#the way he's using his/her wedding ring and the fact we only saw Barbara in Yöntö Yö and old photos... idk there's too much to unpack | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

spookytsubaki · 4 years ago

Text

Dream a little dream of me

HejHej! @babes-week prompt No.2 (Dream) is late as hell, but now you can read a short bit of a long term rp fic planned out by Me and BugBreaths on Archive of Our Own.

So without further ado, here is an excerpt of Dream a little dream of me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The house was quiet. Not a peep coming from anyone. Yet as everyone rested so peacefully, Lydia was plagued with a fitfull sleep. It had been a few weeks since the hellish wedding. Which left everyone, including herself, baffled with how quickly it all ensued. However, the thing that stuck with Lydia most, was a certain ghost. Ratted yellow hair, with moss to decorate the ends, a gravelly voice that she could feel rumble so close to her at some point, eyes that held truly evil plans, all of which she was so much more intrigued by.

Ever since that night, she had mostly been okay. Well, okay was an overstatement. She was getting by. She had Adam and Barbara around, her father and Delia seemed to continue business as usual, and she…. was doing fine. At least that’s what she wanted to believe. These remembrances in her subconscious state barely ever truly bothered her, but when they did, she was left with even more yearning for answers as to why everything happened. As to why she was the one to be married.

Tonight however, the dreams seemed different.

She was once again in that god-awful red tulle monstrosity that was her wedding dress, her hair done neatly, everything done to a tee. But something felt off. The room around her wasn’t her own. To be completely honest, she wasn’t sure where she was. And where was he? In all her other dreams, he was there, just ready to say their vows and be bound through and afterlife. But this time, he wasn’t. She was alone, sitting on some stiff black lacquer chair, veil over her pale face. Waiting.

The ghost with the most had been sleazing around the old model for a few weeks, after all, Juno threw him back here. Stupid old hag. So far, he had been rather bored besides watching his lovely bride. Well, not exactly watching perse. Maybe he had been sneaking into her dreams and going along with the whole scene. After all, if he was on house arrest, he had to at least try and find some action. Tonight though, he had a different thought in mind. He knew what he wanted from Lydia, and having some fun in her dream wouldn't be too bad. Then again he didn't care if it was good or bad.

As Betelgeuse made his way into her dream he saw her there all dressed up sitting on the chair waiting. Perfect. With a snap ghost was no longer in his striped suit but his red velvet one. He lit a cigarette before making his way over to her, with a free hand he grabbed her chin and looked into her eyes.

"Well, well, well... look at what we have here, nothin' but a little bitch waiting to get fucked. Dressed up all fer me?" He croaked, a deep raspy laugh leaving him. He ran his calloused thumb along her smooth red bottom lip.

The way she almost flinched away from him made him even more excited for what he had planned for his lovely little bride. "Now why don't we see what's under that little dress o’ yours..." he watched how she tried to resist. He grabbed her. “Hey, hey. No strugglin’ m’kay? It’s not like it’s gonna stop me, I’m seein’ either way.” he growled as he reached behind the petite girl, unzipping the dress rather quickly.

What he was greeted with was like heaven. "Fuck.. I knew you were a goth little bitch, but I didnt think yer bra would be black and lace." One of his large hands pawed at her breast and gave a small squeeze. "Maybe next time you shouldn't wear anything underneath, I'd like that a lot more, kid. Ya wanna be good now, dontcha?"

Lydia saw her husband come out of one of the darkness that had practically engulfed her. Dressed in the same sort of red, a cigarette between his mossy lips. Immediately, she felt herself go rigid. Sure she had seen him before, but this display of such outward dominance surprised her. He seemed to be enjoying making a little show of this.

Why did this all feel so real? Why couldn’t she wake up? She felt trapped, to be used in any way he pleased. She was only drawn from his thoughts when he spoke up, a deep chuckle leaving him. She was waiting for him it seemed, she couldn’t argue with that. As he ran his rough thumb against her lips, she jumped-unaccustomed to his chilled touch, before drawing in a small shaky breath.

As he went for her dress, she instinctively moved away. Well, tried to, before she could do anything, he had grabbed her. His warning and grip made it very clear that she wasn’t getting away that easily. She gave in, thinking it was for the best. She couldn’t scream, she was easily much smaller than him, and if she was being truly honest, she wasn’t sure what she wanted at the moment. Maybe this would help set her straight.

She felt the dress fall away as he unzipped it, leaving her to contend with the cool air. She shivered, going to cover herself for modesty, but her own arms felt stuck, rigid against the chair. He groped at her bosom (despite her claims there was nothing there, he seemed to be enjoying it) and chastised her about her undergarments. She couldn’t say anything. It was then that she realized she couldn’t do much of anything, she was stuck here, with him, unable to fight off any advances.

She obidiently and somewhat bashfully looked down, her own body giving in to arousal. She let him feel every bit of her, watching the cigar burn ceaselessly. She prayed that little ash wouldn’t end up on her almost nude body, as she knew those burns would hurt quite a bit. Even if this was a dream, she didn’t wanna tempt it.

The way she tried to move made him excited, his pants becoming tighter as he watched her. Seeing her so helpless and tied up was almost like a dream. Oh wait it was a dream. He let his fingers carelessly trail her pale skin. That's when a thought came to his mind, he pulled the cigar out of his mouth before putting it near her collar bone almost carelessly yet he knew what he was doing. Slowly he pressed the gray part into her skin and held it there. He listened to the small whimpers that left her and let out a dark laugh.

After leaving the cigar on her for a few minutes he pulled it away and looked at the nice mark he left on her. “Guess ya belong to me now ya little bitch.” The ghost said before leaving another mark on her, then another before he finally was satisfied with what he did to her. This was only the beginning though. He threw the cigar aside then started to take off her black lace bra. “Would ya look at that, you actually have fucking tits. I think I heard ya complain about how small they are.” With a rough hand he grabbed one and gave it a rather hard squeeze before squeeze that small pink bud. He watched the way her body moved for him.

“You fuckin’ little slut. Look at ya already wantin’ more.” With another rough movement he yanked her black lace panties down. “Would ya look at that, this little thing is already wet.” He said holding the panties up to his nose. “Mmm ya can even smell it.” He threw them down before kneeling down and spreading her legs. “Already dripping for me too huh?”

He let his grimy fingers rub against that one little sensitive spot, a grin on his face. The look in his eye was almost predatory as he started to rub her a bit more rough, he couldn't be gentle with his little bitch.

As she saw the cigar inch closer to her unblemished skin, she tried so hard to squirm away. She wanted to protest, to yell in pain as she felt the hot ash burn upon her skin, but no shriek or cry came, only a soft whimper. Her eyebrows creased and she bit her lip so much so that she was sure she tasted blood. His comment made her want to snap back, yet she couldn’t. She couldn’t deny the fact that she was his, after all, the gilded black wedding band on her ring finger proved that much.

He left one more mark, making her arch towards him (or some lame attempt to) to try and stop the pain. With one careless flick, the cigar was on the floor, and she was left, laid out like a meal for him. He stripped her of her lacy bra, making her want to cover up almost immediately. As he grabbed her bare chest now, she was beside herself, a mix of pleasure and pain. At long last, she could at least make some sounds. Another small moan came from her pursed lips as he abused her nipples. She yearned for some relief. She needed him.

She noticed she gained a bit more control with her movements and voice as they went. And figuring he had some control over it, she let him take the lead, with his degrading compliments- a paradox at it’s finest, his smug grin, and his predatory look, she decided it was all for the best.

She flushed at his accusation, yet she couldn’t deny it. She knew that she was aroused as ever, and that she needed some satisfaction or she’d wake up hot and bothered, so at long last, she surrendered her dignity to him. He took her panties and took in her scent (something she would normally question, but she let him take the lead.) before making those little comments of how clear it was that she wanted him. Once again, it was something she couldn’t deny.

As he rubbed her clit gently, she groaned in pleasure and soon found her voice “Beetlejuice…�� she murmured, arching towards him, as he started to get a bit more aggressive with his ministrations, she tried to comprehend her feelings. She had to admit, she was mostly new to this ordeal, and she craved more of him. She knew that much. She spread her legs more for him, wanting whatever he could give her in the heat of the moment.

Those grimey fingers tried to spread her open more as he took in the sight, he found her absolutely delicious. How tight he could tell she was, the semi-new soft patch of raven hair that grew down there gave away the fact that she hadn’t even let the thought of doing anything come to her. He licked his lips finding his lovely little bride hot as hell. Once again his grimey finger barely pushed into the small tight hole and he felt her clench around it. “Look at ya, so tight and new to this. Don’t worry babes, I'll change that for ya.” Without another word he shoved in three fingers and felt her clench up once again. Yet he continued to push them in until he couldn't anymore.

“Now be a good little slut like I know ya can be and don’t clench, or Ill make this painful as fuck for you. Then again that wouldn't be so bad, havin, ya a cryin’ and beggin’ for me to stop.” He let out a small dark laugh as he moved his finger in and out in a rather rough motion. Maybe he should have gone into her dream sooner, this was amazing. He loved his little Lydia unable to do anything to stop him. Nothing could stop him.

“Maybe if you cum when I tell ya to I’ll actually give you something you want. Knowing your little virgin ass though you won't be able to do that.’’ He almost challenged as he curled his fingers and tried to overstimulate her in some way. He loved how warm she felt around his fingers, that's when he moved them in a certain way and hit that one little sweet spot.

The ghost decided to add more to her pleasure, with his free hand he grabbed her breast once again and placed his mouth around her nipple. He bit down slightly hard before pulling as he let go. He repeated his action with her other breast, then switched between the two. The rough movement still continued with his fingers, his thumb moving to her clit and rubbing it.

As he crammed a finger in, she grimaced in pain. She knew it would hurt, but she didn’t think it would be like this. She moaned ever so slightly as he started to try and stimulate her through the pain. Her hips jerked involuntarily at his rapid, rough movements. As he shoved two more into her, she yelped, feeling as if this was the worst pain she would ever experience. “It hurtsss” she blubbered, trying to move her hands to slow him down. But once again, she was stuck.

As he got more heated, he pushed her further and further. His warning seemed to hold no joking manner so she tried to take it. She opened her eyes to see him leering at her. Something that intimidated her beyond belief. She only saw that look a few times, the wedding being the most memorable. She knew she was in for a whirlwind with this dream, so the least she could do would be trying to take it.

She wanted to try to please him the best she could. That was new. She wanted to be good for him. Her small body had arousal building up more and more, burning in her abdomen. But as he hit that one spot, she cried out in pleasure, all of it getting to be too much for her. As he continued these movements, he went back to her breasts, suckling on them and nipping at them- the cool sensation making them harden quickly once again. She knew she was so close to hitting her own climax as she canted her hips against his hand. Her face contorted with pleasure as he overstimulated her waif-like body.

And soon enough, just as she was about to hit her first high, head on, she was jolted awake. She groaned and sat up, feeling a bit of sweat pin her deep purple shirt in place. She was left with so many questions. Too many. Was he back? Was he coming for her? Was he angry? All of these answers she hoped she would get soon enough.

Just as it started to get good and he knew he would have his way with her, well in her dream, he was back to being the invisible ghost hiding in the corner. A pissed groan came from him as he clenched his fists. “Little fucking bitch.” He mutters to himself, annoyed as ever. He could have fucked her in her dream! With a sigh he pulled out one of his cigarettes and lit it before taking a long drag.

He blew out the smoke with ease as he had many thoughts going through his mind. Soon he would get her, and next time it wouldn't be in a dream. He knew that for sure.

