both know why Tommy wants a look at the little angel" He smirked "So you ain't got to use your imagination tonight" He winked

"Ohh shut up mark" I sighed

"Now Ladies and Gentlemen, Our Main Show. Please welcome to the stage..." The announcement began "The Newest London Sensation, The Heavenly Harmonious Girl, The Little Angel Herself Y/n Y/l/N"

The crowd downstairs roared with cheers and applause as the curtain went up revealing dancers with there fans and skimpy Red Outfits, and I the centre stood to hold the mic in her beautiful white dress, she looked like a goddess or a Beautiful Bride I couldn't stop watching her as she sang and danced her song until she was done and the crowd gave her a standing obviation applauding and whistling as the curtain dropped again and people began to filter out and mark began shutting off the light

"Talk to her," He says

"what?" I asked

"Talk to her thomas" He laughs "you work for the same place, you see each other almost every night, Talk to the girl"

"she doesn't see me, I see her every night she doesn't know I exist" I explain "she's the star! And I'm a stage cleaner"

"Well... maybe if you spoke to her instead of staying up in the balcony like a creepy perv" he laughs "you might actually have a shot with something other than your hand" "You really think so?" I asked "Why not" he shrugged "Thanks, mark, anyways I need to get to work that stage isn't gonna sweep itself" I smiled jumping off the box "It did you'd be out of a job" he laughs "No, if they stopped putting the girls in outfits made of glitter I'd be out a job, seriously I must sweep up one girl's bra worth of glitter every night" I laughed "Get going before I tell Mr damaclease you've been up here all night," he says "Alright I'm going I'm going," I said rushing down the dangerous backstage jumping cables and low hanging frames till I got my broom from the cupboard and went to start sweeping "It's outrageous! You can't do that!" A familiar voice yelled seconds later a door opened it was y/n in a silky lacey robe with her tight lingerie underneath it "hey! Can I borrow you?" She says "Who me?" I asked "Yeah just a sec Hun," she says "Sure" I smiled letting her drag me in her changing room, the little lights on the mirror and her costumes and make up all over the place and the owner of the theatre Mr damaclease stood smoking his cigar "Its outrageous sir, the low wage your paying is getting impossible to live on" I explain "Ohh come on angel" he smirked "No! I'm serious! I'm only just getting enough to live on and I know this uh... What are you, hun?" "Ohh stage cleaner" I blushed "I'm sure this stage cleaner will agree with me," she says hugging my arm "how much are you paid, Hun?" "Ohh I don't wanna get involved" I blushed "See he's fine your worry over nothing you crazy dame" he laughs "Well.. you do only give me a few pounds a shift," I said "What! That's insane! How do you survive?" "I have a day job, and I only eat every two days" I explain "Ohh you poor thing, you see you can't pay people such a low amount," she says "either you raise people's wage or I won't sing anymore" "I'll think about it" he sighed before he left "Thanks" she smiled "It's ok, I agree with you... And you definitely should be paid more, your Amazing" I told her "Awww your sweet" she smiled giving my cheek a kiss "sorry I should let you get back to work" she smiled

"It's okay, Anytime" I smiled rushing off back to work I blushing the whole time till I got home from where she kissed me, I didn't eat tonight I didn't feel like it so I went straight to sleep dreaming of her kisses...

I sighed doing my sweeping Inbetween acts as I couldn't manage to sneak away to the balcony tonight "Hey, how's the sweeping?" A little voice asked as I got back to the side and I saw it was y/n "Ohh hey Uhhh good" I blushed "About the other night, thank you were a big help" she smiled "It's okay, I was happy to help" I smiled "I never got your name" she smiled "Ohhh! Thomas," I blushed fixing my hair "I wanted to ask if you were busy tonight Thomas?" She asked "Uhhh no why" I blushed unable to contain my excitement "Well as a thank you for the other night as well as... It worried me what you said, how much you guys are struggling so I got Mr cheap stake to put you boys pay up, and I want to take you to dinner, someplace fancy, I'll pay" she smiled "J-just the two of us?" I stuttered "Yeah, just me and you" she smiled "Uhhhhhhhhh sure, I'll meet you once I'm all done," I told her "Great" she smiled as the announcer began and the girls took there position's "oohh that's me, wish me luck" she smiled "Of course" I smiled giving her hand a kiss as she headed into the stage and she blew me a kiss as she took her mic just before the curtains lifted for her to do her show.

I did a bit of sweeping before sneaking away to the bathroom washing myself up as much as I could in this little bathroom, still having to pinch myself to believe I was wasn't dreaming. I'm going out to dinner with y/n! I even gave my shirt a bit of a clean but I'm sure she'd understand it was rather importunate this dinner, just the two of us... I wonder if it's, a date? No why would she ask me on a date? Once I was lovely and clean or well as good as I was going to get without a proper bath and I went out going to her little dressing room knocking on her door but no answer "You're looking for the angel? She just headed out looked pretty upset" a stagehand says wondering past so I ran out the stage door as quickly as I could with my stuff out into the rainy alley, I saw an umbrella open on the pavement so I rushed overseeing her stood in a beautiful blue dress her make up perfect and all of her hidden beautiful under the umbrella she spotted me and smiled "I rather thought you might have skipped out on me" she laughs "I would never, sorry I was uhh getting cleaned up and I guess I lost track of time" I blushed "Don't worry you're here now" she smiled "so, dinner my treat?" "I'd love to," I told her "ohh uh what should I call you? Y/n? miss y/l/n?-" I began "Call me angel, most people do" she smiled taking my hand "Okay, angel" I smiled giving her hand a kiss and taking the umbrella from her so we could walk together much easier. She lead me to a beautiful restaurant not far from the theatre sitting up the back with some wine and some food discussing everything and nothing, our work, our lives, our families, I loved chatting with her, and the food was amazing I didn't want to fill my stomach as I know she's paying and I didn't want to be rude even if she often insisted "Uhhhh can I ask you something?" I asked "Of course" she smiled sipping her wine "Would you Uhhh would you class this a date?" I asked "I don't know" she blushed "if you wanted it to Thomas" "I'm not too sure, so are you...seeing anyone currently?" I asked carefully "Well, not exactly" she smiled "why do you ask?" "Just uhh curious" I blushed we finished up our dinner going back out into the rain "I had an amazing time tonight" "I did too, maybe we can go out again soon" "I'd like that, I'll pay next time I promise" "No it's okay I like treating you" she smiled "Still, so it's fair" I smiled "Your too sweet Thomas you really are" she smiled she turned to look at the rain before getting her little compact to fix her lipstick as she did I spotted a little flower stall tucked into the alley away from the rain the seller huddled in too clearly about to pack up I quickly jumped from under the umbrella to the alley handing them the couple of coins I had in my pocket she looked at me and at y/n and handed me a red rose I quickly went back as she put her compact away hardly noticing I had gone anywhere in the interval "so I'll see you on Friday" she smiled "Yeah, on Friday... Uhh here for you" I told her handing her the rose "Oohh Thomas it's beautiful" she smiled taking it and smelling it "thank you very much goodnight darling" she smiled giving my cheek a kiss and walking off home giving me a little wave and blowing me some kisses as she walked "Goodnight angel" I smiled unable to stop my face turning almost the colour of the lipstick mark now on my cheek.

I sighed sitting on the gel box up in the balcony while mark packed his lights up "So you and the little angel?" He smirked "Why do you say it like that?" I asked "Ohh come on Tom, I've seen you two sneaking out the stage door together, waiting around for each other so come on talk" he laughs "Nothing we're just spending some time together" I shrug "I'm taking her out tonight no idea where yet" "Tonight! And you don't know?" "I don't have a lot of money my last two paychecks have been short and late, in struggling to find somewhere to take her" I sighed "Pictures?" "Can't afford it" "Dinner?" "No she's taken me to some really nice places for dinner I take her somewhere cheap I'll feel like an ass" "Dancing?" "I can't dance, we know this" "Take her on a walk through Hyde park, it's pretty, it's romantic, it's free" "That's a good idea actually, and I don't need it to be romantic... Where not dating" "Sure your not" "Whatever mark, oohh got to go don't want to keep her waiting," I said as I checked my watch, I hurried backstage to the bathroom washing myself up as quick as I could before going out to her dressing room knocking a couple of times "Who is it?" Her sweet voice asked "It's me, angel," I told her "Ohh come in I won't be a minute," she says so I went in seeing her sitting at her vanity doing her makeup in her little lingerie and her silky lace robe "hello darling" she smiled as she was clearly concentrating "Hello angel" I smiled giving her head a kiss "Hey! Don't you'll mess up my hair" she says "Sorry" I blushed taking a seat "So where are we headed tonight?" She asks "That's a surprise," I told her "Oohh surprise date night" she giggled "is it snuggling up around your apartment again?" "Angel... You think so little of me and my planning skills" I said joking being hurt that she has suggested it "Are we thought?" She asked "No, unless... You wanted to" I suggest "Wish you'd told me that before, I would have chosen to snuggle" she giggled giving my cheek a kiss before she did she lipstick which made me blush more "are we going dancing?" She asked excitedly "I've told you, angel, I can't dance. I wouldn't want to take you when I can't dance it wouldn't be fair on you" I explain "Aww okay, so where are we going?" She asked "Its a surprise" I laughed "you have to wait," I told her

"Fine" she smiled getting up and slipping off her robe, I tried my best not to look even if I really wanted to... I glanced in the mirror and saw her in her black and grey lingerie, her tights hugging her legs snuggly, everything so tight and beautiful I glanced away trying not to blush as she slipped on her dress "Ohh Thomas could you zip me up?" she asked struggling to reach the zip on her dress

"Ohh uhh sure" I blushed trying my best not to look as I did her dress up

"Thank you" she smiled "Come on, let's get going"

as soon as we got sorted we headed out walking down the busy London streets till we got to hyde park, holding hands and walking around the park looking at the flowers and the sunset she often snuggled up to my arm so I held her tightly I never wanted it to end

"Y/n... Can I ask you something?" I asked her

"Of course" she smiled as we stopped and I held her hands a little nervous getting the courage to ask her "Thomas what is it?"

"Well... Y/n Would... would you maybe-" I began

But a huge explosion across town the explosion lighting up the sky alarms going off and people running and screaming for there lives.

Part 2: https://fictionalbubbles.tumblr.com/post/190344863355/little-angel-p2

[waves--6821]

Ardent ~ Chp. 16

- italicized words are from google translate..

Louise ties her combat shoes, her entire outfit tinted red entirely to fit her original style. Her catsuit, only to be seen in a dark red colour in the light, making her disappear in darkness because of its material. She attaches holsters to her right thigh and one on her left upper arm for ammo, on her left leg she has many knives hidden.

All of the men ready themselves in the lab on the other side of the room. Bucky, Howard, and Steve watching her as she prepares to join them and the Howling Commandos. Louise only gives them a glance as she double checks her ammo and the way it looks in the small mirror in front of her.

Howard steps away, speaking to Peggy and some of the men about their equipment. Steve takes a step back, going to get his equipment as he still sees Bucky watching her. His movements come towards her as she pauses and looks at him.

Bucky slows before her wearing his blue jacket, some dark brown pants and his own boots. Louise stops from grabbing her black trench coat, knowing she’d wanted to see him for a while.

“Hi, James.” She says, and sets down the gun she had in her hands. His bright eyes watching her movements as he stayed quiet.

“Nothing, at all Buck?” She speaks again and stares at him, seeing his mouth open slightly and shut.

“Okay, then.” Louise speaks to herself and grabs the gun and slides it into a holster. Her hands leaning onto a table next to her and grabbing the trench coat before passing Bucky. He sighs as she steps away, his eyes catching Steve’s who gave him a disapproved sort of look. 

Bucky curses to himself, his feet moving at their own accord and dragging him to run after Louise who had jogged from the compound towards her small car on ground level.

“Louise!” Bucky shouts, making her pause from the outside car. Her dark hair was still curled down around her shoulders as he approached lightly out of breath.

“What is it, Buck?” She asks, waiting to leave to start her missions to aid him and Steve.

“I’m sorry for ignoring you. I am sorry for putting down your abilities and your sex to appease the male dominated society.” He spits out, and Louise nods and gives him a light smile.

“Thank you. I have to go.” She responds and goes to enter her car.

“Wait.”

“What, James?” She says with a frustrated tone, and he slides a hand through his dark hair.

“I have to do this so Steve will get off my back. No matter my thoughts, I have to give it a shot.” He says with some nervousness in his voice, and she stares with confusion.

“What are you talking about?” She asks, and Bucky stood before her breathing heavily, debating in his mind. Bucky wipes his palms on his pants, lifting his hand up then to grab her face softly.

“This.” He mutters as he raises her head slightly as he lowers his own to kiss her lips.

Louise stares in shock, as Bucky pulls her close and pauses before her lips. She stares in his eyes with her own light ones, making her own breaths become faster as her heartbeat sped up.

“Show me.” He whispers, wanting confirmation of what he perceives. 

Louise rises a little more, glancing between his eyes and his lips. Her left hand lightly touches his jaw, as her right hand sweeps across the back of his neck and her arm wraps around his neck to pull him down more. Her left hand caresses his jaw as she moves closer and lets her smooth lips touch his slightly chapped ones. 

Bucky’s lips move slowly along with hers, savoring it, her. His arms hold her hips close, as one hand moves up to hold her hand closer. They moved in sync, letting their affection, emotions pour through it. Whistles and clapping sound loudly from behind them, both of them tensing and pulling apart to look back. The Howling Commandos laughed loudly and whistled at catching them. Steve and Peggy smiled towards them, as Bucky turned back around to look down at Louise, who he still held.

“Well, that was-” “Perfect.” Louise sighs with a smile as she stared up at him with adoration. Bucky’s own filled with love, as he kisses her forehead and takes a step back.

“We’ll see you there, right?” Bucky asks with a cocky smirk, his mood changed from the nervousness and quiet. She chuckles and nods as she opens the car door, Bucky deciding to backtrack towards her.

“Yes, you have a radio with my frequency.” She responds, and Bucky grabs her face gently and kisses her softly.

“You’re gonna have to stop, before I want more.” Louise teases, and he laughs, caressing her cheek before taking many steps back this time.

“You better give them hell.” Bucky says as she had entered the car and rolled her window down.

“I wouldn’t want to disappoint you, so I will.” She teases again, and he chuckles, watching her take off toward another base to begin her inception.

Bucky walks back to join Steve and the Commandos in a large truck, watching the men holler at him and Steve smiling at him. Bucky shakes his head and climbs into the back with the others and Steve sits across from him.

“Told you it’d be fine.” Steve slightly brags, and Bucky shakes his head again.

“Only because she liked me back.” Bucky pushes and Steve snickers, catching his attention.

“What?”

“Louise has been fond of you since grade school, you’re after all only what, four years older. She’s been with us for years, and has been with you for nearly a decade. She was just waiting for you.” Steve finishes, and Bucky smiles slightly in acknowledgement. Both of them converse about the past, on the mission, as their drive took time and their missions grew.

--

Louise wore her signature red dress, the small sun stitching matching her golden lined mask, most of it black to go along with her original domino mask and her blonde shoulder length wig. She steps in her red heels softly, keeping aware as she had slipped into a H.Y.D.R.A. secret meeting, the gathering a cover up of hidden exploits. She sips lightly upon some champagne, keeping it sparse, as her eyes found each agent assigned as back up. 

Loud classical music fills the air as a small orchestra begins to play, a composer signalling them, as many guests with masquerade masks fill the large mansion in Germany. Her eyes pause as her eyes land  on a male duo, both with bright blue eyes. Their eyes swing towards her, making Louise turn and set her glass down. She steps away, moving towards the large rounded dance floor, a few steps leading to it as she swayed softly.

A body stops before her, one of the described males standing before her, his hair dark, his suit a classical black with a matching tie. Her eyes scan the man, catching the slight smirk peeking through his pink lips.

“May I have this dance?” He asks, Louise catching the familiarity as she gives a nod in response. She takes the man’s hand, letting him hold her upper back and clasping her left hand in his right. The man leads slowly, her mind picking up on the tenseness of the person.

“What are you doing here, James?” She speaks up softly, catching the man look down at her in acknowledgement.

“Back up. This is a meeting base, after all.” Bucky responds, rolling his eyes at himself for her figuring it out so quickly. Louise turns her head slightly, catching Steve in a dark suit with a dark mask at the bar she had been at.

“You better keep up, and be quiet. It's supposed to be an infiltration, after all.” She uses his words at the end, and lets him twirl her around once. Bucky smiles as she returns and steps along with many other dancers on the ballroom floor.

“You got it, doll.” He responds, and Louise feels her abdomen flutter at the nickname. Bucky catches her slight movement, and smirks as she looks back up to him.