#babesweekjuly2020 #babesweek #BeetleBabes #don't let the bastards get you down #babes #Beetlejuice x Lydia #Beetlejuice and Lydia #beetlejuice animated series #beetlelyds #beetz #beetledeetz #ships #quick drabble #drabble #fanfic #enjoy

14 notes · View notes

yellowmagicalgirl · 5 years ago

Text

Juliet Dies in This Chapter Two: Anger

Chapter Summary: There’s nothing quite like losing a child.

Guess who’s not old enough to serve on a city council or lose a teenage daughter?

Yeah, sorry for the inaccuracy.

AO3

FFN

Arcadia Oaks had been invaded by members of another species. Members of the same species had also fought to save their town, and for that its citizens were thankful. But thankfulness wasn’t all it would take to rebuild a town. It would take work, and it would take funding.

Unfortunately, the budget had been decided months ago. That had been a debate that had caused enough stress to Ophelia without the argument she had had with her daughter over something now pointless.

The budget included a rainy-day fund, for any of the usual odd developments that came with not knowing that trolls had been living underneath the town since before California was a state. However, it didn’t account for extent of the damage the Gumm-Gumms had done. If it had just been a freak tornado combined with an earthquake, then they could petition for aid from the state. However, orchestrating a cover-up so the federal government wouldn’t try to hunt down the surviving trolls meant that no one outside Arcadia Oaks could help.

That was why, as Arcadia Oaks was still waking up to a changed town, the city council was having an emergency meeting. A meeting that had only started in an official sense, since the past hour and a half had been devoted to bickering over things that should have been already decided.

“Most of the trolls are gone now, the ones left could just hide like they had been. It’d be easier with help from the state,” Councilman Hammes said. Ophelia was thankful that he was up for reelection; hopefully his replacement would be easier to deal with.

“Their home was destroyed,” Ophelia clarified. “And even if every troll had left Arcadia, it’s the canals that would need to be rebuilt. Anyone from the state will look too closely and find an underground township made of crystals and crafted for people much bigger than your average human.”

“Are we sure that we should cover this up?” Councilwoman Rhodes asked. She didn’t wear any jewelry other than her wedding ring and a pair of small gold-plated hoop earrings, but if she wore pearls Ophelia got the feeling Rhodes would be clutching them. It was at times like these that Ophelia wished that the city council wasn’t a continuous body, because Rhodes still had two more years. “The trolls attacked us once.” She sniffed daintily. “What’s to stop them from attacking us again? Or what about some other town?”

“I think I saw some kids running around in armor,” Councilwoman Tolbert said with a barely-disguised yawn. A half-finished espresso sat next to her phone. “Maybe some of them are still around?”

As Hammes complained about how they shouldn’t rely on cosplaying kids to protect them, Ophelia contemplated on whether or not everyone was starting to raise their voices a bit more. No, they weren’t. The fan was louder now, and so was Rhodes tapping her French-tipped nails on the desk. Everything was so much louder.

Ophelia got the feeling that when she got home, she should call Dr. Ferrara to see if he still took her insurance. Then again, she got the feeling that no amount of therapy would be able to fill the hole that Claire had taken with her.

“We’re just going to need to make some sacrifices,” Tolbert said. Ophelia realized that she had zoned out. She glanced at the clock. It had only been for a minute and a half, and that wasn’t enough time for the conversation to get anywhere.

“We’ve already made sacrifices,” Hammes said. “Some of us more than others. I’m pretty sure it’s been trolls destroying my yard for the past couple weeks.”

Ophelia didn’t realize that she had risen to her feet until she was staring down the rest of the council. “Trust me, our sacrifices are nothing. My daughter was one of those ‘kids running around in armor,’ as you so eloquently put it. Except for the fact that she had her armor for only a couple days, and she and her friends have been protecting Arcadia and Trollmarket from killer trolls for half a year.

“And now? Now she’s dead, and the reason why the sun rose today is because she sacrificed herself. So maybe, before any of you start complaining about the little things you’ve sacrificed, remember that humans and trolls have made sacrifices for both of our societies, and that we should respect those sacrifices.”

She had believed in her daughter too late. She wouldn’t stop now.

Nine hours.

Nine hours with one half hour lunch break. That was how long it took for the budget to be revised. Had she not had her outburst about Claire, it may have taken longer, or worse, the revision may have been scrapped and the world would find out about trolls.

“How is he?” Ophelia asked, after kissing her husband on the cheek.

“Asleep,” Javier replied. “Enrique bit me a couple times. He’s probably teething. He… he keeps looking around and asking ‘where?’”

Enrique wouldn’t remember his sister. He would grow up, hearing stories about her, but he would be essentially an only child in all the ways it mattered.

“NotEnrique,” Javier said as pulled out the ingredients he needed for the chorizo. “Do you think we should –”

“No.” Ophelia had already had a yelling match with the small troll over just whose fault Claire’s death was. “We’re not adopting him.”

“I’m not saying we should, just that having him around might help Enrique cope.”

As if on cue, a wail broke out from upstairs. “I’ll get him,” Ophelia said, leaving her husband to make dinner.

As she paced into the room, she glanced at the photo of Claire holding him as a newborn. Would it be better to just take it down?

She picked up her son and immediately felt hard gums on her hand. She hissed in pain; perhaps having NotEnrique around wouldn’t be so bad. Stone skin would be more durable against biting, at least. She went to get a soft washcloth to wipe off the saliva from his face. It had helped back when Claire was teething, all those years ago.

When Enrique was happy again and playing with a stuffed owl – the rabbit had gone missing – Ophelia went to grab another washcloth. She took it downstairs, intent on wetting it and putting it in the fridge. It would be cool and soothing on his gums.

She made sure not to look at the closed door to her daughter’s room.

“Fudgeknuckle,” her husband said, before burying his face in one of his hands.

“What’s wrong?”

“I made too much.”

“It’s okay, we can just have leftovers.”

“I made enough for three people. Three people exactly.” Ophelia held her husband as he sobbed.

“I thought she was at school, earlier today,” Javier said, turning back to the chorizo. “How’s Enrique?”

“Definitely teething.” Ophelia placed the towel in the fridge.

“Are you going to have to work on the budget, tomorrow?”

“No, we managed to get it done today.”

Javier began to place the chorizo on plates. The doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” Ophelia said.

She opened the door. On her porch stood Dr. Lake, clutching a purple bundle of cloth. Had the bundle contained an infant, Ophelia would have slammed the door in her face. She wouldn’t replace her child with another one.

“I found this in Jim’s room,” Barbara said, unfolding the bundle to reveal a familiar bolero. “Claire must have left it there when she and Toby changed into their armor. I thought you might want it.”

Ophelia willed her fingers not to tremble as she took the bolero. It was just a jacket; it wasn’t a piece of her deceased daughter coming home. It wasn’t a symbol of every argument she had with her daughter coming back to haunt her. It was just a jacket that she held tightly to her chest.

She wanted to yell. She wanted to yell, and scream, and blame Dr. Lake for raising her son in such a way that he roped Claire into a life of fighting trolls.

She was very tired. Tired of fighting, tired in general as a woman who raised a child for sixteen years only to lose her to a war older than her.

“Do you want to come inside?”

#trollhunters #tales of arcadia #ophelia nuñez #javier nuñez #enrique nuñez #barbara lake #juliet dies in this #claire nuñez #does not actually show up #my writing #grief #mourning #juliet dies; life continues

23 notes · View notes

dibs4ever · 6 years ago

Text

DickBabs Wedding Day (Fanfic)

As promised here is my DICKBABS wedding fic, it turned our longer then I expected but I hope it’s worth the read

“Get back here!” Stephanie grinned chasing after the toddler and scooping him up with a smile. She tickled his belly causing him to giggle.

“Say my name” she smiled pressing her forehead up the against the 15-month-old’s

“Teph” he grinned playing with the sequence on her short sleeved lavender bridesmaid dress

Stephanie smiled “That right” she bopped his little nose

Cassandra entered the room followed by Jason.

“There you are” Cassandra smiled “Let me see my nephew” she held her hands out

Stephanie shook her head “Barbara gave me one duty as her bridesmaid----to get my nephew dressed, you’re not taking that from me. Besides they’re letting you watch him while they are on their honeymoon” she mockingly argued blowing raspberry on Nathan’s cheeks

Cassandra rolled her eyes continuing into the room “I’m not, let me just hold him for a second, besides if it bugs you that much I’ll let you and Timbers play house with him for one night” she held her hands out and Stephanie handed him over. “Barbara is dressed, she look’s amazing”

“Mama!” Nathan smiled

Jason rolled his eyes and walked toward the girls “Now you did it”

“I see mama” Nathan said again

Cassandra shook her head “Sorry bud, we let you see her now you’ll be throwing a fit when we have to pull you away from her, so you can play ring bearer” she brushed the strands of jet black hair away from his little face

Nathan looked at her oddly before twisting his body sideways, making it slightly difficult for Cassandra to hold onto him “Unci Aye see Mama” he reached his little arms toward Jason

Jason held his hands up “Sorry Rugrat, I’ve been told no men are even aloud in that wing of the manor”

Cassandra turned Nathan, so he was back in her arms “I feel like he talks so well for his age” she commented

Stephanie nodded in agreement

“Hey Nate” Jason spoke catching the toddlers attention “What’s her name?” he pointed to Cassandra

Nathan pointed a finger at Cassandra “Ass” he said proudly

Jason and Stephanie laughed

“Ass” Nathan said again, enjoying the reaction he got from his aunt and uncle

“It’s not funny” Cassandra barked “Nathan Cass” she held the C

“Ass” Nathan said again

Jason laughed “Dick wanted me to tell you to just deliver the rugrat to the room where the us groomsmen are when you’re done getting him dressed” he explained before leaving the room

“I’m going to go see if Alfred needs any more last-minute help” Cassandra said passing Nathan back to Stephanie

She nodded and watched her leave the room

“Let’s get you dressed little stud muffin” she told her nephew as she kissed his chubby cheek

“Welp I hate break it to ya Dickie but your kid curses like a sailor” Jason grinned closing the door to the room where the male side of the wedding party was getting dressed

Dick was looking in the mirror making sure everything was straight “Were you making him say Cass’ name again?” he quirked an eyebrow

“You bet I was” Jason laughed flopping down on the couch

“You know she hates that” Tim pointed

Jason shrugged “Would I be a good brother if I didn’t annoy the tar out of my siblings?”

Damian rolled his eyes from where he stood on the opposite corner of the room

“Alright, how do I look? Dick asked turning to look at his brothers

Bruce stepped out of the adjoined bathroom and nodded his head “Barbara isn’t going to know what hit her” he complimented clapping Dick’s shoulder

Dick smiled proudly

There was a knock on the door and Tim stepped forward opening it, Stephanie stepped in holding Nathan now dressed in a tux. Her once neat hair was now slightly tussled “Well it took some wrangling, but I got him dressed” she smiled

Dick laughed moving forward “Hey buddy, look at you” he stretched out his hands

Nathan grinned brightly “Dada!”

He took the toddler and threw him lightly into the air causing him to giggle

“I’m going to go get this fixed” Stephanie motioned around her head

Dick nodded “Thanks for getting him dressed Steph, he looks great” he set the baby down, immediately he ran toward the curtains.

Bruce knew his grandson well enough to know that the small human was going to attempt to climb them, so he quickly stopped him by scooping him up.

Barbara took a deep breath looking herself over in the mirror. She turned around just as the hairdresser was finishing up fixing Stephanie’s hair.

“I’m sorry about that” Barbara apologized

Stephanie laughed standing up “Forget about it, it was my fault for putting him down and not keeping a close eye on him. I swear he’s part spider or something. I stepped out of the room for a second and he was half way up the bookcase”

Barbara laughed “That’s Dick’s fault, he taught him how to climb just about anything”

Dinah smiled “Only, 15 minutes left till the ceremony is supposed to start”

Barbara nodded “Don’t remind me.”

“You nervous?” Cassandra cocked an eyebrow

Barbara nodded “Like you wouldn’t believe, I’m getting married....to Dick Grayson. If you had told me that when I first met him I would have said you were crazy.”

Dinah laughed “Considering you were 12 and he was 9 I’d say I’d understand”

She took a deep breath “I need to sit down for a moment” she passed her bouquet to Dinah and sat down, running her fingers through her hair careful not to mess it up

“You’re not going to run, away are you?” Stephanie half joked

Cassandra nodded “Yeah cause the guys have your kid and if you run away he’s going to be raised by them.... can you imagine how bad that would turn out?”

Barbara laughed “I’m doing this——I want to do this.” She stood taking the bouquet back “I’m ready to marry Richard John Grayson.”

The doors flung open and Helena rushed in dressed in the same matching bridesmaid dress as the rest of the girls “I’m here, I’m so sorry I’m late but I’m here with” she glanced at the time “8 minutes to spare “she let out a breath

Barbara laughed “Sorry the hair and makeup girl just left”

Helena shrugged “No biggie it’s my punishment for being late. You on the other hand look stunning!” Her eyes widened

Dinah nodded “I know right, with her looking like that we’ll be lucky if her and Dick even show up to the reception”

This made the bridal party laugh as they made their way to the door

Dick stood at the front of the aisle bouncing on his toes. He was never nervous but right now he felt like he was about to faint. He looked around at the crowd of guests in front of him he locked eyes with the Clark Kent who was sitting in the second row Jon and Lois beside him. Clark grinned sending him a thumb up

The music started, and Dick moved his attention to the doors as they swung open. First up was Helena and Damian, there were a couple of “Awes” heard from older women finding the sharp dressed yet short for his age 13-year-old paired with the much taller than him woman. As Damian passed the Kent’s Jon covered his mouth to suffocate a chuckle earning a glare from Damian.

Next was Jason paired with Cassandra then Tim with Stephanie and finally the Best man and Maid of Honor Wally and Dinah

Nathan came out last serving as ring bearer, Wally’s daughter served as flower girl “Awes” filled the room as the toddlers entered holding the small white pillow and basket with Bruce beside them guiding the toddlers gently along.

As Bruce tried to hold Nathan’s hand and move him a little quicker the 1 year old stopped in the middle and narrowed his eyes “I do it” he said proudly

Bruce shrugged releasing the boy and walked ahead, this made Nathan quickly follow his grandfather causing the crowd of guests to laugh.

Once they were at the alter Wally bent down taking the ring box that was tied to the pillow and Bruce sat in the front row with his grandson.

Then the wedding march began, everyone stood, and the doors once again swung open revealing Barbara dressed in her white gown, her arm hooked with her fathers. Dick’s breath caught at the sight of her as she walked down the isle

Suddenly he felt tears welling up in his eyes as Jim led her down the aisle. Dick blinked back the tears “Get ahold of yourself Grayson, this isn’t like you” he thought

Jim and Barbara stood in front of him

“Who gives this woman to this man?” Alfred asked, yes Alfred was officiating the marriage. Would they honestly trust anyone else?

“I do.” Jim stood straight

Dick stepped forward to take Barbara’s hand but felt her being held back. The couple looked back at the police commissioner “Dad this is where you let go” she whispered

Letting a low sigh Jim leaned forward pecking Barbara’s cheek

“Take care of her Grayson” he lowered his eyes

Dick nodded “I will sir”

With that Dick took Barbara’s hand and turned so they were standing in front of Alfred

“We are gathered here today to unite this man and this woman in marriage” Alfred began.

After going through the stereotypical wedding ceremony Alfred smiled “The Bride and Groom have decided to read their own vows which they will do at this time, Master Dick” Alfred nodded toward the man

Dick nodded, to everyone’s surprise he didn’t take out a paper “Barbara, as I stand before you today thousands of memories flash through my mind all the way back to the day we first met. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. Good things and bad things. Surprises that neither of us saw coming. I’ve left and came back more then once. But one thing has always remained the same. It has always been you, no matter how far away I went, how bad things got or whatever obstacle we were going through something always told me you would always be the answer. Our love story is not a fairy tale. In fact, it is probably one of the furthest things away from a fairy tale.” This line caused some eyebrow raises from guests who didn’t know the full story of Dick and Barbara. Dick grabbed both of Barbara’s hands in his “But one thing is for sure it’s ours which makes it perfect. I know I’m nowhere near perfect, but I promise to do my best to be as close to that as I possibly can for you and our son” he kissed her hands

The guest clapped

“Easy Master Dick I have not told you to kiss the bride yet” Alfred teasingly wagged his finger.

Dick chuckled

“Alright Miss Barbara it’s your turn” Alfred smiled

Barbara took a deep breath “Well I’m going to do my best to follow up with that” she joked “Dick, like you I’m standing here just thinking about everything we’ve gone through. We’ve known each other longer then I sometimes realize. I remember when I was 17 there was this short lanky 14-year-old boy who confessed he had a crush on me and asked me out, obviously I shot him down. Then a year later that same boy sneekingly stole a kiss, naturally I punched him in the face” Dick and Barbara exchanged smiles “Little did I know I had just kissed the love of my life for the first time. Fast forward through puberty, and some years later here we are standing in front of each other and that same boy is the father of my child and soon to become me husband. Through everything you never ever gave up on me. You have always been my biggest supporter, even when I was 12 years old and stressing about a test I could count on you to encourage me and make me feel like everything would be okay. I can’t thank you enough for all the things you have done for me through the years. I hope that I can always do the same for you, I vow to always be your biggest supporter through thick and thin no matter what life throws at us”

Next it was time to exchange the rings, when they finished Dick turned to Alfred “Can I kiss her Alfie?”

Alfred smiled “Yes Master Dick, you may kiss your bride”

Dick shot Barbara a wide grin, she smiled back just as widely as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close her arms found their way to his neck and in one swift motion Dick pressed his lips to hers. Both embracing in a gentle yet passionate kiss.

They pulled apart still smiling “Ladies and Gentlemen it is my honor to introduce to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Grayson!”

The guests cheered as Barbara and Dick clasped hands they stopped so Barbara could take Nathan from Bruce and together the family of 3 made their way up the isle and out of the room.

“Alright let’s go get wasted!” Jason shouted——-which lead to the reception, and that’s a whole other story.

149 notes · View notes

hanasaku-shijin · 7 years ago

Text

Okay I’ve been wanting to make a post like this for a while now but I finally kicked my own ass into gear so here it is. Took me several days to compile it all and finish, but Neon deserves it.

For @theneonflower and all of their incredible art ♥

I know Neon does plenty more art other than Dianakko but that is my otp and usually the ones I look at and obsess over the most. Nearly every night before bed for the past 5 months since LWA came out and since I met Neon, I’ve been looking at their art to help myself fall asleep. I always end up spending like 10-20 minutes just looking through it because it makes me feel so soft and happy inside ;w;

Something I’ve always done with art is I’ll stare at a single piece for like 5 minutes straight just tracing it with my eyes, trying to absorb every piece of it, trying to appreciate it as much as humanly possible. Because I know someone spent time and energy on this and stressed about it for probably hours and I don’t just wanna glance at it for 20 seconds and be done. I wanna try to put some time into appreciating it for all the trouble the artist went through.

Neon’s is probably the only art I’ve done this for with every single piece. It probably sounds weird that I just stare at art, but I love it. I feel it’s all I can really do to appreciate the pieces. Well, that, and I can scream in the tags and make posts like these!

So I’m gonna be going back through my Neon_art tag from the beginning, linking and sharing every Dianakko piece and explaining just why I love it so much. Other people should totally follow the links and reblog pieces they haven’t seen before. And even if you have seen/reblogged it before it is not a crime to reblog something more than twice, give it some extra exposure and notes. Don’t be scared to reblog the same post/artwork twice if you want to!

All righty here we go!

This one the first Dianakko piece I reblogged from Neon ever! Diana and Akko on a secret date. I love this one because it’s so simple but yet still so beautiful. It really shows that art can be lovely whether its got 8 million details and colors and shadings or just done with the right amount of everything - just what’s necessary, nothing extravagant. I’m a sucker for my girls in casual clothes but I especially love their expressions in this piece - Akko’s YOURE REALLY PRETTY excited face to Diana’s bashful face. And then the humor with the reactions of their nerd friends disguised and reacting to it all. And the hand touch. Starting with a small small pinky brushing, and then full-on hand-holding. So soft. So gentle. So nice. And Akko’s just so goddamn happy. UGH.

Next is Part 1 of the Sorcerer comic. Ho damn. This was before I really even knew Neon well, but I saw a badass dragon with Dianakko and I was hooked. It’s just done so well, the shading, the glowing of his eyes, and just his creepy, bony inky design in general. And Diana not even flinching in front of him. It captures her character perfectly, her confidence. Neon’s a pro at doing suspense in drawing form. The way Akko hurries in and Diana isn’t looking at her at first but then turns. You can just TELL something is going to happen and it does. That dribble of blood on her lips is all we need. And god the look in her eyes. It isn’t excessive terror, no, it’s just that dazed kind of shock, confusion. Like, she hasn’t even felt the blow yet, it just sort of happened and now there’s blood in her lungs. And the last panel just leaves you screaming like how fucking masterful is this.

Part 2 now god GOD when I say you can feel her being impaled I mean you can FEEL IT. You can tell his tail is sort of locked in place in her chest, that he’s keeping it there for a little longer than he has to just because he’s a giant asshole. And when he yanks it out you can feel that too. The way the blood spurts out and follows the direction of his tail really shows the force of it. And even despite all of this, Diana is STILL trying to put up a front/show a strong face. You can see the desperation in Akko’s eyes, you can almost hear her crying, and Diana’s just so numb with pain she’s beyond feeling. We don’t even need dialogue - we know exactly what they’re saying to one another. I’ve never seen art accomplish that feat quite so effectively before. And the ending panel, reflecting the one before it with Akko’s name and the seven stars. Do half the people looking at this art even appreciate those small details/shoutouts to the canon? I doubt it. And it’s a damn SHAME.

Next up was this request I never thought an art god like Neon would ever accept from lil old me, a person they didn’t even really KNOW at the time. Another fine example of how art doesn’t need tons of color to be beautiful. Neon is an expert with blue in particular. It’s such a cold color but not in Neon’s hands. It portrays darkness of night but not cold. I don’t feel chilly looking at this piece. I just feel so warm. Their embrace is so tight and intimate, you can just see the blushes on their faces. But even in a darker piece like this where some artists might use the lack of lighting as an excuse for lack of detail - not Neon. There’s still every wrinkle in their clothing, every shadow, every ruffled blanket and wave in their hair, the way Akko’s shirt crumples up a little at the small of her back and that small, secretive, admiring look she gives Diana. I might as well be dead.

This one more bedtime cuddles and kisses! But notice how none of these are ever the same with Neon. No matter how many kisses or cuddles they draw, each one is always different and just as beautiful as the one before it in different ways. Akko and Diana aren’t as closely-pressed as they are in the one before it. It’s just the bare minimum of contact in their hands, and where their legs touch, and then their lips. All very small but significant points of contact. And I just love how Diana curls her legs around Akko’s back. Just a bit of light coming in from a window we can’t see but know that’s there. It’s just the amount of light we need. Perfect.