Louise sighs and takes a step away, giving him a slight bow and he did the same as he gave her left hand a small kiss before departing. She gave him a smile; her movements quickly disappeared into the giant crowd of guests. Many other agents, spies, do the same as Louise led the way to infiltrate the meeting room on the arm of a government general.

-

Gunshots filled the air of the second floor of the mansion, the music below silencing as yells and screams began to pick up. A guard from H.Y.D.R.A falls down the large staircase, guests scream and retreat towards the grand front doors of the expensive gala. Steve and Bucky shoot to join the fight on the second floor, a few guards try to keep them back but are thrown down as they rush to find Louise, and the spies.

Louise wrapped a belt around a general’s throat, her right hand holding the man close as her left fired shots at a few other H.Y.D.R.A. employers, employees, intrustees, etc. She keeps the man close, making him duck down behind an overturned wooden table. The man yells in pain, trying to get someone to help him, as Louise kept him pinned as she shot.

“Halte den Mund, halt den Rand, Halt die Klappe! Du schreist wie ein Kind.” (Shut up! You scream like a child.) She shouts into his face, pausing her shooting to rip out his self-destruct filling. The man screams as she holds it in a black gloved hand, she slides it in the general’s pocket and goes back to shooting. A few agents give her a signal to move out, their guns shooting the guards and some officers back as she lifts the belt, dragging the man up as she sprinted through a pair of doors.

Bucky catches Louise sprinting down a large cream and golden hall, her hand holding a belt in her hand as she dragged a man, who was yelling. She throws the man into a doorway, rolling across the hall to hide in a doorway across from the man, Steve and Bucky hide in a doorway and pull their guns free. Louise looks to the man as bullets fly towards her, her agents fighting on their own in the previous room still.

“If you move, I will cut off your hands!” Louise threatens, making the man hide more into the doorway, as her orders had changed since she had originally entered the meeting room. Steve and Bucky lay some cover fire, and Louise ran to the general's side grabbing the belt again.

Two agents run out from a doorway, one being shot down, as the other ducks back from the gun fire. Louise grabs a grenade she hid in her dress, her hands quickly pull the pin, her hand throwing the bomb down the hall. Coughs and shouts fill the air instead of gunshots, smoke covering the room heavily as it creeps around the guards.

“Go!” Louise shouts, shoving the general to the last agent in the next doorway as she shot a few times through the smoke.

“Delta, take the general to the secure location. Find beta downstairs, they’ll be your driver.” Louise says into the radio, she had attached to her ankle. The agent gets the man down the steps and out the door, the Brooklyn trio continuing their shooting as they get backed into a room from many guards arriving.

“Where to now?” Steve asks, breathing hard as they scanned the empty room, only a few large windows in the room among some broken chairs. Bucky steps away, trying to search for an exit, or a way out without being shot.

“Alpha?” Louise says out loud to her radio in hand, moving towards the large windows and staring down at the thick snowed in ground.

“Ma’am?” A male voice spoke back, as she checked her chances outside.

“Go through plan c, on the main road, a fourth of a km out. Bring the back ups, there’s only two with me. Out.” Louise says as she slides the radio back into a holster at her ankle, Steve and Bucky join her at the window.

“What’s plan c?” Bucky asks, as they share a look.

“You’ll see.” Louise replies with a grin, knowing they’d hate it. She takes a step back, checking her last gun clip with her gloved hands, and sliding it back into the gun. She shoots the last few bullets at the windows, shattering the glass in the room and down to the snow at the lower story. The freezing wind blew in, catching them quickly as Louise holstered her gun and walked back from the windows.

“Louise?” Steve says, as Bucky grabs her arm to stop her.

“Jump. We’ve got to be quick, or we’ll catch frostbite.” She jokes, and takes a small running start and jumps from the newly formed window ledge.

“Shit.” Bucky mutters, getting a jog before doing the same as Steve followed him as gunshots sprayed into the room.

“Language.” Steve shouts, as they fall and land into the thick snow. Louise was already moving as the men scrambled to stand as bullets rained down. She led them out toward the front, catching a butler holding a car door open. She gives the man a smile, though covered in snow, and steps into the driver seat on the right side, Steve and Bucky jumping into the back and passenger seat as guards yelled after them. 

Louise speeds off, going to meet their extraction team, and take back the intel. The men in the car sigh, as they turn to Louise.

“What happened?” Steve speaks from the back as Bucky pulls off his cold jacket and drapes it over Louise’s shoulders.

“I got different orders that compromised the meeting. So I took down a few, stole someone’s belt and forced the informant to listen, and run, and dodge.” She says with a slight smile, and Bucky chuckles, as Steve shakes his head at her slight humorous tone.

“What? Didn’t you have fun?” She teases, and the men laugh as she sped an extraction site.

- Let me know if you wanna be tagged..

-@knivesoutcivilwar

[tarithenurse]

On my mind, in my soul

Prompt: Got three things to go by on this from @maladaptive-ninja-returns : A tiger’s eye pendant, a library (which I decided could be private), and the song Floating by Alina Baraz (passages shown as blockquotes). Pairing: Loki x Burglar!reader. Content: Crime, restraint, drinking, pining, teasing, deceit, lemons and lemonjuice. A/N: It’s the Loki we know, but he’s made himself a home on Earth, curating an impressive collection of valuables from across the universe – all for himself and the fame he finds despite the New York incident.

It’s in moments like these that you feel alive. Heartbeat’s slowed to a steady thump that counts each second, dictates the timing of your movements to reach a level of perfection otherwise impossible to achieve. The shadows belong to you, guarding the path you pick through the quiet mansion.

The place’s almost familiar after the many times you’ve tagged along with groups, visited under pretence of being a tourist, a student, another collector with a rare pass to the prestigious private collection of Loki Odinson. Or is Laufeyson maybe more fitting? you wonder as you pass by a glass-encased exhibit of Jotun spears – the cold from the container soothing the skin even at a distance. Still you continue, quiet footstep never once causing the floor to creak. Tugging yourself into the shadows, you count for the guard to exit the room ahead, knowing which way his predetermined route will take him and how much time you have to finally reach your objective.

The EMP is small, only knocking out the security of that one cabinet. With a flourish, you pull out the meter and attach it to the base of lacquered wood, smiling as the reading comes back as a series of zeros. The tiniest of tinkling can be heard from the tools that work through the hinges rather than the (probably) boobytrapped lock, and as you place the small doors on the floor (dart-contraption and all), you can’t help but smile.

And then, finally, you cradle the one thing you’re after in your hand. For a moment, you allow the rush of the accomplishment to surge through your body. Tiny flecks of light dance across the surroundings even in the dimly illuminated room which makes the colours all the more prominent. Fiery agates come alive, bleeding into the black sapphires, and peridots, stopped only by a pale, white of the rarer kind of topaz. And then it’s gone. Tugged into a tiny velvet pouch which in turn disappears into your bra. A bit of assembly is needed before you can leave – you’re not the kind of burglar that leaves a mess behind. 30 seconds. You have to hurry now or the guard will see you.

Pausing by the last door, you can see the window on the other side of the library. The problem is that the curtains aren’t quite closed anymore, something you had been careful to do because you didn’t want to lock the window behind you. Stealing a glance, there’s no one in sight. Maybe you’d been unfortunate and a guard or maid had found the irregularity? It’s a possibility, but the doubt pulls your further into the darkness until you feel a cool body press against your back.

“I admire your skill, little thief.” The whispered words fan the tiny hairs on your neck. “It was certainly delightful to watch your work, but I’m afraid I can’t let you leave with what’s mine.”

You hold still as a cool hand reaches up and unzips your tight jacket. Maybe a slight shiver betrays you when his fingers brush against your breast. Maybe it’s something else. Either way, you can feel the chuckle in his chest.

“My my…” His lips graze the shell of your ear, his voice a soft purr. “Perhaps we can come to an understanding that won’t involve your Midgardian police.”

Turning carefully in his grasp, you finally lay eyes on the owner of the estate and the jewellery you’d attempted to steal. Dark, green eyes sparkle in the shadows further above you than you’d expected, his face pale and hard as if made of the finest marble. A smile that matches his grows on your lips, crooked and tempting, fitting the way you bat your eyelashes coyly.

“Mister Loki,” you purr, making sure to maintain the contact of your bodies even now, “what an honour to meet you in person.”

You know what I need. It's in the way that you're holding me, bringing me close.

“An honour?” Teeth glint dangerously as his smile broadens. “And here I thought honour wasn’t involved considering you’re stealing from me.”