A beautiful colorless comic next! Their poses match their dialogue so well and again with the DETAILS. You can tell how badly they’ve missed each other even when they aren’t looking at each other. And then when they DO, upside-down, hair touching so close they can feel each others’ breaths, so intimate so soft, so playful. And then the kiss, how Akko reaches up her arm to pull Diana down and the way Diana curls her arm around the side of her neck. The pose of Akko lying on top of Diana hugging her with her feet kicking happily in the air is probably one of my favorite things ever. She just looks like a happy little puppy. And Neon never fails to give Akko bedhead that adheres to her usual hair. There’s always a tuft where her ponytail is and I haven’t seen that in any other art for LWA that involve Akko in her pjs/with her hair down. It’s something totally unique to Neon in my book.

The wedding spell comic is so beautiful. Akko’s maids of honor trying to reassure her. Their expressions are all so cute (and then there’s Sucy being Sucy) but Akko’s nervous pose and Lotte’s reassuring hand on her shoulder is so cute. And then the blue team aspect with Hannah and Barbara with the little hand-wave motion they did in canon like how perfect is that little detail? I can really feel Akko’s nervousness in the next few panels and the darkness really helps that too. You feel like you’re the one about to cast this super emotional marriage spell that could potentially fall through and break your heart. And then when they finally get to look at each other and suddenly you can breathe a little easier like ‘okay at least they’re not alone in this at least they have each other’. Also just the slight differences in their wands is so nice. And then they’re holding hands so softly but also concentrating on this super difficult super stressful spell. They just both look so gorgeous in this shot oh my gosh I love it. And the lighting comes in again, I swear to god Neon with their lighting techniques. Super bright on super dark really gives it that lively magical feeling. And you can see the rings being linked and you can essentially hear the emotion in their voices when they say each other’s names like when was the last time a comic made you HEAR something?? But GOD when they hold hands and rests their foreheads together look at the lighting and the tears in their eyes look how soft and tender it is. This is even better than a wedding kiss at this point because they’re both just so relieved the spell succeeded (the kisses can come later) but I absolutely love the forehead touch.

The wedding pic holy shit. I still can’t believe there are only?? 4 colors in this? Peach brown blue and white and yet??? It’s more gorgeous than most other pieces of art that use 9000 colors. It’s the lighting, the glow, the contrast between light and dark. The way the magic swirls around them, bright and soft. It really flows. There’s so much motion in a still piece. You can FEEL the love between them even without the adorable magic hearts in the background. And god have you seen their dresses? They aren’t both wearing the same generic white wedding dress. Neon goes a step beyond and adds in swirls, thinner or thicker materials, gloves, but makes sure to keep them open-back, because GOD are Akko’s and Diana’s backs important in this Au. The fact that their matching scars are exposed on their wedding night just really says something to me. And holy hell the shine in their hair. You can see every strand. It’s beyond me how that is even POSSIBLE.

After their reunion lord they’ve been apart for 3 goddamn YEARS and look at how they’re looking at each other, like they’re trying to make up for all those 3 years when they couldn’t. As if the tears and the smiles don’t say enough, look at how they hold one another. This is another thing I love about Neon’s romantic pieces. The characters always hold each other’s faces, cradle their heads, hold their hands, hug their backs and sides, but it’s rarely the same in any two pieces. And in this one they’re touching foreheads, and the way Akko’s bangs fluff up and overlap Diana’s is such an eye-catching detail for me. And then the lineart of the kiss. Again, the detail especially in their hair and especially Akko’s. The way their hair slips through the others’ fingers. Shoot me.

Oh my god this one. Okay I need to get my shit together. We get everything we need and nothing we don’t. Just bits and pieces of the memories and the nightmare. You can feel the impact of Akko getting hit in the back. But my favorite panel in terms of emotion is definitely the one of Diana waking up from it all. You just know exactly how that feels. Everyone knows exactly how that feels. The way she’s jolted up in bed, hunching forward, gasping, and the tiny detail of one knee bent higher than the other to show she’s curling in on herself. I love this shot so much. But of course my favorite are the final ones because Akko is there to help her. Neon always has their marital rings glowing so they stand out in darkness. Simply the shot of Akko’s hand on Diana’s shoulder is again, so simple but so, so telling. It’s gentle but firm. And the look on her face as she kisses Diana. She’s upset that Diana suffered that nightmare. You can tell Akko is sad that she couldn’t save Diana from that. But she’s so gentle, that kiss is so small, just enough to coax Diana back into reality. And of COURSE the happy hug to finish it off. You know Akko needs that just as badly as Diana does.

The art for Pink Potion is next up aaaaaaah Neon drew for my fic out of pure enjoyment of it and I literally could not be happier. I still look back on this and just get so giddy. It’s so cute. Simple coloring to match the lighthearted tone of the fic. And bunny Akko is exactly as I’d imagined her. I didn’t mention the tips of her ears in my fic but Neon still somehow knew they were black and nailed that detail. The kiss is too adorable, the way Diana blushes and Akko scrunches her little bunny nose. And their faces when Akko turns back. Neon does suspense/angst/serious so well but I LOVE how they do cute/funny expressions like this. And their noses still touching aahh~

The dance dresses are just. So fucking gorgeous. Full color and all the right colors, so many details. This is literally a scene straight out of the show that we never got. I love the ruffles in Akko’s dress and the lack of them in Diana’s - kinda speaks to their personalities, though it’s more likely just the material. Neon has such a beautiful way of blending blushes with the skin ton and it really shows in a full-color piece like this one. I especially love how fluffy Diana’s hair is and how Akko’s hand is just gently resting there on the nape of her neck while their other hands are entwined. And god, the way Diana is looking at her. I know this scenario is part of the “We shouldn’t be doing this” idea, and that just makes you think twice about this happy colorful image. Akko’s wondering why she’s apologizing. But of course she soon realizes...

The continuation comic is probably one of my favorites (I... might be saying that about like 90% of these though...oops) Okay but the colors for this one, especially right after that full-color piece. It works so well. Their illusion of perfection is shattered by reality and the fact that people are in fact watching them disapprovingly. Before they realize that, they’re just so infatuated with each other, so happy to forget the rest of the world. The softness of that kiss followed so abruptly by the shock and dismay in their faces. And god the way Akko looks to the others and they just look back at her not really knowing what to do or say. Lotte and Sucy give her looks that just say “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to do for you, I wish I could do something but I don’t know what” because Akko did just blow hers and Diana’s ‘cover’. And then the crying over the forced smile right before she runs. Neon doesn’t put the dialogue for suspenseful comics in the same image as the pictures like they do with cuter simpler lighthearted pieces. They make a whole new panel with nothing else to focus on, just that despair in those words. And this next part out in the rain. This might be the only time Neon makes blue feel cold because god poor Akko is out there alone and waterlogged and she doesn’t even care. Her tears are highlighted on her hands which I really like. The shot of Diana finally reaching her and just gently reaching her hand out. She doesn’t even touch her right away so she doesn’t scare her. And the hug. One of my favorite Dianakko hugs to-date. Diana even casts a barrier from the rain. That’s just such a good detail I feel, again, other artists might not think/bother to add in. As if the hug itself isn’t perfect enough in its desperation and earnestness, there are just tiny little details Neon puts in. How Akko lifts her arm but doesn’t exactly hug back, how there’s a drop of rain coming off her ponytail, how her hair fluffs up after Diana’s arms press down on it higher up, and the way Diana’s arms lock around her. Hugs are risky because we often will only see one character’s face/expression in a single panel, so the artist has to chose who to show. Neon always chooses the most poignant option - the person we need to see. We can tell by Diana’s calm manner of standing and reaching out what her expression looks like without needing to be shown explicitly. It’s Akko we need to see in that hug. And then for her to return the hug, to accept Diana, to bury her face in her shoulder... I love this so so much. For them to go from scared and separate to comfortable and close. From darkness and loneliness to having a bit of light and hope. And somehow once again making blue feel warm, even though it was just cold 3 panels earlier. How?? I don’t know, but somehow Neon does it.

Next is a marriage proposal one aaaah gosh how cute. This is one of those where they’re still students but a bit older than they are in canon. Especially in the first panel their expressions are so perfect, blushy cute nervous Akko and calm confident Diana. The colors are so warm and pleasant and the way Diana cups Akko’s face when she answers is so sweet, making sure Akko’s looking her in the eyes. But gosh that kiss how Akko literally just wraps her arms around Diana like with the one cradling the back of her head and the other just draped out over her shoulder and Diana holding her face GOSH I love this pose. It really encompasses the desperation they’ve been suffering from all this time to be together, and the relief that they finally can be. And just the way their bodies are pressed so close together is so nice because you know they’ve been kinda holding back until now but they don’t have to anymore.

Okay this. This is a biased personal fav. Oh god. There’s a reason this was my phone background for several months cause it’s just so goddamn beautiful. Neon draws any and every outfit so perfectly but these dresses I swear to god. This piece in particular looks so clean and simple with a lack of color, which makes you focus more on the girls and what they’re wearing and what they’re doing. I’m in love with Akko’s dress in the first part, the ruffles of her sleeve and the loose way it falls down her back, and how Diana’s cupping her cheek really softly. And just the very subtle, very soft blushes fanning out across their faces and shoulders. Just the perfect touch of the perfect color. And then we get even more angles of it from behind Akko where we get to see her gorgeous flowy hair with the ribbon and cute accessories, and Diana gently holding to both of her shoulders. Then how they just very slowly, very slightly open their eyes to look at each other and you can tell they’re both just a little bit breathless but not enough to stop them from doing it again. And another kiss to finish things (and me) off. God I love these so much. They’re so simply but so easy and nice to look at.

Next is cuddles and oh my god just that first one of Diana hugging Akko and resting her head on her chest to listen to her heartbeat look at how happy she is. Just hugging Akko around the back and nestling so close to her, as close as possible. And Akko’s just in heaven getting to hold her wife and rest her chin on her head. Another example of Neon’s amazing usage of blue and shades. Their hair is so soft and fluffy and bed-heady-ish. And the next part would you look at how Diana looks at Akko. I love Neon’s technique of just putting a bit of light in their eyes whenever they’re in a dark scene. Just the eyes and the rings cuz that’s all we need. There’s so much emotion in their faces and in how they touch each other. Diana’s so happy she looks like she’s about to cry. They look at each other like they’re the most precious thing in the world (because they are, to each other). Look at that kiss, very soft but firm, and just a faint glow in Akko’s ring to remind us they are married, putting her hand around Diana’s head to bring her closer. And god the breathless last panel when they’re just all over each other, Diana’s sprawled out on top of her and Akko’s never been warmer in her life. Again with that half-lidded look they give one another. Neon even put a glow for right where Diana’s ring is, even though it’s not shown. The attention to detail again.

The art for Matters of the Heart ch1, our first big project together I still can’t believe Neon did this with me god. Akko’s crying so much and her cheeks are puffy and you can see that clearly. Look at the sheen in her hair and the shock on her face and her eyes. I always loved how Neon does Akko’s hair. It’s got a very slightly-messy feeling to it, just a little bit, but that’s perfect for her, because she’s Akko. No one else draws her hair like that. And speaking of hair, this piece is a perfect example of how Neon does Diana’s. Not only wavy and highlighted, but sometimes multiple shades. It literally looks like a flowing little stream of water. The blue of her eyes is so beautiful, and the tears god she just woke up and she’s already about to cry because you can feel how tired and in pain she is. She just looks so weak and I feel like I’m the one lying in bed when I look at this. Neon puts you in each character’s position every time and it’s incredible.

And older Shiny Dianakko holy moley look at this full-body full-color masterpiece. Not only is Neon a pro at drawing people and tools/items/wands but the backgrounds the stars holy crap. Several of their arts have galaxy/stars backgrounds and each is more beautiful than the last. There’s so much color and light in this one, so much to look at. I just stare at the little details from the shine in Akko’s hair to the fabric lining Diana’s boots. And again with their rings glowing just so slightly. Their arms around each other and their hands together. Every detail was nailed beautifully.

Matters of the Heart ch2 I absolutely love the lighting in this one. You know exactly what time of day it is by the sunlight slanting in, and it’s bright and soft. Akko’s hair is ruffled cuz she’s been up for hours just worrying, and there’s the little tuft of her ponytail again, Neon’s little trademark. And the shine/shading all through Akko’s hair. I can feel the lump in Akko’s throat as she tries to talk past the tears. Her hand on Diana’s cheek and Diana weakly leaning into it and looking at her so longingly. She’s so so tired and everything hurts but you know she feels so much better just because Akko is there with her. Her hair is messy and unkempt, and Neon only draws her like that when it’s necessary. It’s not a careless swipe of the tablet pen, it’s intentional and it’s really expressive as to Diana’s state right now. All light, calming colors that set a really easy mood for this quiet tender moment.

A small kiss but still so beautiful. I love the (for lack of a better word) sketchier style. It looks so carefree just like the kiss. This is a kiss they can share just because they can, and I reel it’s something Neon drew just because they can, and thank god they did, cuz look at how cute. Still so many details, ruffled clothes and streaks in their hair. But like I said, no matter how many kisses Neon draws, they’re always different. Akko’s holding Diana’s shoulder and face and Diana is holding her firmly. It’s a quick messy kiss that you give your significant other just because you love them so much. More beauty in simplicity.

One of my favs like all the others are aahaHA Okay but this one gives us a view of how Neon draws other parts of the body like the back and shoulders more (and since it’s nakey we can see the muscles and scars and whatnot). More ‘warm’ blue colors at nighttime with these lovely cuddles. Look at how gently Diana strokes Akko’s back and we get CHIBIS I love Neon’s chibis. Cute little faces and expressions, which look especially great on Akko being tickled. And Diana’s just looking at her so longingly so lovingly. You can really see the love in her eyes and the adoration. And then you can feel Akko’s guilt. Neon just always chooses the best poses for everything. The way Akko hugs her pillow and gives Diana that nervous look (and her cute messy hair again ajksdhf) I REALLY Love the next part when Diana kisses her back. It’s so intimate, and I love their expressions. Diana is so certain about what she’s doing despite Akko’s clear misgivings and surprise. And the way Diana’s brushing Akko’s hair aside. I fucking love long flowy hair and this is the perfect opportunity for it and Neon does not disappoint. Such a sweet, tender kiss. I’ll never be over how well Neon nails emotions/expressions. And there’s often a variety of those in each comic. This one has guilt, nervousness, fondness, surprise, affection, joy. And the tiny little nose touch and how their bangs fluff up together. Look at how they look at each other. AND I fucking die when Akko gently touches Diana’s scar. Just that panel alone is so beautiful to me. The location of Diana’s scar being right over her heart, the way Akko’s ring glows just at the bottom of the panel, and the curls of Diana’s hair falling over her shoulders. God I love it. And another surprise little kiss for Akko. Have I said yet how much I love how Neon does kisses. And then adorable chibi cuddles as they just squish together look at how happy they aaaare.

Okay an angst comic Neon’s so good with choosing colors for text. But before that, their handwriting is really nice too. The haunting black/red backgrounds and drops of blood. And just the choice of dialogue itself is so telling. You don’t need to see the knife in that first panel to know what Croix is doing to her. Croix is so calm, but you can see she’s also tired and she’s not happy about this at all. But goddamn the shock and dismay in Diana’s face, the shading, the lack of colors and then a splash of bright red. And then I like how the painful red panels turn green (which is kinda associated with magic and in this case Akko’s healing magics). When Diana wakes up you can see Akko’s hair off to the side, so you know she’s there hunched over her sobbing even before you see it for real. Neon does tears so well. And not only little happy tears or slow dribbling tears, but pouring heavy tears too. Just streaming down Akko’s face in 3 different places and dripping off her lip and chin. And then you get to see her hands bloodied with Diana’s blood so you know Akko was pressing down to cover her wound all this time Diana was unconscious. You can feel just how relieved Akko is, not only because of the tears and how her eyebrows furrow and the way she looks into her eyes, but her mouth too. It’s a tight but wobbly smile, like she’s crying so hard she can barely get it out there but somehow she manages. And then what a beautiful tight hug of relief and love and joy and just good lord. I love this hug. Akko needs it as much as Diana does. You can really feel their closeness. And I know I was mainly gonna focus on the Dianakko cuz I’m trash but this is my fav art of the Sorcerer so far I just. Love his design so much. So inky and drippy and bony and neat. But an ass.

Chibi cuddles where you can see Akko’s pouty tired stubbornness look at her puffy cheeks and her tired eyes and her unrelenting grip on Diana. And Diana’s torn cuz she wants to stay in bed but she’s wired to get up and work. Their pose is really super cute, like how Diana has a hand on Akko’s head to half-pat half-push her away. And I love the lighting to show where the sunlight is coming in from this morning. Not too much color, but that’s perfect for an early-morning scene because at that time of day everything is still kinda pale and milky in color and not as bright yet so it really works perfectly here.

Study lesson sure okay right off the bat look at sweating gay baby Akko, meanwhile Diana is trying to be SERIOUS HERE but of course Akko is Akko. I love shocked Diana, how her eyes widen and her face turns pink. Then how they hold each other and close their eyes just as they kiss. Again, their hands are in different positions/spots than they are in any other kiss Neon has drawn. I like Akko putting both of hers on Diana’s shoulders/collar kinda to steady herself and keep her aim straight (lol). Followed by a cute little kiss and some of the cutest chibis ever. I’ll never be able to comprehend how simple circles and shapes like these chibis can instantly = people in my mind. All the work of an amazing artist.

Small kissu so simple and yet still so complex. I’ve always been as much of a sucker for the sketchy style as the clear lineart style. But this one is definitely more fun. Especially with Akko’s messy hair and ruffled bedhead, yet in contrast Diana’s hair is fluffy but not mess like Akko’s. I’m not sure HOW but it just is. And her fingertips just barely touching Akko’s face Akko’s chin and jaw, Akko’s hand on her shoulder firmly but comfortably. The way their hair kinda spills out over their shoulders and just that singular blush to keep our attention focused on the kiss itself. But don’t neglect to appreciate how Diana’s stroking Akko’s hair through her fingers. And then for her to move her hand onto Akko’s shoulder tells us she’s bringing her a little closer, kissing a little deeper. Such simply little subtleties but I want to appreciate them all cuz Neon needs to know someone really does just stare at these pieces for hours on end sometimes before bed.

Another that was my phone bg for a month or so. Such a cute, clumsy, totally-canon-possible situation. I like this simple, one-layer coloring technique a lot. Not too extravagant because the situation isn’t that serious, just cute and fun to look at. The side views are really cute, especially their mouths. Just the difference in the shapes of their mouths express their characters, how Akko’s goes wide/high and how Diana’s curves downward. But the follow-up image is just so precious, Akko worrying about Diana, but Diana reassuring her. I love Akko’s tiny little pout as she frets about hurting her, but Diana’s completely fine and just flattered Akko would even be that worried about her. And of course it’s a hug, and I’m a sucker for those, especially how Neon draws them. Always so close and cuddly. It makes perfect sense that Akko’s hands would be on top of Diana initiating the hug, pulling her in/worrying about her, while Diana would be returning it around her sides. Again, very small but important details that make the art all the more believable and enjoyable

Good please don’t ever stop cuz everything neon draws is fucking adorable. Another black-and-white piece, save for the blushes. And the sashes. I’ve said it a lot in art of other fandoms I used to be in, but I always love when artists do things like this, coloring only small parts of the art to kind of “highlight” it against the rest. In this one, they both have their hands on each others’ faces rather than shoulders or sides. A sketchier kind of piece for a quick, but intimate kiss works perfectly and really gives a feel for it.

A full color piece I really love. The highlights in Diana’s hair, the shine in Akko’s, and hell there are even shines in Diana’s too. For this one (as every Neon kiss is different), the both have both hands on the others’ back, and you can even see the motion in their hands (even though it’s clearly a still piece). You can tell their hands are roaming, rubbing, massaging gently, busying themselves in ways other than just kissing. And I love how Diana’s stroking through Akko’s hair. A super cute detail most pieces don’t bother to go above and beyond to depict, but if you are kissing someone with long hair, it tends to be something you do. It gives the piece a realistic feeling. Even more so with the second piece. By this point, both of them are a little breathless and giddy, their hair is messier (even the prestigious Diana Cavendish’s, and that detail in and of itself says loads about how busy they are with each other). I’m really in love with Akko’s hair on this one, the sketchy, shiny style for it, and the thin strands covering Diana’s fingertips. Tiny details that make it all the better and more enjoyable. And how Akko’s hand is kinda lazily lying over Diana’s shoulder, showing she’s at the point where she’s kinda stopped focusing on holding onto her shoulders and now she just wants to focus on her lips. These are also expressions we rarely get to see on these two, so it’s nice to see.

Matters of the Heart ch4. This one is simple (by which I mean simple to look at, though not to have created). Few colors, but again that highlight of the flowers in the background . Love it. But even more than that I just love Akko in this one. I love how she’s looking at Diana with such joy, such adoration, such fondness. No one has to read the fic or know what happened to know that Akko loves this girl with all her head. How she gently touches Diana’s shoulder and just gazes lovingly at her while she sleeps. Just gorgeous.

What should have happened in ep13. Beautiful coloring, and even more beautiful poses. Akko’s even crying because she’s so happy, Diana is just shocked at first. I love this hug (I keep saying that I KNOW) but I mean it shows Akko’s joy, to hug Diana around her back with both arms, happy enough to cry, while Diana’s hand is in midair, hesitant. But then she gets comfortable right away and hugs Akko back, and even Diana has tears in her eyes. I wrote an entire page describing this scene and yet Neon can express every emotion in two images. It just astounds me.

Okay this one. The One. It literally took me 20 minutes to look it over the first time cuz I liveblogged my reaction to it for Neon. I’m not gonna redo it on this post because nothing will ever be able to top the raw emotions I was feeling looking at it the first time. But I DO go back to it at least once a week (usually more than that) just to look at it. Just to stare. It is one of my favorites of any art ever.

Then there’s this one boy oh boy. Single image, different coloring technique, absolutely beautiful. The way Akko hugs her, holds her. It’s tight but not too tight. I’ve always liked hugs from behind where the person being hugged reaches up to put their hands over the other person’s (I know that is SUPER specific but it’s true). There’s just something about that kind of pose. The hugger having their arms/hands directly on the other person’s body, and the one being hugged just put their hands over the former’s just to hold onto them somehow too. It makes them both feel safe. It’s just so cute. And nothing’s cuter than Akko nuzzling into Diana’s shoulder/cheek. They’re both so relaxed, resting against each other. I haven’t mentioned yet how I love how Neon does eyelashes, so here’s a great time. They just look so pretty, especially against their blushy cheeks.