A cool hand finds a resting place on the small of your back, making your arch into him. With a tiny giggle, you grab the opportunity to press you chest up, revealing the cleavage through the zipper he hasn’t closed. Shifting the weight allows a knee and inner thigh to travel towards his hip. Was that a sigh?

“Can’t blame a girl for doing anything to get your attention, can you?”

Nothing stops you from tangling fingers in his raven hair. No one objects as your palm smooths the fabric of the silken shirt that enhances his eyes oh so perfectly. A heat’s building inside you from the tension while you search for the line that shouldn’t be crossed, exploring the surprisingly muscular expanses of his chest and shoulders. For a moment there’s no world beyond this little shadowy corner. No before or after as you stretch to plant a soft kiss on his jaw. Then his cheek. It’s with delight that you sense Loki turn his head in search for your mouth, and you reward him. Lips mold perfectly although battling for control, an urge that can be felt as hands roam.

It’s as your tongue slips past his teeth that your hands recover the small pouch, but you still indulge him a bit longer. Or maybe it’s for your own sake? The moan that escapes you wasn’t planned, at least. And then you pull the zip tie with an effortless grace that allows you to slip away, skip across the private library while green eyes struggle to focus on your lithe form. Cool night air brushes your hair into the face for a second as [Y/E/C] locks with green, then you’re gone in the night.

Every time you move. You’re looking like you’re dancing.

…

A part of you had insisted that it would be the most foolish thing you could do.

Still…here you are dressed as though you belonged with the rich people shuffling through the manor…and with jewellery that should be more than familiar to the host. Originally, you’d intended to sell the Tiger’s Eye Pendant, and it had bothered you when you couldn’t get yourself to part with it. Now it graced your chest, adding the only colour to an outfit you had “borrowed” in a similar (though less exiting) way.

Why’ve I come? Weaving through the crowd, your hands are itching to relieve more than one daft, old granny of the decoration that clearly is too heavy for the frail person. Instead, you grab a crystal glass from a tray before heading down a corridor without a proper aim in your steps.

The noise of the party is muffled in this part of the house. Coming to a halt, it takes a moment before you recognize the shadowy corner, making your heart beat faster than it should and a heat build deep within you. There’s no one in the corner, however, spurring you on to towards the door left ajar to the private library.

Slipping inside, it’s nearly comforting to see the curtains slightly withdrawn to reveal the window you’d used for a hasty exit on your last visit. This time, there’s no hurrying needed, and you admire the view of wall-to-wall books on three sides, only broken by the door and a few paintings. Soft chairs and couches litter the room at random together with low tables of glass or metal. An old globe is split, standing in the corner with each half containing bottles and carafes.

“Miss. You’re not allowed in here.” The voice from the door is jarring, brusque.

Turning around, you flash a bright smile at the neatly dressed guard. “My bad, got lost trying to find the ladies’ room.”

Reunited with the other guests, you suppose it’s lucky he didn’t think more of your little detour. Slipping a passerby’s bracelet into your purse, there’s little else to entertain you than the well-equipped bar at the other side of the dancefloor and you’re in the middle of the swaying couples when cool fingers slip around your wrist.

“How kind of you to come,” Loki purrs softly, “especially as you weren’t invited.” Circling each other, his grasp changes to that of a dancer’s, and you find yourself following his graceful steps without meaning to. “Or have you come to return what belongs to me?”

“And here I thought you’d be happy simply to see me.”

The steps you take to get away from him are transformed into a flourishing spin before landing you back in his arms, flush against his chest. Green eyes sparkle like ice. Even the air around him is cool, making you gasp as though you’ve jumped into the chilled water of a forest lake, and the sway of his hips does absolutely nothing to keep the little mental bath a solitary experience. Unbidden by you but spurred on by Loki’s hands shimming over your body, images invade your mind. A dreamy scenario of his naked body against yours in the green waters. Crystalline waves lapping against your breasts with each movement.

“One does not rule out the other.”

You have to blink to refocus on the man smirking at you. I’m in too deep. Still, there are no protests as he leads you away from the crowd, retracing the steps that lead down a darkened corridor.

I'm swimming in everything you said. I'm thinking 'bout jumping in instead. I've got you skinny dipping deep inside my head.

You’re vaguely aware of the click of the lock, sealing the two of you in the library, but by this point Loki’s mouth has found you and is exploring anything within reach, causing a delightful shiver to spread whenever his lips make contact with your skin. Soft kisses grow greedy, turn to teasing bites and suckling along the collarbones, below the ear, while his hands deftly strips your clothes away leaving nothing but the pendant.

Moaning into his mouth, your own hands have busied themselves too and soon there are no barriers between warm hands and cool body. Each muscle bunches and rolls like ropes as Loki lifts you against the door, cool hands holding you effortlessly by your ass and thighs to bring your chest within reach of his mouth. The pleasurable sting causes a new wave of excitement to pool between your legs and you wriggle to gain friction, finding it as the shockingly cold cockhead nudges slick folds. Again, and again. Using your legs for leverage and allowing your nails to dig into the ivory skin of his shoulders, you roll your hips until each inch of his considerable length is coated. Every fiber of your being is charged with the energy dancing between the two bodies, a latent power waiting to be released in an explosion. There. Loki’s cock’s aligned perfectly with the shivering core, and the world stops long enough for sharp inhalations to be drawn out and for gazes to lock before you pull yourself onto the hard member until he’s fully sheathed in the silky heat.

It could’ve been your mind playing tricks on you when the room seems to spin and tilt, but the velvet fabric of the chaise longue against your sweaty back proves otherwise. Not once has he left you completely empty until now. Trapped beneath his form, you whimper at the loss – a whimper that turns into a drawn-out moan as Loki re-enters slowly, careful to watch every little reaction dancing across your face. And you let him. You allow yourself to give yourself over.

Slow thrusts turn faster. Harder. Fabric burns your shoulder blades as he partially lifts partially shoves you onto the sole armrest until you are arching enough to watch the bookcases dance upside-down with each rutting roll of his hips. Teeth grasp already sensitive nipples while strong hands hold you in place. Strong hand. Just one because the other skims past the hipbone before coming to rest, pushing against the pounding of his cock and the thumb works slow, insistent circles on your clit.

“Let go, kitten,” Loki whispers hoarsely, “let me hear you roar.”

And you do. Black and white dances before your eyes as the pent-up energy is released. Flaring through you as if to consume all that you are, it grabs your body and shakes it, tosses it over the precipice you’ve been balancing on. As if from far away, you hear his name shouted with your own voice until both body and sound fails you with one last spasm, eliciting a cold surge starting at the very core then spreading through you entirely.

Heavy breath fans your neck and collarbone as proof that Loki must have dragged you back onto the chaise longue proper. It takes a moment longer before he pulls away, leaving you empty and weak. A soft glitter embraces you, dancing across skin and between legs as you watch through your lashes. The same’s happening to Loki, and when the magic retreats it leaves you refreshed and dressed…save for the Tiger’s Eye Pendant which now hangs from the owner’s fingers.

“Take time to recover.” He’s almost closed the door behind him when he pauses to look back. “Don’t fool yourself thinking I’ll be this gentle another time.”

Some part of you wants to complain about losing the jewellery, but mostly your body’s sated, and really…what had you expected?

2am, and I'm still breathing. Staring at my thoughts floating up to the ceiling.

Getting to your feet’s a wobbly affair, a tendency that passes but leaves a sweet soreness behind that still has hold of you by the time you make it home and collapse onto your cold bed. Emptying the purse out, you stack bracelets, rings, and necklaces separately until…peridots and fiery agates shimmer in the light from the naked lightbulb. Tentatively, you reach for the familiar pendant half expecting the fingers to pass straight through only to find that it’s very much there. Cool and hard in your palm. Turning it over, you find thin letters etched into the smooth golden back – letters you know are for you only.

[bangtann-bangdamn]

~♥~

When you texted Jimin and Jungkook, you had expected some respite from the hell that had been the two hours trapped in a studio with Hoseok. Okay, so you weren’t trapped, per se. There were half a dozen dancers you were teaching and literally nothing stopping you from bailing other than failing your degree and never getting a chance to dance for Beyoncé. But that’s completely beside the point.

It was hell because Hoseok had decided that today, of all days, he was going to turn up looking like a god. Not that he wasn’t normally looking good. That man certainly knew how to dress, but today knocked it out the part. Who would have thought a long-sleeved, loose green shirt and baggy green shorts was a look?