How the anime should’ve ended. New outfits for both of them, plenty of color, and all the most beautiful colors. The colors, shading, the background (again with the galaxy stuff!) And the magic and the light, sparkling exactly like the Seven Stars do. And of course in the shape of a heart. I can’t even imagine how much effort a piece like this takes. I also really appreciate the red and blue embroidery on their hats to match their sashes.teams. And the outfits overall are red/blue in reflection of them. It’s such a gorgeous blend of colors. And the Shiny Rod looks straight out of the anime. I had this as my laptop bg for a while cuz I just love looking at it.

Art for one of my fics ;w; Which absolutely kills me. Knowing that my writing could inspire someone to draw/create something out of just images spawned from words I jotted down will never cease to astound and flatter me. Especially when it’s a scene like this. The climax of the story, the most desperate/intimate/important part. Akko’s crying so hard, clinging to Diana, her ring glowing again to remind us of their relationship at his point. And Diana’s unresponsiveness and lack of reciprocation. Again, you don’t need to read the fic or know exactly what’s going on in order to feel the raw emotion and understand how Akko is feeling as opposed to how Diana is feeling at this moment. And I have to mention I love Neon’s choice of their Years Later sleepwear. Akko’s basically the same as her younger canon pjs (because she’ll always be a kid at heart), and Diana in a nightgown, which is the only kind of pjs I can see her in. The smaller final panel reassures us of the happy ending. Because the first image might scare you a little, wondering if Diana is all right, so leaving just that would’ve been a little worrisome. But Neon reassures us with that little bit at the end, and knowing it ends well makes looking at the first image not as worrisome the second and third time around - we can enjoy that more in knowing it ends happily.

Red and blue. Okay. Anyone who’s been with me since RWBY (where my main otp of gals also have blue and red colors) KNOWS I am the ultimate sucker for color scheme things like this. Akko being red, Diana being blue, but the best part is the purple blending them together. Dash does this in her art a lot and I tell her all the time how much I love it. Neon does it even more beautifully and very smoothly. The blend is in such a small part, only their bangs and chests. It’s hardly noticeable, because it’s so subtly well-done. This pieces is like watercolor and gives off a hydrangea kind of feeling. Usually for Years Later pics, Diana’s hair is loose (for bedtime scenes) or over her shoulder in its ponytail. So I really enjoy seeing it in this new style, still in a ponytail but all down her back. And Diana’s threading Akko’s hair again. Though all kisses Neon draws are unique, some elements reappear more than others, like how Diana threads Akko’s hair and how Akko cradles the back of Diana’s head. Reoccuring small things like that in the art gives them a sense of normalcy, so we can establish and understand these two girls kiss a lot, and they have come to realize what things they like to do best when engaged in a kiss. Those things each of them do more often than others are things you’ll only notice if you look at all of Neon’s art. We kinda start to accept them as ‘headcanons’ of how Dianakko kiss when Neon draws them.

The Kimono piece is lovely. Seeing them both with new hairstyles, the jewelry, the hair accessories. As if the colors aren’t gorgeous enough, there’s the patterns of the clothing. I didn’t notice my first time looking at it that Akko’s actually tying Diana’s bow for her, implying she helped her put the whole thing on, or at least helped with finishing touches, which implies a bit of closeness right there. You know Akko is a pro at kimonos since she’s from Japan and Diana has no clue what to do with them, so having Akko tie it for her was a perfect touch.

Soft As Cotton art absolutely murders me. Another draw from one of my fics like holy shit I absolutely fucking died. This one is just pure adorableness. I love Akko’s disbelieving face and Diana’s twitchy tail but even though she’s annoyed she’s still blushing this gay nerd. And the chibis again AHH so cute. I love how Diana’s tail poofs up and Akko gets that look in her eyes like “I gotta... do it again...” My fav might be the one of Diana leaning into Akko’s hand and purring she just looks so damn happy. It’s just such a soft moment and such a soft picture with soft colors. But no wait I think my favorite is the big bonus image cuz I had that as my phone bg for a long time. Diana’s annoyed at getting hit in the face with ears, but Akko is just. So content. So damn happy. I love the closeness, how Akko’s pressed right up there against her chest, and god her little nose ugh. And her arms are underneath Diana’s in this hug, which is a detail I love that I haven’t even been able to recognize for YEARS until very recently. When my fav gets hugged with the other person’s arms under theirs, because the person in Akko’s position is as close to Diana as physically possible, without her arms obstructing her grip. Again, a small detail, but one that makes it for me. I might be biased but I love this comic so much. It’s just so soft, as the title of the fic says, soft in every possible way. Soft and lovely.

Comfort kiss. Oh my gosh I was looking through Neon’s art tag the other week and spotted this one and I just stopped and gushed about it all over again. You can tell by my fics being 90% hurt/comfort that I love this sort of thing and this art fucking slew me. Diana’s just breaking down after all this time and you can tell how much pain she’s in, but that it’s emotional, not physical. Because Akko is level-headed for a change, taking on the role of the comforter. Her hands gently cupping Diana’s face, not her shoulders or sides where the clothes would skew her touch. She touches Diana’s skin directly to let her know she’s here and this is real. And she’s kissing Diana’s cheek, not her lips. I’ve seen comfort/crying art before of other fandoms/ships where they kiss lips but like... would you really wanna do that? I think cheek is the best. Not only does Akko get to brush away Diana’s tears but she’s allowing her to breathe freely as she cries. And look at how Diana’s hands are just loosely holding onto Akko, like she’s not even sure how hard she should be holding her back and she’s shaking too hard to tell anyway. But fuck me the final panel of Akko cupping her face and touching her lip so gently and shushing her... it fucking ruins me. AKKO being the one to take control of such a delicate situation. AKKO being the one to comfort/hush her. It’s a major role-reversal from their canon personalities and it’s so beautiful to see Diana being taken care of for once. I could stare at this one for hours (and sometimes I do I swear to god). And the colors are kinda dull/sad to match the tone of what’s happening, but it’s still oddly calming in a way.

Casual date okay if we don’t all already know by now that I love seeing my fav characters in different clothes and with different hairstyles so hello. Have a look at this gorgeous piece. If I’m a sucker for small details being colored in a colorless piece, where is nothing that gets me more than color-reversal things. Like ask Dash and Leo I always freak out whenever why do it in their art and here goes Neon. Akko’s got the bluish clothes and Diana’s got the reddish and they both look so GOOD. Even their shoes are different but still so cute. And for Akko to be having mint/vanilla and Diana to be having a chocolatey thing which is also a general color contrast for them is really nice. I love Akko’s smooth, stylish hair and Diana’s messier ponytail, again a little contrast from what we might typically expect from these two. And the colors are just so... summery. This entire piece screams summer to me, so bright and sparkly and it just kinda looks like marble soda in and of itself. The colors are so gorgeous and light and pleasant, like sherbet ice cream.

Another beautiful kiss. I just love how Akko is all but lying herself onto Diana, lazily wrapping her arms around her shoulders in a loose kinda hug. Looks like she’s about to just fall on top of her and take a lazy kissy nap, which is definitely something Akko would do. It’s such an ‘Akko’ kind of pose too. In contrast Diana is hugging her more tightly, a little more responsibly, probably trying to keep them from actually toppling over lol. Neon’s really good with not making the kisses too obvious. I mean the actual drawing of their lips. It’s done in such a simple little line or two, but the curve/angle of those tiny lines are so important to show whose mouth is where. I feel profile kisses are such a difficult thing to get right but Neon nails it every time. This is another piece where I love to look at their hair, but I think Akko’s lazy huggy pose is my favorite part. Their arms being lifted up lets them press chest-to-chest and man that closeness is so nice.

Surprise blue kiss agh so cute. There’s black-and-white pieces with just a bit of color, and then there are pieces that are all one color, like blue, and then just the red/pink blushy highlights. Akko’s got a little smirk on her lips and you know she probably got Diana to look up from her work by saying something dumb or saying her name in a sing-songy way and Diana was kinda focused on her work and she just looked up with a neutral/tired expression and then suddenly Akko’s kissing her and Diana’s heart is skipping a beat. Like we didn’t even see what was going on before this, but we just know that’s exactly what happened. It’s such a perfect pose too, with Akko leaning slightly down over her, taking prestigious Diana Cavendish by surprise, which probably nothing/no one else in the would could ever do. Even in the show, Diana’s eyes rarely ever go so wide, only in ep20 when Akko got right up in her face. So it’s always cute to see her shocked into an expression she doesn’t usually show. I like that this is just a simplistic, school setting kind of thing, cuz we need those too.

The ep 19/20 kiss that definitely happened off-screen. The face touching/holding fits really nicely here because this is a reunion scene (even though they’ve only been separated for like 12 hours, these gay babies). I know I’m repeating myself at this point but just. Look how soft this is. The tender caressing of Akko’s face and Diana’s hair, Akko holding the back of her head again. I don’t know why but this one always gives me a “christmas” kind of vibe. Probably because of Diana’s green shirt underneath and reddish warmer colors on the top, but also the lighting sort of makes it look like sunlight/snowfall, and that they’re beneath mistletoe or something. That’s just me I know, but I love it. It makes this piece really unique, and I plan to make it my phone bg soon over the summer to give me a cool/christmasy feeling in the heat of July. I love how the colors are all within the same palette/range (Idk terms but) they’re all very close to each other, browns and reds and purples and peachy colors. It all seems to almost blend and it’s just beautiful. I love seeing them in different outfits, but there’s a really cute charm of seeing one girl in normal clothes and the other in different clothes. Kinda tells the story right there that Diana wasn’t where she was meant to be because she has different clothes than usual.

Boop. A nose bump piece and it’s so cute and sketchy and light and fun. I love how Neon always matches the emotional tone of a piece to the literal color tone. Their noses pushing up together is so cute, and their little miles are to die for. This one isn’t as intimate/tight as some of the others, but it still portrays its own level of closeness between them. I love how Neon does blushes, not just as little lines usually, but with smudgey sort of brushes. It’s much easier to look at quite frankly, I think it looks fucking adorable. This is another one of those things, even non-romantic, that Diana would never do with anyone else. Even in canon, it only happened with Akko.

Fake marriage AU is the most precious thing. In all of the Years Later art, Neon has them both look a bit older and dress/look different than usual. But they also just fucking nail the canon Akko and Diana. This comic shocked me from day one because it just looks... exactly like canon Diana and Akko, just without color. It’s exactly them in this scene - DIana’s shock and hesitance, Akko’s tearful joy and excitement, the way she’s holding Diana’s hands so earnestly. And here, the blushes are a combo of the smudgey pink and the little lines. And how adorable is that. I love their robes and cloaks/shawls and how they’re different yet similar, revealing the same amount of each of their arms. I also really like Diana’s hair in this one, with the shading of grey on white. And Akko this sly cutie pie slipping her fingers between Diana’s as the images go on, instead of just holding around Diana’s hands. She interlocks them by the end, and I KNOW people overlooked this detail but I fucking drink it in like a crusty old sponge. And the kiss, Diana being shocked again while Akko is almost puffing her cheeks up with the effort to just “do it! kiss her now! prove to the world you’re the best fake fiancee ever!” cuz Akko is Akko and she doesn’t always THINk she just Does the Thing. There’s a cute contrast to Akko’s earnestness and Diana’s surprise. And Diana’s mostly composed after it all, but you can tell she’s realizing she liked it. I also love how in chibi form at the end, their hands kinda turn to little paws and Akko’s ponytail sticks up in embarrassment.