You struggled to keep your eyes off him and on the students you were leading, but every so often you found they would glide straight back to him. Of course, every time you did, he was already looking at you with a small smile playing on his lips. Just knowing that he was watching you so intently made you want to be perfect. You made sure you hit every move with as much precision as possible as you demonstrated the choreography to the students before breaking it down and going over it with them in the mirror.

You could feel his eyes on you. Every time you dipped, every squat, splits, or wiggle of your booty, you knew he was watching you. And it made you hot. By the time the second class was over and you could go on a break before your last class, you were hot and bothered.

The students waved you goodbye as they grabbed their bags and left, a few lingering to have a quick word with Hoseok before they, too, left. Leaving you all alone with Hoseok. Alone. Hot. And incredibly bothered.

He sauntered up to you as you took a long sip of water, hoping that would quench your thirst.

“Great job, Y/N.” He smiled so brightly, resting the clipboard he’d been taking notes on for the last two hours on his hip. “Jimin was right when he said you were incredible.”

You licked your lips as he took another step closer to you. Closer than what was probably appropriate, considering the circumstances. Not that you minded all too much. But as the thoughts of how his lips had felt on yours started taking over, working their way slowly across your body, you had to mentally take a step back. Then you took a physical one.

“Uh, great. I’m going to head out now. See you later?” You were already out the door before he could respond and running towards the elevator.

You couldn’t have thoughts like that for him. Not when he was now technically your boss. And then there was Yoongi. You sighed as you leant your head against the elevator briefly, scared at how close you came to launching yourself at him again.

~♥~

It only took you ten minutes to jog to Good Vibes. By the time the bell rung over your head, you were slightly out of breath. The coffee shop was relatively busy, but thankfully nobody was waiting in line. Jungkook had taken to standing to the side of the counter, chatting to Jimin as he cleaned up. They both looked over at you when the bell rung, Jimin waving and Jungkook rolling his eyes.

“Hey, Y/N!” Jimin called out with a smile. “You want a drink?”

“Please.” You hugged Jungkook from behind as you whined: “Why does he have to be so good looking?”

Jungkook snorted. “You owe me ten bucks, Jimin.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “What drink you want?”

“Could you make me an iced latte?” You peaked at Jimin from behind Jungkook’s back. Then you slapped Jungkook in the arm. “You were taking bets?”

Jungkook laughed. “Yeah! I was just telling Jimin that Hoseok was looking like a god-damn snack.”

“And I said you had better taste than that, Y/N. I mean, who wears an outfit that’s all one colour?”

You stepped away from Jungkook to look at Jimin. Underneath his navy blue apron, he wore a black shirt and black trousers. You raised a brow at him.

“This is for work!”

“Uh-huh. Like Namjoon enforces a work uniform.” You roll your eyes as Jimin hands over your drink.

“That’ll be three-twenty, thanks.” He smiled innocently.

“Uh, excuse me! I have a little thing called ‘staff benefits’, this drink is free, hun.” You turned your back on him and immediately regretted it.

As Jimin started whining about cleaning up for the third time, your gaze landed on Hoseok and Yoongi as they were entering Good Vibes.

“Oh shit.” You turned immediately back, pretending that you had never turned around in the first place.

“JIMIN!” Hoseok called out as he approached the counter, no doubt drawing the attention to the few customers still lingering.

“HOBI!” They high-fived over the counter.

Jungkook’s arm immediately went around your shoulders and squeezed. You smiled gratefully up at him.

Yoongi came to a stop beside you, smiling shyly. “Hi Y/N.”

“Hi, Yoongi.” I smiled back, making the fatal mistake of looking into his eyes. So warm and sweet. So familiar to you that it was like looking into a mirror at your own.

You would have kept looking at him if it weren’t for Jungkook squeezing your shoulder again.

“What do you think?” he asked.

You frowned. “About what?”

“About hanging out sometime?” Jimin chirped. you looked at him briefly, then glanced at the other two boys. Hoseok was playing with the display of pre-wrapped cookies, but Yoongi was looking at you like nobody else existed in the room except for you.

“I guess.” You dragged your eyes away from him with a shrug. You took another sip of your drink, praying that Jimin didn’t take the conversation any further.

“Sure,” Yoongi chimed in. He slapped Hoseok’s back as he turned to face him. “I have to get back to the studio. I’ll call you later man.”

Yoongi smiled once more as he turned away and when the bell rung out again, you felt some of the tension leave your body.

You looked up at Jungkook, who looked constipated, and laughed. He just shook his head at you, glancing at Hoseok and Jimin before turning his attention back to you.

“Please tell me you’ve changed your lock screen.”

“… Yes?”

“Y/N!” He groaned, making you wince. Honestly, like it was that bad? Sure, you weren’t together anymore, but…

“I don’t have any other photos.”

“Phone.” He held his hand out for me and reluctantly you complied. He tapped away for a few seconds before handing it back with a satisfied smile.

You put the phone away without looking at it, not wanting to know what photo he had put on your lock screen.

~♥~

One Time Thing

<Jung Hoseok x Reader>

Part Thirteen: Sucks to be you

After waking up in a strangers bed, all you want to do is forget about your one night stand. The universe, however, has other plans...

<Part Twelve (x) Part Fourteen>

[winterwyrd]

When you move, I move

A gift for @ultravioletness and @mozalieri who are the most wonderful pals in the world  and deserve every happiness, and also entirely to blame for this mess.

Inspired by this wonderful art by @nuizlaziart

I.

"Do you dance, Monsieur Salieri?"

Antonio stiffened, abruptly stilling his foot which had, quite of its own accord, been shifting from side to side to the rhythm of the aria Mozart was demonstrating with all the capricious charm of a six year old showing off his first finger painting.

He turned an icy gaze on the man in question, who didn't have the mocking smirk he had assumed would be accompanying that question, undoubtedly meant as a snide jab at his inelegance and obvious lack of the confidence or ability needed to partake in the sport in question. Not that this intent could be read in the face of the young composer, who was smiling with seemingly genuine interest and eagerness. Salieri felt the, by now normal, confusion which seemed to stir in his chest whenever he interacted with the frustrating boy. How could someone who seemingly plastered his emotions across his countenance for the world to see be so impossible to understand?

"I do not, as is perfectly obvious."

It must be a trick of the ballroom lighting that the light shining from Mozart's face seemed to dim, and his eyes shutter slightly, at Salieri's curt response.

"I find that sort of frivolity best suited to those with more... extreme temperaments, shall we say."

He avoided Mozart's eyes as he said this, his treacherous brain remarking that the erratic genius standing in front of him was undoubtedly an excellent dancer, even going as far as to supply images of Mozart's body spinning around a dance floor, in perfect harmony with the music flowing around him, as always.

The man in question smiled hesitantly at the blush creeping up Salieri"s cheek, and laid a fleeting hand on his arm.

"Well, Monsieur, I don't believe you in the slightest. I know you'd be an excellent dancer."

II.

Salieri was, predictably, having an utterly terrible time. He had warned de Ponte as much, with increasing volume and increasingly colourful language when it became obvious the man was not listening to his protestations and would not allow him weasel out of the annual ball so easily.

And so, here he was, lurking in the corner of the ballroom dressed all in black, with an even blacker scowl on his face as he watched the colourful multitudes whirl past and let the babble of vapid and inane wittering wash over him. As his eyes searched out the nearest waiter who could be prevailed upon for another glass of whatever terrible alcohol it was that he had spent the evening singlemindedly devouring, he heard a  familiar voice rise above the din. Ah, speaking of vapid and inane.

"SALIERI!"

He could barely suppress a wince as the lanky, dishevelled whirlwind - somehow, the most talented composer Antonio had come across - knocked into him, skidding to an abrupt halt. The man was practically vibrating out of his skin, so obviously at ease here amongst the tumultuous colours and cacophony of sounds and the steady thrum of music which permeated everything. Salieri couldn't take his eyes of the young man's vibrant pink jacket with black lace spilling out from the cuffs and neckline, and beautiful silver snowflakes embroidered down it. It billowed around him as he moved and should have looked utterly absurd, but all Salieri could think was how alive Mozart looked, how his dark eyes were extenuated by the gaudy colour, drawing attention to the constant light and laughter which shone out of them.

Abruptly, Salieri felt a flush of embarrassment run through him as he remembered his own drab outfit and he shrunk backwards, willing himself to merge once again with the shadows and allow Mozart to continue on, unimpeded, to carry his breathless brightness to those more deserving of it.

But the composer had been surprising him since the day their eyes first met across that concert hall, and now Mozart moved towards him, with a deliberation unusual for the young man. He glanced up, with what Salrieri would call hesitancy on anyone else - but this was Mozart, so such an idea was absurd. And indeed, a second later his irrepressible nature was back and he flung his arms out in frankly the most over-dramatic bow Salieri had ever witnessed. Several individuals on the outskirts of floor made their consternation known as they narrowly avoided a smack from his flailing hands.

"May I have this dance, sir?"

Salieri could only gape at the unexpected turn his evening had taken, attempting to ignore the curl of anger and something else, harder to identify, which sparked inside him.

"I thought I had made it clear that I don't find jokes at the expense of my dancing ability to be at all amusing."

Those frustratingly expressive eyes blinked at him in surprise.

"I'm not joking, Antonio."

The jolt that went through him when Mozart used his given name just wasn't fair, and he struggled to keep his face expressionless as he tried to fathom the intentions of the boy still bent at the waist in front of him.

"I... cannot dance, it is not something I have ever been interested in learning."

"Ah. So, you don't want to dance with me?"

And god, of all the times for Mozart's face to be veiled, his eyes averted and something in his tone sounding an off note that was impossibly hard to read.

"I..."

If Mozart hadn't added the second half of the question, Salieri would have answered instantly. He had no desire at all to dance with faceless strangers in a mass of overheated bodies, to take part in the sideways looks and giggles and gossip that came part and parcel with that. But, to dance with Mozart? To feel the young man's elegant fingers curled into his sleeve, feel the pressure at his back as he was swept around, as he was made part of the constant, glorious rhythm which this otherworldly boy seemed to live his life by. To look down into his eyes, mere inches from his own.

Salieri was jerked back to reality by a feather light touch in his wrist, Mozart pressing his fingers there as delicately as if he was a newborn kitten who might startle at any minute.

"May I?"

Mozart smiled softly as he asked again, with what Salieri distantly recognised as hope flashing in his eyes. He cleared his throat.

"You may."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Salieri found himself on the dance floor, Mozart's arm steady around his waist, fingertips resting on his hips. At first all he felt was growing panic as his feet stumbled over the steps, but then Mozart leaned in, holding him more firmly and leading with more pressure.

"Don't look at your feet, Antonio, look at me."

Unwillingly, Salrieri dragged his eyes up, losing his breath for a second at how close the man in front of him was.

"There you go." Mozart's smile was open and delighted and seemed to send frissons of heat through the places their bodies touched as he slowly, reverently, spun Salieri out around, catching him and drawing him closer again.

"See Antonio." Wolfgang's voice was a mere whisper over his cheek as he expertly changed their direction again.

"I knew you'd be an incredible dancer."

((This is the first writing I have ever finished and shared and it was written on the nightbus so I’m sorry for any errors)

[moirica]

Quartet Night Live Future 2018 Report 11/04

Is this real? Is it just a fantasy? No, it’s real. A real true report of a live that, when I got into Uta no Prince Sama 3 and a half years ago, I never would have imagined attending. That, after the last Quartet Night Live, I dreamed of attending but never thought it would happen.

If you can’t tell already this report will probably be a little rambling and all over the place (not in the least because I was left emotionally broken by this live which has never happened before to me). I will do my best to share my experience here, so that others can see it, but more for myself to look back on in the future as well. I NEVER want to forget this live.

I suppose I could start with getting the ticket. I’m just going to state right out that I am the luckiest person alive and I don’t know how I won. My ticket came from the CD lottery. When the seats came out I found out I had an arena seat, A block. I pretty much died right then, two or so months before the live.

In terms of goods I didn’t end up with much this year through a mixture of choice and circumstance. I am terrible at remembering the deadlines for online orders so I missed those. The pre-sales were on the other side of the country so those were out. I also didn’t want to do my usual of spending the day in the goods line. Every time I’ve done that for Utapri I have a shitty experience. Thankfully they had a goods line during the live on Saturday and so I went then. The line was quite small and I got through in maybe no more than 15 minutes. I managed to pick up a few of the things I wanted, the pamphlet and the blanket were the main ones, so I was happy. Most things were sold out though, except lights this time because they were part of the tickets I suppose.

The next thing I want to mention is the amazing time I had with the people I met this weekend. I knew I was meeting with some friends from a LINE group but somehow over the weekend we stumbled across so many other foreigners and it was amazing to make new friends to share the crazy with.

I know I’ve posted the flower stand picture before but this stand that was from us foreign fans was a highlight of my weekend. It meant so much to me and the other people who contributed to it. Watching people take pictures of it (it was hella popular) and react to it was fantastic. Also during the live *spoilers* they talked about the flower stands and while the international stand was not mentioned then they did say that a video of all the stands had been recorded for them, so rest assured that it was seen by Quartet Night.

Eventually it was time to go in. I’d heard many things about the venue. That it seemed pretty small and had no real bad seats. I was not prepared for where I ended up. I was so close. There were still people closer of course but I’ve never been this close in an event before. Que the freaking out before it even started. They had some fun recordings of the QN boys for while you waited that would play every 15 minutes or so. Reiji and Ai and then Ranmaru and Camus. They were funny. Also people gave little squeals any time they came on.

Finally it was time. The lights went down, music started. This time the opening video was of all the previous milestones for Quartet Night, the games and the anime and the lives, all leading up to this event. Then everything went dark and there was the silhouette of a clock and the sound of it striking and they were there. It had begun.

• The first song was ‘THE WORLD IS MINE’. They appeared in beautiful golden outfits and I nearly died right then because for the first time they truly looked like people and not tiny figures far away. I don’t remember much else about this song except screaming along and basking in the fact that this was real.

• The second song was ‘Poison Kiss’ and if I wasn’t dead already this didn’t help. There’s not much to be said about the majesty of this song. It is and always will be perfect. They moved from the main stage to the centre during this song and I realized the downside to my seat was that I got to spend a lot of time staring at butts if they were on the centre stage. Still, this is the first live where I barely watched the screens. Even if it was the back of their head it was right there and I was staring.

• There was a brief introduction and welcome after the first song and then we were on to the first solo song, Rei-chan’s ‘オン・ユア・マーク!’ It was very reminiscent to the 6th stage performance with all the hips involved. It was mostly on the centre stage and a little strange to keep looking back over my shoulder at the screens to see his face.

• The next song was Ai’s ‘二人のモノグラム’. It was a really fun song and he had the sparkly white gloves from the last time he performed the song at a live! This one was mostly on the main stage and it was beautiful. So happy they included one of my favourite Ai songs!

• Saintly Territory was next. There was a cape involved. I really enjoyed Maeno’s interactions with the dancers. Like walked from the main to the centre stage he ‘pushed’ them out of the way, it was very Camus. There was also sceptre dancing on the centre stage.

• The lights went down and suddenly we looked up the the top of the stairs and there was Tattsun and he started singing ‘BE PROUD’. If I wasn’t already lost(I was) then my favourite Ranmaru song was what did it. He went down on his knees at a point and it was just…. shdhdkskdh. Oh and his ad-libing during the instrumentals was on point. That and the way he held that last note for so long. Like seriously long. Yabai.

• Next up was something special for this live: Acoustic Corner! I was really happy that they decided to do this because if the live had kept going the way it had started I don’t know if I’d have made it. This talk section was a necessary break.

• The first pair was Reiji and Camus. They came out onto the centre stage and had a talk portion while the band was setting up. There was a costume change to more casual looking clothes. They talked first about the live viewing audience. Morikubo is always really good at chatting to the live viewing audience. It was funny because every time they would pause to hear the cheers from the live viewing audience and so we would cheer and they’d always joke like ‘wow, the live viewing audiences voices are so strong you can hear them here’. Morikubo also talked about the lights and how cool it was that they could be controlled but that we could also choose our own color sometimes. Then he tried to get them to turn red but they were in our control at the time and it didn’t work(I was one of the few that turned mine red though). After a few minutes they managed to get them all red.

• They also talked about how all the members kind of have their own things and Maeno acted like Tattsun and it was hilarious. He then tried to act like Morikubo and it was even funnier because he said the line wrong and Morikubo was like ‘Eh? No it’s this! Not that!’

• Finally everything was set up and the song began, the acoustic version of KILLER KISS. The instrumentals were beautiful and I really loved the light effects they had over the center stage. They were super pretty. Character coloured dots could move up and down and into patterns. They were really cool. I kept having to glance behind me at the screens to see their faces every so often because they were seated facing away from my area.