Tummy rubs ;w; this one is probably the darkest (literally the colors, but emotionally, neon has done MUCH darker stuff haha) but visually this one is very dark, all/most of the light coming from Akko’s ring. It matches the scenario so well - being stabbed through the heart and poisoned into being infertile is about as dark and devastating as you can get. But Akko’s ring (their marriage/love) is a glow in that darkness, small but constant. Just the bit of sweat on Diana demonstrates how she’s suffering (maybe not as badly as other times, but you can tell it’s that kind of awful discomfort where you can’t eve find a comfortable position to lie in for bed, sweating and in pain all night). You can see it in Diana’s eyes how tired she is. But Akko is diligently taking care of her however she can. And so Diana looking back at her also portrays how grateful she is for Akko’s help.

The ep23 kiss oh lord. It’s such a difficult thing to choose only one phone bg image and one lock screen. I literally have to flip coins because I can’t choose. But god I love this one. Warm colors in contrast to the snow you know they were just in, fending off the cold. And the color palette is barely different colors, so similar they blend in so easily and pleasantly. It’s just so nice to look at, so cute, so easy o the eyes. It’s all sort of shaded/darker colors but ranging from orange to purple, their clothes their blushes, everything is just so smooth. I like that Akko’s cupping Diana’s cheek again, playing with her hair like Diana plays with hers in some of the other art. And Diana’s got a hand on Akko’s collar kind of just pulling her in closer, keeping her there, making sure she doesn’t run away again. There’s just love and warmth radiating from this picture, and I don’t know how but Neon pulls it off beautifully as always. I’m definitely making this my next bg or phone lock screen for the summer.

I scrolled through the rest of my Neon art tag and was a lil sad to see that it’s ended there FOR NOW but aahhh how nice it was to go back and look through it all again for a long time and write up some reactions/notes.

I know a lot of things I said here are probably just... explaining what’s obviously happening in the image. But I just wanted to show how like... Neon makes it so clear what’s happening, can express the emotions so expertly.

It just astounds me. Even more than the idea of someone creating a drawing from something they read, making an image painted with words into one painted with brushes, more than that I am astounded by how artists like Neon can just think of pieces without prompts/writing. Just. Out of nothing. And they make it into a thing that never existed before and will never exist again. Something only they could have made.

I am just blown away. I love all my artist friends but Neon’s art strikes something within me that the others don’t. And I can’t really explain it, but I wanted to do this and make this post for Neon anyway, to show them how much I love and appreciate their hard work. When I say I spend minutes to hours just looking at these pieces before bed at night, I’m not joking.

So thank you, Neon, for sharing these beautiful pieces with us! I wish I could write about EVERY single piece you’ve done, not only Dianakko, but I hope you get the gist of my feelings from this post!!

#theneonflower #personal #Neon tag

69 notes · View notes

thelibraryfanfiction · 8 years ago

Text

Chapter Seven

On the fifth of June, fifty people squeezed into the registration office upstairs from the Library where I worked to see James and Craig get married.

I ended up wearing a pale pink dress that fell just below my knees. It had a ‘v’ shaped neck and loose sleeves that fell just above my elbow. It had a dotted pattern around the sleeves and neckline before the skirt turned into a lace pattern. I paired it with some strappy white heels. The whole ensemble was purchased from ASOS.

My hair was being utterly impossible so I left it out and because of the colour of the dress, I decided to keep my make-up light and simple.

I stood up the front of the hall with Barbara, who was acting as my date and James’s roommate Mia, who had taken a girl named Chess, from her work, as her date. We all made jokes about the fact that we were all single and had taken our friends as dates for a wedding as we waited for the grooms to arrive.

Even though I wasn’t looking for him, I spotted Ian immediately, standing at the back of the hall looking extremely handsome in dark pants and a white, button down shirt. I took advantage of the fact that he hadn’t seen me yet and stared at him with open adoration.

Unfortunately, Barbara noticed my preoccupation and had to comment, “Oh, so that’s him is it?”

“Who?” I asked, tearing my eyes away from him reluctantly.

“Ian Harding. Mr. Ezra Fitz himself. Your prince charming.” She smiled.

I couldn’t help but blush.

“Who are we talking about?” asked Chess curiously.

“Ian Harding. He’s been coming into the library for years and Clara has a crush on him.” Said Barbara in a slightly smug tone.

“I do not.” I defended.

“I can see why. He’s gorgeous!” hissed Chess.

“As a rule, I tend not to date celebrities.” Said Mia simply.

I smiled in amusement. She had to be joking right? Who on earth would turn down a guy like Ian just because he was a celebrity? Most people would think that the celebrity status made a person more attractive. Not me though. Or at least, not with Ian.

What had started as a simple celebrity crush had turned into something more when I got to know him.

“I don’t have that rule.” Scoffed Chess as she craned her neck to get a better look at Ian.

“You should totally make a move on him at the reception.” Said Barbara.

“What? Why?” I asked, frowning in confusion. I had not ‘made a move’ on Ian for the last two and a half years. What made she think I was going to do so now?

“Because we’re at a wedding! Love is in the air. Weddings are like catnip for single people. We see all the love and we want that. Makes us more susceptible for romantic propositions.” She explained.

“She’s got a point there.” Said Mia, “I once hooked up with a guy at a wedding. So not my type. But there was something about the wedding and seeing the bride and groom so in love that I was just like ‘hey, why not?’”

“You were also trying to get over your ex-boyfriend.” Said Chess pointedly.

“Bite me.” Replied Mia.

“See?” encouraged Barbara, “Tonight’s the night. I say you go for it.”

But before I had a chance to reply, the music started and I recognized the opening chords of ‘All I Ask of You’ from the Phantom of the Opera musical. I wasn’t big on musicals but Barbara was and she was the only reason I recognised the song.

Craig stepped into the hall, wearing an all-black suit with a white bow-tie, his arm threaded through that of a pudgy looking man who I took to be his father.

Right behind him was James, wearing an all-white suite with a black bow-tie, a smile so big it seemed to barely fit on his face, as his father walked him down the aisle.

As the two of them stood in front of the celebrant, declaring their love for each other before they placed rings on each other’s fingers, I began to realize that Mia was right; love was in the air and it was contagious.

I wanted so desperately for a guy to look at me the way Craig looked at James. And I wanted that guy to be Ian. I wanted to look at him the way James looked at Craig and know that the love I felt was returned.

I knew right then that it was love. What James and Craig described that they felt for one another was exactly how I felt about Ian.

But did I really have the courage to make a move on him tonight? To tell him how I felt?

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I almost missed the best part of the whole wedding.

“I know pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss your husband.” Said the celebrant.

At that, James threw his arms around Craig’s neck and kissed him both passionately and theatrically, throwing his foot up in the air for effect that made everyone laugh as we all clapped and cheered before everyone made their way across the hall to the reception room, which was typically a meeting room.

There were tea and coffee facilities and an array of biscuits, complete with a wedding cake that had two little grooms on top of it.

Instead of throwing bouquets and garters, the boys threw their bow-ties. I caught one, being the tallest girl there and a friend of Craig’s caught the other.

I watched as the boys cut the cake and then proceeded to smash it into one another’s faces. Then as the cake was being cut into slices for the guests, Craig and James took to the little improvised dance floor and shared their first dance as a married couple to the song ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ from the Lion King. Even I knew that song.

There were several points throughout the night that I contemplated going over to talk to Ian, but every time I did, I would take one look at how handsome he was and loose all my self-confidence. On the off chance that I did work up the nerve to go and talk to him, he was nearly always talking to someone else and most of them were girls. Not Barbara, Mia or Chess, who knew how I felt about Ian, but other girls who were all far more attractive than me and obviously flirting with Ian.

I was just digging into my cake with a little plastic spoon, trying to think of a way to casually approach Ian when he took the decision out of my hands and approached me.

“Lovely ceremony.” Said a familiar voice.

The spoon froze halfway between my mouth and the bowl in my hand and I turned to see Ian standing next to me, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at me with an amused smile.

If I had thought he looked handsome from afar, that was nothing compared to how he looked up close. His freshly shaven cheeks gleamed under the lights, high lighting the dimple in his chin. His hair was slicked back and styled, giving me a perfect, uninterrupted view of his blue-grey eyes.

And worst of all, he was wearing an aftershave that smelled absolutely amazing.

Realizing I was staring, I tried to school my features into something that resembled a normal human expression and attempted to speak, “Yes. Very lovely.”

“Saw you caught the bow-tie.” He said, gesturing to the accessory I had tied around my wrist, “Nice catch.” He commented.

“Well, being this tall has to be good for something.” I shrugged, “Snatching things out of the air…”

“Reaching the top shelf.” He supplied.

“Blocking peoples views in movie theatres.” I added.

“And best of all, being able to go on all the rides.” He smiled.

I threw my head back and laughed in amusement.

“How’s the cake?” he asked after a moment.

“Delicious.” I told him as I spooned a mouthful into my mouth, it was red velvet with cream cheese icing, my favourite, “You want some?” I asked through a mouthful of cake.

It only occurred to me after I was done speaking how disgusting I must have looked, speaking with a mouth full of food. But I couldn’t help it. Whenever I was with Ian, all my defences were down and I acted just a little too naturally, I was so comfortable with him.

“Sure.” He smiled.

Slicing off a section with my spoon, I made to hand him the bowl but instead he leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the spoon I was still holding. I watched the way his perfect lips closed around the mouthful of food and I found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss him…

But movement from behind his shoulder made me tear my eyes away from his lips to see James, giving me a massive thumbs up before making kissing faces.

My eyes widened as I pleaded for him, with my eyes, to stop what he was doing encase Ian saw, but he straightened up and cut him from my view and I schooled my features back into a pleasant smile.

“It’s good.” He said.

I nodded, “It’s good for an imitation of red velvet.”

“An imitation?” he asked.

“Real red velvet has beetroot juice in it. That’s how it gets its colour.” I explained.

“Why on earth do you know that?” he asked.

“I bake a lot.” I shrugged as I turned my attention back to the cake, but I suddenly had no appetite for it. Ian was standing so close to me I could hardly think straight.

“Is that what you do in your spare time? Bake?” he asked curiously.

“Sometimes. Other times I read.” I replied.

“You don’t get enough of books at your job?” he smiled.

“Never.” I smiled.

He laughed and I felt my insides warm at the sound as I stabbed at my piece of cake just to hide the goofy smile I knew was on my face.

“So what’s your favourite?” he asked suddenly.

I frowned as I turned to look at him, “What?”

“What’s your favourite book?”

“Oh god, that’s too hard a question.”

“How is that a hard question?”

“It just is!” I told him seriously, “How would you feel if I asked you to tell me who your favourite child was?”

“That’s easy. Its Maggie. She’s the only one I’ve got.” He said immediately.

He had me there.

“Yeah but imagine if you had hundreds of Maggie’s, how would you choose your favourite?” I argued.

“Are they all carbon copies of Maggie? Or would they be different? Because if we’re comparing children to books, they would all have to be different.” He said.

“Fine, they are all different. They are all different facets of Maggie’s personality. Which one do you choose?” I asked.

“Excited Maggie.” He said.

“Why?”

“Because I will never forget the way she looked on her birthday, seeing all these presents for her. She looked so excited that she just kept breathing in and forgot to breathe out. She actually passed out.” He told me.

“Oh my god, that’s horrible!” I said, feeling vaguely horrified.

“No it wasn’t. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen.” He said simply, “When was the last time you got so excited about something that you forgot how to breathe?”

“Um…” I said thoughtfully, I couldn’t quite remember a time when I had ever been that excited, even as a kid.

“Now associate that feeling with a book and tell me which one it is.” He said.

“Ok, got it.” I said, picturing the book clearly in my mind.

“Right, now show me that book.” He said seriously.

I blinked in shock, show him the book? When? He didn’t mean now did he? We were in the middle of a reception.

“Right now?” I asked in disbelief.

“Right now.” He replied.

There was something about the way he said it that sounded like a challenge to me. As if he didn’t believe that I would get up and show him my favourite book. What he may have guessed about me was that the moment people told me, or even implied, that I wasn’t capable or wouldn’t do something, I immediately did it.

Setting my bowl of cake down, I squared my shoulders and held my head high as I walked out the door with him trailing along, seeming quite smug, behind me.

Heading down stairs, my heels clanking as I descended the steps, I walked down the hallway, not bothering to check if he was following me, to the library and opened the door. The moment I entered the library I was filled with an instant confidence that came from being in a place that I was so comfortable in and knew so well.

Not even bothering to look at the numbers of the dewy decimal system or find the correct letter for the authors last name, I came to the shelf where I knew the book was and stretched up on the tips of my toes, grabbing it from the top shelf.

Without a word, I spun around, finding him a little closer than I originally thought he was, I presented him with my favourite book.

“Alice in Wonderland.” He read as he looked down at the book.

I nodded, “Have you read it before?” I asked.

“No actually. Seen the movie.” He said before he looked up at me, seeing my expression he smiled knowingly, “Yes, books are better than the movie. I get it.”

I smiled, liking the fact that he knew me so well, “Well take that one. Have a read of it and let me know what you think.” I smiled.

He looked down at the book, seeming hesitant, “I probably shouldn’t. I’m pretty busy these days. I won’t get time to read it.”

“Hey, I’m in charge here.” I began, trying to sound bossy, “I’ll just give it to you.”

He smiled as he made to take the book from me, but I pulled it away playfully.

“Actually, I’m just going to lend it to you.” I qualified.

“Why?” he asked curiously.

“That way he have to return it to me. And you can tell me in person what you thought of it.” I told him seriously before I offered him the book.

He smiled a surprisingly sad smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he took the book from my hands and leaned his back against the bookshelf. I leaned my shoulder into the shelf, mimicking his position as I watched him stare down at the book in his hands. He seemed to be deep in thought and I had no desire to break him out of his revere.

“You know,” he began as he turned his head to look at me, his blue-grey eyes meeting mine.

He was so close now that I felt my breath catch in my throat.

“Even if I didn’t want to borrow anymore books, I’d still find a reason to come and see you.” He said softly.

A bubble of excited happiness swelled inside of me. I couldn’t remember how long I had been dreaming he’d say something like that to me. But hearing the words actually fall from their mouth and believing they were true was far better than anything my feeble imagination could conjure up. I was so happy that a smile stretched itself out onto my face before I could stop it.

Seeing me smile, he smiled back in response. Though there was something incredibly sad about the way that he smiled, it was as if he was looking back on his life and seeing everything he regretted as he stared at me…

But before I could ponder the strange look that came onto his face, he shifted his body weight and his eyes flickered down to my lips.

I knew what was going to happen, but it still surprised me when he edged his face closer to mine, so slowly it was practically torturous. I could feel his warm breath on my face and I knew he was taking his time to give me plenty of opportunity to move away but I didn’t.

My heart was beating so hard I thought it might jump out of my chest, my whole body tingled with excitement and anticipation. I waited until he closed his eyes before I closed mine and he softly pressed his lips to mine.

It was everything I wanted a kiss from him to be like; soft, chaste and unbearably sweet.

I felt his hand come up to cup the side of my face tenderly and I parted my lips, hoping to deepen the kiss when suddenly the door to the library was pushed open and an eruption of voices sounded, the most loud of which being a very drunk James.

The two of us pulled away from one another as if we had been electrocuted and I turned to see James leading his parents, Craig’s parents and Craig through the library.

“And here is where it all happened!” he declared, “Right here!” he said as he pointed to a spot over by the bookcases, “That is where we first met.”

Unsure of what else to do, or if they had even spotted us yet, I stood absolutely frozen. Ian seemed at a similar loss at what to do as he stared at James as well.

It was then that James seemed to notice us and he stopped his impromptu tour, “Oh, hello you two. What are you doing down here?” he asked happily.

Ian opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. I could already see a blush creeping up his neck and the tips of his ears were already red.

“Just borrowing a book.” I lied smoothly.

James’s eyes narrowed suspiciously as he glared at me.

“Come on!” giggled Craig as he tugged on James’s hand, “Lets show them the book you tried to recommend me.”

James allowed himself to be tugged away, but his eyes stayed on me until he was out of sight and his group followed after him.

I turned to Ian, whose complexion now resembled that of a tomato and I couldn’t help the embarrassed, yet still deliriously happy, giggle that escaped my mouth.

I had just been caught making out with Ian Harding in a library. Something about just how unlikely that sentence sounded made me giggle. I wasn’t embarrassed, it was a little awkward, sure, but I had caught James doing far worse in this library. It didn’t bother me that he might have seen us, it did however bother me that he had interrupted us.

Knowing the romantic mood between us had been spoiled and that Ian was very thoroughly embarrassed, I decided to take control of the situation to make him feel better, I myself was just so happy, “Come on. I’ll scan the book out for you.”

He nodded his head, I wasn’t quite sure if he could speak in that moment.

My heels clacked along the wooden floor as I walked behind the reception desk. Out of laziness, James and myself never turned off the computers because they were so old it took them forever to reboot when we did. Instead we just let them go into hibernation, so it only took a simple wiggle of the mouse to get them firing back up again.

We didn’t speak a word to each other as I scanned the book in, the silence was broken by the sound of giggles and chattering from James’s tour.

I watched Ian from the corner of my eye as I typed his name into the computer. I could feel him watching every move I made. Despite how awkward things had been before, this was familiar territory for the two of us; him borrowing a book and me scanning it in. We had done this dozens of times but for some reason, it suddenly felt new and exciting.

Placing the book on the counter for him, I smiled.

He smiled back as he took the book, “I’ll try and finish it quickly.” He said.

Though it was a generic enough statement, given what he had previously said to me, I knew it meant that he was going to try and read it quickly so he could come back and see me so much sooner.

My smile, if it was possible, got even bigger as he headed off towards the door.

Just before he stepped outside, he looked over his shoulder at me, once again that strangely sad smile adorned his features and I couldn’t place why, but I had the sudden urge to stop him from leaving. To demand to know what was making him smile so sadly and what I could possibly do to help.

But before I could do anything, he disappeared out the door and I was left staring after him wistfully.

…

“What do you mean you just kissed?” demanded Barbara as we shared an uber home.

“I mean we kissed and it was beautiful.” I smiled.

“But there was no admission of feelings? No setting a date? No exchanging of numbers? Nothing?!” she asked incredulously.

I shook my head.

“But he said he comes in for you not the books. That sort of like telling you how he feels I guess…” she trailed off.

I simply smiled, too deliriously happy to do anything else.

“Well that just plain sucks.” She pouted.

But it didn’t. Not really.

I was happy with how the night had turned out. Even if she wasn’t.

“But you didn’t tell him how you felt did you?” she asked.

“No.”

“That’s a problem.”

“Why?”

“Well, what if he thinks you don’t like him and he’s too cowardly to face you ever again because he thinks you’ve friend zoned him?” she asked.

My face fell, “No. He wouldn’t think that…” I said, though I wasn’t so certain.

She raised an interesting point. Ian had said how he felt about me, but I had never said or done anything to indicate to him how I felt about him. I thought I had always been so obvious in my affection for him. Surely he knew, didn’t he?

Would that be a problem later on?

I’d have to wait until he returned the book to find out.

…

A month later, James was on his honeymoon and Ian was officially two weeks late in delivering back the book.

The computer had even sent him an automatic ‘overdue’ email. But he still hadn’t showed.

Was Barbara right? Was he avoiding me now because he thought I didn’t feel the same way about him?

I drove myself crazy thinking about it. Finally I caved and called James, who was all the way in Queensland, Australia, to talk about it.

“Aloha,” he answered happily.

“You’re in Queensland, not Hawaii.” I told him immediately.

“If you’re here to harsh my buzz, I’m going to hang up this phone right now.” He said in a sing song voice.

“No, don’t hang up!” I said immediately, a panic fluttering through me.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“It’s Ian. He’s totally disappeared on me. It’s been over a month. Why do you think he hasn’t been by?” I asked.

“He’s probably busy with work.” He soothed, “Have you tried calling him?”

“I don’t have his number.” I grumbled.

“Urgh,” he groaned, “You guys are taking the whole ‘hard to get’ thing to a whole new level.” He commented.

I sighed deeply, he had a point.

“How many years have you been doing this now? Next time, I will ask him for his number for you.” He said pointedly.

“No, don’t do that.” I sighed before my voice suddenly grew firm, “I’ve decided next time he comes in I’m going to tell him how I feel.”

“Good for you!”

Yes, it was going to be good for me. If Ian ever decided to show up at the library again.

…

It was almost exactly two months since I had seen Ian last and I was getting extremely worried. Why hadn’t he come by?

If he was avoiding me, that was understandable if he thought that I didn’t feel the same way about him or even worse he regretted kissing me and thought it was a mistake.

But it wasn’t like him to borrow a book and not return it. If he was worried about seeing me, he could just put it in the after hours slot. At least then I would know if he was avoiding me or not.

The not knowing and the waiting around was absolutely killing me.

“Stop watching the door woman! My god.” Said James one day as we sat at the reception desk.

I had taken to leaning against the counter top and watching the door, as if by watching it so intently I could somehow make Ian appear. My heart leapt into my throat every time the door opened, only to have it crushed when it turned out to be just another patron and not him.

“I can’t help it.” I sighed as I tore my eyes away from the door to look at him, “Its been ages. Why hasn’t he come by?”

“I can literally compose a list of reasons. Do you want to hear them?” he asked pointedly.

“No.” I grumbled as I went back to looking at the door.

He proceeded to list them anyway; “He could have had a family emergency back in America. He could have gotten a new acting job and is busy learning his lines. He could have been struck by lightning…”

His reasons were not making me feel better and I continued to stare at the door.

“Maggie could be sick and he’s looking after her. He could have won the lottery. He could have broken both his legs…”

The door to the library opened and I straightened up as my stomach clenched and my heart leapt into my throat as a man stepped through the door and…

It wasn’t Ian but some older, stuffy looking gentleman wearing a suit.

I audibly groaned and turned to look at James who was still chattering away, “He could have gotten a really bad haircut and doesn’t want to show people…”

I shook my head. None of the reasons he was listing seemed plausible or good enough reasons for him to have not come into the library to see me.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Clara? She apparently works here.” Interrupted a voice from behind me.

I turned around to see the stuffy looking man from before was standing on the other side of the counter.

“That would be me.” I said, my smile not entirely genuine.

“I’m here to return this book and give you this.” He said as he placed a book on the counter and a small torch.

At first my eyes were drawn to the small torch, it was the size of a black marker and I could see had a little button to press to turn it on, but why on earth would someone give me a torch? Especially one that had a blue light?

But then I saw the book. One that I recognized instantly; Alice in Wonderland.

I turned to look at the man again in confusion, forgetting all my politeness and customer service training, I asked the question that had been on my mind for the past two months, “Where’s Ian?”

The man looked uncomfortable for a moment before he sighed, “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you but, Ian died last week.”

#chapters #fanfiction #fanfic #real person fanfiction #the library #Ian Harding

1 note · View note