• After the song the pair switched to Ai and Ranmaru. Another outfit change! These two were wearing these long flowy shirts, they looked super comfy. They chatted a bit about the outfits. Tattsun teased Shoutan about looking like a girl, as is usual for an Utapri Live. Shoutan even did this pose leaning forward with his butt out *que the screaming* and Tattsun was like ‘See?’ And then he tried the same pose but it didn’t work and it was hilarious. Shoutan retaliated by asked the audience if they’d want the shirt off of Tattsun’s back and the audience screamed again. I love the chemistry of these two.

• Tattsun brought up the flower stands! He talked about how there were so many and that the staff had taken pictures and video for them so that they could see all of them. I was hoping he might mention the international stand but he didn’t. He did mention one stand in particular. It was for Ranmaru and it had the silhouette of an instrument in red roses. Tattsun asked Shoutan what Ranmaru’s instrument was and Shoutan answered ‘Bass of course’. Then Tattsun pointed out that the silhouette was of a guitar and he was a little disappointed it was wrong(in a joking way).

• ハルハナ was their song. It was really nice. This song was a really nice choice for an acoustic song. I really liked their energy. The lights were also pretty again. I think they made the shape of a flower sometimes but it was hard to see from my angle.

• Once that song was finished Morikubo and Maeno came back out and there was a mini-talk with all of them. They made fun of each other a little more. They also talked about the LINE group and the picture of the four microphones that all of them posted a few days before the live. They joked about how it ended up that they all shared the picture and who started it. You could feel the KIZUNA. Oh, and the fact that after the first day of the live they all went out drinking together and came back to their hotel arms around each other. There is blurry picture proof on Morikubo’s twitter. Yes, that’s them drunk.

• They soon moved into the last acoustic corner song, マリアージュ. This song was really nice in acoustic.They also split the various english lines into different pairings of the group. I really liked that touch, to hear the different combinations of voices.

• After the acoustic corner it was time for the break video. I’m not going to lie, my Japanese skills were failing me this time and while I picked up a bit I don’t know if my understanding was good enough to get it right.

• Some highlights though. Shoutan: why doesn’t Ai sleep in a bed. Morikubo: what the heck does yoroshiku machocho mean? Maeno talked lots about Camus and sugar. I don’t remember much of what Tattsun said. Oh, and Shoutan said the thing he liked now about Ai is his voice, the precious boy. He has come so far from thinking he didn’t deserve to voice Ai.

• The interview ended with the question of what one kanji represented their character. These come up on screen and then the next song started.

• ‘The Dice are Cast’! With new outfits! I really liked these outfits. They were my favourite for this live! And this song was on the trucks! And holy crap that was close. Morikubo and Tattsun were on my side and they were like right there. I tried not to die while cheering them on.

• The trucks stopped at the far end of the stadium (right in front of where a friend of mine was sitting, pretty sure her night was made with that). They started the next song which was ‘Starlight Memory’. Like the first Quartet Night live they did this one with mic stands but it was from the trucks, facing back in towards the main stage.

• Apparently those two songs were also the short versions of them from some of the Japanese reports I’ve seen. I can’t say that I noticed either way, I was completely lost in the experience.

• The next song was ‘エボリューション・イヴ’. It was around this point that I started to tear up more than I had before. They were the burning stinging sort too, meaning that I was watching this song through one eye trying to fight off the burning in the other. It was an amazing song though, one of my favourites which is probably why I got so emotional.

• We were back to solo songs for the next little bit. The next one was Camus’ ‘Double face’. I have to say that this is probably my favourite Camus song and it’s all because of how Maeno performs it. The way he is able to switch so effortlessly between the personas and the voices, just by changing which hand is on the mic stand. Like the first live the dancers were in white and black for this song. The lights alternated between blue and yellow and the coordination was on point.

• The sounds of ‘シンクロニズム’ started up. We could see a silhouette and Shoutan was wearing the hood of his shirt up. His outfit this time was a short sleeved shirt(hoodie) with a large hood that was edged with purple fur and it had purple fur cat ears. He also had a purple sash that was very iridescent. (If you can’t tell I loved this outfit and I seriously want it for myself.) Anyway, the hood was up and he even reached up and played with the ears. The cuteness of it all really matched with the cuteness of the song. He went from the main stage to the centre and back with this song. You may have heard of the butt wiggle from when he performed this song at 6th stage, those were back this time too. They were always in the direction of my area too. Bless you Ai-chan. There were also bubbles at the end. You could die from the cute of it all.

• ‘Not bad’ was the other Ranmaru song of the night. There was lots of fire involved and because of the closed venue you could really feel the heat of it.

• The last of the solo songs was ‘Never…’ It was really well done. Morikubo threw his hat off at one point, along with the other dancers. Near the end of the song he climbed the stairs of the main stage and on the screen then had the image of a Ferris wheel. It was very much like the anime. The end of the song had the first shiny tape cannons of the night with plain green tape for the song. It was literally raining down on me! I managed to grab a lot of them but I kind of messed them up by shoving them into my tiny bag. If I ever get area again I’ll remember to bring a bigger bag for the tape so I don’t crunch it up before there is time to roll it up nice.

• There wasn’t really time after ‘Never…’ to roll the tape up nice because ‘Non-Fiction’ was starting. Tattsun and Maeno rolled out on a black couch looking terribly cool. I have to say that while I like both the new songs ‘Non-Fiction’ is a definite jam. It was awesome to do the calls for this song and to watch them dance to it. Yes, there was an epic dance in that instrumental break of the song. It was definitely one of my favourite performances of the night.

• The next song was predictably ‘Fiction’. While this one didn’t hold the coolness of the previous song the physical acting by Morikubo and Shoutan was on point. Their movements and expressions captured the emotional nuances of the song, especially if you know anything about the history between the characters. They were apart until almost the end of the song and then they finally clasped hands but then Shoutan pulled away and walked away and then Morikubo walked away and there was just a white spotlight on stage with feathers falling. It was very moving.

• The next song was ‘KIZUNA’! They played the video from the anime on the background screen and like the first live they all sat on the stairs and acted it out. This is such a fun song to do the call and response to. They were all being really cute together too. I believe for this song they came close to the side of the main stage during parts of the song.

• The next song was the one bearing their name ‘QUARTET☆NIGHT’! I feel bad for not having more memory of this song but my excuse is the live was most definitely coming to an end, I was already crying and it was good. That’s all I can really say. Dreams came true.

• Next was the dancer introduction! They each took turns introducing a number of the dancers. Sadly the one dancer I’ve grown to like from Shoutan and other utapri lives wasn’t there but I recognized some of the names.

• There was another brief talk after this, I think more towards the live viewing audience again as well. I don’t remember much of what was said besides the last song was coming up.

• ‘FLY TO THE FUTURE’ was the last song. It was fitting and perfect for this live. I literally had tears running down my face at this point. I didn’t want it to end. The highlight of the song was of course the line ‘ありがとう、そしてこれからも’. Before this line everything just stopped and fell quiet. No music, no cheering, just silence. It was tense, you could feel it in the air of the hall. I was terrified I would make some sound to break it. Finally they said the line and the song finished.

• Encore time! Everyone just cheered ‘quartet night’ the whole time. Unlike the movie theatre where you feel a little strange chanting it when you are part of the audience the energy just carries you along. I tried to organize the tape a little during this time but as I said earlier it turns out I didn’t do a very good job.

• The encore finished pretty fast and they were back with ‘FORCE LIVE’. What a cool song! And they played the music video in the background while they did the actual dances on the stage. Morikubo even tried the high kick like Reiji in the video. It was awesome and after ages of playing Shining Live it was cool to hear it in person (kinda sad Starish didn’t get their back at the fanmeet).

• After the song was a bit more talking and they did the few announcements. Basically that there would be a DVD/blueray and that the official movie site opens in December.

• I don’t remember many details of the final words (I’m writing this a few days after and it’s been a busy week at work @.@) but I do remember screaming arigatou a lot. Like a lot. For most of this last little bit.

• The next song was ‘God’s STAR’! This was the only song I knew of ahead of time for sure because I’d heard it when taking pictures of the flower stands on the Saturday night. Still, one of my favourite songs to see live because the call and response is just so much fun!

• Another encore! More cheering for a while. When they came back out they were in a white version t-shirt with the logo. Most of them had been modified a little bit. Morikubo’s was the most plain, just the shirt. Tattsun’s had some see through black material on the sleeves and at the bottom. Shoutan had a few zipper like cuts in his shirt (very much like his encore shirts from his own lives). Maeno was wearing the Camus prince parka.

• They did a few more thank you’s and then they announced the last song which was of course ‘You’re my life’. I can’t think of a more perfect last song honestly. They came out on the trucks again for this song. Tattsun and Maeno were on my side. They went around and when they passed the other trucks they would high five. Sadly the other ones didn’t come too close because they veered off to the centre stage instead. There was still more of the song and they were always standing at the edge of the stage waving out at all of us. I also love the call and response of this song. ‘La, la, la, la, la-la, la, la.’

• They said thank you again after and then the instrumental version of ‘FLY TO THE FUTURE’ started to play as they waved goodbye. We did the best thing though and the whole audience just decided to sing the song to them, the biggest karaoke ever. I’ll admit I didn’t sing it perfectly but I tried because how could you not. And this was probably one of my favourite moments of the live because you could see how moved Quartet Night was by it. I remember seeing Tattsun’s face as they headed back down the aisle to the main stage and he was floored by it. I’m glad that they could see our love for them all.

• Even when it was done the audience was singing along with the instrumentals of the songs. I was probably the last one of the people I had been with to head out because I just didn’t want it to end. I would do it again if I could. I will buy the shit out of the DVD just to be part of that again.

There you have it. Quartet Night Live Future 2018. I already feel like I have forgotten a lot. Especially about the talks and things. I should have taken notes when I was on my way home but I was tired and still in a bit of a ‘did that actually happen?’ That matched with a busy week means that this isn’t as great as it could be. I hope you enjoyed it anyways. It was still the best weekend of my life.

Thank you to Broccoli for making these games and these characters. Thank you for the music. Thank you to all of the friends I met this weekend, old and new. Thank you to all of the people who donated to the flower stand.

Most of all,

THANK YOU QUARTET NIGHT.

ありがとう、そしてこれからも。

[rkdaehwi]

TRIOS PERFORMANCE PART I : PERFORMANCE

MGA5 contestant #5042 Sohn Youngjae MASTER KEY Performing Blooming Day - EXO-CBX { 00:02-00:50 & 01:07-03:17 } Partner: Yoo Taeyang { @rktaeyang } & Kim Hyojin { @hyojinrk } Outfit: White shirt & Jeans

“ Strength does not come from winning ; your struggles develop your strength ”

Another week had come to pass, and with it he still managed to survive in this hell hole of stress, watching every word you said and the competitive aura that resided amongst people. From duos to trios there were now even more people to keep track of and coorperate with and while that in and of itself was no big problem for Eric it also meant having to pay attention to even more needs. It was in this that he came across the biggest struggle in the means of his assigned partners. Eric was a dancer by heart. Granted, a girl group cover artist, but he had expanded his repertoire for the sake of the competition. Yes, he could sing -- he could even rap by now if he really wanted to but that was not where his true strength lay.

Some time back he had stated that he just wanted to make it further this year than he had last year, but now that that was true, now that he had gone from being in the midst of one hundred talented individuals to only the last thirty remaining ones, there was no doubt about it. He wanted to see how far he could go from here on out. And darned be if he didn’t want to end up getting signed from this thing. Dowoon had jumped ahead of him already, and Eric couldn’t let that be as it was. There was no time for dillydally -- young he may be, but he was a boy of great plans and a future he was desperately intending to pursue.

Naturally this all meant that by now he only wanted to show the best of his capabilities. Being paired with Yugyeom last week had been a blessing in that sense, for he got to show something that best enhanced his skill level. When Taeyang had introduced himself as a dance teacher, Eric had been thrilled to say the least: someone who was good enough to teach others had to be an amazing partner for this kind of thing, and he was already plotting out their stage of grandeur when Hyojin had pointed out a very trying obstacle: the fact that he wasn’t a very good dancer.

At once Eric could feel his plans crashing to the ground, and while he assured the guy that it was okay, that they were going to figure it out somehow, he still couldn’t help but feel uncertain. Even worse did it get when they started looking at song choices -- “you think you’d be able to do something like this?” ; “if we make the choreo easier, maybe this one?” -- and Hyojin’s very expression had been enough to tell that he didn’t believe in himself as much as the rest of them tried to in this particular matter. Big trouble had come about.

By no means was the song they eventually had decided upon an easy one, and Eric had a feeling they all knew that much, but he left training Hyojin to Taeyang: that was, after all, his job wasn’t it? He himself was just some random teenager who had only just started high school, he knew nothing about teaching and helping others like that. He had tried to, once, when Taeyang had gone for a break leaving only him and Hyojin and Eric had very confidently stated that “you go into the chorus with a bang! and then, like, swoosh, and and you get the feeling of pow!” to which it seemed like his sudden student didn’t understand a word of.

More than once, Eric had found himself staring longingly at the other group where Yugyeom was practicing in and sighed to himself. “Man I wish we could have got one more dancer...” Not necessarily the same person he had worked with before, but just someone, someone who knew the steps more easily, someone who could perform a more fluid dance performance. Instead he was left feeling bad for putting someone in a zone where they didn’t feel comfortable, but at the same time Eric had to consider the fact that he couldn’t disregard himself for someone else, not if he wanted to make it further. Which was why he was slightly upset with the fact that they had to change the choreography, but instead of being vocal about it, he simply mulled over that on his own.

Come the day of the filming, Eric was nervous to say the least -- a strange feeling he didn’t often feel, and one that he didn’t enjoy very much. It was simple enough to do something on his own, but putting his fate in the hands of other people was so much different. Eric was a person who could do anything he wanted as long as he himself believed he could: that was how the world worked to the teenage boy. So the fact that something could so easily influence the outcome of this performance was kind of terrifying and overwhelming.

There was nothing else to do now but hope. Hope that Taeyang had managed to work well enough with Hyojin; hope that their choreography wasn’t too simple; hope that they made no obvious mistakes while on stage. For the first time Eric felt as though he couldn’t focus on his peers at all, his entire train of thought being on the performance, and he was wearing a complex expression on his face until it finally became their turn after what felt like an eternity. Suddenly the rush of adrenaline hit him and Eric had to tell himself to remember the smile -- the perfect smile that showed nothing of the emotions that lay beneath. He wasn’t very good at lying, but instead of focusing too much about it, he tried to pay attention to the fact that he would go on stage again soon, that he would do something he absolutely enjoyed soon, and that made it much easier to feel genuine happiness.

As he stood there side by side with his seniors in life, Eric joined in on their shared introduction, sappy and corny as ever, but he found amusement in those kinds of things. “Unlocking your hearts, we are the Master Key!” If there was one thing he was good at it was thinking up bad catchphrases for these groups it seemed, but that was half the fun. And to make it even better, they continued with a move that had been popular some years back. “We’ll store all the national viewers in our hearts!” He was going to play the fact that he was the youngest remaining participant as far as he could and score those cheap cute points. Honestly he didn’t find the whole thing the slightest bit embarrassing, and that was possibly one of his strengths: performing cutesy acts without the slightest bit of hesitation.

With Hyojin and Taeyang taking their spots on the chairs they had brought along to the middle of the stage, Eric took his position to the side, ready to slide in once his lines came up. Taeyang had done his best in rearranging the choreography and simplifying it while still keeping its original intention somewhat intact and catering to the individual person’s skill. In a sense Eric thought the guy was absolutely amazing. For a long while he didn’t have to sit down, and he much appreciated that: although the intention was noble, cutting off the majority of the legwork by including chairs was harsh on the boy who just wanted to show his very best. Instead he danced as hard as he possibly could on the parts that didn’t include a chair.

The chorus was kind of corny, and as Eric sang to the audience “can I be your boyfriend can I?” he thought it kind of amusing. The way he saw it they all represented a different boyfriend image. Eric was the innocent, youthful puppy love kind of boyfriend. Hyojin was a more mature person but gave off a sweet vibe to him while Taeyang somehow seemed like a wild and sexy type of guy. It felt weird to admit it, but that was definitely how he saw his partners. He thought the song fit them well despite the fact that he himself had never been someone’s boyfriend, but he couldn’t say that he wasn’t starting to feel curious about that whole love scenario.

As the song came to a close, Eric felt a bit more relieved than he had done before the performance started. With Hyojin being the better vocalist of them all he had been in charge of line distribution and figuring out whose voice colour best fit in which part, and although he was kind of sad about their third member because he didn’t get to dance properly, Eric also had to admit that there was no way he could have done stuff like that on his own. He just sang because he liked singing over rapping: he didn’t actually know much of the technical stuff behind it. Running back to his seat with bubbly steps Eric only realised too late that his ‘seat’ was still on the stage, and with a loud “whoops!” he quickly ran back to get it before sitting down again and waiting for the show to be over.